AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Marcin Wacilewski Trio

Artist:Marcin Wasilewski Trio

Song:Cinema Paradiso

Album:January

Polish jazz pianist Marcin Wasilewski is a protege of Polish jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. So not surprisingly, Wasilewski's music is similar to Stanko's and he also records for ECM Records. So if you like minimalist jazz, this could be for you. I find it to be a little too minimalist. But that seems to be true of ECM's music in general. ECM owner Manfred Eicher likes this style so it's not changing. Wasilewski was born Nov. 11, 1975 in Slawno, Poland. He started playing piano at age seven and studied classical music in high school. But he got into jazz and at age 13 formed the Simple Acoustic Trio with friends Slawomir Kurkicwicz on bass and Michal Miskiewicz on drums. These three have played together ever since and they are still together. After self releasing a couple of albums, Stanko hired them to tour and record. After recording three albums with Stanko, Wasilewski signed with ECM and released the 2005 album Trio. This cover of Ennio Morricone's theme from the film Cinema Paradiso is from the 2008 album January. Wasilewski wrote half of the ten songs. The covers are not standards and includes a cover of Prince's Diamonds and Pearls. This album is available as a digital download. As I said, this trio is still together. Their last two albums have been with tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano. Lovano has recorded for ECM since 2019. The album Homage was released last year. They are currently touring at home and in other European countries. They toured the US in 2024. Obviously, they are a much bigger deal in Poland. Here's the Marcin Wasilewski Trio performing Cinema Paradiso. 

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Canton Jones

Artist:Canton Jones

Song:Be Healed

Album:Dominionaire

Canton Jones is a gospel artist who writes and produces on his own label. He sometimes raps and his songs can be controversial as he sometimes covers social issues. He was born Jan. 9, 1977 in Deerfield Beach, FL. which is near Miami. As a child, he sang in his father's vocal group. And by age 16, he was writing and producing for others. Jones attended Morehouse College in Atlanta where he joined the Morehouse Glee Club. They sang for celebrities, at the 1996 Olympic Games and held the first ever gospel concert at The Pentagon. Jones' girlfriend at the time who became his wife took him to World Changers Church International led by televangelist Creflo Dollar. Jones says that in his three years there, he grew as a Christian and rededicated his life to Christ. He started his own label CAJO International and released the 2002 album 20 Years, 3 Months and 12 Days followed by the 2004 album The Password. He also appeared on rapper Lil iROCC Williams 2004 album The Sequel and performed the song You and Me on the various artists comp Holy Hip-Hop: Taking the Gospel to the Streets. He was in the World Changers Church choir and a youth pastor signed him to the church's record label Arrow Records with EMI Gospel distribution. After three albums for Arrow, Jones returned to his own label and released the 2011 album Dominionaire. As with all his albums, Jones writes and produces everything. Special guests include Dietrick Haddon. This 2CD album is available on CD. He followed this with a live album and DVD. Jones continues to record and perform. His latest album The Promise Notes (Love Stories from the Word) was released earlier this year. Here's Canton Jones performing Be Healed from the Dominionaire DVD.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bill Evans

