Every few months or so, there’s a new app craze. From Angry Birds to Draw Something, those of us into the latest techno trends hear about it and, usually,we’re into it. The latest app to sweep me into a frenzy is SongPop. Available via Facebook, for various Apple products, and for Android, SongPop is a free, name that tune type of game where you listen to clips of songs and guess either the song title or the artist. What’s great about this game is that, as their website states, all platforms are synched; so if you start a game on your Android phone, you can continue it on Facebook, and so on. Also, it’s not just naming that tune, you are challenging your friends (or strangers, depending on how you roll) while you challenge yourself. How to play: pick a friend to challenge, pick a list, then name that tune or artist from a multiple choice list; there are five songs per round. You win coins depending on whether or not you win your round; one point if you lose, three if you are victorious. There are also powerups that allow you to change your playlist choice (before beginning a round) or get rid of two choices (during a round). Every week, as you play, you are in a tournament with all of your opponents. At the end of the week, you earn more powerups, depending on how many opponents you beat. Every player begins with a few playlists (like 80′s Collection and Classic Rock), but as you earn more coins, you are able to purchase different playlists.

I love this game; it has to be the best app ever! At least it’s the best I’ve ever downloaded. It’s very fun, highly addictive, and gives you a chance to share your music knowledge while competing against friends. It’s not as simple as I may have made it sound; it’s very easy to not do well. Timing is everything. You earn more points by answering quickly. So even if you know every song listed, depending on how fast you answered, you could lose. That pressure makes for lots of wrong answers, as you race to answer and accidentally hit the wrong button! Overall, it’s a great game. I have purchased six playlists and I am always eager to get more (I can’t wait to get 80′s Hairbands!), as SongPop adds more pretty often. There are so many things to enjoy about this game, but for me it’s challenging myself and, at times, finding out I don’t know as much as I thought!

Key playlists: Musicals, Classical, Classic Rap, Classic R & B, Classic Rock, 60′s Collection, 70′s Collection, 80′s Collection, 90′s Alternative, Indie Rock, Disco

It’s not often that you get the chance to interview a major rock star, much less one of the stars of your favorite band of all time. But this opportunity was granted to me when I had the chance to talk to Boyd Tinsley, the violinist from the Dave Matthews Band. Normally this blog is strictly about music but I slightly bent the rules and asked Boyd about his movie Faces in the Mirror, music that was made into a movie.

lovelyleslie41: The concept for your film began with the music, can you explain how that came about?
Boyd Tinsley: I love movies that make me feel an emotion. When the music and the the film are expressing the same emotion, it creates a huge emotional response. I wanted to create a movie that was an emotional experience. A trippy ride. I wanted the emotion of the music to be the thing that we built Faces in the Mirror off of. It was a long process, but at the end of it we made a beautiful movie.

lovelyleslie41: Can you talk about who is on the soundtrack?
BT: The soundtrack features the Seattle band Maktub, Shawn Smith who is a member of the band Brad, the Silent Comedy, Dave Matthews, Stefan Lessard, myself and other members of the DMB.

lovelyleslie41: As a musician, what inspired you to become a filmmaker?
BT: I was inspired to make a movie after the band made the Crash Into Me video. That video had the marriage of music and beautiful visuals combined to send chills through me whenever I watched it. I wanted to make a movie like that. And years later, I was fortunate enough to get that opportunity.

lovelyleslie41: Can you give us a brief overview of what the film is about?
BT: The story is of a young man named Ben who returns home to attend the funeral of his father. He goes on a very dreamlike, trippy psychedelic journey through the night. Encountering people who give him something that he is looking for. It’s very much like a dream.

lovelyleslie41: I was given the opportunity to ask Ryan Orr, who plays Ben in the movie and Jessica Mei Gershen who plays Susan along with Boyd about their favorite musical memory.

Ryan Orr: I saw James Brown at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. It was most unique and surreal. Seeing David Gilmour at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland on Easter was spiritual and intense. Both equally moving.

Jessica Mei Gershen: My best memory of music was Dave Matthews Band at Irving Plaza in ’93. There were maybe 50 people in the crowd. They had just become popular. I remember being blown away by their music. I thought these guys are gonna be huge. Hearing them play Satellite was incredible.

BT: My favorite musical memory was playing at Madison Square Garden with James Brown. Wow. I thought the roof of the place was gonna come crashing in when Mr. Brown came on stage.

