Playlist for 3/28

Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa

Joss Stone - Never Forget My Love

Cactus Blossoms - One Day 

Betty Davis - s/t

Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different

Betty Davis - Nasty Gal

Joe Simon - Sounds of Simon

Joe Simon - Country Simon

Shoulda Been A Bigger Hit (Poll) 2022 Edition

 Once again I voted in this poll.  This is from a Facebook group I'm part of  called Wow 100. The concept is to list songs that make you say Wow!  But the initial concept was to list songs that should of been Top 10 hits.  I liked that concept better.  All of my choices below landed outside the Top 10.   

1.  Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
2.  Solitary Man - Neil Diamond
3.  Tiny Dancer - Elton John
4.  Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again - Fortunes
5.  Take It Easy - Eagles
6.  Always and Forever - Heatwave
7.  At Last - Etta James
8.  Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden & Whitehead
9.  In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
10. Kentucky Rain - Elvis Presley
11. I Wanna Be Your Lover - Prince
12. To Love Somebody - Bee Gees
13. Wonderful World - Sam Cooke
14. Baby I Need Your Loving - Four Tops
15. I Only Have Eyes For You - Flamingos
16. God Only Knows - Beach Boys
17. This Magic Moment - Drifters
18. Try A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding
19. Way You Do The Things You Do - Temptations
20. Respect Yourself - Staple Singers
21. Ooh Baby Baby - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
22. I'm Every Woman - Chaka Khan
23. Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel - Tavares
24. Mighty Love - Spinners
25. What I Like About You - Romantics
26. In The Still Of The Nite - Five Satins
27. Don't Make Me Over - Dionne Warwick
28. Sex Machine - James Brown
29. Operator - Jim Croce
30. Holiday - Madonna
31. Disco Inferno - Trammps
32. Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
33. I Saw Her Standing There - Beatles
34. Since I Don't Have You - Skyliners
35. Reet Petite - Jackie Wilson
36. I Only Want To Be With You - Dusty Springfield
37. Hold On I'm A Comin' - Sam & Dave
38. SOS - Abba
39. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Glen Campbell
40. Super Freak - Rick James
41. All My Loving  - Beatles
42. In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins
43. Fever - Little Willie John
44. For The Good Times - Ray Price
45. It's A Shame - Spinners
46. Wild Night - Van Morrison
47. Lies - Knickerbockers
48. Treat Me Nice - Elvis Presley
49. More Today Than Yesterday - Spiral Staircase
50. Maybe Baby - Buddy Holly
51. Walking In The Rain - Ronettes
52. But It's Alright - J.J. Jackson
53. Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
54. Sincerely - Moonglows
55. Forget Me Nots - Patrice Rushen
56. So Very Hard To Go - Tower of Power
57. Just What I Needed - Cars
58. Our Lips Are Sealed - Go-Go's
59. River Deep-Mountain High - Ike & Tina Turner
60. Love The One You're With - Stephen Stills
61. Wild World - Cat Stevens
62. Listen To The Music - Doobie Brothers
63. Baby I Love Your Way (live) - Peter Frampton
64. Into The Night - Benny Mardones
65. Different Drum - Linda Ronstadt
66. This Old Heart Of Mine - Isley Brothers
67. Tempted - Squeeze
68. If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley
69. Just Like Me - Paul Revere & The Raiders
70. Love Really Hurts Without You - Billy Ocean
71. Free Ride - Edgar Winter Group
72. Time Has Come Today - Chambers Brothers
73. I've Been Lonely Too Long - Rascals
74. Tired Of Being Alone - Al Green
75. Fantasy - Earth,Wind & Fire
76. Strange Magic - ELO
77. That's The Way Of The World - Earth, Wind & Fire
78. Games People Play - Joe South
79. Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
80. One Of A Kind (Love Affair) - Spinners
81. Piano Man - Billy Joel
82. I'm Into Something Good - Herman's Hermits
83. Let's Spend The Night Together - Rolling Stones
84. Blue Bayou - Roy Orbison
85. Tuesday Afternoon - Moody Blues
86. Steppin' Stone - Monkees
87. So Far Away - Carole King
88. Itchycoo Park - Small Faces
89. Any Day Now - Chuck Jackson
90. People Get Ready - Impressions
91. It's My Life - Animals
92. You Get What You Give - New Radicals
93. I Melt With You - Modern English
94. Right Down The Line - Gerry Rafferty
95. I Saw The Light - Todd Rundgren
96. Having A Party - Sam Cooke
97. Got To Be Real - Cheryl Lynn
98. Oye Como Va - Santana
99.  Never Too Much - Luther Vandross

100. Look Of Love - ABC

101. Every Little Bit Hurts - Brenda Holloway

102. Nothing But A Heartache - Flirtations

103. Driver's Seat - Sniff 'n' the Tears 

104. Faithfully - Journey

105. Undun - Guess Who

106.  (You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real - Sylvester

107.  I Got You - Split Enz

108. Wishing You Were Here - Chicago 

Elton John At 75 (50 Best Songs)

In honor of Elton John's 75th Birthday, here's a list that I first posted in 2013.  Nine years later I've moved a few things around, but the Top 15 remained the same.

