AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Clifford Brown

Artist:Clifford Brown

Song:Memories of You

Album:Ultimate Clifford Brown

Here is another of my Jazz for Beginners series complete with a live video clip and an affordable comp intended for beginners. Though trumpeter Clifford Brown died in 1956 at age 25, he has had a lasting impact on jazz and is considered an all time great despite his brief career. He was born Oct. 30, 1930 in Wilmington, DE. His father played trumpet. He tried to organize his four sons into a vocal group. But Brown was fascinated by his dad's shiny trumpet and started blowing. At age 13, Brown's dad bought him a trumpet and had him take lessons. He was in a jazz band in high school that made trips to Philadelphia. Though Brown attended college after graduating from high school, he was more interested in jazz. After being injured in a June 1950 car crash, Dizzy Gillespie visited Brown in the hospital and encouraged him to start a music career. Brown's main influence was bebop trumpeter Fats Navarro. He moved to New York and played with Art Blakey and J.J. Johnson before forming a band with drummer Max Roach. He was a member of Blakey's first band with Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver and Curley Russell. At the time, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker were among Brown's admirers. Roach had moved to Los Angeles and Brown followed him. The original Brown/Roach band was formed in 1954 with Harold Land on tenor sax, Richie Powell (Bud Powell's brother) on piano and George Morrow on bass and signed with Mercury's jazz label EmArcy. Most of Brown's recordings were on EmArcy. Brown alternated recording with Roach and recording as a leader of his own band. He also recorded with singers Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington. And he also recorded the 1955 album Clifford Brown with Strings. Of course this was influenced by Charlie Parker's album with strings. Record companies thought an album with strings would reach a wider audience when all it really did was annoy the established jazz fanbase. I guess Brown just went along with it because if it was OK with Parker, it's OK with him. The album was produced by EmArcy house producer Bob Shad. The string arrangements were by Neal Hefti who was working with Count Basie at the time. The band was Brown's usual band of Powell, Roach and Morrow plus guitarist Barry Galbraith. The songs are all standards including the 1930 Eubie Blake song Memories of You. This song was first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1930. You can get it on this Verve comp CD compiled by trumpeter Nicholas Payton. So Brown was just getting started when on June 26, 1956, Brown and Powell were driving to a gig in Chicago. Powell's wife drove and the guys slept in the back. It was raining and she lost control on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and that was it. Clifford Brown died at age 25. Brown didn't drink, smoke or take drugs. So it's likely he would have lived a long life. But his music still sounds great. I listen to him all the time and so should you. Here's Clifford Brown performing Lady Be Good and Memories of You on the TV show Soupy's On hosted by Soupy Sales. This is the only live video clip of Clifford Brown.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lowell Fulson

Artist:Lowell Fulson

Song:Reconsider Baby

Album:Reconsider Baby: The Complete Checker Singles 1954-1962

The 1954 single Reconsider Baby is the best known song written and performed by bluesman Lowell Fulson. It was also influential in developing the West Coast blues style pioneered by T-Bone Walker. He was born Mar. 31, 1921 on a Choctaw reservation in Atoka, OK. His father died when he was six years old. So his mom moved the family to nearby Clarita, OK where her father owned land. As a child, Fulson sang in church. He took up the guitar at age 12 influenced by Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Boy Fuller. He played local dances as a teen. Then he moved to Ada, OK and joined a band led by local bluesman Texas Alexander. Then he moved to Gainesville, TX and played dances for a couple of years. He was drafted into the US Navy in 1943. He was stationed in Oakland, CA and that's when Fulson saw T-Bone Walker And decided he wanted to play like him. Fulson settled in Oakland after WWII and played local clubs until Swing Time Records owner Bob Geddins signed him to a record deal and bought him a new guitar and amplifier. Fulson recorded for Swing Time until he signed with the Chess Records label Checker. So now he's on a national label and that's when Reconsider Baby was released and reached #3 on the R&B charts. Fulson wrote the song and Leonard and Phil Chess produced it. Musicians were Paul Drake on piano, Bobby Nicholson on bass and Chick Booth on drums. Plus a horn section with Philip Gilbeaux on trumpet, Phatz Morris on trombone, Julian Beasley on alto and baritone sax and Choker Campbell on tenor sax. But the most important thing about Reconsider Baby is that it was covered by many performers including Elvis Presley in 1960. And that led to other covers of Fulson songs. So that made him a big influence. You can get all of Fulson's Checker recordings on this comp from the reissue label Jasmine Records. Fulson switched to Kent Records in 1962 probably because they were more of an R&B label. His biggest hit for Kent was the 1967 single Tramp which was a big hit for Otis Redding & Carla Thomas. After that, Fulson recorded for smaller labels. But he continued to be a great live performer until he died on Mar. 7, 1999 at age 77. Here's Lowell Fulson performing Reconsider Baby in Los Angeles 1983.

