At a tribute to Kennedy Center Honoree Carole King, the Queen of Soul brought the house down (and moved the president to tears) with a signature performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”.
Video of the Week: Aretha Franklin Tears Up “Natural Woman” at Kennedy Center Carole King Tribute
01 Jan 2016 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: aretha franklin, carole king, you make me feel like a natural woman
Natalie Cole Dead at 65
01 Jan 2016 Leave a comment
in General Posts Tags: natalie cole
R&B singer Natalie Cole passed away last night of congestive heart failure. She’d canceled tour dates in November and December due to an unspecified medical procedure which required hospitalization. She also suffered from Hepatitis C and had received a kidney transplant in 2009.
Hers was a rollercoaster career with a promising start in 1975 (her first chart hit “This Will Be” saw recent second life as the jingle for eHarmony dating service) followed by substance abuse issues and rehab, then a comeback in 1991 with an Album of the Year Grammy for Unforgettable…With Love.
Her early singles were made in the mold of Aretha Franklin, whose dominance in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy category she challenged in the 70’s.
This is what R&B music used to sound like:
Video of the Week: DJ Earworm’s ‘United State of Pop 2015’
01 Jan 2016 Leave a comment
in Video of the Week Tags: 50 shades of pop, dj earworm, united state of pop
With his yearly fusion of pop tracks from the year just passed, DJ Earworm once again produces something greater than the sum of its parts.
Each year this guy creates an indefectible compilation mashup that’s actually more listenable than most of the individual songs that comprise it.
Each year he astounds–only to surpass his accomplishment the following year. DJ Earworm is the best at what he does, and he’s just getting better.
Songs You May Have Missed #562
30 Dec 2015 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: sons of fathers, the mansion
Sons of Fathers: “The Mansion” (2013)
Former mutual admirers David Beck and Paul Cauthen were gigging separately around Texas before deciding to combine their voices and songwriting notebooks as Beck and Cauthen.
Later they added a few complimentary musicians to fill out a band that sounds like the Avett Brothers sideswiping pickup trucks with Dawes, with an added bit of Texas roadhouse feel.
Sons of Fathers bring a high-energy live show, tight songwriting, and harmonies that evoke the Everlys.
“The Mansion” is from their second album, Burning Days.
Songs You May Have Missed #561
30 Dec 2015 Leave a comment
in Songs You May Have Missed Tags: buried moon, my dead air
My Dead Air: “Buried Moon” (2015)
Dan Ballard’s latest self-written, self-recorded and self-produced bit of lovely was made with mixing help by Grammy winner Guy Massey, who has previously worked on recordings by Ed Sheeran, The Beatles, and Paul McCartney.
Grimy Goods echo this blog in referencing the relaxing, lullaby-like effect of what they call Ballard’s “lush and celestial indie folk” in this review while UK webzine god is in the tv suggest he “has quite clearly been delving into his dad’s 70’s AOR collection…”, a favorite quote of Ballard’s, who says, “This is true. Thanks Dad!”
As we’ve previously mentioned, My Dead Air makes the perfect soundtrack for any winding-down activity, including drifting off to dreamland.
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/04/16/recommended-albums-44/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2012/03/15/songs-you-may-have-missed-54/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2013/02/07/songs-you-may-have-missed-323/
See also: https://edcyphers.com/2017/03/25/songs-you-may-have-missed-613/
Happy Birthday Mike Pinder
27 Dec 2015 Leave a comment
in General Posts Tags: mike pinder, the moody blues
(via The College of Rock and Roll Knowledge)
Mike Pinder, a founding member of and the original keyboardist for The Moody Blues, is celebrating his 74th birthday today. He is especially noted for his technological contribution to music. When the band was first together, Mike took a day job at Streetly Music. Streetly was the distributor of the Mellotron. The Mellotron is a keyboard that uses tapes of different sounds and ‘bends’ the sound to sound like different instruments.
Mike was able to get a used one from his e…mployer and got rid of the tapes of things like chickens and roosters and added more tapes of violins, cellos and other stringed instruments. Mike introduced the sound of the Mellotron into The Moody’s music.
Mike is also the guy who introduced the Mellotron to John Lennon and even was involved with a couple of The Beatles recordings for which he was uncredited. (For a while, The Moody Blues were managed by The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein).
Mike’s work was one of the biggest contributing factors to the sound of The Moody Blues.
Mike left the group following the recording of the band’s album, Octave, in 1978.
Happy Birthday Mike!!! Your influence was incredible!
Every Moment Has A Song 