Ringo is turning 85 today! Happy Birthday 
The Beatles - Don’t Pass Me By
Ringo usually got to sing one song on the albums, and this my favourite of “his” songs. And he is still active, with a tour scheduled for September. And yesterday I posted a tribute to Bill Haley, with the song Rock Around the Clock. So this may be an appropriate day to post Ringo’s version of the song, recorded three years ago.
Ringo Starr, with Joe Walsh - Rock Around the Clock
Ringo Starr - Look Up (Official Music Video)
Ringo Starr Jan 2025
Music i’ve heard in movies first
Gone in 60 sec, Moby - Flower
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soggy Bottom Boys - I Am a Man Of Constant Sorrow
The Secret Of My Success (i remember it was used in a scene with dressing up in an elevator, german version?)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (i can not remember, because i saw the other one first)
Yellow - Oh Yeah
Now buckle up for some rock history. In 1952 a six year old boy named Ronald Belford Scott arrived in Australia, when his family emigrated there from Scotland. The family settled in Melbourne, where Ronald started his school days. Now there turned out to be another boy named Ronald in that school, so to distinguish between the two, our Ronald got a nickname. With him being from Scotland, the other kids was inspired by the phrase “Bonnie Scotland” , and thus the name Bon Scott enters history.
Bon Scott was a quite wild lad, who dropped out of school early. He did odd jobs, and had some minor trouble with the law. When he tried to join the army, he was deemed “socially maladjusted” and thus rejected. Luckily for Bon, he loved music. In 1964 he formed his first band The Spektors, which evolved into The Valentines, where Bon was the co-singer. The band had some local success with their bubblegum pop, and albeit it still small, with this Bon got his first taste of stardom.
The Valentines - Build Me Up Buttercup
Then in 1970 Bon joined the prog rock band Fraternity, were he sang and played recorder (!). Fraternity released two albums, and had some minor success in Australia. They also played support for better known bands as Status Quo and Geordie (whose lead singer was…Brian Johnson!). Now Bon’s got a little more taste of stardom.
Fraternity - Seasons of Change
In May 1974 Bon was in a serious motorcycle accident. He spent three days in a coma, but fortunately he recovered. It was during this recovery he was introduced to a promising young band called AC/DC. They had split with their singer recently, and were on the look out for a new singer. To cut a long story short, after a bit of back and forth, Bon landed the gig with AC/DC.
With this band Bon Scott became a real rock star. AC/DC did better and better with every album. Their sixth album Highway To Hell (1979) was their big breakthrogh. Sadly it was then Bon Scott’s wild lifestyle got the best of him, and he passed away in in a tragic manner in February 1980, aged 33.
AC/DC - If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
Let me end this excessive rant with a line from a Brian Johnson era AC/DC song: For those about to rock, we salute you! Today it is 79 years since Bon Scott was born. We still salute his memory
Today it is the birthday of one of the greatest musical talents in more recent years. The American singer and guitarist Jack White is turning 50! While best known from The White Stripes and as a solo artist, there is also The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather and some more. This is a guy who likes to keep busy. Happy Birthday, Jack
Jack White - Old Scratch Blues
The above post made me a little sad. I have told about my old and dear friend who passed away from cancer about a month and a half ago. He liked The White Stripes. Yet one of his favourite songs was by one of Jack White’s side projects, namely The Raconteurs. So here it is, to the memory of my much missed friend
The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes
Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun
i like blues 
Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy
Howlin’ Wolf - Little Red Rooster
Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Baby Please Don’t Go
Happy Birthday to the American soul, rhythm & blues and gospel singer Mavis Staples, who is turning 86 today! She has an amazing voice, and is one of my favourite female singers. Along with her father and two sisters, she was part of the vocal quartet The Staple Singers. After a few low key gospel albums, they got their breakthrough in the late 1960’s, with several hits between 1967 and 1976, of which two got to number 1 in the US cahrts.
For a wider rock audience The Staple Singers is probably best known for performing the song The Weight, together with The Band in the movie The Last Waltz, which documents The Band’s farewell concert in 1976. Mavis’ rendition of the second verse is so stunning I’ll let this song be first when we celebrate her birthday. Oh yes, Mavis Staples deserves more than one song!
The Band, with The Staple Singers - The Weight
In 1969 Mavis Staples released her first solo album, and has since released 16 albums, the last one with new material in 2019. Although a little patchy at times, there’s plenty of fine songs on most of these albums. Here’s a couple of examples.
Mavis Staples - Don’t Change Me Now (1970)
Mavis Staples - Wrote A Song For Everyone (2014)
Believe it or not, at 86 Mavis Staples is still performing live. She has several gigs scheduled up until October, the next one being on Sunday in three days. She’s even coming to Europe in the beginning of August, with concerts in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. Now, The Staple Singers first record was released in 1958. Think about it, that is a 67 years long career in music! Respect to Mavis Staples! Happy Birthday
I’d like to celebrate the memory of the American guitarist, songwriter and occasional singer Jerry Miller (1943-2024). Today it is 82 years since he was born. He is best known from the band Moby Grape, whose debut album from 1967 to me is a classic album. I still got the LP. Jerry Miller co-wrote several songs on this album, and to celebrate his memory, here is one of them
Moby Grape - 8:05
Today there were a lot of good songs/artists for us who have become “dry behind the ears”. This is not least the three songs that please an “old blues heart”! 
