Be Good (Lion's Song)

I generally prefer live performances to staged videos, but I was looking through some Gregory Porter videos, who I saw Saturday at the Jazz Festival, and found this video which is one of the best I have ever seen. In addition to being so well done, the uncredited star of it is Baltimore. I recognized near the very beginning Penn Station. A lot of it is filmed at the American Visionary Art Museum and on Federal Hill. There are scenes from other places around Baltimore—some I recognize and some I don't. In addition to that it is a really great song. How could you ask for more?

Walk Over God's Heaven

From the film Jazz on a Summer's Day here is Mahalia Jackson performing "Walk Over God's Heaven". I did a post about five years ago with some other great versions of this song.

Bobby Womack

Soul singer, song writer and session musician Bobby Womack died yesterday. From 2009, here is his performance and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame Performance



Acceptance Speech

Hayloft

An amusing animated video for Nickel Creek's new song "Hayloft".

Mr. Tambourine Man

Throwback Thursday—Bob Dylan performing "Mr. Tambourine Man" at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival.

Last of the Hobo Kings

Mary Gauthier performs "Last of the Hobo Kings"

Sturgill Simpson

A couple songs from Sturgill Simpson. He reminds me a little of Johnny Cash, a little of John Prine and a little of Keith Whitley. I don't know how you could do better than that.

"Railroad of Sin" off his first album High Top Mountain



"Water in a Well" also from the first album



"Could You Love Me One More Time"—a cover of a Carter Stanley song

Born Again

Here is Robert Randolph & The Family Band performing "Born Again".

Jerry Goffin

To mark the passing of Jerry Goffin yesterday a couple videos of songs he wrote with his then wife Carole King.

Their first hit, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" performed by The Shirelles



Aretha Franklin - "Natural Woman"



James Taylor - "Up On The Roof"

Lester Flatt

I am doing a second Throwback Thursday, because today would have been Lester Flatt's 100th birthday. To mark the day here are some performances.

Flatt & Scruggs - "Down the Road"



With Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys—"Will You Be Loving Another Man".



One that everybody knows—"The Ballad of Jed Clampett" with a little dance

A Church, A Courtroom And Then Goodbye

Throwback Thursday - Patsy Cline's first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. She Performs "A Church, A Courtroom And Then Goodbye".

The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Charlie Daniels performs "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and discusses the origin of the song.

Mozart on the Glass Harp

A video I shot of James Turner playing part of a piece of music Mozart wrote for the Glass Harp.

God and Me

A clip of Marion Williams performing "God and Me".

Carlene Carter at Flag Day Celebration

A video I shot earlier today of Carlene Carter performing her song, "Me and the Wildwood Rose", at the Smithsonian's Flag Day Celebration to mark the 200th anniversary of the "Star Spangled Banner".

Iron Ore Betty

One the few songs that John Prine performed at Strathmore tonight that I had never heard him do before. It's an old song, but I don't think he has performed it live that much—"Iron Ore Betty".

Dark Sunglasses

Dark Sunglasses—a song from Chrissie Hynde's newly released, first ever solo album, Stockholm.

Wabash Cannonball

Throwback Thursday - Roy Acuff and His Smokey Mountain Boys performing "Wabash Cannonball".

Waiting For My Real Life To Begin

I heard this song on the soundtrack for the film Words and Pictures, and liked it enough to figure out what it was. "Waiting For My Real Life To Begin" by the former front man for Men at Work, Colin Hay.

You Can Close Your Eyes

From about 20 years back, James Taylor performing "You Can Close Your Eyes" with Iris Dement singing harmony.