Monthly Archives: March 2013
Easter Bunny
Sit back and enjoy yourself listening to this one hour Music Charts Magazine Easter weekend radio special.
Big Al will guide you though this Easter weekend with one solid hour of Easter trivia, stories and some good ole Easter music that we are sure that you’ll enjoy!
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Click the play button to listen to: “Music Charts Magazine 4 part Easter Weekend Radio Special” – with Big Al. |
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( The Big Al Bluegrass Show is brought to you by MusicChartsMagazine.com )
GRAMMY® winner Gordon Stoker was known for his stellar tenor voice, which graced countless memorable recordings throughout his more than 60-year career. As a longtime member of the vocal quartet the Jordanaires, he helped to influence the sound of gospel, country and pop music with a unique and versatile style while recording with an impressive roster of artists. Stoker worked with the likes of Patsy Cline, George Jones, Loretta Lynn and played a significant role in the career of Elvis Presley for more than a decade. We have lost a gifted and timeless artist who made significant contributions to music and our industry, and our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends and all who were inspired by his talents.
Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy
Grants Awarded to 10 Top U.S. Public High Schools for Music Excellence Including Six Enterprise Awards Granted to Economically Underserved Schools
Supported in Part by Best Buy, the Ford Motor Company Fund, and the Hot Topic Foundation
Special GRAMMY Signature Schools Community Awards Given Throughout The Year In Partnership With Best Buy And The Hot Topic Foundation
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 28, 2013) — The GRAMMY Foundation® (www.grammyfoundation.org) announced today that 10 schools nationwide have been selected as GRAMMY® Signature Schools (www.grammyintheschools.com) for 2013 and have been awarded cash grants totaling $56,000. Created in 1998, the GRAMMY Signature Schools program recognizes top U.S. public high schools that are making an outstanding commitment to music education during an academic school year. Each of the 10 GRAMMY Signature Schools will receive a custom award and a monetary grant to benefit its music program. The top three schools are designated Gold recipients. The best of the Gold recipients is named the National GRAMMY Signature School. The National GRAMMY Signature School will receive $10,000, and the two remaining Gold schools each will receive $5,500. One remaining GRAMMY Signature School recipient will receive a grant of $2,000 to benefit its music programs. In the Enterprise Award category, which recognizes efforts made by schools that are economically underserved, six schools will receive a grant of $5,500 each. GRAMMY Signature Schools are made possible in part through the generous support of Best Buy, the Ford Motor Company Fund, and the Hot Topic Foundation.
The GRAMMY Foundation also offers the GRAMMY Signature Schools Community Award, an extension of the GRAMMY Signature Schools program in partnership with Best Buy and the Hot Topic Foundation. Through this alliance, the GRAMMY Foundation identifies deserving public high school music programs to receive the award and a $2,000 grant. During the past year, approximately 86 schools have received the GRAMMY Signature Schools Community Award, and total dollars granted exceeded $172,000.
“For the past 15 years, our GRAMMY Signature Schools program has been providing much-needed financial resources and recognizing excellence in schools across the U.S. whose music programs have a positive impact on the lives of their students,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation. “We’re extremely grateful to our sponsors, whose generous support has allowed this initiative to grow. This program also was one source of inspiration behind the new Music Educator Award being presented by The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation that will honor music’s unsung heroes — the teachers who spend their days in classrooms encouraging music’s next generation.”
2013 GRAMMY Signature Schools:
2013 National GRAMMY Signature School ($10,000)
Neuqua Valley High School — Naperville, Ill.
2013 GRAMMY Signature Schools Gold ($5,500 each)
Marcus High School — Flower Mound, Texas
York Community High School — Elmhurst, Ill.
2013 GRAMMY Signature Schools ($2,000)
Northwood High School — Irvine, Calif.
2013 GRAMMY Signature Schools Enterprise Award ($5,500 each)
Colony High School — Palmer, Alaska
Compton High School — Compton, Calif.
John Marshall High School — Los Angeles
North Central High School — Spokane, Wash.
Palacios High School — Palacios, Texas
Sahuarita High School — Sahuarita, Ariz.
The selection process for GRAMMY Signature Schools begins each year in August when the GRAMMY Foundation mails notification to more than 20,000 public high schools from districts large and small, urban, suburban and rural, requesting information about each school’s music program. Applications are completed and submitted online in October at www.grammyintheschools.com. After the applications are scored, finalists are identified and asked to submit additional documentation, such as recordings of school concerts, sample concert programs and repertoire, which is then reviewed by an independent blue-ribbon committee of top music educators and professionals to determine the schools that merit GRAMMY Signature School status.
The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. In recognition of the significant role of teachers in shaping their students’ musical experiences, the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present our first Music Educator Award. Open to current U.S. music teachers in kindergarten through college, the Music Educator Award will be given out during GRAMMY Week 2014. The nomination process is online at grammymusicteacher.com and the deadline for submissions is April 15. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.grammyfoundation.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, please “like” GRAMMY in the Schools® on Facebook at www.facebook.com/grammyintheschools, follow the GRAMMY Foundation on Twitter @GRAMMYFdn at www.twitter.com/GRAMMYFdn and join us on Instagram @GRAMMYFdn at www.instagram.com/GRAMMYfdn.
Somebody That I Used To Know
Gotye Featuring Kimbra
Lonely Boy
The Black Keys
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
Kelly Clarkson
We Are Young
Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe
Thinkin Bout You
Frank Ocean
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Taylor Swift
Babel
Mumford & Sons
El Camino
The Black Keys
Some Nights
Fun.
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Blunderbuss
Jack White
We Are Young
Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe)
The A Team
Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
Adorn
Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Call Me Maybe
Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
Fun.
Alabama Shakes
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
Set Fire To The Rain [Live]
Adele
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
Kelly Clarkson
Call Me Maybe
Carly Rae Jepsen
Wide Awake
Katy Perry
Where Have You Been
Rihanna
Somebody That I Used To Know
Gotye Featuring Kimbra
Shake It Out
Florence & The Machine
We Are Young
Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe
Sexy And I Know It
LMFAO
Payphone
Maroon 5 & Wiz Khalifa
Impressions
Chris Botti
24/7
Gerald Albright & Norman Brown
Four Hands & A Heart Volume One
Larry Carlton
Live At The Blue Note Tokyo
Dave Koz
Rumbadoodle
Arun Shenoy
Stronger
Kelly Clarkson
Ceremonials
Florence & The Machine
Some Nights
Fun.
