Happy Birthday to the English guitar player Snowy White, who is turning 78 today. Best known as backing guitarist in Pink Floyd (1978-1980) and permanent member of Thin Lizzy for three albums from 1980 until 1982. He’s also been a recurring member of Roger Waters’ backing band through the years.
So as a guitarist Snowy White is best known as a side-kick. Still, he has released over 20 solo albums, but nor with much success. With one exception, in 1983 the single Bird of Paradise spent eleven weeks in in the UK charts, peaking at number 6. The single also made the top 10 in the Netherlands and Belgium. So here’s to Snowy White! Happy Birthday
Snowy White - Bird of Paradise (1983)
One more here, in the 1970’s Snowy White befriended original Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green, who was having a difficult time in his life back then. Snowy White got tp play guitar on Peter Green’s comeback album In the Skies (1978). Snowy White even got to play lead guitar on a couple of the album tracks, among them the title track.
Peter Green - In the Skies
May I take the opportunity to recommend this Peter Green album. If you like this song, check out the album. It is very good. I still have the LP I bought back then.
Happy Birthday to the American singer and songwriter Tom Russell. Today he is turning 78 or 79. Although the internet knows he was born in Los Angeles, there is some ambivalence whether the year of his birth was 1947 or 48. Anyways, he’s a sadly under appreciated artist, who’s still had a good low-key career going since the early 1970’s.
Tom Russell writes country and folk inspired songs, often mixed with Mexican music, and always with story telling lyrics. After over a decade as a performing artist, he got to make his debut record in 1984. Gallo del Cielo, one of the songs from this record, has since become what may be his signature song. It’s been covered by several artists, and both Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen is quoted saying it’s among their favourite songs.
Tom Russell - Gallo del Cielo (1984)
In 2007 Tom Russell wrote a song that is as relevant today as when it was written, perhaps even more so.
Tom Russell - Who’s Gonna To Build Your Wall?
Whether it’s 78 or 79, Happy Birthday to Tom Russell