Artist:Bill Evans

Song:Emily

Album:Quiet Now: Never Let Me Go

This is part of My Jazz for Beginners series complete with an affordable comp and a performance video. A while back, I wrote about pianist Bill Evans' Riverside albums. He recorded for Riverside from 1957-62 and recorded for Verve until 1969. Riverside was having financial problems and declared bankruptcy in 1964. At the time, Evans was not in good condition. The 1961 death of bassist Scott LaFaro put Evans in a tailspin and his heroin addiction got worse. His girlfriend Elaine Schultz was also an addict. They moved to his parents house in Florida and both kicked the habit. So now he's looking for a new label. Norman Granz sold Verve to MGM in 1960. The man in charge at Verve was Creed Taylor. There's no question that Taylor is a more commercial producer than Riverside's Orrin Keepnews. But Evans had to record somewhere and Verve was better than most other options. After Evans appeared on the 1962 album Empathy with Monty Budwig on bass and Shelly Manne on drums, Evans signed with Verve. His first album for Verve was the 1963 album Conversations with Myself. This is solo piano with overdubs. I know that will drive some jazz fans crazy. But the album was very successful and it won a Grammy. With that success, it's not surprising that Taylor wanted to do a sequel. That was the 1967 album Further Conversations with Myself. As with the first album, this is solo piano with overdubs. Helen Keane produced. She produced many jazz artists. Emily was the most popular song from this album as it wasn't a well known song. Johnny Mercer and Johnny Mandel wrote Emily for the 1964 film The Americanization of Emily but it wasn't used in the film. Frank Sinatra and Jack Jones recorded the song. Then Evans recorded it and so did Paul Desmond in 1969. Both performed Emily for many years. You can get Emily on this comp which is available as a digital download. The most significant event for Evans was when he met bassist Eddie Gomez in 1966. Drummer Marty Morell joined in 1968. They were together until 1975. So I might look at that trio in the future. Here's Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell performing Emily.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Frank Sinatra Count Basie

Artist:Frank Sinatra Count Basie

Song:The Best Is Yet to Come

Album:The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings

It's likely that if Frank Sinatra had stayed with Capitol Records, he would have never recorded with Count Basie's band. He recorded two studio albums with Basie and The Best Is Yet to Come is probably Sinatra's best known recording from those two albums. The song was a regular part of Sinatra's repertoire despite not being released as a single. Sinatra was feuding with Capitol Records VP Alan Livingston over creative control. He tried to buy Verve Records from Norman Granz. But they couldn't work out a deal and Granz sold Verve to MGM. So he started Reprise Records in 1961. He ran the company himself at first. But most of the artists signed to Reprise were nostalgia acts and didn't sell. So Sinatra sold Reprise to Warner Bros. in 1963 and Mo Ostin made the label successful by signing contemporary artists. Sinatra still recorded for Reprise and he continued to have commercial success until his first retirement. Creative control was the main reason Sinatra started Reprise in the first place. So he got to do what he wanted. And what he really wanted to do was record with jazz bandleader Count Basie and his orchestra. The album Sinatra-Basie: A Historical Musical First was released in 1962. Neal Hefti was Basie's arranger at the time. The songs are mostly standards including a couple that Sinatra had previously recorded. The Best Is Yet to Come is from the 1964 album It Might As Well Be Swing. This is generally considered to be the better album of the two mostly because Quincy Jones was brought in to write the arrangements. This was the first time Jones had worked with Sinatra. Sinatra and Basie did some shows together and a live album was released in 1965. The Best Is Yet to Come was written by jazz pianist and composer Cy Coleman and his longtime partner Carolyn Leigh for Tony Bennett's 1962 album I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Others to record the song were Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson and Blossom Dearie. Sinatra continued to perform The Best Is Yet to Come and and it was the last song in his final performance on Feb. 25, 1995 at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom. It was also etched on Sinatra's original tombstone though that was changed a few years ago. Both Sinatra Basie albums were released on one CD and that is available as a digital download. Here's Frank Sinatra performing The Best Is Yet to Come on the CBS TV special The Milestone Birthday Special. This was filmed at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sinatra's birthday Dec. 12, 1979.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ralph Alessi