Moby Grape - Omaha
Forgive me, I got a little carried away again revisiting Moby Grape 
Their self-tirled debut album is just so damn good. And by the way, the song in this post is not written by Jerry Miller from the post above
At that time, such songs were played at parties so that you could grope girls.
Neil Young - Heart of Gold
Them - It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)
The Rolling Stones - Angie
Happy Birthday to the American singer and songwriter Butch Hancock, who is turning 80 today! His a great songwriter, who is mostly unknown to the wider public. A major reason for this is that he deliberately kept his career low key.
Still Butch Hancock is a higly revered songwriter among his peers. Emmylou Harris has recorded several of his songs. For his birthday. let’s give the word and the guitar to the man himself. Happy Birthday to Buch Hancock 
Butch Hancock - Just A Wave, Not the Water (2014)
Butch Hancock is still semi-active. His last concert for now was in May last year. And in October he is scheduled for a special event, namely a boat trip on the Rio Grande river, along with his fellow Texan songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore (who turned 80 in May). The boat trip includes stops on interesting sites along Rio Grande, and of course evenings by the campfire, with Butch and Jimmie sharing songs from their vast catalogue along with old favourite standards. An example of that may include a song from the Carter Family (also recorded by Emmylou Harris by the way).
Butc Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Hello Stranger (2021)
I’ve posted about these two guys before. They are so good they deserves all the attention they can get. So I’ll take the liberty to include links to my previous posts here.
due to current event
Bill Withers - Ain’t No Sanshine
a bit country
Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard - It’s All Going to Pot (matches with current event?)
Willie Nelson - (Good Old) Mountain Dew
Here is Eva Cassidy’s beautiful cover of ‘Time After Time’, originally performed by Cyndi Lauper in 1983.
Eva Cassidy died in November 1996 at the age of just 33. It was only afterwards that the world became aware of the sensitive music of the US-American. In March 2001, the album “Songbird”, released after her death, topped the British charts.
I’d like to pay tribute to the English singer and songwriter Dave Cousins, who passed away yesterday at the age of 85. In 1964 he co-founded the bluegrass band The Strawberry Hill Boys, where he became the singer. After paying their dues on the UK folk scene for their first years, the band shortened their name to Strawbs in 1967 and got a record deal the year after.
Strawbs have been going ever since the formation in 1964, albeit with a few breaks in between. Since their debut album in 1969, they have released 23 studio albums, the last one in 2023. In addition there’s several live albums and compilations. Strawbs last concert was in August 2023.
Strawbs has had a solid career, although the band never got really big. However, in the first part of the 1970’s there was some commercial success with a few singles and albums charting in some countries, the highest being number 2 in the UK.
Strawbs 7th album, Hero and Heroine (1974) is generally considered their best. And I think it is a great album, filled with melodic folk and prog inspired pop music. So here is The Winter Long from the album, and here is to the memory of Dave Cousins. Thank you for the music Dave, may you be remembered.
Strawbs - The Winter Long
This song is co-written by Dave Cousins and John Hawken, Strawbs’ keyboard player at the time. When the latter passed away a little over a year ago, I posted this.
The American drummer Jim Gordon was born 80 years ago today. Probably best known as member of Derek & The Dominos and thus the drummer on Layla, an iconic song in the the canon of rock music. However, Jim Gordon was a very skilled drummer, so he was also a busy session musician, very busy.
The list of artists and bands he’s played with is very long! Let’s just scratch the tiip of the iceberg here and mention Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Beach Boys, Jackson Browne, The Byrds, Neil Diamond, Tom Waits and Steely Dan. That was the tip of the iceberg. You get the idea.
Sadly Jim Gordon’s life story may be the most tragic in the history of rock. He had serious mental issues, and the substance abuse, common in these circles didn’t help. He was known for violent outburst against girlfriends and fellow musicians. This ended in the most tragic manner in 1983, when he killed his mother because voices in his head told him to. He was finally diagnosed with schizophrenia, and spent the rest of his life in prison, where he passed away in March 2023.
Is it worth celebrating the memory of such a person? No, it isn’t. Then again, Jim Gordon did make some solid contributions to the history of rock music. So why not for a moment forget his life story and appreciate the great musical talent of this man. Here is a couple of example, one of them live on TV.
Steely Dan - Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Mama Cass - Dancing In the Streets
one of my top 10 ladies singer
Amanda Meta Marshall, canadian pop-rock singer and songwriter
Last Exit To Eden
Let It Rain