Growing Up With Gordon
A heartfelt tribute to Gordon Lightfoot upon his passing, by the one person I know best equipped to do so.... Read More
Paul Thorn “Bull Mountain Bridge” (2012)
With 'Bull Mountain Bridge,' Gospel-rooted Paul Thorn has a positively jubilant, uplifting tune about a cold-blooded murder. Rejoice!... Read More
Alejandro Escovedo “Bottom Of The World” (2012)
You never know where you might meet up with a famous musician at South by Southwest, maybe even the granddaddy of the festival.... Read More
Billy Joe Shaver “I’m Just An Old Chunk Of Coal” (1993)
A true giant of Outlaw Country music and embodiment of its ragged lifestyle, is now gone. Still, Billy Joe Shaver will live forever; how else but through his "best of the best" songs.... Read More
Richie Havens “Freedom” (1969)
Of all the iconic performances that took place at Woodstock during its era-defining “3 Days of Peace & Music,” 32 acts in total, perhaps none was as singularly identifiable with the event, as historically significant for truly capturing the zeitgeist of the counter-culture moment, as Richie Havens’ classic rendition of his song ‘Freedom.’ Guess how...... Read More
Bob Dylan “My Back Pages”
The single greatest collection of superstar artists ever gathered together on one stage to perform one song: My Back Pages @ MSG by a murderers row of McGuinn, Petty, Young, Clapton, Dylan, and Harrison.... Read More
Warren Zevon “Disorder In The House” (2003)
He’ll always be The Boss, but Bruce Springsteen has also been the assistant more times than you might realize, guest appearing on dozens of songs by an eclectic list of artists over the years. Sidekick supremacy, however, must go to Springsteen’s powerful and yet even more poignant role supporting Warren Zevon... Read More
Tyler Childers “Ever Lovin’ Hand” (2019)
“Seinfeld” had a whole episode (“The Contest”) about a certain solitary pursuit, so, I guess, why not a pop song. The Divinyls’ sultry 1990 hit ‘I Touch Myself’ certainly addressed the subject most directly, but many more only slightly less obvious allusions have existed than one might expect: ‘Dancing With Myself’... Read More
Alejandro Escovedo “Faith” (2010)
To date, my musings in this blog have only covered music, and at times my personal relationship to it. I hope any readers may abide me a momentary detour, however, if for no other reason than that it eventually ties to a fantastic song by Alejandro Escovedo on which Bruce Springsteen also prominently appears.... Read More
Matthew Sweet “Morning Song” (2004)
..But music is such an amazing, powerful thing. A couple days before I’d been listening to a bunch of tunes by Matthew Sweet, and in the stillness his songs just kept running through my head, over and over, stuck in a loop. Especially this one, ‘Morning Song,’ as simple and beautiful a song... Read More