R.I.P Debbie Reynolds

Actress, singer Debbie Reynolds died the day after her daughter Carrie Fisher passed away. In 2015 she was awarded a Humanitarian Award from The Academy Awards. In 2014 she earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild.

Here is a clip from Singing in the Rain.."You Were Meant for Me"

A clip from The Catered Affair where she won Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review..

The opening for The Debbie Reynolds Show...

It has been a sad week for her family. Thanks for the memories may you rest in peace.

Happy Birthday Stan Lee

Today Stan Lee turns 94. He is a giant in the comic world. He has created or collaborated in creating comic characters that are well known even outside the comic world. Spider-man, The Hulk, Thor and the X-men to name a few.

Below he talks about creating Spider-man...

This clip highlights some of his cameo appearances..

Are you into comics? Do you like Stan Lee's work? What are your favorites?

R.I.P Guitarist Rick Parfitt

On Christmas Eve Rick Parfitt rhythm guitarist, singer-songwriter for Status Quo passed away. The band only had one hit in the US but had 60 in the UK. Rick was with the group when they originally became Status Quo in 1967 to 2016.

There only Top 40 US Hit.."Pictures of Matchstick Men"...

Here the band kicks off The Live Aid Concert..

Wrapping it up with "Down, Down"..

A lot of artists, musicians, entertainers are passing away. I thought I would pass this one along since it didn't make much news in the United States.

R.I.P Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher is best known for being the actress who starred as Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies. She passed away today at the age of 60. Her career was bigger than Princess Leia having appeared in over 40 films and a ton of television shows.

Here is a clip of her from "Star Wars"..

The trailer for "Shampoo" her first movie...

She wrote five novels and three non fiction books. Another entertainer lost in 2016. You can see her in the latest Star Wars film.

R.I.P George Michael

Even on Christmas musicians were not safe. George Michael passed away supposedly peaceful at his residence. The age makes it surprising since he was just 53, but they don't suspect foul play. I guess his time was just up. I guess your time can run out at any time, at any age, and even on a Holiday. He was in his musical prime in my youth. First in the group Wham! and then as a solo artist.

Since it is the Christmas season I will start off the musical tribute with "Last Christmas"...

Continueing with Wham! "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"...

Do you remember "Careless Whispers"

Above George Michael with "Faith" and below with Elton John..

Certainly he left the world to young and he will be missed. Please feel free to leave your George Michael related memories or favorite songs in the comments. I will be back soon with a new post.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Bob Dylan recently was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Certainly he is qualified to recite a poem perhaps written by  Clement Clarke Moore. It is perfect for the Christmas Eve.

"The Night Before Christmas"

recited by Bob Dylan...

Merry Christmas! Thanks for visiting and enjoy!

Battle of the Bands: The Fall of U2

The results of my Christmas battle of the Band are in a few days before Christmas like an early Christmas gift. In reality this one was decided early and often. Marry Burris was the only one to vote for U2. The next nine went to Vertical Horizon.

Some truly liked Vertical Horizons and some just did not like U2.

Here is another Christmas song from Vertical Horizon "The Man Who Would be Santa"

                                              "Everything You Want"

I figured I wouldn't go all Christmas on this post as the above video shows.

Now how do I make U2 better...maybe add Robert Plant and have them do Led Zeppelin songs?

Oh well, I am sure I will post something in here before the New Year's and I will be back on New Year's Day for a New Battle of the Bands. Hope you have wonderful Holidays!

The 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

The 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees includes Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, Journey, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Joan Baez, and Niles Rodgers will be given an Award fr Musical Excellence.

The selections are always controversial since there are always deserving groups that don't get voted in. I know I can name quite a few and I'm sure you may know a few. If you want to share who you felt got snubbed the comments are always open.

Today the focus is on who was selected! We start off with a band that I saw this year Pearl Jam. My journey to see them made my A to Z post here.

Pearl Jam

Tupac Shakur

The artist has sold over 75 million albums sand Rolling Stone magazine lists him among the top 100 Artist.

Journey

This band has sold over 90 million albums and is a staple on classic rock radio,

Yes

A progressive rock band. Which had some radio success..

Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)

Another classic rock band.

Joan Baez

A folky songwriter.

