Monthly Archives: August 2023

Music Monday: August 28, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another triple play edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Earlier this month we said goodbye to music mogul & co-founder of A & M Records, Jerry Moss, who died on August 16, 2023 at the age of 88. Best known as the “M” of the label to pair with his friend and partner, Herb Alpert, who was the “A”. Together they brought us music by Cat Stevens n/k/a Yusuf Islam, Carole King, The Carpenters, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Peter Frampton, The Police, Janet Jackson, not to mention Alpert and his group, The Tijuana Brass and so many others.

Known for their artist friendly approach and for giving the ruthless recording industry a human touch, Moss and Alpert nurtured their talent and took their label-which started in a garage for $100 in 1962-and grew it to the $500 million dollar empire they sold to PolyGram in 1989. About a decade later, they received an additional $200 million for a breach of the integrity clause. Both Moss and Alpert reminded us that music is not only about the people who create it, but the people in the industry like they were who gave those artists the platform to make music so it would reach the rest of us.

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Jerry Moss The Carpenters

Top: Herb Alpert (L) and Jerry Moss outside their studio in 1966. Middle: Alpert (L), the A to Moss’s (R) M circa 1972. Bottom: Moss with Richard (L) and Karen Carpenter in 1969. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

The Allman Brothers Band fourth studio album, Brothers and Sisters, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Released in August 1973, it was the group’s first full non-live release after two devastating losses: The death of co-founder & guitarist Duane Allman from a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 at the age of 24 and the death of bassist Berry Oakley also as a result of a motorcycle crash a year later on November 11, 1972 at the same age of 24.

Thankfully, he recorded two songs for the 1973 album before he died and one of them is today’s second highlighted pick. Written and sung by guitarist Dickey Betts, who will turn 80 later this year on December 12, it was the lead single from the album and features the musician at his best. The track also gave the band commercial success in the traditional sense as it was their only record to hit the Top Ten, peaking at #2 in October 1973.

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(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I am not a fan of rap. It is just not a genre that ever spoke to me. But when Lauryn Hill’s debut solo studio album-The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-was released on August 25, 1998, it was everywhere so I could not help but take notice of it. Plus the music was not only rap but a blend of that, hip-hop, R&B and neo soul which gave many of her songs a different and unique type of sound. The first time I heard the third of today’s featured songs, I felt like I had been gut punched. I immediately got its message from the pain and honesty Hill expressed in the lyrics and her vocal delivery. It spoke to me and so many women I knew who had found ourselves in similar situations at one point in our lives, so there was no way we could not relate to the power of her writing.

Hill went on to work with Aretha Franklin and a few other artists and released a live album in 2002 (MTV Unplugged No. 2.0). But despite the enormous success of Miseducation (it won five Grammy Awards in 1999, including Album Of The Year), the former Fugees frontwoman never released another studio record. There are a multitude of stories and theories on that subject and I do not want to take part in any speculation. I just know that the song I fell in love with was fabulous and as someone who lives for music, I wish to acknowledge that.

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(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Carpenters: “Superstar” (1971, written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell).

The Allman Brothers: “Ramblin’ Man” (1973, written by Dickey Betts).

Lauryn Hill: “Ex-Factor” (1998, written by Lauryn Hill).

Stay safe and well.

Music Monday: August 21, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another triple play edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

July 12 marked the 80th birth anniversary for the wonderous musician & human, Christine McVie. After the news of her death last year, I posted the following tribute November 30, 2022 on my Instagram page:

Such sad news about the loss of this incredibly beautiful & talented woman. She was one of the first strong female musicians I loved who left an indelible mark on my heart. She wrote & sang her own songs while playing her signature sophisticated brand of piano, keyboards and synthesizer. Her role in Fleetwood Mac was so strong and powerful she started the group’s string of hits in 1975 and kept them going throughout their historic & phenomenal run as one of rock’s greatest bands.

Four of her songs are featured on 1975’s self-titled album & on 1977’s iconic Rumours (not including her co-writing credits on “World Turning” and “”The Chain”, respectively). Her incredibly lovely contralto voice on hits like “Say You Love Me”, “Don’t Stop”, “You Make Loving’ Fun” and others would have never been the same if sung by any other vocalist nor would they have helped define Fleetwood Mac’s sound. Rest in peace to a true musician, artist & performer who contributed such a major part of classic rock history.

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Top: Christine <cVie circa 1997. Bottom: Fleetwood Mac circa 1977 (L-R): Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, McVie and her ex-husband, John McVie. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Founding Doobie Brother Tom Johnston celebrated birthday #75 last week. Born August 15, 1948 in Visalia, California, he learned to play guitar around age 12 (he also plays piano & harmonica). By 1970 The Doobie Brothers were formed and released their first album a year later. Their third album, The Captain and Me, celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year as it was released March of 1973.

Johnston was the writer and singer behind many of the group’s hits through 1976 when he left for medical reasons. He rejoined them in 1987 and has been with them ever since except for a current break which started earlier this year due to a back injury. My favorite of Johnston’s tunes is the second of today’s songs. It has been my motto & my philosophy on life since the first time I heard it. It was released on the band’s 1972 album, Toulouse Street. This track also closed out my 550 day music marathon during the pandemic.

