R.I.P Eddie Van Halen

 My introduction to Van Halen was this song "Jump" which came put when I was in seventh grade...

In high school our wrestling team would come out to "Running with the Devil"

When Sammy Hagar joined it was a big deal..."Best of Both Worlds"

Then there was the Van Halen that didn't go far..."Without You"

He was the guitar hero of my generation..

Here he is with Michael Jackson...

He was a legend on the guitar and will be missed!

"Ain't Talkin' Abut Love"

What is your favorite Van Halen sing? Any special memories? Favorite songs? Please feel free to share.

Monday's Music Moves Me: Unconventional Duets

Welcome to another episode of Monday's Music Moves Me. This a bloghop. If you want to see who else is playing or sign up to join the fun you can visit this site. I hope your minds are open to let your feet dance in this genre bending and swapping event. Today's theme is unconventional duets. The theme was Stacy's idea.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Robert Plant will always be known as the singer from the legendary rock group Led Zeppelin. Alison Krauss is gifted with a beautiful voice whose music falls in somewhere in the contemporary bluegrass, country, category. The two musicians came together for a platinum selling, multi-Grammy Award winning album.

"GONE, GONE, GONE"

U2 AND BB KING

U2, the Irish Rock Band who fills stadiums with their tours, is quite different from blues legend BB King. However, they got together for a few songs and had some success.

"When Love Comes to Town"

Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney

A Beatle and the King of Pop together.

"Say, Say, Say"

Is Paul McCartney and the surviving members of Nirvana more unconventional?

Paul and Nirvana

"Cut Me Some Slack"

Taylor Swift and Def Leppard

Taylor Swift went from a Country Artist to become a Pop Empire. Somewhere along the way she teamed up with these rockers...

"Pour Some Sugar on Me"

I could go on and on but I think I will leave you with these five.

Remembering Michael Jackson on his birthday!

Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. Michael's album "Thriller" has sold more copies than any other album ever. In total his album sales is higher than 400 million. 13 number one hits certainly helped those sales. He won 26 American Music Awards and 13 Grammys. The Grammys also awarded him a Legend Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Starting off in The Jackson Five..

His career appeared as easy as ABC. 

It certainly had it's thrills. Here is Michael with "Thriller"...

Throughout his career Michael Jackson supported a lot of charities..

He even collaborated with other legends like Paul McCartney..

Here he is with another hit ":Billie Jean"..

Thanks for visiting as my blog remembers Michael Jackson on what would have been his 57th birthday. Do you have a favorite Michael Jackson  song or memory? Feel free to share in the comments. I will be back soon with a new post.

Happy Birthday Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney turns 73 today so I wish him a Happy Birthday. His fame will always be linked to the super group of his youth the Beatles.  He has had an amazing career with Wings and as a solo artist as well.

I am amazed by his collaborations they are hardly predictable.

Here he performs with Rihanna and Kayne West...

"Say, Say, Say"  with Michael Jackson...

The classic "Ebony and Ivory" with Stevie Wonder..

"My Valentine" featuring jazz artist Diana Krall and guitarist Joe Walsh..

Certainly it would be easy to celebrate his birthday with a bunch of solo hits or a collection spanning his career. However, I thought today the collaborations would be a nice way to celebrate.

Thanks for visiting and I will be back soon!

Happy Birthday Weird Al Yankovic

Today Weird Al Yankovic turns 54. He has earned his fame doing song parodies and his perhaps the most famous in his genre. It is good today is his birthday because we all need a smile or laugh.

His parody of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" launched him on the scene, his version was "Eat It"

He covered Michael Jackson's "Bad" with a song called "Bad"

He reworked Madonna's "Like A Virgin" into "Like A Surgeon"

Today's artists are not exempt from Weird Al, he reworked Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" into "Perform this Way"

Miley Cyrus "Party in the USA" was reworked into "Party in the CIA"

He has made parodies of songs n many genres of pop music and through many generations. Weird Al is still going strong creating new parodies and we wish him a happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Paul McCartney!

Paul McCartney  of the Beatles turns 71 today. Amazingly I heard a great guitarist perform a medley of Beatles' tunes last night. Paul has had an incredible career with The Beatles, with Wings, and as a solo artist. In reason years he has even tried to stay current with modern music.

Here Sir Paul performs with Nirvana...

It isn't the first time here Mr. McCartney performs with Michael Jackson...

and who can forget this duet with Stevie Wonder..

Here he is with The Bloody Beetroots...

I'm leaving out friends he has performed with to do covers of old songs. Just for his birthday celebrating Paul McCartney and friends...

A to Z: Orianthi

Okay for O I will blog about one of the better female guitarists out there. Her full name is Orianthi Panagaris but she is one of those artists that simply go by one name, Orianthi. The 28-year old guitarist has already had an incredible career. She has been a guitarist for Michael Jackson and Alioce Cooper. She has performed with some other great artists as well. She has had a big hit.

Elle Magazine named her one of the top female guitarists in 2009. Guitar International Magazine awardeed her the 2010 Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year. Paul Reed Smith guitars produces a signature guitar model for her. Not too shabby at all.

Here is her hit single "According to You"...

and her follow up hit...

Here she is with Alice Cooper...

Here is her guitar solo with Michael Jackson..

Here she is with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai...

I mean if she can hang with thwat group she must be alright. Well I will be back soon with another post...

Celebrity Deaths

Wow..Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died yesterday. Farrah Fawcett of "Charlie's Angels" fame. She also made guest appearances on other shows and had some movie roles. In the 70's she was what people today call a "hottie."

Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at the age of 50. Details were a little vague but he was in cardiac arrest. I know many entertainers have died younger, but 50 sounds real young to pass away in these times. (Perhaps it is because I am getting closer to 50) Michael's star shined brightly from the get go reaching fame in the Jackson5 and then becoming the King of Pop. Yes he may have been strange at times, there were rumors, but Michael Jackson was a heck of an entertainer. The moon walk will always be associated with Michael Jackson. His song "Beat It" was turned into "Eat it" by Weird Al. He had one of the top selling albums of all-time(Thriller).

The world lost two very recognizable entertainers yesterday...