Overexposed
Maroon 5
The Truth About Love
Pink
Bangarang
Skrillex Featuring Sirah
Levels
Avicii
Let’s Go
Calvin Harris Featuring Ne-Yo
Don’t You Worry Child
Swedish House Mafia Featuring John Martin
I Can’t Live Without You
Al Walser
Bangarang
Skrillex
Wonderland
Steve Aoki
Don’t Think
The Chemical Brothers
> Album Title Goes Here
Deadmau5
Fire & Ice
Kaskade
Kisses On The Bottom
Paul McCartney
Christmas
Michael Bublé
A Holiday Carole
Carole King
Lonely Boy
The Black Keys
Hold On
Alabama Shakes
Charlie Brown
Coldplay
I Will Wait
Mumford & Sons
We Take Care Of Our Own
Bruce Springsteen
Love Bites (So Do I)
Halestorm
I’m Alive
Anthrax
Blood Brothers
Iron Maiden
Ghost Walking
Lamb Of God
No Reflection
Marilyn Manson
Whose Life (Is It Anyways?)
Megadeth
Lonely Boy
Dan Auerbach, Brian Burton & Patrick Carney, songwriters (The Black Keys)
Freedom At 21
Jack White, songwriter (Jack White )
I Will Wait
Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall & Marcus Mumford, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
Madness
Matthew Bellamy, songwriter (Muse)
We Take Care Of Our Own
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
El Camino
The Black Keys
Mylo Xyloto
Coldplay
The 2nd Law
Muse
Wrecking Ball
Bruce Springsteen
Blunderbuss
Jack White
Making Mirrors
Gotye
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
Fiona Apple
Biophilia
Björk
Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.
M83
Bad As Me
Tom Waits
Climax
Usher
Thank You
Estelle
Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)
Robert Glasper Experiment Featuring Ledisi
I Want You
Luke James
Adorn
Miguel
Love On Top
Beyoncé
Lately
Anita Baker
Wrong Side Of A Love Song
Melanie Fiona
Real Good Hands
Gregory Porter
If Only You Knew
SWV
Adorn
Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Beautiful Surprise
Tamia Hill, Claude Kelly & Salaam Remi, songwriters (Tamia)
Heart Attack
Benjamin Levin, Rico Love & Tremaine Neverson, songwriters (Trey Songz)
Pray For Me
Antonio Dixon, Kenny Edmonds, Anthony Hamilton & Patrick “jQue” Smith, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
Refill
Darhyl “DJ” Camper, Elle Varner & Andrew “Pop” Wansel, songwriters (Elle Varner)
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
Fortune
Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream
Miguel
Black Radio
Robert Glasper Experiment
Back To Love
Anthony Hamilton
Write Me Back
R. Kelly
Beautiful Surprise
Tamia
Open Invitation
Tyrese
N****s In Paris
Jay-Z & Kanye West
HYFR (Hell Ya F***ing Right)
Drake Featuring Lil’ Wayne
Daughters
Nas
Mercy
Kanye West Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz
I Do
Young Jeezy Featuring Jay-Z & André 3000
No Church In The Wild
Jay-Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream
Wild Ones
Flo Rida Featuring Sia
Tonight (Best You Ever Had)
John Legend Featuring Ludacris
Cherry Wine
Nas Featuring Amy Winehouse
Talk That Talk
Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
N****s In Paris
Shawn Carter, Mike Dean, Chauncey Hollis & Kanye West, songwriters (W.A. Donaldson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
Daughters
Nasir Jones & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Patrick Adams, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer & Paul Leka, songwriters) (Nas)
Lotus Flower Bomb
Olubowale Akintimehin, S. Joseph Dew, Jerrin Howard, Walker Johnson & Miguel Jontel Pimentel, songwriters (Wale Featuring Miguel)
Mercy
Sean Anderson, Mike Dean, Tauheed Epps, Willie Hansbro, Malik Yusef Jones, Anthony Khan, Stephen Taft, James Thomas, Terrence Thornton, Herbert Turner & Kanye West, songwriters (Denzie Beagle, Winston Riley, Reggie Stepper & Reggie Williams, songwriters)
The Motto
Dwayne Carter, Aubrey Graham, Noah “40” Shebib & Tyler Williams, songwriters (Drake Featuring Lil’ Wayne)
Young, Wild & Free
Calvin Broadus, Chris Brody Brown, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Peter Hernandez & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (T. Bluechel, M. Borrow, T. Griffin, K. Jackson, N. Lee & M. Newman, songwriters) (Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Featuring Bruno Mars)
Take Care
Drake
Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1
Lupe Fiasco
Life Is Good
Nas
Undun
The Roots
God Forgives, I Don’t
Rick Ross
Based On A T.R.U. Story
2 Chainz
Blown Away
Carrie Underwood
Home
Dierks Bentley
Springsteen
Eric Church
Cost Of Livin’
Ronnie Dunn
Wanted
Hunter Hayes
Over
Blake Shelton
Pontoon
Little Big Town
Even If It Breaks Your Heart
Eli Young Band
Safe & Sound
Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars
On The Outskirts Of Town
The Time Jumpers
I Just Come Here For The Music
Don Williams Featuring Alison Krauss
Blown Away
Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Cost Of Livin’
Phillip Coleman & Ronnie Dunn, songwriters (Ronnie Dunn)
Even If It Breaks Your Heart
Will Hoge & Eric Paslay, songwriters (Eli Young Band)
So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore
Jay Knowles & Adam Wright, songwriters (Alan Jackson)
Springsteen
Eric Church, Jeff Hyde & Ryan Tyndell, songwriters (Eric Church)
Uncaged
Zac Brown Band
Hunter Hayes
Hunter Hayes
Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran
Jamey Johnson
Four The Record
Miranda Lambert
The Time Jumpers
The Time Jumpers
Echoes Of Love
Omar Akram
Live Ananda
Krishna Das
Bindu
Michael Brant DeMaria
Deep Alpha
Steven Halpern
Light Body
Peter Kater
Troubadours On The Rhine
Loreena McKennitt
Hot House
Gary Burton & Chick Corea, soloists
Cross Roads
Ravi Coltrane, soloist
Alice In Wonderland
Chick Corea, soloist
J. Mac
Kenny Garrett, soloist
Ode
Brad Mehldau, soloist
Radio Music Society
Esperanza Spalding
Soul Shadows
Denise Donatelli
1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project
Kurt Elling
Live
Al Jarreau (And The Metropole Orkest)
The Book Of Chet
Luciana Souza
Unity Band
Pat Metheny Unity Band
Further Explorations
Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez & Paul Motian
Hot House
Chick Corea & Gary Burton
Seeds From The Underground
Kenny Garrett
Blue Moon
Ahmad Jamal
Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You)
Arturo Sandoval
Centennial: Newly Discovered Works Of Gil Evans
Gil Evans Project
For The Moment
Bob Mintzer Big Band
¡Ritmo!
