AccuRadio Song Of The Day-John Primer

Artist:John Primer

Song:Poor Man Blues

Album:Call Me John Primer

Blues guitarist John Primer was a sideman for many years before going solo in 1991. Poor Man Blues is one of his most popular songs and it's from his debut album. He was born Mar. 5, 1945 in Camden, MS. It's a farming community and his parents were sharecroppers. When his dad wasn't working, he was playing guitar with a cousin. After his dad died in a truck accident, his mom moved to Chicago to earn a living and promised to bring Primer and his sister to Chicago once they turned eighteen. Living without mom was depressing and Primer cried and sang the blues. His big dream was to play with Muddy Waters someday. Just as his mom promised, Primer moved to Chicago when he turned eighteen with his guitar. His first gig was with Pat Rushing's band The Maintainers. They played clubs in West Chicago. Primer left The Maintainers in 1968 to become lead singer of the soul band The Brotherhood Band. In 1974 he was in the house band at the South Side club Theresa's. He learned to play slide guitar from former Muddy Waters sideman Sammy Lawhorn. And harmonica player Junior Wells fronted the band when he was off the road. Willie Dixon spotted Primer and brought him into the Chicago Blues All-Stars in 1979 and they toured internationally. Upon his return, Primer's dream came true when he joined Muddy Waters' new band. Primer not only played guitar but he led the band and they opened for Waters. Primer also led the Checkerboard Lounge band every Monday night. After Waters' 1983 death, Primer joined Magic Slim and the Teardrops. While in that band, he decided to record his 1991 solo debut on the Austrian label Wolf Records. Magic Slim was also on that label. The album was produced by Wolf owner Hannes Folterbauer. Poor Man Blues is probably one of Primer's most popular songs. Musicians were Junior Pettis on guitar, Nick Holt (Magic Slim's brother) on bass and Tim Taylor on drums. This comp is a good intro to Primer's music. Primer continues to record and tour. He released an album last year. He's been nominated for several awards including two Grammys. And he was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2017. Here's John Primer performing Poor Man Blues on Chicago TV station WGN June 2025. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Plus One

Artist:Plus One

Song:Written on My Heart

Album:The Promise

I have said for years that most of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is an attempt to produce Christian versions of popular mainstream bands. Plus One is one the most obvious examples of this as it is a CCM boy band. The 2000 single Written on My Heart topped the Christian chart. But I think the plan was to cross over to pop and that was unsuccessful. The idea to form a CCM boy band came from manager Mitchell Solarek in 1999. He owned a modelling agency and he moved to Nashville to get into the music business. As a Christian, he didn't like the overtly sexual trend in boy bands. After meeting 18 year old Sacramento native Nate Cole at a talent show, he decided to put a CCM boy band together. Combs knew 20 year old Pittsburg, CA. native Gabe Combs from the Northern California music scene. 21 year old Nathan Walters from Lakeland, FL heard about it from a friend of Cole's. 19 year old Jeremy Mhire of Springfield, MO was studying vocal at Southwest Missouri State University. 17 year old Jason Perry of Madison, IN was playing high school football. The name Plus One was a God reference. Atlantic Records was interested in them as a boy band like Backstreet Boys. I don't think they cared if they were CCM. I think Atlantic forgot that the 90s boy band craze was fading by then. They brought in veteran producer David Foster to supervise the 2000 album The Promise. The good news was the singles Written on My Heart and God Is in This Place topped the Christian chart and the album was certified Gold. The bad news was it didn't cross over to pop as Atlantic was hoping. So I think they were disappointed. Foster produced a couple of songs. But he brought in several producers like Buster & Shavoni, Harvey Mason Jr., Rodney Jerkins and Robbie Nevil. Written on My Heart was produced by Eric Foster White and he wrote the song with Stephanie Lewis. White had previously produced Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys. Stephanie usually writes lyrics for CCM acts and she wrote a few songs on the album. Plus One recorded three albums for Atlantic including a Christmas album. After the 2002 album Obvious, Perry and Mhire left Plus One. Atlantic released them in 2003. The Promise is available as a budget CD. The remaining three members of Plus One signed with the CCM label Inpop. The 2003 album Exodus was produced by Peter Furler and Jeff Frankenstein of the CCM band Newsboys. Plus One split up after that. Plus One briefly reunited and released a single in 2014. Considering the way Atlantic handled them, Plus One would have been better off on a CCM label in the first place. Here's the video for Written on my Heart by Plus One. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Clinton Kane

Artist:Clinton Kane

Song:Chicken Tendies

Album:Maybe Someday It'll All Be OK

After having viral success, Filipino singer songwriter Clinton Kane signed with Columbia Records. He has had success internationally. But after a dispute with an ex-girlfriend, he left Columbia and he just released a new album independently. He was born Clinton Kane Talabis Concon Nov. 26, 1999 in The Phillippines. Kane's father is an aircraft mechanic and his mother is a Pentecostal pastor. So the family moved a lot. He sang in church as a child. His parents split up when he was 14 and Kane and his two brothers were raised by their mother. Kane taught himself to play guitar and keyboards. He started posting videos on YouTube in 2016. Then he started writing songs as therapy and he released an EP in 2019. This got the attention of Dutch producer Martin Garrix. Kane appeared on Garrix's 2020 single Drown and that got Columbia's attention and they signed Kane to a record deal. Kane moved to Los Angeles and released the EP This Is What It Feels Like. Maybe Someday It'll All BE OK was first released as a 2021 EP. When the singles Chicken Tendies and I Guess I'm in Love both charted, It was expanded to a 2022 album. This is available as a digital download. Kane's music career unraveled when ex-girlfriend Brooke Schofield claimed that Kane lied about several things including his family. She is the co-host of the Cancelled podcast. The end result was Kane left Columbia and he is releasing a new album on his own label. It remains to be seen if Kane can recover from this. Here's the video for Chicken Tendies by Clinton Kane.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Steel Breeze

