Patsy Cline Anyone?

[Paul McGaha]

The Voice.

That's what the other guys in the Traveling Wilburys called him.

Love that band. I don't think George Harrison ever sounded better.

[Art Mann]

I'd say my favorite female singer is Linda Ronstadt. It's a shame she now has Parkinson's disease and can't sing anymore. A beautiful and powerful voice.

PHM

Back in the dark ages, I went to a Neil Young concert and Linda Ronstadt was the lead-in performer. Nobody had ever heard of her except that she was a singer for an obscure group called the Stone Ponies. She came on and Sang an old song called "Silver Threads and Golden Needles". It absolutely brought the house down. I still get chills just thinking about it after 40 years. She sang about 8 more songs and did two encores. Finally, a very drunk Neil Young staggered up on the stage and sang a song called "Southern Man". I'll bet you can guess how well that went over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He attempted to sing a couple more songs but by that time the coliseum was mostly empty. I didn't hang around either but counted the ticket price well worth the money because of Linda Ronstadt.

[Bill Clifton]

For "shop music" I don't think you can beat Pandora - pick a "station" and play it until you get tired of it and then try a different genre.

[Frederick Skelly]

....and there is the voice of Roy Orbison......... Jay and the Americans........ I loved the vocal harmonies that came about in the 60's.... female and male vocal harmonies.......

I miss those vocal harmonies.......

Speaking of harmonies - how about the Shirrells? I had an older cousin who introduced me to them. Loved em! And lets not forget the ever delightful Andrews Sisters from the 40's. Different era, different style, but still good stuff.

But Patsy and Ella - especially Patsy - are hard to forget. Haunting.

[Frederick Skelly]

Finally, a very drunk Neil Young staggered up on the stage and sang a song called "Southern Man". I'll bet you can guess how well that went over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Wasnt that the performance that pissed off Leonard Skinnard and led to "Sweet Home Alabama"?

[Shawn Pixley]

No, it was "Alabama" LS responded with "Sweet Home Alabama". Warren Zevon Responded with "Play it All Night Long"

[Shawn Pixley]

I'm a Patsy Cline fan. For my money though, the best female voice in the sixties was Nina Simone. In the seventies - Chrissy Hynde. In the Eighties - Bjork. the nineties - Delores O'Riordan. Lately, Neko Case.

before Patsy - Billie Holliday and Edith Piaf (some might add Sarah Vaughn)

admittedly, I favor indie artists with unique styles. I don't think I own any music by anyone who would have done well on American Idol.

[Bill McNiel]

Check out The Cowboy Junkies, not country music but fantastic original tunes by this Canadian family led by Margo Timmons and her two brothers who each play multiple instruments.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Tough to be in the same league as Patsy Cline, but one of my favorites is Jo Stafford. From an earlier era but good stuff.

[Justin Ludwig]

Thanks for that video, Phil. I really enjoyed it. I'm always on the lookout for new music.

[Kevin Bourque]

A few years back I was reading somewhere that the music industry did some research and found that the public mostly listened to artists they could sing along with.
So they started a program of manufacturing artists who sang in a tight range, easily mimicked by the listeners.
Jessica Simpson complained about this publicly when her producers told her to change some songs on one of her albums to make it easier for her fans to sing along.

The industry also found that the artists upbringing, appearance, lifestyle, politics, etc. were just as important to their success as their average voices.
So the industry manufactured all that too.

If there is another Patsy Cline out there she'd better have a smokin' hot bod and a PETA tee-shirt.

[Phil Thien]

If there is another Patsy Cline out there she'd better have a smokin' hot bod and a PETA tee-shirt.

Thankfully we haven't shunned artists like Adele just because she doesn't fit the mold.

[Phil Thien]

For "shop music" I don't think you can beat Pandora - pick a "station" and play it until you get tired of it and then try a different genre.

Listening to Baroque Classical via Pandora right now.

People that visit the shop often ask what local station plays classical (thinking I'm pulling-in an FM station).

We had WFMR here in the Milwaukee area, they're gone.

But I have Pandora streaming through a Squeezebox player connected to my stereo, so I can listen to lots of different classical stations.

[David Ragan]

A few years back I was reading somewhere that the music industry did some research and found that the public mostly listened to artists they could sing along with.
So they started a program of manufacturing artists who sang in a tight range, easily mimicked by the listeners.
Jessica Simpson complained about this publicly when her producers told her to change some songs on one of her albums to make it easier for her fans to sing along.

The industry also found that the artists upbringing, appearance, lifestyle, politics, etc. were just as important to their success as their average voices.
So the industry manufactured all that too.

If there is another Patsy Cline out there she'd better have a smokin' hot bod and a PETA tee-shirt.

I belive that. When I was a kid, I thought the only 'group' around was Chicago. They were great up until Chicago V. Carnegie Hall was the pinnacle. I know-the brass and woodwinds disliked that production cause it showcased Terry Kath, and made them sound like kazoos.

My point is that starting with Chicago V, they morphed into a market-driven teenage appealing awful to poppish for me. I knew at the time what was going on. Sure wish they would have stayed with the jazz/rock fusion style. Or, maybe Lamm and Pankow were just out of tunes......

I probably know every single note of the Carnegie Hall albums. Maybe I should get out more.

Baroque is excellent. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos with the clavinet are superb (my highest compliment)--you know, the lively ones, not the depressing ones.