1.  Philadelphia Freedom

2.  Rocket Man

3.  Your Song

4.  Bennie and the Jets

5.  Don't Go Breaking My Heart (w/Kiki Dee)

6.  Tiny Dancer

7.  Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

8.  Bitch Is Back

9.  Honky Cat

10. Someone Saved My Life Tonight

11. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

12. Levon

13. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

14. Daniel

15. Funeral for A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

16. Crocodile Rock

17. Amoreena

18. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

19. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

20. Sacrifice

21. I'm Still Standing

22. Take Me To The Pilot

23. Border Song

24. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

25. Step Into Christmas

26. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me w/George Michael

27. Blue Eyes

28. Comfort Comfort

29. I Feel Like A Bullet

30. Are You Ready For Love

31. Harmony

32. Burn Down The Mission

33. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That

34. Sad Songs

35. Fanfare/Chloe

36. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy

37. Friends

38. Candle In The Wind

39. Elton's Song

40. Mama Can't Buy You Love

41. Song For Guy

42. Come Down In Time

43. Empty Garden 

44. Grey Seal

45. Love Song

46. I Want Love

47. Too Low For Zero

48. Street Kids

49. Can You Feel The Love Tonight

50. Nikita

Albums:

1.  Honky Chateau

2.  Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

3.  Tumbleweed Connection

4.  Madman Across The Water

5.  Captain Fantastic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy

6.  Rock of the Westies 

7.  Too Low For Zero

8.  Elton John - s/t

9.  Caribou

10. Songs From The West Coast

Playlist for 3/17

Elton John's Rocket Hour (Weekly show on Apple Music)

Dave Marsh Kick Out the Jams (Weekly show on SiriusXM)

Casey Kasem's American Top 40 from the 70's (Weekly on Sirius XM)

Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous

Whitmore Sisters - Ghost Stories

Eddie Vedder - Earthling

Music List A Month (March): 100 Favorite Country Artists

This was originally posted in 2018 as my answer to Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Country Artists.  I've made a few changes, but most of it remains the same. 

1.  Merle Haggard

2.  Hank Williams

3.  George Jones

4.  Dolly Parton

5.  Willie Nelson

6.  Johnny Cash

7.  Jimmie Rodgers

8.  Loretta Lynn

9.  Lefty Frizzell

10.  Carter Family

11.  Patsy Cline

12.  Elvis Presley

13.  Bob Wills

14.  Tammy Wynette

15.  Waylon Jennings

16.  Buck Owens

17.  Bill Monroe

18.  Charley Pride

19.  Louvin Brothers

20.  Ray Price

21.  Tom T. Hall

22.  Roger Miller

23.  John Anderson

24.  George Strait

25.  Conway Twitty

26.  Randy Travis

27.  Ernest Tubb

28.  Kris Kristofferson

29.  Flatt & Scruggs

30.  Gary Stewart

31.  Charlie Rich

32.  Kitty Wells

33.  Everly Brothers

34.  Glen Campbell

35.  Miranda Lambert

36.  Garth Brooks

37.  Keith Whitley

38.  Kenny Rogers

39.  Dwight Yoakam

40.  Gram Parsons

41.  Rosanne Cash

42.  Emmylou Harris

43.  Alan Jackson

44.  Jerry Reed

45.  Reba McEntire

46.  Steve Earle

47.  Jerry Lee Lewis

48.  Shania Twain

49.  Stanley Brothers

50.  Alabama
51.  Vince Gill
52.  Tanya Tucker
53.  John Prine
54.  Freddy Fender
55.  Rodney Crowell
56.  Johnny Paycheck
57.  Dixie Chicks
58.  Don Williams
59.  Ronnie Milsap
60.  Marty Robbins
61.  Ricky Skaggs
62.  Hank Thompson
63.  Billy Joe Shaver
64.  Hank Snow
65.  Hank Williams Jr.
66.  Jim Reeves
67.  Merle Travis
68.  Roy Acuff
69.  Statler Brothers
70.  Judds
71.  Eddy Arnold
72.  Guy Clark
73.  Oak Ridge Boys
74.  Chet Atkins
75.  Faron Young
76.  Tennessee Ernie Ford
77.  Eddie Rabbitt
78.  Mel Tillis
79.  Patty Loveless
80.  Bobby Bare
81.  Judds
82.  Brooks & Dunn
83.  Alison Krauss
84.  Bill Anderson
85.  Crystal Gayle
86.  Doug Sahm
87.  Lucinda Williams
88.  Barbara Mandrell
89.  Porter Wagoner
90.  Vern Gosdin
91.  Dottie West
92.  Bobbie Gentry
93.  Little Jimmy Dickens
94.  Brad Paisley
95.  Anne Murray
96.  Uncle Dave Macon
97.  Asleep At The Wheel
98.  Don Gibson
99.  Lyle Lovett
100.  Connie Smith

Personal Picks: 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Below are my Personal picks, listed in alphabetical order.  Most of the 17 nominees could get a "Yes" vote from me in other years.

