Take This Job and Shove It - Johnny Paycheck

My sentiments exactly. Johnny Paycheck was the stage name of Donald Eugene Lytle. He led a very colorful life, including a prison sentence for shooting someone (grazing their head, not killing them).

Happy Thursday!

Johnny Paycheck – Take This Job And Shove It

Aganju - Bebel Gilberto

Bossa Nova vocalist Bebel Gilberto (known in many circles as just Bebel) is Brazilian musical royalty. The daughter of Joao Gilberto (The Girl from Ipanema) and the singer Miucha, she grew up around a constant stream of music and concerts, recording for the first time with her mother at the age of 7.

That said, Bebel has definitely made a name for herself as her own musician; she certainly is not resting on the fame of her parents. She remains a fantastic modern example of the beautiful artistry of the genre.

Happy listening!

Bebel Gilberto – Aganju

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Just cuz.

And also because it won 8 Grammys.

Happy (almost) Halloween, and happy listening!

Michael Jackson – Thriller

Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon

Halloween week!  This weeks music selections are all about this special week of tricks and treats. And excess sugar.

We start with this classic by Warren Zevon. Originally released in 1978, this was one of the tracks that made the album, "Excitable Boy" extremely successful and helped Zevon become a familiar face in the music scene of the late seventies.

Zevon died of cancer back in 2003, very shortly after his release of his last album, "The Wind."  He has the distinctive honor of having won two Grammy Awards - both awarded  after his death, and both for this final album.

Warren Zevon – Werewolves Of London

Creole Love Song - Chanticleer

If you have never heard of Chanticleer... catch up, little tomato.


The San Francisco based ensemble was originally founded in 1978 by a graduate student in musicology interested in developing a group that sang music from the medieval and Renaissance periods. He used only male voices, as was the tradition in most churches during the Renaissance.To name the group, "Chanticleer" was suggested - the name of the "clear singing" rooster in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

The group has morphed over the years, and has included more than 100 singers over that time.  I had a chance to hear these guys perform a little over a year ago - and it was, hands down, the best concert I have ever attended. Their repertoire has expanded beyond their renaissance and medieval roots, and now perform an incredible array of music.

If you ever have a chance to hear them, I promise you, it will be like nothing else you have ever heard.

This video is from their concert in Budapest in January of this year.

Happy listening!

The Things Our Fathers Loved - Jan DeGaetani

Jan DeGaetani was someone whose voice I heard periodically through my undergraduate music days. She was featured on several recordings on the required listening lists. What I found so incredible was how lovely her voice was while she was singing all these wacky crazy contemporary pieces. She made several recordings still admired today of contemporary work, including the recording of George Crumb's masterpiece Ancient Voices of Children and Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire.

As I researched a bit more about her, I was surprised to learn that not only was she a Julliard graduate, but her students include some of the most notable voices in music of recent years, including Dawn Upshaw, Renee Fleming, and Karen Holvik.

She passed away back in 1989 from Leukemia at the age of 56, but I find her recordings to be amazingly sensitive and timeless.  This is a recording of the Charles Ives song, "The Things Our Fathers Loved."  The text is as follows:


I think there must be a place in the soul
all made of tunes, of tunes of long ago;
I hear the organ on the Main Street corner,
Aunt Sarah humming Gospels; Summer evenings,
The village cornet band, playing in the square.
The town's Red, White and Blue,
all Red, White and Blue; Now! Hear the words
But they sing in my soul of the things our Fathers loved.


Jan DeGaetani and Gilbert Kalish – The Things Our Fathers Loved

Grace Kelly - MIKA

The artist known as MIKA is a British singer/songwriter, and until about a week ago, I had never heard of him.  My bad.

His music strikes me as a ripe electronica fusion of Imogen Heap, Prince, and Elton John. Some really fun, interesting songs populate his latest album, "The Origin of Love."

"Grace Kelly" was his breakout hit from a few years ago hitting the #1 spot in the UK.  

Happy listening!

MIKA – Grace Kelly

Symphony #3: II - Henryk Gorecki

This particular piece of music is part of a larger work (Symphony #3) which is also known a "The Symphony of Sorrowful Songs." In this very unusual symphonic treatment, the composer weaves texts for a soprano soloist within the texture of an orchestra.

