BEATLES, BEACH BOYS, PRINCE, LYLE LOVETTE, ZEPPELIN - LOVE 'EM ALL
I have been pondering how we entertain ourselves when we travel. No matter what our station in life, we all have favorite music. Of course, each decade has the songs, the bands, the singers, and performers that bring us the music we love. And there are many arguments over who & what is actually the best music from all decades. I have a relative, who shall remain nameless, who doesn't care for the Beatles. His ignorance of one of the greatest pop-rock bands in history is quite remarkable. I mean 600,000,000 records simply cannot be dismissed.
This person is part of my clan, so I will forgive his complete lack of understanding of the significance of the Fab Four who created the best catalog of music in modern music history. From 1962 to 1970 they wrote and recorded 229 songs.
For me, music has always been at the center of my daily life at home and abroad. I saw the Beatles in 1964 at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida with my cousin's daughter, who called with a ticket to see the Beatles on their one and only tour of the USA. My cousin was the manager of the George Washington Hotel in Jacksonville. The Beatles and their entourage reserved one entire floor of the hotel. The experience was a true happening of mega proportions. I was fifteen and, along with the other 60,000 teenagers, stood in my seat the entire show.
Along the way, I have seen most of the great artists from The Beach Boys to Led Zeppelin to Buddy Rich to Prince. Regrettably, I have missed some of the greatest such as Elvis, Sinatra, and Jerry Lee. In addition to going to hear great artists since I was a kid, I have sung my entire life, mostly in church. So, today I'm gonna give you some music from my Favorites List. Hope you find something you enjoy.
Here goes:
The Beatles were only together as a band for eight years. However, their innovation and constantly changing ideas created some of the most innovative sounds in Rock and Pop music. From Love Me Do in 1962 to The White Album in 1968 to Abbey Road in 1970, the Beatles showed what progression and creativity could be in the world of popular music. What an amazing trip of incredible constantly growing music. To date, they have sold 600 million records. They are still a top selling band as indicated by over a million units sold in 2020. They are listed in The Guiness Book of Records as the highest selling band of all time.
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - Live on The Ed Sullivan Show - February, 9 1964
GET BACK on the roof of their Apple Corps Headquarters - January 30, 1969
Brilliant writing, insane vocals, and probably the greatest drummer in all of Rock. Zeppelin redefined Rock Music. I saw Robert Plant, one of the greatest voices in Rock, along with one of the greatest lead guitarists in Rock, Jimmy Page, the incredible keyboardist, John Paul Jones and the greatest Rock Drummer, John Bonham. They were one of the many featured acts at the first ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL on July 4th Weekend 1969, one month before Woodstock. They performed Stairway to Heaven a little after 1:00 in the morning at the end of about a two-hour show. I was mesmerized.
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN - Early 70's
Steven Tyler is the quintessential American Rock Star. At the age of 75, Tyler is still performing and touring with AEROSMITH. This power rock group has endured many ups and downs on and off stage. But they always bring their best to their fans. I saw them live several years ago and was completely blown away by the band and Tyler's insane vocal skills. He's on a break right now due to some problems with his vocal cords. So take a listen to one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded - DREAM ON.
ROCK/POP
One of the greatest singers in pop/rock music, Sir Paul McCartney, is a giant fan of the Boys from California. From Little Deuce Coupe to God Only Knows, this band of brothers, cousins and others created a completely unique sound beginning in the early 60's. Their harmonies and rhythms were innovative and new. They influenced so many groups and singers that came later, including The Beatles.
Take a listen, from 1964 - one of their biggest hits - I GET AROUND on Ed Sullivan.
IMHO - Prince reigns as one of the greatest artists ever in modern music. I had always been a fan, but, when I saw him live at The Saint Pete Times Forum in Tampa, he moved to No. 1 on my favorites list. Three hours of some of the most amazing live music I have ever heard. He ended the show with about a forty-five-minute version of Purple Rain. Truly incredible music.
His acoustic version of mega hit Cream.
