Alabama Shakes - Another Shooting Star!

What do you get when you take a bit of Led Zeppelin, add some Otis Redding, pinch off a little AC/DC, throw in a dash of Bob Seger, and put it all in a shaker with a splash of cayenne and ice?

You get 

A volatile mixture of Alabama Shakes!

"Hold On- Lyrics"

Bless my heart, bless my soul.
Didn't think I'd make it to 22 years old.
There must be someone up above sayin',
"Come on, Brittany, you got to come on up.
You got to hold on...
Hey, you got to hold on..."

So, bless my heart and bless yours too.
I don't know where I'm gonna go
Don't know what I'm gonna do.
There must be somebody up above sayin',
"Come on, Brittany, you got to come on now!
You got to hold on...
Hey, you got to hold on..."

"Yeah! You got to wait!
Yeah! You got to wait!"
But I don't wanna wait!
No, I don't wanna wait...

So, bless my heart and bless my mind.
I got so much to do, I ain't got much time
So, must be someone up above saying,
"Come on, girl! Yeah, you got to get back up!
You got to hold on...
Yeah, you got to hold on..."

"Yeah! You got to wait!"
I don't wanna wait!
But I don't wanna wait!
No, I don't wanna wait!

You got to hold on...
You got to hold on...
You got to hold on...
You got to hold on...

The band hails from northern Alabama - a town called Athens! If the Greeks only knew!
The band was formed in 2009 when lead singer-guitarist Brittany Howard and bassist Zac Cockrell began meeting after school to write songs.  They subsequently added guitarist Heath Fogg, keyboard player Ben Tanner, and drummer Steve Johnson.  In 2011, Alabama Shakes released the four song EP Alabama Shakes, which gained widespread media attention.  This led to an invitation to play at the CMJ Music Marathon industry showcase in New York which caught the eye of Jon Pareles of the New York Times who praised the singing of Brittany Howard, comparing her to "Janis Joplin.".  The rest has been nothing short of stellar to include three nominations for the 2013 Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Best Rock Performance for "Hold On."

Expect more from these guys!


Funky!

"In The Air Tonight.... Naturally 7"

I was lucky enough to catch Naturally 7 in concert about a year ago.  I was captivated by their sound and stimulated by their harmony.  Here's a great rendition of an awesome and powerful song made famous by the one and only Phil Collins!

 

If you're bored, check out youtube for more of their sound.  

Enjoy!

"Sometimes I Just Don't Know"

The likelihood that this could have happened 20 years ago and been seen and shared by over 13 Million people ...... Slim




.



The randomness of it all....  3 strangers, meet  in front of a grocery store.  There's  no drama, no violence, and no trouble.  Just a jam session caught on video by a complete stranger and shared across the internet.

Here's more of the story as seen on Jimmy Kimmel...


 



Isn't life great?

I'm certain that I just don't know!

Someone Like You - Adele vs Van Morrison

The Old... The New.... The Bitter... The Sweet.....


Two very different styles, personalities, and people!


Two great songs about "Someone Like You!"


You be the judge.....

Wake Up Everybody..... Teddy Pendergrass

R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who stormed the stage of pop music during the 70's and early 80's, died of colon cancer yesterday. He was 59. Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.

A few weeks ago I was thinking back on some of his music and what the songs and lyrics meant to me. Although he was known for many of his love ballads and his electrifying and sensual presentation, one of his songs resonated in a different way with me.

The song, Wake Up Everybody, was originally performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, with Teddy Pendergrass singing lead vocals. It was the title track from their 1975 album.

The song spent two weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in early 1976. It also enjoyed success on the pop charts, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The message was simple!

Rest In Peace Teddy!

"Wake Up Everybody"

Free Christmas music Downloads! -Free Holiday Music Sampler!

That's right, you heard it here! Free Christmas Music Downloads. In fact, it's an entire sampler album.



In keeping with the spirit of the season, and hoping to perpetuate the belief that it is "Better To Give Than to Receive," I'm hoping to give everyone an early Holiday present!


