Playlist for 11/21

Guy Davis - Legend of Sugarbelly

Jelly Roll - Beautifully Broken

Samara Joy - Portrait

Better Than Jail - Various 

Hayes and the Heathens - s/t

Unholy Modal Rounders - Unholier Than Thou 7/7/77

One In A Row: Willie Nelson Songbook - Various (Ace)

Poll: October 1967 Songs

  October 1967, post-Summer of Love.  I'm a little over 3 years old, so music to me are the Monkees, the Beatles, etc. Still, I found some gems among these 42 songs.  Most near the top of the charts.

  For this latest poll 42 songs were picked to vote on. Here are my rankings.  Listen to this countdown at popradiogold.com

"Ode To Billie Joe", Bobbie Gentry : 1
"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher", Jackie Wilson : 2
"Brown-Eyed Girl", Van Morrison : 3
"Soul Man", Sam & Dave : 4
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", Aretha Franklin : 5
"The Letter", Box Tops : 6
"How Can I Be Sure", Young Rascals : 7
"To Sir With Love", Lulu : 8
"Expressway To Your Heart", Soul Survivors : 9
"Gimme Little Sign", Brenton Wood : 10
"Funky Broadway", Wilson Pickett : 11
"Never My Love", Association : 12
"People Are Strange", Doors : 13
"Holiday", Bee Gees : 14
"San Franciscan Nights", Eric Burdon & the Animals : 15
"Incense And Peppermints", Strawberry Alarm Clock : 16
"Reflections (Of The Way Life Used To Be)", Diana Ross & the Supremes : 17
"Pata Pata", Miriam Makeba : 18
"(Heaven Must Have Sent) Your Precious Love", Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell : 19
"The Rain, The Park And Other Things (I Love The Flower Girl)", Cowsills : 20
"Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie", Jay & the Techniques : 21
"Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)", Hombres : 22
"Get On Up", Esquires : 23
"Keep The Ball Rollin'", Jay & the Techniques : 24
"I'm Wondering", Stevie Wonder : 25
"It Must Be Him", Vikki Carr : 26
"Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)", Buckinghams : 27
"You Keep Running Away", Four Tops : 28
"(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need", Temptations : 29
"Gettin' Together", Tommy James & the Shondells : 30
"I Had A Dream", Paul Revere & the Raiders : 31
"There Is A Mountain", Donovan : 32
"Come Back When You Grow Up", Bobby Vee & the Strangers : 33
"I Dig Rock And Roll Music", Peter, Paul & Mary : 34
"Dandelion", Rolling Stones : 35
"I Make A Fool Of Myself", Frankie Valli : 36
"Please Love Me Forever", Bobby Vinton : 37
"Lightning's Girl", Nancy Sinatra : 38
"Love Is Strange", Peaches & Herb : 39
"Beg, Borrow And Steal", Ohio Express : 40
"Watch The Flowers Grow", 4 Seasons : 41
"Little Ole Man (Uptight-Everything's Alright)", Bill Cosby : 42

Playlist for 11/10

Pour A Little Sugar On It: Chewy Chewy Sounds of American Bubblegum 66-72 - Various

Leon Bridges - Leon

Kasey Chambers - Backbone

New Jill Swing - Various (Ace)

Linda Lindas - No Obligation

Election 2024

  You're damn right I was giddy after Joe Biden won the 2020 election.  I really felt we had a chance to finally stomp Trumpism out of our lives.  But then months passed and a year passed.  And nothing was happening.  The wheels of justice were moving too slow.  It was obvious that things were not going to happen fast enough that Trump would get another chance at the White House.  When things finally happened like the classified docs or the Georgia tampering it seemed too late.  Even the felonious counts in New York couldn't put a stake in Trump.  There never was going to be any prison time.  I remember in early 2021 giddy left wing posters saying Trump would be in prison by the time of the 2024 election season.  I never bought any of that crap.  Trump's delay tactics prevented all that. 

