Everly Eighty

Looks like a Don week this... After yesterday's feast of St. John Bosco (Don Bosco), today we are celebrating another Don... Don the elder Everly.... He and his younger brother Phil ruled the airwaves way before I was born (and most probably you too). Back in the 1950s, these two brothers with their guitars and harmonized vocals could keep you mesmerized - Yes I already mentioned the Everly Brothers.

Bird Dog/ Til' I Kissed You - I've never really understood the meaning of the Bird Dog song, though it can entertain with its funky beat... Could sway along to it and even snap my fingers to the beat... What's a bird dog? If you have an insight, share it with me...

This next song is a Love Song that sounds more appropriate when sung by a man and a woman. My favorite cover of Let It Be Me has been by country singers Skeeter Davis and Bobby Bare... but here's the original nevertheless...

Got a couple of ballads going back to back - Love Hurts and Crying In The Rain

Don is eighty today... He lost his younger brother in 2014 at age 74. And he probably would like to sing this song to his bro... Walk Right Back...

The Everly Brothers were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Take a break from the music to check out this clip being introduced by Neil Young.

One of the best fusions of Country and Rock I've heard has been unmistakably the guitar sound of Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) and Chet Atkins... Here they both are with the guitaring brothers and Michael McDonald... Why Worry?

From waking you up in the morning to bidding you farewell and thereafter in your dreams, the Everly Brothers have a song for everything. Here they are singing their favorites introduced by another famous duo - Simon and Garfunkel... three of the best songs ever... Wake Up Little Suzie, All I Have To Do Is Dream, Bye Bye Love...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DON EVERLY

P.S. Want to know more about the Everly Brothers? Check out their story here. 

Money For Nothing

Just wrote a blogpost joining in the celebrations of #InternationalYouthDay today. Also got the reminder on the #MusicalBirthday for today - being among the popular artists whose songs I loved to play during my teens. 

Mark Knopfler

Mark Knopfler was popular in the late 70s and 80s as the leader of the Dire Straits - the band he co-founded with his brother David Knopfler. Among the top songs that I heard and loved at the time, also were very popular on the request show I handled on radio including:

Money For Nothing

Money For Nothing was the first video to be played on MTV Europe and starts with the line "I Want My MTV" featuring the voice of Sting who is credited as a co-writer. 

Walk Of Life

A standard on the jive list of most Mumbai bands in the 1980s, Walk Of Life was also the first keyboard solo I learnt to play.

Sultans Of Swing

A song for every guitarist, Sultans of Swing has a unique sound quality produced on the Fender Strat. My 13-year old guitarist son is working on this song nowadays.

Romeo and Juliet

A song about romance naming the most famous ever couple-in-love from Shakespearean times.

Cannibals

After disbanding Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler launched solo with Golden Heart. I particularly like this song which has a father-son conversation. 

There'll Be Some Changes Made

Among the many collaborations of Mark Knopfler is a beautiful one in the Country genre with Chet Atkins. I own the CD and cherish it. 

Dire Straits in Mumbai

There is a Dire Straits Tribute show in the Mumbai circuits by One Night Stand - a band comprising a batchmate from Podar College - Sarosh Izedyar - a leading lead guitarist who tours with the likes of Farhan Akhtar and Shaan. They played at the #BlueFrog in July and my sources indicate that they have another performance lined up next month... so stay tuned.