Only able to vote for 5, which has always been an impossible task.  The Hall usually inducts 6, but in 2021 inducted 7, by inserting nominee LL Cool J into the Musical Excellence category.  Also, there were 7 inductees in 2019 on a ballot of 15.  

With each of my picks, I recommend some of their best recordings. Last year there were 16 nominations and I chose 2 extra picks.  This year I follow the same formula with 17 names.  

Again, these are my Personal picks, not predictions. 

Update: I posted this after Dolly made her announcement to be removed from the ballot.  But I decided not to make any changes. 

Top 5

Dionne Warwick - Her glorious run of 1960's hits with Bacharach/David (who should be in as Songwriters) was one of Pop music's most classic pairings ever.  The other reason I'm rooting for her induction?  Her first #1 hit, in 1974, was with my beloved Spinners.  2nd nomination.  

1. Her All-Time Greatest Hits (1962-70)

2. Definitive Collection

3. Here I Am 

Dolly Parton - A Country icon who is known throughout the world.  And has been embraced by artists from all genres.  1st nomination

1.  Coat Of Many Colors

2.  Jolene

3.  Essential

Duran Duran  - Could they have made it without MTV?  Maybe, but then again, they helped put MTV on the map in the 80's.  1st nomination. 

1.  Duran Duran - s/t

2.  Rio

3.  Greatest

Eurythmics - Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart crafted some of the most soulful New Wave hits of the 80's.  Lennox was not only a great vocalist, but a trailblazer in her videos and concerts too. 2nd nomination

1.  Sweet Dreams 

2.  Be Yourself Tonight

3.  Ultimate Collection

Lionel Richie - Unfortunately for the rest of the Commodores (who definitely should have already been inducted), Lionel's solo career was bigger. Also unfortunate. A Lionel induction pretty much ends their chances at induction.  Still, hard for me to separate most of his solo material from his Commodores years.  1st nomination. 

1.  Can't Slow Down

2.  Lionel Richie - s/t

3.  Definitive Collection (solo + Commodores)

Bonus Picks                             

Carly Simon - One of the quintessential 70's singer/songwriters who also had hits in the 80's.  1st nomination.

1.  No Secrets

2.  Anticipation

3.  Reflections: Greatest Hits

Pat Benatar  - Powerful singer that produced MTV-friendly hits from the late 70's through the 80's.  2nd nomination.

1. Greatest Hits
2. In The Heat of the Night
3. Crimes of Passion

The Rest

A Tribe Called Quest - If the gangsta rap of the 90's turned you off, then this group, along with De La Soul, was one of the acts to champion.  Cool samples, smart lyrics.   1st nomination.

Beck -  Your post 90’s version of David Bowie.  A chameleon who always keeps you guessing from album to album.  1st nomination.

Devo - They had the look and the sound that was just perfect for the burgeoning New Wave/Music Video movement of the late 70's/early 80's.  3nd nomination. 

Eminem - Outside of "Stan" and "Lose Yourself",  I've never had any use for his homophobia and misogyny. 1st nomination.

Fela Kuti - Afrobeat pioneer and an exciting performer whose catalog is one of the biggest of all the performers nominated.   2nd nomination.

Judas Priest - Like I did with Iron Maiden last year, on the advise of a Metal friend, I went back into their catalog and found a bunch of worthy deep cuts.  3rd nomination. 

Kate Bush - Bush's catalog dating back to the late 70's has only grown in stature. Even if she's better known in England than in the U.S.  3rd nomination.

MC5 - In light of World events, their records sound as relevant today as they did 50+ years ago.  6th nomination. 

New York Dolls - Punk pioneers who mixed in glam with Stones era Rock.  3rd nomination.

Rage Against the Machine - Never really warmed to their revolution.  I like Tom Morello's post-RATM years better.   4th nomination.

Playlist for 3/9

Keb' Mo' - Good To Be 

Beatles - Rooftop Performance

St. Paul & the Broken Bones - Alien Coast

Maddie & Tae - Through the Madness

Eddie Rabbitt - Rabbitt Trax

Anais Mitchell - s/t

Mitski - Laurel Hell

Randy Travis - More Life (2022 Documentary)

Studio Wizardry of Todd Rundgren - Various

Playlist for 3/1

Vincent Neil Emerson - s/t

Charles Wesley Godwin - How the Mighty Fall

Jesse Daniel - Beyond These Walls

Bobby Dove - Hopeless Romantic

Charlie Marie - Ramble On

Mac Leaphart - Music City Joke

Joy Crookes - Skin

Cat Power - Covers

Chuck Berry - Live From Blueberry Hill

Chuck Berry - Oh Yeah! Live In Detroit

Kamasi Washington/Robert Glasper/Terrace Martin/9th Wonder - Dinner Party

DMX Krew -Loose Gears

Robert Egarr - Dussek:Messe Solemnelle