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It’s an incredible night of classic music - Jefferson Starship, joined by Orleans, Firefall, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section - all four bands had multiple hits during the 1970’s and early 80’s.  The show is making a stop at the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights, Ohio on Thursday, July 16th. Now, one of the band’s on the bill is Orleans, who’s unique blend of harmonies and melody fueled hits like “...

Memphis native Van Duren has a gift for creating melodic rock with an unique edge.  His 1978 album, Are You Serious? is perhaps the greatest album you’ve never heard.  He played with members of the legendary band, Big Star, and formed his own great group, Good Question.  More recently, he’s issued some fine albums with Vickie Loveland, under the Loveland Duren moniker.  And, he was the subject of...

Peter Case’s 5-decade career in music has had many twists and turns, starting with the influential band the Nerves in the late Seventies, then the Plimsouls, who had an early eighties MTV hit with “A Million Miles Away.”  Peter’s first, self-titled solo album from 1986 helped jump start the roots movement of the mid-80’s. 13 solo albums and now My Life to Live, from Sunset Blvd Records -  Case's f...

Singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Doug Kistner has played with Trans Siberian Orchestra, John Waite, and even Blood, Sweat and Tears.  But, his new project assembles an impressive list of ace musicians into Studio D’Lux and their first album is titled, appropriately, The Allstar Project. These all stars include Liberty Devitto, Billy Joel’s original drummer; several members of Chicago, including...

Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon are stalwarts of the folk music scene, and they’ve both issued successful Children’s records.  Now, during the Pandemic, the two friends decided to “meet up” the only way they could, over Zoom - every Monday at 2pm.  This virtual partnership produced over a hundred songs, with the first batch being issued in 2023 as Together.  Now comes, appropriately titled, Togethe...

Ted Neeley played the lead role in both the stage performance and the film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar. His piercing, multi-octave range and golden locks made for something we hadn’t seen before: a hunky rock n’ roll Messiah.  Also starring the smoldering Yvonne Elliman, as Mary Magdalene, and the soulful, gut wrenching performance of Carl Anderson as Judas.  Neeley was nominated for two...

You could say Maria Muldaur has done it all - blues, country, folk, rock, jazz, jug band, even kids music.  She’s also garnered many awards, including being nominated six times for Grammys.  Her latest project is a true labor of love.  One Hour Mama: The Blues of Victoria Spivey, out now on Nola Blue Records, gives Muldaur a chance to honor one of her mentors.  While Victoria Spivey is not a house...

New England singer/songwriter Dar Williams has been putting out music for 35 years.  She’s also written several books, including What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician's Guide to Rebuilding America's Communities – One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, & Open-Mic Night at a Time.  Her latest album, Hummingbird Highway, is a true, tour de force, covering everything from jangly folk, to breez...

The Cowsills, an entire family of talented musicians, first hit the charts in 1967 with “The Rain, the Park & Other Things.”  Then came “We Can Fly,” “Indian Lake” and “Hair.”  The group was the inspiration for the hit TV series, The Partridge Family, then many years later, was the subject of their own documentary called Family Band.  Omnivore Recordings issued the groups excellent reunion alb...

California native and Nashville transplant Maia Sharp has written songs for Cher and Tricia Yearwood and produced Art Garfunkel.  She’s held songwriting workshops as well. She’s also released a string of fantastic solo albums, and she seems to get better with every release.  Her 10th album, Tomboy, might be her most relaxed record to date.  

North Carolina singer & harmonica player Tad Robinson has been nominated 10 times for the Blues Music Awards, especially in the category of Soul Blues.  He’s been a frequent guest on this show, and he’s back with his first new record in six years called Soul in Blue on the famed Delmark Records out of Chicago. Among the ten songs on the new record are two obscure numbers, one by Wilson Pickett...

North Carolina native Chris Stamey has spent his life in music, which includes playing in the seminal band the Sneakers with famed producer, Mitch Easter, before forming the critically-acclaimed power pop quartet, the dB’s.  He’s issued several solo albums and duo projects with bandmate Peter Holsapple.  Starting in 2010, he was the musical director for a series of concerts honoring the music of B...

