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THE MUSIC

I’ve tried to have an open mind about music. I could never really get into country music, although some Southern rock/blues/country blends will hold my interest. Early influences came from listening to the radio on vacations early in the 70s, and my teen and college years spanned from the late 70s thorough mid-80s, not exactly a hotbed of classic music. But I listened to a variety of music, from KISS to Devo to disco, to classical and jazz fusion. It wasn’t until I started listening to the blues that I found a particular genre that really spoke to me. That led to building a music library that covered early Delta Blues to Chicago Blues to blues-influenced rock, like Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and the Allman Brothers. I still have so quirky favorites.

I have a bit of an obsession with one-hit wonders, particularly from the early 70s. There’s some disco that I enjoy listening to and even get up and move to (but only when I’m sure I’m completely alone in the house). There are some current artists and bands I will listen to, mostly on recommendations from nephews and nieces who understand my tastes. I have included commentary on my essential artists, along with others that have been influences throughout my listening life. For others, I have included my favorite tracks. I have included a few of my varied playlists, a section on my one-hit wonder fetish, and info on the blues pioneers whose music I follow, and who have influenced other of my favorite artists.

THE ESSENTIALS

I consider myself a student of film. I watch a lot of movies. I read about them. As a photographer, I’m always looking at how cinematographers use visual elements as part of the filmmaking. As a writer, I look at how words and the rhythm of dialogue becomes part of a movie. Then I watch them again to see what I missed.

                              ABBA / Dancing Queen • Waterloo •  Knowing Me, Knowing You
                            AC/DC /  Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution • Back in Black • Hell’s Bells
                 Ryan Adams /  Come Pick Me Up • Wonderwall
                             Adele /  Someone Like You • Hello • All I Ask
                      Aerosmith / Dream On • Sweet Emotion • Toys in the Attic
                         America
Art of Noise
Atlanta Rhythm Section
Bee Gees
Aloe Blac
The Black Keys
Blind Faith
Blondie
Blue Oyster Cult
Blues Brothers
David Bowie
Bread
Jackson Browne
Johnny Cash
Ray Charles
The Church
The Clash
Climax Blues Band
Joe Cocker
Leonard Cohen
Coldplay
Phil Collins
The Commodores
Elvis Costello
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Jim Croce
Christopher Cross
Sheryl Crow
Culture Club
Morris Day and The Time
Derek and the Dominos
Devo
Dire Straits
The Doors
Duran Duran
Bob Dylan
The Eagles
Earth, Wind & Fire
Eurythmics
Lupe Fiasco
Fine Young Cannibals
Fleetwood Mac
Flock of Seagulls
Foo Fighters
Foreigner
Peter Frampton
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Aretha Franklin
Genesis
Go-Gos
Golden Earring
Grass Roots
Greta Van Fleet
Guns N’ Roses
Buddy Guy
Hall and Oates
Jimi Hendrix
Don Henley
Human League
Billy Idol
INXS
Jackson 5
Michael Jackson
Joe Jackson
Billy Joel
Howard Jones
Tom Jones
Kansas
KC & The Sunshine Band
Carole King
Kinks
Kool & The Gang
Lenny Kravitz
k.d. Lang
John Lennon
Annie Lennox
Gordon Lightfoot
Linkin Park
Little Feat
Dave Matthews
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars
Men at Work
Natalie Merchant
Wings
Steve Miller Band
Moody Blues
Naked Eyes
New Order
Nirvana
Ohio Players
Roy Orbison
Parliament-Funkadelic
Alan Parsons Project
The Partridge Family
Pet Shop Boys
Tom Petty
Pink Floyd
Iggy Pop
Elvis Presley
Billy Preston
The Pretenders
Procul Harum
Psychedelic Furs
Public Enemy
Gerry Rafferty
Bonnie Raitt
Ramones
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Otis Redding
Rolling Stones
Diana Ross & the Supremes /
Roxy Music
Santana
Boz Scaggs
Seal
Brian Setzer Orchestra
Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon
Simple Minds
Sly & the Family Stone
Smashing Pumpkins
Elliott Smith
The Smiths
Soft Cell
The Spinners
Bruce Springsteen
Squeeze
Steely Dan
Steepwater Band
Cat Stevens
Al Stewart
Sting
Barbara Streisand
Styx
Donna Summer
Supertramp
Sweet
James Taylor
Tears for Fears
They Might Be Giants
Thompson Twins
Three Dog Night
Jethro Tull
Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Velvet Underground
Wang Chung
The Who
Amy Winehouse
Bill Withers
Stevie Wonder
Yaz
Yes
Warren Zevon
ZZ Top