AccuRadio Song Of the Day-Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra

Artist:Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra

Song:Shangri-La

Album:Hard to Find Orchestral Instrumentals

Robert Maxwell was a harpisr who is best known for writing two big hits, Ebb Tide and Shangri-La. He recorded plenty of easy listening albums. But the big surprise was when his 1964 recording of Shangi-La was a top 15 hit. He had one other chart single so he's not even a one hit wonder. But I think it's fair to say that Maxwell didn't depend on chart success anyway. He was born Max Rosen Apr. 19, 1921 in New York City. He started playing the harp as a child. His two brothers play the harp too. Abe Rosen played on Broadway and Myor Rosen was with the New York Philharmonic for thirty years. After Maxwell won a scholarship at Juilliard, he became the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington at age 17. During WWII, Maxwell played in the 11th Naval District Coast Guard led by Rudy Vallee. So that got him to play popular music on the harp. So that got him thinking about writing and recording. He didn't have to be part of an orchestra. So for most of the 50s, Maxwell recorded for MGM Records. But the big surprise was when Frank Chacksfield scored a top five hit with his 1953 single of Ebb Tide. Maxwell wrote Shangri-La with violinist Matty Malneck in 1946. Malneck recorded it in 1946 featuring a Maxwell harp solo. The 1957 recording by the vocal group The Five Coins was a top 15 hit. Maxwell signed with Decca and reached #15 with his 1964 single Shangri-La. Jackie Gleason used Shangri-La on his early 60s variety show for his Reginald Van Gleason character. Plus Vic Dana recorded a vocal version. Maxwell's version had a "Space Age" arrangement led by sax and organ solos. So it had a pop music sound as opposed to classical. You can get Shangri-La on this various artists comp from the oldies label Eric Records.Maxwell recorded as Bobby Maxwell for Command/ABC in the 70s. And he continued to appear with orchestras until his death on Feb. 7, 2012 at age 90. Here's a video for Shangri-La by Robert Maxwell, His Harp and Orchestra.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Future Islands

Artist:Future Islands

Song:Seasons (Waiting on You)

Album:Singles

Future Islands is a synth pop band and they have been around for almost twenty years. They are an indie band on an indie label. The 2014 album Singles is their biggest seller to date. Chances are pretty good that if you like synth pop, you should like Future Islands. The band was formed in Greenville, SC in 2006 and moved to Baltimore in 2008. Lead singer Sam Herring and keyboardist Gerrit Weimers were friends growing up in Morehead City, NC. Guitarist William Cashion started hanging out with them. He had already been in a couple of bands. So he thought they would be interested. They called the band Art Lord and the Self-Portraits. They were influenced by art classes they took in school. They recorded four albums and then split up because high school was over and they were going in different directions. Herring, Weimers and Cashion formed a new band Future Islands. They got rid of the art class gimmick. The fourth member of Future Islands was Erick Murillo. He didn't stay long. The drummer for most of their history has been Michael Lowry. They signed with the indie label Thrill Jockey. After three albums, they switched to the indie label 4AD for the 2014 album Singles. The single Seasons was singled out as 2014's best single by the music press including Pitchfork, Spin and NME. So that helped generate sales and Future Islands appeared on Late Show with David Letterman. Seasons became an internet hit before Billboard included online airplay in results. Future Islands writes and produces all the songs. Future Islands is still around. They released their latest album in 2024. They are playing some shows in May. I think if Future Islands was on a major label, they could cross over to pop with a decent promotion budget. But they seem happy with the freedom they have at 4AD who will release a comp CD next month. Here's the video for Seasons (Waiting on You) by Future Islands.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-El Perro Del Mar

