Monthly Archives: August 2026

Music Monday: August 31, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

#musicmonday #musicblog #musicandlyrics

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Last week the world collectively mourned the loss of one of the finest people ever to grace this earth. Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026 at the age of 80.

Her milestone birthday was celebrated here on the January 19, 2026 blog. She was so vibrant & full of life I do not believe any of us thought it would be her last. I am reposting it today in her honor. Rest in peace, Dolly. We will always love you. Thank you for your love and your light.

Today marks birthday #80 for Dolly Parton. Born January 19, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee, the future country superstar started singing as a child, including appearances on local TV & radio shows by age 10. Three years later she recorded her first record & appeared at the Grand Ole Opry. In 1964 after she graduated high school she moved to Nashville and began her career as a songwriter with a music publisher.

Dolly Parton’s 1967 debut album. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

A year later Parton signed her own record deal. Her debut album, Hello, I’m Dolly, was released in September 1967. That same year she became a regular on The Porter Wagoner Show at his invitation. She continued to make solo records but they did not achieve the level of success as her duets with Wagoner which earned them a Country Music Award in 1968 for Vocal Group Of The Year. Two years later her solo records began to chart well, including her 1971 hit, the autobiographical song (which would later become a TV movie), “Coat Of Many Colors”. In 1974, on the heels of even greater success with her song, “Jolene”, Parton left Wagoner’s show.

Parton circa 1977. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

After years of hits as a country star, she branched out into acting with her debut in the 1980 movie, “9 to 5”. She also wrote & sang the title theme song, which became the #1 song in the country 45 years ago on February 21, 1981 for two nonconsecutive weeks. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1981. She hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks again-this time consecutively- in the fall of 1983 for her duet with Kenny Rogers, “Islands In The Stream”. Parton’s collaborations with fellow music legends Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt for the Trio albums are not to be missed.

Parton in a scene from the 1980 movie, “9 to 5”. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Parton appeared in several other movies and made a huge contribution to the 1992 film, “The Bodyguard” when her song, “I Will Always Love You”-covered by Whitney Houston at the urging of her leading man, Kevin Costner -became the #1 song in the country for 14 consecutive weeks from November 28, 1992-March 5, 1993. Parton has reportedly said numerous times that song was written as a tribute to Wagoner for his role in her life & career.

Her successes continued over the decades and have not stopped. In 2022 she was the first country female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for her contributions to the music industry. The following year her 49th solo album, Rockstar, peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200.

Parton’s 2023 album. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

In 2024 Billboard named her the #1 Greatest Country Artist Of All Time.

She lost her husband of nearly 59 years, Carl Dean, in March 2025. She started 2026 on a better note with the release of a new version of her 1977 song, “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning”. In the spring her theme park, Dollywood-celebrates its 40th anniversary (it opened 40 years ago in May 1986) and two new attractions– The Songteller Hotel & The Life of Many Colors Museum-will open this June in downtown Nashville.

Today, Parton wears many other hats aside from singer, songwriter, musician and actress. She is also an author, a businesswoman, a humanitarian, a philanthropist (her Imagination Library celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2025) and an icon. She is a true American treasure and a legend.

Happy birthday, Dolly Parton. Thank you for sharing your talent & your heart with us.

Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean: January 19, 1946 – August 25, 2026.

Parton and her milestone birthday cake from her Facebook page. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Dolly Parton: “Lonely Comin’ Down” (1972, written by Porter Wagoner).

Dolly Parton: “Jolene” (1973, written by Dolly Parton).

Dolly Parton: “I Will Always Love You” (1974, written by Dolly Parton).

Dolly Parton: “Here You Come Again” (1977, written by Barry Mann and Cynthis Weil).

Dolly Parton: “It’s All Wrong, But It’s All Right” (1977, written by Dolly Parton).

Dolly Parton: “9 to 5” (1981, written by Dolly Parton).

Dolly Parton: “Single Women” (1982, written by Michael O’Donoghue).

Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris: “After The Gold Rush” (1999, written by Neil Young).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: August 24, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

#musicmonday #musicblog #musicandlyrics

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Beatles seventh album, Revolver, was released 60 years ago on August 5, 1966. It went to #1 on the Billboard 200 chart for six consecutive weeks, from September 10-October 21. It was the third time the band had the top selling album in the country that year after Rubber Soul (#1 from January 8 – February 18) and Yesterday And Today. (#1 from July 30 – September 2).

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Revolver continued The Beatles’ evolution as ground breaking musicians and lyricists, a trend that started with 1965’s Rubber Soul. They were still experimenting with sound, phrasing, different instruments & adding orchestral sounds to their compositions. And despite the main songwriting team sharing credits on all their tracks, John Lennon’s songs were becoming more introspective while McCartney’s were getting more imaginative. George Harrison was growing in his storytelling ability as well and was given three songs out of the 14 tracks. And Ringo had another chance at lead vocal for one of the band’s most beloved fantasy tunes.

The music from the album continues to inspire. A beautiful contemporary visual painting by British artist Em Cooper set to the song “I’m Only Sleeping” won the Grammy Award for Best Video in 2024.

The British Invasion was in full swing in 1966 and The Beatles were still leading the way. Six decades later, Revolver is still considered one of their greatest albums.

The back of the Revolver album out of England. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Beatles: “Eleanor Rigby” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “I’m Only Sleeping” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “Here, There And Everywhere” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “Yellow Submarine” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “For No One” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

The Beatles: “I Want To Tell You” (1966, written by George Harrison).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: August 17, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

#musicmonday #musicblog #musicandlyrics

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Feel of Neil Diamond – his debut album – was released 60 years ago on August 12, 1966. The man who would go on to have 13 Top Ten hits & three #1 songs in his career started his reign as one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters with this record.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

His seventh album, Stones, was released 55 years ago in November 1971. Six of the ten tracks were covers including Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning”, Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” and Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today”, which has a particularly lovely orchestral arrangement. And 50 years ago, Diamond released his 10th album, Beautiful Noise, on June 11,1976. Stand out tracks include “If You Know What I Mean” and “Home Is a Wounded Heart”.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Rod Stewart’s third solo album, Every Picture Tells a Story, was released 55 years ago on May 28, 1971. The nine track collection proved to be his breakthrough as a solo artist after his tenure as a member of The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces. And Stewart’s bandmate in the latter group, Ronnie Wood, contributed guitar & bass parts as well as being the co-writer of the title track along with Stewart. The album’s first single was written by Tim Hardin and I wrote about Stewart’s use of the song in my March 23, 2026 blog post:

“One of Tim Hardin’s songs, “Reason To Believe”, was the first single from Rod Stewart’s 1971 breakthrough album, Every Picture Tells A Story. When the B-side, “Maggie May”, started receiving more air play, it catapulted the double-sided single to the #1 spot in the country for five consecutive weeks in the fall of 1971. Over two decades later, Stewart included “Reason” as part of his MTV “Unplugged” performance and the song became a hit again, reaching the Top 20 in October 1993″.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Eric Carmen released his debut self-titled album in 1975. By March 1976, the first single peaked at the #2 spot in the country. A month later, the second single was released and that reached #11 in July 1976. Both songs list Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in the credits as the first song draws from his Piano Concerto No. 2 while the second is based on his Symphony No. 2 in E minor.

After his first album Carmen did not hit the Top Ten again for over a decade. Then in 1988 he had two songs reach it, first in February with “Hungry Eyes”, which peaked at #4 and then in August with “Make Me Lose Control” reaching the #8 position.  

Carmen, who was previously the lead singer of the 1970’s pop group, The Raspberries, released his final album, “I Was Born to Love You“, in 1998. It has a fabulous cover of “Walk Away Renée”, originally released 60 years ago in July 1966 by The Left Banke.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Neil Diamond: “Solitary Man” (1966, written by Neil Diamond).