The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
Flamenco Sketches
Chano Domínguez
Multiverse
Bobby Sanabria Big Band
Duos III
Luciana Souza
New Cuban Express
Manuel Valera New Cuban Express
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)
Matt Redman
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners
Casting Crowns
Take Me To The King
Tamela Mann
Go Get It
Mary Mary
My Testimony
Marvin Sapp
Go Get It
Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Hold On
Cheryl Fortune, James Fortune & Terence Vaughn, songwriters (James Fortune & FIYA, Monica & Fred Hammond)
I Feel Good
Phillip Feaster, Fred Hammond, Jonathan Miller & Calvin Rodgers, songwriters (Fred Hammond)
My Testimony
Aaron Lindsey & Marvin Sapp, songwriters (Marvin Sapp)
Released
Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Bill Winston & Living Word Featuring Donald Lawrence)
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)
Jonas Myrin & Matt Redman, songwriters (Matt Redman)
Your Presence Is Heaven
Israel Houghton & Micah Massey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners
Mark Hall & Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
When Mercy Found Me
Jeff Pardo & Rhett Walker, songwriters (Rhett Walker Band)
White Flag
Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Matt Redman & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Passion & Chris Tomlin)
Gravity
Lecrae
Identity
James Fortune & FIYA
Jesus At The Center Live
Israel & New Breed
I Win
Marvin Sapp
Worship Soul
Anita Wilson
Eye On It
TobyMac
Come To The Well
Casting Crowns
Where I Find You
Kari Jobe
Gold
Britt Nicole
Into The Light
Matthew West
MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition
Juanes
Independiente
Ricardo Arjona
Ilusión
Fonseca
Kany Garcia
Kany Garcia
¿Con Quién Se Queda El Perro?
Jesse Y Joy
Imaginaries
Quetzal
Campo
Campo
Déjenme Llorar
Carla Morrison
Electro-Jarocho
Sistema Bomb
La Bala
Ana Tijoux
Pecados Y Milagros
Lila Downs
Sembrando Flores
Los Cojolites
365 Días
Los Tucanes De Tijuana
Oye
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
El Primer Ministro
Gerardo Ortiz
Retro
Marlow Rosado Y La Riqueña
Cubano Soy
Raúl Lara Y Sus Soneros
Desde Nueva York A Puerto Rico
Eddie Montalvo
Formula Vol. 1
Romeo Santos
Slipstream
Bonnie Raitt
The Carpenter
The Avett Brothers
From The Ground Up
John Fullbright
The Lumineers
The Lumineers
Babel
Mumford & Sons
Nobody Knows You
Steep Canyon Rangers
The Gospel Side Of
Dailey & Vincent
Life Finds A Way
The Grascals
Beat The Devil And Carry A Rail
Noam Pikelny
Scratch Gravel Road
Special Consensus
Locked Down
Dr. John
33 1/3
Shemekia Copeland
Let It Burn
Ruthie Foster
And Still I Rise
Heritage Blues Orchestra
Bring It On Home
Joan Osborne
The Goat Rodeo Sessions
Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile
Leaving Eden
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Election Special
Ry Cooder
Hambone’s Meditations
Luther Dickinson
This One’s For Him: A Tribute To Guy Clark
(Various Artists)
The Band Courtbouillon
Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy
Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)
Keola Beamer
Shi Kéyah – Songs For The People
Radmilla Cody
Pilialoha
Weldon Kekauoha
Nothin’ But The Best
Corey Ledet With Anthony Dopsie And André Thierry
Rebirth
Jimmy Cliff
Miracle
The Original Wailers
Tomahawk Technique
Sean Paul
New Legend – Jamaica 50th Edition
Sly & Robbie & The Jam Masters
Reggae Got Soul: Unplugged On Strawberry Hill
Toots And The Maytals
The Living Room Sessions Part 1
Ravi Shankar
Folila
Amadou & Mariam
On A Gentle Island Breeze
Daniel Ho
Jabulani
Hugh Masekela
Traveller
Anoushka Shankar
Can You Canoe?
The Okee Dokee Brothers
High Dive And Other Things That Could Have Happened…
Bill Harley
JumpinJazz Kids – A Swinging Jungle Tale – Featuring Al Jarreau, Hubert Laws And Dee Dee Bridgewater
James Murray & Various Artists
Little Seed: Songs For Children By Woody Guthrie
Elizabeth Mitchell
Radio Jungle
The Pop Ups
Society’s Child: My Autobiography
Janis Ian
American Grown (Michelle Obama)
(Various Artists)
Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy
Bill Clinton
Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power
Rachel Maddow
Seriously… I’m Kidding
Ellen DeGeneres
Blow Your Pants Off
Jimmy Fallon
Cho Dependent (Live In Concert)
Margaret Cho
In God We Rust
Lewis Black
Kathy Griffin: Seaman 1st Class
Kathy Griffin
Mr. Universe
Jim Gaffigan
Rize Of The Fenix
Tenacious D
Once: A New Musical
Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti, principal soloists; Steven Epstein & Martin Lowe, producers (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, composers/lyricists) (Original Broadway Cast With Steve Kazee, Cristin Milioti & Others)
Follies
Danny Burstein, Jan Maxwell, Elaine Paige, Bernadette Peters & Ron Raines, principal soloists; Philip Chaffin & Tommy Krasker, producers (Stephen Sondheim, composer/lyricist)
The Gershwins’ Porgy And Bess
David Alan Grier, Norm Lewis & Audra McDonald, principal soloists; Tommy Krasker, producer (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward & DuBose Heyward, lyricists)
Newsies
Jeremy Jordan & Kara Lindsay, principal soloists; Frank Filipetti, Michael Kosarin, Alan Menken & Chris Montan, producers (Alan Menken, composer; Jack Feldman, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast With Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay & Others)
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Matthew Broderick & Kelli O’Hara, principal soloists; David Chase, Bill Elliott & Robert Sher, producers (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast With Matthew Broderick, Kelli O’Hara & Others)
Midnight In Paris
(Various Artists)
The Descendants
(Various Artists)
Marley
(Bob Marley & The Wailers)
The Muppets
(Various Artists)
Rock Of Ages
(Various Artists)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers
The Adventures Of Tintin – The Secret Of The Unicorn
John Williams, composer
The Artist
Ludovic Bource, composer
The Dark Knight Rises
Hans Zimmer, composer
Hugo
Howard Shore, composer
Journey
Austin Wintory, composer
Safe & Sound (From The Hunger Games)
T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters
Abraham’s Daughter (From The Hunger Games)
T Bone Burnett, Win Butler & Régine Chassagne, songwriters (Arcade Fire)
Learn Me Right (From Brave)
Mumford & Sons, songwriters (Birdy & Mumford & Sons)
Let Me Be Your Star (From Smash)
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, songwriters (Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty)
Man Or Muppet (From The Muppets)
Bret McKenzie, songwriter (Jason Segel & Walter)
Mozart Goes Dancing
Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Gary Burton)
December Dream
Chuck Loeb, composer (Fourplay)
Music Of Ansel Adams: America
Chris Brubeck & Dave Brubeck, composers (Temple University Symphony Orchestra)
Overture, Waltz And Rondo
Bill Cunliffe, composer (Temple University Symphony Orchestra)
Without A Paddle
Bill Holman, composer (Tall & Small)
How About You
Gil Evans, arranger (Gil Evans Project)
Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite For Ellington
Michael Philip Mossman, arranger (Bobby Sanabria Big Band)
Irrequieto
Bob Mintzer, arranger (Bob Mintzer Big Band)
A Night In Tunisia (Actually An Entire Weekend!)