Read below:


In keeping with the season’s theme of spreading goodwill and holiday cheer, Apple is offering an ITunes album packed with 20 Yuletide tunes performed by various artists, all for free!






The iTunes Holiday Sampler includes renditions of such holiday classics as We Wish You a Merry Christmas, performed by Weezer, and The First Noel, sung by David Archuleta, as well as original Christmas songs by comedian Stephen Colbert and Glasgow band Glasvegas. The album also comes with iTunes LP, so you can check out lyrics, view photos and read more about the artists associated with the album. Here’s the complete roster of tracks in the sampler:

1.O Come All Ye Faithful by Amy Grant
2.The First Noel by David Archuleta
3.Silent Night by Sarah McLachlan
4.Carol of the Bells / Jingle Bells by Barry Manilow
5.It Snowed by Meaghan Smith
6.Above the Northern Lights by Mannheim Steamroller7.Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Lady Antebellum
8.We Three Kings by Toby Keith
9.God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Rascal Flatts
10.Silent Night by Wynonna
11.Twelve Days of Christmas by Mexicani Marimba Band
12.We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Weezer
13.A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss) by Glasvegas
14.Another Christmas Song by Stephen Colbert
15.Greensleeves by Vince Guaraldi Trio
16.Dream a Dream by Charlotte Church
17.The Nutcracker, Op 71, Act 2: Character Dances (Divertissement) by Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev
18.Angels We Have Heard on High by Aretha Franklin
19.O Holy Night by Musiq Soulchild
20.Auld Lang Syne by The Lonesome Travelers

You can download the free album here Itunes free Holiday Sampler:

Note that this offer is valid until December 17, 2009 and is available from the US ITunes Store only.

You will need to have Itunes installed on your computer with an active Itunes account to enjoy the album.




Good Luck....


And pass this link on. Keep in mind the expiration date.

Sponge Bob Square Pants! Totally Rocks!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sponge Bob Square Pants of course....

Are you hip to Sponge Bob?

Among other things, it is currently Nickelodeon's highest rated show and the most distributed property of MTV Networks.

Frankly, the concept of a sponge hanging out in the underwater fictitious town of Bikini Bottom just totally scrambles my brain. As if I don't have enough animated stuff going on up there - you know what I mean? But the truth is, I like the show. Now don't get me wrong. I've only seen about 10 - 15 episodes and a movie or two so it's not like I sit around and watch episode after episode religiously. I'll confess though - one morning in Sydney Australia, I woke up early and turned on the tube. After catching up on the latest world news, I was looking for something mindless and refreshing. Low and behold, I stumbled upon a channel playing Sponge Bob. I plowed through about an hours worth. And that was before I had a cup of coffee.

After you get past the fact that some of the characters exceed the reasonable and tolerable level of stupidity, it's actually a pleasant and somewhat redeeming show!

So hear me out please; It's difficult for me to walk around being an advocate for a geeky nerdy guy with buck teeth, blue eyes, brown square trousers, and a bow tie. But I like the guy! We've all got our flaws.... He's just got about 9 or 10 really obvious ones. But I think he's cool!

Unfortunatley, the sad thing for me is - People are starting to question my credibility.

So just to be on the safe side, I started asking around to get an idea of what some other well-known and respected people thought of the little spongy guy.

I started by asking the "Black Eye Peas."





Here's what they thought:





Then I thought I'd ask the original "Slim Shady." Mr. Eminem!

Here's what he had to say:

So there you have it:

Sponge Bob Rocks!

Creative Ads! See U2 In Concert.....

U2’s performing in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl this weekend; Sunday, October 25th, 2009. Tickets are selling fast. You know it's going to be a great show. The Rose Bowl stadium is the proud home of the Tournament of Roses Football Game and UCLA Bruin Football. It's a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1922 and is also known for hosting five NFL Super Bowl Games, and the 1984 Olympic Soccer Matches. This has the makings of a tremendous performance. So get your tickets to see U2 before they sell out.....