I’d like to thank Ryan Orr, Jessica Mei Gershen, and Boyd Tinsley for taking the time to answer my questions. You can watch Faces in the Mirror online on Thursday, August 30th at 5pm PST. Check out http://www.facesinthemirrorfilm.com for more details.

For a while, I had been thinking that I would like to write a post about love songs. I’m not really sure what the impetus was; maybe I heard a good one while driving or something, who knows? As a lover of love songs, I figured I could write about how much I love love songs, what some of my favorites are, blah, blah, blah. Then I shelved the idea. Just the other day though, spurred on by my daughter’s facebook status (“What’s a song that makes you think about love?”), the idea for this post popped right back into my head. My answer to her query was immediate,  Cherish by The Association. This is my favorite song, ever, of all-time. It’s so beloved, I even walked down the aisle to it. Of course, then I drew a blank. For someone who really loves love songs, I couldn’t seem to think of another one! As I discussed this was a couple of my lunch pals, I pondered the very idea of love songs. I’ve noticed that many, if not most, love songs are actually not about being in love, but about breaking up.  Even Cherish is not really about being in love as much as it’s about a man “in love” with a woman who doesn’t even seem to know he exists! This realization has made me wonder, how many songs are truly about being in love, as a couple? Really, only a few off the top of my head. But, is that so bad? Yes, being in love is what we strive for (many of us), but unrequited love, breaking up, and heartache are all part of the lifelong journey. Take a look at my list of some of my favorite songs about love:

Being in love: Adore, 143, I Couldn’t Love You More, Kiss of Life, All My Life, Forever My Lady, You’re All I Need to Get By; Breaking up: Let it Die, Please Don’t Go Away, End of the Road, Someone Like You, Lover You Should’ve Come Over, Nothing Compares 2 U, Since I Fell For You, How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore?, Ex-Factor, Gone, You Oughta Know; Unrequited love: Cherish, Creep, I Can’t Make You Love Me, Make You Feel My Love, Insensitive, You Don’t Know Me, Seven Days in Sunny June

Because I love all things Dave Matthews Band related, I had to check out a link that was sent via twitter that had the attention of DMB fans. I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely voice of Laurie Lehner. The video is a parody titled Tweet which is from the song Sweet by the DMB that can be found on Away From The World due out in September. I shared the link and became curious about the person singing. Who was she and what made her decide to put herself out there on youtube? I contacted Laurie and asked her a few questions.

lovelyleslie41: Tell me about your background in music.
LL: My first love was musical theatre. I was in plays and musicals in middle school and high school.  I did community and regional theatre and I also went to college at a musical theatre conservatory in New York City. After feeling that the lifestyle of a “professional auditioner” wasn’t for me, I turned to rock and roll. This is where I found my voice literally and figuratively. This is where and when I came alive. I felt the freedom to express myself as opposed to trying to fit into the mold of an “actress”.

lovelyleslie41: What influences you musically?
LL: When I write lyrics my influences are mostly from relationships and experiences with men. It is my emotional outlet and it gives me control back over something that I feel that could easily control me.

Musically, the Dave Matthews Band started it all for me. In 2007, I met Dave on the street in New York City after seeing him and Tim Reynolds in concert at Radio City. This caused me to want to learn to play guitar. I had to ‘touch whatever it was that touches him’ when he plays. I picked up my guitar that was collecting dust in the corner and started to learn some chords. Teaching myself became easier because of my past lessons in piano, vocal, and music theory lessons from school. I learned the transference of emotion through music by studying Dave Matthews’ songwriting. I began playing guitar while I was discovering the entire catalog. Other artists that influence me are Phish, Foo Fighters, Amos Lee, Ani DiFranco, and Jack White. I also feel very strongly connected to the hippie rock era of the 60’s.

lovelyleslie41: What are your aspirations in the world of music?
LL:  I’d love to be the lead of a rock and roll band. I want to be able to sing and play on both guitar and piano in this band. I also want to put the mic down and just dance while they play and really get to enjoy the musicians that surround me doing what they do best. If I’m lucky enough in the future, I would love to return to my first love and star in a musical on Broadway.