Wally Minko, arranger (Arturo Sandoval)
Salt Peanuts! (Mani Salado)
Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Arturo Sandoval)
City Of Roses
Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding)
Look To The Rainbow
Gil Evans, arranger (Gil Evans Project and Luciana Souza)
Out There
Shelly Berg, arranger (Lorraine Feather)
Spain (I Can Recall)
Vince Mendoza, arranger (Al Jarreau And The Metropole Orkest)
Wild Is The Wind
Nan Schwartz, arranger (Whitney Claire Kaufman)
Biophilia
Michael Amzalag & Mathias Augustyniak, art directors (Björk)
Boys & Girls
Brett Kilroe, art director (Alabama Shakes)
Charmer
Gail Marowitz, art director (Aimee Mann)
Love This Giant
Noah Wall, art director (David Byrne & St. Vincent)
Swing Lo Magellan
David Longstreth, art director (Dirty Projectors)
Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection
Fritz Klaetke, art director (Woody Guthrie)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Soundtrack From The Motion Picture)
Rob Sheridan, art director (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)
Go Fly A Kite
Kate Iltis, Ben Kweller, Liz Kweller, Erin Mayes, art directors (Ben Kweller)
Ram – Paul McCartney Archive Collection (Deluxe Edition)
Simon Earith & James Musgrave, art directors (Paul And Linda McCartney)
Some Girls: Super Deluxe Edition
Stephen Kennedy & Jimmy Tilley, art directors (The Rolling Stones)
Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles
Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles)
Banjo Diary: Lessons From Tradition
Stephen Wade, album notes writer (Stephen Wade)
First Recordings: 50th Anniversary Edition
Hans Olof Gottfridsson, album notes writer (The Beatles With Tony Sheridan)
The Pearl Sessions
Holly George-Warren, album notes writer (Janis Joplin)
Piazzolla In Brooklyn
Fernando Gonzalez, album notes writer (Pablo Aslan Quintet)
The Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set)
Alan Boyd, Mark Linett, Brian Wilson & Dennis Wolfe, compilation producers; Mark Linett, mastering engineer (The Beach Boys)
He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul Of Arizona Dranes
Josh Rosenthal, compilation producer; Bryan Hoffa & Christopher King, mastering engineers (Arizona Dranes)
Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music: 34 Historic Songs, Ballads, And Instrumentals Recorded In The Great Smoky Mountains By “Song Catcher” Joseph S. Hall
Kent Cave, Michael Montgomery & Ted Olson, compilation producers; John Fleenor & Steve Kemp, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
Opika Pende: Africa At 78 RPM
Steven Lance Ledbetter & Jonathan Ward, compilation producers; Michael Graves,
Ram – Paul McCartney Archive Collection (Deluxe Edition)
Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Simon Gibson, Guy Massey & Steve Rooke,
Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection
Jeff Place & Robert Santelli, compilation producers; Pete Reiniger, mastering
The Goat Rodeo Sessions
Richard King, engineer; Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile)
The Absence
Moogie Canazio & Al Schmitt, engineers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Melody Gardot)
Ashes & Fire
Glyn Johns, engineer; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Ryan Adams)
Love Is A Four Letter Word
Joe Chiccarelli, Steve Churchyard, Lars Fox, Graham Hope, Tony Maserati & Morgan Stratton, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Jason Mraz)
Slingshot
Helik Hadar, engineer; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Rebecca Pidgeon)
Dan Auerbach
- El Camino (The Black Keys) (A)
- Locked Down (Dr. John) (A)
- Savage (Hacienda) (S)
- Shakedown (Hacienda) (A)
Jeff Bhasker
- Some Nights (Fun.) (A)
Diplo
- Climax (Usher) (T)
- Get Free (Major Lazer Featuring Amber Coffman) (S)
- La La La (Snoop Lion) (S)
- Lies (Marina And The Diamonds) (T)
- Look At These Hoes (Santigold) (T)
- Push And Shove (No Doubt Featuring Busy Signal & Major Lazer) (T)
- Slight Work (Wale Featuring Big Sean) (T)
- Thought Of You (Justin Bieber) (T)
- Too Close (Alex Clare) (T)
Markus Dravs
- Babel (Mumford & Sons) (A)
- Mylo Xyloto (Coldplay) (A)
Salaam Remi
- Back To Love (Anthony Hamilton) (T)
- Between The Cheats (Amy Winehouse) (T)
- Girl On Fire (Alicia Keys & Nicki Minaj) (S)
- How Many Drinks? (Miguel) (T)
- Life Is Good (Nas) (A)
- Like Smoke (Amy Winehouse Featuring Nas) (T)
- Running (Melanie Fiona Featuring Nas) (T)
- Sins Of My Father (Usher) (T)
- A Song For You (Amy Winehouse) (T)
Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)
Skrillex, remixer (Nero)
In My Mind (Axwell Remix)
Axel Hedfors, remixer (Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl Featuring Georgi Kay)
Lie Down In Darkness (Photek Remix)
Photek, remixer (Moby)
Midnight City (Eric Prydz Private Remix)
Eric Prydz, remixer (M83)
The Veldt (Tommy Trash Remix)
Thomas Olsen, remixer (Deadmau5 Featuring Chris James)
Modern Cool
Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Michael Friedman, surround producer (Patricia Barber)
Chamberland
David Miles Huber, surround mix engineer; David Miles Huber, surround mastering engineer; David Miles Huber, surround producer (David Miles Huber)
Quiet Winter Night
Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Hoff Ensemble)
Rupa-Khandha
Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores, surround mastering engineer; Marina Ledin & Victor Ledin, surround producers (Los Angeles Percussion Quartet)
Storm Corrosion
Steven Wilson, surround mix engineer; Steven Wilson, surround mastering
Life & Breath – Choral Works By René Clausen