Artist:Steel Breeze

Song:You Don't Want Me Anymore

Album:The Real '80s

You Don't Want Me Anymore was a top 20 hit in 1982. It was the only big hit for the band Steel Breeze. One of their other songs charted so they are not a one hit wonder. But I think I might be hard pressed to find anyone who remembers them. Steel Breeze was from Sacramento, CA. The band name is from the Pink Floyd song Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Band members were Ric Jacobs on vocals, Ken Goorabian and Wayne Carpenter on guitar, Rod Toner on keyboards, Vinnie Pantaleoni on bass and Barry Lowenthal on drums. Goorabian wrote most of the songs including You Don't Want Me Anymore. Toner first formed a band while in college in the late 70s. Steel Breeze was a more serious attempt than that. They started out playing California and Nevada. They recorded a demo. And they got their big break when veteran producer Kim Fowley (The Runaways) found their demo in a stack he found at a Hollywood nightclub. At the time, he was looking for a band that was similar to Journey. So he went to Sacramento to sign them and got them a deal with RCA Records. Fowley produced their 1982 debut album Steel Breeze and the single You Don't Want Me Anymore reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video for You Don't Want Me Anymore was frequently played on MTV. And in those days, many radio stations refused to play songs that were popular on MTV. So it was probably a bigger hit than its chart position. The album only reached #50 on the Billboard 200 So I think folks watched the video but weren't motivated to buy the album. BTW, this was Kim Fowley's final album of his long career. You can get You Don't Want Me Anymore on this 3CD various artists comp available at a reasonable price. Steel Breeze recorded a second album called Heart on the Line. But as sometimes happens, RCA went through a management shuffle. So the album was shelved and RCA released Steel Breeze. Heart on the Line was released by Toner in 1996. Though Steel Breeze last recorded in 1994, Toner still leads a version of the band in clubs. Gorrabian became a photographer. Lowenthal played for KBC Band which was a Jefferson Starship spinoff. It appears the others quit the music business. Here's the video for You Don't Want Me Anymore by Steel Breeze. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jimmie Davis

Artist:Jimmie Davis

Song:You Are My Sunshine

Album:The Jimmie Davis Collection 1929-47

Jimmie Davis was a pioneering country music performer who also served two terms as Governor of Louisiana. He is best known for the song You Are My Sunshine which he owned but did not write. I will explain. He was born Sept. 11, 1899 in Quitman, LA. His parents were sharecroppers. Davis was one of 11 children and he wasn't sure what year he was born. After graduating from high school. Davis graduated from Louisiana State University in 1927 with a Master of Arts in psychology. Davis started out teaching history and social studies at Dodd College for Girls in Shreveport. He also performed on the local radio station. Davis first recorded in 1929 in a style similar to Jimmie Rodgers. At first he recorded raunchy blues songs. He signed with Decca Records in 1934. By the late 30s, Davis was a fixture at the top of the country charts. Of course Davis' best known song is You Are My Sunshine. Davis and his partner Charles Mitchell owned the song. But they did not write or originally record it. You Are My Sunshine was written by Oliver Hood of The Rice Brothers Gang and owned by group leader Paul Rice. It was first recorded by The Pine Ridge Boys in 1939 and then The Rice Brothers Gang. But Rice did not copyright it. Mitchell heard You Are My Sunshine and played it for Davis. They contacted Rice and offered to buy the song. Rice needed money for his wife's medical bills. So he sold it and they copyrighted it in 1940. Davis' recorded You Are My Sunshine before he copyrighted it so his recording was not eligible for charts. But You Are My Sunshine has been covered by many artists including Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, Doris Day and Ray Charles. Buying and selling songs was common practice in those days. Of course folks thought Davis wrote it but he never claimed that. Davis continued to record for Decca until the late 40s. You can get everything on this 2CD budget comp from the British reissue label Acrobat. These are original recordings. Davis was first elected Governor of Louisiana in 1944. He was elected again in 1960. Davis continued to perform until he retired in the 90s. He died on Nov. 5, 2000 at age 101. Here's Jimmie Davis performing You Are My Sunshine 1956.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dorothy Collins

Artist:Dorothy Collins

Song:Losing My Mind

Album:Follies: Original Broadway Cast

Dorothy Collins was a singer best known for her many appearances in TV, most notably on the 50s series Your Hit Parade. But the highlight of her career was when she was nominated for a Tony for playing Sally Durant Plummer in the 1971 Broadway musical Follies written by Stephen Sondheim. Losing My Mind was her big song. This was her only Broadway appearance. She was born Marjorie Chandler Nov. 18, 1926 in Windsor, ON. As a child, she sang on radio stations in Windsor and Detroit. Then at age 14, she was introduced to composer and bandleader Raymond Scott in Chicago. She became his protege and soon joined his band and toured with Scott. After Scott was hired to conduct the orchestra on the CBS radio show Your Hit Parade in 1949, Dorothy came with him. When Your Hit Parade moved to NBC in 1950, Scott continued to lead the band and Dorothy auditioned for and won a spot as a regular on the show. Meanwhile they married in 1952. Your Hit Parade was very popular in those days until it ended in 1959. Dorothy was so good at doing the Lucky Strike commercials that she became The Lucky Strike Girl. Dorothy also appeared on The Steve Allen Show and she co-hosted Candid Camera in the early 60s. Dorothy recorded for Coral Records in the 50s. She had three top 20 hits but Rock 'n' Roll ended her recording career. In the 60s, she continued to appear on TV variety shows like The Bell Telephone Hour and Hollywood Palace. She also worked with Scott when he wrote jingles for ad agencies when his TV work dried up. Some of these have been released on CD. They divorced in 1965. Dorothy had never appeared on Broadway when she was hired for Follies. But composer Stephen Sondheim and producer director Hal Prince knew Dorothy could sing because of Your Hit Parade. Remember they also hired Alexis Smith for Follies though she was not known as a singer. So I think they were thinking outside the box which is not surprising for Sondheim. It worked out and Dorothy was nominated for a Tony. The original cast album is available on CD. Dorothy retired in 1980 due to asthma and she died on July 21, 1994 at age 67. Here's Dorothy Collins performing Losing My Mind on the 1975 MDA Telethon. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Clean Bandit

Artist:Clean Bandit f/Demi Lovato

Song:Solo

Album:What Is Love?

Clean Bandit is an EDM trio that mixes dance and pop with chamber music. They have had success mostly at home in England. None of them sing so they bring in big name vocalists. The 2018 single Solo features Demi Lovato and it topped the British charts. They have recently switched record labels and have a new album on the way. Jack Patterson writes and produces the music. His brother Luke plays drums. While attending Jesus College at the University of Cambridge in 2012, Patterson met cellist Grace Chatto who was in a string quartet. He told her he was interested in recording them and incorporating it into his own music. He recorded with his brother Jack and singer Love Ssega. Grace and violinist Neil Armin-Smith from the quartet joined the band known as Clean Bandit. Patterson says it's a rough translation of a Russian phrase meaning "complete bastard". Love Ssega soon left to return to school. Clean Bandit released a few singles and an EP on their own label. They did well enough to get them a record deal with Atlantic Records. The album New Eyes was released in 2014. The single Rather Be topped the British charts, was top ten in the US and charted worldwide. After Ssega left, Clean Bandit started using guest singers. The singer on Rather Be was Jess Glynne who soon signed a record deal with Atlantic. Rather Be won a Grammy for Best Dance Record. Clean Bandit should have made Jess permanent lead singer. They may not have offered it but she had solo aspirations anyway. So Clean Bandit continued to use guest singers on the 2018 album What Is Love?. There were several hit singles including Solo featuring Demi Lovato, It topped the British Singles chart. The album was certified Platinum in England. Patterson co-wrote and produced with Grace and various writers and producers. Producer Mark Ralph co-produced most of the album. He is an EDM veteran. Fred Gibson and Kamille also worked on the song. Interestingly, the album didn't do as well in the US. I believe Atlantic in New York pulled back on promotion because they wanted Patterson to make changes in the band. Patterson told the BBC he only dealt with British staff. But I assure you they were under orders from New York. They told them to remove the strings and be more EDM than pop. The reason for this is Clean Bandit does not have a full time lead singer. Atlantic believes, and I agree with them, that the lead singer is the personality of the group. Patterson is the group leader but most listeners don't know who he is. Patterson attempted to make the adjustments Atlantic requested. But Clean Bandit left Atlantic and have a new album coming soon from their new label B1/Ministry of Sound distributed by Sony. In recent interviews, Patterson has joked with media about hiring a permanent lead singer. But that's something he should have done ten years ago. Here's the video for Solo by Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Glenn Miller