a-Ha / Take On Me
Ace / How Long
Ace Frehley / New York Groove
Animotion / Obsession
Apollo 100 / Joy
Argent / Hold Your Head Up
Army of Lovers / Crucified
Average White Band / Pick Up the Pieces
Anita Baker / Giving You the Best That I Got
The Band / The Weight
Beach Boys / God Only Knows
Belly / Feed the Tree
Berlin / The Metro
Big Country / In a Big Country
Blind Melon / No Rain
Blow Monkeys / Digging Your Scene
Blues Image / Ride Captain Ride
Blur / Song 2
Booker T & the MGs / Green Onions
Boomtown Rats / I Don’t Like Mondays
Boston / More Than a Feeling
Bow Wow Wow / I Want Candy
Alicia Bridges / I Love the Nightlife
Bronski Beat / Smalltown Boy
Marc Broussard / Home
James Brown / I’ll Go Crazy
Jeff Buckley / Hallelujah
The Buoys / Timothy
Paul Butterfield Blues Band / Born in Chicago
Butthole Surfers / Who Was in My Room Last Night
The Byrds / Eight Miles High
Bobby Caldwell / What You Won’t Do For Love
Captain and Tennille / Love Will Keep Us Together
Eric Carmen / All By Myself
Paul Carrack / How Long
Cee Lo Green / F*ck You
Harry Chapin / Cats in the Cradle
Cheap Trick / Dream Police
Jane Child / Don’t Want to Fall in Love
Chris Cornell / Nothing Compares 2 U
Citizen Cope / Son’s Gonna Rise
Harry Connick Jr / It Had to Be You
Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose / Too Late To Turn Back Now
Counting Crows / Mr. Jones
Cranberries / Zombie
Creation / Making Time
Crosby. Stills & Nash / Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Pablo Cruise / Love Will Find a Way
Daft Punk / Get Lucky
Dead or Alive / You Spin Me Right Round
Chris Deburgh / Lady in Red
Dee-Lite / Groove is in the Heart
Deep Purple / Smoke on the Water
Deodato / Also Sprach Zarathustra
Derek and the Dominos / Layla
Neil Diamond / Song Sung Blue
Digital Underground / The Humpty Dance
Thomas Dolby / She Blinded Me With Science
Double / The Captain of Her Heart
Carl Douglas / Kung Foo Fighting
Dr. John / Right Place, Wrong Time
The Dream Academy / Life in a Northern Town
Dropkick Murphys / Shipping Up to Boston
Eagle Eye Cherry / Save Tonight
Echo and the Bunnymen / Lips Like Sugar
Edison Lighthouse / Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
Empire of the Sun / Walking on a Dream
England Dan & John Ford Coley / I’d Really Love to See You Tonight
The Faces / Ohh La La
Fatboy Slim / Weapon of Choice
Franz Ferdinand / Take Me Out
Fifth Dimension / Age of Aquarius
The Five Stairsteps / O-o-h Child
Foghat / Slow Ride
The Fortunes / Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again
The Four Tops / Reach Out I’ll Be There
Free / All Right Now
The Bobby Fuller Four / Let Her Dance
The Gap Band / Party Train
Marvin Gaye / What’s Going On
General Public / Tenderness
Gary Glitter / Rock and Roll, Part II
Gnarls Barkley / Crazy
Andrew Gold / Oh What a Lonely Boy
gorillaz / Feel Good, Inc.
Grand Funk Railroad / We’re an American Band
Green Day / Longview
Norman Greenbaum / Spirit in the Sky
Guess Who / American Woman
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds / Don’t Pull Your Love
Herbie Hancock / Rockit
Murray Head / One Night in Bangkok
Heatwave / Groove Line
The Heavy / How You Like Me Now
Hollies / Long Cool Woman
Hot Chocolate / You Sexy Thing
House of Pain / Jump Around
Thelma Houston / Don’t Leave Me This Way
Hues Corporation / Rock the Boat
Icicle Works / (Birds Fly) Whisper to a Scream
The Ides of March / Vehicle
Imagination / Just an Illusion
Information Society / What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Jam / A Town Called Malice
Jamiroquai / Virtual Insanity
Jane’s Addiction / Been Caught Stealing
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys / Empire State of Mind
Jesus Jones / Right Here, Right Now
Jet / Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Norah Jones / Don’t Know Why
Seu Jorge / Rebel Rebel
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole / Somewhere Over The Rainbow