Tom Caulfield & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale)
Americana
Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer (Modern Mandolin Quartet)
Beethoven: The Late String Quartets, Op. 127 & 131
Bruce Egre, engineer (Brentano String Quartet)
Music For A Time Of War
Jesse Lewis & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Brayman, mastering engineer (Carlos Kalmar & The Oregon Symphony)
Souvenir
Morten Lindberg, engineer; Morten Lindberg, mastering engineer (TrondheimSolistene)
Blanton Alspaugh
- Chamber Symphonies (Gregory Wolynec & Gateway Chamber Orchestra)
- Davis: Río De Sangre (Joseph Rescigno, Vale Rideout, Ava Pine, John Duykers, Kerry Walsh, Guido LeBron, The Florentine Opera Company & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
- Gjeilo: Northern Lights (Charles Bruffy & Phoenix Chorale)
- In Paradisum (Brian A. Schmidt & South Dakota Chorale)
- Life & Breath – Choral Works By René Clausen (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale)
- Music For A Time Of War (Carlos Kalmar & The Oregon Symphony)
- Musto: The Inspector (Glen Cortese & Wolf Trap Opera Company)
Tim Handley
- Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Leonard Slatkin & Orchestre National De Lyon)
- Debussy: Orchestral Works, Vol. 7 (Jun Märkl & Orchestre National De Lyon)
- Debussy: 24 Préludes (Jun Märkl & Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
- Fuchs, K.: Atlantic Riband; American Rhapsody; Divinium Mysterium (JoAnn Falletta, Paul Silverthorne, Michael Ludwig & London Symphony Orchestra)
- Gershwin: Piano Concerto In F; Rhapsody No. 2; I Got Rhythm Variations (Orion Weiss, JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
- Hailstork: An American Port Of Call (JoAnn Falletta, Virginia Symphony Chorus & Virginia Symphony Orchestra)
- Holst: Cotswolds Symphony; Walt Whitman Overture (JoAnn Falletta & Ulster Orchestra)
- Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (Marin Alsop & Baltimore Symphony Orchestra)
- Roussel: Le Festin De L’Araignée (Stéphane Denève & Royal Scottish National Orchestra)
- Still: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 (John Jeter & Fort Smith Symphony)
Marina Ledin, Victor Ledin
- Americana (Modern Mandolin Quartet)
- Brubeck & American Poets (Lynne Morrow & Pacific Mozart Ensemble)
- Delibes: Sylvia; Coppélia (Martin West & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)
- Mind Meld (ZOFO Duet)
- Rupa-Khandha (Los Angeles Percussion Quartet)
- Weigl: Isle Of The Dead; Six Fantasies; Pictures & Tales; Night Fantasies (Joseph Banowetz)
James Mallinson
- Britten: War Requiem (Gianandrea Noseda, Joseph Cullen, Alastair Tighe, Choir Of Eltham College, London Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)
- Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (Bernard Haitink & London Symphony Orchestra)
- The Greatest Film Scores Of Dimitri Tiomkin (Richard Kaufman, Whitney Claire Kaufman, Andrew Playfoot, London Voices & London Symphony Orchestra)
- Massenet: Don Quichotte (Valery Gergiev, Andrei Serov, Anna Kiknadze, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Soloists’ Ensemble Of The Mariinsky Academy Of Young Singers & Mariinsky Orchestra)
- Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances (Valery Gergiev & London Symphony Orchestra)
Dan Merceruio
- Arensky: Quartets Nos. 1 & 2; Piano Quintet, Op. 51 (Ying Quartet)
- Brasileiro – Works Of Francisco Mignone (Cuarteto Latinoamericano)
- Change Of Worlds (Ensemble Galilei)
- The Complete Harpsichord Works Of Rameau (Jory Vinikour)
- Critical Models – Chamber Works Of Mohammed Fairouz (Various Artists)
- The Kernis Project: Schubert (Jasper String Quartet)
- Le Bestiaire (Celine Ricci)
- Scarlatti: La Dirindina & Pur Nel Sonno (Matthew Dirst & Ars Lyrica Houston)
- Two Lutes – Lute Duets From England’s Golden Age (Ronn McFarlane & William Simms)
- Weill-Ibert-Berg (Timothy Muffitt & Baton Rouge Symphony Chamber Players)
Adams: Harmonielehre & Short Ride In A Fast Machine
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Iván Fischer, conductor (Budapest Festival Orchestra)
Music For A Time Of War
Carlos Kalmar, conductor (Oregon Symphony)
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances
Valery Gergiev, conductor (London Symphony Orchestra)
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5
Osmo Vänskä, conductor (Minnesota Orchestra)
Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen
James Levine & Fabio Luisi, conductors; Hans-Peter König, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel & Deborah Voigt; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Berg: Lulu
Michael Boder, conductor; Paul Groves, Ashley Holland, Julia Juon & Patricia Petibon; Johannes Müller, producer (Symphony Orchestra Of The Gran Teatre Del Liceu)
Handel: Agrippina
René Jacobs, conductor; Marcos Fink, Sunhae Im, Bejun Mehta, Alexandrina Pendatchanska & Jennifer Rivera (Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin)
Stravinsky: The Rake’s Progress
Vladimir Jurowski, conductor; Topi Lehtipuu, Miah Persson & Matthew Rose; Jean Chatauret, producer (London Philharmonic Orchestra; Glyndebourne Chorus)
Vivaldi: Teuzzone
Jordi Savall, conductor; Delphine Galou, Paolo Lopez, Roberta Mameli, Raffaella Milanesi & Furio Zanasi, Jordi Savall & Manuel Mohino, producers (Le Concert Des Nations)
Life & Breath – Choral Works By René Clausen
Charles Bruffy, conductor (Matthew Gladden, Lindsey Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sarah Tannehill & Pamela Williamson; Kansas City Chorale)
Handel: Israel In Egypt
Julian Wachner, conductor (Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Choir Wall Street)
