Music Monday: May 15, 2023

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

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On May 6, 1968 Columbia Records released “At Folsom Prison” by country legend Johnny Cash. It was the first live record of his career and both a critical and commercial success. It hit #1 on the country albums chart and #13 on the Billboard 200 Album chart as well.

The concert was held 55 years ago on January 13, 1968. The Man In Black was joined by guests June Carter (they did not marry until March 1968), Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers, The Tennessee Three-guitarist Luther Perkins, bassist Marshall Grant and drummer W.S. “Fluke” Holland-along with Columbia staff producer Bob Johnston who pulled it all together to make the album complete. It was so successful Cash followed this record with another live prison album, At San Quentin, released in 1969. That hit the #1 spot on both the country & national album charts.

Today’s song was originally released in 1967 as a duet with Carter. It became a #2 hit that year and won the duo a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Country & Western Performance, Duet. If you do not know how the story ends by now, Cash went on to become one of country music’s greatest artists. He continued collaborating with Carter, who became his wife & partner, for the next 35 years until her death on May 15, 2003. Cash died four months later on September 12, 2003.

“When I breeze into that city
People gonna stoop and bow
All them women gonna make me
Teach ’em what they don’t know how“.

Top: The cover for the 1968 release. Bottom: The ad for the album which appeared in Cashbox Magazine in May 1968, courtesy of Johnny Cash’s website. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

Johnny Cash & June Carter: “Jackson” ( Recorded live at Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968. Written by Jerry Leiber (credited under Gaby Rodgers, who was his wife & his occassional pen name) and Billy Edd Wheeler.

Stay safe and well.

7Nov2022

Music Monday: November 7, 2022

Posted in Music Monday by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

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

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The last surviving architect of the music we call rock & roll passed away last month. Jerry Lee Lewis died at age 87 on October 28, 2022 at his home in Nesbit, Mississippi. Incredibly big sigh.

He and his fellow innovators appeared at a time when music needed a new sound and they did not disappoint. That new genre exploded on the scene in the 1950’s and made the world take notice. And not too many of us ever looked back.

Lewis was part musician, part stage performer, part wild man and part rebel all wrapped into one volatile package. He would switch between a boogie-woogie player to a piano thumping wild man so many times during one song it was like watching two performers at once.

Rest in peace to the musician nicknamed “The Killer”, the original & true piano man, someone who lived as fiercely as he played, who helped make Sun Records the legend it became, who was one fourth of its Million Dollar Quartet and gave us all another reason to call music the answer to whatever ails us.

“Come over baby whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on
Yes, I said come over baby baby you can’t go wrong
We ain’t fakin’
Whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on“.

Top: Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1965. Bottom: Sun Records’ Million Dollar Quartet (L-R): Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley (seated), Carl Perkins and Lewis in the studio circa 1956. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Jerry Lee Lewis: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957, written by James Faye “Roy” Hall and Dave “Curlee” Williams).

Stay safe and well.

22Aug2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 524

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

Hi everyone. Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing. But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

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I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

On Day 389 I shared a clip of Derek & The Dominos on “The Johnny Cash Show” which aired in January 1971. It was filmed two months earlier and featured the host & his guests singing a completely sublime version of “Matchbox” together with the song’s writer, Carl Perkins. But before that glorious moment, the group performed today’s pick from their only album released in November 1970. The studio sessions for that record, Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs began 51 years ago on August 22, 1970.

Eric Clapton first met the other Dominos-pianist & singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon-in 1969. They were part of the band for the American duo Delaney & Bonnie who toured with Blind Faith that year. After the break-up of his group Clapton continued playing with the duo & their band which was rebilled as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. Even George Harrison joined then for a few shows. But in the spring of 1970 Delaney started firing members of the group who demanded raises including the future Dominos. .

They reunited with Clapton during the studio sessions for Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album. After that Clapton & Whitlock began serious talks about forming a band and recruited Radle & Gordon as the rhythm section. The group flew to Florida to work with engineer Tom Dowd who Clapton knew from his time in Cream. Dowd took the band to see The Allman Brothers in concert, leading to Clapton’s meeting with Duane Allman. He ended up working with the group in the studio & played on all but three of the tracks on the Layla album. It was released three months later and it is one of my favorite records of all time.

