Mr. Stevie Wonder...

My primary memory of lil Stevie Wonder is when he was on the Ed Sullivan Show on December 15, 1968.
He was singing "For Once In My Life." I was a child...only eight years old.
That was the night that my father came home from the hospital and told me and my 4 younger siblings that my Mama had died of cancer.
Through the years I was always one of the first to buy the latest Stevie album. My favorites are "Hotter Than July", and "Songs In The Key Of Life."
I was going through my CD collection the other day and I came across a 2-CD package called "Stevie Wonder's Greatest Hits so I put the Cd's in the the new stereo and was amazed at hoe fresh those songs sounded. 'Boogie On Reggae Woman," 'I Wish," "A Ribbon In The Sky," and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life." Classics.
Just another reason to appreciate the Masters of Musicology. Will I still be humming "Stanky Leg" thirty years from now?
I don't think so...

(Rerun from 5/21/2009)

"Love Has Come For You"...

That's the name of a new LP by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin.
  Yes...THAT Steve Martin...Renaissance Man and a damn good banjo player.
  I saw the duet perform a song from the album on Dave Letterman and I was immediately hooked.
  The song, "When You Get To Asheville" is a sweet number with a light banjo playing and Edie's voice subtly whispering the lyric.
  A hit.
  Other songs that stand out are, "Get Along Stray Dog", "Siamese Cat", "Sarah Jane and the Iron Mountain Baby" and "Sun's Gonna Shine."
  The music is hard to describe...a mix of bluegrass and country and a little pop perhaps, but I love the collaboration of Edie and Steve and I am hoping for more from them.
  It's on Amazon.com...of course...

I'll Take You There"...

   When I was in elementary school, the class took a ride on "The Belle Of Louisville" 
  For those who don't know,  it is a steamboat that will be celebrating 100 years of existence this year.
  Anyhoo...
  I was standing in the rear of the boat and a song was playing..."I'll Take You There", by The Staple Singers.  All of a sudden, a big kid comes up behind me and pushes me...almost into the big paddle wheels of "The Belle."
  A teacher grabbed me and the bully and I was saved!
  I will always remember that boat trip when I hear that song.
  Music really is the soundtrack of our lives...

Top Ten Albums To Start A Collection...

I have close to 800 Cd's in my  collection and I am constantly adding to it.  Why?, you are asking...
  Cause I truly love music.
  I love it more than watching TV or listening to the radio.
  I love listening to what U want to hear and when I want to hear it.
  So I decided to give you guys a list of my Top Ten Albums To Start A Collection With:
10...The Rolling Stones'"Forty Licks"
 9... The Supremes ("Ultimate")
 8...Prince ("Purple Rain Soundtrack")
7...Sam Cooke ("Portrait of a Legend-1951-1964")
6...Frank Sinatra ("The Reprise Collection")
5...Willie Nelson ("Revolutions of Time")
4...Bruce Springsteen( "'Greatest Hits")
 3...Glen Campbell ("Greatest Hits")
 2...Janis Joplin ("Greatest Hits")
 1... The Four Tops (Ultimate")

  If you buy these lps, the rest of your collection will just fall into place.