The Legendary John Hammond
Innovative producer Hammond was also a talent scout, civil rights activist…and father to blues musician John P. Hammond. Jazzman When...
The Record Blog
Jim Croce: So Many Songs, So Little Time
A tragic plane crash shortened the career of a Philadelphia native who had full-blown potential. Three Plane Crashes Three prominent...
How Rock ‘n’ Roll Began, Reimagined
Musical interactions between Black and white had been going on for decades. How did rock ‘n’ roll establish a stronghold...
The Sound of Philadelphia in Four Takes
The Philly Sound: Gamble & Huff, American Bandstand, Sigma Sound, the Geator, crooners and teen idols…Fugetaboudit! Prologue Like the overlapping...
Too Many Ads! The State of Our Commercialized Media
Most media are fighting for scraps left behind by Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Hold on! I want to watch these...
Four Anti-War Rock Songs in the Bush Era
After an initial outpouring of support, Americans soured on Bush’s Iraq War. Here are four songs that capture those misgivings....
Feeling Funk, Y’all! Soul Music Gets a Facelift in the Seventies
George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Kool & the Gang took the reins from the great James Brown....
Late Seventies: Disco, Punk, and Classic Rock Collide in a Burst of Music Diversity
The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You” got rockers moving on the disco dance floor. A Musical Feast In the late seventies,...
The Beatles’ Greatest Hits? Three Choicest Cuts from the Sgt. Pepper Sessions
‘Strawberry Fields Forever,’ Penny Lane,’ and ‘A Day in the Life.’ Imagine if all three were on Sgt. Pepper. Prologue...
Fats Domino and the Sound of New Orleans
The New Orleans sound reflects the diversity and eccentricity of the local culture. Fats Domino ignited its first rock ‘n’...
Sly and the Family Stone in Five Celebrated Songs
Sly’s brand of ‘psychedelic funk’ was a perfect fit for the late sixties. Prologue It must have been Sylvester Stewart’s...
Five Cool Things About Steely Dan
The studio-based duo was on a timeless quest for sonic perfection. Prologue: The Birth of Steely Dan In the sixties,...
The Story of the First Rock ‘n’ Roll Concert
DJ Alan Freed hosted the gathering at the Cleveland Arena, capacity 8,600. Up to twenty thousand teens showed up. What...
Rock Songs About Drugs
Recreational drugs and rock ‘n’ roll: It was fun until it wasn’t. The songs endure. In the rock ‘n’ roll...
The Conservative Dream to Force a Constitution Do-Over
An Article 5 convention could put cherished American constitutional rights up for grabs. A group of deep-pocketed, dark-moneyed conservatives is...
Stax Records’ Enduring Legacy of Memphis Soul Music
Stax-Volt was built on the unshakeable foundation of genuine Soul music uniquely African-American. Prologue In the fifties, there was...
Three Early Sixties Rock ‘n’ Roll Influencers
All of these acts thrived amid the screaming roar of the Fab Four. Prologue In March 1963, after being brushed...
Florida’s Assault on One Small Progressive Public College
Gov. DeSantis wants to remake the New College of Florida along the lines of Hillsdale College, a private, conservative bastion...
How Rock ‘n’ Roll Began, Part 2
Assorted moments fused rock’s footprint: rockabilly, teen idols, Skiffle, the Twist, Buddy Holly’s tragedy, and the first power chord. Then...
Book Bans Are Escalating in American Classrooms, Enforced by a MAGA ‘Vice Squad’
The chaos over acceptable books is a dress rehearsal for what conservatives really want: public school privatization. Culture War in...
Seeking a Definition of Progressive Rock
A mostly British phenomenon in the ’70s, progressive rock, or interchangeably “art rock,” was a refuge for rockers wanting to...
Five Cool Things About Pat Benatar
Recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Pat Benatar gave us a soundtrack for the ’80s. Prologue Last week,...
Rock HOF Inductees Carly Simon and Pat Benatar Charted Non-Stop Hits in the ’70s and ’80s
Carly Simon was a fixture on the charts in the ’70s. Then, Pat Benatar ruled rock radio throughout much of...
Best Rock Songs About Places, Revisited
Here’s a list of beloved songs about places we might have visited. The songs, as they say, are all over...
FL Governor Ron DeSantis Wants to Lead the Culture War
DeSantis uses minorities and immigrants as props to enflame his white grievance base. It just might blow up in his...
Georgia’s Case Is ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ for USA vs. Trump
During his darkest moments (feigning that persecuted look that plays well with his base), Trump has Georgia on his mind....
1962 Instrumental Oddity ‘Telstar’ – It’s the Melody
The rise and fall of ‘Telstar’ creator Joe Meek, who never saw a dime in royalties from his sixties megahit....