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Doobies

Top: Tom Johnston circa 2010. Bottom: The 2020 version of The Doobie Brothers (L-R): Johnston, John McFee, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

The man considered by many to be the greatest rock singer in history also turned 75 this month. Robert Plant was born August 20, 1948 in the UK. Twenty years later he became & is best known as the frontman of the ultimate classic rock band, Led Zeppelin. But in the nearly 45 years since they broke up in 1980, Plant has enjoyed much success as a solo artist, as a member of The Honeydrippers and as a longtime collaborator with country/bluegrass singer and musician, Alison Krauss. The last of today’s featured songs is from Led Zeppelin’s final studio album, In Through the Out Door, released in 1979. Plant is currently on a European tour in yet another collaborative project, Saving Grace.

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Top: Robert Plant circa 2010. Bottom: Led Zeppelin circa 1972 (L-R): Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Fleetwood Mac: “Over My Head” (1975, written by Christine McVie).

The Doobie Brothers: “Listen to the Music” (1972, written by Tom Johnston).

Led Zeppelin: “All My Love” (1979, written by John Paul Jones and Robert Plant).

Stay safe and well.

Music Monday: August 14, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another triple play edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Last month The Band’s debut record, Music from Big Pink, turned 55 years old. Last week, guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson passed away at the age of 80. As much as I loved the group as a whole, it was incredibly heartbreaking to see how they became so divided over songwriting credits and money (his 2020 documentary seems to validate his bandmate’s claims against him, not to mention it was conveniently released after three of them-Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Levon Helm-died so they could not defend themselves). But for a while what those five musicians created together was incomprable. The Band influenced the likes of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, U2 and so many others. That leaves the group’s multi-instrumentalist, Garth Hudson who turned 86 on August 2, as the sole surviving member.

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The Band circa 1968 (L-R):  Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson.   (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Legendary girl group superstar Ronnie Spector was born Veronica Yvette Bennett 80 years ago on August 10, 1943 in New York, NY. She co-founded and sang lead for The Ronettes (which included her older sister, Estelle Bennett, and their cousin, Nedra Talley) who gave us a sound and a style all their own. They played a significant role in 1960’s American music and Spector’s influence was felt by superstars such as Keith Richards, Darlene Love, Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen, amongst many others. Spector’s 1990 memoir, “Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, Or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette” (alternatively titled as “Be My Baby: The Autobiography of Ronnie Spector“) is definitely worth the read. Sadly, we lost this incredible woman in 2022.

Bruce and Ronnie

Bruce Springsteen (center) with Ronnie Spector behind him with The E Street Band circa 1978 (L-R): Danny Federici, Max Weinberg, Steven Van Zandt, Clarence Clemons, Roy Bittan and Gary Tallent. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Country star Luke Combs has given a new generation an education in the strength of a great song with his cover of Tracy Chapman’s extraordinary 1988 debut single. It was a #1 hit for her on the Billboard 200 for one week in August that year and Comb’s version is currently #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Back in June the song hit the #1 spot on Billboard’s Country Songwriters chart, making Chapman the first black woman to hit the top of a Country chart as the sole songwriter. It is one of my all-time favorite songs and I think she is a beautiful writer and singer who deserves every accolade that comes her way. Kudos to Combs for bringing this gem back to the charts.

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Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Band: “The Weight” (1968, written by Robbie Robertson).

The Ronettes: “Baby, I Love You” (1963, written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich & Phil Spector).

Tracy Chapman: “Fast Car” (1988, written by Tracy Chapman).

Luke Combs: “Fast Car” (2023, written by Tracy Chapman).

Stay safe and well.

Music Monday: Aug 7, 2023

Posted in Music, Music Monday by

Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones celebrated three major milestones over the last several weeks. I believe that calls for a triple play from the band.

First, their dynamic, enigmatic and legendary frontman celebrated the big 8-0 last month. Sir Michael Philip Jagger was born July 26, 1943 in Dartford, UK. He has been the lead singer of the Stones from the first day they formed the band back in 1962. That is six decades of singing, co-writing the bulk of the group’s songs and taking center stage in every show they have ever performed. A staggering statistic anyway you look at it. He also recorded four solo albums along the way. Happy birthday, Mick Jagger.

In 1973, the Stones released their 13th American studio album, Goats Head Soup. It was released fifty years ago-August 1973-on the band’s own eponymous label which was founded in 1970. Our second feature today is my favorite track off this album and was released as the first single.

Five years later, the band released Some Girls in June 1978. Two months later, the last of today’s three songs hit the #1 spot on the U.S. Billboard chart for one week. The album also includes a salute to one of the Stones’ favorite genres-Motown-with a cover of the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)”. After 45 years and despite the controversy surrounding the lyrics on the title track, the album still holds up. But there are not many from The Rolling Stones that don’t.

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Top: The band circa 1963 (L-R): front: Jagger and Bill Wyman (front), Brian Jones (center), Charlie Watts and Keith Richards (top). Middle (L-R): Richards and Jagger sometime in the 1970’s. Bottom (L-R): Watts, Richards, Jagger, Ron Wood and Wyman sometime in the 1980’s. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Let’s Spend the Night Together” (1967, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

The Rolling Stones: “Angie” (1973, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

The Rolling Stones: “Miss You” (1978, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards).

Stay safe & well.