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. 

Birthday Boys Three

Was the year 1974. We had just moved to our apartment in Chembur. A few months later, the society around us with 6 building was complete, and families started moving in. 

There was a friendly doctor who moved in to the building across. And a few months later the young couple had a bonny baby boy. They named him Sean (pronounced Shawn). And when we visited their house one morning, there was this song playing... and someone mentioned that the song was for the little boy... Song Sung Blue sounded like Sean to this three-year old.

He celebrates his 76th birthday today... and just recently announced the dates for his    50 Year Anniversary World Tour embarking in April this year... He will be in Europe around September - October. 

Another musician with a birthday today doing the rounds of Europe as early as next month will lead his orchestra will kick of his series of concerts in Netherlands which is also called by his own last name... Presenting the Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra playing Double O Boogie.

Jools Holland has introduced hundreds of established and new musical artists, from solo performers to bands and larger ensembles since 1992. The show is still going strong even in its 25th year now. Here's a performance on Later... with Jools Holland, by yet another singer celebrating his birthday, possibly the most popular of the family band Neville Brothers,  Aaron Neville - I Am A Pilgrim.

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Are You Home Yet?

Christmas is very near... and there are so many things to get done... Sweets to be made... Clothes to be bought... gifts to be got... colleagues in office have been baking cakes late into the night... so much more to get done....

Many people who are possibly travelling back to their families have a song playing in their head... I'll Be Home For Christmas.

When that song started, you were possibly wondering why you haven't heard it before. It's a song from just two years ago... and the singer was honored with the Chart Topper Award earlier this month at the 2016 Billboard Women in Music Awards... 

Surprise...surprise... Her biggest #1 has been All About the Bass... and top tracks for this year have been Me Too and No... She's MEGHAN TRAINOR  and it's her birthday today... And like most others in the Americas and Canada (who've already got the snow) she's dreaming of a White Christmas.

Another singer in her 20's with a #MusicalBirthday today is American Idol 2007 - one of the seasons that I watched closely - Jordin Sparks. Found this Christmas tune on the soundtrack of the 2013 motion picture 'The Best Man Holiday' - Christmas Time To Me.

Jordin seems to be quite a religious type - just yesterday she invited her fans to her church for Christmas Eve services. She's also got an acting role in a faith based film titled 'The Grace of Jake' scheduled for a February release. I really liked this song that carries forward the true spirit of Christmas - This Is My Wish.

As we come a day closer to Christmas, let's keep that thought close to our heart and pray for Peace... Let There Be Peace On Earth.

Ring My Bell

Only 5 more days to go for Christmas... 

and there's an absolute buzz of Christmas in the air...

The Carollers covered our zone last week... There was the Christmas Carol Festival on Saturday in the parish... Also a Christmas Carnival organised by Zeus Entertainment at Chembur's St. Anthony's Co-op. Soc.... Was in Bandra on Saturday and the shop windows were full of decorations... The buzz has even caught up in offices, with Christmas Trees and decorations everywhere... People checking out their wardrobes for outfils in red and green... And the most popular song of the season is on everyone's lips as well as on every loud speaker... Jingle Bells

Yes, there's a hustle and the bustle everywhere in town. Even the demonetization cannot dampen the spirits out here... All getting set to celebrate Christmas... and ring out the Silver Bells.

The Festival of Festive Music presented by the Stop-Gaps Cultural Academy was held over the last weekend. The last few weeks have had many more Christmas gatherings at various venues.. I'm sure many of the choirs would have performed the Carol Of The Bells.

While the sound of bells ringing are strongly associated with Christmas... this post was inspired by a non-Christmas bell-song... or rather by a #MusicalBirthday - the 59 year old
singer Anita Ward with the 1979 hit - Ring My Bell.

The bells I'm waiting for though are the Christmas bells announcing the Mass on Christmas Eve... As they announce the birth of a child who would change all things... the most important change is the one that makes us a better person... 

The Guitar Girls

Just yesterday I put up a post on Facebook with a #MusicalBirthday wish to Canadian singer guitarist Joni Mitchell.

Earlier today I posted a blogpost right here with Usha Uthup (whose birthday was also yesterday) playing the Guitar in a Sari. 