Artist:Glenn Miller f/Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke and The Modernaires

Song:Jukebox Saturday Night

Album:A Legendary Performer

Jukebox Saturday Night was a top ten hit for Glenn Miller in 1942. Miller had plenty of hits in those days. But the main reason I am writing about this song is there is a great video clip and I want to talk about the singers. Because that's who was featured on the record. Jukebox Saturday Night was written by Al Stillman and Paul McGrane. Stillman was a lyricist whose other big hits were the 1954 Perry Como Christmas perennial Home for the Holidays and the 1957 Johnny Mathis hit Chances Are. Jukebox Saturday Night was McGrane's only big hit. Marion Hutton and Tex Beneke are best known for their days with Miller. They both floundered after his death. Beneke attempted to start his own band but was unsuccessful. Marion was the sister of actress Betty Hutton. The Modernaires started out in their hometown of Buffalo. The three main members were Hal Dickinson, Chuck Goldstein and Bill Conway. Dickinson married Paula Kelly in 1939 and she joined The Modernaires. They split up after Miller's death. This video has different performers on it as it was produced for the Panoram video jukebox manufactured by Mills Novelty. They were commonly called Soundies. Soundies were produced from 1939 to 1947. This Soundie was produced in 1944. The recording is not original. It was by The Soundies Orchestra under the direction of Jack Shandlin. The members of The Modernaires in this video were Tommy Morgan, Hal Dickinson, Harriet Clark, Fran Scott and Ralph Brewster. The most notable feature of Jukebox Saturday Night is The Modernaires imitating The Ink Spots and that is on the video. I may try to feature other Soundies in the future. I think many are lost but one never knows. I am always on the prowl for vintage videos. You can get Jukebox Saturday Night on this Glenn Miller budget comp. Here's the Soundie of The Modernaires performing Jukebox Saturday Night.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Yazoo

Artist:Yazoo

Song:Situation

Album:Only Yazoo The Best of

The British duo Yazoo weren't around very long. But they were very important in the early 80s development of synth pop. They were very successful in England. And Situation was one of two US chart singles. They only recorded two albums. Singer Alison Moyet and former Depeche Mode keyboardist Vince Clarke attended the same Saturday music school in Basildon, Essex, England. After Clarke heard the band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, he formed Depeche Mode and released a 1981 album on Mute Records. Meanwhile, Alison bounced around various bands and she placed a1981 ad in the music magazine Melody Maker looking for musicians to form a band. By that time, Clarke had left Depeche Mode and answered the ad. Despite being from the same home town, they didn't know each other though Alison knew other members of Depeche Mode. Clarke wanted Alison to record a demo for Mute so he could get a solo record deal. Mute agreed to release the demo Only You as a single. They recorded Situation and it was the B side. Alison is a blues fan so the name Yazoo is after the blues label Yazoo Records. They threatened to sue so for the US release, the name was shortened to Yaz. After Only You reached #2 on the British Singles chart. Mute told Clarke to record an album. Meanwhile, the second single Don't Go reached #3 on the British Singles chart. Situation was the B side and it had become a hit in New York City clubs. That got them a US deal with Sire Records The 1982 album Upstairs at Eric's was released. Sire wanted Situation as the first single but it wasn't on the album. It reached #73 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album sold very well in England but not so well in the US. Yazoo wrote and produced. After releasing a stand alone single, they released the 1983 album You and Me Both. By this time, the two weren't getting along and they didn't even want to record another album. Soon after the album release, the split was announced. You can get all their hits on this comp. Of course Alison had a significant solo career in the late 80s. Clarke seemed to bounce around a lot. His most significant band was Erasure, Yazoo reunited for a 2008 tour and a live album was released. But as I said, Yazoo was a synthpop influence in the 80s. Here's Yazoo performing Situation on the German TV show Popcorn 1983.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bedouin Soundclash

Artist:Bedouin Soundclash

Song:When the Night Feels My Song

Album:Sounding a Mosaic

Bedouin Soundclash is an indie band that have had success mostly in their native Canada. The 2004 single When the Night Feels My Song topped the Canadian singles chart. Their music is a blend of reggae, ska and punk. Band leader Jay Malinowski and bassist Eon Sinclair were attending Queen's University in Kingston, ON when they met and decided to form the band Bedouin Soundclash. The band name is after a dub record by Badawi. They thought it represented a mix of musical styles which is what they aspire to. Malinowski writes everything and sings and plays lead guitar. They usually have a drummer. Pat Pengelly was the original drummer. Bedouin Soundclash released their debut album Root Fire in 2001. Then they signed with the Canadian indie label Stomp Records for the 2004 album Sounding a Mosaic. This got them on the radar of Canadian radio and the music video channel MuchMusic as they are obligated to play Canadian content. Malinowski wrote all the songs. The album was produced by Darryl Jenifer of the punk band Bad Brains. They produced a music video for When the Night Feels My Song which was funded by VideoFACT. And that got them radio and MuchMusic airplay and it topped the Canadian Singles chart. Sounding a Mosaic was released internationally by the indie label SideOneDummy. It is available as a budget CD. When the Night Feels My Song charted in England. I am happy the band had success. But I don't like that they were completely dependent on CRTC CanCon regulations. I don't think Bedouin Soundclash was looking to be world famous. They just wanted to tour and record and make a few bucks. Bedouin Soundclash is still around. They last released an album in 2022 on the Canadian indie label Dine Alone. They have made good use of CRTC regulations. But it doesn't look like they had any illusions about how far they would get. Here's the video for When the Night Feels My Song by Bedouin Soundclash. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lovemongers