Artist:Ralph Alessi

Song:Chuck Barris

Album: Baida

Jazz trumpeter Ralph Alessi straddles the line between progressive jazz and avant garde. He currently records for ECM Records. The 2013 album Baida is probably his best known album. He is also a very busy sideman and an educator. He was born Mar. 5, 1963 in San Francisco. His parents met as performers at the Metropolitan Opera. His father Joseph Alessi Sr. was principal trumpet for 15 years. His mother Maria Leone sang in the chorus. His brother Joseph Alessi plays trombone in the New York Philharmonic. The Alessi brothers took trumpet lessons as children. As a teen, Ralph Alessi played with the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera. He attended the California Institute of the Arts where he studied with legendary bassist Charlie Haden. Alessi earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz trumpet and a Master of Fine Arts in bass. He played with Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra and saxophonist Bill Perkins and pianist Ralph Strazzeri. Alessi moved to New York City in 1990. He recorded as a sideman with avant garde saxophonist Steve Coleman. After releasing a 1999 album on his own label, he released three albums on Ravi Coltrane's RKM label. The two became friends in school. Alessi also recorded for the European labels CAM Jazz and Clean Feed. Meanwhile, Alessi founded The School for Improvisational Music in Brooklyn and has taught at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. Alessi signed with ECM for the 2013 album Baida. ECM owner Manfred Eicher produced the album. Musicians are Jason Moran on piano, Drew Gress on bass and Nasheet Watts on drums. Supposedly, Alessi named the song Chuck Barris after The Gong Show host because Barris wrote in his autobiography that he was a secret CIA operative. So the title is a joke. This album is available as a digital download. Alessi left ECM for a while. But he returns to the label with the 2026 album A Sun That Never Sets featuring his brother Joseph Alessi on trombone. Alessi is not touring right now. He was on tour earlier this year. I am sure he will tour in 2027. Here's Ralph Alessi with Gary Versace on piano, Drew Gress on bass and Nasheet Watts on drums performing Chuck Barris in Muri, Switzerland Mar. 20, 2016.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Oscar Peterson

Artist:Oscar Peterson

Song:Sweet Georgia Brown

Album:Genesis

Most jazz fans are familiar with pianist Oscar Peterson's recordings on Norman Granz' labels Verve and Pablo. But you may not be familiar with Peterson's recordings before he signed with Verve. This recording of Sweet Georgia Brown was released in 1949 on RCA. Fortunately, these early recordings are easy to find and cheap too. As most folks know, Peterson was born and raised in Montreal. He was classically trained but Peterson loved jazz and boogie woogie. And if you've ever watched Peterson play, no one can keep up with him. He was known as The Brown Bomber of Boogie Woogie. He practiced four to six hours a day. So he wasn't messing around. His big break came when he won a 1940 national music competition organized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He dropped out of high school and played in a band with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. He had a weekly radio show and performed in local hotels. RCA Records' Canadian office heard Peterson and offered to record him. So he recorded for RCA from 1945-49. This recording of Sweet Georgia Brown was released on a 78rpm disc in 1949. Musicians are Austin Roberts on bass an Clarence Jones on drums. Sweet Georgia Brown is a jazz standard written by Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard and Kenneth Casey. Bernie was the first to record it. But Bing Crosby was the first to score a hit with the song in 1932. But Sweet Georgia Brown really became popular when Brother Bones and His Shadows recorded it in 1949. That's Brother Bones AKA Freeman Davis doing the whistling. This recording was adopted by the basketball team The Harlem Globetrotters as their theme. Sweet Georgia Brown became a jazz standard played by many jazz musicians. You can get Peterson's 1949 recording on this 4CD comp from the British label Proper Records. All of Peterson's early recordings are here. And it's available at a budget price. Norman Granz was in a cab on the way to the Montreal airport and heard Peterson on the radio. Granz told the cab driver to take him to the club. Granz brought Peterson to New York to appear on Jazz at the Philharmonic. And the rest is history. Granz became Peterson's manager and Peterson recorded for Granz' labels Verve and Pablo for most of his career. Here's Oscar Peterson with Ray Brown and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass performing Sweet Georgia Brown at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival. I think this is a changing of the guard with NHOP taking over from Brown. NHOP played with Peterson for the next decade.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Robert Plant/Alison Krauss

Artist:Robert Plant/Alison Krauss

Song:Please Read the Letter

Album:Raising Sand

At first most folks will think that Robert Plant and Alison Krauss are an odd couple. But in recent years Plant has experimented with different kinds of music. And their 2007 album Raising Sand was very successful. The album won five Grammys. According to American Songwriter magazine, Plant and Alison met when both appeared on a 2004 Lead Belly tribute show in Cleveland. He already knew about Alison as he heard her on the radio. He contacted her a year later to see if she would like to record with him. Alison suggested that T-Bone Burnett should produce the album. And she also brought in her record label Rounder Records. Plant told the Guardian that Alison taught him how to sing duets. The 2007 album Raising Sand is mostly folk and bluegrass standards. Please Read the Letter is a song written by Plant and Jimmy Page. They recorded it as Page and Plant on the 1998 album Walking into Clarksdale. As I said, the album won five Grammys including Record of the Year for Please Read the Letter and Album of the Year. As you will see in the video, Alison played a fiddle solo. T-Bone Burnett produced and played guitar. The other musicians are session men Marc Ribot on guitar, Dennis Crouch on bass and Jay Bellerose on drums. This album is available on CD. They toured to support it. A follow up album was planned in 2009 and they did record. But it didn't work out. The two released the 2021 album Raise the Roof and toured to support it. Here's the video of Please Read the Letter by Robert Plant/Alison Krauss. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Stella Lefty