Ligeti: Requiem; Apparitions; San Francisco Polyphony
Peter Eötvös, conductor (Barbara Hannigan & Susan Parry; WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln; SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart & WDR Rundfunkchor Köln)
The Nightingale
Stephen Layton, conductor (Michala Petri; Danish National Vocal Ensemble)
Striggio: Mass For 40 & 60 Voices
Hervé Niquet, conductor (Le Concert Spirituel)
Meanwhile
Eighth Blackbird
Americana
Modern Mandolin Quartet
Mind Meld
ZOFO Duet
Profanes Et Sacrées
Boston Symphony Chamber Players
Rupa-Khandha
Los Angeles Percussion Quartet
Kurtág & Ligeti: Music For Viola
Kim Kashkashian
Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Clavier
András Schiff
The Complete Harpsichord Works Of Rameau
Jory Vinikour
Gál & Elgar: Cello Concertos
Claudio Cruz, conductor; Antonio Meneses (Northern Sinfonia)
Holst: The Planets
Hansjörg Albrecht
Poèmes
Renée Fleming (Alan Gilbert & Seiji Ozawa; Orchestre National De France & Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France)
Debussy: Clair De Lune
Natalie Dessay (Henri Chalet; Philippe Cassard, Karine Deshayes & Catherine Michel; Le Jeune Coeur De Paris)
Homecoming – Kansas City Symphony Presents Joyce DiDonato
Joyce DiDonato (Michael Stern; Kansas City Symphony)
Paris Days, Berlin Nights
Ute Lemper (Stefan Malzew & Vogler Quartet)
Sogno Barocco
Anne Sofie Von Otter (Leonardo García Alarcón; Sandrine Piau & Susanna Sundberg; Ensemble Cappella Mediterranea)
Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis
Antoni Wit, conductor; Aleksandra Nagórko & Andrzej Sasin, producers
Partch: Bitter Music
Partch, ensemble; John Schneider, producer
Une Fête Baroque
Emmanuelle Haïm, conductor; Daniel Zalay, producer
Hartke, Stephen: Meanwhile – Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays
Stephen Hartke, composer (Eighth Blackbird)
León, Tania: Inura For Voices, Strings & Percussion
Tania León, composer (Tania León, Son Sonora Voices, DanceBrazil Percussion & Son Sonora Ensemble)
Praulins, Ugis: The Nightingale
Ugis Praulins, composer (Stephen Layton, Michala Petri & Danish National Vocal Ensemble)
Rautavaara, Einojuhani: Cello Concerto No. 2 ‘Towards The Horizon’
Einojuhani Rautavaara, composer (Truls Mørk, John Storgårds & Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra)
Stucky, Steven: August 4, 1964
Steven Stucky, composer; Gene Scheer, librettist (Jaap Van Zweden, Dallas Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)
We Found Love
Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris
Houdini
Foster The People
No Church In The Wild
Jay-Z & Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream
Bad Girls
M.I.A
Run Boy Run
Woodkid
Big Easy Express
Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros & Old Crow Medicine Show
Bring Me Home – Live 2011
Sade
Radio Music Society
Esperanza Spalding
Get Along
Tegan & Sara
From The Sky Down
U2
Gordon Stoker & Elvis, May 28th 1966 at the ‘How Great Thou Art’ session
Gordon Stoker lived to be 88 years old. He died at his home in Brentwood, TN.
Stoker was a native of Gleason, Tennessee, where he grew up in a musical family.
1st there was the “Foggy River Boys”. When Gordon Stoker replaced Bob Money as the pianist a new group was formed named the “Melodizing Matthews”. The group was based in Springfield, Missouri.
The Melodizing Matthews soon changed their name to The Jordanaires, after Jordan Creek in Missouri—not after the Jordan River, as many have thought.
Gordon Stroker was a tenor singer for the Jordanaires from 1951 to 2013.
Read more at: http://www.jordanaires.net/
Sara Serpa . Ran Blake – Album – Aurora
Date = 28 March 2013
Artist Name = Sara Serpa and Ran Blake
Genre = Jazz
Title = Aurora
Record Company = Clean Feed
Review = The Portuguese singer Sara Serpa became active on the American jazz scene in 2008. That year, when she received a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory, she recorded with Greg Osby and led her initial session, released as Praia. Subsequently, she recorded a duet album, Camera Obscura, with pianist Ran Blake, and released her second CD as leader, Mobile. Recorded in Lisbon in May 2012, Aurora is another session with Blake.
Praising her originality, daringness, clarity of voice, and ability to sing as an instrumentalist, critics rave about Serpa. Without question, she is daring in her willingness to sing with Blake, one of the most idiosyncratic musicians, and her voice is clear. She is original at least in the sense that her voice is immediately identifiable. I cannot tell from the music on Auroa whether her singing resembles the playing of an instrumentalist, whatever this means. These qualities are positive and warrant praise. She also possesses another quality: uncertain intonation. She is not the first singer to have this problem: Anita O’Day comes immediately to mind, as does Chris Connor, a favorite of Blake. Yet these singers’ occasional inability to stay on pitch was not as frequent or severe as Serpa’s, and they had compensating qualities that Serpa lacks. Occasionally, she reminds me of Jo Stafford, as Darlene Edwards, parodying inferior singers. Does wavering intonation detract from Serpa’s singing? To me, it detracts because it distracts. This is not to say that in order to sing convincingly a singer need be formal and “correct” and must not take liberties. In the end, I believe that Serpa’s sometimes imperfect intonation (as on “Love Lament” and “Wende”) is worth enduring in order to enjoy her other qualities, the ability to convey meaning paramount among them.