Niles Rodgers

I became aware of Nile Rodgers through his work with Jeff Beck. I am sure I heard of Chic before then but did not put the name together until later. He has worked with a ton of big name artists from Daft Punk, Diana Ross, David Lee Roth, Duran Duran, Madonna and more.

This captures the magic,,Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk, Stevie Wonder and Niles..

What do you think of the selections? I will be back soon with a new post.

Battle of the Bands: I Believe in Father Christmas

You know I couldn't let the Holidays go without at least one themed Battle of the Band. My first Christmas season I did "Run, Rudolph, Run" and "Happy Xmas The War is Over."  Last year it was The Grinch and "Christmas Cookies".  What will it be this year?



Earlier this month Greg Lake passed away. I paid tribute to him here. His song "I Believe in Father Christmas" feels like it would  fit tonight.

I will pick to covers of the song, You my readers decide the winner by voting in the comments and sometime around the Winter Solstice I will count up the votes and declare the winner in another post. If you like this battle check out the other ones. Stephen has the best list of participants at his site.

Contestant One: U2

Contestant Two:  Vertical Horizon

U2 or Vertical Horizon? Who gets your vote? Vote in the comments and we will have a winner soon! Happy Holidays!

R.I.P Alan Thicke

Alan Thicke who is best known for his role in the television series Growing Pains died yesterday from a heart attack. He was playing hockey with one of his sons. 

Here he talks about his favorite moments on the show with CNN:

Here is a clip from the show..

A flashback to Alan with his other son Robin..

He will be missed!

Happy Birthday Taylor Swift

It is hard to believe the musical empire that is Taylor Swift is just turning 27. Obviously she still has her youthful good looks. Her music might not be your cup of tea but she is undeniably a musical empire.

She has amassed a net worth over a quarter million dollars. A ten year career with five albums. Her award list is amazing. Highlighted with 10 Grammy Awards and 23 Billboard Music Awards.

This song off her debut album caught my attention....

In an era of declining album sales, Swift has sold over 40 million albums.

Here is her song "Shake it Off:

and "You Belong to Me"..

Ryan Adams covered her latest album 1989 in his own style..

Just saying I am not the only one taking note of Taylor Swift and Ryan Adams comes from a different side of the music world.

What's your favorite Taylor Swift song? Feel free to share in the comments. Thanks for visiting and I will be back soon with a new post.

Happy Birthday Nikki Sixx!

Nikki Sixx turns 58 today! He is best known for being a bass player and songwriter in the rock band Motley Crue.

Though today you may have heard about him via his syndicated radio show called "The Sixx Sense." I have listened to it. Not bad for radio.

His current band is Sixx: A.M..

He is also the author of  

The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star and 

This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx. I have heard The Heroin Diaries is quite good. 

I would say he is doing alright and I will wish him a Happy Birthday!

R.I.P Greg Lake

2016 isn't done taking away musicians even though it is December. This time the bassist, vocalist for King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer has passed away. Progressive fans will certainly miss Greg Lake.


He had a hit with a Christmas song as a solo artist. Here he is with "I Believe in Father Christmas"

Here he is in King Crimson with "Epitaph"

and with Emerson, Lake and Palmer "From the Beginning"

With guitar great Gary Moore "It Hurts"..

Do you have a favorite Greg Lake, ELP, or King Crimson song? Do you have a Greg Lake memory? Feel free to share in the comments. He certainly will be missed. May he Rest in Peace.

Battle of the Bands Results: Sometimes what is on those music show isn't very good

The results are in for December 1 Battle of the Bands and there is no surprise. It was a shutout in favor of  Lynsey Cawthra.  If I voted on my own Battles she would have had my vote. I liked her acoustic guitar arrangement and for me she turned the song into something different, her own.

Your votes also sowed that everything on those music shows is not very good.

Anyway the spotlight goes on the winner and here is an original song called "Best Thing"

and "Compassionate Soul"

She does have quite a few covers out there. I will back in a week with a new Battle of the Bands. In between I will have a few more posts so stay tuned.

Pearl Harbor: 75 Years Ago Today

75 years ago a horrific event happened. An event that should never be forgotten and an event I am sure most wished never happened.

Below a survivor tells his story....

A look inside...

I hope we never have another Pearl Harbor. History has proven we are not immune to future tragedies such as 9/11 or the Orlando club to name just a couple of examples.

