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.

Mr. BB King...The Thrill Ain't Gone...

I was scouring the Internet last week and I learned that "Mr. Blues", BB King was releasing a new album this week.
That's right. BB King.
I have a four CD set of his dating back from his start and ends with cuts from 1991. It is a remarkable piece of music history.
I have it playing as I am writing this and although it is 'the blues", BB knows how to make you feel good about them.
I saw him in concert at our local Louisville Gardens  in the mid-eighties. His opening act was Millie Jackson. What a show!
My favorite BB cuts of all time include, "Muther Fuyer", "When It All Comes Down," "Never Make A Move Too Soon," ""Paying The Cost To Be The Boss," and the outstanding "The Thrill Is Gone."
I haven't reviewed the new lp yet. There may be a review in the future. I have heard samples of all the cuts and let me say "Lucille", his Gibson guitar has never sounded better.
Not bad for an 80+ year old guy who still tours, huh?

 (Reprinted from 08/28/2008)

Frank Sinatra...

I was born in the project area of the city and in the '60s, my exposure to any other ethnic groups were null and void.
As I grew older and attended a mostly white school, I made friends of different colors and my horizons broadened. One of those broadened horizons was my taste in music.
To make a long story short, I became a huge fan of Mr. Sinatra. When I first heard the Reprise version of "Strangers in the Night," I was floored. 'Ol Blue Eyes had a way with his phrasing of lyrics that to this day is untouched.
I now own "The Capital " greatest hits collection, "Reprise," and "For Lovers Only."
You might say I am loaded with Franks (ahem)

(Reprinted from 8/6/2008)

Neil Diamond...So Good, So Good, So Good...

I was watching "The Big Bang Theory" the other day , and I was surprised to hear that two of the characters were big fans of Neil Diamond.
  Neil Diamond???
  Why not.
  Mr. Diamond has been a fave of mine sine the mid-70s with classics like 'Sweet Caroline", and "Cracklin' Rosie" and "Song Sung Blue" and "Solitary Man" and "'Play Me"...and...and...
  Plain old fashioned classics.
  It is amazing to me that he is still performing all over the country and still drawing crowds.
Not only is he a great singer with a distinct voice, he also writes for others.  Remember the Monkees classic "Day Dream Believer ?"    Written by Diamond.
  My favorite Diamond song?  ""I Am I Said."

Church Songs...

When I was 13 or 14 years of age, I sang in the church youth choir.
  The Stoner Memorial Youth Choir to be exact.
  Actually my sister Nita and I both sang in that group (My brother Wayne was an usher...another story for another day...)
  I still remember the songs we used to sing,,,
"Peace Be Still", "The Name Of Jesus", "Beams of Heaven"...
  We were a pretty good group.  We even sang  on a local TV show called "Sing Ye."
   I remember having to walk to church...from 3121 Del Park Terrace to 1121 W. Oak Street...about a mile and a half...
"Memories. light the corners of my mind..."
 

Floyd Cramer...

Do you guys know who Floyd Cramer is?
  He was a great pianist with a style all his own.  He played for Patsy Cline on "Crazy".  He had a big hit with "Last Date" in 1960.   It reached #2 ...runner-up to Elvis Presley's, "Are You Lonesome Tonight."
  Mr. Cramer also appeared on countless other artists works.  From Loretta Lynn to  Roy Orbison.
  He also was a great solo artist and as I write this I am listening to him play "Tennessee Walt" and I gotta tell you it is so moving...
  It just goes to show you that all great musicians don't play guitar.
  He died on New Year's Eve of 1997 of lung cancer at the age of 64.