Artist:Stella Lefty

Song:Boston

Album:Long Way Home

I guess it could be said that singer Stella Lefty is the next big thing. She scored a top five hit with the 2026 single Boston and she released her debut album last month. Will she take the country pop queen crown from Taylor Swift? That remains to be seen but I have my doubts which I will express later. Besides, isn't Ella Langley supposed to inherit that crown? I'll get to that too. She was born Stella Lefkofsky Aug. 13, 2002 in Los Angeles and grew up in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe, IL. Her father is Groupcon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky so he's a billionaire. Stella started writing songs and playing guitar as a child. But she suffered from stage fright so she didn't perform. Not surprisingly, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus are big influences. After graduating from high school, Stella studied public health at Tulane University in New Orleans. At the time, she had no plan to do anything in music. While studying in Amsterdam, Stella started posting videos of her music on TikTok. After posting her 2024 debut single on TikTok, she was contacted by producer Jacob "J Kash" Hindlin who has worked with many pop singers. Stella released the 2025 EP Tragic, Really and the single Thinkin' 'Bout You charted. And then she signed with Atlantic Records' country label Atlantic Outpost. So they were going to market her as a country singer. Then she released the EP Is This Heaven? and the single Boston topped the Country Singles chart and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Stella wrote the song with her friend Grace Enger, the album producer Joe Reeves and J Kash. The record is based on the 2022 Noah Kahan single Stick Season so he got a songwriting credit. Stella posted a snippet of herself performing the chorus of Boston on TikTok. She hadn't even finished the song and it spread virally. The main criticism of Boston is it is too similar to Stick Season. But now she's a big deal. The album Long Way Home was released in August. Stella wrote most of the songs with Grace Enger and Joe Reeves produced. So can Stella Lefty inherit Taylor Swift's crown? First, I don't think Taylor is giving up that crown. Second, Ella Langley is her main competition and is already a bigger star than Stella. Plus there are already accusations about "industry plants" and that Stella is a "nepo baby". Her manager Adam Alpert categorically denied this. I think her big mistake was basing Boston on Stick Season. It was so similar that Noah Kahan's manager contacted her about it. That's how Kahan got a songwriting credit. That's a big red flag. So we'll see how Stella does. She could be a star or a one hit wonder. Here's the video for Boston by Stella Lefty. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Mercedes Sosa

Artist:Mercedes Sosa

Song:Todo Cambia

Album:Oro

Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa was popular throughout Latin America and Europe for over 40 years. Her roots are in Argentine folk music but she liked to record songs by young songwriters. She won a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. She was born July 9, 1935 in Tucuman, Argentina which is in Northwest Argentina. She was of Spanish, French and Diaguita descent. Her nickname La Negra is because of her darker complexion due to her indigenous (Diaguita) heritage. Mercedes was 15 years old when she started singing for the local Peronist Party as Gladys Osorio. Then she won a singing competition at a local radio station. Mercedes recorded her debut album in 1965. Folksinger Jorge Cafrune brought her onstage at the 1965 Cosquin National Folklore Festival. That got her enough attention so she could record an album of Argentine folk songs. This got her a record deal with Philips Records for the 1966 album Hermanos. She recorded for Philips, Polydor and Mercury for over 30 years. Mercedes started touring in the US and Europe. She recorded albums with Ariel Martinez and Felix Luna and popularized Brazilian songwriter Milton Nascimento and Cuban Silvio Rodriguez. She recorded women's songs in the 70s along with songs about political and social issues. After the military junta of Jorge Videla came to power in 1976, the atmosphere in Argentina became increasingly oppressive. After Mercedes was barred from performing in 1979, she moved to Europe and lived mostly in Spain. She returned to Argentina in 1982 just before the regime collapsed due to the Falklands War. This is when Mercedes became very popular in Argentina for recording young songwriters. Todo Cambia is from her 1984 album Sera Posible El Sur. The album songs are about political and social change. The song Todo Cambia was written by Chilean singer songwriter Julio Numhauser. The album was produced by her husband Fabian Matus. You can get Todo Cambia on this comp which is available as a budget CD. Philips, Polydor and Mercury are all now Universal labels. She left Universal in 1999 for RCA. Mercedes received many lifetime achievement awards in her final years. She died on Sept. 18, 2009 at age 74. Here's the video for Todo Cambia by Mercedes Sosa.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Randy Scruggs