“And I wonder does she know
When she left me it hurt me so
I need your love baby please don’t make me wait
Tell me it’s not too late“.

Top: Bobby Whitlock on piano and Eric Clapton on guitar during Derek & The Dominos appearance on “The Johnny Cash Show” in January 1971. Bottom: The rhythm section of the band: drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Carl Radle. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

Derek & The Dominos: “It’s Too Late” (Performed live on “The Johnny Cash Show”, taped November 1970. Airdate January 1971. Originally released in 1970, written by Chuck Willis).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

5Jul2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 476

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

If the only thing you know about Marc Cohn is that he wrote & sang today’s song, that is enough. What a gift this track is. Forget the fact that it a fabulous tune and that he sings the heck out of it. It is a wonderful musical history lesson on the “land of the Delta blues”.

There is a reference to the self-appointed “Father of The Blues”, W.C. Handy (he wrote “Saint Louis Blues” amongst other notables songs) who was one of the first musicians to use folk music as the basis for his blues compositions. There are also nods to one of the city’s most famous roads known for its music-Beale Street-along with its most famous resident, Elvis Presley.

Cohn also mentioned his stop at the city’s Hollywood Cafe (“Now Muriel plays piano every Friday at the Hollywood”), one of the city’s best loved musical genres (gospel), soul singer Al Green’s church & a famous Carl Perkins song recorded at Sun Records Studio (“Put on my blue suede shoes…..”). Cohn visited the city in the 1980’s and turned the experience into a Top 20 hit in 1991.

Cohn was born July 5, 1959 in Ohio, making today birthday #62. I saw him at Jones Beach several years ago when he was touring as Stevie Nicks’ special guest. It was probably twenty years after today’s song was released and he sounded as great as he did on the record. He is wonderful live performer & a very talented musician. Here’s to 100 more birthdays for Marc Cohn.

“They’ve got catfish on the table
They’ve got gospel in the air
And Reverend Green be glad to see you
When you haven’t got a prayer“.

Marc Cohn circa 1991. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Marc Cohn: “Walking In Memphis” (1991, written by Marc Cohn).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

9Apr2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 389

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Many of my musical heroes predate the video channels era. Even though they embraced that new medium, performances from their earlier years were either lost or locked in some television history vault gathering dust. Then YouTube showed up and slowly over the years video clips from those early days were suddenly at hand, mostly from TV shows from eras gone by. Many of these finds were absolute gifts of gold, but one was pure platinum.

Derek & The Dominos appeared on “The Johnny Cash Show” in November 1970 & the episode aired two months later. The band was together for less than a year so the chance to see them anywhere during that time was rare enough. But the chance to see Eric Clapton between The Cream years & his solo career was just priceless. The band performed “It’s Too Late”, a 1950’s blues song they covered for their only album & it was fabulous. But it was about to get even better.

After their performance Cash came out to thank the band for their appearance. He then invited his friend & fellow Sun Records legend, Carl Perkins, to play one of his songs with them. Then he, Cash, Clapton & the rest of The Dominos played today’s track and it was nothing short of astounding. Swoon.

In September 1985 Clapton performed the song with Perkins again along with Ringo Starr during an all star concert celebrating Perkins’ career. Starr sang several of Perkins’ songs during The Beatles early days including “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby” & “Honey Don’t”. Perkins, who was born 89 years ago on April 9, 1932 in Tennessee, was a huge influence on The Fab Four, especially Starr & George Harrison.

The 1985 concert ended with a rousing performance of Perkins most famous tune, “Blue Suede Shoes”. But for me, today’s song holds the top spot in my heart thanks to this one time only performance from 50 years ago. In the words of my sweet beautiful friend, Toni: “Long live the 1970’s”.

“I’m an old poor boy
And I’m a long way from home
I won’t ever be happy
Everything I do is wrong“.

