Aretha Franklin

I knew that Aretha Franklin had been very ill, but it looks like she has recovered. Here are some performance from The View earlier this week.

"How Long I've Been Waiting"



"Respect"



Aretha performing the same song 43 years ago.

Phoebe Snow

I feel like I am doing far to many posts to mark the passing of great artists, but Phoebe Snow died earlier today, so I have to post a couple of her videos.

"Poetry Man", a song from her 1974 album Phoebe Snow.



"Something Real", this is from 2008 I think.



Snow devoted much of her life to caring for her disabled daughter, and thus never had a big career in the music industry. She did a good many commercial jingles. If I am not mistaken, this is her singing "Celebrate the moments of your life" at the end of this commercial.

Etta James

I had a ticket to an Etta James concert a couple years ago, but the concert was canceled, so I have never had a chance to see here live. I think her health is pretty bad now, and I don't think she is performing anymore. So these videos are the closest thing to seeing her live.

A video from the year I was born, "Something's Got A Hold On Me"



Probably her most enduring hit, "At Last". This is the song that sparked the spat when Beyonce sang this for the Obama's first dance at the inauguration. James thought she should have been asked to sing it.



This is one of my all time favorite concert videos, Etta James and Dr. John performing "I'd Rather Go Blind".

Odetta sings Glory Halleluja

Odetta singing "Glory Halleluja". This must have been one of her last performances.

Hazel Dickens

Hazel Dickens died earlier today. I did a post with some slips of her last year (June 5, 2010). A singer and a songwriter—she performed in several great films, including Matewan and Harlan County U.S.A. A couple more videos in tribute to her.

Obituary from The Charleston Gazette.

A video about her from the Folk Alliance International.



A short clip from a couple years ago.



Hot Rize sings a song Dickens wrote "Won't You Come and Sing for Me".



For the finale of today's post, here is the scene from Matewan where Dickens sings "The Gathering Storm". Her singing starts about one minute into the clip.

AKUS

Video of a couple songs from the new Alison Krauss & Union Station album, Paper Airplane.

The Los Angelos Times review here.

"Paper Airplane"



"Lay My Burden Down"



A preview video of the Richard Thompson song, "Dimming of the Day". Bonnie Raitt did a great version of this song a couple years back.

Camping In Canaan’s Land

Today's gospel song is "Camping In Canaan’s Land" performed by Dailey & Vincent.

Julian Velard

A few songs from Julian Velard's recent album, Mr. Saturday Night. This old post has songs from his previous album, The Planeteer.

"Love Again for the First Time"



"Me and My Mirror on a Saturday Night"



"No Wrong"

New from Emmylou

A couple songs from Emmylou Harris' upcoming album, Hard Bargain, out at the end of April.

"Six White Cadillacs"



"Darlin' Kate"—For Kate McGarrigle I presume.

Cheryl Wheeler

I have included Cheryl Wheeler videos in a couple past posts—Sun, Moon and Fall. She is one of my favorite songwriters, so here is an entire post of her songs. She can write songs that are serious, and songs that are a lot of fun.

"Piper"



"Pop Tart and Spam"



"Lady Gaga's Singing Program"

The Cox Family

A video with two gospel songs from The Cox Family today.

"Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown"/"Everybody Wants to go to Heaven"

All You Need Is a Piano

An article from the The Guardian about Adele toppling Madonna as the female artist at #1 on the British charts for the most consecutive weeks. Referenced in the article is this performance at the Brit Awards. The title of this post is from the announcer at the end of the performance on the video.

Anything Goes

I got this video from an NPR story about a live television performance of the musical Anything Goes.

Ethel Merman, with back up provided by Frank Sinatra and Bert Lahr (The Cowardly Lion), performing "Anything Goes"

Irma Thomas

I have done a couple posts with Irma Thomas videos in the past (June 2, 2010 & February 22, 2010), but she deserves another post. She turned 70 in February, and I have to say that I can hardly tell the difference between her voice today, and 50 years ago.

"The Same Love that Made Me Laugh"



"Old Records"



"I Done Got Over"

Scala & Kolacny Brothers

Scala & Kolacny Brothers, a Belgian girls choir conducted by Stijn Kolacny and arranged and accompanied by Steven Kolacny on the piano. Most prominent in the US for their cover of the Radiohead song "Creep" which appeared on the soundtrack of the film The Social Network.



The Mamas & The Papas song "California Dreamin'"



U2's "With or Without You"

Bright Morning Stars

Today's gospel song comes from Abigail Washburn, "Bright Morning Stars".

Fat Bottom Girls

So far this has been 80's week. Today a song almost from the 80's. Amos Lee's rendition of the 1978 Queen song, "Fat Bottom Girls".