  In 2016 I thought Hillary Clinton was going to win.  And it wouldn't be close.  In 2024 I was more skeptical.  I felt Kamala Harris had a chance thanks to the Blue Wall only. But she would ultimately struggle with voters because she's a woman.  And a woman of color.  Racism and misogyny will always be rampant.  Especially with women Presidential nominees.  So, unlike 2016, I'm not upset she lost.  I had a feeling it could happen and it played out like I thought.  Sure, you could say the economy played a role, but I will always believe that being a woman doomed her. With independents and believe it or not, with Democrats.  No matter what party you are with the thought of a woman running the Country can be too much for the feeble minded.  

  Like the 2016-2022 first Trump reign, life will go on.  But I worry about those that will be most affected by another term.  Some voted for him anyway, knowing what could happen.  I will feel no sorrow for them.  But others did the right thing and voted to keep him out (and what happened to the voters who didn't show up? Screw them too).  We'll see what happens. I live in a deep Blue state but I don't want to say that a lot of things already happening in red states won't reach my state.  Still it's a time to worry.  And that is what I will be doing for the next four years.                                   

For J (Plus the Article on Copper Online)

Here’s the link to the Copper article: For J

For J

 Who is J? My wife Judicia. On May 9, 2023, I added the first songs to a Spotify mixtape that only my wife was supposed to see. At first.  I made the mix private.  But how would she see it if I passed away before her?  She doesn't have a Spotify account.  That's where my son comes in.  I would tell him in advance about the mix and he would share it when I'm gone.

•   Wait?  When I'm gone?  I wasn't planning on going nowhere.  This is true.  But I've always had this premonition that I would die before my wife.  I'm 60 years old.  She's 62.  My son is 32.  We're all relatively young.  But something always nagged at me about death.  And I wanted to leave her behind something that would be different than any other keepsake. A mixtape seemed the way to go.  She knows I'm a music fanatic.  My idea was the tape would be a look back at our time together.  Especially our early days.  Going out, getting married, having a child.  Those were the cornerstones of our young relationship.  

  But the plan almost took a disastrous turn on. July 30, 2024. I suffered a stroke and was incapacitated for 3 days.  Luckily, I awoke from the stroke and am doing fine now.  But for a few days things were not looking positive.  My son came all the way from Australia to spend a week with me as I recovered.   When he went back I remembered the mixtape I had made for my wife.   Luckily he played it for her and all turned out well.  

  Still, I'm reminded how fragile life is.  Had I not come out of the stroke as strong as before, what would have become of the music gift I made for my wife?  

"I will love you forever".  And I always will.  

Spotify playlist link: For J

RIP Quincy Jones

   All great Music Producers have their own sound.  Instantly recognizable no matter who they are producing.  Quincy Jones had that touch.  But it took awhile to achieve it.  Before his breakthrough solo album, Body Heat in 1974, Jones was an arranger, composer, producer. of mostly Jazz & Jazz Vocalists. It wasn't all serious work.  He produced Lesley Gore's classic from 1963, "It's My Party", a #1 record.  With Body Heat that changed.  He was squarely courting the mainstream R&B charts.  And it worked. The album was a success.  Jones began producing other R&B accts.  Brothers Johnson, Rufus w/Chaka Khan, Donna Summer and George Benson.  Of course there was Off The Wall, the album that defined the Quincy Jones sound for all those acts and more that I mentioned.  So, while "Rock With You" is the definitive Q sound, I would put my weight around George Benson's 1980 hit "Give Me The Night" as his best single. 

  Regardless, the success of Off The Wall and Thriller let Quincy do whatever he wanted in the 80's.  Solo albums, "We Are The World", movie soundtracks.  But it all comes back to those early 70's productions.  It's where he developed his sound.  No one could duplicate it.  All Music Producers have their own sound indeed.  

