2009 Favorites

This last post of the year contains videos of my five favorite songs from 2009. Not all of the videos have the best sound so I am also including a link to the lyrics for each song.

"Funny the Way It Is" written by Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Dave Matthews, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley and Tim Reynolds.

The song is from the Dave Matthews Band album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King.

I posted an another version of this song previously in my Animation post.




"Nemesis" written by David Gray, Robbie Malone and Neill MacColl.

This is from David Gray's album Draw the Line. I had trouble getting a video of this with good audio quality. Here is an extended version of the song that ends with what I think are a couple lines from the Kate Bush song "Running Up That Hill".




"Chalk" by written by Julie Miller.

This song is from Buddy & Julie Miller's album Written In Chalk. On the album Buddy performs the song with Patty Griffin, but there is no good video of them performing it together, so here is a version with just Buddy performing.



"Remember Well" written by Luke Bulla.

This song is on the album WPA put out by the group Works Progress Administration. The band is fronted by Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sean and Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek, and Luke Bulla, who wrote this song and also sings lead on it.



"Sulphur to Sugarcane" written by Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett.

None of the songs so far have been particularly upbeat, and the last song was about Alzheimer's. So I at least want to end with some levity. This song is off Elvis Costello's album "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane".

Winterbloom

I posted a video from the group Winterbloom last week. You can listen to their concert on Mountain Stage Here.

Wanda Jackson

Before the year ends I want to do a post to recognize that in 2009 Wanda Jackson—the "Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice"—was finally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There has been a campaign over the last couple years, led by Elvis Costello, to see that she made it in, and it has finally happened.

The first female rockabilly star, here is my favorite Wanda Jackson song, "Hard Headed Woman".



Another early recording of "Sparklin' Brown Eyes".



A performance from 2008 of "Whole Lot a Shakin' Goin' On" and "Let's Have a Party".



For good measure, here is a short documentary where she describes her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

Christmas 2009 - Pt 3

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

For Christmas I am posting instrumental music. Strictly speaking these are not all Christmas songs, but I think they all have the right spirit.

Off Yo-Yo Ma's holiday album from last year "Songs of Joy & Peace", here he performs "My Favorite Things" with Chris Botti.



From Chris Botti in Boston, here Botti and Lucia Micarelli perform "Emmanuel".



For a Christmas finale, here is a video with beautiful pictures and beautiful music, George Winston's "Carol of the Bells".

Christmas 2009 - Pt 2

Eartha Kitt died on Christmas Day 2008. Fortunately, we still have this classic Christmas song, "Santa Baby".



A video that goes back a few years. From 1960, Patsy Cline and Ferlin Husky singing "Let It Snow".



One of my favorite Christmas traditions is Darlene Love's appearance on the David Letterman Show every year to perform "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". She first recorded this song over 45 years ago for the album "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector". It is still a treat to hear her sing it every year. This years performance is scheduled for broadcast tonight. The video here is from last year.

Christmas 2009 - Pt 1

I going to post Christmas music this week. Starting with Amos Lee's version of John Prine's song "Christmas in Prison".



Willie Nelson performing his song "Pretty Paper".



I found this video on the No Depression Blog. This is Winterbloom performing "Thanks for the Roses (Merry Christmas)".

Kenny Rogers & Brain Recovery

I wonder if this makes Kenny Rogers eligible for sainthood.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Pt. 3

My motto is you can never have to many Sister Rosetta Tharpe videos. I have done one post with her videos, and another post of covers of songs she sang. Someone has recently posted two very good Sister Rosetta videos from a 1964 French TV show.

Here is "Up Above My Head".



Here she performs "Two Little Fishes & Five Loaves of Bread". This song is followed by a performance by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee of "I'm a Stranger Here, Just Blowed in Your Town". They appeared with Woodie Guthrie in a previous post.

The Madison Glorious Sounds Band of the United House of Prayer

I ran across The Madison Glorious Sounds Band of the United House of Prayer last week performing at the DC Holiday Market outside the Portrait Gallery.

Someone has posted video of their performance there two years ago. They are definitely worth a listen.

The Pappy Johns Band

I am going to feature one more Canadian band before I move on to something else. I saw The Pappy Johns Band a couple years ago at the opening celebration for the Nation Museum of the American Indian. They are one of my favorite blues bands.

Here is a video of "Them Changes" from the Ottawa Bluesfest earlier this year.