Artist:El Perro Del Mar

Song:Party

Album:El Perro Del Mar

Swedish singer songwriter Sarah Assbring records and tours as El Perro Del Mar (The Dog of the Sea). Her albums have sold reasonably well at home. But she will never be a mainstream artist. Her voice has a unique sound so that might attract listeners. She was born Aug. 6, 1977 in Gothenberg, Sweden. Sarah says the name El Perro Del Mar came about while she was on vacation in Spain. She was alone and depressed when a stray dog approached her on the beach and was nice to her and it inspired her to write and record songs as El Perro Del Mar. At first she recorded for the Swedish label Hybris. There was a single followed by a couple of EPs in 2005. After the cute animated video for the song You Gotta Give to Get got some interest in England. Hybris gathered her music on the full length CD Look! It's Perro Del Mar. She signed with the British label Memphis Industries. Dungen and The Go! Team are on that label. She reworked her previous recordings for the 2006 album El Perro Del Mar. It got enough attention in England that The Control Group picked up the album for North American release. Sarah writes, produces and plays all the music herself. She occasionally brings in outside musicians. But she's really a solo artist. El Perro Del Mar was released in 2008 with a bonus track and that is available on CD. Sarah has released six albums, most recently in 2024. She signed with the German label City Slang for Europe but she is still on Memphis Industries in England and The Control Group in America. She last toured to support her 2024 album Anonymous. I understand she is working on a new album. Here's the video for Party by El Perro Del Mar.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Roy Ayers

Artist:Roy Ayers

Song:Everybody Loves the Sunshine

Album:The Best of Roy Ayers

Jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers became a hip hop icon when the 1976 song Everybody Loves the Sunshine was picked up by radio stations and then became the most sampled song in hip hop history despite not being released as a single. I'll get to that last part in a minute. Ayers was born Sept. 10, 1940 in Los Angeles. His father played trombone and his mother played piano. Jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton gave him his first mallets at age five. Ayers lived in South Central Los Angeles and attended Thomas Jefferson High School which was a breeding ground for jazz musicians. He led a high school band where he played steel guitar and piano. After graduating high school, he started playing clubs and released the 1963 album West Coast Vibes on United Artists. He had been playing the vibraphone at home but that was always his preferred instrument. After dropping out of Los Angeles City College, Ayers joined flautist Herbie Mann's band in 1966. And that's how he got a record deal with Mann's label Atlantic Records. He recorded three albums for Atlantic followed by two for Columbia. Then he signed with Polydor Records in 1970. At first, Ayers wanted to record jazz fusion music pioneered by the Miles Davis album Bitches Brew along with Weather Report and Return to Forever. The band was called Roy Ayers Ubiquity. By the mid-70s, Ayers had decided to add funk to his music. This was no doubt influenced by guys like George Clinton. Ayers didn't think he was abandoning jazz. He was just adding funk elements to his music. The high point of this period was when the 1979 album Everybody Loves the Sunshine was a top ten R&B album. The single Don't Stop the Feeling was his highest charting single. Believe it or not, Everybody Loves the Sunshine was never released as a single. Ayers didn't think the song was a potential hit. So it was a big surprise to Ayers and Polydor when radio stations played it. We don't know how big it was because Billboard doesn't keep track of songs that aren't released as singles. The residual effect was when hip hop guys started sampling the song. It's been sampled over 200 times including My Life by Mary J. Blige and Book of Life by Common. Ayers wrote and produced the album. Musicians are Philip Woo on piano, Ronald "Head" Drayton on guitar, Shaun Solomon on bass, Doug Rhodes on drums and Chano O'Ferral on congas. The background vocals are by Deborah "Chicas" Darby. This was Ayers' band at the time and they are in the video clip. This comp covers the Polydor years. Ayers left Polydor in 1982 and mostly recorded for smaller labels and toured until his death on Mar. 4, 2025 at age 85. Here's Roy Ayers performing Everybody Loves the Sunshine on Soul Train 1979. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Malajube

