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ELVIS!
A legend in his own time, Elvis Presley was unique, one of a kind. Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954 when Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, eager to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience, saw in Presley the means to realize his ambition. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was one of the originators of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. Read more at source
More bio of Elvis: Elvis web site: Elvis bio
Below are some videos of two of Elvis' TV specials, the 1968 Comeback Special, and in 1973, Elvis Aloha from Hawaii. First, though, here is an outtake from the 1968 Special of "Baby What You Want Me To Do", featuring probably the most famous riff in all of rock 'n' roll, and it has come to be associated almost exclusively with Elvis.
From the 1968 Comeback Special
For more of Elvis, go to YouTube and search for the 1968 Comeback Special, widely considered to be pure Elvis at his peak. Prior attempts to post the longer versions of the Special usually wind up with YouTube causing them to be "removed" when trying to post them here.
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QUEEN!
The incomparable Freddie Mercury singing a Fifties Platters hit. Freddie Mercury's amazing voice - he could sing opera, hard rock or do justice to a doo-wop Fifties classic. There is a music video performed by Mercury of this song, but I prefer the stills showing Mercury in his various outrageous costumes and also in his handsome, everyman persona, looking all at once like a Tom Cruise or a modern-day "Great Caruso" reincarnated.
Although Mercury's speaking voice naturally fell in the baritone range, he delivered most songs in the tenor range. His vocal range extended from bass low F (F2) to coloratura soprano E-natural (E6). His belting register soaring to tenor high F (F5). Biographer David Bret described his voice as "escalating within a few bars from a deep, throaty rock-growl to tender, vibrant tenor, then on to a high-pitched, perfect coloratura, pure and crystalline in the upper reaches". Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé, with whom Mercury recorded an album, expressed her opinion that "the difference between Freddie and almost all the other rock stars was that he was selling the voice".
Freddie's version I think pays homage to the original by not trying to improve or change it. He just sings full out, as only he could do. I love both versions nearly equally, but when I hear Freddie's version, there is an added emotion that is hard to describe. In the song's finale when he soars to the rafters with his lilting "Woo-hoo", it brings a sweetness and joy, and at the same time a sadness that he died too soon and too young.
Queen - Freddie Mercury - "The Great Pretender"
And here is an early video from a tv show with the Platters singing their hit, "The Great Pretender".
The Staple Singers were the epitome of "The Memphis Sound" - See Memphis Sound - Memphis Soul
Tina Turner - Live - She is absolutely amazing! She is over 70! Was 68 I think for this tour. "A Fool in Love"
Tina Turner - Live - "River Deep, Mountain High"
This lady is ageless! Notice on the big screen above the stage that her earlier performances of this number are shown. I don't know if this is true or not, but I have speculated that prior to Ike's death that she probably negotiated, for I'm sure a sum of money, the rights to use material from when they were performing together. You may recall that when she finally broke away from Ike in the late Seventies, she took only her name. He had money troubles later in his life, so it would stand to reason that she might have gotten the use of some of their earlier material.
The Rev. Al Green
"Let's Stay Together" - Live 1972
Etta James - "At Last"
A remarkable voice and talent
My choice for one of the top blues songs ever. Just reaches in and rips your heart out!
The movie, "Cadillac Records", told her story, as part of the story of Chess Records of Chicago. Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf had headed for Chicago in the late 40s and early 50s from the Mississipi Delta, in what has been called the "Great Migration" of blacks out of the south to Cleveland, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, which started after the First World War and continued well into the Fifties and Sixties. Bo Diddley, who was born in McComb, Mississippi, and his family had moved to Chicago in the 1930s. So the Delta Blues artists profoundly influenced Chess Records and the evolution of the blues/rock & roll. Etta James was from LA and Chuck Berry was from St. Louis. They, too, found their way to Chicago -- Berry in 1955, and James signed on with Chess in 1960 -- to become part of the Chess Records story. See also the "Music History" tab for more on the evolution of rock 'n' roll.
Chuck Berry, Keith Richards,
and Etta James - Live! "Rock and Roll Music""Howlin" Wolf - "Who's Been Talking"
"Howlin" Wolf classic, "Who's Been Talking", also known as "My Baby Caught the Train". This song was recently featured on a Memphis Beat episode, performed by a contemporary blues artist, John Nemeth. It was a brief appearance, as a background for a bar scene.
"Howlin" Wolf was born in White Station, MS, near West Point, MS, south of Jackson.
John Nemeth has received many awards, including the 2010 Living Blues Award for "Most Outstanding Blues Singer". More info on this talented artist:
John Nemeth Info - Awards - Bio - Gigs
"Name The Day", the A-side of the latest Blind Pig 45RPM Record by R and B singing sensation John Németh, who continues to reinvigorate vintage American rhythm and blues. Backed with "Why Not Me," a gospel-tinged, spine-tingling ballad. The analog recordings from this limited edition pressing feature jukebox mixes of two outstanding tunes from Németh's recent CD release, "Name The Day!", available at retail outlets.