R.I.P Peng Chang-kuei, the man behind General Tso's Chicken

Peng Chang-kuei has passed away at the age of 98. He was a chef credited with inventing the popular Chinese-American dish General Tso's chicken.

A video on how the make the famous dish...

A news report of his death..

I know I have enjoyed this dish often and have even tried other General Tso's style dishes such as shrimp. He certainly leaves behind a tasty delicacy.  Do you have any General Tso's stories or memories? Would you like to be remembered for a specialty dish?

Thanks for visiting I will be back soon with a new post.

Battle of the Bands: 80s Pop, Newer Covers

\

Do I do the expected Holiday song or do I spin the mystery music wheel? Well the mystery wheel wins again. Today's inspiration comes from 80s pop. I saw Taylor Dayne back in the early 90s in concert and paths crossed recently perhaps on radio airwaves or something. Anyway I hope you enjoy.

Please check out the rest of the battles, this site has the best links.

The song:Tell it to My Heart

Contestant One: Nicola Marie

Contestant Two: Lynsey Cawthra

Who did you like best? Vote in the comments tell it from your heart. I will be back with results and a new battle o December 15th!

15 Years Gone: George Harrison

Hard to believe it has been 15 years since George Harrison passed away. It has been three years since the last time I marked his passing. Time goes by and "All Things Must Pass"

I know I might be repeating some songs but at least I am trying to mix up the versions. The tour I wanted to see was George with Eric Clapton but it never went state side.Below they perform "Something"...

The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun"

George Harrison "Dark Horse"

I will be back again soon with a new post!

A Crazy Fall

Life gets crazy for anyone and I am no exception. Sometimes it feels like my life is crazy all the time but lately it has been crazier than normal. Perhaps hectic would be a better choice, it could easily be substituted for crazy in this paragraph. Maybe it is both.

In September my Mom had some serious heath issues. This month I had to go across the Country for a wedding. Next month my wife will have to go to Texas because her dad is having serious health issues. In between I had car issues and of course the Holidays come rolling in.

Not looking for sympathy just being real. I've read some blogs lately that have shared things and I liked that. It makes you feel like your not alone but human. I also think to share with your readers keeps it honest.

I don't want to go into details on the health issues, but they happen to people when they get older. Of course I am getting older so I tend to ponder is that what I get to look forward to?

Well there is a quick view into my Crazy Fall

Battle of the Bands Winner: Ray Charles

There are many reasons Ray Charles is a legend. One of those reasons now include winning one of my Battle of the Bands contest. I tried to make Ray nervous pitting him against a Grammy Award winner, but Ray Charles didn't see any competition at all!

Christina Aguilera finally found out how it feels to be voted off the Battle of the Bands like so many singers on the Voice. Meanwhile her partner in this competition Herbie Hancock could only wonder what went wrong and what could have been if this was truly "A Song for You." The picture below says it all.

 

The results were 7 to 4 in favor of Brother Ray.

Ray Charles told the competition to "Hit The Road Jack"

Ray believed "It Shoulda Been Me" and the vote
rs agreed..

Ray Charles reportedly celebrated by "Shaking A Tail Feather"

When asked about the victory Ray told me to "Say No More"

Well that's it for the November Battle of the Bands I hope you enjoyed and I invite you to come back December first for a new Battle! 

R.I.P. Holly Dunn

November has not been a good month for singer songwriters. This time around Holly Dunn who had eight top ten singles has passed away at the age of 59. She lost her battle with cancer.

She is probably best known for this song that peaked at number seven on the Country charts "Daddy's Hands"..

Dunn had two singles that topped the Country Charts. This one called "Are You Ever Gonna Love Me"

The other number one was "You Really Had Me Going"...

Dunn had retired from music to devote more time for her other passion art. She is an artist who will be missed.

Battle of the Bands:Grammy Winner Vs Grammy Winner, A Song for You

Welcome back to my Battle of the Bands. Unfortunately musicians have been passing away quit frequently this month. My inspiration for this Battle comes from one of those recent deaths. I already wrote the tribute this is just a little more.

The Song: A Song For You

Contestant One: Herbie Hancock and Christina Aguilera

Contestant Two: Ray Charles

The great Leon Russell passed away over the weekend. "A Song for You" had been covered by a lot of artists so it was a great fit for this Battle of the Bands. Vote in the comments. I'll announce the winner soon. Like this Battle and want more? Check out the list of other Battles at this blog. I will be back with a new post soon!