Artist:Malajube

Song:Luna

Album:Labyrinthe

Malajube was an indie rock band very similar to Super Furry Animals except for one thing. They are from Quebec and sing in French. That's probably too much of a barrier for most folks. But they almost broke through in English Canada and internationally. Too bad they aren't around anymore. They could have been the French Coldplay. Malajube lived in Montreal. But they were from the Southwestern Quebec city of Sorel-Tracy, PQ. The band members were Julien Mineau on vocals and guitar, his brother Francis Mineau on drums, Mathieu Cournoyer on bass and Thomas Augustin on keyboards. Julien Mineau wrote the song lyrics. They signed with the local indie label Dare to Care Records and released their 2004 debut album Le Compte complet. The album was produced by Marrtin Delland of The Dears. The album was positively reviewed and well received by Quebec radio stations. Malajube toured Quebec to support it. With the 2006 album Trompe-l'oeil, Malajube was starting to get attention in English Canada and the US. They were nominated for a 2006 Polaris Music Prize and they won three Felix awards in Quebec. Pitchfork positively reviewed the album. They signed a European deal with the German label City Slang. There was always talk about Malajube possibly releasing an English album. That was music industry wishful thinking as Julien Mineau always said that the band had no interest in recording in English. Their albums were released on the indie label Sub Pop and they toured in the US. Luna is from the 2009 album Labyrinthes. By this time, the band was self producing. The album is available as a digital download. Could Malajube make it in English speaking countries? We're never going to know because after the 2011 album La Caverne, Malajube went on hiatus. Part of the problem was Dare to Care was sold. They did a reunion concert in 2015. But Malajube is finished. Francis Mineau released an album in 2013 and has been in the band Axlustade. Julien Mineau released a 2014 album as Fontarable. Thomas Augustin is in the band Penny Diving. They released an album in 2020. Here's the video for Luna by Malajube. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

Artist:Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass

Song:Take the A Train

Album:Again!

Canadian jazz trombonist Rob McConnell is best known as leader of the big band The Boss Brass. Of course they were famous in Canada. But they toured the world for many years. The cream of the Toronto jazz and studio scene was in The Boss Brass. McConnell was born Feb. 14, 1935 in London, ON. He took up the valve trombone in high school and started playing professionally in the 50s. He studied with Clifford Brown, Canadian jazz bassist Don Thompson, Canadian bandleader Bobby Gimby and trumpeter Maynard Ferguson who is also Canadian. In the 60s, he was in the band Nimmons 'n' Nine led by clarinetist Phil Nimmons. The formation of The Boss Brass in 1968 came out of the Toronto studio scene. There were originally 16 pieces with a horn section but no saxophones and a rhythm section. Saxophones were added in 1970. By 1976, there were 22 members. McConnell conducted the band and also played trombone solos. McConnell first recorded for the Canadian Talent Library (CTL). They were a non profit that were supposed to help radio stations meet CRTC Canadian Content regulations. Peter Appleyard and Moe Koffman recorded for CTL. Though CTL records were available in stores, there was no promotion budget. In the mid-70s, McConnell recorded for United Artists and Attic Records. When McConnell had difficulty signing with a label, The Guess Who producer Jack Richardson started Umbrella Records and produced the 1979 Boss Brass album Again!. Of course McConnell was arranger and conductor and played valve trombone. Other musicians were Ian McDougal, Bob Livingston and Dave McMurdo on trombone, Ron Hughes on bass trombone, Sam Noto, Arnie Chycoski and Erich Traugott on trumpet, Bruce Cassidy and Guido Basso on trumpet and flugelhorn, Rick Wilkins and Eugene Amaro on tenor sax, Moe Koffman and Jerry Toth on alto sax and flute, Gary Morgan on baritone sax, Jimmy Dale on piano, Ed Bickert on guitar, Brad Warnaar and George Stinson on French horn, Don Thompson on bass, Terry Clarke on drums and Marty Morell on percussion. These are all veteran jazz and studio musicians. This album is available on CD. McConnell recorded for a few other labels until he signed with Concord in 1986. He remained with Concord until 1998. McConnell recorded and toured with a stripped down version of The Boss Brass called The Rob McConnell Tentet for the Canadian jazz label Justin Time. It looks like he retired in 2005 and died on May 1, 2010 at age 75. Here's Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass performing Take the A Train at Ontario Place in Toronto 1980. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Glen Hansard

