REO Speedwagon is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois….which was formed in 1967….as the band cultivated a following during the 1970’s….while achieving significant commercial success throughout the 1980’s….when their album Hi Infidelity in 1980 contained four US Top 40 hits….and is the group’s best-selling album….with over 10 million copies sold. Over the course of its career, the band has sold more than…
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American model, singer, songwriter, record producer and actress….who began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for fashion houses such as Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo….while appearing on the covers of Elle and Vogue….as she worked with such great photographers as Jean-Paul Goude, Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin and Hans Feurer….and became known for her distinctive androgynous appearance and bold features. Beginning in 1977, Jones embarked on a music career…
In 1982, Austin City Limits aired a program called The Best Of Austin City Limits….which features the country fiddler’s national anthem of The Orange Blossom Special…..which featured an array of some of country’s hottest band playing the iconic fiddler’s song….as the bands include The Charlie Daniels Band with Charlie on fiddle….The Mel Tillis Band features his three fiddlers….The Earl…
“King Tut“ is a novelty song performed by Steve Martin and The Toot Uncommons …. who were actually members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band….as the song was released as a single in 1978….which sold over a million copies….and reached # 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart…..as Martin previewed the song in a live performance during the April 22, 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live….and the song was…
Terri Gibbs is an American country music artist who between 1980 and 2017 recorded eleven studio albums….including four for MCA Records and one for Warner Bros. Records….as she also charted 13 singles on the Billboard country singles charts during her career….including her debut single “Somebody’s Knockin’”….which reached # 8 on the country charts….# 13 on the pop charts….and # 3 on the Adult Contemporary charts….while she also entered…
The Commodores original band was managed by Benny Ashburn….who brought them to his family’s vacation lodge on Martha’s Vineyard in 1971 and 1972…..where Ashburn test marketed the group by having them play in parking lots and summer festivals….plus, The Commodores made a brief appearance in the 1978 film Thank God It’s Friday….and they performed the song “Too…
“The Stripper“ is an instrumental composed by David Rose….which was recorded in 1958….and released four years later….as it evinces a jazz influence with especially prominent trombone slides….while evoking the feel of music used to accompany striptease artists. “The Stripper” reached # 1 on Billboard’s Top 100 chart in July, 1962…..which became a gold record….as Billboard ranked the record as the # 5 song of 1962….as the tune came into prominence by…
“Georgia on My Mind“ is a 1930 song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell….while being first recorded that year…..albeit has often been associated with Ray Charles, a native of the U.S. state of Georgia….who recorded it for his 1960 album The Genius Hits the Road….when in 1979, the State of Georgia designated it the official state song. Willie Nelson recorded the song on his Stardust album…
“Crazy“ is a ballad composed by Willie Nelson….which has been recorded by several artists, most notably by Patsy Cline, whose version was a # 2 country hit in 1962. Partly due to the genre-blending nature of the song….it has been covered by dozens of artists in several genres over the years….nevertheless, the song remains inextricably linked with Cline….as…