This movement uses as a text, an inscription on a cell wall in a Gestapo office in Zadopane, Poland during WWII:




No, Mother, do not weep,
Most chaste Queen of Heaven
Support me always.
"Zdrowas Mario." (*)
(*) "Zdrowas Mario" (Ave Maria)—the opening of the Polish prayer to the Holy Mother

Beneath this inscription is the signature of Helena Wanda Blazusiakówna, and the words "18 years old, imprisoned since 26 September 1944."

It is a beautiful, poigniant work.  The whole symphony is amazing.

Henryk Gorecki – Symphony No. 3: II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo

Try - P!nk

I have a confession to make - I have a huge crush on P!nk.  (Please don't tell her husband Carey Hart. I would like to keep my face intact.)

Born Alecia Beth Moore, the singer better known as P!nk has been a fixture in the rock/pop scene for the last decade, known for her witty wordplay, female-empowering lyrics, and plain bad-ass rock stylings. She also trained as a gymnast, and stole the 2010 Grammy's while performing a mind-blowing aerial routine while singing "Glitter In The Air."  She manages to marry drama and music in her performance and videos.

The latest album, The Truth About Love, is more great music.  "Try" is one of the few songs she did not write herself, and the video is hypnotic, beautiful, disturbing, and powerful. What I think I like most about P!nk is that she is a musical artist with an emphasis on ART.  She creates music with subject matter that elicits an emotional and intellectual response from the listener (and in this video, the viewer.)

Somebody - Jukebox The Ghost

(After a month-long hiatus to handle a number of life changes, I am happy to re-fix my gaze to SongSupper. Did you miss me?)

Jukebox The Ghost is a now-NYC based three-piece band (recently relocating from Philadelphia). They have just released their third album, Safe Travels.  They have also released the accompanying commentary explaining a bit of background on the songs, which is now becoming more commonplace in the era of digital music launches.  They show a remarkable depth of thought in their songs, reflected in the unusual juxtaposition of lyrics and music.

Happy Listening!

Jukebox The Ghost – Somebody

From This Moment - Shania Twain

Generally speaking, I like Shania Twain. She is a remarkable musician and artist, and a lovely lady, and she knows how to ride horses while singing duets with Lionel Richie.

As wedding songs go, this is the one I have performed more frequently than any other.  It is also one of the most codependent songs ever.  (EVER.)

I live only for your happiness,
and for your love I'd give my last breath...
My dreams came true because of you...
There is nothing I wouldn't give...
Your the reason I believe in love...
All we need is just the two of us...

Mix in the three ascending key changes and you have the makings of the music for a Lifetime Television movie, complete with tissues.

Happy listening!

Shania Twain – From This Moment On

I Can't Help Falling In Love With You - Ingrid Michaelson

More wedding music!

There are a big handful of excellent songwriters, an array of wonderful and talented singers, and a number of gifted poets; only very, very rarely do you find someone who is all three of these things. In my opinion, Ingrid Michaelson is one of those rare few.

What she does with this very classic song is something completely different, yet so much the same; she makes beautiful music by making the song completely her own, and treating it as if she was the first and last person to ever sing it. And if she were, many of us would die happy and satisfied that it couldn't be done better than this.

Happy listening!

Ingrid Michaelson – Can't Help Falling In Love (Recorded Live at Daytrotter)

Grow Old With Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter

So I am searching for wedding music for an upcoming matrimony, and I thought this would be a great theme - wedding music!

This is actually a really lovely song, great text, and lovely sentiment. (Although it could get cheesy pretty quickly...)

Carpenter was one of a handful of folk artists that emerged in the 80's, and is one of the very few that achieved some level of recognition. Still active as a songwriter and performer, she released her latest album "Ashes and Roses" earlier this year.

Happy listening!

Mary Chapin Carpenter – Grow Old With Me

Ornithology - Charlie Parker

I was introduced to jazz (REALLY introduced) by a college friend who was an amazing saxophonist. She would share these wonderful,  tragic stories about jazz legends and would let me listen to recordings of their playing.

One of these musicians was Charlie Parker, a musician known for his influence in shaping Bebop, a rattling heroin addiction, and his skill at the sax. (An avid student of classical music, Parker was also a fan of Igor Stravinsky.)

Happy listening!