The Kinks’ ‘Lola’ Was the First Mainstream Rock Hit with an LGBT Theme
Ray Davies was an unlikely songwriter to lead a sexual revolution. He just wanted a hit record. Lola…a light-hearted song...
Paul Butterfield Was My First Blues Harmonica Hero
Butterfield’s swagger and his command of the blues harp created a link to white rock audiences. Prologue During my freshman...
The Republican Candidate for PA Governor Vows Partisan Elections Oversight
MAGA Warrior Doug Mastriano recently named Jenna Ellis, a face of Donald Trump’s court battles over nonexistent voter fraud, as...
Herb Alpert Is Perhaps the Most Successful Instrumental Performer in Pop History
Alpert’s unique trumpet sound is the upshot of experimental studio overdubbing and trips to Tijuana bullfights. About two years before...
Uvalde Confidential: Police Training is All About Self-Preservation
‘Better to be judged by 12 than carried by six.’ Tragedy in Uvalde, Texas We’ve all shed tears for the...
Six Cool Things About The Band
Starting as strictly backup players to two legendary performers, The Band developed a likable and totally unique sound. Prologue The...
‘Tranq’ – The New Agony of Junkiedom
There’s a powerful new tranquilizer in the street drug supplies of Philadelphia and other cities that’s causing mysterious body wounds...
In his Barbaric Recolonialization of Ukraine, Putin Is Playing the ‘Long Game’
Putin regards liberal democracy as on its last legs. Will the US prove him right or wrong? Donald Trump, presumed...
Linking Metal with Punk in the ’80s and ’90s, Grunge Had Its 15 Minutes as a Seattle Thing
The death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins recalls a genre whose distinctive sound influenced bands in other musical hotspots,...
Censoring Race in the Classroom Protects Students? It Fortifies a Culture of Ignorance
Ask the good people of Tulsa, Oklahoma: American history cannot be unlived. Critical Race Theory You know that conservatives have...
When Newspapers Were in Demand on the Streets of Philadelphia
My reminiscence of being part of a crew who got up before dawn to hawk a tabloid newspaper on Philadelphia...
Reforming the Electoral Count Act Is a ‘Back Door’ to Securing the Vote
Both voting rights bills died in the Senate and elections remain vulnerable to partisan bad actors. Let’s embrace what’s possible....
‘Alternate’ Trump Elector Slates a Crime of Forgery?
The Justice Department, state prosecutors, and the House Select Committee are on the case. In the 2020 post-election craziness in...
Top 10 ‘Friendliest’ Songs in the Rock Era
Here’s a Top 10 playlist of songs about friendship (plus a bonus round). Naturally, the Beatles, Stones and Dylan top...
1972 Gave Us the Greatest Soul Song Ever, the Temptations’ ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’
That year in rock was kind to the great Chuck Berry, who scored his first and only #1 hit with...
Malarkey! The Jan. 6 Rioters Aren’t ‘Wasting Away’ in Jails
Their charges and sentences have been lenient compared to the BLM George Floyd protesters, many of whom are doing hard...
The Beatles Share That Christmas Magic
The Fab Four recorded jolly ad-libs for their fan club members to celebrate the Christmas holiday. You better believe frenzied...
The Beach Boys in Two Songs
‘Sloop John B’ and ‘Sail On, Sailor’ were off the charted course from the Beach Boys’ idealized California culture. ‘If...
Trump and Cronies Aim to Infiltrate Local Elections Machinery
“Having election deniers run elections is like having arsonists take over the fire department.” Sound the Alarm If you are...
Have a Rocking Thanksgiving in Alice’s Restaurant!
You can get anything you want (excepting Alice). During my adult life, I have made a ritual of listening to...
COVID Wars: Who Needs Science When You’ve Got Eric Clapton?
As a massive public figure, Clapton must realize that spouting his pro-COVID nonsense could have grave consequences. Paraphrasing the Independent:...
James O’Keefe’s Dishonest Voter Fraud ‘Sting’ Helped Enable Trump’s ‘Big Lie’
The faux journalist’s election year misadventure targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who conservatives love to hate. You might have heard...
Houston Astros and Pete Rose Collide at Home Plate
The cheating Houston Astros get off with a wrist-slap, while Pete Rose, a man with a gambling addiction, gets the...
The Beatles’ White Album: Brilliance Overcame Adversity
Even with the bitter taste of the Maharishi and Yoko Ono’s unwanted presence, the Beatles created a masterpiece. Most rock...
Notable Rock Books Now on the Shelves
Printed-word storytelling is not a lost art in this new crop of rock books hitting bookstores and libraries this fall....
Texas’s Changing Landscape and Misgivings About the GOP’s Far-Right Agenda
Texas Republicans’ strict ‘pro-life’ stance conceals a culture of death. Election Audit for Texas? Being from the east coast, my...