But if you can't make it - Guess what?

Someone has come up with the great idea of streaming the concert live on YouTube.

Watch This:





Did you see the creative advertising?

First Global Concert Webcast on "U2ube"

Nice going guys!

The link for the concert is:

http://www.youtube.com/u2 October 25, 2009 - 8:30 PM (Pacific Time)




But here's the kicker!

Unfortunately, the concert is not available in some territories. Only YouTube users in the US, UK, France, Canada, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Mexico, India, Israel, South Korea, and the Netherlands will be able to see the live performance.

Unless of course, you're really - really - Creative!

Creative Commercials..... Lebron James doing Kid N Play!

Wait a second, I happened to catch a State Farm insurance commercial and I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I saw Lebron James holding a Kid N Play CD in his hand and then I saw him doing the um....... Kid N Play Dance???

I had to investigate further. Was it a subliminally suggested idea or what?

Thanks to YouTube and the power of the pause button, I was able to find the commercial and correctly identify Lebron James in a commercial holding the aforementioned CD. The rest I'll leave for your viewing pleasure.






Lebron, few will question your moves on the basketball court. I'll even give you credit for looking pretty intimidating in a football uniform and concede that you'd be tough to stop as a runner or a receiver. But I don't quite get the dance act on your State Farm commercial. Don't get me wrong, you move okay. Maybe I just missed something. Your dancing didn't make me want to run out and switch my insurance to State Farm.

Let's leave the dancing to Kid N Play......





Now those guys can dance!


If you're not familiar with Kid N Play; Kid 'n Play was a hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin made up the duo.


Kid and Play amicably split in 1995. Reid continued acting, guest starring in a number of television sitcoms, most notably Sister, Sister, and hosting shows such as It's Showtime at the Apollo and Your Big Break. Martin became a born-again Christian, and devoted his time to working on Christian-based hip-hop music projects. He eventually took his industry experience and founded HP4Digital Works, a multimedia company that provides pre- and post-production for film, digital, and live theater productions. Check them out at: Kidnplay.com

Two Days of Rain! Tony Toni Tone

Somehow I missed the weather forecast. I've been busy doing my thing. Lost in my own little world. Not a lot of traveling lately but working diligently on two deals. One with a company in Canada which may or may not pan out but I'm enjoying the process. I'd heard that it could rain this week but what the heck! I didn't pay it much attention because "It never rains in Southern California!" That's what they tell me. Besides, I did some mental calculating, and I couldn't come up with the last time it has rained in my neighborhood. As best as I can remember, it sprinkled one day back in early June. Not even enough to turn on my windshield wipers in my car. So I figured the chances of rain were slim. I guess that's what I get for moving to the desert. Right?










So after 4 months of water rationing, drought, forest fires, heat, and smoke, we now get two full days of rain. Pretty heavy at times. It appears the weather people got it right this time. Not in a bad way though... I'm actually enjoying the breif change.

But I think Fall is definitely Here!

Here's a little something to listen to while you enjoy the weather in your neighborhood!




And here's a little bit of information about the group Tony Toni Tone

(pronounced Tony Tony Tony)

Tony Toni Tone, formed in 1987 in Oakland, California. They enjoyed a number of hits and good album sales for a considerable part of the nineties. The group primarily consisted of family members with brothers Dwayne and Raphael Wiggins teaming up with Cousin Timothy Christian.

The group's popularity really took off when they introduced the smash album The Revival. They became mega-stars due in part to two hit singles; the ballad ‘It Never Rains (In Southern California)' and the club dance tune 'Feels Good.'

In 1993 the group scored again with another big hit; ‘Anniversary' written by Raphael Wiggins and the bands keyboard player Carl Wheeler. It featured Gerald Albright on sax.

Somewhere around 1996 the members went on to pursue solo careers.

But that's another story to be told on another rainy day.......

Courageous Video Mondays! Dan Hartman

Some Days it's hard to get out of bed... Today was one of those days.