Artist:Randy Scruggs

Song:Lonesome Reuben

Album:Crown of Jewels

Randy Scruggs was the son of bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs. Mostly he was a Nashville studio musician, songwriter and producer. The 1998 album Crown of Jewels was Scruggs' only solo album and it has an all star cast. So most country music fans will want to get it. Scruggs was born Aug. 3, 1953 in Nashville. He recorded two albums with his brother Gary Scruggs for Vanguard Records in the early 70s. Meanwhile, he played bass on John Hartford's 1971 album Aereo-Plain. He played with his dad on a couple of Flatt & Scruggs records. After they split up, he was a member of The Earl Scruggs Revue. Scruggs was also a member of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and played with Tom T. Hall and Waylon Jennings. In 1980, Scruggs opened his own recording studio Scruggs Sound Studio in Berry Hill, TN. Among the albums recorded there were Will the Circle Be Unbroken Vol. 2 by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1989 and the 2002 follow up album and the 1994 album Keith Whitley: A Tribute Album. Scruggs sold the studio just before his 2018 death. He also got into songwriting and wrote two top ten country hits; the 1986 single Right Hand Man by Eddy Raven and the 1989 single Call on Me by Tanya Tucker. So he was probably too busy to record his own album. And the 1998 album Crown of Jewels on Reprise Records was an all star extravaganza. Of course the instrumental Lonesome Ruben was written by his dad Earl Scruggs and an all star band performed it on the 1998 CMA Awards show broadcast. Other guests on the album include Vince Gill, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Trisha Yearwood, Travis Tritt, Bruce Hornsby, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Douglas, Joan Osborne and Rosanne Cash. This album is available as a digital download. Scruggs returned to his studio activities including playing on albums by Sara Evans, Lee Ann Womack and Rodney Crowell. As I said, Randy Scruggs sold his studio in 2018 and died on Apr. 17, 2018 at age 64. Here's Randy Scruggs with an all star band including his dad Earl Scruggs and Chet Atkins performing Lonesome Ruben on the 1998 CMA Awards broadcast. All the musicians are identified on screen.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The 5.6.7.8's

Artist:The 5.6.7.8's

Song:Woo Hoo

Album:Bomb the Rocks: Early Days Singles 1989-1996

If you have seen the 2003 film Kill Bill Vol. 1, you will be familiar with a fight scene featuring the Japanese band The 5.6.7.8's performing the rockabilly song Woo Hoo. I am posting video of the scene as a reminder. The 5.6.7.8's have been around since the 90s. They are unknown outside Japan. But their appearance in Kill Bill made them famous for a while. The 5.6.7.8's were formed in Tokyo in 1986 by sisters Yoshiko "Ronnie" Fujiyama on guitar and Sachiko Fujii on drums plus bassist Akiko Omo. They all sing. Their music is a mix of rockabilly and garage rock. They sing mostly in Japanese. The 5.6.7.8's record for the Osaka based label Time Bomb Records. But occasionally US indie labels have released their records here. This cover of the rockabilly song Woo Hoo was released on The 5.6.7.8's 1996 EP Bomb the Twist. This was released in the US by the indie label Sympathy for the Record Industry. It was first recorded by the rockabilly group The Rock-A-Teens in 1959 and it reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. They only released one album as they were on Roulette Records and Roulette owner Morris Levy had mob connections and was notorious for not paying bands. Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino was on his way to the Tokyo Airport when he heard The 5.6.7.8's in a clothing store. He didn't have time to go to a record store. So he paid double for the CD. Woo Hoo reached #26 on the British Singles chart. It also was used in a couple of commercials. The Kill Bill soundtrack is out of print. But you can get Woo Hoo on this 5.6.7.8's comp. The 5.6.7.8's are still around. They just released a new album in June. They will be going on a European tour in October. Here's The 5.6.7.8's performing Woo Hoo in the 2003 film Kill Bill Part 1. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Reik