Charlie Parker – Ornithology (Live - Storyville)

Let's Have a Kiki - Scissor Sisters

I had not, at this point last year, developed a deep love for the Scissor Sisters, I had listened to them occasionally over the years and have watched them from afar. For some reason, I just hadn't been able to get excited about them, even though many of my friends adored this NYC-based glam rock band.

But then their last album, Magic Hour, came out and I finally got it. As a professor was fond of reminding me, "Never overlook the obvious." This is music that reminds me of Elton John and the Bee Gees - music that just makes you feel like dancin'...

Happy listening!

Scissor Sisters – Let's Have A Kiki

Forgiveness - The Local Strangers

Thanks to a share by a friend of mine, I got to hear/see this Youtube video by the Seattle-based alt-Americana ensemble, Local Strangers. This was a great rendition of Patti Griffin's "Forgiveness" that they recorded amidst the Redwoods of California while touring the West Coast.

While studio recording can artfully craft sound into a flawless product, this video reminds us that live music making is uniquely experiential.

Enjoy this.  I sure did.

Stuck in Sheboygan - Caitlin Glennon

As a bonus track to the recent geography-inspired theme, I am featuring a song about my hometown, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Caitlin Glennon lives in the Bay area and has just released her first full-length album, "Heard Learned Truths." The album is a great blend of catchy tunes and great lyrics, and she captures the essence of Sheboygan - by what it doesn't have - extremely well.

(But I must clarify, while there are no tapas bars, there is indeed at least one microbrew.)

Happy listening!

Caitlin Glennon – Stuck in Sheboygan

Song of Wyoming - Chris LeDoux

So with this last song, we have visited all 50 states.  A lovely, fitting end to about 12 weeks of songs.

Happy listening!

Chris LeDoux – Song Of Wyoming

Oh, Wisconsin - Locksley

#49 is an homage to the state of my origin. Hooray!

Locksley is an indie power pop band from Madison. They are self-released on their own Feature Records label and claim that their songwriting is "heavily influenced by early British Invasion bands with an instrumental style based more on early American punk bands and modern garage rock groups. The band describe their sound as doo-wop punk." (from Wikipedia. So it must be true.)

Anyway, this song is just wicked fun.

Happy listening!

Locksley – Oh, Wisconsin!

Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia - Emmylou Harris and Mary Black

A beautiful song by two legends brings us to the state of West Virginia.

Emmylou Harris has earned 12 Grammys in her years as a musician; Mary Black is an Irish folk singer. (This song is part of a tribute album to Utah Phillips.) The rest of this album is pretty good too...

Happy listening!

Emmylou Harris and Mary Black – Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia

Washington Post March - John Philip Sousa

Alas, it is the Sousa march - the bane of French Horn players everywhere. The reason for this is that in just about every march written, horn players have exactly the same part: they are the "pah" of the perpetual "om-pah."

Sousa actually began his career playing violin and eventually was enlisted in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, he eventually learned to conduct and compose. From 1880 until his death in 1932, Sousa wrote marches, earning him the nickname "The March King."

He also developed the sousaphone - making the modern marching band possible, much to the delight of those tuba players who switch to this much lighter instrument for the fall marching season.

Happy Listening!

John Philip Sousa – Washington Post March

Meet Virginia (Acoustic Version) - Train

Almost through all 50 states!  Only 5 left!

The San Francisco based band Train came into the public eye back in 1998 with their self titled first album, which was self produced for a mere $25K. From that album came this song, a tribute to Virginia - who the band admits is modeled after someone they knew in real life.

Happy listening!

Train – Meet Virginia - Acoustic Version

Moonlight in Vermont - Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is certainly well known, be it for his exceptionally long music career, his activism around marijuana reform, or for the $24M IRS scandal of the 1990's. One thing that you might not know is that he has does great covers, including covers of Coldplay and Pearl Jam, as well as music by country artists like Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline.

Here is a very unusual cover of the classic standard.

Happy listening!