Artist:Lovemongers

Song:Battle of Evermore

Album:Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Most music fans should be familiar with the band Heart led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. After success in the 70s, they made a big comeback in the late 80s. After the 1990 album Brigade and the subsequent tour, Heart decided to take a break. Ann and Nancy were approached to play a Red Cross benefit for the troops during The Gulf War. The problem was the members of Heart were scattered. So they decided to put together a new band to play one time only. They convinced their long time friend and songwriting partner Sue Ennis to play keyboards and former Heart guitarist Frank Cox to join the band. They called themselves Lovemongers as opposed to warmongers. Lovemongers played a wrap party for the film Singles which was directed by Nancy's husband Cameron Crowe. They were backed up by the band soon to be known as Pearl Jam. It went so well that they decided to record an EP produced by former Heart guitarist Scott Olson. This cover of the Led Zeppelin song Battle of Evermore appeared on the Singles soundtrack. The album is available on CD. After the 1993 Heart album Desire Walks On didn't do that well, it was clear that the grunge movement had taken hold and maybe it was time for Heart to take a break. They owed Capitol one more album and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones was brought in to produce the album The Road Home. The Lovemongers released the 1997 album Whirlygig on a small label. And after Nancy composed the music for Crowe's 2000 film Almost Famous, Heart returned to touring and eventually recording with the 2004 album Jupiters Darling. Here's the video for Battle of Evermore by Lovemongers.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Laufey

Artist:Laufey

Song:I Wish You Love

Album:A Night at the Symphony

Laufey is an Icelandic singer songwriter who is having success today as a 40s style pop singer. She's had success mostly in Europe. But she's making inroads in the US. She is on tour now. She has had success on the Jazz chart but her music is not jazz. Her music is aimed at an older audience who don't listen to current music. She was born Laufey Lin Bing Jonsdottir Apr. 23, 1989 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Her father is from Iceland and her mother is Chinese and comes from a musical family. Her twin sister is her creative director. Laufey learned piano and cello as a child. She graduated from the Reykjavik College of Music in 2018. She was playing cello for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra when she participated in the 2014 edition of what we will call Iceland's Got Talent and she was a semi finalist on the 2015 edition of The Voice Iceland. You guys know how much I love those shows. Excuse the sarcasm. Laufey was supposed to study economics. But instead she studied at Berklee School of Music in Boston with cellist Mike Block. She graduated in 2021 and now lives in Los Angeles. Laufey released a single in 2020 and then an EP in 2021. That's when she first recorded the song I Wish You Love written and originally performed by French singer Charles Trenet. That EP Typical of Me was listed as an album of the year by American Songwriter magazine. Posting jazz standards on TikTok got her more attention and a record deal from AWAL which stands for Artists Without A Label. Kobalt Music founded AWAL and it's supposed to be like Shanachie and similar labels where the artist owns the recordings. The tradeoff is those labels don't spend money on promotion. The problem is Kobalt sold AWAL to Sony. Supposedly AWAL still operates the same way. The difference is the artist has access to the Sony machine. This deal likely would not have gone through if Sony tried to change too much. Then Laufey signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. A good introduction to Laufey's music is this 2023 live album A Night at the Symphony with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. It's kind of a greatest hits album available as a digital download. Laufey has done well on Jazz and Classical charts. Her 2025 album A Matter of Time reached #4 on the Billboard 200. Producers Spencer Stewart and Aaron Dessner of The National moved the emphasis from jazz to singer songwriter. There were no hit singles so some adjustments may be necessary. It remains to be seen how far Laufey will go to be a mainstream success. Here's Laufey performing I Wish You Love with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra 2023.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Wisin & Yandel

Artist:Wisin & Yandel f/Romeo Santos

Song:Aullando

Album:Los Campeones Del Pueblo-The Big Leagues

Wisin & Yandel are probably the most popular Reggaeton act over the last twenty years. After going on hiatus in 2013, they returned with the 2018 album Los Campeones Del Pueblo and the hit single Aullando. It sold over 15 million records. Then they split up after a final 2023 tour. Wisin & Yandel are from the same hometown in Puerto Rico. They started working together in 1998 after both appeared on the albums No Fear 3 and La Mision Vol. 1. The record label Fresh Productions thought they should record together and produced their 2000 debut album Los Reyes del Nuevo Milenio. After the success of a couple of albums, they started their own label with Universal distribution. The success continued until they went on hiatus in 2013. They said at the time they were not disbanding. After each recorded a couple of solo albums, they reunited for the 2018 album Los Campeones Del Pueblo. The album was a big success. It was certified 4xPlatinum. The single Aullando was certified 22xPlatinum but it only reached #10 on the Latin chart. There was likely a viral element as at the time, Billboard did not count anything viral. Romeo Santos was one of several guest singers on the album. Wisin & Yandel wrote and produced everything with several producers. Aullando was written and produced with Chris Jedi who has worked with several Reggaeton artists. Much of the album was produced by the team known as Los Legendarios. This album was only released as a digital download. After they toured, they announced in 2022 that after a final album and tour, Wisin & Yandel would disband permanently. And that's what they did. They said the split was amicable. They just wanted to work on different projects. We'll see how long that lasts. Here's the video for aullando by Wisin & Yandel featuring Romeo Santos. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Five

Artist:Five

Song:When the Lights Go Out

Album:Greatest Hits

The British boy band Five scored a top ten hit in the US with the 1998 single When the Lights Go Out. It was their only big hit in the US. They were much more successful at home. This was at the tail end of the boy band craze. of the 90s. The guys behind this group were Bob and Chris Herbert of Heart Management who also created The Spice Girls. They placed an ad in the performing arts newspaper The Stage. After 3,000 auditions, They narrowed it down to fourteen and then five. They were Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Sean Conlon, Jason "J" Brown and Richard Breen. Breen took on the name Abz Love so no one would confuse the two Richards. They were named Five or sometimes 5ive. They are called Five on all the album covers. They signed a six album record deal with Simon Cowell and RCA. When the Lights Go Out was the second single from the 1998 album Five. It reached #4 on the British Singles chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. That may have been a surprise to the group's management as early 90s British boy band Take That never charted in the US. Why was the song a hit in the US? My guess is fans thought it was a new Backstreet Boys single. I think they were supposed to be a soundalike act. The record was produced by Eliot Kennedy, Mike Percy and Tim Lever. Kennedy produced Take That. Percy and Lever are from the band Dead or Alive. Those three wrote the song with Westlife songwriter John McLaughlin. Five co-wrote several songs on the album. Five released three albums. They continued to have success in England. But When the Lights Go Out was their only US hit. My guess is when the target audience figured out they were fooled, they rejected Five as imitators of real boy bands. After the 2001 album Kingsize, Five split up. You can get all their hits on this comp. They reunited in 2006 and released an album in 2022. They will tour again in May. Here's the video for When the Lights Go Out by Five.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dave Brubeck