Artist:Reik

Song:Levemente

Album:Reik

The band Reik has been very popular in their native Mexico since their 2005 album Reik. They started out as a pop band and in recent years have gone to a more urban sound. Producer Adelarbo Vazquez had another band called Reik. When that didn't work out, he asked singer Jesus Navarro and guitarist Julio Ramirez to record demos in 2003. They were released through the Mexican underground music scene. When the song Levemente spread across Mexico, he invited guitarist Julio Marin Espinoza to join the band. The band name Reik means raking the guitar strings. The spelling is so it is pronounced correctly. Reik signed with Sony and released the 2005 album Reik. The album was certified 4XPlatinum in Mexico and several singles including Levemente did very well. The album also sold well in Latin America. Vazquez produced the album with Kiko Cibrian who has produced Luis Miguel and others. Vazquez wrote half of the album songs including Levemente. The album is available as a budget CD. For their first few albums, Reik had a pop sound that was comparable to a boy band. When they started to fade, Reik decided to reinvent themselves. And they brought in Reggaeton singer Nicky Jam to record a remix of Ya Me Entere for the 2016 album Des/Amor. The single and the album were very successful in Latin America. So Reik did reinvent themselves and they continue to collaborate with Reggaeton artists. They released their latest album in 2025 but it didn't do as well as previous albums. Maybe Reik will reinvent themselves again. Here's the video for Levemente by Reik. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-One Sonic Society

Artist:One Sonic Society

Song:Forever Reign

Album:Forever Reign

One Sonic Society was a CCM supergroup who had success with their 2012 album and single Forever Reign. Though they are categorized as CCM, the music is more Praise & Worship (P&W) than CCM. They were categorized as a supergroup because the band members came from different well known CCM bands. Since most CCM and P&W comes from a church, a supergroup is kind of unusual. Plus many supergroups are short term and I think these guys planned to remain together. The leader of One Sonic Society is lead singer, songwriter and producer Jason Ingram. He released a solo album in 2002 and was lead singer of the band The Longing. But he has won Dove Awards for his songs. The other members were Stuart Gerrard on guitar and Jonathan Thatcher on bass from the British band Delirious? and Paul Mabury on drums from Hillsong UNITED. Delirious was a very successful band. After they retired in 2009, Gerrard was looking for Christian artists to work with and he met Ingram. Gerrard brought Thatcher with him and Ingram knew Mabury. They were going to call themselves Christian Music Collective. But when they signed with Sony's CCM label Essential Records, they changed it to One Sonic Society. After releasing three EPs, they released the 2012 album Forever Reign. The single Forever Reign reached #17 on the CCM chart. The song was written by Ingram and Reuben Morgan of the Australian P&W collective Hillsong. Hillsong released it first and it was a big enough hit that their fans picked up on the One Sonic Society version. The album was reviewed positively and did very well in the CCM market. Ingram co-wrote all the songs and produced the album. This album is available as a budget CD. They released a live album soon after followed by a 2015 EP. It looks like there were plans for another album because they released a couple of singles. But Ingram decided to end One Sonic Society in 2019. He just got too busy as a songwriter and producer to continue the band. He says now that One Sonic Society was never supposed to be a full time band but just a side project. Ingram still works on songs with Mabury. But I think the other two guys thought it was a full time band. Here's the video for Forever Reign by One Sonic Society.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Aaron Lewis