Willie Nelson – Moonlight In Vermont

Utah - Phone Calls From Home

OK, Phone Calls From Home is a really interesting group. They have very little information about themselves on the web, and it seems that they make music as a bit of a hobby, not so much as a career.  This is from their self-written description:

"We play music with the intention of helping people. We have found that a lot of bands have hopes of being rich and famous, or hope that they can play their instrument as a career. We have higher hopes than that. We want to use any fame or success we get to influence people in a positive way. Teens today have a hard time growing up. They struggle with boredom, depression, peer pressure, their parents, and themselves. They look for happiness in any outlet they can find and try too hard to fit in. We want to make it easier for them by giving them someone they can relate to and understand. Through our music, our advice, and our lives, we want to teach our fans to be happier and help them find more purpose in life."

I haven't ever read a musician statement quite like that - it really caught my attention.

Happy listening!

Phone Calls From Home – Utah

If You're Gonna Play in Texas - Alabama

Early in the 20th century, country bands were popular.  The widespread development of the recording industry in the middle part of the century saw the rise in popularity of the individual recording artist, and the "band" became nothing more than the accompaniment for an artist.

Borrowing from the trend in rock and pop, Alabama was the group that brought the country band back into popularity. With harmonies that echoed of the traditional bluegrass days, they ushered in a new, fresh sound, helping to bridge the gap between rock and country for many crossover listeners.

Happy listening!

Alabama – If You're Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band)

Girl Named Tennessee - NEEDTOBREATHE

Another band with roots in from South Carolina, NEEDTOBREATHE is a very interesting band with a very interesting story.  Started by brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart, who learned to make music in their youth and carried it into adulthood, NEEDTOBREATHE is a heavily southern rock influenced ensemble.

With a high level of creativity and music-making passion, they craft some fresh rock anthems and ballads that might just bring back the road trip. If you like this song, check out some of their other music - Their newest album is well worth exploring.

Happy listening!

NEEDTOBREATHE – Girl Named Tennessee

Souix Falls, South Dakota - Lemming Malloy

We have made it all the way through teh states to South Dakota.  And I have no idea who this Lemming Malloy guy is, but he has some wicked facial hair.  I could only find a few MySpace references.  It looks like he hails from Chapel Hill, South Carolina, but that's about all I know.

Except that this song is fun.

Happy listening!

Lemming Malloy – Sioux Falls, South Dakota

South Carolina - The Flirtations

You sometimes have to travel far for success.  The Flirtations found that out firsthand.  They were a R&B group that had very little luck here in the US. After a few years of struggling to make the musical career work, the group packed up and went to England looking for a new start.  After signing with Parrot Records in 1968, they toured with with Parrot's star act, Tom Jones, on his European tour.

With some significant success in Europe, this group faded into obscurity until several of their songs were rediscovered and revived in dance and disco versions in the 2000's.

Happy listening!

The Flirtations – South Carolina

Rhode Island is Famous for You - Blossom Dearie

Blossom Dearie (yes - actually her real name!) was an American jazz singer and pianist, famous for the bebop genre she espoused in her music and remembered for her light and girlish voice.  She recorded a massive amount of music over her years as a performer, and had a very distinctive sound (which you will hear if you listen to the link below...)

A well known mainstay in the performing stage, she continued to perform well into her early 80's.

Happy listening!

Blossom Dearie – Rhode Island Is Famous For You

Pennsylvania Polka - Frankie Yankovic

Yup.  Pennsylvania.  Polka.  Does it get better than America's Polka King?  I think not.

Happy listening!

Frankie Yankovic & His Yanks – Pennsylvania Polka

Eugene Oregon - Dolly Parton

On to the state of Oregon!

Dolly is one of those musical icons that has transcended a particular genre - everybody knows her and loves her. Pretty impressive feat, especially for someone who has not really ever sought a crossover. A great little tune by this country queen.

Happy listening!

Dolly Parton – Eugene Oregon

Oklahoma - Movie Version

No song is quite as iconic as this one, and nothing but this song would do as we continue the journey across the 50 states.

One of the most memorable and well-known Broadway shows, Oklahoma was the very first musical written by the partnership of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was a surprising box-office smash and actually won Rodgers and Hammerstein a Pulitzer.

Happy listening!

Gordon Macrae – Oklahoma

Ohio - Over The Rhine

I first heard Over The Rhine last summer at Wild Goose Festival.  It was a thousand degrees, I was being eaten alive by ticks, and I was on day three of camping.  And I was just told that the band - the latest in three days of bands - was coming up (Over The Rhine) and they were pretty good.

