By Randal C. Hill
Even before he became a successful and respected musician, Gerry Rafferty had developed a loathing for the often-underhanded machinations of the pop-music industry.
Born in 1947 in Paisley, Scotland (near Glasgow), Rafferty came from a working-class family,...
Writer: Randal C. Hill
Inspirations for a hit song can sometimes spring from a most unusual source.
Members of the California septet War hailed from different neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Of disparate backgrounds and different ages, the musicians found...
“Imagine a moonless night in the Rockies at 10,000 feet; a meteor went by, its tail stretching across the sky, and burned itself out. It was raining fire in the sky.”
By Noreen Kompanik
The Oak Ridge Boys – the legendary group consisting of William Lee Golden, Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall and Richard Sterban – has been performing on stage together for over 50 years. But the fascinating and unique history...
Thumbnail image by Rahul Yadav from Pixabay
BY RANDAL C. HILL
It was more—much more—than just another rock ‘n’ roll hit.
While “Black and White” became the third single by Three Dog Night to reach the top of the Billboard charts, the...
Thumbnail image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay
By Kathy A. Megyeri
Recently, Virginia’s 10th District Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton sponsored legislation and President Joe Biden signed it into law that the post office along Old Town Winchester, Virginia’s walking mall, be named...
Thumbnail image by Charlotte Harris from Pixabay
By Nick Thomas
Producing a book showcasing her favorite band was a dream come true for life-long Beatles fan Laurie Jacobson. A celebrated author of five previous Hollywood books, her latest effort did require...
Thumbnail image by Pexels from Pixabay
BY RANDAL C. HILL
By the early 1970s, Motown’s teenage brother music group the Jackson 5 was regularly burning up the Billboard singles and album charts. Lead singer Michael later recalled, “It was Berry...
Thumbnail image by Marisa Sias from Pixabay
By Kathy A. Megyeri
When Johnny Cash performed on New Year’s Day, 1959, at San Quentin, the notorious California state prison, a 22-year-old, Merle Haggard, #A-45200 who was serving a 15 year sentence for...
Thumbnail image by Anselmo Pedraz from Pixabay
BY RANDAL C. HILL
The Beatles had 20. Elvis Presley had 18. Michael Jackson—with and without his singing brethren—had 17. Had what? The answer is hit singles. And not just any successful releases but...