Following a very busy weekend, this morning was further complicated by the constant reminder of last years' collapse of Lehman Brothers. It seemed that every bit of news announced how shares nosedived in London and New York last year as traders dumped stock following the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers. - -- Just when folks were starting to see a glimmer of hope.

We all know the rest of the story regarding the Banking industry.....

In spite of this recurring news, I decided not to be deterred. I figured, I'd enjoy my day regardless of the doomsayers and revel in the good news of the day. I also decided that I needed some syncopated motivation!

I went slightly Old School 80's...... With a hit song from Dan Hartman (from Harrisburg, PA).

The song - I Can Dream About You -was a hit song from the 1984 movie Streets of Fire.

It reached #6 on the U.S. charts and was Hartman's second big hit following the 1978 success of Instant Replay. I wasn't a big fan of the movie but I liked the song. For those of you who were big fans of the movie, here's some trivia that you possibly didn't know:

"I Can Dream About You" was actually sung by Winston Ford, whose vocals were convincingly lip-synced by Stoney Jackson.

Stoney Jackson

Here's the Video:

Enjoy!

The Many Faces of Willie K.

I first discovered Willie Kahaiali`i (a.k.a. Willie K. or Uncle Willie K.) about 11 years ago playing live music in a place called "Hapas Night Club" on Maui. I was immediately taken by his eclectic style of music which seemed to draw from many artists including Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, and Jimi Hendrix to name a few. He was playing regularly on Monday nights and I made it a point to arrange my travel schedule so that I could catch him as often as possible.

In a single performance, you could easily see the many facets of Willie K., and understand how his versatility appeals to so many people with different tastes in music. I once watched Uncle Willie start a music set with a Ukulele and when he was finished, it occurred to me that he had sampled U-2, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Willie Nelson. And those are just the artists I could remember. The audience was standing and screaming for more and so was I.

He's truly a charismatic entertainer with a special flavor and I'll always cherish those special memories of seeing him live.

As I attempt to make my transition back from Hawaiian vacation life to Mainland living, I thought I'd share with you a piece of the Uncle Willie K. that I knew and loved.

Here are a few of the many faces of Willie K. Can you guess which one is my favorite?

Traditional Hawaiian





Willie K. The Tourist Bureau Representative



The Fourth Tenor - Plácido Domingo, José Carreras , Luciano Pavarotti and Uncle Willie K.



Blended Folk/Bob Marley/Sting



Uncle Willie K. - As the World - Imitating the artists of "We are the World"



Uncle Willie K. - The Ink spot


Uncle Willie K. The Ukulele player and Opera Singer


Uncle Willie K. singing and playing the Blues


Willie K. has played with and/or opened for such musical giants as B.B. King, Santana, Al DiMeola, Willie Nelson, Prince, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Rait, Jackson Browne, Mick Fleetwood, George Benson and Jimmy Buffett. That's quite a resume. For an entertainer who started when he was 10 years old, it's fascinating that his style continues to evolve even today.


Check him out in - The Barefoot Natives,

and stay up to date with Willie K. by following his Calendar - Willie K's Events


Let me know which Willie K. you like best in the comment box.


Thanks

Video Payday! Simply Red - Sunrise

Once again you walk up to the video payday slot machine drop in some change and pull the lever!

This time you get the unmistakable sampling of Hall and Oates (thanks Miss Jane) and the vocals of Simply Red! A mixture of the young and upcoming R & B sound of Simply Red and their more mature contemporary sound.

So Get out of Bed! The sun is up! Shake a bit and groove a little.....

"It could be Me..... It should be Me...... Forever!"

I think this song is a bit short. I'd like it to go on a bit longer.

Oh well, now you'll have to listen to me. I guess you could hit replay a few times.


Michael or Mick Hucknall, is the lead singer of Simply Red. Michael Hucknall, (born 8 June 1960) is a British singer and songwriter. He was born in Denton, Greater Manchester, as an only child. His mother left him when he was three; the upheaval caused by this event inspired him to write the song "Holding Back the Years". He was raised by his father, Reg, a barber in Stockport.