Artist:Dave Brubeck

Song:Blue Rondo a la Turk

Album:Ken Burns Jazz

This is another in my jazz for beginners series complete with a performance video and a comp CD appropriate for beginners. Pianist Dave Brubeck was a great musician. But more importantly, he was very important in widening the audience for jazz. The 1959 album Time Out and the singles Take Five and Blue Rondo a la Turk opened the door for other jazz artists. And we are still seeing that in the success of Smooth Jazz. So Brubeck's music is important in the history of jazz. He was born Dec. 6, 1920 in Concord, CA but grew up in Ione, CA. His father was a cattle rancher. His mother studied piano and wanted to be a concert pianist. She taught piano to earn extra money and she taught her sons too. Brubeck attended Colege of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. to study veterinary science. One of his teachers urged him to switch his major to music. There was concern that Brubeck couldn't read music. But he was allowed to graduate as long as he promised never to teach. After his 1942 graduation, Brubeck was drafted into the US Army and served in Europe in the Third Army. After playing piano on a Red Cross show, Brubeck was taken off combat duty. He started the band The Wolfpack and met Paul Desmond in 1944. After WWII, Brubeck studied with composer Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland. Brubeck first recorded in 1949 with Coronet Records. But they were having money problems and they were taken over by Fantasy Records. That's when Brubeck formed his first quartet with Desmond. They took up residency at San Francisco's Black Hawk nightclub and successfully toured college campuses. Brubeck thought that he had an ownership stake in Fantasy. And he brought other jazz artists like Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker to Fantasy. But he was lied to and Brubeck left Fantasy for Columbia. The 1954 album Jazz Goes to College was his first album for Columbia. The musicians were Desmond, Bob Bates on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. After the album was a success, Brubeck appeared on the cover of Time Magazine. Brubeck was embarrassed by this as he thought Duke Ellington should have been on the cover. Brubeck and Desmond continued ton play with various musicians until drummer Joe Morello was hired in 1956. He was playing with pianist Marian McPartland. Them bassist Eugene Wright joined the band for Brubeck's 1958 Department of State tour of Europe and Asia. At the time, a racially integrated band was unusual. But he cancelled shows when promoters objected to Wright. He cancelled a TV appearance when the show producers wanted to keep Wright off camera. Then Brubeck recorded the 1959 album Time Out. The album was West Coast jazz but with unconventional time signatures. All the songs were written by Brubeck except for Take Five written by Desmond. Columbia president Goddard Lieberson agreed to this as long as Brubeck also recorded a standards album in case Time Out was a failure. Teo Macero produced the album. The big surprise was when Take Five got radio play and was a top 40 hit. Time Out was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. Rondo a la Turk was based on Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 mixed with rhythms Brubeck heard in Turkey. It was Brubeck's most successful album. But most importantly, it helped other jazz artists by introducing jazz to a new audience. So that's Brubeck's legacy. This budget comp is a great intro to Brubeck's music. He recorded for Columbia until 1968 and also recorded for Decca and Atlantic and other labels. He continued to tour and record until he died on Dec. 5, 2012, a day before Brubeck's 92nd birthday. He was going to a doctor's appointment. Here's Dave Brubeck with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello performing Rondo a la Turk on a 1959 episode of Playboy After Dark. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elton John

Artist:Elton John f/George Michael

Song:Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Album:Duets

This duet version of Elton John's Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me topped the charts in 1991 and then John decided to record an album of Duets. The original recording of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me was on John's 1974 album Caribou and it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then it appeared on his 1986 album Live in Australia. John said in his 2019 autobiography that he planned to retire the song as he soon having throat surgery. But he didn't retire it and after performing an acoustic version on MTV Unplugged in 1990, John first performed Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me with George Michael at Live Aid 1985. Michael performed the song regularly on his shows. Then at his Mar. 23, 1991 Wembley Arena concert, Michael brought out John as a surprise guest and they filmed it later at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. The record was a worldwide smash at a time when John needed a hit. It got a couple of Grammy nominations. At first the record was only going to be released as a single. But it was decided to record an album of duets. That decision was probably made by MCA's Steve Brown who worked a lot with John. Michael produced the record with studio musicians. The Duets album was released in 1993. Artists include k.d. lang, P.M. Dawn, Little Richard, Don Henley, Kiki Dee, Chris Rea, Tammy Wynette, Nik Kershaw, Gladys Knight, RuPaul, Marcy Levy, Paul Young Bonnie Raitt and Leonard Cohen. The production coordinator was Elton John's percussionist Ray Cooper. This album is available as a budget CD. But George Michael fans can get the song on the comp Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael. The album was certified Platinum. But I assume album sales were affected negatively by the two year time lag. Listeners have short memories. Here's the video for Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by Elton John featuring George Michael. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chuck Willis

Artist:Chuck Willis

Song: C.C. Rider

Album:Complete Singles As & Bs 1951-59

The 1957 single C.C. Rider was one of two R&B chart toppers for singer songwriter and pianist Chuck Willis. He's mostly forgotten today because he died in 1958. He was born Harold Willis Jan. 31, 1926 in Atlanta. Chuck Willis was a stage name. He got his musical training at YMCA sponsored Teenage Canteens and played with a couple of local bands. Atlanta DJ Zenas "Daddy" Sears became Willis' manager and got him a record deal with Columbia's race label Okeh. He scored a top five R&B hit with the 1952 single My Story. He scored four other top ten R&B hits. Despite this success, Willis left Okeh for Atlantic because He wanted to cross over to pop and Atlantic had shown a willingness to promote black artists to white audiences. Willis got the results he wanted when the 1957 single C.C. Rider topped the R&B chart and reached #12 on the pop chart. For the most part, Willis wrote all his own songs. Much to producer Jerry Wexler's surprise, Willis decided to record the traditional song C.C. Rider which was popularized by Ma Rainey. After Dick Clark played C.C. Rider on American Bandstand, it was discovered to be a great song for kids to do the popular dance The Stroll. Willis appeared on the show and demonstrated the dance. Willis was dubbed King of the Stroll. Then Screamin' Jay Hawkins told Willis he should start wearing a turban. This got him his own Saturday night TV show on Atlanta TV. Then Willis died on Apr. 10, 1958 at age 32 while having surgery for stomach ulcers. Upon his death, What Am I Living For topped the R&B charts. You can get all of Willis' singles on this 2CD comp from the British label Acrobat. Some of Willis' songs are still recorded. But for the most part, he is forgotten. Here's a video of C.C. Rider by Chuck Willis. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Smashing Pumpkins

