Sound Threads

Discuss Music: One of my all-time favorite bands was the Eagles. And as they released hit after hit, I had no idea about all the friction going on inside that band. Play a Song: My song today is titled  Sam Buck. It's a fictional song about a gambler who gets himself too deep with the wrong crowd. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie dives right into the idea of writ...

Discuss Music: Number two on the all-time unit sales list is country legend Garth Brooks. I will take an in-depth look at his music, songwriting and other factors that makes him so successful. Play a Song: The song for today is  Seabird. It's a song I wrote while on the beach near San Diego. One gull that day was strutting around, and the other birds simply ignored him (or her). Tell a Story: In o...

Discuss Music: Over their careers the Beatles have sold 183-million-unit sales. They have been by far the top selling artists in the USA. I'll cover their music, and why I believe they stood out. Play a Song: Today's song is the title album of my album  Good Day Risin' . It's a song that celebrates the start of a brand-new day. Tell a Story: In the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, we take a look...

Discuss Music: Last week I took an arial view of the top all-time artists. Today, I'll go in-depth on one of the top three, Elvis Presley. Play a Song: The song today is one I hope will bring a chuckle. Its titled  I don't Brake for Squirrels , and its about those small creatures that can become a hazard to anyone driving a car. Tell a Story:  Today in the Freddie Spaghetti segment, he needs somet...

Discuss Music: Who are the top-selling artists in the USA, all time? If you guessed the Beatles, you are correct. The have sold 183 million units. Garth Brooks has sold 157 million, and Elvis 139 million. Those are the top three all-time sellers, and today I'll take a quick look at others in the top dozen. Play a Song: The song I have selected for today is  The Matter of a Heart. It's a song I wro...

Discuss Music: One of the most fascinating things about music, is how the human mind processes a song. To have wide appeal, a song needs to connect with both sides of the brain-left and right hemispheres. Play a Song: Our song this morning is titled  Just the Raven's Know.  It's a song I wrote based on a true story of an unsolved murder of teen Kerry Ann Brown way back in 1986. Tell a Story: And i...

Discuss Music: When you add all the elements of a song together, that make a great one, and how does that actually work with the listener? My belief is that a song you enjoy is a bit like a friend. And a song you really, really like is a bit like a best friend. But in order to accomplish this, a song needs to be "hooky". Not so easy to do! Play a Song: Our song of the day is a classic  Who Will Si...

Discuss Music: I n this show I look at various musical forms including twelve bar blues AABA, verse-chorus, and others.  Play a Song: I will play   Solitary Star, a  song I wrote some time ago. It's about having a mirror image of your own life every night right up there in the heavens. Tell a Story: In today's episode of the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie rushes to a local music store...

Discuss Music: One of the most interesting elements about music for me, is where a song arrives from. Is there some magic formula? Of course, the answer is no, otherwise everyone would be using that formula. So how does a song become born? Today, I'll look at how one iconic song was created. Play a Song: And with football season upon us, my song today is the  Lineman's Song.   The song is about an...

Discuss Music: Welcome to our Labor Day edition of  Sound Threads.  Some musicians are able to make their songs and playing stand out. Is there a secret to getting good "tone" out of an instrument? Play a Song: Also today, I'll play the song You Were Home to Me.  I wrote it about my late mother when she passed, but it's also meant to be a tribute to all the great Mom's out there. They can be the m...

Discuss Music: This morning I'll look at some reasons I enjoyed Freddie Mercury's music so much. For me, he ranks way high on the songwriting and performance scale. Play a Song : My song for today is called  Second Time . It's a song I wrote about making up after a lover's spat. The protagonist in the song is one happy guy. Tell a Story: And when I check in on our story, Freddie (not the same one!...

Discuss Music: Some of the great musicians are able to lend little "touches" that help make a song stand out. I'll talk about that this morning. Play a Song: My song today is called " I Was There" . Of the songs I have written, this one is one is a favorite, due to the subject matter. It's written about the great accomplishments of mankind. Tell a Story: And today in the Musical World of Freddie S...