A couple videos from in November have been posted. Here are two of them. "Can't Wait to Get Back Home". This song is off their latest album Havin' a Good Time.



Here is their version of the song "My Babe". This song was written by Willie Dixon based on the gospel song "This Train (Is Bound For Glory)", which was a hit for Sister Rosetta Tharpe about 70 years ago.

Corb Lund

Next Canadian artist to be featured is Corb Lund. I saw him perform a couple years ago at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. NPR did a segment on him last month called Boot-Kickin' Canadian Cowboy, and that is a good way to sum him up.

Here are a couple videos of him and his band the Hurtin' Albertans, starting with a good drinkin' song, "Time to Switch to Whiskey".



"Hard On Equipment (Tool For The Job)"



"Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier"

The Duhks

The second Canadian group this week is The Duhks. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but they have done a good bit of touring in the United States. I saw them a couple years ago. I have previously posted one of their videos in the Galveston post.

The first video of "Who'll Take My Place" is with their original lead singer, Jesse Havey.



Jesse Havey has been replaced by Sarah Dugas as lead singer, and she appears in the next two videos, including "Death Came Knockin'".




This is the title track from there latest album, "Fast Paced World".

Great Big Sea

This week I am going to do posts on some of my favorite Canadian bands. First up is Great Big Sea. They perform traditional songs, as well as songs they have written. I did see them live a couple years ago at Artsape, and you'll probably never see a concert that is more fun. Here are a few of their best videos.

"Old Brown's Daughter"



"Excursion Around the Bay"



"The Old Black Rum"



"A Boat Like Gideon Brown"— I am not sure if Gideon Brown is related to Old Man Brown in the first video above or not.

Darrell Scott Covers

Today to I am going to post covers of the first three songs in my last post on Darrell Scott.

Here is the Patty Loveless version of "You'll Never Leave Harlan A Live". I saw Patty perform this a couple years ago when she was part of the Down from the Mountain tour. It was definitely one of the high points of the show.



Travis Tritt performing "Great Day to be Alive".



Dixie Chicks performing "Long Time Gone".

Darrell Scott

Today's post is on one of my favorite song writers, Darrell Scott. Several of his songs have been hits for other people. I am going to post his version of some of his songs.

First, "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive".



"Great Day To Be Alive"



"Long Time Gone"



This song, "Out Among the Stars", is from his latest album Modern Hymns. As far as I know no one has covered this yet.

Tina Turner Turns 70

I am a couple days late on this, but on Thanksgiving Day Tina Turner turned 70. So in recognition of her birthday here are a couple videos.

From the Ike & Tina days, here is "Proud Mary".



Then from her solo career here is a performance of "Let's Stay Together".



She has recently been touring Europe to celebrate her 50 years in the music business. A video from just a couple months ago of the Beatle's song "Help".

Sarah McLachlan

I am going to end the week, and this series of post focusing on piano player, with Sarah McLachlan. I been wanting to post the first video for a while now. This is a performance from one of the Live Aid concerts in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban performing "Angel".



Here McLachlan plays the piano accompaniment to Patti Smith's performance of "Because the Night".



Since it is the day after Thankgiving, and thus the start of the Christmas season, I am including McLachlan's version of Joni Mitchell's song "River". This is not really a Christmas song, but in the last couple years everybody has started including it on their Christmas albums. It a good song, so it doesn't really matter.

Ben Folds

I have done several post now on piano players, but they have all started out in the 1950's, I should include some that are a little more contemporary. So today a couple videos of Ben Folds. I saw him perform a couple years ago with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

Here is a Letterman clip where he performs "Landed", a song off his Songs for Silverman album.



Here is a performance of "Brick" with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. This is an older song, from when he was still had the Ben Folds Five.



This last video of "Cologne" is from his latest album Way to Normal, which I don't even have yet. But this is quite a production, although I have to admit I don't know what the cat woman is about.

Nina Simone

Last week I did posts on three of the greatest Rock & Roll pianist. But I cannot move on from pianist until I do a post on Nina Simone. She is usually classified as a Jazz artist, but she does not fit in any genre. She is pretty much in a class of her own making. I saw her perform twice, once in D.C. and once in Chicago. I believe the Chicago concert was part of the last U.S. tour that she did.


In my Animation post I included an animated version of one of her most popular song, "My Baby Just Cares For Me".

Here she is performing "Ain't Got No", a song from the Musical Hair.