Davina & the Vagabonds take early 20th century jazz and blues as the foundation - then add soulful vocals, pop sensibilities and a touch of sassiness to come up with a sound uniquely their own.  Led by powerhouse Davina Sowers, the band has been wowing audiences with their fantastic live shows for two decades now.  They’ve also issued some fine studio albums - most recently, Shoot For the Moon...

Firefall formed in 1974 in Boulder, Colorado - scoring hit songs with “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” and “Strange Way.”  The band paid tribute to some of their favorite artists  with the release of Friends & Family in 2023.  Now, Firefall is back with Friends & Family 2, using the same blueprint - grabbing songs that some of the Firefall members played on, including the B...

Peter Holsapple was a founding member of the influential power pop band, the dB’s, whose quirky, hook-laden songs garnered critical acclaim, but little commercial success.  Yet, now the band’s albums are considered classics.  Holsapple also spent time in the alternative supergroup, the Continental Drifters, and was a touring musician for both R.E.M. and Hootie & the Blowfish during their 90’s...

Why the Worry, the 12th album from Seth Walker, arrives at a time rife with political and economic uncertainty - it seems like daily all we do IS worry.  Add to it the fact that Walker’s hometown of Asheville, North Carolina was recently devastated by Hurricane Helene.  What gave him hope was a quote from Willie Nelson - “I’ve never seen worry accomplish anything… so I decided not to do it.”  Hang...

The Josh Joplin Group, fronted by its namesake, had a #1 hit on Triple A radio with “Camera One” in 2001. Another one of Joplin’s songs, “Blue Skies Again,” was recorded by Jessica Lea Mayfield on her critically-acclaimed album, Tell Me.  Joplin has released several solo albums and films as well.  His new record, GpYr (pronounced Gap Year), is his first under his own moniker since 2013.  Among the...

Resilient is the best word that describes the Cowsills.  The six sibling band hit in 1967 with "The Rain, the Park and Other Things," then with "Hair" in 1969.  But, their career quickly derailed (chronciled in the excellent documentary Family Band).  The group triumphantly returned with the excellent Rhythm of the World album in 2022.   But, there's more to the story.  The group recorded an album...

Iain Matthews fronted the influential British band, Fairport Convention for their first three albums before embarking on a solo career that’s lasted almost 60 years. With Matthews Southern Comfort he scored a hit cover version of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” in 1970, had a solo hit in 1979 with “Shake It,” and the Eagles’ borrowed his arrangement of the Steve Young song, “Seven Bridges Road” for th...

The dB’s, originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, issued a pair of albums in the early Eighties that were at times both jangly and melodic, and quirky and inventive. Unfortunately, neither album saw a release in America at the time - instead getting issued by the UK label Albion.  Now, over 40 years later, they’re issuing the dB’s debut record, Stands for Decibels, on Propeller Sound Record...

The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American treasure, formed in Austin, Texas in 1974, the band developed an infectious blend of blues and rock that hit pay dirt with songs like “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap it Up” from 1986.  The group is celebrating their 50th anniversary with the release of Struck Down, their first new material in eight years.  The record features contributions from big name artists lik...

Tommy James has sold over 100 million records, and his impressive string of hits continue to live on in movies, TV shows and commercials - "Hanky Panky," "Mony, Mony," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Crimson & Clover," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and many more.  His excellent autobiography, "Me, the Mob and the Music" is one of the greatest music books ever written, and is in preproduction to be tu...

Marshall Chess has a long history in the blues.  His father, Leonard, was one of the co-founders of Chess Records, the influential record label responsible for exposing the music of artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson to larger audience.  Marshall produced the trailblazing Electric Mud from Muddy Waters, and the Howlin’ Wolf Album, both were attempts to reinterpret th...

Tom Rush pretty much pioneered the folk movement of the early Sixties, issuing his debut album in 1962.  He’s also credited with putting compositions by Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor on album for the first time, with his LP The Circle Game in 1968.  We talked with Tom back in 2018 when he issued his album Voices.  Well, he’s back with his first new record in five years out called...

Memphis musician Van Duren was the subject of a recent documentary called Waiting: the Van Duren Story, available to rent at most streaming services.  Omnivore Recordings released an excellent summation of Duren’s career in the form of the documentary soundtrack, then issued his first two solo albums in 2020.  Next up is Cartwheeling: Live in Memphis, showcasing Duren and his underrated band, Good...