I sat mesmerized from their first song to their last song. This veteran group of musicians were polished, skilled poets who wrote and sang beautiful songs about all sorts of things from their lives. It was one of the loveliest live music experience I've ever enjoyed. I am genuinely grateful that in the midst of bugs and heat, sitting with a bunch of new friends, I stuck around to hear this amazing group.

Happy listening!

Over The Rhine – Ohio

North Dakota - Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett has been an active songwriter, singer, and actor (although I don't recognize a single movie that he was in), and he has released a boatload of studio albums to date, earning him four Grammys. He was also married to Julia Roberts for a short while, which I don't think I had previously realized.

Here is his tribute to North Dakota from his album Joshua Judges Ruth. It definitely reminds me of his soulful performance as a singer and songwriter.

Happy listening!

Lyle Lovett – North Dakota

North Carolina - The Poets of Rhythm

So, these guys are not actually from North Carolina.  They are a German funk band that started in the early 90's in Munich.  Heavily influenced from their exposure to the funk music from the 60's and 70's, they have made a name for themselves in Europe, but haven't become recognizable in the United States.  

Happy listening!

The Poets Of Rhythm – North Carolina

NYC Girl - The Orion Experience

I make no attempt to hide the fact that I love The Orion Experience. I mean, I adore this band. They have somehow captured everything I have ever loved about pop music and wrapped it into tunes that just get better each time I listen to them.

"NYC Girl" is probably one of their most popular songs to date, and continues my blogging journey across a songscape that features all 50 states.

Just try to get this one out of your head.

I dare you.

Happy listening!

The Orion Experience – NYC Girl

The Rake's Song - The Decemberists

Today we are taking a little break from the cross country theme with this dark tune.  This is a ballad about a serial killer who murders his own children - told from the perspective of the serial murder. The song is part of a larger collection of love-themed songs in the album The Hazards of Love.

Seriously creepy.

The Decemberists – The Rake's Song

Somewhere in New Mexico - Jill Sobule

On to New Mexico!

I had not heard of Jill Sobule before - but after finding a few of her tracks, I think I have discovered an artist that I will be intentional about seeking out in the future.

Probably known best for her '95 single "I Kissed a Girl," Sobule is still a bit of an underground singer/songwriter.  With stylistic elements that seamlessly intertwine the emotion of power ballads with the rich storytelling of folk, she captivates the listener in several of these musical gems.

This particular song is from her album 2005 Pink Pearl.

Happy listening!

Jill Sobule – Somewhere In New Mexico

New Jersey Song - Hunter Hayes

Continuing the trek across the US, we stop off in New Jersey with this song by Hunter Hayes.  I wasn't able to find much information about this Hunter Hayes, but there was another Hunter Hayes out there.  However, this Hunter Hayes has actually won 7 Emmy's for his musical scores.

Anyway, a great tune.

Happy listening!

Hunter Hayes – New Jersey Song

Leaving New Hampshire - Andy Leftwich

Andy Leftwich is a fiddle phenom.  He started playing the fiddle at the age of six, entered his first fiddle contest at the age of seven, and by the age of twelve had won the National Championship for Beginners as well as multiple state championships.  By the time he was a teenager, Andy had also become proficient on both the mandolin and the guitar in addition to the fiddle, and was entering competitions across the country on all three instruments.

In February 2001,shortly after graduating high school and without much advance warning, Ricky Skaggs made a surprise call to the Leftwich home and invited Andy to join him and the band for a show that weekend. On-stage, in the middle of the show, Skaggs turned to Andy and asked, “What are you doin’ for the next couple of years?” He went on to tour and record with Skaggs for the next few years.

He is an amazing young musician, definitely worth a listen.

Happy listening!

Andy Leftwich – Leaving New Hampshire

Welcome to Nevada - Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed was one of those musician/actors that had an incredible, yet often overlooked influence and career.  The first encounter I had with Jerry Reed was seeing him in Smokey and the Bandit (for which he also wrote the hit theme song). Songs like "East Bound and Down" and "Guitar Man" cemented his place in country/folk history.

This instrumental tune is from the 1971 film, Vanishing Point.

Happy listening!