It seems to be a coincidence of sorts, because among the many #Musicalirthdays of today, there's another guitar wielding female rock singer, also possibly ranked the top female guitarist of all time - her name is Bonnie Raitt. Three women guitarists in two days is really Something to Talk About.

While looking for this music, I found Runaway - a song I've known but not with an attribution to her. Here is a live version from 1977. She's got a unique style of guitaring combining elements of blues, rock and R&B.

Her dad was Broadway star John Raitt, but Bonnie's artistic parents were blues giants like Howlin' Wolf and Mississippi Fred McDowell, whom she met and performed with early in her career. She plays a mean blues guitar and you can see more of it right here on Sweet Home Chicago, a collaboration in tribute to Buddy Guy. 

Among the multiple styles, she's also wandered into country. Another interesting collaboration I found out here is the most common song that we've played to start waltz sessions. Plugged it in here as a tribute to another great woman singer on her birth anniversary - Patti Page. I've included her version of a children's favorite - Doggie in the Window in an earlier post.

The tribute song here is the Tennessee Waltz performed with Norah Jones.

I trust you enjoyed that rendition as much as I did. Do remind me to do a special feature on the Top Women Guitarists. If you like the music here, do hit the Follow button and get an update whenever I add a new post. 

The Silky Singer (with a Sari)

The wedding season is just getting started. And calendars for emcees, DJs, caterers and other wedding services getting absolutely choc-a-blocked. 

Was performing at a Malayalee wedding on Sunday and as the guests posed for photographs with the bridal couple, the stage was absolutely ablaze with the colours of the silk saris that the lovely ladies wore. I managed to get a pic with the mother of the bride (a lecturer of mine from college) that's been getting hundreds of likes on my Facebook page - you'll have to go there to see it. 

If I were to ask you whether you've ever seen a singer on stage donning the traditional Indian sari, what would your answer be?

Over the last nearly 50 years, there has been this phenomenal sari-clad woman with a big 'bindi' whose husky alto voice and energy levels has got every single person in the crowd standing and rocking to her sensational tunes. Have you figured this out yet?

There's only one like that - the unimitable Usha Uthup. 

She celebrated her 69th birthday yesterday. And she's still on the roll.
 
The first time I remember hearing her sing was watching TV at my grandmom's place (Nana's house) while this song played - a mix of One Way Ticket and the Indian adaptation Hari Om Hari.

While we enjoyed watching her sing and dance, there were common links with here that came into conversation. She studied in the same school as most of my aunts (St. Agnes High School aka Clare Road Convent). Also one of her older sisters and my aunt were classmates, and performed together in school performances. In fact, Usha first appeared on the music scene singing as part of the Sami sisters. They performed together a few years ago - check out this montage.

Back in Bollywood, she did an Indian edition of Shirley Bassey's Goldfinger singing the title song of Shaan - Shaan Se.

 
Another facet of her talent is her versatility with languages. She has sung in as many as 13 Indian and 8 Foreign languages. Here's a dose of Tamil - Vegam Vegam Pogum Pogum.

For those still riding in the clouds, this song is right back to reality with things for lovers to enjoy. This song in Konkani has a very Portuguese style entry - Meu Amor (My Love).
 

A few years ago, Indians around the world experienced the 'Kolaveri' virus. It caught Usha Uthup as well who sings it here for India's women sports stars - Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom - Why this Kolaveri Di?

 
She's a real performer. Check out one of her most recent rages - Darling from Saat Khoon Maaf.

Usha tours around India but currently called Kolkata her home. A few months ago, she had the honour of singing a song dedicated to the most famous woman ever of Kolkata - Saint Mother Teresa. You can listen in to not one but two songs on my blog post - Mother Teresa - Model of Mercy.

For songs with a theme, I like this contemplative song from Mark Spoelstra - White Winged Dove.

Did you notice that I hardly posted with the exception of the Shaan theme, all the rest of the videos on this post are live performances. You would have gathered by now, that that's because of the fantastic performer that Usha Uthup is. I'm leaving you with an incredible performance including music, mimicry and more. 

Belated Happy Birthday wishes to  

Usha Uthup