Happy Birthday, Dolly!

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born January 19, 1946, in Sevierville, Tennessee. She is a Grammy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated, Tony Award-nominated, and Emmy Award-nominated singer-songwriter, author, actress, and philanthropist. Mostly, she is the Queen of Country!

She remains one of the most successful female artists in the history of country music, with 25 Number One singles and 41 Top Ten country albums. Dolly has the distinction of having performed on a Top Five country hit in each of the last five decades and is the only artist to score a Number One country single in each of the past four decades.

Visit Dolly’s official site: DollyPartonMusic.net

Sing it, Dolly!

Jolene

Shinola

Better Get To Livin’

Coat of Many Colors

Islands in the Stream with Kenny Rogers

9 to 5

Janet: Number Ones

For the first time, 33 of Janet Jackson’s global Number One hits, plus the new “Make Me,” are available together in a two-disc set. Number Ones takes us from the early days of “What Have You Done For Me Lately” and “Nasty” to her more recent work with her late brother Michael, Busta Rhymes, Blackstreet, Q-Tip, and Nelly.

Number Ones celebrates the career and creativity of one of the most successful and influential artists of our time. It spans more than 20 years of hits from Janet’s original albums-from her 1986 stellar breakthrough Control, which included five chart-toppers, to the most recent set Discipline.

Rhythm Nation 1814 was the best-selling album of 1990. Rhythm Nation 1814 contained “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade,” “Alright,” “Come Back to Me,” “Black Cat,” and “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” which all peaked within the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first and only album to achieve that feat. All these hits are here!

From the later albums, hits like “If,” “Together Again,” “All For You,” “All Nite (Don’t Stop), and “Someone to Call My Lover” are included. Other highlights are “Scream,” her only duet with her brother, “What’s it Gonna Be?!” with Busta Rhymes, and “Got ’Til It’s Gone” with Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell.

Number Ones is Jackson’s first greatest hits compilation since 1995, and is a must-have for Janet fans, especially those of us who had some of the earlier albums on cassette.

Rhythm Nation

Janet Jackson Love Will Never Do (Without You) (live)

That’s The Way Love Goes

Again

Together Again

All For You

Minutes to Circle

Phil Circle is a musician I first saw perform about eight years ago in what used to be the legendary CBGB’s in New York City. And I’ve been a fan ever since!

The Chicago native plays all the local clubs in and around the windy city and has a great onstage presence.

His most recent CD Minutes to Circle is an eleven-song set of original tunes. His voice and his guitar talent make this a great CD to listen to over and over again.

All the tunes are worth repeat listens, but I especially like “Surreal Life,” “Lipstick & Whiskey,” “Down to the Sea,” “There’s a River” (great guitar solo), and “Psychosis.” The last two tracks “Everything I Touch” and “Will You Go Lassie Go” have a touch of the Irish.

Take a listen to some of the tracks and check out Phil Circle’s performance calendar here: MySpace.com

And download individual songs or the whole disc here: Amazon.com

Teddy Pendergrass (1950-2010)

Teddy Pendergras, the R&B singer of “Love T.K.O.,” “Close The Door,” and “Turn Off The Lights,” has died of colon cancer. He had been confined to a wheelchair after a car accident at the young age of 31.

Aside from having a great baritone voice, he was also a drummer. He was part of the group Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, first as drummer, then as lead singer. Their signature hits include “Wake Up Everybody,” “The Love I Lost,” “Bad Luck,” and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”

In my opinion, his voice and sexuality exuded in much the same way as Isaac Hayes, Al Green, and Marvin Gaye. His soulful and explosive passionate voice lives on.

Close The Door (Live)

Turn Off The Lights

Love T.K. O.

Happy 75th Birhday, Elvis!

Today marks what would’ve been Elvis’ 75th birthday. There will be a year-long celebration of his life and legacy at Graceland, his home in Memphis, Tennessee.

Let’s Celebrate!

Rolling Stone: “A Look Back at the King on His 75th Birthday”

Take a look at the photo gallery on NY Daily News site.

Not that I would trust much of what the National Enquirer writes about anyone, but I do know that most of these 10 Things You Don’t Know About Elvis are actually true.

Here’s a 1960 performance of “Fame and Fortune” (introduced by Frank Sinatra)

Here are some more live performances from the King of Rock n’ Roll:

Gospel Medley

Guitar Man

Baby, What You Want Me To Do

Mystery Train

Trying to Get To You

And my favorite:

If I Can Dream

The Elvis Story

Part 1 – From Tupelo to Memphis

Part 2 – Memphis

Part 3 – Sun Records

The GI Blues

Elvis: Early Performances

Love Me Tender (mixed with scenes from his first film of the same title)

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

Baby Let’s Play House

Blue Suede Shoes

Heartbreak Hotel

First time Elvis was caught on video performing.

Elvis Week 2010

Friday, January 8, 2010, marks the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birthday. At Graceland, the biggest Elvis celebration yet is taking place this week.

Check out some of the events below:
www.Elvis.com

Stay tuned for more Elvis!