As should be expected on a CD involving Blake, the selections reflect his interests, including movies, and his interpretations of familiar tunes are always fresh. On the current release, he chose “The Band Played On” because of its appearance in the movie Strangers on a Train; “Dr. Mabuse,” because it is played in Fritz Lang’s film of the same name. “Last Night When We Were Young,” the sole standard ballad, is moving in its deliberate tempo and nuance. “Cansaço” is a fado. Serpa does not sing on “Mahler Noir,” on which Blake, the composer, segues into “Dancing in the Dark.” Serpa sings “Strange Fruit” a cappella. Despite taking great liberties with it, she remains on key until intentionally wavering at the end, in the manner of Billie Holiday. One wonders, though, how meaningful the lyrics are to this Portuguese who has resided in the United States for only a few years.
In sum, the music of Serpa and Blake is more exploratory than polished, and this, to me, is a major positive. Individualists, the musicians take chances while striving for valid musical expression in an unexpected manner. They succeed in doing so.
Author = Benjamin Franklin V
Music Charts Magazine Jazz Reviews with Benjamin Franklin V
Easton Corbin – All Over The Road
Artist: Easton Corbin
Album: “All Over the Road“
Genre: Country Music
Easton Corbin’s sophomore album, “All Over the Road,” was released back in September, 2012. By this time, all of his fans know the songs “Lovin’ You is Fun” and the album’s title track, “All Over the Road.” These two songs were released as singles, and both did well both on radio, and on the country charts.
But there are nine additional songs on this new CD that Easton’s fans are going to want to know about. As you will see from the list of song titles and the writers for each song, Easton does more than sing on this new album. He had a hand in writing two of the songs.
The first and second tracks are his the two he’s already released, All Over the Road (Carson Chamberlain, Ashley Gorley, Wade Kriby); and Lovin’ You is Fun (Jim Beavers, Bob DiPiero). The nine that follow are That’s Gonna Leave a Memory (Tony Martin, Mark Nesler, Roger Springer); Hearts Drawn in the Sand (Michael White, Jason Saenz); Dance Real Slow (Carson Chamberlain, Ashley Gorley, Wade Kriby); A Thing for You (Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain, Tony Lane); Are You With Me (Tommy Lee James, Terry McBride, Shane McAnally); This Feels A Lot Like Love (Easton Corbin, Carson Chamberlain, Mark D. Sanders); Only A Girl (Carson Chamberlain, Wade Kirby, Will Nance); Tulsa, Texas Tony Lane, Mike Lane, David Lee); and I Think of You (Thom Shepherd, Jeff Silvey).
Since Easton first released “A Little More Country Than That,” back in 2009, people have been comparing his voice to George Strait. In fact, when hearing his debut single for the first time, a lot of folks thought it was actually an old George Strait song, and that George was singing it. While that is an easy comparison to make, you will hear a lot this new CD that is unmistakably Easton. “Only A Girl,” however, is the one on the new album that instantly reminds the listener of George.
“A Thing for You,” is one Easton had a hand in writing. It is one of my favorites on this album, with the kind of lyrics that make you want to listen, and not miss even one word. ‘Farmers farm and painters paint, God is good, and the devil ain’t… Summers hot and sidewalks crack, don’t ask me why it goes like that…” You’ve made your point, Easton, it just doesn’t get any more country than that.
“Are You With Me,” the albums sixth track, does slow things way down for listeners. I know country music fans pay a lot of attention to lyrics. I go to concerts, I hear them singing along. This is one I am sure they will play close attention to, and they will remember the words.
Things speed back up with “This Feels A Lot Like Love.” When that song starts, you are probably going to want to get out of your seat, start clapping your hands, and you will most likely want to sing along. It is the kind of song that works for Easton, and I believe it would make a good single.
The Florida native has a lot to say in this album. He has a good mix of strong ballads and more than likeable mid-tempo music. Whoever put the songs in order for the CD ended with “I Think of You.” This slow song with its romantic lyrics definitely made it the right song for the final spot on the album.
Even though is first single made it to No. 1 on the country music charts, he seems to have a more confident sound now than when his career first began. He has definitely found his place in country music, and it looks like he will be part of the industry for many years to come.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to see Easton in concert, you can keep up with his show schedule on his web site www.eastoncorbin.com. His web site will also point you in the direction of his facebook and Twitter account. Whenever you have time to catch up on country music news, visit us at www.countryschatter.com.
Author: Country of Country’s Chatter – www.CountrysChatter.com
Music Charts Magazine Album & Artist Reviews 2013
James Meadows – Keepin’ It Real
Great country music doesn’t only come out of Nashville. If you stop and look around, you just might find some of the best country music within an hour drive from home. Here in Northeast Tennessee, we didn’t have to go very far to find James Meadows. He recently released his second album, “Keepin’ It Real.” I first met James at the Washington County Fair, but never had the opportunity to see him perform until I caught one of his shows in Bristol, a few months ago.
The Abingdon, Va., resident is an ASCAP affiliated singer/songwriter and Nashville recording artist. While James was in college, he was involved with the ETSU Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program. He played in many bands, featuring top notch talent from all over the world. He also played in many different band combinations, performing both bluegrass and country.
This very talented local artist brings great country music to Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia with live shows just about every weekend. While his shows are often acoustic performances, he also works with his full band, The Country Mile Drifters. James is a fun performer. He has a lot of energy, and knows how to work with his audience, making it impossible for anyone not to have a good time.
His new CD, “Keepin’ It Real” is now available at amazon.com. The 11 songs on the new album paint a very good picture of who James is, and exactly what he does. Joining other very talented songwriters, James wrote or co-wrote several of the songs on the CD. In addition to the original music, listeners will also hear his version of the Randy Travis classic, “Forever and Ever Amen.”
His live shows offer a variety of music from many different genres. When you see James on on stage, you can expect to hear Classic Country, New Top 40 Country, a little Southern Rock and Bluegrass, and some of his original music as well. Oh his album, “Keepin’ It Real,” however, James does just that. He keeps his songs ‘real’ country. His voice is very versatile, and he uses his talent to create a unique sound on every song he sings. Many times when listening to a new song on the radio, you might find yourself trying to figure out exactly who the artist sounds like. There isn’t any comparison with James. James Meadows sounds like James Meadows. He is who he is, and there is no attempt at wanting to sound like anyone else. He doesn’t need to. After you hear him sing for the first time, you will remember where that voice is coming from when the next James Meadows song is played.
The songs you’ll get on this album are Like A Radio, Somebody Up There Likes Me, I Get to, Forever and Ever Amen, All I Ever Wanted, Knock Knock, They Walk On Your Heart, Keepin’ It Real, Feelin’ Good, Sad Songs Make Me Smile, and People Need People.