Artist:Glen Hansard

Song:Winning Streak

Album:Didn't He Ramble

Irish singer songwriter Glen Hansard is best known for winning an Oscar for the song Falling Slowly from the 2007 film Once. That was when he was one half of the duo The Swell Season with Marketa Inglova. Since they split up, Hansard has recorded as a solo act and has had success as an album and touring act in Ireland and other European countries. He was born Apr. 27, 1970 in the Dublin suburb of Ballymum, Ireland. Hansard wasn't a very good student. So one of his teachers who knew of his interest in music thought he might be a good musician. So he quit school and busked on the Dublin streets for five years. He formed the band The Frames in 1990 and they had success in Ireland. Hansard appeared as guitarist Outspan Foster in the 1991 film The Commitments. The Frames continued until Hansard formed The Swell Season with Marketa and they starred in the 2007 film Once. He was only supposed to write songs for the film. But the film producers talked Hansard into appearing in the film. The film was a big success and Hansard won an Oscar. But as with The Commitments, Hansard thought the film distracted from his music career. So he ended The Swell Season and started working on a solo album. He signed with the indie label Anti- Records and has released five albums. Winning Streak is from the 2015 album Didn't He Ramble which was Hansard's second album. Hansard wrote all the songs. The album was produced by David Odlum and Thomas Bartlett. Bartlett played piano on the album. Other musicians are Rob Moose on mandolin, Brad Alberta on bass and Ray Rizzo on drums. They all seem to be studio musicians. There are strings and horns on some songs which were arranged by Moose. This album is available on CD. The album won a Best Folk Album Grammy. Hansard's latest album All That Is East Is West of Me Now was released in 2023. Odlum is still his producer. Meanwhile, Hansard had promised Marketa that he would produce another Swell Season album. That album was released in 2025. Hansard has a new album coming on Apr. 24 called Don't Settle. He's just finishing up some US dates and will tour Europe after that. Here's the video for Winning Streak by Glen Hansard.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-White Lung

Artist:White Lung

Song:Below

Album:Paradise

The Canadian band White Lung started out as an all female punk band or as it is called "Riot Girrl". By the time the 2016 album Paradise was released, they weren't really a punk band anymore nor were they all female. White Lung disbanded in 2022. They were formed in Vancouver in 2006 by lead singer Mish Barber-Wray, Natasha Reich on guitar and Anne-Marie Vassilou on drums. They hired bassists for touring. The band name White Lung is slang for the disease that bakers get when they inhale flour. A friend who worked in a bakery suggested the name. After releasing two albums for the local punk label Deranged, White Lung signed with the much larger British indie label Domino. Meanwhile, Natasha left the band in 2008 and was replaced by Kenneth Williams. The 2010 album It's the Evil was named punk album of the year by Exclaim! magazine. They were also named Punk Group of the Year at the 2011 Canadian Music Week Indie Awards. The 2014 album Deep Fantasy was their first album for Domino. Though they were still receiving critical acclaim, Mish believed White Lung was stereotyped as a punk band and they should soften their style to increase record sales. Domino may have also suggested this. Mish also wanted to show musical growth and that she could really sing. I don't think she liked the punk stereotype. So the 2016 album Paradise is not a punk album. They also brought in producer Lars Stalfors who produced Cold War Kids. He helped White Lung with songwriting. The album received mixed reviews. The main criticism was they sounded like just another pop band. Paradise is available on CD. I think the album is way too short. White Lung recorded the album Premonition in 2019. The release was delayed by the pandemic until 2022. And by that time, the decision was made for White Lung to disband. Mish Barber-Wray now lives in Los Angeles with husband Austin Barber of Saviours and their kids. They keep her busy. She has been writing for Vice and Penthouse. So none of them have continued in the music business. Here's the video for Below by White Lung.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Aerosmith