Playlist for 11/1

Nick Lowe - Indoor Safari

Louis Armstrong - Louis in London

JD McPherson - Nite Owls

Billy Strings - Highway Prayers
Mickey Guyton - House on Fire

Lady Gaga - Harlequin

Libby Titus - s/t

Greatest Halloween Songs (2024 Edition)

 Greatest Halloween Songs (2024 Edition)

1.  Thriller - Michael Jackson
2.  Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett
3.  I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
4.  Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
5.  (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult          
6.  Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
7.  Haunted House - Jumpin' Gene Simmons
8.  Time Warp - Rocky Horror Cast
9.  Theme From "Halloween" - John Carpenter
10.  Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
11.   Nightmare On My Street - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
12.  Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
13.  Season of the Witch - Donovan
14.  Spooky, Scary Skeletons - Andrew Gold
15.  Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
16.  Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
17.  Dinner With Drac - John Zacherle "Cool Ghoul"

18.  Theme from "Twilight Zone" - Jerry Goldsmith
19   Theme From "Psycho" - Bernard Herrmann
20.  Hell's Bells - AC/DC
21.  I Was A Teenage Werewolf - Cramps
22.  What's He Building In There? - Tom Waits
23.  Lucifer - Alan Parsons Project
24.  Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo 
25.  Theme From "Psycho" - Bernard Herrmann
26.  Toccata and Fugue in D Minor -   Bach
27.  Theme From "Addams Family" - Vic Mizzy
28.  In The Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Grieg
29.  I Walked With A Zombie - Roky Erickson
30.  Theme From "Munsters: - Jack Marshall
31.  Nature Trail To Hell - Weird Al Yankovic
32.  Dream Within A Dream/Raven - Alan Parsons Project
33.  Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone
34.  (Ghost) Riders In The Sky - Johnny Cash
35.  Spooky - Classics IV
36.  Welcome To My Nightmare - Alice Cooper
37.  Dinner With Drac - John Zacherle "Cool Ghoul"
38.  Fire On High - ELO
39.  Surfin' Dead - Cramps
40.  Halloween - Misfits
41.  In The Hall Of The Mountain King - ELO
42.  Lucifer - Alan Parsons Project
43.  Jack the Ripper - Screaming Lord Sutch
44.  Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
45.  Goo Goo Muck - Ronnie Cook
46.  Knoxville Girl - Louvin Brothers
47.  Witchy Woman - Eagles
48.  Devil Woman - Cliff Richard
49. Halloween - Siouxsie & the Banshees
50. Night of the Vampire - Roky Erickson
51. Unquiet Grave - Gryphon
52. Dragula - Rob Zombie
53. Heartbreak Hotel - Jacksons
54. Spooktacular Finale - Spike Jones
55. Whistlin' Past The Graveyard - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
55. Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
56. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
57. Spooky - George Barnes
58. Pet Sematary - Ramones
59. Theme From The X-Files - Mark Snow
60. 'Til The Following Night - Screaming Lord Sutch
61. Shadow Knows - Coasters
62. Blob - Five Blobs
62. Creep - Three Suns

63. Supernature - Cerrone

64. Werewolf - Barry Dransfield

65. Downbound Train - Chuck Berry

66. Bo Meets The Monster - Bo Diddley

67. Twilight Zone - Golden Earring

68. Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson

69. Everyday Is Halloween - Ministry

70. Boris the Spider - Who

71.  Marie Laveau - Bobby Bare

72. Scary Monsters - David Bowie

73. Careful With the Axe Eugene - Pink Floyd

74. Race With The Devil - Gene Vincent

75. The Witch - Sonics

76. Zombie Zoo - Tom Petty

77. Black Widow - Alice Cooper

78. You're Dead - Norma Tanega 

My Top 50 Rock Hall Snubs (Performers, Influences, Non-Performers) (2023 Edition)

 Updated November 2024

For 2024 I've slotted my snubs into four categories.   My main list only includes performers.

One note:  I was hesitant about ranking the Commodores and Chic on my main snub list.  Both groups are huge snubs of course, but the solo nods for Lionel Richie and Nile Rodgers have most likely put an end to their chances. But I decided to keep them on for another year at least.  

A reminder.  This is my personal snub list.