Jerry Reed – Welcome To Nevada

Nebraska - moe.

moe. (yes, lowercase, with a period) bills itself as "a self-contained nation-state in which the band and their audience live as equals, thriving on a reciprocal appreciation rare in today’s increasingly fragmented musical landscape." Making music together for two decades, this is a band that declares that is somehow at it's best live on the road.

"Nebraska" is a track off their 1996 release, tin cans & car tires.

Happy listening!

moe. – Nebraska

Montana - The Gipsy Kings

The Gipsy Kings have been around since 1987, and they are made up of two bands of brothers: the Reyes (Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai, Andre) and the Baliardos (Tonino, Paco, Diego).  The two families are actually children of Spanish gypsy families that fled into France to escape Spain’s Civil War.

Great music and wonderful artistry - although to me it sounds more like Spain than Montana.  :)

Happy listening!

Gipsy Kings – Montana

Missouri Waltz - Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash was once dubbed "the philosopher-prince of American country music." There is no doubt he was something very special and unique.

'Nuff said.

Happy listening.

Johnny Cash – Missouri Waltz

Mississippi Isabel - King Charles

King Charles is, of course, British, and is a singer-songwriter from West London. In addition to having  the coolest hair around, he is also a classically trained singer, cellist, guitarist, and pianist. I had never heard of him before, and it appears he is relatively new to the popular music scene (well, he is only 24 years old, so he is obviously relatively new...)  He definitely also has a following based on the large number of positive reviews of his music.

This song is from his album "LoveBlood" - some very interesting and enjoyable stuff on this album!  (The orchestrations alone are amazing.)

Happy listening!

King Charles – Mississippi Isabel

Miles from Minnesota - The Lower 48

And we progress across this nationwide journey of songs and stop today in my current home state - Minnesota.

There weren't a lot of songs to pick from that had "Minnesota" in the title.  Maybe it's because Minnesotans are just too passive-aggressive to write songs abut their home state.  (If you don't have something nice to say...)

The Lower 48's bio: Ben Braden and Sarah Parson began writing and singing folk music together in the winter of 2009 in Minneapolis, MN. Within a few months they were playing shows in Minneapolis, Chicago and other Midwestern venues, and before summer they had finished recording their first release, the critically praised EP “Everywhere To Go.” Following the release of “Everywhere To Go,” Ben and Sarah headed west, relocating The Lower 48 to Portland, OR.  In the summer of 2010, Nicholas Sadler, another Minneapolis native relocated to Portland, and joined the band as percussionist.

They have some great music and are definitely worth exploring.

Happy listening!

The Lower 48 – Miles from Minnesota

2120 South Michigan Avenue - The Rolling Stones

OK, so I cheated a little.  The song isn't really about Michigan.  The title actually refers to the address of the offices and recording studios of Chess Records and Checker Records in Chicago where the five songs for the Rolling Stones' second EP were recorded in June 1964.


It's funky, fun, and fabulous - I hope you enjoy it.


Happy listening!


The Rolling Stones – 2120 South Michigan Avenue

The State Of Massachusetts - Dropkick Murphys

On to Massachusetts!

The Celtic/folk/punk band Dropkick Murphys have been making music together for about 15 years.  Hailing from Boston, they have produced 7 albums to date.  Their latest album, Going Out in Style, is an innovative storytelling journey through the life of Cornelius Larkin, an Irish immigrant.

Interestingly, much of their band's brand identity is based around the celebration of St. Patrick's Day. As a marketing geek I find this fascinating, but I might be the only one intrigued by this.

Happy listening!

Dropkick Murphys – The State Of Massachusetts

Shores of Maryland - Granville Automatic

We continue our musical journey across the country with a stop in Maryland.

Granville Automatic is a duo consisting of Vanessa Olivarez and Elizabeth Elkins. The duo write songs pulled from a shared love of history, horses and war. Granville Automatic is named after a 19th-century typewriter (Vanessa is a collector). With sonic references like Lyle Lovett, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, Granville Automatic has created a quiet and lyrical sound devoted to telling stories from the past. After writing together first in the spring of 2009, the pair has more than 90 songs – almost all of which tell stories from history.

This song is a unaccompanied song that hearkens back to a child's hard lessons during civil war.  It is haunting, sparse, and absolutely beautiful vocal art.

Happy listening!