Artist:Aerosmith

Song:Come Together

Album:Aerosmith's Greatest Hits 1973-1988

Aerosmith recorded this cover of The Beatles classic Come Together for the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. They also performed it in the film and the film's DVD distributor Shout Factory has posted that clip on YouTube. Come Together charted but it was only released on the soundtrack album. So that means it's a discography orphan. It was also Aerosmith's final hit single before leaving Columbia for Geffen in 1984. At the time, there was trouble in Aerosmith mostly due to lead singer Steve Tyler's drug addiction. It got so bad that Joe Perry and Brad Whitford left Aerosmith. Columbia was also unhappy and they declined to renew Aerosmith's contract in 1984. Of course that looked like the end for Aerosmith. But Tyler went to rehab, Perry and Whitford returned and later they had a career resurgence. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a jukebox musical saluting The Beatles. It was based on an off Broadway musical. The film was produced by RSO Records owner Robert Stigwood. Of course he managed The Bee Gees and they had just had a lot of success with the film Saturday Night Fever. So he let them do whatever they wanted. The problem was when the film was released, the critics lambasted it and no one went to see it. Aerosmith's recording of Come Together was the most successful thing in the film as it reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also their final hit single on Columbia before they went to Geffen. So the best place to get this discography orphan is on the 1980 comp Aerosmith's Greatest Hits. This album was rereleased and expanded in 1997 and is now called Aerosmith's Greatest Hits 1973-1988. It's available as a budget CD. Here's Aerosmith performing Come Together in the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Charles Brown

Artist:Charles Brown

Song:Black Night

Album:The Charles Brown Collection 1947-57

Singer songwriter and pianist Charles Brown was an important bridge between the blues and R&B in the early 50s. I'm sure most folks have heard his Christmas classic Merry Christmas Baby as as it is still played on radio today. Of course there's more to him than that and many experts consider Brown to be very influential. He was born Tony Russell Brown Sept. 13, 1922 in Texas City, TX. His mom died shortly after his birth so he was raised by his grandparents. Brown took piano lessons as a child. After graduating from high school, he earned a degree in chemistry at Prairie View A&M College in 1942. He worked as a chemistry teacher, a mustard gas worker and an apprentice electrician before moving to Los Angeles in 1943. At the time, a lot of blacks were moving to Los Angeles. And there was a need for clubs to entertain them. Nat King Cole started out performing in Los Angeles clubs. When he began to tour nationally, he was replaced by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers featuring Brown on piano and vocals. The Three Blazers signed with Exclusive Records and the 1945 single Drifting Blues was on the Billboard R&B chart for six months. The problem was Moore refused to sign an exclusive contract with anyone and records were released by Exclusive, Philo and Modern. The Three Blazers had some success but it was limited by not having an exclusive record deal. So Brown left the band and signed with Aladdin Records (formerly Philo). Brown's trio was with Eddie Williams on bass and Charles Norris on guitar. Brown immediately had success on the R&B charts with hits like Trouble Blues in 1949 and Black Night in 1951. Black Night topped the Billboard R&B chart for 14 weeks. The songwriting is credited to Jessie Mae Robinson. But most experts believe Brown wrote the song. It was not unusual in those days for songwriting credits to be hidden to avoid declaring it as income. Jessie Mae Robinson was a legit songwriter. Brown continued to have chart success until Rock 'n' Roll became popular in the mid 50s. Brown continued to play clubs. But he didn't want to perform Rock 'n' Roll. This 2CD comp from the British reissue label Acrobat has all his Aladdin hits. Brown recorded for Imperial and King and continued to perform until the 90s. But he never charted again. But his influence looms large. Charles Brown died on Jan. 21, 1999 at age 76. Here's Charles Brown performing Black Night in the 90s.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Neal Francis

Artist:Neal Francis

Song:Can't Stop the Rain

Album:In Plain Sight

Neal Francis is an R&B influenced singer songwriter who has had success in the Adult Alternative market. He hasn't had any hit singles and fortunately he's on a record label that doesn't require hit singles. He was born Neal Francis O'Hara Sept. 4, 1988 in Livingston, NJ. But he grew up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, IL. He learned piano by mimicking sounds he heard on TV. Then he took classical piano lessons followed by lessons from boogie woogie pianist Erwin Helfer. He had a band in high school called Reverend Funk Connection and he sat in at Chicago blues clubs. After briefly attending college, Francis continued to play clubs most notably with Muddy Waters' son Larry "Mud" Morganfield. He joined the band The Heard and got fired when drank too much. After getting sober, he recorded his debut solo album Changes and released it on the indie label Karma Chief in 2019. The album was praised by critics and that led to Francis signing with Dave Matthews' label ATO Records. Matthews is not looking for hit singles and that's good for the kind of music that Francis wants to record. Can't Stop the Rain was the first single from the 2022 album In Plain Sight. Francis wrote all the songs. And the album was produced by guitarist and recording engineer Sergio Rios who produced Francis' first album. Musicians were Kellen Boersma on guitar, Mike Starr on bass and Collin O'Brien on drums. This was Francis' band at the time. Derek Trucks played the slide guitar solo on Can't Stop the Rain. This album is available as a budget CD. Francis released his latest album Return to Zero last year. He is working with the same musicians. He is currently on tour until November. So if you like his music remember there is no pressure on him to go mainstream. Here's the video for Can't Stop the Rain by Neal Francis. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Florence Henderson