Main Snub List

1.  B-52’s

2.  Barry White

3.  Teddy Pendergrass/Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

4.  Joe Cocker

5.  The Smiths

6.  Warren Zevon 

7   War

8.  Monkees

9.  Mariah Carey

10. Patti LaBelle

11. Luther Vandross

12. Neville Brothers

13. Commodores

14. White Stripes

15. Cyndi Lauper

16. Bangles

17. Paul Rodgers/Bad Compamy

18. Chic

19. Carpenters

20. OutKast

21. Devo

22. Diana Ross

23. Sinead O’Connor

24. Phil Collins

25. Pointer Sisters 

26. Sade

27. INXS

28. Roberta Flack

29. Joy Division/New Order

30. Oasis

31. Los Lobos

32. Queen Latifah

33. Snoop Dogg

34. Soundgarden 

35. Jethro Tull

36. Gap Band

37. Replacements

38. Motörhead

39. Coldplay

40. Alanis Morissette

41. Beck 

42. Tracy Chapman

43. Iron Maiden 

44. Pet Shop Boys

45. Salt-N-Pepa

46. Eric B. & Rakim 

47. Thin Lizzy

48.. Billy Idol

49. De La Soul

50. John Prine

Musical Influence/Excellence:  60's/ 70's/80’s Era Snubs

Ashford & Simpson

Bob Geldof 

Fela Kuti 

Giorgio Moroder

Glen Campbell

Gram Parsons

Harry Nilsson 

Herbie Hancock

Joe Tex

Kris Kristofferson

Loretta Lynn

Marvelettes

Merle Haggard

Meters

New York Dolls

Shangri-Las

Steve Albuni 

Tom Jones

Toots & The Maytals

Wailers (Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh)

Waylon Jennings

Musical Influence (Pre-1960) Snubs

Billy Ward & The Dominoes

Carter Family

Celia Cruz
Chuck Willis
Clovers

Connie Francis

Dick Dale

John Coltrane 

Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'n Roll Trio

Neil Sedaka

Patsy Cline

Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Tito Puente

Wynonie Harris

Non-Performer Snubs

Burt Bacharach & Hal David

Carol Kaye

Casey Kasem

Estelle Axton

Lee "Scratch" Perry

Linda Creed

Ralph Gleason

Rick Rubin

Russell Simmons

Sylvia Rhone

Thom Bell

Wolfman Jack

Playlist for 10/21

Coldplay -  Moon Music

MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

David Gilmour - Luck and Strange

Heavy Heavy - One Of A Kind

Shovels & Rope - Something Is Working

Faces - Complete BBC Concerts

LL Cool J - The Force

Poll; August 1976 Songs

Such a glorious tme fo AM Top 40 Radio.

Here are my picks:

To listen to this go to:

  For this latest poll 32 songs were picked to vote on. Here are my rankings.  Listen to this countdown at popradiogold.com

Hello, Tom Lane ! Here's how you ranked The Songs of September 1976:

"She's Gone", Daryl Hall & John Oates : 1
"Lowdown", Boz Scaggs : 2
"You Should Be Dancing", Bee Gees : 3
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart", Elton John & Kiki Dee : 4
"Get Closer", Seals & Crofts (featuring Carolyn Willis) : 5
"Play That Funky Music", Wild Cherry : 6
"I'd Really Love To See You Tonight", England Dan & John Ford Coley : 7
"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine", Lou Rawls : 8
"Baby, I Love Your Way", Peter Frampton : 9
"If You Leave Me Now", Chicago : 10
"Devil Woman", Cliff Richard : 11
"Kiss And Say Goodbye", Manhattans : 12
"This Masquerade", George Benson : 13
"Let 'Em In", Wings (Paul McCartney) : 14
"With Your Love", Jefferson Starship : 15
"Getaway", Earth, Wind & Fire : 16
"Rock'n Me", Steve Miller : 17
"(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", KC & the Sunshine Band : 18
"That'll Be The Day", Linda Ronstadt : 19
"Summer", War : 20
"Say You Love Me", Fleetwood Mac : 21
"A Fifth Of Beethoven", Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band : 22
"A Little Bit More", Dr. Hook : 23
"Still The One", Orleans : 24
"Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", Tavares : 25
"Afternoon Delight", Starland Vocal Band : 26
"Who'd She Coo", Ohio Players : 27
"Disco Duck", Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots : 28
"The Best Disco In Town", Ritchie Family : 29
"I Only Want To Be With You", Bay City Rollers : 30
"Magic Man", Heart : 31
"Wham Bam”, Quicksilver