Artist:The Smashing Pumpkins

Song:Eye

Album:Greatest Hits

After The Smashing Pumpkins became stars with the 1995 album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness followed by a tour, they almost self destructed and split up in 2000 after the album Adore was a commercial disappointment. Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan must have had time on his hands because he contributed two songs to film soundtracks. Eye is from the 1997 David Lynch film Lost Highway. It was never released on a Smashing Pumpkins album so it is a discography orphan. As usual, the score for Lost Highway was composed by Angelo Badalamenti. A friend suggested that Lynch hire Trent Raznor of Nine Inch Nails to produce the soundtrack album. Reznor decided that the album should appeal to Lynch fans who hate pop music and also be accessible to Smashing Pumpkins fans. The album was released on Reznor's Nothing label with Interscope distribution. The reason Reznor mentioned The Smashing Pumpkins is Lynch had already asked Corgan to contribute a new song to Lost Highway. Corgan's music publisher suggested that Corgan get some music out there to fill the gap between Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Adore. Corgan sent the song Tear to Lynch but he rejected it. The song appeared on Adore. But Lynch loved Eye and it was used in the film. That track sold the soundtrack album and it was certified Gold. That album is available. But you can get Eye on this Smashing Pumpkins comp. Most of the other songs on the soundtrack album were previously released. With the death of his mother and his divorce, this was a rough time for Corgan. And he announced The Smashing Pumpkins split in 2000. They reformed in 2005 and are still going strong today. Here's The Smashing Pumpkins performing Eve at the 1997 Les Eurockeennes festival in Belfort, France.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Adolescent's Orquestra

Artist:Adolescent's Orquestra

Song:Persona Ideal

Album:La Historia...Los Exitos

Salsa music fans are going to want to check out this band from Venezuela as they have been very successful in Latin America since the early 90s. For most of Adolescent's Orquestra's history, Porfi Baloa has been the leader. He plays piano, keyboards and bass and writes and produces all the songs. His partner Luis Francisco Mendoza is the band manager. So he wasn't in the band but he handled finances and everything that was not music. Baloa started the band in 1994 and hired young musicians so he wouldn't have to pay them much money. Of course the problem with that is they leave. So band membership was a revolving door. Baloa's main responsibility was to maintain the music quality through that. There were twelve members in the original band. They signed with the local label Korta with Sony distribution. Korta switched to Universal in 1999. With their 1994 debut album Reclamando Nuestro Espacio, they were a hit in Venezuela. But the 1996 single Persona Ideal was bigger than that. Suddenly, they were a big deal all over Latin America. Baloa wrote, produced and arranged everything. And the band was like that for twenty years. This comp is available as a digital download. Things continued this way until Mendoza and Baloa butted heads and Baloa left in 2010 to start a new band on his own label with distribution by the local label Sonografica. Adolescent's Orquestra last released an album in 2015. They still perform live. But it isn't the same and Mendoza has to end the revolving door or they won't survive. I don't know if he can do that. Here's the video for Persona Ideal by Adolescent's Orquestra.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elizabeth Allen

Artist:Elizabeth Allen

Song:Do I Hear a Waltz?

Album:Do I Hear a Waltz?: Original Broadway Cast

Actress Elizabeth Allen started out in the mid 50s and was active mostly on TV until her 1996 retirement. But the highlight of her career was her Tony nominations for the musicals The Gay Life (1962) and Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965). She was born Elizabeth Gillease Jan. 25, 1929 in Jersey City, NJ. She started out as a Ford Agency model. She was spotted by a talent scout who cast her as The Away We Go Girl on The Jackie Gleason Show in 1957. She was working on a production for Helen Hayes Equity when Helen Hayes spotted her and advised her to pursue an acting career. Her first serious role was in the 1957 show Romanoff and Juliet written by and starring Peter Ustinov. Then she appeared in the TV shows The Twilight Zone and Tales of Wells Fargo. Her next big break was in the 1962 Broadway musical The Gay Life starring with Barbara Cook and Jules Munshin. Elizabeth was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Tony award. That led to two John Ford films, Donovan's Reef (1963) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Then she won the lead for the 1965 musical Do I Hear a Waltz?. Arthur Laurents based it on his 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo which had previously been turned into the 1955 film Summertime starring Katherine Hepburn. The songs were written by Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim. Elizabeth starred with Sergio Franchi. The main criticism of Elizabeth was that she was too young for the role. The show ran for six months. Laurents hated the casting. He thought Elizabeth was too young and Franchi couldn't act. But he overlooked this to get the play produced. It was nominated for three Tonys including one for Elizabeth. I guess this show is now forgotten, But the original cast album is available on CD. After that Elizabeth appeared regularly on TV mostly in guest shots on shows like Dr. Kildare, The Fugitive and Mannix. She was a regular on Bracken's World, The Paul Lynde Show and C.P.O. Sharkey. But none of those shows lasted. She continued to appear in films and TV but nothing major. In the 80s she appeared on the daytime soap Texas and a 1986 film revival of the musical 42nd Street. Elizabeth retired in 1995 and died on Sept. 19, 2006 at age 77. Here's Elizabeth Allen performing Do I Hear a Waltz on the Mar. 28, 1965 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. Sergio Franchi appears in the clip but does not sing. 

AccuRadio S ong Of The Day-Real Boston Richey

Artist:Real Boston Richey

Song:Help Me

Album:Richey Rich

Rapper Real Boston Richey has been recording since 2021 and scored his first chart single Help Me in 2024. It's too soon to tell if he will have long term success. Right now it seems like a fluke hit. He was born Jalen Foster Feb. 4, 1997 in Tallahassee, FL. Foster's cousin Slugg taught him to rap in the Trap style. But he didn't consider rapping until Slugg was murdered in 2015. One of Foster's friends persuaded him to visit a recording studio in 2021. A couple of singles got him a record deal with the label Freebandz owned by the rapper Future with Epic distribution. His 2023 debut album Welcome to Bubba Land reached #42 on the Hip Hop chart. But there was no hit single. These days, the best way to do that is to post videos on TikTok and the song will spread virally. At that time, viral videos didn't count towards chart position. But Billboard has changed that. So after it was posted on TikTok, the 2024 single Help Me got enough radio play to reach #9 on the R&B Singles chart and #47 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was first released as a single and then added to the 2024 album Richey Rich. The album reached #48 on the Billboard 200. The song details Foster's personal problems. It probably would have been a bigger hit without all the profanity as many radio stations won't play anything with profanity. In Freebandz defense, they probably didn't think the song would be that big a hit. So if Foster wants to be a bigger deal, he will have to ditch the profanity. Of course, it may not have spread virally without the profanity. His music is available as a digital download. Also, Foster was arrested in Apr. 2025 for domestic assault on his girlfriend. If found guilty, his career is over before it gets started. Here's the video for Help Me by Real Boston Richey. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-John Cullum

Artist:John Cullum

Song:On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Album:The Only Other Broadway CD You'll Ever Need