Thank you to Laurie for taking the time to share with me. If you want to check out Laurie’s music go to:

http://www.youtube.com/user/LaurieLehner

http://soundcloud.com/laurie-lehner

https://twitter.com/laurielehner

In the summer of 1994, my older sister discovered Jeff Buckley. Let me tell you, she played his CD, Grace, out! I remember at the time I was unimpressed. I couldn’t believe she was getting so excited over this guy playing “boring” music. Back then, I was more into the mainstream pop and R&B that saturated the radio waves. What was so special about Jeff Buckley, I wondered? Especially since his music, to me, didn’t have crossover appeal. I wrote him off; what can I say? And after his death in 1997, I never really thought about him again. Fast forward to 2009…

My teenage daughter is such a peach. No sarcasm intended. She’s this refreshing mixture of angsty teen and centered, thoughtful young adult. So different from her peers in music taste, clothing choice, you name it. I would often walk past her closed bedroom door, cringing as she listened to Pink Floyd or The Flaming Lips, wondering who put her on this particular track. I take credit for her love of The Beatles, Queen, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Erykah Badu, but I can’t claim this other side of her. Then one day she asks me have I ever heard of Jeff Buckley. My reply, “Yeah…and…?” She went on to tell me how amazing he is, his lyrics, his voice, why did I never play him for her?? My answer, “Really? He’s not all that.” Thus it started, her plan to make me succumb to the lure of Jeff Buckley. That’s a thing we do in my family; when we find music we love, we play it ALL THE TIME! And heaven forbid someone should complain about it, we just play it even more! So there she was, playing Jeff Buckley on every occasion: as she cleaned her room, as we drove to the store, as we played video games. Enough was enough! Until one day…the two of them wore me down. As we drove to the grocery store, Lover You Should Have Come Over began to play; that was pretty much all she wrote. I have been lightweight obsessed with Jeff Buckley since. I don’t listen to him as often as my daughter would, but when his songs come on, I stop what I’m doing to listen, really listen, and sing along. Jeff Buckley has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard, filled with a fantastic mixture of pain and hope. You have to be ready to accept the pain in his voice, to give yourself over to the anguish he felt at losing love or wanting to be with someone who everyone else wants, too. His music is amazing and really stands the test of time, pulling in audiences of all ages.

Key tracks: Lover, You Should Have Come Over, Last Goodbye, Everybody Here Wants You, So Real, Lilac Wine

What singer/music were you not ready for in your youth?

ladyluvlylocs said…

I love summer! Well, that’s a bit of  a stretch. While I love the absence of snow I hate the hot…ness. What I really love about this time of year is the sounds of summer. Everyone is usually outside, with their doors open or driving down the street and you can pretty much hear everything your neighbors are watching on TV or listening to as they drive by. For me, there’s nothing better, than driving down the street, windows down, blasting great summertime music. While there aren’t a lot of songs that speak specifically to summer there are quite a few that put me in a “summer” mood. Below is a list of my favorite Summer Songs:

• Hot Fun in the Summertime- Sly and The Family Stone
• Summertime- Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
• Where the Streets Have No Name- U2
• I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For- U2
• Take Me with You- Prince and The Revolution
• Wouldn’t It Be Nice- The Beach Boys
• Rock the Boat- The Hues Corporation
• All I Wanna Do- Sheryl Crow
• Groovin’- The Rascals
• Grazing in the Grass- The Friends of Distinction
• Natural- Arrested Development
• Cruel Summer- Bananarama
• Dance with Yesterday- Joi
• Summer Breeze- The Isley Brothers
• Human- The Human League
• Three Little Birds- Bob Marley & The Wailers
• Enjoy the Silence- Depeche Mode
• Suddenly Last Summer- The Motels
• Saturday in the Park- Chicago
• In the City- The Eagles

lovelyleslie said…

I love summer! It is my favorite time of year. The days are longer and there is music all around. Lots of concerts to attend and new music to experience.  Most importantly for me and millions of fans,  is that the Dave Matthews Band is touring. Here is my summer playlist:

• Beachball- Dave Matthews Band
• Finally Woken- Jem
• The Dog Song- Nellie McKay
• Blessed- Brett Dennen
• Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin- Sly & The Family Stone
• Son’s Gonna Rise- Citizen Cope
• Club Foot- Kasabian
• Pa‘ Bailar- Bajo Fondo Mar Dulce
• Traveling Shoes- Robert Randolph & The Family Band
• Summer Sun- Jukebox The Ghost
• Nothing To Worry About- Peter Bjorn & John
• Californication- Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Smooth – Rob Thomas and Carlos Santana
• Freedom- Tegan and Sara
• Sex On Fire- Kings Of Leon
• Fantastic Voyage- Coolio
• Summer Love- Justin Timberlake
• Boys of Summer- Don Henley
• Ditty- Paperboy
• Brand New Day- Joshua Radin

What are your favorite summer songs? We’ll tweet your answers.