                                             What a Wonderful World
Andy Kim / Rock Me Gently
King Floyd / Groove Me
King Harvest / Dancing in the Moonlight

Gladys Knight & The Pips / Midnight Train to Georgia
Cyndy Lauper / Time After Time
Level 42 / Something About You
Little River Band / Reminiscing
Looking Glass / Brandy
Cheryl Lynn / Got To Be Real
M / Pop Musik
Madness / Our House
Audra Mae and The Almighty Sound / The Real Thing
Madonna / My Baby’s Got a Secret
The Mamas & the Papas / California Dreamin’
Manfred Mann / Blinded by the Light
Chuck Mangione / Feels So Good
Barry Manilow / Could it Be Magic
MARRS / Pump Up the Volume
Van McCoy / The Hustle
Sarah McLachlan / I Will Remember You
Don McLean / American Pie
Sister Janey Mead / The Lord’s Prayer
John Mellencamp / Small Town
Men Without Hats / Safety Dance
Pat Metheny Group / Last Train Home
Mike and the Mechanics / The Living Years
Mission UK / Deliverance
Modern English / I Melt With You
The Monkees / Not Your Stepping Stone
Morrissey / Every Day is Like Sunday
Mott the Hoople / All the Young Dudes
Mountiain / Mississippi Queen
Michael Murphey / Wildfire
Walter Murphy / A Fifth of Beethoven
Charlie Musselwhite / Christo Redemptor
The National / Bloodbuzz Ohio
Nazareth / Love Hurts
Nena / 99 Luftballoons
New Radicals / You Get What You Give
Gary Numan / Cars
OMD / If You Leave
O’Jays / Love Train
Gilbert O’Sullivan / Alone Again (Naturally)
The Offspring / Come Out and Play
Orleans / Still the One
Joan Osborne / Who Divided
Robert Palmer / Addicted to Love
Paper Lace / The Night Chicago Died
Paul Young / Come Back and Stay
Freda Payne / Band of Gold
Peaches and Herb / Shake Your Groove Thing
Pilot / It’s Magic
Robert Plant / Big Log
Player / Baby Come Back
Pointer Sisters / Neutron Dance
Power Station / Some Like It Hot
Proclaimers / I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
The Raspberries / Go All the Way
Re-Flex / The Politics of Dancing
Redbone / Come and Get Your Love
Lou Reed / Take a Walk on the Wild Side
REM / The One That I Love
Paul Revere & the Raiders / Indian Reservation
Cliff Richard / Devil Woman
Vickie Sue Robinson / Turn the Beat Around
Romeo Void / Never Say Never
Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram / Somewhere Out There
Rose Royce / Car Wash
Röyksopp / Remind Me
Leon Russell / A Song For You
Sam and Dave / Soul Man
Patty Smyth and Scandal / Goodbye to You
Scritti Politti / Perfect Way
Bob Seger / Roll Me Away
Marlena Shaw / California Soul
Silver / Wham Bam
Simply Red / Holding Back the Years
Sister Sledge / We Are Family
Sam Smith / Stay With Me
Smithereens / Only a Memory
The Soggy Bottom Boys / Man of Constant Sorrow
Spandau Ballet / True
Spiral Staircase / More Today Then Yesterday
Starbuck / Moonlight Feels Right
Edwin Starr / War
Stealers Wheel / Stuck in the Middle With You
Amii Stewart / Knock on Wood
Stone Temple Pilots / Creep
Stories / Brother Louie
The Sugarhill Gang / Rapper’s Delight
Sugarloaf / Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You
Sylvers / Boogie Fever
Talk Talk / It’s My Life
R. Dean Taylor / Indiana Wants Me
Temple of the Dog / Hunger Strike
Temptations / Just My Imagination
Thin Lizzy / The Boys Are Back in Town
George Thorogood & the Destroyers / Bad to the Bone
Tone Loc / Wild Thing
Pete Townsend / Let My Love Open the Door
Train / Drops of Jupiter
The Trammps / Disco Inferno
Andrea True Connection / More, More, More
The Undisputed Truth / Smiling Faces Sometime
The Vapors / Turning Japanese
Village People / YMCA
The Waitresses / I know What Boys Like
Anita Ward / Ring My Bell
Dione Warwick / Then Came You
Crystal Waters / Gypsy Woman
The Weather Girls / It’s Raining Men
When In Rome / The Promise
White Stripes / Seven Nation Army
Wild Cherry / Play That Funky Music
Kim Wilde / Kids in America
Pharrell Williams / Happy
Al Wilson / Show and Tell
Neil Young / Philadelphia

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