Monday Music Musings

Happy 46th Birthday Raphael Saadiq!

May 14, 2012

Raphael Saadiq is at the forefront in keeping classic old school music before the youth oriented masses in the 21st Century and I love him for that! It is remarkable that he does this considering he wasn’t even born when some of those great Motown classics, he emulates so well, were topping the charts in [...]

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Remembering Johnny Maestro on his 73rd Birthday!

May 7, 2012

The sweet tenor of Mr. Johnny Maestro belonged to two popular groups — first The Crests of the Doo-Wop era and secondly The Brooklyn Bridge. The Crests, formed in 1956, was one of the first integrated groups in a segregated era. Maestro’s beautiful tenor lead the group’s first big hit “16 Candles.” The track went [...]

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Happy 79th Birthday Willie Nelson

April 30, 2012

As a little girl, when AM radio played all genre’s of music, I always loved hearing the song “Crazy” as sung by Patsy Cline. It would be many, many years later that I would come to know Willie Nelson as the composer of that song and others as well as a singer who’s voice I [...]

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Happy 73rd Birthday To Dusty Springfield!

April 16, 2012

I want to pay tribute today to the “White Queen of Soul” — Dusty Springfield on what would be her 73rd Birthday. We miss you beautiful lady, but will always have your music: it is timeless. R.I.P. Related articles How Dusty Springfield Made Adele Possible (thestreet.com) February 15 – Dusty Springfield, Sly & Family Stone [...]

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Happy 113th Birthday to Paul Robeson!

April 9, 2012

“I did a long concert tour in England and Denmark and Sweden, and I also sang for the Soviet people, one of the finest musical audiences in the world.” Paul Robeson (B. 4/9/1898 – D. 1/23/1976) (1936) Related articles Larger than life and twice as grand: Paul Robeson (anniepaul.net)

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Happy 73rd Birthday Marvin Gaye!

April 2, 2012

[Audio clip: view full post to listen] Composed by Obie Benson, Al Cleveland and Marvin Gaye, recorded in 1970 and released in 1971 — the classic track “What’s Going On” is just as relevant (if not moreso) both musically and lyrically now in 2012 as it was in the Seventies! Give it a listen with [...]

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Remembering Teddy Pendergrass on his 61st Birthday!

March 26, 2012

You Can’t Hide From Yourself (1977) #7 Dance Music Only You (1978) #22 R&B, #29 Dance Music My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration (1982) #4 R&B, #43 Pop

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Happy 65th Birthday Ruth Pointer!

March 19, 2012

Photo:Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo Born on March 19, 1946, Ruth and her sisters Bonnie, June and Anita, formed the family singing group The Pointer Sisters in the Sixties and had hits that dominated the R&B Charts, The Country Charts, The Dance Charts and the Billboard Top 100 (POP) charts during the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties! Plus [...]

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Happy 72nd Birthday Al Jarreau!

March 12, 2012

Happy 72nd Birthday to jazz artist Alwin “Al” Lopez Jarreau! Born March 12, 1940, Mr. Jarreau is still performing in 2012: his schedule can be found on his Official Web Site. Mr. Jarreau had had many hits during his long career — but one of my two top favorites is the song “Moonlighting” (US #1 [...]

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Happy 53rd Birthday Andy Gibb!

March 5, 2012

Born on March 5th, 1958 we remember Andy Gibb fondly and lost him far, far to early on March 18, 1988. Here he is performing his first big hit on The Midnight Special in 1977. Co-written with his brother Barry, “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” was Gibb’s first single release and it topped [...]

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Happy Birthday Marian Anderson!

February 27, 2012

Marian Anderson (b. 2/27/1897 d. 4/8/1993) performs Schubert‘s “Ave Maria” with Leopold Stokowski, 1944 Click on Miss Anderson’s name above to read more about her. Happy Birthday Ms. Anderson! Happy Black History Month one and all. Hope it has been one of learning for you as it continually is for me.