This category is for artists whom I thought significant enough to write multiple posts about.
“You sing about the woman, but you are really also talking about all the kicking around you’ve had, the humiliations that you’ve had, the throwing out of doors you’ve had, the hunger that you’ve had. You think about all these things, but you’re still singing … Continue reading Ray Charles – Part IV (final)
“Ray Charles is the only genius in our business.” – Frank Sinatra. “Soul is when you take a song and make it part of you – a part that’s so true, so real, people think it must have happened to you… It’s like electricity- we … Continue reading Ray Charles – Part III – Busted
Cigarettes and smack (heroin) are the two truly addictive habits I’ve known. You might add women,” he said. “My obsession centers on womenβdid then (when young) and does now. I can’t leave them alone.” – Ray Charles Once again Ray was on the move. One … Continue reading Ray Charles – Part II – Life on the Road
For several years now, the Music Enthusiast has done a series on a notable artist at the end of the year. Previous years have included Elvis, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, my tour with the Allmans I’ve done almost nothing about Ray Charles. Time to rectify … Continue reading Ray Charles – Part 1
If you recognize the picture, that’s because it is the exact photo that was used on the cover of Elvis’ debut album. It was taken in July 1955 at a gig in Florida.Β Presley is a definite danger to the security of the United States. … Continue reading Elvis Presley (3) – Enter Colonel Tom Parker
“If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars” – Sam Phillips, founder (Memphis, TN, February 1952) of Sun Records. “In a blinding flash of sanctified light a human being, just a … Continue reading Elvis Presley – (1 of 4) – Good Ballad Singer – Hold
We are forces of chaos and anarchy Everything they say we are we are And we are very Proud of ourselves Up against the wall Up against the wall Motherfucker —“We Can Be Together” – Paul Kantner, Volunteers album. Wikipedia: “Grace Slick’s recruitment proved pivotal … Continue reading Jefferson Airplane – Crown of Creation – (final of 2)
Pictured: Most of the Jefferson Airplane personnel as of their debut album. (l – r), Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner, Jack Casady, Marty Balin, Signe Toly Anderson, Spencer Dryden. (Skip Spence played on most of the album.) I was originally not a big fan of West … Continue reading Jefferson Airplane (1st of 2)
In the previous post, I laid out a brief history of the British blues and gave you a few tasty tunes. In this post, I’ll lay out a few more songs as well as a 40-tune Spotify list. And rather than just dump tunes in … Continue reading Jumping at Shadows – An ME Tribute to British (and Some Irish) Blues-rock (part 2 of 2)
(Pictured: Klook’s Kleek which was a jazz and rhythm nβ blues club at the Railway Hotel, West Hampstead, North West London. Anybody who was anybody played there in the early days of British blues.) A while back I wrote about the so-called British Invasion, the … Continue reading An ME Tribute to British (and Some Irish) Blues-rock (part 1 of 2)