Discuss Music: T his morning I'll look at the great songwriter, Dolly Parton. Her prolific and chart-topping hits would make her one of our great all-time songwriters. Play a Song: Also today, I'll play my song Make it Monday. I wrote Make it Monday to provide a counter viewpoint of the first day of the work week, and its lead in serves as Sound Threads entry theme song. Tell a Story: In this show...

Discuss Music: This morning I'll discuss the songwriting of Brian Wilson Beach Boys, and in particular his song  God Only Knows.  Play a Song: Later on in the show, I'll play my song   Scattered.  Its a song about becoming discombobulated when you are under stress. Tell a Story: In our story, we meet Mr. Fred Barton Junior. Check me out online at: Ryantunes             http://www.ryantunes.com You...

Discuss Music: In today's discussion I look at types of songwriters, and some examples of the greats who were able to master the two sides of the songwriting coin. Play a Song: Today's song is titled The Trade-its about a man looking to sell his soul in order to play guitar. Tell a Story: And today, we are introducing our story. It is a fictional account of a musician who rises from obscurity and...

The music and songwriting I do today, represents my second foray into music. As a teenager and part of a Toronto-based music group the "Voyageurs", I was fortunate to play at some iconic venues including Massey Hall, the Grand Ole Opry (Ryman), and others.  In 1967, I put the guitar away to continue my education. This eventually led to a career in market research and advertising, and building my b...

 This is the initial show for my podcast titled S ound Threads.   Its a short program at only three and a half minutes long, but since Sound Threads is unique from other shows, I thought it required an introduction.  Each week, Sound Threads will look at music from three angles. First, I'll look at the larger picture such as music's very earliest beginnings. I'll cover some great artists and songw...

Discuss Music: Today is our last show for Sound Threads, I looked over all the ground we have covered in these shows. And today, I'll gaze ahead, into the future. What will music look like in the future/ Will AI "take over"? I'll look at that. Play a Song: My song today is titled the Old 29. Have you ever returned to one of your childhood neighborhoods, and become nostalgic? The Old 29 is a song a...

Discuss Music: Sound Threads has been running now for almost a full year. And this morning, I will look at some of the ground covered relevant to music and the industry during these shows. Play a Song: My song is titled How Brightly You Shine, and was written from the perspective of a friend trying in vain to help someone who is troubled. Tell a Story: In the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Fre...

Discuss Music: Today I'll look at two additional "undercurrents" of music in the digital age, namely the role of terrestrial radio, and the role of education. Play a Song: Like last week, my song for today is based upon a true story. It is titled Just the Raven's Know and is about an unsolved murder in Thompson Manitoba. Tell a Story: One of the benefits Freddie is enjoying from his travels and li...

Discuss Music: Whenever the word "streaming" is used, an automatic reflex might be to think of audio. MP3 downloads are certainly a norm today in the music industry. However, at 2.5 billion monthly active users on You Tube, video streaming is moving fast. Play a Song: My song segment today I'll play a song I wrote based upon a true story that took place at Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. T...

Discuss Music: As we know, AI has already been used quite a lot in music. One notable example is the Beatles release of their "new" single  Now and Then  during 2023 with all of the Fab Four performing.     Play a Song: My own song of today is titled Walkin On, and is about a person who closes a chapter in his life and happily looks forward to the future. Tell a Story: And in today's episode of th...

Discuss Music: Last week, I looked briefly at AI in music from an industry perspective. But what about how it impacts the consumption side? Today, I'll look at that. Pl ay a Song: My song this morning is the ageless classic Who Will Sing for Me? Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie is in his mom's living room. She knits, and listens while Freddie tries to explain wha...

Discuss Music: Today, I will take a look at the role of AI within the world of music. Specifically, I'll touch on three different elements where AI has surfaced. Play a Song: My song of the week is the beautiful creation, How Great Thou Art. I perform it using dobro in an instrumental-only version. Tell a Story: And in our story, we learn that Freddie broke out in a cold sweat following one of his...

Discuss Music: During the past couple of weeks, I looked at what might be described as "undercurrents" of the music streaming age. Today, I'll discuss two entirely disparate, almost opposite skillsets today's musician is able to benefit by having. Play a Song: Today's song is a song about those small critters that run right in front of your car when you are driving. Its titled I Don't Brake for Sq...