Simone was a classically train pianist, so I am trying to pick videos that show off here piano playing. "Little Girl Blue" is the title track off her first album released in 1958.



Here is another song that was on that first album, "I Loves You Porgy". This is actually the third version of this song that I have posted. Both the Billie Holiday and Lizz Wright posts include this song.

Ray Charles

Another Pianist to wind up the week, Ray Charles.

"Hit the Road Jack" was released in 1961, and went to #1 on both the Pop and R & B chart. So this video must be from some time in the early 60's.



"Seven Spanish Angels"—a duet with Willie Nelson—went to #1 on the country charts in the mid 80's.



His rendition of "America the Beautiful" might be the most popular version of that song. Here is a video of it from 1972.

The words to this song were written by Katharine Lee Bates, and first published in 1895. The music that the song is performed with today was written by Samuel A. Ward, and first published with the text as "America the Beautiful" in 1910. So the song we currently know is about to turn 100. All the more reason to include it in this post.

Jerry Lee Lewis

Today's pianist is Jerry Lee Lewis.

I think "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" was Jerry Lee's first hit single in 1956




"Crazy Arms" was the first song Jerry Lee released, but I don't think it was a hit at the time.




Here is a video of "Another Place, Another Time" from his foray into country music.



Jerry Lee is in his 70's and still touring, so here a a video of a performance from last summer. This is 53 years after the first video in this post.

Fats Domino

It seems like most of my posts have dealt with guitar plays. So for something different, this week I am going to do posts about piano players. First up Fats Domino, one of the original rock and roll pianists.

Here is a clip from the 1956 movie, "Shake, Rattle & Roll". A movie where the prudes in the town try to shut down rock & roll. This movie theme has been remade several times, but this is probably the original. The clip is "Ain't That a Shame".



Here is a video from 30 years later, his Austin City Limits appearance in 1986. Since this is a Monday post, it is appropriate that the song is "Blue Monday".



Fats is coming up on 82 years old. He has always been associated with New Orleans. In fact during Hurricane Katrina his house was flooded and her had to be rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. So it is only fitting that the last video in this post should be "Walking to New Orleans".

Walk Over God's Heaven

I haven't posted any gospel music for a while, so today's post is going to include several versions of Thomas A. Dorsey's song "Walk Over God's Heaven". This is probably one of his most popular songs, and is performed in many different genres.

Mahalia Jackson was probably one of the first singers to record this song. Even though I cannot find a video of her performing it live, I have to include her version of it, so here is the audio of her recording of he song.



Here is an amusing video set to Alison Krauss and the Cox Family's recording of the song.



I have to think that if Dorsey could hear this next version of the song he would be blown away. This is the Wheaton College Gospel Choir.

Springsteen Covers

Today some of my favorite Bruce Springsteen covers.

First, Patty Griffin's version of "Racing in the Streets".



Levon Helm's version of "Atlantic City'. I saw him perform this about two years ago.




Finally, Emmylou Harris' version of "Mansion on the Hill". She recorded this on here 1992 album "At the Ryman">

Phil Keaggy

I posted a B.B. King version of the song "When Love Comes to Town" a while back. This is the song that Bono wrote for B.B. Here is another great version of the song done by Jonny Lang, Tommy Sims and Phil Keaggy.




I saw Phil Keaggy perform over 25 year ago in a church somewhere in either Champaign or Urbana. Since there is this Phil Keaggy guitar solo from the same concert, I am just going to make this a Phil Keaggy post.




Here the song "The Wind and the Wheat" on acoustic guitar.

Amos Lee

A couple Amos Lee videos today. I have never had a chance to see him perform live, but I like his recordings.

Here is a video of "Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight", the first track off of his self titled debut album.



This is the second song off that same album, "Seen It All Before".



Then here is "Sympathize" off the album Supply and Demand.

Sun

Since I did moon songs on Monday, I decided to post sun songs today. I considered trying to have three sun songs and three moon songs each by the same three artists. I think I could have done it, but decided that I would have to stretch too much as far as the songs I included. So I decided not to do that.

But the first sun song is by that same artist that had the first moon song. Here is Cheryl Wheeler with her song "Pointing at the Sun".



Sun song #2: Ben Harper with "She's Only Happy in the Sun".



Sun song #3: Bill Withers performong his song "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone".

Moon

Since November 2 is the full moon, I am posting a couple moon songs.

First, Cheryl Wheeler performing her song "Howl at the Moon".