Actor John Cullum is best known for playing tavern owner Holling Vincoeur on the 90s TV series Northern Exposure. He was nominated for an Emmy. But he started out on Broadway and was Tony nominated for playing Dr. Mark Bruckner in the 1966 musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. And he sang the title song. He was not a singer but he appeared in a few musicals. He was born Mar. 2, 1930 in Knoxville, TN. He attended Knoxville High School and the University of Tennessee. He majored in speech and played on the tennis team. And he also appeared in over 30 theater productions in school. He married in 1959 and his son JD Cullum is an actor mostly on TV. He made his Broadway debut in the 1960 musical Camelot as King Arthur's son Mordred after Roddy McDowell left the show. Of course Richard Burton played King Arthur and Cullum also appeared in Burton's 1964 Broadway production of Hamlet and the film version. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is based on  the 1926 play Berkeley Square. The songs were written by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane. Lerner wrote several shows with Frederick Loewe including Camelot. But Loewe retired in 1960. Lane wrote Finian's Rainbow. French actor Louis Jourdan was supposed to star in the show. He was having trouble with the role during Boston previews and Cullum replaced him. It was quite a risk as a complete unknown was replacing an established star. But the show was a hit and Cullum was nominated for a Tony. The original cast album is available as a digital download. But if you only want Cullum's performance, it's on this various artists CD. Cullum's other successful Broadway shows include 1776, Shenandoah and On the Twentieth Century. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever was turned into a 1970 film starring Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand. Of course on TV Cullum is best known for the 90s series Northern Exposure. Other significant TV appearances include as Dr. Mark Greene's father in ER and as a judge in several episodes of Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit. Notable films include the 1966 film Hawaii and the 1972 film of the Broadway musical 1776. He's been more active on TV. Cullum was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 2007. Cullum has recently had health problems. But he is not retired. He appeared on TV in 2021. Here's John Cullum performing On a Clear Day You Can See Forever on the 1982 TV special Broadway Plays Washington on Kennedy Center Tonight.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Blanca

Artist:Blanca f/Tauren Wells

Song:Something Better

Album:The Heartbreak and the Healing: Deluxe Edition

Bianca Reyes was a member of the successful Christian Hip Hop group Group 1 Crew from 2003-13. She left to go solo and has had success in CCM. Something Better is one of several singles that made the Christian charts. She was born Feb. 10, 1986 in Puerto Rico but she grew up in Orlando, FL. Her father struggled with drug and alcohol addiction until he found God and brought his family with him. She joined Group 1 Crew in 2013. They were successful for a few years. Blanca married drummer John Callahan and got pregnant and left to go solo in 2013. Group 1 Crew split up in 2017. Blanca signed with Curb/Word Records. Mike Curb bought Word in 2016. Blanca has released four albums and has had success on the Christian charts. Something Better is from the 2022 album The Heartbreak and the Healing. Blanca divorced Callahan in 2020 and that's the main topic of the album. She wrote all the songs with the Swedish husband and wife team of Anton Goransson and Isabella Sjostrand. They have had success as songwriters and this is their first album as producers. The guest singer Tauren Wells was lead singer of the CCM band Royal Tailor. They split up in 2015 and he now records solo. The Deluxe Edition of The Heartbreak and the Healing has several bonus tracks. Bianca released the album Full Bloom Oct. 2025 and then she released a Christmas EP. She has pop crossover potential and she is interested in the Latin market. Here's the video for Something Better by Blanca featuring Tauren Wells. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lillo Thomas

Artist:Lillo Thomas

Song:Wanna Make Love (All Night Long)

Album:Greatest Hits

R&B crooner Lillo Thomas released three albums for Capitol Records in the 80s. He had success mostly on the R&B charts. He was born July 9, 1961 in Brooklyn, NY. He was a sprinter growing up and at age sixteen, he set a world record in the 200 meters. He was preparing for the 1984 Olympics when a car accident in Brazil ended his athletic career. Thomas' father was a preacher and he sang in church as a child. So he decided to get into studio work and maybe get a record deal. He became very good friends with Melba Moore and her producer Paul Laurence. Laurence was childhood friends with Freddie Jackson and wrote and produced his Capitol hits. They got Thomas a record deal at Capitol. Laurence produced all three of Thomas' albums. His success was mostly on the R&B charts. Wanna Make Love is from the 1987 album Lillo. It reached #7 on the R&B Singles chart. Laurence wrote and produced the song. Thomas also wrote and produced several tracks. He sang a duet with Melba Moore. That was his final album for Capitol. It's not clear why Thomas left Capitol. But it looks like he wanted to start his own label with Laurence. That would have been fine if they had immediate results. Instead Laurence launched his own singing career on Capitol but was unsuccessful. Thomas wouldn't record again until 2010 on his own label. This comp is on his own label. Thomas went to art school and has an online art gallery. He has released occasional music. But he's more active as an artist. Here's the video of Wanna Make Love (All Night Long) by Lillo Thomas. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pseudo Echo

Artist:Pseudo Echo

Song:Funky Town

Album:Best Adventures

This 1986 cover of the 1980 Lipps Inc. hit Funky Town was a top ten hit. It was the only big hit by the Australian band Pseudo Echo. They have been very successful at home and they are still around. Pseudo Echo was formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1982 by Brian Canham on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards and Pierre Gigliotti on bass and keyboards. Keyboardist Tony Lugton joined. They were friends in high school. The band name is a keyboard sound. They were influenced by bands like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. At first they used a drum machine but drummer Anthony Argiro joined in 1983. TV host Molly Meldrum saw them live and played a demo on his show Countdown. The demo got them a record deal with EMI and the song Lightning was released as a single and was a hit in Australia. The 1984 album Autumnal Park was released. Lugton was replaced by James Leigh and his brother Vince Leigh replaced drummer Argiro. Canham and James Leigh wrote all the songs for the 1986 album Love an Adventure and Canham produced with sax player James Valentine. He used the name Mark Berry. The album did OK but Canham wanted to record Funky Town. He was a big fan of the song as a teen. When Pseudo Echo performed Funky Town live, they got a great reaction. So Canham wanted to release it as a single and see how it does. EON FM Radio head Lee Simon got a bootleg of Funky Town and told Canham that he couldn't wait for the release of the single. So finally EMI agreed to release it. After Funky Town topped the Australian chart, EMI re-released Love an Adventure worldwide with Funky Town added as a bonus track. It was a big worldwide success including reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Pseudo Echo's only US chart appearance. But they continued to have success at home. This comp is available on CD. They split up after the 1988 album Race. Canham got into production and produced the band Chocolate Starfish. Canham reformed Psuedo Echo in 1998. He's the only original member and he has released three albums on his own label, most recently in 2025. I guess they would be a nostalgia act in Australia at this point. Here's the video for Funky Town by Pseudo Echo. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Black Lips

