There are a lot of songs that are just cool. Some great ones: “Hit the Road Jack,” of course, and “Speedoo” by The Cadillacs. And just...
Category - Doo Wop
The Drifters seem to be more of a brand and franchise than a band. The Wikipedia profile says that the group, which it defines as having its (many) feet in doo...
The Box Tops, when it comes right down to it, are remembered for “The Letter,” which was a hit for them and for Joe Cocker and Leon Russell. The band...
The Platters, an important bridge between Tin Pan Alley and early rock-and-roll, was a group that was formed in Los Angeles. The group, which began with a...
The Cadillacs were great, both before and after Earl Carroll sang one of the most recognizable lines in modern music: “Well now they often call me...
Reading Music
The stories of the great bands and musicians are fascinating. Musicians as a group are brilliant, but often troubled. The combination of creativity and drama makes for great reading.
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Here are some books to check out.
Duke Ellington brought class, sophistication and style to jazz which, until that point, was proudly unpolished and raucous. His story is profound. The author, Terry Teachout, also wrote "Pops," the acclaimed bio of Louis Armstrong. Click here or on the image.
What else is there to say? Here is the story behind every song written by The Beatles. Click here or on the image.
The Grateful Dead don't get enough credit for the profound nature of its lyrics. Many of the band's songs are driven by a deep and literate Americana ("I'm Uncle Sam/That's who I am/Been hidin' out/In a rock and roll band" and "Majordomo Billy Bojangles/Sit down and have a drink with me/What's this about Alabama/Keeps comin' back to me?").
David Dodd's exhaustive study tells the story, song by song. Click here or on the image.