A long, catchy melody line is a thing of beauty. And, for the most part, it’s a thing of the past. Pop music, in almost every genre, tends to seek out a vowel and repeat it over and over these days. Well, when it’s not touting body parts and one-night stands. And here’s why I mention a long, catchy melody line. I thought about … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: music history
I remember seeing, as I drove from Texas to Kansas, a road sign for the turn-off to Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It was a long time ago, after my junior year in high school. But that’s an unusual name. A Cherokee name. And you might wonder what significance a town of about 17,000 people could have. Yeah, you might shrug it off as just another wide … The rest of the story…
I recently read a funny pun/meme that ties in nicely with what I’ve been sharing lately. The pun/meme said, “Elton John bought a treadmill for his pet rabbit. Yeah, it’s a little, fit bunny.” In case you’re not quite up to speed on Elton John songs, that’s a play on the lyrics to “Your Song” when he sang, “It’s a little bit funny, this … The rest of the story…
Maybe you already know that Kenny Loggins has a brother named Danny. And if you do, then you probably already know that Kenny wrote “Danny’s Song” for his brother as a gift for the birth of his brother’s son. And if you know all that, you’re probably familiar with the line, “In the morning, when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to … The rest of the story…
It would be a bit of a stretch to say I can see very well. At least, without my glasses, it would be a stretch. And even though I’m more vision-challenged now than when I was younger, my eyesight was never 20/20. But thankfully I can see very well with my cool, round glasses. Now, I shared all that to lead into another snippet … The rest of the story…
Berhane was a musician who died over 40 years ago. And he was buried in the same village where he was born, only 36 years before that. According to a report I read he was laid to rest with a Bible open to Psalm 23. And the report also said that he had been “baptized in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and accepted Christ … The rest of the story…
According to search engine “suggestions,” a very popular search term is “Kanye West net worth.” And sadly, for the hip-hop rapper, it’s way less than it was. Poor dude is only worth about $400 million now. But don’t worry. Because fans want to make him a billionaire again. Gotta get that Kanye West net worth back into the $B column. But why do fans, … The rest of the story…
Let’s see. There was one bassist. Three cellists. Three violinists. And one pianist. Yeah, that about covers it. An eight-piece ensemble that started out, in second class, as a three-piece ensemble and a five-piece ensemble. Second class were their accommodations. Not their character or talent. Yeah, these were the kind of classy musicians who played for teatime gatherings. And other sort of hoity toity … The rest of the story…
95 years ago, today, October 6, a quirky little guy said, “”Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet.” And the crowd went wild. You probably already know I’m talking about Al Jolson. And you probably already know he was the guy who made movie history when “The Jazz Singer” premiered as the first “talkie.” Yeah, after all those silent movies, … The rest of the story…
Hey, you know what would be a lotta fun? Let’s talk about the evolution of music. Are you with me? But let’s don’t do it in my boring musician way. Let’s start with a discussion about it I found on a government website. Yeah, I’ve got your undivided attention now. Right? Check out this interesting paragraph on the evolution of music. “Music is a … The rest of the story…
Violin anatomy is basically the same across almost all models. Except for those cool, modern ones you see contemporary players dancing around with on stages and streets. And there’s quite a bit more going on that you might notice at first glance. I have more appreciation for violin anatomy because of a picture. Someone, on a social media channel I follow, shared a picture … The rest of the story…
It’s the term for when a record or album sells at least two million copies. And back in 1972, a collection of Christian music was recorded that would become an album of double platinum songs. And that album would become the bestselling gospel album ever. The Queen of Soul sang those double platinum songs. And she sang a lot of other hits, too. In … The rest of the story…
In 1977 I bought a cassette and an album of the same music from the same musician. It was the “Celebrate Me Home” collection by Kenny Loggins. It was (and is) an exceptional project. And it helped springboard me even closer to making melodies and singing for a living. If you’ve never listened to that album, do yourself a favor and check it out. … The rest of the story…
Maewyn Succat (and I’m not sure how you pronounce that name) marched to the beat of a different drum. To say the least. His life reads like the script to a Hollywood movie. I’ll call it “Welcome to Drumbeat Island.” First thing of note is how he was captured by pirates sometime in the late fourth or early fifth century. Then, he was sold … The rest of the story…
I just read where Paul McCartney was fined £100 ($170) because he planted cannabis seeds and grew cannabis on his farm in Campbeltown, Scotland. That happened 49 years ago today, March 7. His “excuse” was that he got the seeds from some fans. And he didn’t know what they would grow. In an interview, after the trial, he said, “Well, we got a load of seeds, … The rest of the story…
According to one source I just read, it’s officially 50 years ago, today, since Elton John released Rocket Man. And I remember playing the album, Honky Chateau, over and over on one of my drives from Kansas to Texas. That could very well have had something to do with why so many people thought I sounded so much like Elton. Of course, that’s where … The rest of the story…
1975 was a very good year for The Eagles. Matter of fact, on this date, March 1, of that year, their song “Best of My Love became the first of five hit songs off their “On The Border” album. And I remember singing along with ’em. It wasn’t my favorite Eagles album, by far, but it was pretty good. I guess I’d say “On … The rest of the story…
A river runs through it. Connect the dots. The ties that bind. And it’s a small world. However you wanna say it, there are so many interweaving threads in human life. I’d like to share a bluer than blue story with you to show you what I mean. And maybe it won’t mean a thing to you. But, to me, it clearly illustrates what … The rest of the story…
In case you don’t know, or don’t remember, Frank Sinatra sang a song called “My Way.” That song starts with this line: “And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain.” I’ll bet, when Frank sang those lyrics, he wasn’t actually seriously considering the end of his own life. Because, from what I’ve been able to see in his life, … The rest of the story…
On February 17, 2000 there was an auction for John Lennon’s Steinway piano. But it wasn’t just a Steinway. It was also the one he used to compose his song, “Imagine.” That vacuous, ridiculous, and delusional dive into nothingness. I think even the Steinway piano had more intelligence. “Gee whiz, Tony. Why don’t you say what you really think?” OK. John Lennon was a stupid, … The rest of the story…