Artist:Black Lips

Song:Can't Hold On

Album:Satan's Graffiti or God's Art

The band Black Lips is a mix of garage rock, psychedelia and punk. If that's what you like, this could be for you. Certainly, it's not commercial music. They are from the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody, GA. They were formed in 1999 after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the band The Renegades and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left The Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for crude antics on stage and in school to the point where both were expelled from school. College student and drummer Joe Bradley joined a few months later. They self released a 2002 album produced by Eric Gagnon, bassist for The El Caminos. Then Eberbaugh was killed in a Dec. 2002 car accident. They signed with the indie label BOMP Records and released a 2003 album of previously recorded songs as a tribute to Eberbaugh. Jack Hines joined as the new bassist. He appeared on the 2004 album We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow. He didn't want to tour so he soon left and was replaced by Ian St. Pe, a music major at the University of Memphis. He dropped out of school to join the band. They released a couple singles and an album. They signed with Vice Records for the 2007 album Good Bad Not Evil. Yes, this a division of the TV network Vice. Black Lips recorded for Vice for ten years until Vice had financial problems. Can't Hold On is from the 2017 album Satan's Graffiti or God's Art.  This was Black Lips' final album for Vice. This album was produced by Sean Lennon at his studio in Los Angles. His mom Yoko Ono made a guest appearance. The album is available on CD. By this time, Alexander and Swilley were the only original members. Black Lips signed with the British label Fire Records. An album was released in 2025. Here's the video for Can't Hold On by Black Lips. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Eddie & The Hot Rods

Artist:Eddie & the Hot Rods

Song:Do Anything You Wanna Do

Album:The Singles 1976-85

The British band Eddie & the Hot Rods were a bridge from the Pub Rock sound of the 70s and when Punk became popular in the late 70s. The 1977 single Do Anything You Wanna Do was a top ten hit in England. That was their one big hit. I heard of them at the time but their music never crossed the pond. If you are a British rock fan, they are worth checking out. They were formed in 1975 in Essex, England with lead singer Barrie Masters, guitarist Dave Higgs, bassist Rob Steele and drummer Steve Nicol. There was no Eddie. Eddie was a dummy that the band brought to early gigs as a gag and it was soon discarded. Guitarist Pete Wall was added and Ed Hollis became their manager and wrote lyrics. His brother is Mark Hollis of Talk Talk. After performing regularly in London clubs, they signed with Island Records. Paul Gray replaced Steele and Lew Lewis joined on Harmonica. The Sex Pistols opened for them at London's Marquee Club and proceeded to destroy Eddie & the Hot Rods' gear. That got press attention and I'm sure it influenced Eddie & the Hot Rods' transition to punk. They also played gigs with AC/DC which was also crazy. The single Teenage Depression charted. It was on the EP Live at the Marquee. While promoting the EP Live at the Speed of Sound, former Kursaal Flyers guitarist Graeme Douglas joined them on stage. He eventually joined Eddie and the Hot Rods and helped give them a more commercial sound. On the 1977 album Life on the Line, Douglas wrote a lot of the songs with Hollis and Hollis produced the album. They wrote Do Anything You Wanna Do which reached #9 on the British Singles chart. The album reached #27 on the British Album chart. This turned out to be their greatest success. Eddie and the Hot Rods toured the US to support the album. They opened for The Ramones and Talking Heads but it didn't help. They recorded three albums for Island then split up in 1981. This 2CD comp has all their singles and is available on CD. They reformed in 1984 and a version of the band still tours, There are no original members. Masters usually led these bands until his 2019 death. Here's Eddie & the Hot Rods performing Do Anything You Wanna Do on Top of the Pops 1977.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tom Jones

Artist:Tom Jones

Song:She's a Lady

Album:Gold

I think most music fans are familiar with Welsh singer Tom Jones especially his very first hit It's Not Unusual in 1966. It topped the British charts and was a top ten hit in the US. He continued to have success in England in the 60s but he never topped the US charts. His biggest hit was the 1971 single She's a Lady and it was his final big hit. By the mid-70s, he wasn't charting anymore. Of course the key figure in Jones' career was his manager and record producer Gordon Mills. Mills started out as a songwriter in the 50s and then he saw Tom Woodward performing in a club. Woodward already had a manager and a record deal with Decca. But Mills wanted complete control so he bought his contract and changed his name to Tom Jones. The main thing Mills did with Jones was turn him into a crooner. And that paid off when It's Not Unusual was an international hit in 1965. Mills co-wrote the song. His other big hits were the themes from the films Thunderball and What's New Pussycat?. Jones won the Best New Artist Grammy award. Jones faded after that. Mills' response was to book him in Las Vegas and give him his own TV show. Jones became more of an album and touring act. Mills was still hoping to return Jones to the top of the charts. He started to have success when the 1968 single Delilah reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Jones' first top 20 hit since the 1966 single Green, Green Grass of Home. Then following Delilah, Jones scored a top ten hit with the 1969 single Without Love (I Have Nothing).So Jones was having success on the comeback trail. The high point was when the 1971 single She's a Lady reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's from the album She's a Lady. Paul Anka wrote the song and recorded it in 1970. That was Jones' final big hit and by 1975, he wasn't charting anymore. This 2CD comp covers Jones' career until 1975. With the exception of a couple of guest appearances, Jones hasn't charted since the 70s. He even tried country music in the 80s. Jones is still around. He still performs live and last released an album in 2021. He's been more visible in England as a judge on The Voice UK. But for the most part, Tom Jones is now a nostalgia act. Here's the video for She's a Lady by Tom Jones. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Fendermen

Artist:The Fendermen

Song:Mule Skunner Blues

Album:Rockabilly Revolution

The 1960 single Mule Skinner Blues was a top five hit. It was the only chart hit for the rockabilly duo The Fendermen. So they are a one hir wonder. This was a real fluke that came out of nowhere. And though The Fendermen were a bluegrass act, they messed around in the recording studio and turned this country music standard into a novelty record. Of course Mule Skinner Blues was written by country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers and he recorded it in 1930. The alternate title is Blue Yodel #8. The song has been covered by many country artists. Dolly Parton topped the country charts with Mule Skinner Blues in 1973. James Sundquist and Phil Humphrey were students at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both were born on Nov. 26, 1937. Both were aspiring country music guitarists. They played local clubs and Mule Skinner Blues was a crowd favorite. They called themselves The Fendermen as both played Fender guitars. Local music store owner William Dreger asked them to record the song the way they perform it on stage with all the hollering. When the local polka record label CUCA got hold of it, a LaCrosse DJ started playing it. It was not unusual in those days for a small label like CUCA to sell a record with potential to a larger label with national distribution. CUCA sold Mule Skinner Blues to Minneapolis based record distributor Soma Records and they distributed it nationally. Mule Skinner Blues reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Fendermen recorded an album and released two more  singles. But it's always tough to follow up a novelty record. Many listeners probably thought it was a Stan Freberg record. The original album has been released with bonus tracks by the reissue label Jasmine. But I think most will only want Mule Skinner Blues and you can get it on this 3CD Bluegrass comp. The Fendermen continued to perform in midwest clubs for years. Sundquist died in 2013 and Humphrey died in 2016. Here's a video for Mule Skinner Blues by The Fendermen.