Artist:Aaron Lewis

Song:Granddaddy's Gun

Album:The Road

Fans of the hard rock band Staind may be surprised to learn that Staind's screaming lead singer Aaron Lewis has been a country music singer songwriter since 2011. His songs are patriotic so that can be polarizing. I guess he's trying to be the new Lee Greenwood. He has had modest success on the country charts. Staind is active again. So it looks like Lewis is going to split his time between the two. He was born Apr. 13, 1972 in Rutland, VT. His family lived in a log cabin. When his parents split up, he moved with his father to Longmeadow, MA and attended high school there. He helped form Staind in 1995 and I guess his screaming lead vocals distinguish them from similar hard rock bands. While Staind was touring with Kid Rock in 1999, Lewis reignited his love for country music that he listened to as a child spending summers with his grandparents. He released the 2011 EP Town Line on James Stroud's Stroudavarious label and the single Country Boy featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels charted in Country and was certified Platinum. He followed this with the 2012 album The Road also produced by Stroud. Lewis wrote all the songs except his cover of the Rhett Akins song Granddaddy's Gun. The album is available as a digital download. The success of the album led him to signing with Big Machine. His patriotic tone in the Granddaddy's Gun video convinced Lewis to continue that tone in subsequent albums. Is the patriotism real or a gimmick? Probably both as it distinguishes Lewis from other country artists. It also divides Staind fans as some of them like it and some don't. Lewis released his most recent country album in 2024. Meanwhile, Staind has reformed. They are currently touring and will release a new album in 2027. At first, Lewis said he would record with Staind but not tour. So now he is doing both. How long before Aaron Lewis burns out? Here's the video for Granddaddy's Gun by Aaron Lewis. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tad

Artist:Tad

Song:Throat Locust

Album:Inhaler

The band Tad were pioneers of the Seattle grunge scene of the 90s. They were popular locally. But unlike some of the other bands of that era, Tad was unable to attain a level of fame. The 1993 album Inhaler was on a major label. They tried to tone Tad down. But it didn't work and they split up. Tad was formed in 1988 by Tad Doyle who was formerly a drummer with the band H-Hour. His full name is Thomas Andrew Doyle. Tad is his nickname. Doyle recorded a demo and played all the instruments. When the demo got him a deal with the indie label Sub Pop, Doyle realized he needed a band for live shows. So he brought in bassist Gary Danielson from the band Bundle of Hiss, drummer Steve Weid from the band Skin Yard and guitarist Gary Thorstenson from the band The Tree Climbers. Doyle was lead singer and played guitar. Tad released their 1989 debut album God's Balls and opened for Nirvana on a European tour. They released the album 8-Way Santa in 1991 and the single Jack Pepsi. They were sued over the album and single cover and Sub Pop had to change them. Then Tad got a big break. They appeared in Cameron Crowe's 1992 film Singles about the Seattle grunge scene and that got them a record deal with Irving Azoff's Giant Records with Warner Bros. distribution. Weid was replaced by Josh Sinder. The 1993 album Inhaler was released to positive reviews and Tad opened for Soundgarden's 1994 tour. The album was produced by J Macsis AKA Dinosaur Jr. After Inhaler failed to catch on, Azoff dropped Tad. The album is available on CD. They released a live album and then they signed with Warner's Elektra label. They released the album Infrared Riding Hood. Thorstenson left and was replaced on the album by Doyle. Mike Mongrain of Foil was brought in to play drums on the tour. Unfortunately, Tad's A&R rep was fired and all the bands he signed were dropped. Tad continued to tour and released one more single before splitting up in 1999. Doyle led several bands after that. But none of them were successful. There was a Tad reunion at the Sub Pop Records 25th Anniversary show in 2013 in Seattle. These days Doyle owns his own studio and released a solo album in 2023. His music these days is electronic music suitable for films. There are no plans for a Tad reunion. Here's Tad performing Throat Locust on The Spud Goodman Show. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ricardo Montaner