Name: Tom Lane 
Email Address: tmlane12@gmail.com

Playlist for 10/11

Miranda Lambert - Postcards from Texas

Mickey Guyton - House on Fire

Shemekia Copeland - Blame It On Eve

George Strait - Cowboys & Dreamers

Garth Brooks - Time Traveler

Steve Cropper - Friendlytown

Cactus Blossoms - Every Time I Think About You 

Tom's Favorite Albums of 2004

A.C. Newman - Slow Wonder

Alan Jackson - What I Do

Arcade Fire - Funeral

Badly Drawn Boy - Hour of Bewilderbeast

Beastie Boys - To the 5 Boroughs

Big & Rich - Horse of A Different Color

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Vol. 2

Brian Wilson - Smile

Common - Like Water for Chocolate

D'Angelo - Voodoo

Destiny's Child - Destiny Fulfilled

Drive-By Truckers - Dirty South

Erykah Badu - Mama's Gun

Franz Ferdinand - s/t

Grandaddy - Sophtware Slump

Green Day - American Idiot

Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party

Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me

Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days

Jill Scott - Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2

John Legend - Get Lifted

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Joss Stone - Mind Body & Soul

Kanye West - College Dropout

Kasey Chambers - Wayward Angel

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

Killers - Hot Fuss

Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

Leonard Cohen - Dear Heather

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose

Madonna - Music

Madvillain - Madvillainy

Merle Haggard - If I Could Only Fly

Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News

Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten

Nellie McKay - Get Away From Me

Norah Jones - Feels Like Home

Outkast - Stankonia

Pink - Can't Take Me Home

PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

Prince - Musicology

Randy Travis - Passing Trhough

Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company 

Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous 

Scissor Sisters - s/t

Shelby Lynne - I Am Shelby Lynne

Steely Dan - Two Against Nature

Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

Sugarland - Twice the Speed of Life

Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying

Usher - Confessions

Van Hunt - s/t

Wilco - A Ghost Is Born

Playlist for 10/2

RIP Kris Kristofferson

  To a certain generation Kris Kristofferson was an actor first, singer second. Such was his ubiquitous presence on screen.  Kristofferson had some memorable roles, most just shy of award season recognition. 

  So his death at age 88 should refocus his legacy on his music.  For a time in the early 70's he was the best songwriter Nashville had produced in years.  His greatest songs changed the way Country writers would eventually write their songs.  Where did this come from?  Perhaps it was his time in the Military or just the desire to see things differently, directly. The brutal honesty of "Sunday Morning Coming Down" might be his greatest song.  But that would leave out songs about relationships on their last legs: "For The Good Times", "Help Me Make It Through The Night".  All of these songs and more made Kristofferson more of a Rock star, aligned with the Outlaw movement, than anything. 

  Once he went "Hollywood" his writing suffered even though he still made music. He also became a standard bearer for a new generation of writers. And let's not forget his left-leaning political leanings, which led to him sticking up for Sinead O'Connor when few would. But despite becoming a presence more in front of the camera, Kristofferson never stopped performing.  Always chasing his muse.  By the time of his last performances he had nothing left to prove.  A game changer whose songs will continue to be discovered. I'm so glad he never let the bastards get him down.

Playlist for 9/25

Gillian Welch & David Rowlings - Woodland

Joe Elt - Driven To Drive

Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind

Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet

Leon Bridges - Laredo

Poll: August 1962 Songs

  August 1962.  Beatlemania is still a year and a half away from hitting the U.S.  This chart gives no indication of the forthcoming British Invasion.  

  For this latest poll 42 songs were picked to vote on. Here are my rankings.  Listen to this countdown at popgoldradio.com

