Like Ray (Charles), Aretha was a hands-on performer, a two-fisted pianist plugged into the main circuit of Holy Ghost power. Even though we produced Aretha in a way that we never produced Ray, she remained the central orchestrator of her own sound, the essential contributor and final arbiter of what fit or did not fit […]
Read MoreWhat Do You Think About the Piano?
Today’s post ties together several of my earlier posts, which is always a goal of The Adios Lounge. “Everything’s connected,” as we were reminded last week in The Roots of Keith Richards. Two months ago, Jay Farrar & 8-Track Heavana featured The Rolling Stones and “Wild Horses,” with appearances by Jim Dickinson, Gram Parsons, and Altamont […]
Read MoreDoug Sahm & Bob Dylan: Amigos de Musica
“I first met (Bob Dylan) in ’65. We’ve had a friendship for a long time. He decided to play on a record I was making in New York. We were just friends playing together.” –Doug Sahm to Jim Groenenwegen and Bill Bentley, Austin Sun, 1975 “Doug had a hit record (“She’s About A Mover”) […]
Read MoreRIP Jerry Wexler
The Adios Lounge would be remiss if it didn’t acknowledge the passing of Jerry Wexler, who died Friday at the age of 91. I’ve often said that if I could live anyone else’s life in history, I’d live Jerry Wexler’s. He coined the phrase “rhythm and blues” while writing for Billboard. He helped create rock […]
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