Patty Griffin performing her moon song, "Moon Song".



My first choice for the last moon song would be Van Morrison's "Moondance", but all of his videos have embedding blocked. So another song just as good, Bill Monroe performing his song "Blue Moon of Kentucky".

Murder Ballads

I said a couple weeks ago that I would do a post of Murder Ballads, and I guess Halloween is an appropriate time to do that. So here they are.

To start off here is Ralph Stanley and Patty Loveless performing "Pretty Polly".



Many murder ballads originated somewhere on the British Isles, and then the events were relocated to this side of the ocean when they were brought over and performed in the United State. "The Knoxville Girl" originates from an Elizabethan poem titled "The Cruel Miller". Here is Jim & Jesse McReynolds' version of that song.



Most of the videos of murder ballads are by men, but here is Joan Baez performing "The Lily of the West". Also in this one—unlike the previous two—it is not the girl that gets murdered.

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I am not sure if this last song counts as a murder ballad or not. It deals with the consequences of a murder, and not the murder itself. But I am including it anyway. Also—compared to the previous songs—this is a recent song, having been written in 1959 by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin. Here is Dave Matthews and Emmylou Harris' version of "Long Black Veil".

1929 Stock Market Crash

The 1929 Stock Market Crash happened 80 years ago this week. So here are a couple songs on the general theme of money and depression.

The sales of records dropped after the crash, and many recording artists at the time lost their contracts and sank into obscurity. The Carter Family—A.P., Sara and Maybelle—were one of the few recording artist with careers that survived the crash. So to recognize that I am including their song "No Depression In Heaven". Of course this was long before film or video, and I don't want to include anyone else doing the song. So here is the audio of their recording.



The Carter Family first recorded in Bristol Tennessee in the summer of 1927. These Bristol Sessions are generally considered to be the first recordings of Country Music. Also recording there was Blind Alfred Reed, one of the many artist who sank into obscurity during the depression. His song—recorded in 1929—"How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live" is still performed today. Bruce Springsteen has covered it, and here is a video of the song sung by Ry Cooder.



It was not my intention to do a post of performers who recorded at the 1927 Bristol Sessions, but since we already have two we might as well add another one. Jimmie Rodgers also made his first recording their. His career almost certainly would have survived the depression, but he died from tuberculosis in 1933. Here is his song "Hobo Bill's Last Ride".



One last song unrelated to anyone from the Bristol Sessions. Here is Del McCoury performing a John Herald song, "Moneyland".

Rodrigo y Gabriela

I went ot see Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Rams Head Live Saturday night. It was a great concert, but a little crowded since the place was sold out, and I got there late. It is pretty amazing when a totally instrumental show can sell out a place like Rams Head Live. So, of course, I am posting some of their videos today. Unless you see them you cannot appreciate that all of the music is coming from two acoustic guitars, when it sounds like there is an entire band playing.

Their latest Album is 11:11. Titled this because there are 11 tracks dedicated to 11 different artists who inspire them. Here is a performance of "Hanuman", off ths album.



I usually just include music videos, but in this case I am including the following Tavis Smiley interview that followed the performance in the previous video.



This song, "Diablo Rojo ", is off their first album.



Here is their version of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" with the audience singing the words. They did this the first time I saw them. I am amazed by the number of people who were not born when Pink Floyd broke up, but still know the words to this song.

Trombone Shorty - Pt. 2

I did a post on Trombone Shorty a couple weeks ago, but since then two really good videos from the Salmon Arm's Roots & Blues Festival turned up. So here he is playing the trumpet with his band Orleans Avenue.

First, the Marvin Gaye song, "Let's Get It On".



Second, the standard New Orleans jazz song, "St. James Infirmary".

Ralph Stanley

Last week Ralph Stanley released his autobiography, Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times. Diane Rehm has interviewed him about the book. You can listen to the interview here. Also there was an article in the New York Times.

I have downloaded the book to my Kindle. As soon as I finish the book I am reading now, this is what I plan to read next.

So here are a couple Ralph Stanley videos. From the time that he performed with his brother, Carter, as the Stanley Brothers, here is "Rank Strangers".



After Carter Stanley passed away in 1966, Ralph continued with his band the Clinch Mountain Boys. For a while Keith Whitley sang lead for Ralph. There are several good videos of that line up you can see at this link.

Here is a video with two songs, this first is "Rocky Island", the second is "Angel Band".