R.I.P Leon Russell

I was considering going to see Leon Russell on Tuesday at the local music club, I missed him the last time he was in town. He was scheduled to open for a group I was interested in seeing in January. So, I thought I had a couple of chances to catch him. Now I will never get catch him live as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame passed away at the age of 74.

The songs he left behind are the greatest gift the songwriter could leave. Amazingly over 100 acts have covered his song "A Song For You." As I listen it to it now I find it just as haunting as I find it beautiful.

One of his own hits "Lady Blue"..

"Tight Rope" was another hit...

I guess "Good Time Charlie's got the Blues"..

What's your favorite Leon Russell song? Do you have a memory? Feel free to share in the comments. Leon Russell may you R.I.P. 

R.I.P Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen was a true artist and he has passed away at the age of 82. His songwriting made him legendary, his musicianship allowed him to make his songs come alive, and his novels and paintings unleashed more creativity.

He has been inducted in both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriter Hall of Fame. His talents also landed him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also honored with the Companion Order of Canada.

One of his latest songs "You Want it Darker"...

He has won numerous awards for his music including several JUNO Awards and a couple of Grammy Awards, His writing also has been recognized with a few awards.

"In My Secret Place"

"Everybody Knows"

"Hallelujah"

May he rest in peace

BOTB Results:The Fun Election Results

In this first episode of Battle of the Bands Overtime, I took a song that was featured in a previous Battle of the Bands battle that ended in a tie. The song was "Willin'" by Little Feat. I changed the contestants and this time I had a decisive victory. Linda Ronstadt beat Steve Earle 9 to 2.

So to celebrate here is more Linda..."Blue Bayou"

A nice duet with Aaron Neville..

Her number one hit "You're no good"...

Well I will be back with a new post soon!

Cubs win the curse is over!

108 years is a long time to wait for a World Series Championship. The wait is over, the Chicago Cubs are the 2016 World Series Champs. It is fitting that the series went seven games and was decided in extra innings. Fans even had to wait though a rain delay.

The Cleveland Indians were a worthy opponent. It is probably a good thing the series is limited to seven games as winter was probably knocking on the door to both cities.

Interesting connections:

Addison Russell's hometown is the same town I live in. Russell plays for the Cubs and now will be receiving a World Series ring.

Here is his Grand Slam...

Ben Zobrist I met when he was in the minor leagues and he did something very cool for my stepson. Zobrist ended up being the World Series MVP!

His game winning hit in game seven...

Highlights in general:

Game 7:

Game 6:

Game 5: 

Game 4:

Game 3:

Game 2:

Game 1:

Well baseball is over until Spring Training! Congrats to the Cubs!

Battle of the Bands: Willin' for Overtime

Rocktober was fun! Now a new month is here. You might think I would be moving into something new, but no my Battle of the Bands has some unfinished business.



Back on September 15th,  I paired The Back Crowes against The Byrds. The song was Little Feat's Willin' and the results were a tie.

Groovy live track for reference...

It's time to break the tie! It is overtime! First up we have a singer that  has covered this song so well some people think it is her song. Second is perhaps the next best known cover of the song. The genres get blurred in this one..

  Contestant One: Linda Ronsdstadt

Contestant Two: Steve Earle

The fun election is here so listen, choose and vote in the comments!

October 30 Celebrity Rocktober Birthday Celebration Day!

Rocktober is winding down on my blog. Since there are a lot of celebraty birthday's on October 30 I thought I would do one giant celebration. Some of rockers, some are actors, maybe a little Motown cool thrown in. Of course the celebration will be done Rocktober style so sit back and enjoy.

Henry Winkler

Let's start with going Retro-cool! Henry Winkler played the Fonz on "Happy Days" and looking back to my childhood he was probably the one who introduced me to cool! Today he turns 71.

Here is he Rockin' opener to the classic show..

Below are some of his highlights from the show...

Gavin Rossdale

I highlighted Gavin Rossdale last year for his 50th birthday. You can revisit that post here. I'm including him for his 51st birthday. The Bush frontman adds a much needed Rock to this Rocktober post.