CURRENT DAY MUSIC
And what about the New Stuff? The Music listened to by younger Vagabonds from our kids to our grandkids is being pulled up everywhere. And, IMHO, most of it is overproduced and not particularly creative. All generations lament the low quality of current music compared to the music during their time. And, if you grew up in the sixties you may even be and Music Snob! The way music is written, recorded and transmitted is utterly new today. We have gone from vinyl (45's/78's/33-1/3's) to eight tracks, to cassettes and finally CD's, which are slowly becoming obsolete, due to a multitude of streaming services from Sirius to Amazon to Spotify. But the point is that all Vagabonds can find and plug into whatever technology they desire to listen to their favorite music.
There are some great bands and artists recording new and innovative sounds in every genre of music - Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country and Christian. I do not include Hip Hop in that list. It's just a generational thing - sorry!
So, have a listen to some new music by current day artists.
This folk/rock band, from Concord, North Carolina has been turning out great tunes since the late 1990's. Their unique sound that combines folk, rock and bluegrass always delivers great songs with great lyrics. They're pure American. Enjoy AIN'T NO MAN.
A British band from London, formed in 2007, combines folk and rock in a powerful combination of great lyrics and music. Enjoy them live at RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE , about thirty minutes from Denver, performing one of their mega hits - I WILL WAIT.
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss- Old + New = Amazing
The lead singer from Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, performs with an amazing singer, Allison Krauss, with a voice like pure Spring Water. New innovative music with one of the greats of rock and a current day star from the world of Bluegrass. This cool song/video is from the Raising Sand Album which won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 2009. Enjoy GONE GONE GONE.
From Down Under, this Australian Band knows how to bring blues and rock together for great listening pleasure. They released their first album in 2017. It came to my attention via my very musical daughter Lauren. Just more proof that current music is alive and well.
Enjoy one of their cool tunes - Remember the Time.
Christian Music
I grew up singing everywhere, particularly in church. I saw The Statesman Quartet perform many times when my dad would load us up in the car and head out to Gospel Sings near and far. The Gaither Vocal Band took great Southern Music, rearranged it, and made it an enduring genre of music enjoyed by millions the world over. And Christian Music is alive and well today with many innovative artists creating new sounds with the great message of Jesus.
Here are a couple of amazing tunes keeping the spirit alive.
One of the genuinely great gospel singers still performing today has sung, off and on, with the Gaither Vocal Band for years. He is also a multiple Dove and Grammy award winning artist.
Take a listen to a song that was written by Claude Ely in 1934 as Taff brings down the house with this power song - AIN'T NO GRAVE.
This band takes Gospel/Christian Music to an entirely new level. Great lyrics, great music and great videos have established this award-winning band as one of the leaders of new music in the Christian Music world. Enjoy a wild and energetic tune - HAPPY DANCE!
CURRENT DAY JAZZ
This amazing singer of jazz, particularly Big Band Jazz, is keeping the faith and bringing us his interpretation of American Jazz today. According to an Oprah Winfrey interview, Bublé, who hails from British Columbia, learned about the greats of jazz and other genres of music from a very young age, listening to his grandfather's recordings of Sinatra, Bennett, Elvis, Sam Cooke and others. According to the great music producer/aficionado David Foster, he heard Bublé' sing at the wedding of the daughter of a former Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney. He walked up to Bublé, gave him $5,000 cash and said - be in LA in a week, we're going to make a record. And the rest, as they say, is history. I've seen Bublé several times live - always amazing. Enjoy the title song from his eleventh studio album - HIGHER as Bublé shows what real jazz is today.
And Last But Not Least - Lyle Lovette
OK. I am a rabid Lyle Lovette fan. I have seen him at least four times with his Large Band and just his guitar. His inclusion of country, rock, pop, jazz and even classical in his writing and music makes this Texas Troubadour one of the most unique artists performing today since 1980.
Please enjoy one of the coolest tunes ever written from his latest Recording 12th of June released in 2022 - PANTS IS OVERRATED.
Well, I hope all you Vagabonds can find some music you enjoy on my list. These are my favorites. But, no matter what, find some music you really like as you're traveling to places near and far for Football, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and other places you may visit during this time of year. Traveling always brings new things into our minds and our hearts. My memories of listening to music traveling to places near and far always leaves me with pleasant recollections.
Have a great Fall and listen, listen, listen as you go, go, go!!
D.L.Stafford