A few weeks ago at lunch, lovelyleslie41 and I were eating with a few fellow co-workers and the subject of music was broached. We talked about the music that comes on the radio and one of the gentlemen said he doesn’t listen to the radio. He mostly listens to the music his father played as he was growing up. Another co-worker chimed in that a lot of the music he listens to is from his childhood. What a great post idea, I thought: music from your childhood and how it has affected your life. We requested help from our co-workers and what we have for you is a group of stories about life, music, and how the two intertwine.

ladyluvlylocs: You Are Everything by The Stylistics, Stay in My Corner by The Dells, Somebody Loves You by Crystal Gayle, Crazy by Patsy Cline, Black Water by The Doobie Brothers, Too Much Time on My Hands by Styx, I’ll Write a Song for You by Earth Wind and Fire, Funkentelechy by Parliament, and (Not Just) Knee Deep by Funkadelic, Bolero by Maurice Ravel, Them There Eyes by Billie Holiday, Behind Blue Eyes by The Who

• Inspired by: Parents, uncle, and older sister
• Love of music is a family trait. In my home we listened to all types of music; from my early childhood, I mostly remember soul music. I vividly remember Sunday mornings, my mom cooking and cleaning the house, with music from The Stylistics, The Dells, and other great soul acts keeping us company. My dad would walk through the room singing along and my sisters and I would be shocked to hear him sing. Then out of nowhere, Mom would throw in some Crystal Gayle and Patsy Cline for good measure. My uncle, her younger brother, listened to a lot of rock music. My sisters, cousins, and I would ride around with him in his Jeep while he blasted The Doobie Brothers and Styx. My mom and her brother were the only Black people I knew who openly listened to “white” music. That knowledge and feeling, that good music is good music no matter who makes it, stuck with me. He also had, to me at the time, an almost crazy obsession with Earth Wind and Fire and Parliament/Funkadelic. My older sister has probably had the biggest influence on me, musically. She was in a world her own, when it came to music. I didn’t know any adults listening to Ravel, let alone teenagers. She got me into Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, then Classic Rock bands like The Who and The Beatles. She used to go to the record store, look at the cover of a single, and just buy it, having never heard it! Very risky. Our house was filled with music we might have otherwise never listened to, if not for my sister.

lovelyleslie41: Kentucky Rain by Elvis Presley, Faith by George Michael, ABC by the Jackson Five, Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson, Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard,  Hang On Sloopy by The McCoys,  Leader of the Pack by The Shangri-Las, It’s My Party by Lesley Gore,  I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany,  My Prerogative by Bobby Brown, My Name Is Not Susan by Whitney Houston, Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison,  Cool It Now by New Edition.

•  My parents played country, and oldies.
•  My older sister introduced me to R&B, pop, hip-hop, and rock. Music was a staple in our household growing up. My mom had lots of albums and 45′s that we would listen to over and over again. If we didn’t have the stereo on we were watching MTV (back when they played music videos). I remember when I was a little girl riding in my dad’s car listening to Elvis and when Kentucky Rain came on I used to sing the background vocals at the top of my lungs.
  My older sister listened to R&B artists such as Babyface, Bobby Brown, Al B. Sure, Whitney Houston, and New Edition. This influenced me because my big sister was my idol and I wanted to listen to all the cool music she listened to.  I definitely give credit to my family for my eclectic musical tastes and for my love of music today.

VC: Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles

• Inspired by: Family and homesickness
• I was back packing through Europe with a brother and sister in 1979. We were away from home for an entire summer. In fact it was the first time I was ever away from home for any length of time. I became very home sick and depressed. My baby sister was born that same year and I missed her very much as well as the rest of the family. After riding on a packed train for hours, having to sit on the floor, from Paris to Munich we hopped off at the station and there was this guy playing “Here Comes the Sun” on his guitar! Listening to the song gave me a warm feeling and assured me that everything was going to be all right. I have to say that has to be my favorite song!

