Tag Archives: John Belushi

Music Monday: April 21, 2025

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

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

One of the most influential jazz vocalists in history was born 110 years ago. Eleanora Fagan-better known as Billie Holiday or “Lady Day”- was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An unstable & tumultuous childhood led her to join her mother in Harlem in 1929 where Holiday soon began singing in nightclubs, inspired by the music of Bessie Smith and Louie Armstrong. Ten years later, Holiday recorded what is arguably considered to be the first civil rights protest song, “Strange Fruit”. Her unique interpretation & phrasing on jazz standards & original music helped elevate her recordings and performances to legendary moments. Although she died in 1959 at age 44, she is still considered to be one of the greatest voices in music.

Top: Billie Holiday circa 1947 with her dog, Mister. Bottom: The singer at Carnegie Hall circa 1948. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Sixty-five years ago on April 14, 1960, Sam Cooke released “Wonderful World”. He co-wrote the song with business owner & music producer Lou Adler and trumpet player extraordinaire Herb Alpert, who went on to become a co-founder of A & M Records in 1962. The track hit the charts by May 1960 and peaked at #12 a month later. If any of you think you have never heard this fabulous song, think again. It plays in the 1978 movie, “Animal House”, underscoring the iconic scene where Bluto (John Belushi) is going through the cafeteria line, then squeezes a chunk of Jell-O into his mouth just before the food fight scene (“That boy is a P-I-G PIG!!!”).

Top: Sam Cooke circa 1960. Middle: Lou Adler (L) and Herb Alpert (R) circa 2010. Bottom: John Belushi as “Bluto” in “Animal House” (1978). (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Today is the last day to cast your vote for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nominees (find the ballot here). While the place has lost so much of it luster over the years given the list of unworthy people who have been inducted, one person who has deserved the honor for decades is Paul Rodgers. The singer-who celebrated birthday #75 last December-and the rest of Bad Company are finally in the running for the Class Of 2025 (and currently in second place in the voting). There have been rumors for years that Rodgers himself wanted no part of the HOF, but according to a Billboard story from February 2025, both he & bandmate Simon Kirke are thrilled to have finally received the nomination.

They were in a group together previously-Free-with Rodgers on vocals & piano and Kirke on drums before forming the Bad Company supergroup in London in 1973 along with Mick Ralphs from Mott The Hoople on guitar and King Crimson’s Boz Burrell (1946 – 2006) on bass. Kirke is the only continuous member of Bad Company in its 52 year history. Their self-titled debut album was released in the UK in May 1974 (a month later in the U.S.). Fifty years ago, the band released their second album, Straight Shooter, on April 2, 1975. The band recorded on Led Zeppelin’s own label, Swan Song Records.

This is a long time coming for the group and Rodgers specifically as his voice became one of the definitive ones in rock music nearly 60 years ago thanks to his tenure in Free (1968-1973, most notably as the co-writer & voice behind their anthem, “All Right Now”), Bad Company (1973-1982, 1998-present), The Firm (1984-1986), his turn with Queen (2004-2009) and numerous solo projects over the years. Maybe now that Bad Company has secured its own nomination, Rodgers’ individual achievements will soon be recognized by the hall as well.

Top: Bad Company circa 1974 (L-R): Boz Burrell, Mick Ralphs, Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke. Bottom: Kirke, Rodgers and Ralphs circa 2012. Both pictures courtesy of the band’s website. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Billie Holiday: “All of Me” (1941, written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons).

Billie Holiday: “God Bless The Child” (1942, written by Arthur Herzog Jr. and Billie Holiday).

Billie Holiday: “Good Morning Heartache” (1946, written by Ervin Drake, Dan Fisher and Irene Higginbotham).

Sam Cooke: “Wonderful World” (1960, written by Lou Adler, Herb Alpert and Sam Cooke).

Bad Company: “Bad Company” (1974, written by Simon Kirke and Paul Rodgers).

Bad Company: “Shooting Star” (1975, written by Paul Rodgers).

Bad Company: “Rock & Roll Fantasy” (1979, written by Paul Rodgers).

Stay safe & well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 219

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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?

Thoreau quote 2

(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.

In 1978 SNL cast members John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd introduced us to their singing counterparts, The Blue Brothers, through the song, “Soul Man”. At one point in the tune, Belushi said “Play it, Steve”. That Steve is the innovative legendary guitarist Steve Cropper who has been gracing the world with his impeccable talent for six decades. Today marks his 79th birthday.

Born today in 1941 in Missouri, his family relocated to Memphis when he was nine. He started playing guitar at age 14 and the first band he was in went on to become a session band, The Mar-Keys. That brought Cropper to the attention of Stax Records owner Jim Stewart who hired Cropper as the label’s A&R man. Around the same time he co-founded his own group, Booker T & The MG’s with keyboard player Booker T. Jones, drummer Al Jackson Jr. and bassist Lewie Steinberg, who was eventually replaced by Donald “Duck” Dunn. That band was unique for two reasons: their trailblazing sounds which formed the foundation of southern soul music with elements of funk sounds and despite the fact that it was Memphis, Tennessee in 1962, the band was an equal balance of race with two white members and two black members.

Booker T & The MG’s became the house band at Stax and set the sound, tone & rhythm for the label, just as The Funk Brothers were doing for the Motown label in Detroit. Cropper not only played guitar for his group but started composing songs with many of the singers on Stax. He co-wrote “Knock On Wood”, “Raise Your Hand” & “634-5789” with Eddie Floyd, “In The Midnight Hour” (Day 131) with Wilson Pickett and “Mr. Pitiful”, “The Happy Song”, “Just One More Day” & “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (Day 28) with Otis Redding. He & Cropper had become good friends and it was left to him to finish & produce “Dock Of The Bay” after Redding’s tragic death in 1967. It became a #1 hit in March 1968 for four consecutive weeks.

Cropper, who appeared in both Blues Brothers films (released in 1980 & 1998, respectively), is still actively playing & touring. He is considered to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time. He has contributed his signature sound or produced records by Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Levon Helm, Albert King, Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart, Leon Russell, Etta James. Art Garfunkel, Peter Frampton, Dolly Parton and John Mellencamp. He released 11 solo records between 1969-2018 and 13 albums with Booker T & The MG’s between 1962-1994, including today’s song which hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart & #1 on the R&B chart in 1962. It is considered one of the finest instrumentals ever recorded and I concur.

Booker T The MGs

Crop

Top: Booker T & The MG’s circa 1962 (L-R): Donald “Duck” Dunn, Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper & Al Jackson Jr. Bottom: Cropper & his beautiful talented hands circa 2000. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Booker T & The MG’s: “Green Onions” (1962, written by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewie Steinberg & Al Jackson, 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.