Musical Appreciation

Ian Whitcomb ► Monday Musical Appreciation

Born on this day in 1941: Ian Whitcomb, still performing to this very day. Ian Timothy Whitcomb was born in Woking, Surrey, England, to a family that already had show biz in its blood. His grandfather Jack founded British Screen Classics, an early entry in the motion picture business, which eventually bankrupt him. Before that, Ian’s father Pat worked there, and even co-starred in the 1929 flick, Mr. Nobody (not to be confused with the 2009 SciFi film), a movie ...

The Very First Grammy Awards ► Musical Appreciation

Domenico Modugno singing his big hit “Nel blu dipinto di blu” Dateline May 4, 1959 – The very first Grammy Awards are presented to a diverse group of artists and genres ...

One of the Holiest Days in Rasta ► Grounation Day

It’s somehow appropriate that the day after Four Twenty is Grounation Day, one of the holiest days in the Rastafarian religion. Today is the anniversary of the day in 1966 ...

Musical Appreciation ► AUNTY EM!!! AUNTY EM!!!

2005 stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service Dateline April 8, 1896 – Somewhere over the rainbow, in New York City’s Lower East Side to be exact, Isidore Hochberg was born. He ...

Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels Gets The Full Treatment

Circle the date. On October 23rd Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels will get the full orchestral treatment for the first time since 1970, when the London Philharmonic Orchestra performed it live ...

Happy Birthday Mama Africa

Dateline March 4, 1932 – Zenzile Miriam Makeba is born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She would go on to become one of the great voices in World music. While her ...

Me and Pink Floyd and Ivor Wynne Stadium ► Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be

What’s left of Ivor Wynne Stadium. It was sad to note in today’s news that Hamilton’s storied Ivor Wynne Stadium, home to the Tiger Cats, is almost no more. People who know ...

A Musical Appreciation ► Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins

DATELINE January 10, 1935 – Ronald “Rompin’ Ronnie” Hawkins is born in Huntsville, Arkansas, just two days after Elvis Presley is born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Both carved out quite a ...

Me and Flo and Eddie and Mark and Howard ► A Musical Appreciation

“I’d like to clean you boys up a bit and mold you. I believe I could make you as big as The Turtles“ ~~~~~Noted L.A. disc jockey A mere 3 days ago ...

Frank Zappa ► A Musical Appreciation

Dateline December 4 – On this day in 1971 Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were on stage in Montreax, Switzerland when the casino caught fire. The night was ...

Musical Appreciation ► Thomas Edison Unveils First Phonograph

Edison with the 2nd model of his phonograph in 1878 He invented the stock ticker, a mechanical voting machine, batteries for electric cars, motion pictures, not to mention the electric light ...

Musical Appreciation ► Happy Birthday, Berry Gordy, Jr.

The Motown Museum in 2010, taken by author. Dateline November 28, 1929 – Berry Gordy, Jr. is born in Detroit, Michigan, the city he would later rename Motown. The broad contours ...

Terry Knight and the Pack ► A Musical Appreciation

First LP Second LP When I was a teenager one of my absolute favourite bands was Terry Knight and the Pack. I was an unsophisticated 14-year old when they released their only ...

...