MC: It Never Rains in Southern California by Albert Hammond

• Inspired by: Technology
• When I was maybe six or seven, in the ’70s, I was the proud owner of a Close-n-Play. It’s a battery-operated, hand-held record player that (ideally) plays without skipping even if you hold it vertically, as you would a briefcase. I had only three 45′s, which was the only size/speed record the Close-n-Play played. Rubber Duckie by Ernie; I Think I Love You by the Partridge Family; and It Never Rains in Southern California by Albert Hammond. I always gravitated toward the last one – a suicide note of a pop song that keeps the toes a-tappin’. Wherever I carried my Close-n-Play, I felt like the most important and technologically advanced person in the room. I’m looking to buy one even now, if you hear of anyone selling one.

 NL: I’m a Believer by The Monkees, Cruella de Ville, Everybody Wants to Be a Cat, I Need You and Carry Me Back to Memphis by America; other artists: Talking Heads and Prince

• Inspired by: Life
• Back in the day we listened to 45s and we had a little record player in our family room. I have three sisters and we would sing and dance to the music.  The ones I remember the most were I’m a believer by the Monkees, Cruella de Ville from Walt Disney’s 101 Dalmations and Everybody Wants to Be a Cat from Walt Disney’s The Aristocats. If you fast forward a few years, my first concert was America at Blossom and I went with a camp group and the songs I remember singing over and over were “I Would Give Everything I Own, ” “I Need You,” and “Carry Me back to Memphis.  By High School we listened to a lot of Talking Heads. Now you know why I am the person I am today! My freshman year of college it was your friend and mine—Prince!

AR: I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

• Inspired by: Whitney Houston
• It was the first song I knew all the words to. This song made me want to perform.

ML: You Got It by Roy Orbison, I Will by The Beatles or Alison Krauss, Earth Angel  by The Penguins, Bad (CD) by Michael Jackson; other artists Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, The Traveling Wilburys, Patsy Cline, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, New Kids On The Block

• Inspired by: Not sure, just a love of music
• I’ve always been a huge music fan, though my parents were not really, so I’m not sure where it came from. There are too many songs that have memories for me to list, so these are all from my young childhood. I have a few all-time favorites that make me super nostalgic.  My family would always sing in the car on long trips…Roy Orbison – You Got It, The Beatles (or Alison Krauss version) – I Will, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, The Traveling Wilburys, Patsy Cline, and pretty much anything on the oldies station. My grandmother had given my sister and me all my Dad’s old 45′s and the one I remember getting all moon-eyed and playing over and over again was Earth Angel by The Penguins. Michael Jackson’s Bad was the first CD I ever owned so whenever I hear anything off that album I shoot back to being 9 years old making up dances in the living room. I also loved Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, and New Kids On the Block (Jordan was my favorite, but I’d settle for Joey because we were closet in age!). Most songs I hear I can place with a memory so can’t even begin to start in on the middle-school/high-school/college years – it would take me forever! I often wish I could remember everything else in my life like I do song lyrics.

 AR: Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band, Everytime You Go Away by Paul Young (or Hall and Oates) Aenima by Tool; albums: Under the Pink by Tori Amos, The Downward Sprial by Nine Inch Nails, and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins

• Inspired by: Mother; youth and life
• When I was growing up, my mom listened to soft rock in the car.  Of course looking back, I recognize the horror of this, but in reality, with that being all I knew, I enjoyed it.  Some funny anecdotes from that time were that I loved singing along to Afternoon Delight and thought it referred to ice cream and that I sang along to Everytime You Go Away (I’m not sure which version, Hall and Oates of Paul Young) and finished the chorus “Everytime you go away you take a piece of MEAT with you.”  Which only makes sense if you are going camping or on vacation. Anyway, the real music of my youth was Tori Amos and Nine Inch Nails.  I discovered both in middle school and they carried me solidly through high school and the first part of college.  I don’t remember exactly how I discovered them.  I think NIN came from an older cousin and Amos came from a peer, but both were emotionally charged, honest and angry.  My favorite albums were Under the Pink for Amos and The Downward Spiral for NIN.  I still count these albums among my favorites today and I sometimes still get goosebumps while listening to certain tracks as my understanding of the meanings behind the songs changes as I mature.  Tool is another favorite and I think Aenima would be the favorite track there.  Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie were CDs that I wore out as well.