"Bring It On Home To Me", Sam Cooke : 1
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", Neil Sedaka : 2
"The Loco-Motion", Little Eva : 3
"She's Not You", Elvis Presley : 4
"Let's Dance", Chris Montez : 5
"Sherry", 4 Seasons : 6
"You'll Lose A Good Thing", Barbara Lynn : 7
"I Can't Stop Loving You", Ray Charles : 8
"Sealed With A Kiss", Brian Hyland : 9
"Twist And Shout", Isley Brothers : 10
"Party Lights", Claudine Clark : 11
"Having A Party", Sam Cooke : 12
"Beechwood 4-5789", Marvelettes : 13
"You Beat Me To The Punch", Mary Wells : 14
"Devil Woman", Marty Robbins : 15
"Sheila", Tommy Roe : 16
"Wolverton Mountain", Claude King : 17
"I Need Your Loving (Every Day)", Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford : 18
"Johnny Get Angry", Joanie Sommers : 19
"Roses Are Red (My Love)", Bobby Vinton : 20
"The Wah-Watusi", Orlons : 21
"You Don't Know Me", Ray Charles : 22
"Ramblin' Rose", Nat "King" Cole : 23
"Teen Age Idol", Rick Nelson : 24
"Stop The Wedding", Etta James : 25
"Heart In Hand", Brenda Lee : 26
"What Kind Of Love Is This", Joey Dee & the Starliters : 27
"Vacation", Connie Francis : 28
"Little Diane", Dion : 29
"(Thinkin' Of) Things (Like A Walk In The Park..)", Bobby Darin : 30
"The Stripper", David Rose & His Orchestra : 31
"Call Me Mr. In-Between", Burl Ives : 32
"What's A Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)", Timi Yuro : 33
"I Love You The Way You Are", Bobby Vinton : 34
"(Last Night I Had) A Wonderful Dream", Majors : 35
"(Girls, Girls, Girls) Made To Love", Eddie Hodges : 36
"Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)", Dee Dee Sharp : 37
"Dancin' Party", Chubby Checker : 38
"Ahab, The Arab", Ray Stevens : 39
"Rinky Dink (instrumental)", Dave "Baby" Cortez : 40
"Speedy Gonzales", Pat Boone : 41
"Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)", Richard Chamberlain : 42

Poll: Best Albums & Singles of 1974

Here's a 50th anniversary poll I took part in: my Top 20 albums & top 10 singles of 1974.  Had to leave a lot off, but these are pretty solid lists. 

Albums

Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark (25)

Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel (20)

Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (20)

Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic (20)

Raspberries - Starting Over (15)

Willie Nelson - Phases & Stages (15)

Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets (10)

Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Shine Tonight (10)

Average White Band - AWB (10)

Big Star - Radio City (10)

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping (10)

Barry White - Can't Get Enough (5)

Bad Company - s/t (5)

Dolly Parton - Jolene (5)

Jackson Browne - Late For The Sky (5)

Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale  (5)

Roxy Music - Country Life (5)

Millie Jackson - Caught Up (5)

ELO - Eldorado (5)

Ohio Players - Fire (5)

Singles

Dolly Parton - Jolene

Dionne Warwick/Spinners - Then Came You

George Jones - Grand Tour

BTO - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

George McCrae - Rock Your Baby

Blue Magic - Sideshow

Billy Swan - I Can Help

Spinners - Mighty Love

Shirley Brown - Woman to Woman

Stylistics - You Make Me Feel Brand New

Playlist for 9/15

Jack White - No Name

Red Clay Strays - Made By These Moments

Can't Seem to Come Down: American Sounds of 1968 - Various (Grapefruit Box Set)

Shelby Lynne - Consequences of the Crown

Morgan Wade - Obsessed 

Ray LaMontagne - Long Way Hime 

RIP Frankie Beverly

  Frankie Beverly never had a Pop Top 40 hit.  Never had a Pop Top 20 album. Yet all of his 10 albums went Gold.  He was the definition of a R&B superstar, with no crossover aooeal.  That doesn't mean his songs weren't known.  Thanks to sampling "Joy and Pain" was recognized.  Beyonce, in 2019, covered "Before I Let You Go", giving it a much bigger platform than ever before. And the albums!  For a period there in the 70's/80's he was as solid an album maker as there could be.  We should also consider this: Beverly's last album was released in 1993!  Surely this was a man running on his own timetable.

  So, I want to shout out Frankie Beverly.  An enigma, to me at least, in R&B music.  But he had just the right amount of hits to keep touring forever. Back In Stride, Silky Soul, Before I Let Go, Happy Feelin's, Golden Time of Day, etc.  These are songs known outside of the Pop world.  Which for me meant they were well known.  Beverly never got his just rewards while he was alive.  I don't know if he was okay with that or not.  The least we can do is explore his back catalog now.