Artist:Florence Henderson

Song:I Have To Tell You

Album:Fanny: Original Cast Recording

Of course Florence Henderson was best known for starring as Carol Brady on the popular ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch. But she had a significant history on Broadway before that. The 1954 musical Fanny was her first starring role. And I have a vintage video clip of Florence performing a song from that show. She was born Feb. 14, 1934 in Dale, IN. which has a population of 1,000. Her father was a sharecropper. Florence was the youngest of ten children. Her mom taught her to sing. And by age 12, she was singing at local grocery stores. After graduating from high school, Florence moved to New York City and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She started out in a touring production of Oklahoma! and South Pacific at Lincoln Center. She made her Broadway debut in the 1952 musical Wish You Were Here. The guys behind that show were Joshua Logan and Harold Rome. And they were also behind the 1954 musical Fanny. Fanny is a musical based on Marcel Pagnol's trilogy of Marius (1929), Fanny (1931) and Cesar (1936). Logan wrote the book with S.N. Behrman and also directed. Rome wrote the songs. Florence played the title role of Fanny. But she wasn't top billed. You'll notice her name isn't on the album cover. The stars were opera singer Ezio Pinza (South Pacific) and German actor Walter Slezak who was a Hollywood star. The show ran for two years so it was a success. The original cast album is available on CD. Florence appeared in the 1954 TV special General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein and a 1958 CBS musical production of Little Women. Florence made sporadic appearances on TV and on Broadway. But she wasn't a household name until she played Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch from 1969-74. After that Florence appeared on TV game shows because she enjoyed doing them. She was the spokeswoman for Wesson cooking oil from 1974-96 and she hosted the TNN cooking show Country Kitchen. As she got older, she hosted talk shows on Retirement Living TV. And that's what she did until her death on Nov. 24, 2016 at age 82. So though Florence Henderson was never a big star, she was beloved because of The Brady Bunch mostly as a nostalgia figure. Here's Florence Henderson performing I Have to Tell You on a 1954 episode of the show Coke Time hosted by Eddie Fisher.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Conor Oberst

Artist:Conor Oberst

Song:Cape Canaveral

Album:Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst is best known as the leader of Bright Eyes. He has also led other bands like Commander Venus and Monsters of Folk. And starting in 2008, he started recording as Conor Oberst. It seems to depend on who he's working with and where he's recording. He writes and produces everything anyway. He was born Feb. 15, 1980 in Omaha. His father worked at Mutual of Omaha and his mother worked in the public school system. His older brother Matthew was a teacher and part time musician. Oberst self released his first album at age 13. That's when he started performing live. After releasing two albums, he joined The Faint in 1994 and formed Commander Venus in 1995. He started his own label Saddle Creek Records. Oberst was also in The Magnetas and Park Ave. He formed Bright Eyes in 1995. This was supposed to be a solo project. And he usually recorded in his basement. Some solo artists want to hide behind a name to stay anonymous. Oberst started Bright Eyes after Commander Venus split up. He says he just wanted it to be perceived as a new band. But in the studio, Bright Eyes was perceived as a Conor Oberst solo project and he hired musicians to tour. Meanwhile, Oberst formed Desaparedos as a more punk oriented band. In 2008, he decided to record an album as Conor Oberst. He did this because his main Bright Eyes collaborator Mike Mogis was not part of this solo project. Cape Canaveral is the lead track on Conor Oberst. Nate Walcott played keyboards. He was also in Bright Eyes. Nik Frietas played guitar. Macey Taylor played bass. Jason Boesel of Rilo Kiley played drums. The album was recorded in Mexico. Oberst claims that the music is different from Bright Eyes. Most critics disagreed and wondered why he released it under his real name in the first place. This album is available on CD. By the time the 2009 album Outer South was released, the band name changed to Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Oberst was also in Monsters of Folk which was a one off supergroup. Bright Eyes was still recording though that ended in 2011. Bright Eyes reformed and toured last year. Even Oberst is confused by all this and he has said interviews that he wished he had never used all those names. Anyway, his music is pretty good. Supposedly, his solo albums are more introspective than Bright Eyes. I don't see much difference and I think one name for all his music would be preferable. Here's Conor Oberst performing Cape Canaveral on The Craig Ferguson Show on Dec. 23, 2008.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lalah Hathaway

