Category Archives: Music

“I’ve been to every big city and many little towns in the USA. I really try to soak it in. I love all these little towns – the people and the places. I feel so lucky to see all these places and I truly have a hunger to see and experience them.” — G. Love

G. Love It’s G. Love’s birthday today. Naturally, it was through my brother that I discovered G. Love and the Special Sauce. Bren has a way of discovering people not on my radar at all and then passing on the … Continue reading

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“That cat was royalty, man.” — Mick Jagger on Eddie Cochran

It’s his birthday today. Eddie Cochran’s songs still get play everywhere, all the time, on the radio no less! 1950s hits still in rotation. Elvis’ 1950s hits aren’t still in rotation. The only ones you hear on the radio for … Continue reading

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“I put my soul through the ink.” — Proof

DeShaun Dupree Holton, a.k.a. Proof, a.k.a. Big Proof, was a Detroit-area rapper, born on this day in 1973. He was killed in still-mysterious circumstances at a pool hall in Detroit in April 2006. The story of his death took some … Continue reading

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“Either be hot or cold. If you are lukewarm, the Lord will spew you forth from his mouth.” — The Killer

“There is more of the Devil and of salvation — of the power of the eternal idea of those forces — implicit in that kicking than in all their crying unto heaven combined. And in this age of safe sex … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, “Blind” Lemon Jefferson

“Although he was supposed to be completely blind, I still believe he could see a little bit. If he couldn’t, he darn sure could feel his way ’round — the old wolf!” – blues singer Victoria Spivey on Texas bluesman … Continue reading

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“Morpheus comes into our dreams…and we woke up and started this band…we’re all wrapped up in these dream messages, and we were compelled to start this band.” — Mark Sandman, lead singer of Morphine

It’s almost too perfect that the man who spoke those words in the title of this post is named SANDMAN. I was never on the Morphine train, although I had one of their albums, and they were ubiquitous in the … Continue reading

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“Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well inside of your heart and head at all times. If it doesn’t drive you crazy, it will make you strong. ” — Bruce Springsteen

I’ve always loved Bruce Springsteen’s fervent adoration of Elvis. His fantastic memoir devotes an entire chapter to what it was like hearing Elvis’ music for the first time – and the chapter doesn’t once include the word “Elvis”. That’s how … Continue reading

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“I was a pretty good imitator of Roy Acuff, but then I found out they already had a Roy Acuff, so I started singin’ like myself.” — Hank Williams

It’s his birthday today. He came to Nashville and he just set this whole world on fire. He was the first one to go to Las Vegas as a country singer, he was the first one in a major hotel … Continue reading

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“I’m trying to get people to see that we are our brother’s keeper. Red, white, black, brown or yellow, rich or poor, we all have the blues.” — B.B. King

WHAT a performance. And WHAT an audience. The mood – the back and forth – the communication going on – not just from up on the stage, but coming back at him from the crowd – is what live performance … Continue reading

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“In a world full of Barbies, every girl needs a Joan Jett” — Dave Grohl

At this point, my “relationship” with Dave Grohl (born on this day), is decades-long. I was there when Nirvana hit. I was swept away by Nirvana – and all their ilk – and cried when Kurt Cobain died. My sadness … Continue reading

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