He got his start in music when he was part of the formation of the band Frantic Elevators.
The Frantic Elevators released four singles, including a version of "Holding Back The Years", which he later recorded with Simply Red.

As lead singer and core member of Simply Red, he has become the identifiable face of the band. His face, including his long curly red hair, was featured prominently on album artwork and in videos. Hucknall is also one of the founders and financial backers of the successful reggae label Blood and Fire. He also manages the record label simplyred.com.


Hucknall is active in politics and is a prominent celebrity supporter of the UK Labour Party; he is alleged to be a close friend of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Hucknall and his partner Gabriella Wesberry had a baby daughter, Romy True Hucknall, in June 2007. Hucknall also is part-owner of the Parisian restaurant-bar World Place along with Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, and Sean Penn. What a "Motley Crew" that is huh?

Sunrise - The Lyrics

As I look into your eyes I see the sunrise
The light behind your face helps me realize

Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines
Maybe the next time I’ll be yours and maybe you’ll be mine

I don’t know if it’s even in your mind at all
It could be me
At this moment in time Is it in your mind at all
It should be me, it could be me Forever

Wondering through life will love come home to you
And the love you want forever, will they be true to you

Will we sleep and sometimes love until the moon shines
Maybe the next time I’ll be yours and maybe you’ll be mine

I don’t know if it’s even in your mind at all
It could be me At this moment in time Love’s indescribable
It should be me, it could be me
Forever

Easy, ready, willing, over time Where does it stop where do you dare me to draw the line You’ve got the body now you want my soul Don’t even think about it say no go

Sunrise
I don’t know if it’s even in your mind at all It could be me At this moment in time
Is it in your mind at all It should be me, it could be me

Forever Sunrise At this moment in time

Is it in your mind at all It should be me, it could be me ......... Forever

Grammy Flashback!

The 50th Annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 10, 2008. It will be broadcast on CBS and will air at 8PM EST.

That's tomorrow! Holy Cow Batman! I can't let the day go by without a post on that subject.

So here it is:


I'll start with a small bit of trivia. Do you know where the name "Grammy" comes from?

The Grammy Awards were originally called the Gramophone Awards. Over the years, the "phone" part was dropped and the abbreviated "Grammy Awards" found a life of it's own and stuck. I didn't mean to insult some of my more knowledgeable readers but I'm sure there are a few readers (like me) that just learned something.

The Gramophone

So with that said, let me take you back about 30 years to the days when Disco ruled the airways. The year was 1978 and these are the songs that ruled.

Some of the Grammy Winners included:

1. Record of the Year: Just the way you are - Billy Joel
2. Album of the Year: Saturday Night Fever - Bee Gees, K.C. and Sunshine Band, Tavares, Kool and the Gang, MFSB, Trammps, and a few others.



3. Best Pop Vocal Performance Male: Copacabana - Barry Manilow



4. Best Pop Vocal Performance Female: You Needed Me - Anne Murray



5. Best R & B Vocal Performance Male: On Broadway - George Benson



6. Best Country Vocal Performance Male: Georgia on My Mind - Willie Nelson
   

Just a few winners to tempt your curiosity. The Bee Gees were big winners that night and walked away with 5 trophies. But what about the Best New Artist category? This is always one of the more exciting categories and telling awards. The following artists were nominated for their hits in 1978. This award was presented in 1979.

1. The Cars



2. Elvis Costello



3. Chris Rea



4. A Taste of Honey



5. Toto

So who do you think won the Grammy for Best New Artist? (do do do do do do do.... theme from Jeopardy playing)

And the Grammy goes to: A Taste Of Honey!

For their hit song: Boogie Oogie Oogie.

While Toto, The Cars, and Elvis Costello, seemed to enjoy their share of the limelight, A Taste of Honey seemed to have more questionable fame and fortune. They released another song- Sukiyaki - that did well on the charts. I'm streaming it here if you'd like to listen to it: Follow this link.

And if you'd like to reminisce for a while and time travel back to 1978 - Here you go.......