Neil Diamond: “La Bamba” (1966, written by Ritchie Valens).

Neil Diamond: “Cherry Cherry” (1966, written by Neil Diamond).

Neil Diamond: “I Am I Said” (1971, written by Neil Diamond).

Rod Stewart: “Every Picture Tells A Story” (1971, written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood).

Rod Stewart: “Maggie May” (1971, written by Martin Quittenton and Rod Stewart).

Rod Stewart: “Mandolin Wind” (1971, written by Rod Stewart).

Rod Stewart: “Reason To Believe” (1971, written by Tim Hardin).

Eric Carmen: “All By Myself” (1975, written by Eric Carmen and Sergei Rachmaninoff).

Eric Carmen: “Never Gonna Fall In Love Again” (1975, written by Eric Carmen and Sergei Rachmaninoff).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: August 10, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

#musicmonday #musicblog #musicandlyrics

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The English rock band The Who released their debut studio album, My Generation, in the UK in December 1965. However, it was not released in the U.S. until 60 years ago in April 1966 under the title The Who Sings My Generation. The cover was different as well, and the U.K. version had a Bo Didley song, “I’m A Man”, that did not appear on the U.S. release. In its place was the song “Instant Party (Circles)”. Guitarist Pete Townshend-who turned 81 in May-penned most of the album’s original tracks.

The song “My Generation” is featured prominently in the 2009 film, “Pirate Radio” (a/k/a “The Boat That Rocked”), most notably as the song that celebrated the ship’s refusal to be shut down by a law banning rock & roll. Watching all the DJ’s dancing to that song in honor of their boat’s mission to bring phenomenal music to Great Britain was just perfect. Great scene, great song.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The band’s fifth album, Who’s Next, was released 55 years ago in August 1971. Once again the majority of the songs-eight out of nine-were written by Pete Townshend and continued the band’s reign as one of the greatest British rock bands of all time.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The R&B group The Spinners formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1954. However, they did not score their first Top Ten hit until 1972 with “I’ll Be Around”. That was followed by my personal favorite, “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love”, which peaked at #4 in March 1973. A year later, a duet with Dionne Warwick-“I Never Knew Love Before”-hit #1 in October 1974. The Spinners had a total of seven Top Ten hits, including the one released fifty years ago in August 1976 which reached the #2 spot in the country by the end of that year.

The Spinners’ seventh album was released 50 years ago in July 1976. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Twenty years ago, one of the funniest & most original shows I ever saw began its eight year run. “Psych” premiered in July 2006 and was centered around the machinations of the hyper-aware Sean Spencer who used that gift to appear “psychic” which made the police take notice & use his “gift” to help them solve a variety of cases. Working as a team with his best friend from childhood, Burton Guster-better known as Gus-who was usually introduced by an array of nicknames Sean deemed comical & triggering in the moment. The series ran for eight seasons with three movies released since the final episode in 2014-“Psych: The Movie” in 2017, “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” in 2020 and “Psych 3: This Is Gus” in 2021.

Creator Steve Franks gave us an unbelievably fresh & hilarious take on the ususal cop show, adding in an incredibly endearing bromance ripe with every pop culture reference known to man between Sean & Gus, the family dynamic with Sean’s dad, retired cop Henry Spencer (played by Corbin Bernsen), plus the pairing of senior detective Carlton “Lassie” Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) with a younger trainee, Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson), both working under the helm of Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson). And in the “taking care of your own” category, the second movie was rewritten to to include Omundson after he suffered a debilitating stroke in 2017).

Add to that notable guest stars from William Shatner, Cybill Shepherd, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and many others and it is a can’t miss show, period. If you are out of the loop on this one, I urge you to binge watch it soon.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The cast of “Psych” (L-R): Maggie Lawson, Corbin Bernsen, James Roday Rodriguez, Kirsten Nelson, Dule Hill and Timothy Omundson. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Who: “My Generation” (1966, written by Pete Townshend).

