Category Archives: Music Calendar

May 15 in music history

May 15, 2014 Egil 1 Comment


Wilco: Sky Blue Sky – released 15 May, 2007 (read more) But the paradox is that while Sky Blue Sky is the smoothest sounding Wilco album, it also takes the longest to absorb and understand. ~Michael Metivier (popmatters.com) — ..Wilco’s sixth studio album, Sky Blue Sky, sounds like the long-awaited follow-up to 1996′s Being There — while it lacks the ramshackle shape-shifting and broad twang of that earlier album, Sky Blue Sky represents a shift back to an organic sound and approach that suggests the influence of Neil Young’s Harvest and the more polished avenues of ’70s soft rock. Sky Blue Sky also marks Wilco’s first studio recordings since Nels Cline and Pat Sansone joined the group, and they certainly make their presence felt … ~Mark Deming (allmusic.com)
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, RDI (born 15 May 1948 and originally christened Brian Peter George Eno), professionally known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno, is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer, and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.
Richard Edward Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008), known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more than 85 million records. A member of the Grand Ole Opry (beginning 1943) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (beginning 1966), Arnold ranked 22nd on Country Music Television’s 2003 list of “The 40 Greatest Men of Country Music.” He co-wrote the country and pop standard “You Don’t Know Me”.
Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature. He is best known for his hit 1973 album Tubular Bells, which launched Virgin Records, and for his 1983 hit single “Moonlight Shadow”. He is also well known for his hit rendition of the Christmas piece, “In Dulci Jubilo”.
Valerie June Carter Cash (June 23, 1929 – May 15, 2003) was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedian, and author who was a member of the Carter Family and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash. She played the guitar, banjo, harmonica, and autoharp and acted in several films and television shows.
Spotify Playlist -May 15

May 14 in music history

May 14, 2014 Egil


Today: Legendary producer Bob Johnston was born in 1932 Happy Birthday (read more) “Johnston had fire in his eyes. He had that thing that some people call ‘Momentum.’ You could see it in his face and he shared that fire, that spirit. Columbia’s leading folk and country producer, he was born one hundred years too late. He should have been wearing a wide cape, a plumed hat, and riding with his sword held high. Johnston disregarded any warning that might get in his way. … Johnston lived on low country barbecue, and he was all charm.” – Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One	Photo by Al Clayton
Bob Dylan: Vancouver, British Columbia 14 May 1998 (read more)
Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.A brilliant soprano saxophonist and clarinetist with a wide vibrato that listeners either loved or hated, Bechet’s style did not evolve much through the years but he never lost his enthusiasm or creativity. A master at both individual and collective improvisation within the genre of New Orleans jazz, Bechet was such a dominant player that trumpeters found it very difficult to play with him. Bechet wanted to play lead and it was up to the other horns to stay out of his way. ~Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)
David Byrne (born May 14, 1952) is a Scottish-born musician permanently residing in the United States, and was a founding member and principal songwriter of the American New Wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography, opera, and non-fiction. He has received Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe awards and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra, (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and film actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the “bobby soxers”, he released his first album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra in 1946. His professional career had stalled by the 1950s, but it was reborn in 1954 after he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in From Here to Eternity.
“Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” – released 14 May 1969 – is the second studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records catalogue RS 6349. His first with backing band Crazy Horse, it peaked at #34 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified a platinum album by the RIAA.
Spotify Playlist – May 14