 HD:  Is It Still Good to You by Ashford and Simpson, This Time I’ll Be Sweeter by Angela Bofill, Never Giving Up by Al Jarreau, Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix, Down by the River by Buddy Miles, Never Knew Love Like This Before by Stephanie Mills, Look of Love by The Tymes, Close the Door by Teddy Pendergrass, For Your Precious Love by The Impressions with Jerry Butler; albums: Second Childhood by Phoebe Snow and Transformer by Lou Reed; other artists: Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock

• Inspired by:  Youth
• I was young and when you’re young, you love everything! The music was wonderful and when I hear it today, it brings back great memories.

 KS: Artists of The British Invasion; She Loves You by The Beatles

• The British Invasion
• It was the sixties – the English invasion. The bands had long(er) hair, fabulous accents and sang songs like “She loves you” yeah, yeah, yeah whooo! My next door neighbor had a bubblegum card with Ringo playing his sparkly blue drum kit (Premiere I think). It was all over for me from that point on. I wanta ROCK!!

NZ: Blowin’ In the Wind by Peter Paul and Mary

• Inspired by: the music
• I heard this album when I was young and it inspired a love of folk and traditional music. The harmonies are beautiful and they were an artistic voice for social justice.

ladyluvlylocs said:

I find a lot of music while watching TV; be it commercials, TV shows, or movies. I also belong to a great group on facebook, where we share music with each other, spreading the word about new artists. Below is a list of artists I would like to share; I think these entertainers have bright musical future ahead of them.

Gary Clark, Jr.: I found Austin native Clark while channel surfing one night. PBS was broadcasting the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival and I was immediately intrigued by this man. He is an amazing guitar player and apparently an actor, too. Key track: Bright Lights

Timothy Bloom: I really can’t remember how I was introduced to Timothy Bloom, though I think there was a link from a friend on facebook. Bloom is a Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, and producer who has worked with artists like Smokey Robinson and Usher. Key track: ‘Til the End of Time (featuring Bozeman)

Emelie Sande: I was introduced to Scottish singer, Sande, by a fellow co-worker and dear friend. She has great style and a beautiful voice. Key track: Let Go

Kimbra: I found New Zealander Kimbra while perusing various links from the music group I belong to on facebook. You may recognize her name  [and voice] from her appearance on Gotye’s hit, Somebody That I Used to Know. To say her voice blew me away is an understatement! The woman has pipes! Key track: Two Weeks/Head over Heels

I found the next four artists while watching bad, reality TV. At least I’m hearing good music while I’m losing brain cells!

Luke James: a native of Louisiana, James made a name for himself after a performance on this year’s BET Honors. He also has songwriting credits for collaborating with Chris Brown, Keri Hilson, and Justin Bieber.  Key track: I Want You

Stacy Barthe: Brooklyn-born Barthe has an exceptional voice and she has penned tracks for artists like Brandy, Katy Perry, and Rihanna. Key track: Without You (f. Frank Ocean)

Elle Varner: Hailing from Los Angeles, Varner is the daughter of songwriters and publishers and she is a graduate of NYU’s Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. Key track: So Fly

lovelyleslie41 said:

Like ladyluvlylocs said, I find a lot of music just by watching TV and movies. There is so much music out there today it’s tough to keep up! I’ve found the following artists in different places and I want to share them with you.

Harper Blynn: Found them opening for Greg Laswell. They are a fabulous quartet from New York that blend pop and rock in a way that will have you singing along in no time. Key track: Models/Dancers

Carsie Blanton: Carsie is from Virginia and I discovered her opening for The Weepies. She is funny and has a fantastic stage presence. Key tracks: Buoy, Itches and Tugs

Jukebox The Ghost: A trio from Washington, DC that I discovered opening for Wakey!Wakey! and Jack’s Mannequin. Key tracks: So Let Us Create, Summer Sun

Ingrid Michaelson: She is a singer songwriter from New York and I found her opening for the Dave Matthews Band and watching Grey’s Anatomy. Key tracks: Fire, How We Love

Ben Sollee: Ben is a cellist and singer from Kentucky. I discovered him opening for Brett Dennen. He blew me away with his talent and I became an instant fan. Key tracks: Bible Belt, Hurting

