Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – “The Tears of a Clown,” Pop #1, R&B #1 By Joel Francis The Daily Record One of pop music’s most unique and amazing properties is its ability to wrap the most heartbreaking lyrics in a bubbly, effervescent melody. Think about it for a moment. While there are shades and [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Stevie Wonder’
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – “The Tears of a Clown”
Posted in Motown, Song Review, tagged Enuff Z'Nuff, Hitsville U.S.A., LaToya Jackson, Petula Clark, Phil Collins, Roxette, ska, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The English Beat, The Miracles, The Tracks of My Tears on July 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The Spinners – “It’s A Shame”
Posted in Motown, Song Review, tagged Harvey Fuqua, Hitsville U.S.A., Marvin Gaye, R. Kelly, Sounds of Blackness, Spinners, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright, the Originals, Tri-Phi records on May 17, 2010 | 2 Comments »
The Spinners – “It’s A Shame,” Pop #14, R&B #4 By Joel Francis The Daily Record The Spinners had been absent from the charts for five years when “It’s A Shame” came out in June, 1970. In fact, the Detroit quintet had only two hits in their 10-year history up till that point. The group [...]
The Best of Jeff Beck
Posted in Cover story, Kansas City Star, Music history, tagged Aphex Twins, Be-Bop-A-Lula, Blow By Blow, Carmen Appice, Charles Mingus, Chemical Brothers, Chic, Chick Corea, Cliff Gallup, Curtis Mayfield, Eric Clapton, Faces, fusion, Gene Vincent, Jeff Beck, Jeff Beck discography, Jeff Beck Group, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Muddy Waters, Narada Michael Walden, Nile Rodgers, progressive rock, Return to Forever, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Stevie Wonder, Tim Bogert, Vanilla Fudge, Yardbirds on April 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
(Above: “Goodbye Porkpie Hat” was Charles Mingus’ tribute to Lester Young. It has been a regular part of Jeff Beck’s performances for the past 30 years.) By Joel Francis The Kansas City Star The guitarist’s guitarist, Jeff Beck has a long and varied career. Here are some of the high points from each of the [...]
Top 10 Concerts of 2009
Posted in Concert review, Top 10, tagged Alice Cooper, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Cobb, Kind of Blue, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Leonard Cohen, Modest Mouse, Raphael Saadiq, Sly and Robbie, Sonny Rollins, Stevie Wonder, the Pogues on December 18, 2009 | 2 Comments »
(Above: Modest Mouse’s concert at the Uptown Theater in March deserves an honorable mention.) By Joel Francis Stevie Wonder, Starlight Theater, June 27 One day after the shocking death of Michael Jackson, Motown legend Stevie Wonder took the stage before a packed Starlight Theater to both grieve and celebrate his old friend. Wonder’s songbook and [...]
Swingin’ on Sesame Street
Posted in Music history, tagged Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Cab Calloway, children's music, Elmo, Frank Oz, Fugees, Itzhak Pearlman, Jim Henson, John Landis, Johnny Cash, Lauryn Hill, Minnie the Moocher, Muppets, Oscar the Grouch, public television, Ray Charles, Sesame Street, Snuffleupagus, Stevie Wonder, the Blues Brothers, Wyclef Jean on November 16, 2009 | 3 Comments »
As “Sesame Street” celebrates its 40th anniversary this week, The Daily Record examines five of the show’s greatest musical moments. Johnny Cash – “Nasty Dan” Twenty years after “Cry Cry Cry” appeared in jukeboxes, Johnny Cash was singing with Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street. “Nasty Dan” appears on the classic 1975 record “The Johnny [...]
Rita Wright – “I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel For You”
Posted in Motown, Song Review, tagged Ashford and Simpson, Diana Ross, Dusty Springfield, Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Jeff Beck, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta, the Supremes on October 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Rita Wright – “I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel For You,” did not chart By Joel Francis Rita Wright is best known by her 1970s stage name, Syreeta. Before she collaborated with – and briefly married – Stevie Wonder, and scored a handful of Adult Contemporary hits with Billy Preston, Wright was a [...]
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A Christmas conversation
Posted in Industry commentary, tagged Albert King, Allen Toussaint, Ava Maria, Back Door Santa, Bill Brownlee, Booker T and the MGs, Brenda Lee, Charles Brown, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Cooking, Christmas Gumbo, Clarence Carter, Dan Hicks, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Donny Hathaway, Elvin Jones, Emmylou Harris, Fats Domino, Greensleeves, Isaac Hayes, Jackson 5, Jimmy Smith, John Coltrane, John Fahey, Johnny Cash, Lester Bowie, Lou Rawls, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Matt Wilson, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Michael Jackson, Motown Christmas, Nat King Cole, Odetta, Otis Redding, Plastic Sax, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Rufus Thomas, Sam Billen, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Staple Singers, Stax, Stevie Wonder, Sufjan Stevens, Temptations, There Stands the Glass, Vince Guaraldi on December 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
(Above: Jimmy Smith’s “Christmas Cooking,” released in 1964, is a classic, overlooked holiday album.) By Joel Francis The Daily Record The other day I was in a retail bookstore when I noticed the wonderful sounds of the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack coming from the overhead speakers. As I enjoyed the music, two thoughts hit me. [...]
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