Granville Automatic – Shores of Maryland

Maine - John Linnell

If you think the voice sounds familiar, you are probably making the connection to one half of They Might Be Giants. John Linnell and his co-TMBG colleague John Flansburgh have been working together as TMBG for 35 years, but have each embarked on individual projects during that time.

One of these solo projects was Songs of the Fifty States. As part of this project, which released in 1999, "Montana" was released as a single, the format of which was a green vinyl record cut into the shape of the 48 contiguous states, and featuring the non-album track "Louisiana" as the B-side.

Crazy stuff, but GREAT fun.

Happy listening!

John Linnell – Maine

Louisiana Saturday Night - Mel McDaniel

Getting back of songs across America with a little something about Louisiana.

Since I grew up out in the boondocks of Wisconsin, I heard music in only one of two places: either on the bus to and from school or from the oversized boombox in our kitchen. And we had one kind of music on that boombox - country.

This particular song holds sepia-tinted images of me dancing around the kitchen and word games with my mom while we did the dishes.  I am sure there were a number of other songs that could fill that space (I am sure that the radio played more than just a loop of this song) but this is definitely one of them.  

Happy listening!  

Mel McDaniel – Louisiana Saturday Night

Barry Morgan

In honor of the last day of the American Guild of Organists Convention, I thought I would share one of the great finds (for me) from the convention. Barry Morgan is an Australian organist who shares his love of artful music with a whole new generation.

Thanks to John and Jeff for sharing this gem!

Organ Music (like you've never heard before)

This week I am at the American Guild of Organists convention, and I thought I would share something from the organ genre with you.

This is from an album Engleskyts, and this whole album is a collection of folk psalm settings reimagined. Everything on this album is organ and soprano, and it is really wonderful, mesmerizing work.  Anne-Lise Berntsen is the amazing vocalist,, and you have never heard the organ quite like this before.  

Even if you don't know Norwegian, you can certainly appreciate this unique work.

Happy listening!

America - Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond, two days in a row! How lucky are you?

For the Fourth of July, I tried to find a patriotic song to feature.  I dug through a number of them (and there are some great ones), but I rediscovered this one.

Happy listening, and Happy Fourth!

Neil Diamond – America

Kentucky Woman - Neil Diamond

Born Neil Leslie Diamond (yes - that is his real name), the artist known for his soft, dulcet tones hails from Brooklyn, New York.  With a career that spans half a century, few musicians can claim the professional staying power of Mr. Diamond.

With his own singing hits like "Song Sung Blue", Sweet Caroline" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", it is a little known fact that he wrote a number of other songs made famous by other groups, like "I'm a Believer" by the Monkees, and even had some of his early songs recorded by the likes of Elvis Presley.

Happy listening!

Neil Diamond – Kentucky Woman - 2011 Remastered Mono

Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison

I know, I know - this isn't really as song about the state, but that's OK.  My blog, my rules.

I couldn't find much info about the singer, Wilbert Harrison.  I did learn that this song was a #1 Billboard hit in 1959, although it was written in 1952 by the songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

A classic, and a golden one at that.

Happy listening!

Wilbert Harrison – Kansas City

Iowa Stubborn - The Music Man

So Iowa.  Land of corn, wind turbines, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream.  For those who think Iowa is a little backwards, I might also point out that it was an extremely early adoptor of significant laws regarding racial equality, as well as being the third state in the US to allow same sex marriage.

Today's song is from the musical The Music Man - whose plot chronicles the activities of con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash, but then he falls in love, etc.  It's a lovely feel-good show with some of the most recognizable tunes (like "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," and "Till There Was You".

Happy listening!

Original Broadway Cast of 'The Music Man' – Iowa Stubborn

Indiana - Jon McLaughin

I have a confession to make... I am smitten with this Jon McLaughin guy.  He could make an album about clubbing baby seals and I think I would listen to the whole thing and love it. He has a gorgeoud, smoky voice, a gift for musical storytelling, and an innate sense of sensitive musicianship that makes me just feel like a richer human being.

He is also smokin' hot.  I mean, look at this guy.

I found this song (and Jon) for the first time while digging for music that fit my continuing "journey through the United States" series. I have listened to it everyday for a week, taught myself the piano part, and am ready to sing it for open mic night. Needless to say, I like it - and I hope you like it as much as I do.

Happy listening!

Jon McLaughlin – Indiana