Sugar and The Hi Lows:  Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup make this fantastic duo. I found them on Facebook. Their music is very happy and always puts me in a good mood. Key tracks: See It For Yourself, This Can’t Be The Last Time  

Wakey!Wakey!: Another fabulous band from New York that I found by watching the TV show One Tree Hill. Michael Grubbs, lead vocalist, guest starred on the show. Key tracks: Brooklyn, Twenty Two 

The upcoming premiere of the ABC show, Duets, has had me thinking about duets. I’m not sure about the premise of the show, but with Robin Thicke involved, I’m sure it can’t go wrong. As my thoughts turn to all things duet, I begin to wonder, what makes a good duet? Is it merely two people singing a song together or is it how much each voice sings on a song? I’m not really sure, but I know the duets I love the most are those where I can’t choose which vocal part I want to sing. I have a bad habit of singing one part, then switching to other mid-song; it drives my family crazy! In honor of  Duets, I have listed my favorite duets of all time:

• You’re All I Need to Get By- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
• Ain’t No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
• Solid- Ashford & Simpson
• Endless Love- Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
• No More Tears (Enough is Enough)- Donna Summer & Barbara Streisand
• Guilty- Barbara Streisand & Barry Gibb
• Does He Love You- Reba McEntire & Linda Davis
• Heaven Knows- Donna Summer & Joe “Bean” Esposito
• Gimme Some Time- Natalie Cole & Peabo Bryson
• When I Fall in Love- Celine Dion & Clive Griffin
• Here We Go- Minnie Riperton & Peabo Bryson
• You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling- The Righteous Brothers; Hall and Oates
• She’s Gone- Hall and Oates
• On My Own- Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald
• Make It Last Forever- Keith Sweat & Jacci McGhee
• Fire and Desire- Rick James & Teena Marie
• Don’t Go Breaking My Heart- Elton John & Kiki Dee
• I Just Can’t Stop Loving You- Michael Jackson & Siedah Garrett
• If This World Were Mine- Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn
• Saturday Love- Alexander O’Neal & Cherrelle

What are some of your favorites?

It’s a bit rare for me to gush over a musician. What can I say? I’m pretty hard to please. But, when a fantastic artist comes along that I can’t stop listening to and talking about, I have to, well…talk about them! My current obsession: Mayer Hawthorne. I previously wrote about Mayer,  http://heightslibrary.org/wordpress/music/?p=61, when I discovered his first CD, A Strange Arrangement. He’s been in my rotation ever since, but he has recently rocketed to the top of my playlist. Last May, Mayer released a free download of his EP, Impressions – The Covers. Of course I jumped on this and played the heck out of it! Just a few months later, his second full-length release, How Do You Do, was released. Let me tell ya, this CD is EXCELLENT! His music still has the same late ’60s-early ’70s soul vibe, but the grooveometer was definitely ratcheted up, with songs that make you wanna dance as you sing along! I also detected a bit of a Yacht Rock feel and a solid nod to the funk era. Mayer still croons and moves with his beautiful falsetto, but he now he’s showing his fans that he can also groove with the best of them.

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Mayer this past Monday at the House of Blues; I had been waiting for this since I first heard A Strange Arrangement. I knew he would put on a good show, but I did not expect to be blown out of my socks by such an amazing performance. His voice, which sounds so achingly sweet on wax, is even sweeter live, in company with the great voices of The County, his band. He performed, it seemed, an even amount of songs from both of his LP releases and a few numbers from the EP. He even snuck in,  Love in Motion,  a song by SebastiAn on which Mayer performed guest vocals. That song nearly tore the house down! He’s a very funny guy and even took a moment to let the audience take pictures of him and The County. He also had his drummer take a picture of him, sitting in a leather lounge chair, in front of the audience. If you look close enough (he tweeted the pic), you can see three, crazily, adoring fans: Lovelyleslie, my daughter, and me! Mayer, for me, is the epitome of what music entertainer should be. He puts out fantastic music, that makes you feel good, his live show is spectacular and he seems very down-to-earth, to boot. You couldn’t ask for anything more.

Key tracks: The Walk, Can’t Stop, You’ve Got the Makings of a Lover, Hooked, No Strings, Henny & Gingerale, Little Person, You’re Not Ready