Oldies

In the early days of rock and roll, a band would get signed, write some catchy songs, record the catchy songs, then work with the label to pick the singles to release and hit the road. Here's the skinny; if you want to make money in the early days, you’ve got to have a song on the radio that small town radio stations play, and be at the concert hall […]

The Rolling Stones have written and performed the best music for decades, and we think we know them pretty well. Here are a few things about the Stones you may not know though... As the band began to enjoy success in the UK prior to their American visit, they were pitched to sing the soundtrack for a Rice Krispies commercial. They agreed to do it In 1966, while prepping for […]

We’re traveling across the US on our summer vacation, showcasing the states that are worth visiting, mentioning the great bands of singers from that part of the country. Here are more stars from the great state of Illinois… REO Speedwagon originated from Champaign, IL; its members met while attending the University of Illinois. The band sold over 40 million albums, touring as we speak some 35 years later. In the […]

We bet you own an album from that famous singer Anna Mae Bullock right? Anna Mae was born a poor child of color in Nutbush, TN, raised by her sharecropper parents, hoping one day to grow up and become a nurse. Rather than the medical profession, Anna Mae got into music, eventually selling over 100 million albums. It’s not always been easy for Anna Mae. She spend decades in an […]

We lost David Bowie this year and later we learned that his son Duncan became a father, naming the child with David’s given name. Each month we learn more about the man behind the “Ziggy Stardust” mask. Here’s a David Bowie story you may not have heard… The producers of the upcoming Bing Crosby TV Christmas special in October of 1977 were trying to come up with a ratings spike […]

It’s been handed down by generations of rockers, but always bears repeating. One cold February night in 1959, a plane carrying the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and the most innovative and brightest rock stars of his time, Buddy Holly, crash minutes after takeoff. Here’s what you may not know... Buddy’s signature dark glasses were found at the crash site, yet placed in a manila envelope and forgotten about for 21 […]

When you hear someone say that a song is a cover or that band is a cover band you know what they mean right? A ‘Cover’ is a duplicate, second generation, newer version of an older and original song, that cover song is not the original. The best example might be the song “Twist and Shout” by the Beatles. That song was a ‘cover’ of the original written by ½ […]