Top (L-R): Carl Perkins, Eric Clapton and Johnny Cash, November 1970. Bottom (L-R): Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Carl Perkins and George Harrison in 1985. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Derek & The Dominos: “Matchbox” (Performed live on “The Johnny Cash Show“, taped November 1970. Airdate January 1971. Originally released in 1957, written by Carl Perkins).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

8Jan2021

Let’s Take A Moment Day 298

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Today is the 86th birth anniversary for the man crowned “The King”. But this month two other key events took place in history that helped Elvis Presley earn that title. January 5, 1923 is the day Sun Records founder Sam Phillips was born in Alabama. And January 2, 1950 is the day he opened the Memphis Recording Service in TN which became Sun Studio two years later. Not only did Elvis start there, but so did Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, amongst others. Is it any wonder why Memphis is the country music capital?

If you want to pinpoint the moment rock & roll changed American culture forever, look no further than “The Milton Berle Show” broadcast on June 5, 1956. Elvis sang today’s song that night which he would not record until a month later. It was during this appearance that he stood behind a microphone for the first time without his guitar (supposedly at Berle’s suggestion) leaving The King’s gyrating hips and pelvic thrusts in full view. This caused a nationwide swoon of nearly every young girl who was watching him. But their parents were watching, too, and many of them were not happy about what they saw. The complaints flooded in which is why when Elvis went on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in September & October that year and for his third and final time on January 6, 1957, he was censored. But anyone who saw Berle’s show knew why the girls in Sullivan’s audience were screaming. Life & music as the country & the world knew it was over. Elvis was now in the building.

So in honor of the day The King was born, let’s go back to where his reign began, on Berle’s show in 1956. Part of this clip is the one Mrs. Gump & Forrest watched from a store window in the film. She may have thought he was “not for children’s eyes” but anyone who understands music knows Elvis could do no wrong. All hail The King! And thank you, Sam Phillips, for showing him the door to the throne.

“Yeah, they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Yeah, you ain’t never caught a rabbit
And you ain’t no friend of mine“.

Sam Phillips (L) with Elvis Presley at Sun Records circa 1954. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Elvis Presley: “Hound Dog” (Live performance on “The Milton Berle Show” broadcast on June 5, 1956. Song recorded July 1956. Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

30Oct2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 228

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

There is another birthday in music upon us and this one belongs to U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Born October 31, 1961 in Dublin, Ireland he began playing drums at age 9 in marching bands. According to the band’s website, Mullen put an ad up at his school in 1976 seeking musicians to form a band that brought him together with his three bandmates. They put out an EP in 1979 and were signed to Island Records a year later. U2’s 1980 debut album gave them their first hit, “I Will Follow”. But it was their 1983 album, “War” that led to worldwide success. Nearly 40 years later, they are considered one of the most successful bands of all time.

I like a great deal of U2’s music and one album I particularly enjoy is 1988’s “Rattle & Hum”. They recorded a lot of it in Memphis at the legendary studios of Sun Records. That was where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and others began their recording careers. One of the song’s U2 worked on there was a collaboration with blues legend B.B. King. Despite how high he raised the bar on this track, U2 was not far behind. The raw intense lyrics from Bono & the music from the rest of U2 helped them keep up with power of The King Of The Blues, resulting in one heck of record.

“I ran into a juke joint when I heard a guitar scream
The notes were turning blue, I was dazing in a dream
As the music played I saw my life turn around
That was the day before love came to town“.

U2 with B.B. King in 1988 (L-R): Larry Mullen Jr., Bono, B.B. King, Adam Clayton & The Edge. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

U2 (in honor of Larry Mullen Jr.’s birthday) featuring B.B. King: “When Love Comes To Town” (1988, written by U2: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jr.).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

11Jul2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 117

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

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For as much as the Beatles influenced a generation, The Beatles themselves were inspired by their idols. Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Little Richard and Elvis had a huge impact on the Fab Four. So did Buddy Holly. Even the name of The Beatles came from John Lennon thinking naming a band after an insect was the way to go following Holly’s lead in calling his band The Crickets.

Holly is long remembered for his all too brief but eternal contribution to the early days of rock & roll with songs like “That’ll Be The Day”, “Oh Boy”, “Rave On”, “It’s So Easy To Fall In Love” and others. But in reality his death had as much of an impact on the world as his life did since he died so young and with two other singers, one even younger than Holly’s 22 years. I often read articles where people speculate how different music might be today if Holly were alive. But that is just a waste of time. Holly fulfilled his destiny or he would be here. It’s just that simple. He was only meant to be here for the time we had him and not a minute more. We may hate it, but that was the plan all along. But what a legacy we have to enjoy from his brief tenure as rock & roll’s prince.