I could not pass up this last video, even though it is not a video for a song. Here is a video of Ralph Stanley and the Obama Girl making a video.

Kasey Chambers And Shane Nicholson Concert

Just a short post today. Mountains Stage has rebroadcast a great concert of Kasey Chambers nnd Shane Nicholson. They play several songs off their Rattlin' Bones album. You can listen to the concert on this page.

Fall

A chill is in the air and the leaves are starting to turn, so I have decided to post a couple fall songs.

First, Cheryl Wheeler performing her song "When Fall Comes to New England".



Eva Cassidy performing "Autumn Leaves". The words for this song were written by Jacques Prévert, who also wrote the script for my favorite movie, The Children of Paradise.




Finally—because I have not posted any classical music yet—here it a video with "Autumn" from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons".

Billie Holiday Covers

To finish out the week, a couple covers of songs that Billie Holiday also did.

First, Elvis Costello's version of "Gloomy Sunday". I don't think I have yet posted any songs about suicide, so now we also have that covered.



From one of my favorite singers of the 80's, Alison Moyet performing "That Ole Devil Called Love".



And from one of my favorite voices of the current century, Madeleine Peyroux performing "Sunny Side of the Street".

Lizz Wright

A couple Lizz Wright videos. This first video is of one of the songs I saw here perform Saturday at the Billie Holiday Tribute, "I Love You Porgy". This video is actually from a tribute to Nina Simone, but then a lot of people have done this song.



The next two songs were not performed at the concert I saw. but they are some of my favorite Lizz Wright videos. First a performance of "Hey Mann" with Toshi Reagon. This song is off here most recent album, The Orchard.




There was a video of Wright doing "Amazing Grace", which was my all time favorite version of that song. I think that video has been taken down, because I have not been able to find it for a while. So here is another good song off of her album Dreaming Wide Awake, "Hit the Ground".

Billie Holiday

This weekend I went to Philadelphia. On Saturday night I saw Lizz Wright and the Danilo Pérez Trio do a Billie Holiday Tribute concert. On Sunday I saw Billy Crystal perform his one man show "700 Sunday". Both performances were incredible. It just so happens that Billie Holiday was a friend of Billy Crystal's Family. Crystal's father and uncle were in the Jazz record business. Billie Holiday actually took Billy Crystal to see his first movie, "Shane". He was five years old at the time.

So here are a couple videos of Billie Holiday. Lizz Wright performed this first song, "I Love You Porgy", at the concert last night.



Here is a video of "Fine and Mellow". The video starts with part of an interview with Billie Holiday.



Finally, here is Billie doing the song for which she is probably most famous, "Strange Fruit". The record of this song was produced by Billy Crystal's Uncle, Milt Gabler. Because this song is about lynching in the South, Holiday's record company, Columbia, would not let here record it. There was fear of a backlash against the company if they released this song. Holiday convinced Gabler to record the song for her, and it was released on another record label. In 1978 the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

IBMA Awards Pt. 5 - The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers

The second group to be inducted into the IBMA's Bluegrass Hall of Fame was The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers. This group was in existence form 1938-1966. It consisted of members of the Cline family as well as other individuals at different times.

I do not see any video of the group, but here an audio recording of "Windy Mountain".



Members of the group went on to play with other well known bluegrass artists. Here is a video of Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys performing the instrumental "Roanoke". One of the two fiddlers in this clip is Charlie Cline, one of the Cline brothers. The other is Bobby Hicks.



There is also a great video of Curly Ray Cline performing "Orange Blossom Special" with Ralph Stanley. That video cannot be embedded, but it is worth following this link to see it.

IBMA Awards Pt. 4 - The Dillards

The Dillards were one of two groups inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame by the IBMA. The Dillards became widely known when they appeared as the Darling Brothers on the Andy Griffith Show. Here is a performance of a song they did on the TV show, "Salty Dog".




Here they are performing Dueling Banjo's with Banjo and Mandolin.





Here they are performing a song they wrote, "There Is A Time".

IBMA Awards Pt. 3

The IBMA's Recorded Event of the Year went to the group Daughters of Bluegrass for the song "Proud To Be a Daughtet of Bluegrass".





The Song of the Year award went to the song "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away". This song was written by Chris Stuart & Ivan Rosenberg. The performance that won was done by Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass.





The Emerging Artist of the Year went to The SteelDrivers. Here they are performing "If It Hadn't Been For Love".





Here is video for their song "Sticks That Made Thunder".