Bush "Come Down"

Otis Williams

Otis Williams the last surviving member of The Temptations certainly brings the Motown cool to my post. Love it when a post opens with cool and ends with cool. He qualifies for Rocktober by being a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Before The Temptations there was Otis Williams and the Charms "Heart of Stone"

The Temptations " I Wish it Would Rain"

Thanks for visiting and I will be back soon with a new post! Hopefully you will find it cool too!

Happy Birthday Brad Paisley

Today we are going Country on this fine Rocktober day! I am  willing to invite Brad Paisley to the party. I was thinking about blogging about him since i read his book this month. Today being Brad's birthday just pushed me over the edge.

He is a "Celebrity" you know..

His book was a fun read "Diary of a Player." It was a unique twist to the music biography as Brad tips his hats to musical friends and influence who made him into the guitar player he is today.



Here is his latest single "Today"...

Brad and Keith Urban "Start a Band"...

A little guitar geek piece thrown in..

"Mud on the Tires"

Hope you enjoyed your visit! I'll be back soon with a new post!

Rocktober Tribute: R.I.P Bobby Vee

Bobby Vee who has been called a pop hero of the 60s passed away yesterday at the age of 73.

Here is his 1961 hit "Take Good Care of My Baby"...

Vee is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame the above song was his number one hit but he had several to 10 songs. Below is a live version of "Sharing You"...

Obviously it a loss for music fans and his family. However, he won't suffer anymore. Closing with "More Than I Can Say"....

Rocktober Birthday: Happy 80th Bill Wyman

Bill Wyman turns 80 years young today. He became a legend by being the bass player for The Rolling Stones. He decided to retire from the Stones in the 90s and pursue his own band and other projects.


Here is a track from his recent release called "Running Back to You"

A vintage clip from The Rolling Stones "Rocks Off" circa 1972...

MTV's clip about Bill Wyman leaving...

A one off return...

Bill and his Rhythm Kings "Melody"

Well I hope you enjoyed the celebration and I will be back soon with another post!

Battle of the Bands: Results for Rocktober Fun!

I'll start with a confession. The idea of this song being chosen for my Battle of the Bands came from another cover of the song. I didn't use that version because they left an outburst from the artist which included some foul language. I'm sure most of my readers could have handled it, I am sure I would have put a disclaimer or warning up. I still like the version I just went in a different direction.

Interesting fact: Both vocalists in my Battles have passed away.



Poor Sam Kinison, with all the big name rockers appearing on the video and he still lost badly. The video I used left off the Rodney Dangerfield and Jon Bon Jovi  introduction. Adding Steven Tyler and Joe Perry didn't help. Slash, Steven Adler and Richie Sambora didn't help. Tommy Lee, C.C. DeVille, Billy Idol and more didn't save him.

The votes came in 9 to 2 in favor of The Divinyls!

We celebrate winners and today is know exception.

This song was named one of the top 30 Australian Songs of All Time..

This song was their biggest hit...

The above clip was from the Arsenio Hall Show. A fun show I enjoyed in my youthful years!

I will leave you with "Pleasure and Pain"

Thanks for visiting!  I will have some more Rocktober posts up soon. My next Battle will be November 1 which will be a new month. So visit then to see what I come up with.

Roctober Birthday: Chuck Berry's 90th

Perhaps the most fitting Roctober birthday is Chuck Berry's.  Mr. Berry celebrates his 90th birthday today and of course I am going to celebrate it on my blog! A true pioneer of Rock and Roll who is set to release his first studio album in 38 years next year. He has been awarded a Lifetime Grammy Award and is a Kennedy Center Honoree. Chuck Berry was among the first acts to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I could go on an on. His influence on Rock and Roll is overwhelming.

But enough writing and rambling let's get this party started!

"Roll over Beethoven"

"Johnny B Goode"

Chuck performing "Nadine" with Keith Richards

Well that's a party! I will be back with a new post soon!

Rocktober Birthday: Bob Weir

Bob Weir could fit into so many categories and since it is my blog I will squeeze him into my Roctober birthdays. He just released his album "Blue Mountain" which I will probably buy. I've heard the release described as being influenced by "cowboy music." This intrigues me because the first music I was drawn to as a child was cowboy music. Why? I don't know I was born in Southeastern Virginia not exactly cowboy lands. Since then my musical tastes have zigzagged across an ever growing musical spectrum. That spectrum included Bob Weir and his band The Grateful Dead.