Buddy Holly circa 1958. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Buddy Holly & The Crickets: “Not Fade Away” (1957, written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

30Apr2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 45

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

If I had to pinpoint how rock & roll music officially began, my timeline would be this:

1908: The year American bandleader & swing/big band/R&B musician Louis Jordan is born.

1916: The year American rockabilly songwriter Claude Demetrius is born.

1926: The year American guitarist Charles Edward Anderson Berry is born. The world would come to know him as Chuck Berry. Soon he learns to “play a guitar just like a-ringin’ a bell and, oh my, that little country boy could play”.

1946: Demetrius writes a song (co-written with Jordan’s wife, Fleecie Moore) called “Ain’t That Just Like A Woman” which Jordan records and turns into an R&B hit the same year.

1958: Berry writes and records his semi-autobiographical groundbreaking hit, “Johnny B. Goode”. The song begins with a note for note replica of the introduction to Jordan’s 1946 song, written by Demetrius. A new sound is born from combining music from the swing/big band/R&B/rockabilly genres and Berry is christened “The Father of Rock & Roll”.

Young impressionable youths like John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix and many others are entranced by what Berry does with a guitar. Fast forward to 1963 & 1964 where The Beatles record Berry covers “Roll Over Beethoven” & “Rock & Roll Music ” and stop by America for that Sunday night show at the same theatre David Letterman was in and there you have it.

Yes, Elvis (who covered a few of Berry’s songs, including today’s), Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Carl Perkins and many other early architects of this new sound were coming up around the same time as Berry. However, his musicianship, his stage dance moves (most notably the “duck walk”) and his songwriting talent made him a triple threat and set him apart from the others. Elvis will always be the King, but Berry was and remains The Master.

Today’s song also has the distinction of being part of NASA’s Voyager Space Mission as one of the pieces of music from Earth. And honestly, can you imagine Marty McFly sliding across the floor to any other song in “Back To The Future” than this one?

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Chuck Berry: “Johnny B. Goode” (1958, written by Chuck Berry).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

28Mar2020

Let’s Take A Moment Day 12

Posted in Music by Michele at Lilacs & Rust

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Today’s song comes from the musical genius nicknamed “The Killer” thanks to his wildly energetic stage performances. He is regarded as one of the architects of rock & roll and helped make Sun Records the mega success it became. He was also part of the label’s Million Dollar Quartet along with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash & Carl Perkins. His extraordinary talent and piano playing style brought him almost immediate success, but it was with this song that he became a worldwide sensation.

Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1955 (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Jerry Lee Lewis: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957, written by James Faye “Roy” Hall and Dave “Curlee” Williams).

I do not own the rights to anything. I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

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Lilacs & Rust

Music & makeovers! I swoon for chippy paint, a gorgeous patina and a fabulous song!!! I love great music (read: Bruce Springsteen & Otis Redding), white lilacs, walking in freshly fallen snow, the Golden Girls, road trips and the fall!!!

Tag Archives: Carl Perkins

Music Monday: May 15, 2023

Music Monday: November 7, 2022

Let’s Take A Moment Day 524

(Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Top: Bobby Whitlock on piano and Eric Clapton on guitar during Derek & The Dominos appearance on “The Johnny Cash Show” in January 1971. Bottom: The rhythm section of the band: drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Carl Radle. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 476

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Marc Cohn circa 1991. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 389

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 298

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 228

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 117

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Buddy Holly circa 1958. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

Let’s Take A Moment Day 45

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 12

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Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1955 (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

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Top: Bobby Whitlock on piano and Eric Clapton on guitar during Derek & The Dominos appearance on “The Johnny Cash Show” in January 1971. Bottom: The rhythm section of the band: drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Carl Radle. (Images found online. Original sources unknown.)

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Marc Cohn circa 1991. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

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Buddy Holly circa 1958. (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

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Jerry Lee Lewis circa 1955 (Image found online. Original source unknown.)

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