The Who: “Baba O’Riley” (1971, written by Pete Townshend).

The Who: “Behind Blue Eyes” (1971, written by Pete Townshend).

The Who: “Won’t Get Fooled Again” (1971, written by Pete Townshend).

The Spinners: “The Rubberband Man” (1976, written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed).

The Friendly Indians: “Psych Theme Song” (2006, written by The Friendly Indians).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: August 3, 2026

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

#musicmonday #musicblog #musicandlyrics

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

A beautiful & gifted artist died last week & it has left me and countless others completely bereft. Glen Hansard, an Irish musician, singer, songwriter, actor & Oscar winning composer, died in a single vehicle motorcycle crash on July 29, 2026 at age 56.

He was born April 21, 1970 in Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland. He left school at the age of 13 to start busking on the streets of his home city. In 1990 he formed the band The Frames. In 1991 he starred in the Alan Parker film about an Irish soul band, “The Commitments” as guitarist Outspan Foster (I wrote about my love of this movie on Day 158 of my Lockdown Countdown).

Glen Hansard (Far left, bottom row) and the rest of the cast from the film released 35 years ago in 1991. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

In 2005 he formed The Swell Season with fellow musician, singer, songwriter and actress, Markéta Irglová. A year later they released their self-titled debut album. In 2007 they starred in the movie, “Once”. Together they wrote the impossibly beautiful song featured in the film which earned them the 2008 Oscar for Best Original Song.

Hansard (L) and co-star Markéta Irglová (R) on the poster for their 2007 movie. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

In 2013, Hansard released an EP featuring the a cover of “Drive All Night”, one of my very favorite Springsteen songs of all time. Current E Street Band sax player Jake Clemons is featured on the track. Taking on any Springsteen song is a huge undertaking, but that pick showed the level of Hansard’s musicianship. Despite his success, he spent the last 16 years busking in Ireland on Christmas Eve to raise money for Dublin Simon Community. He is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, their four year old son, countless family and friends plus the millions of heartbroken fans around the world.

“Take this sinking boat and point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You’ve made it now“

Glen James Hansard: April 21, 1970 – July 29, 2026.

Picture from Hansard’s website. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Tony Bennett, whose real name was Anthony Dominick Benedetto, was born 110 years ago on August 3, 1926 in Queens, New York. Below is from my July 24, 2023 post:

Last Friday we lost the man arguably considered to be the greatest crooner who ever was. And yes, even the Chairman Of The Board-Frank Sinatra-called Tony Bennett “the best singer in the business”. Anthony Dominick Benedetto died July 21, 2023 at the age of 96. A native New Yorker born in Astoria, Queens on August 3, 1926, Bennett was probably the greatest champion for the Great American Songbook and many of the most iconic jazz tunes in history. He sang & recorded with everyone from Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Armstrong, Count Basie, Paul McCartney, Elton John, James Taylor, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Bono and countless others. Bennett’s death closes out one of the longest, most prolific, most important & most beautiful chapters of American music we will ever see again. Thank you, Tony, for every single note.

Tony Bennett circa 1967. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bennett circa 1992. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bennett circa 2006. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Commitments: “Try A Little Tenderness” (1991, written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods).

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova: “Falling Slowly” (2007, written by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova).

Glen Hansard: “Song of Good Hope” (2012, written by Glen Hansard).

Bruce Springsteen With Glen Hansard: “Drive All Night” (Per the description credits: Recorded live at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on Night 1, Jul 27, 2013. Written by Bruce Springsteen).

Tony Bennett: “Rags to Riches” (1953, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross).

Tony Bennett: “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” (1962, written by George C. Cory Jr. and Douglass Cross).

Tony Bennett: “When Do The Bells Ring For Me” (1990, written by Charles DeForest).

Tony Bennett: “It Had To Be You” (From MTV Unplugged performance 1994. Written by Isham Jones and Gus Kahn).

Stay safe & well.