There is something for everyone on this CD. “All I Ever Wanted” is for the romantics; “They Walk on Your Heart” will touch every parent; “I Get To” will make each of us think about what is really important in our life; “People Need People” pretty much tells us what we already know, about getting through every day with someone close by to help us; and “Somebody Up There Likes Me” wins the prize for the ‘catchy melody, sing-along with this one’ song out of the 11 on the new CD.
The first single release from the new album, “Like A Radio,” made the Music Row Charts and charted in the Top 80 in February, with the help of the promotional team from ATP Records in Nashville. James is currently gearing up to release another single from this album and he is songwriting again in preparation for another album that will be in the works over the next few months.
James has shows scheduled for Davinci’s in Abingdon, Va.; Louie’s in Glade Spring, Va.; The Country Club and State Line Bar and Grill, both located in Bristol; and Sportsman Marina in Abingdon. You can find out more about James, check all of his show dates, and listen to his music at jamesmeadows.net.
Visit countryschatter.com to keep up with everything going on in the world of country music, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/countryschatter, and follow us on Twitter @countryschatter.
Music Charts Magazine CD Reviews ( Country )
Stonewall Jackson recorded live at The Grand Ole Opry
Music Charts Magazine Celebrity Interview with Grand Ole Opry Star Stonewall Jackson ( by Big Al Weekley )
Stonewall Jackson (born November 6, 1932) is an American country singer and musician who achieved his greatest fame during country’s “golden” honky tonk era in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Stonewall is not a nickname; he was named after (and claimed to be a descendant of) the Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. His father died when he was two and his mother moved the family to South Georgia. Jackson grew up there working on his uncle’s farm. Jackson enlisted in the Navy in 1950 and was discharged in 1954. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1956.
Jackson became the first artist to join the Grand Ole Opry before obtaining a recording contract. He toured with Ernest Tubb, who became his mentor. Jackson signed to Columbia Records and debuted in 1958 with “Don’t Be Angry”. The song did not score in the country music top 40, but it got him recognition.
His breakthrough came in the country Top 40 in late 1958, with a song written by a young George Jones, “Life to Go”. It peaked at No. 2 in early 1959 and his follow-up record, “Waterloo”, was No. 1
Stonewall Jackson in the late 1950’s
for five weeks and crossed over into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reached No. 4. The track also reached No. 24 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1959. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
From 1958 to 1971, Jackson had 35 Top 40 country hits. Along with Ray Price, Jackson is considered a cornerstone, after Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell, of the hard-driving honky tonk sound in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson_(musician)
Click the play button below to listen to the Celebrity Interview with Stonewall Jackson
Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park
People who watch what we refer to as reality television might remember Kacey Musgraves from the former USA Network show, Nashville Star. Kacey was a contestant during Season Five, back in 2007, and finished in seventh place. Recently, however, she caught the attention of country music fans with the release of her debut single, “Merry Go ‘Round.” It’s not just listeners who like what they are hearing from Kacey, it is the program directors and station managers at the top country music radio stations nation-wide. Her single is sitting in the No. 11 spot on country music’s Top 40 Chart, and Kacey is ready to introduce the world to more of her music music, with the release of her first album.
Available in now, the new album is titled “Same Trailer, Different Park”, which incidentally is a line from her current single, Merry Go ‘Round. While today is the official release date for the CD, I had the pleasure of listening to this album a few weeks ago. And I don’t mind telling you, I listened more than once.
Kacey co-wrote all of the songs on the new album, which was produced by Shane McAnally. The 12 songs on the debut album are: Silver Lining, My House, Merry Go ‘Round, Dandelion, Blowin’ Smoke, I Miss You, Step Off, Back on the Map, Keep it to Yourself, Stupid, Follow Your Arrow, and It Is What It Is. While a few of the songs remind me of something I just heard on the album, every one of them is unique in its own way. From the story it tells to the melody and instrumentation, there is something unmistakeably ”Kacey’ in everything “Same Trailer, Different Park” has to offer.
The songs on this new album are mostly what I could call ‘mid-tempo’. They aren’t super fast, and they aren’t ballads either. “Stupid” is one of the fastest. And oddly enough, it’s my least favorite of the 12 tracks. That said, I really like “Follow Your Arrow,” and it’s also a little faster, so my problem isn’t with fast vs. slow here. I am certain that every country music fan who hears this album is going to enjoy what Kacey has done with it. When I got done listening to the album for the first time, it left me wanting to see Kacey Musgraves in concert. So, if that was one of the goals of the CD – goal accomplished!
This 24-year-old Texas native is a real story-teller. Whether it is the waitresses in the diner talking about bigger dreams in “Blowin’ Smoke,” or descriptions she gives of seeing the world from inside her mobile home in the song, “My House,” there is a story being told that everyone is going to want to hear. She has a way of telling us how she sees life using words that most of us would not think of, but yet we understand exactly what she’s talking about. It takes a special talent to find the right words to express their thoughts, and be able to create a feeling. Kacey Musgraves can do that. The words tell stories, the melodies are catchy, and every time one song comes to an end, you are anxiously waiting for the next one to begin.
I don’t think there’s much in life that Kacey has missed. Not much she hasn’t noticed. She reminds me of a person who could ask how you do something, just as easily as she could tell someone ‘that’s how it’s done.’ I don’t have to know her to know that I like the way she seems to look at life. Everything she has ever seen or done seems to come through in her music.
Kacey has been busy throughout her career. She has already been on tour with Lady Antebellum, and she wrote “Mama’s Broken Heart” for Miranda Lambert. She is nominated for Top New Female Artist, Top Female Vocalist, and Music Video of the Year-Merry Go ‘Round, at the 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be televised live on Sunday, April 7, at 8 p.m. on CBS.
Currently on tour with Kenny Chesney, Kacey has a calendar full of upcoming shows that you can view when you visit her web site http://www.kaceymusgraves.com/. You can also follow her on Twitter @KaceyMusgraves. Be sure to visit Country’s Chatter, too, where you can find all the latest news from Nashville, view videos, and even enter contests to win CDs, t-shirts, and other great prizes from up-and-coming artists, as well as some of biggest names in country music. The web address is http://www.countryschatter.com , and follow us on Twitter @countryschatter.
Music Charts Magazine Kacey Musgraves CD Review by
Country’s Chatter dot com ( Your source for Country Music )