Tag Archives: Lowdown song

Music Monday: March 16, 2026

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

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Boz Scaggs’ Silk Degrees was released 50 years ago in February 1976. Seven months later, it peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. It produced four singles, one that peaked at #2 and another which was a Top 20 hit. This was Scaggs’ seventh solo album and proved to be his breakthrough record.

The blues/R&B/rock singer-born William Royce Scaggs on June 8, 1944 in Canton, Ohio-started his singing career in 1959 as the lead singer for The Marksmen, which was guitarist’s Steve Miller’s first band. Scaggs was a member of The Steve Miller Band as well from 1967-1968, then pursued a solo career. Eight years later, the two former bandmates would meet on the music charts when Miller’s Fly Like An Eagle album was released in May 1976, three months after Silk Degrees.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Boz Scaggs circa 1972. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Scaggs on stage during an October 2021 show in Florida. (Image courtesy of his official Facebook page. Original source unknown.)

One of the funniest films ever made just turned 30 years old. “The Birdcage”-based on the 1978 French-Italian film, “La Cage aux Folles”, which was based on the 1973 play by Jean Poiret-was released March 8, 1996. The stellar cast was led spectacularly by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple trying to hide their relationship from their son’s ultra conservative future in-laws, played to perfection by Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest. Dan Futterman & Calista Flockhart play the young couple trying to merge the two polar opposite worlds.

Lane-who turned 70 last month-turned shrieking into an art form in the movie. He was on “Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend” last year & discussed how Mike Nichols cast him in the role of Albert opposite Williams as Armand. Lane tells a great story, full of laughs, insight & interesting information such as Williams was originally slated to play Albert opposite Steve Martin as Armand. As much as I adore Martin, I cannot picture anyone in the roles better than Lane & Williams. The movie is still one of my go-to’s whenever I need an intense laugh.

The official movie poster. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

A still from the dinner scene (L-R): Calista Flockhart, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dan Futterman and Dianne Wiest. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Lane and Hackman in mid-song, with Williams in the background at the piano. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Boz Scaggs: “Lowdown” (1976, written by David Paich and Boz Scaggs).

Boz Scaggs: “Lido Shuffle” (1976, written by David Paich and Boz Scaggs).

Boz Scaggs: “We’re All Alone” (1976, written by Boz Scaggs).

The Cast Of “The Birdcage”: “I Could Have Danced All Night” (1996, written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Cast in order of appearance: Dianne Wiest, Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Calista Flockhart, Dan Futterman and Hank Azaria).

Stay safe & well.

Music Monday: June 10, 2024

Posted in Music Monday by

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

Blog image for 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Rock & roll singer Gary Levone Anderson-better known as Gary U.S. Bonds-just celebrated birthday #85. He was born June 6, 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida and began singing in church as a child. He followed that by performing with some groups before setting out on his own. He is known for his hits “New Orleans” and “Quarter to Three” in 1960 and “School Is Out” from 1961.

Twenty years later, Bonds had a career resurgence courtesy of Bruce Springsteen. He had a few songs that were not used on his 1980 double album, The River, so he gave them to Bonds: The title track, “Dedication”(the album peaked at #27 in 1981), “Your Love” and “This Little Girl”, which became a Top Twenty hit in April of the same year. Steven Van Zandt contributed the song, “Daddy’s Come Home” and was one of the album’s producers along with Bonds, Springsteen and Rob Parissi, who was formerly the front man of the group Wild Cherry (he wrote their 1976 #1 hit, “Play That Funky Music”) .  

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Top: Gary U.S. Bonds in 1961. Bottom: His 1981 album. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

William Royce “Boz” Scaggs was born in Canton, Ohio 80 years ago on June 8, 1944. The singer, songwriter & guitarist played with friend Steve Miller several times, including a stint as his band’s lead singer in the late 1960’s. Scaggs eventually became a solo performer who achieved success in the 1970’s with hits like “Lido Shuffle” and “Look What You’ve Done To Me”, then “Miss Sun” and “Heart Of Mine” in the 1980’s. The musicians Scaggs chose for his 1976 album, Silk Degrees, went on to form the band, Toto. Scaggs was also the owner of two San Francisco clubs, The Blue Lights & Slim’s but his jazz & blues infused sound is what he is best known for.

Boz circa 1969
boz-scaggs

Top: Boz Scaggs circa 1969. Bottom: Scaggs circa 2000. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

I cannot believe it has been nearly 20 years ago since I first discovered Amos Lee. The singer-songwriter who hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania released his debut album in March 2005 and I fell in love with his sound especially through the songs “Colors” and “Arms of a Woman”. I had the opportunity to see Lee in concert in 2014 at a small venue on Long Island. He did not disappoint.

Today’s song is from his 2011 album, Mission Bell. I just discovered a new version of this song which he added to his YouTube channel last year. It features an absolutely exquisite string arrangement and I am completely obsessed with it.

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Amos

Top: Amos Lee circa 2000 & 2024, bottom. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Gary U.S. Bonds: “Jole Blon” (1981, traditional, arranged by Michael Hurley and Moon Mullican).

Boz Scaggs: “Lowdown” (1976, written by Boz Scaggs and David Paich).

Amos Lee: “Violin” (2011, written by Amos Lee).

Amos Lee: “Violin” (With strings. 2023, written by Amos Lee).

Stay safe & well.