James Taylor’s Apple Debut a Triumph Despite Secret Life
His drug addiction hidden from view, Apple Records could sense the immense talent in a young James Taylor, the first...
Surviving Racial Conflict in the US Army in 1970s Germany
There was always a chance for a racial confrontation in the German town where I was stationed. So we opened...
“John Barleycorn Must Die!” the Best Drinking Song Ever?
The story behind Traffic’s deep dive into British folk music. Prologue: Steve Winwood At the center of it all was...
GOP: COVID Is Like a River in Egypt
But just in case COVID exists, say Republicans without evidence, its spread is being caused by recent immigrants. I can’t...
The Jefferson Airplane Was a San Francisco Treat
The flight of the Jefferson Starship Enterprise was not a charted course. Did the Jefferson Airplane betray its “Haight-Ashbury” roots...
Multiculturalism in Census Results Must Be a Factor in Redistricting
Republicans still have the edge in redrawing state maps. That means gerrymandering is alive and well. Prologue At first blush,...
Trumpworld and Fox News Tout Hungary’s ‘Soft Fascism’ as a Blueprint for America’s Future
Though on the surface a Euro-democracy, Hungary under autocrat Viktor Orban has dismantled democratic norms much like Donald Trump tried....
Laura Nyro: The Best Songwriter You’ve Maybe Never Heard Of
Six essentials about the reclusive Nyro, who wrote songs that others made into hits. Prologue Right around reaching my teenage...
The GOP Plan to Overturn Democracy…By the Numbers
Republicans are busy changing the rules to make it easier for their party to overturn the will of the voters...
The Hapless Demise of Trump Disciple Ashli Babbitt
Q: Who shot Ashli Babbitt? A: The people who keep asking that question. All of a sudden, six months after...
Rubber Soul: The Beatles’ Pop Masterpiece, Revisited
Rubber Soul marked the end of ‘Beatlemania’ and heralded the dawn of creating the gold standard in recording artistry. You...
The Fourth of July, a Holiday Uniquely American
The Ameican Experiment began with a raised fist towards the mightiest of world powers. It was built for the long...
Clown Show Arizona Recount’s Ultimate Goal: No Election Will be Safe From Partisan Meddling
Is relitigating the past the smartest electoral strategy for the GOP? The bogus recount of ballots cast in Arizona’s Maricopa...
Main Line Textile Designer Enjoying Second Act in the Fine Arts
Priscilla Bohlen on her second go-round in art: ‘It’s a great life!’ It was author F. Scott Fitzgerald who said...
Revolver: The Beatles At Their Collaborative and Creative Best
On recording the greatest record album of all-time. The Beatles album Revolver, forever in the shadow of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely...
Whither Goes the Republican Party?
A break-away third party? A Trump indictment? The demise of our democracy? Will the fever ever break? Autocrats of the...
Sheryl Crow’s Hit Song, “All I Wanna Do,” Gives Poet Wyn Cooper His 15 Minutes
The song was based on a poem that Crow’s producer found in a Pasadena used bookstore. The Nineties: Rock’s Last...
Biden Takes Aim at the Gig Economy
Gig workers lack safety net protections, while internet-based companies save on labor costs and receive a government bailout. Prologue The...
They Just Lie…and Lie…and Lie
Republicans weaponize political misinformation through a right wing echo chamber. When it’s debunked, some damage filters through. Rogue Recount Here...
Stealing Black Land
Since 1910, African Americans have been stripped of 90% of farmland that was legally their own. Prologue: 40 Acres and...
The Yardbirds’ Sixties ‘Rave-Up’ with Three Legendary Guitars
Two original Yardbirds have kept the flame burning long after the band’s final 1968 concert. Three Guitars It is a...
Baseball Negro Leagues: He was called the ‘Cuban Babe Ruth’
Or maybe Babe Ruth was the ‘American Cristobal Torriente.’ If I should see [Cristobal] Torriente walking up the other side...
Oh Lawdy, the Blues World’s Got Trouble
Blues guitar great Kenny Wayne Shepherd has become prey to a racial reckoning. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, longtime blues guitarist, singer...
Back in the Day: Punk Rock versus Disco
The story of a clash of cultures in the late ’70s. In the midst of all those great rock acts...
The Electric Guitar Gave Birth to Rock ‘n’ Roll
Here are five truly awesome guitar recordings, released during the golden age of rock. This is a chord. This is...
Songs of ’71: John Lennon and Marvin Gaye Each Create a Masterpiece
50 years ago, ‘Imagine’ and ‘What’s Going On’ validated rock ‘n’ roll as a force for social change. Janet Jackson...
Unheralded Session Players ‘Funk Brothers’ Key to Motown Sound
Ace songwriting and production team Holland-Dozier-Holland helped make Berry Gordy’s dreams come true. Back in the Day If you came...
