Music

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  Remember Cat Stevens? He came to prominence here in the early Seventies as a singer-songwriter responsible for such ethereal musical ballads as “Peace Train,” “Wild World,” “Moon Shadow” and “Morning Has Broken.” He was equally popular in...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  Thomas “Snuff” Garrett was a Dallas high school dropout who became a Lubbock, Texas, disc jockey at age 17 and befriended local music star Buddy Holly....

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  One has to wonder: Somewhere in England in 1971, was there a woman in her mid-40s—and possibly wearing a Mona Lisa smile—who heard “Maggie...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  Dave Marsh is a well-respected rock-music critic and historian. He’s normally quite sparing in his praise, but Marsh once could barely contain his enthusiasm when he reviewed a Marvin Gaye single and proclaimed it to be “the greatest piece of music ever...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  A leisurely drive on a country road can offer a chance to leave city stresses behind for a while and enjoy nature’s scenic wonders.   Sometimes, though, such a usually ordinary event can prove life-changing. 

Thumbnail image from NPR.org BY RANDAL C. HILL  Have you ever heard of musician Billy Strange? Born William Everett Strange in 1930 in Long Beach, California, he became an in-demand session guitarist/arranger in Hollywood who recorded with...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay By Randal C. Hill It was in 1958 when 20-year-old Paul Revere (born Paul Revere Dick) met fellow Idahoan Mark Lindsay, age 16. Paul ran a drive-in restaurant west of Boise. One day,...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay BY RANDAL C. HILL  His songs may have lacked the depth and social commentary of those of his fellow ex-Beatles, but Ringo Starr fans could usually count on having fun when hearing what he offered the world. Such is...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay By Randal C. Hill Kris Kristofferson has earned a place in the history books as one of the great American songwriters. That honor, though, has come at a...

Thumbnail image from Pixabay By Randal C. Hill He was just 22 when his introspective breakout music single on Warner Records made James Taylor an international pop star. Born in Boston...