Artist:Lalah Hathaway

Song:Somethin'

Album:Lalah Hathaway

As the daughter of soul legend Donny Hathaway, one would think that singer Lalah Hathaway would be a surefire success. I'm sure that's what Virgin Records thought when they signed her. But that never happened and Lalah now records for her own label. She was born Eulaulah Hathaway Dec. 16, 1968 in Chicago. Of course her dad was soul legend Donny Hathaway. Her mom is session singer Eulaulah Hathaway. Lalah is a childhood nickname. Her sister Kenya Hathaway is also a singer. So Lalah grew up with the label First Daughter of Soul. That is very difficult to live up to. The name only goes so far. Lalah learned piano at the American Conservatory of Music. She started writing songs while attending the Chicago Academy for the Arts. And she attended Berklee in Boston. Lalah released her 1987 debut single Inside the Beat on Alllegiance Records with Capitol distribution. It went nowhere but Virgin A&R director John Brown liked Lalah enough to sign her to a record deal. On the 1990 album Lalah Hathaway, she worked with top producers. Somethin' was the third single. The song was written by David Foster and Brenda Russell and Brenda recorded it on her 1983 album Two Eyes. The song was produced by Andre Fischer who is best known for producing Chaka Khan. He produced three songs on the album. Angela Winbush was among the other producers. Four singles reached the R&B charts. But they didn't cross to pop so the album didn't sell. It's available as a budget CD. After Lalah's 1994 album A Moment did worse, Virgin released her. Since then she has recorded for Mesa/Bluemoon, GRP, Concord owned Stax Records and currently she writes and records for her own label. She released her latest album in 2024. She has won five Grammys including one for her 2013 performance of Somethin' on jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy's album Family Dinner. Unfortunately, that album is not available so I can't post the video. Here's the video for Somethin' by Lalah Hathaway. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Prem Joshua & Band

Artist:Prem Joshua & Band

Song:Funky Guru

Album:In Concert

Prem Joshua is a German musician who has had success in India and other eastern countries with his eastern influenced music. He was born in Germany in 1958 and started out playing flute and sax in local bands. At age 18, he traveled overland to India so he could learn about music from the countries along the way. When he got to India, Joshua learned to play the sitar. It's his main instrument today and he cites Ravi Shankar as his main influence. His spiritual master Osho gave him the name Joshua and has encouraged him to spread his music everywhere. Though the sitar is dominant in his music, Joshua mixes it with contemporary music. So it's not traditional Indian music. Joshua started recording in the early 90s as leader of Terra Incognita. They released two albums. Then he led Hamsafar for one album. Since then he has recorded solo and he has led Prem Joshua & Band since 2007. Because the song appeared on a Putomayo collection, Funky Guru is one of Joshua's better known songs. It is from the 2004 album Yatri: Mystics of Sound. It was released on the German label Spice Records. Joshua wrote and produced the album. The arranger is German musician Rishi and he also plays bass and keyboards. Kit Walker plays keyboards. He usually plays Smooth Jazz. The lead singer is Sandhya Sanjana from India. That album is not available. But Funky Guru was recorded on the 2008 album Prem Joshua & Band In Concert. It is on the German label Medial Music. Joshua's music is distributed in the US by meditational music company White Swan. Musicians are Satgyan Fukuda on vocals and bass, Chintan Relenberg on keyboards and Raul Sengupta on drums and percussion. Joshua last released an album in 2021. They just finished touring. So they may be working on a new album. Here's Prem Joshua & Band performing Funky Guru in Mumbai, India.