May 13 in music history

May 13, 2014 Egil


Happy birthday: Stevie Wonder (born May 13, 1950) (read more) Do you know, it’s funny, but I never thought of being blind as a disadvantage, and I never thought of being black as a disadvantage. ~Stevie Wonder — “If anybody can be called a genius, he can be. ….. If nothing else, he played the harmonica incredible, I mean truly incredible. Never knew what to think of him really until he cut Blowin’ In The Wind. That really blew my mind, and I figured I’d better pay attention. …. I love everything he does. It’s hard not to. He can do gut-bucket funky stuff really country and then turn around and do modern-progressive whatever you call it. In fact, he might have invented that. he is a great mimic, can imitate everybody, doesn’t take himself seriously and is a true roadhouse musician all the way, with classical overtones, and he does it all with drama and style. I’d like to hear him play with an orchestra. He should probably have his own orchestra.” ~Bob Dylan (Feb 1989, Rolling Stone Mag. – featurette on Stevie Wonder)
Donald Dunn passed away in 2012 – 2 year ago (read more) As the bassist for Booker T. & the MG’s, Donald “Duck” Dunn became, like James Jamerson at Motown, the man who provided a groove for an entire generation to dance to. In Dunn’s case it was the legendary Memphis record label Stax/Volt, where he laid down basslines for soul stars such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Albert King, helping to create one of the largest bodies of soul and R&B music that exists. ~Steve Kurutz (allmusic.com)
“Daddy-O” Dewey Phillips (May 13, 1926 – September 28, 1968) was one of rock ‘n’ roll’s pioneering disk jockeys, along the lines of Cleveland’s Alan Freed, before Freed came along.
Ian Ernest Gilmore “Gil” Evans (né Green) (May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States. He played an important role in the development of cool jazz, modal jazz, free jazz and jazz fusion, and collaborated extensively with Miles Davis.
Chesney Henry “Chet” Baker, Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist.
James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975), better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing, he was universally known as the King of Western Swing.
Spotify Playlist – May 13

May 12 in music history

May 12, 2014 Egil


The Rolling Stones: Exile On Main St. (released 12 May 1972) (read more) More than anything else this fagged-out masterpiece is difficult–how else describe music that takes weeks to understand? Weary and complicated, barely afloat in its own drudgery, it rocks with extra power and concentration as a result. ~Robert Christgau — ..It’s the kind of record that’s gripping on the very first listen, but each subsequent listen reveals something new. Few other albums, let alone double albums, have been so rich and masterful as Exile on Main St., and it stands not only as one of the Stones’ best records, but sets a remarkably high standard for all of hard rock. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmusic.com)
Are You Experienced is the debut album by English/American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Released in 1967 (12 May), it was the first LP for Track Records. The album highlighted Hendrix’s R&B-based, psychedelic, distortion-and feedback-laden electric guitar playing and launched him as a major new international star.
Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000) was an English rock and roll singer-songwriter, bandleader, artist, and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music. He is best known as founder and lead singer of the British band Ian Dury and the Blockheads.
Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy’s Motown label during the 1960s.[1] He has been credited as one of the creators of the Motown Sound and as an instrumental figure in the development of the late-1960s sub-genre of psychedelic soul.
Stephen Lawrence “Steve” Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician whose genres include rock, blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, pop rock, and jazz. A multi-instrumentalist, he can play keyboards, bass guitar, drums, guitar, mandolin, violin, and other strings.
Spotify Playlist – 12 May

May 11 in music history

May 11, 2014 Hallgeir


Today: Greg Dulli is 49 Happy Birthday (read more) “Rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t always pay the bills, and I’ve been interested in bars – obviously – for a long time,” ~Greg Dulli Dulli was born and brought up in a working-class suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. Dulli’s father’s side of the family comes from Kalamata-Peloponnese, Greece and his mother comes from West Cork, Ireland. He first came to public attention in Cincinnati in the late 1980s with The Afghan Whigs.
Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer-songwriter best known as a member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk band War and for his aggressive stage performance. He was ranked 57th in Rolling Stone‘s list – The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Claude Hudson “Butch” Trucks (born May 11, 1947 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American drummer who is one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band.
Small Faces is the debut album of the Small Faces, released 11 May in 1966. It includes the hit singles “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” and “Sha-La-La-La-Lee“. The album was well received by music critics and fans alike and rose to number three in the UK album chart remaining at the top for several weeks
Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim. Starting out in 1963 with the group the Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide.
David Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock bassist and guitarist best known for his work as bassist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.Born in Folkestone, he was selected by Chas Chandler to join Hendrix’s band at its inception in 1966 and left in 1969. Although he played in other bands before, after, and even during his stint with the Experience, he never achieved a similar level of success and retired to Clonakilty, Ireland, in 1972.
Spotify Playlist – May 11

Focusing on Bob Dylan & related music