The Németh 45 is currently available to purchase only through Blind Pig, and the record CD is available at retail outlets. 
"B" Side: "Why Not Me?" The falsetto will knock your socks off! For my money, this should be the "A" side! See if you don't agree.
The Németh 45 is currently available to purchase only through Blind Pig.
"Hound Dog" - Big Mama Thornton - 1952
Her song, "Hound Dog", recorded in 1952, was #1 on the R and B charts for 7 weeks. Elvis recorded his version 3 years later, with a version recorded by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. The composers were the legendary Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. She had another hit, which she wrote, "Ball and Chain", which became a hit for her. Janis Joplin later recorded it in the late sixties.
"Ode to Billie Joe" - Bobbie Gentry - 1967
Ode to Billie Joe was a sensation in 1967. The setting for the song was near Money, MS, about 10 miles north of Greenwood. The bridge that crossed the Tallahatchie River at the time the song was released was replaced in 1972. The song is a quasi Southern Gothic tale, with dark images and told in the first-person narrative style. The dark serious tone of the song is contrasted against mundane, everyday activities of the narrator's family. The song was nominated for 8 Grammys, with Bobbie Gentry taking home three Grammys and her arranger, Jimmy Haskell, took one home as well. It is on Rolling Stone's Top 500 songs of all time, ranking at 412.
The "other King", Mr. B.B. King, in a classic rendition of "The Thrill is Gone".
Bill Doggett, Honky Tonk, Parts 1 and 2 - 1956
Anybody remember The Shag? - "Honky Tonk" stayed popular for the next 10 years as a dance number in the night clubs. In the 50s and 60s in Dallas and some other Southern clubs, a clean version of Dirty Dancing, called "the Push", was a favorite. The Push was a version of "swing", updated from the Lindy Hop, but far more sophisticated. Dancers generally stay in a straight line performing subtle turns, twists, keeping all the action "smooth", as if gliding.
The Dallas Push that I learned in the Sixties is very close to the one in the first video, one of several in the series that will play one after the other of a dance contest held in Dallas, all with slightly different variations. (Thank you, Ted!)
Most of Jimmy Reed songs have the "Push" beat
Ray Charles - Night Time is the Right Time
Lloyd Price, "Stagger Lee" 1958-59, went to #1 on the Pop and the R and B charts. His hit, "Personality" did the same in 1959. He started recording in 1952, and had a #1 R and B hit with "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"
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Ever want to check to see what year a particular song was on the charts? What about the top songs, year by year? All your questions can be answered at the following site.
Year by Year Song Lists and Rock Timeline
This is a very rich web site, with music lists, year by year. A great site to hang out in.
"Ode to Billie Joe" - Bobbie Gentry - 1967
Ode to Billie Joe was a sensation in 1967. The setting for the song was near Money, MS, about 10 miles north of Greenwood. The bridge that crossed the Tallahatchie River at the time the song was released was replaced in 1972. The song is a quasi Southern Gothic tale, with dark images and told in the first-person narrative style. The dark serious tone of the song is contrasted against mundane, everyday activities of the narrator's family. The song was nominated for 8 Grammys, with Bobbie Gentry taking home three Grammys and her arranger, Jimmy Haskell, took one home as well. It is on Rolling Stone's Top 500 songs of all time, ranking at 412.
Bill Doggett, Honky Tonk, Parts 1 and 2 - 1956
Anybody remember The Shag? - "Honky Tonk" stayed popular for the next 10 years as a dance number in the night clubs. In the 50s and 60s in Dallas and some other Southern clubs, a clean version of Dirty Dancing, called "the Push", was a favorite. The Push was a version of "swing", updated from the Lindy Hop, but far more sophisticated. Dancers generally stay in a straight line performing subtle turns, twists, keeping all the action "smooth", as if gliding.
The Dallas Push that I learned in the Sixties is very close to the one in the first video, one of several in the series that will play one after the other of a dance contest held in Dallas, all with slightly different variations. (Thank you, Ted!)
Most of Jimmy Reed songs have the "Push" beat
Ray Charles - Night Time is the Right Time
Lloyd Price, "Stagger Lee" 1958-59, went to #1 on the Pop and the R and B charts. His hit, "Personality" did the same in 1959. He started recording in 1952, and had a #1 R and B hit with "Lawdy Miss Clawdy"
**************
Ever want to check to see what year a particular song was on the charts? What about the top songs, year by year? All your questions can be answered at the following site.
Year by Year Song Lists and Rock Timeline
This is a very rich web site, with music lists, year by year. A great site to hang out in.