It has been three years since the last time I celebrated Bob's birthday. You can revisit that post here. I think it is certainly time to celebrate again.

The title track of his new album performed live..

Here he is with the latest Grateful Dead spin-off Dead and Company "I Know You Rider"

I couldn't forget Ratdog with "Money for Gasoline"..

I'll leave you with another new track "Gonesville"..

Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for a new post sometime.

Rocktober Battle of the Bands: Gets Wild

Rocktober rolls on at my blog. Time for another Battle of the Bands. I pick a song,  match up two competitors and then you pick the winner by your comments.

The 15th is coming to an end, there is a full moon, and it is time to get Wild.

The song is "Wild Thing" by The Troggs...

Contestant One: Sam Kinison

Contestant Two: Divinyls

Get wild and vote in the comments! If you like this battle check out the other ones. This site has the best list. See you in a week or so with results! 

A Rocktober Nobel Prize

Rocktober continues as Bob Dylan has just won the Nobel Prize for literature.  I suddenly feel better read now that I have listened to his music. Bob Dylan is the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize. He certainly has written some masterpieces which have been successful for him and the artists who have covered him. As a music fan I find him winning this award very exciting. I wonder which songwriters could be next to win the award.

Today is Bob's day and we salute him..."The Times They Are A Changin'"

"Tangled Up in Blue"..

 

"Don't Think Twice"...

I'm sure I might spotlight a song of his somewhere down the line on a Battle of the Bands. Right now it is just a quick celebration.

Battle of the Bands Results: Motley Crue

Welcome back to Rocktober! I am back a few days late with the results from the first Rocktober Battle of the Bands. The recipe was simple take a rocking song from one of the greatest bands to ever perform. Add two Rocking bands tackling a classic song and the winner is decided by my audience.



Motley Crue versus Aerosmith created a battle that rocked. The voting was close but Motley Crue was the winner 5 to 3!

We celebrate the victors with music! Turn up the volume and enjoy!


Let's "Kickstart My Heart" with a little help from the local flyboys the Blue Angels...

Ah "Home Sweet Home" is a nice place to be...

"Dr. Feelgood" has the cure..

Just a few days and I'll have a brand new battle!

Happy Birthday Roctober 7 John Mellencamp

Rocktober continues on my blog as we celebrate John Mellencamp's birthday.
When  I was in seventh grade top 40 radio rocked a lot more than it does today. At that time John Mellencamp was huge on the radio and in my music world. Some how he was put on my musical back burner. Probably the results of being exposed to a ton of music over three decades. However, October 7, 2016 marks the singers 64th birthday. I'm wowed by how he aged so much and by reflecting back on his music.

Back then I was living in "Small Town"...

But this is my story not "Jack and Diane"...

Because "Your Life is Now"...

and we all need "A Hand to Hold on To"...

I hope he enjoys his birthday. If you have a special John Mellencamp memory or song feel free to share in the comments.I'll be back with another Rocktober post soon.

Rocktober Birthday: 10.5 Steve Miller

Steve Miller turned 73 today October 5, 2016.  It has been a while since I celebrated a birthday on my blog and since it is Rocktober it just sames right.

The first time I saw Steve Miller was on a magical night. The Steve Miller Band was opening for The Grateful Dead at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. It was also my first Grateful Dead concert. I was able to see him again at a festival 19 years later but it was not the same.

Starting our celebration with "Rock N' Me"..

                                         "Fly Like an Eagle"

                                             "The Joker"

So many great songs. Do you have any Steve Miller memories? What is your favorite Steve Miller song? Feel free to share in the comments.

Battle of the Bands: Rocktober,Beatles and more!

Well it is October again. Like I did last year I will theme it to "Rocktober." I heard some radio station call October that many years ago and I like it. I'm sure with November and December my blog will continue with the themes.



Who better to kick off Rocktobermania (yeah, I just made that word up) with than the Beatles. I think "Helter Skelter" is one Beatles song that really rocks!

The Song: Helter Skelter

The Beatles on Vinyl. A classic band played in a classic manner. 

Contender One: Aerosmith

Contender Two: Motley Crue

Welcome to my Rocktober party! I am kicking it off in style with the Beatles, Aerosmith and Motley Crue. Your vote decides who wins! Vote for Aerosmith or Motley Crue in the comments. Stay tuned for more Rocktober posts!