Category: Music

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Bands Burton Cummings hit singles Music music videos photography The Guess Who vocalists

The Guess Who, Randy Bachman, and Burton Cummings.

Vocalist/keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman led the Canadian band The Guess Who to legend and lore by the late sixties. Personnel changes ensued, with Bachman leaving to form BTO, and Cummings pursued a solo career. The band, though, touched the skies during their heyday. Randy Bachman’s composing and guitar skills were instrumental. Cummings leaves a legacy as one of the greatest vocalists ever to walk the earth.

In closing…the development of the BTO hit You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet deserves a read. Here.

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Bands hit singles Lovin' Spoonful Music music videos photography

The Lovin’ Spoonful, and John Sebastian.

The Lovin’ Spoonful, led by John Sebastian, and guitarist Zal Yanovsky, was formed in 1965, and produced a cavalcade of very distinctive hits until their 1969 breakup. Sebastian, though, carried on, and had more magic up his sleeve. A great composer, performer, and person.

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Badfinger Bands hit singles Music music videos photography pure pop wonderment

Badfinger.

Badfinger, a Welsh/English group primarily known for their early 70s work, were led by Pete Ham, and featured also Tom Evans and Joey Molland. A truly great, and too-oft forgotten band.

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composers hit singles Music Nilsson photography poets singer songwriters

Nilsson.

Mr. Harry Nilsson was unquestionably one of the premier songwriters of his generation. Witty, trenchant lyrics, frequently concerning isolation, accompanied wonderful melodies. When asked who his favourite American band was, John Lennon unhesitatingly replied “Nilsson”. As did Paul McCartney, for that matter.

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Bands composers hit singles Music music videos photography

The Moody Blues.

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Bass Clarinet Eric Dolphy Jazz Music performers photography

Eric Dolphy.

Eric was simply otherworldly in his approach, especially on bass clarinet and alto saxophone. A number of jazz titans held him near and dear, including Charles Mingus and John Coltrane, with whom some of his most stunning work was achieved. No one sounds remotely like Eric Dolphy. In his improvisations, he could be intensely intimate and tender, or utterly explosive and groundbreaking, or both, often in rapid succession.

Upon hearing of Eric’s death, at 36, Mingus said:
” Usually, when a man dies, you rememberβ€”or you say you rememberβ€”only the good things about him. With Eric, that’s all you could remember. I don’t remember any drags he did to anybody. The man was absolutely without a need to hurt.”

Dolphy’s shocking death came shortly before the release of his masterpiece Out to Lunch. He was supposedly very interested in playing in Albert Ayler’s group, and was even preparing to play with Cecil Taylor.

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Emitt Rhodes hit singles Music music videos photography singer songwriters vocalists

Emitt Rhodes.

Iconic singer-songwriter Emitt Rhodes died today. He left behind some of the most memorable music of his era, and on the recorded versions, he oft-times played every instrument. He will be missed.

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hit singles Music music videos performers photography Singers vocalists

Ms. Linda Ronstadt.

Gifted with one of the most magnificent voices ever to be heard, Linda Ronstadt knew how to use it, as well. A vibrant performer with great presence, as is well-documented in the above vids. Can’t fault her material, either; she covered the likes of Emitt Rhodes, Warren Zevon, and Buddy Holly, to name just a few. A remarkable vocalist.

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Bands composers Kenny Rogers Mickey Newbury Music music videos performers Photographers Singers

The First Edition.

Featuring the great Kenny Rogers, and guitarist Terry Williams. Three distinctively different and inspired live performances of Just Dropped In, the Smothers Brothers appearance (w/studio version), a Reuben James video, and a lovely live Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town, coupled with a performance on Super Hit. Enjoy.

As a special addendum, we also include a gripping, masterful performance of Just Dropped In by the iconic song’s creator, Mr. Mickey Newbury.

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Drummer Vocalists Music music videos photography

Drummer Vocalists.

Noteworthy practitioners of drumming who also have pipes. Paper Lace with Philip Wright, Ozark Mountain Daredevils with Larry Lee, Jigsaw with Des Dyer, and of course Karen Carpenter, though she’s away from the set in this performance.