Artist:Ricardo Montaner

Song:Si Tuviera Que Elegir

Album:20 Grandes Exitos

Singer songwriter Ricardo Montaner has had success in his home country of Venezuela and other Latin American countries since the 90s. He records mostly love songs like Si Tuviera Que Elegir. It was a top ten hit in 2002. He was born Hector Eduardo Regiero Montaner Sept. 8, 1957 in Valentin Alsina, Argentina. His family moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela when he was six years old. He sang in the church choir and performed at a festival in Peru. He chose his maternal family name Ricardo as his stage name. I guess Ricardo sounds more romantic than Hector. Montaner first recorded in 1976 produced by Venezuelan singer Roberto Luti. Most of Montaner's early records were on the Venezuelan label Rodven. When he started to have success, he signed with EMI. Probably his biggest hit of that time was Un Mundo Ideal which was the song A Whole New World from the film Aladdin in Spanish. He also performed at Madison Square Gardens in New York City and was nominated for three Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards in 1993. When things slowed down at EMI, Montaner switched to Warner Music in 1997. He had a lot of success with a 1999 album he recorded with the London Metropolitan Orchestra. Si Tuivera Que Elegir is from Montaner's 2002 album Suma. It reached #8 on the Latin charts. Montaner wrote that song for his daughter with Yasmil Marrufo. The album was produced by Argentine Bebu Silvetti who also plays piano on most of the album. You can get Si Tuivera Que Elegir on this comp which is available on 2CDs. Montaner switched to Sony in 2012. He last released a an album of new music in 2022. He has been busy recording new versions of his old albums. And of course, Montaner is always on tour. Here's the video for Si Tuivera Que Elegir by Ricardo Montaner.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Cerrone

Artist:Cerrone

Song:Supernature

Album:Culture: Best of Cerrone

French drummer Marc Cerrone was probably the most popular disco artist in Europe in the 70s. For the most part, his music did not cross the pond except when the 1977 single Supernature topped the Dance chart. And dance clubs is where you would normally find Cerrone's music. He was born May 24, 1972 in the Paris suburb of Vitry-sur-Seine, France. His parents were Italian immigrants. Cerrone started playing drums at age 12 and listened to Otis Redding and other soul singers. Then he got interested in Jimi Hendrix and other psychedelic music. Cerrone convinced the owner of Club Med to hire rock bands for their tours. He became their A&R director at age 17. He joined the band Kongas in 1972. They were on Barclay Records and Atlantic's Cotillion label in the US. After the 1974 hit single Boom Cerrone started recording for his own label while still in Kongas. But he decided to leave Kongas after Barclay's continued attempts to get them to be more commercial. And that's when he recorded his 1977 album Supernature. It was his third album. The big difference with Supernature from his first two albums was the addition of electronics. The single Supernature was a hit across Europe. It reached #8 on the British Singles chart. It also topped the US Dance chart. There aren't any credits on the album. But we do know that Cerrone wrote and produced the album with film and TV composer Alain Wisniak and disco producer Don Ray. The lyrics for Supernature were written by British singer songwriter Lene Lovich who would soon have success with her brand of New Wave music. The vocals are by session singer Kay Garner. Supernature is still Cerrone's biggest hit and you can get it on this comp which is available as a digital download. Cerrone has continued to record. He last released an album in 2020. He just hasn't had the same success that he had in the 70s. He even tried to sing in the 80s but that didn't help. Here's the video for Supernature by Cerrone. This video is NSFW.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kellie Coffey

Artist:Kellie Coffey

Song:When You Lie Next to Me

Album:When You Lie Next to Me

Country singer songwriter Kellie Coffey scored a top ten Country hit with the 2001 single When You Lie Next to Me. And it crossed over to pop. The album did well. And she won Best New Female Artist at the 2003 Academy of Country Music Awards. She was on RCA's BNA label. So she seemed to have a bright future. She recorded a second album but it was never released and BNA dropped her. Kellie last recorded in 2009 and I don't think she tours anymore. She was born Apr. 22, 1971 in Moore, OK. She started performing as a child and performed in musicals while attending the University of Oklahoma. Kellie moved to Los Angeles and sang demos and backed up Barbra Streisand in Las Vegas. Then she appeared for a few years at Disney theme parks. After a Los Angeles showcase, Kellie signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. Then she moved to Nashville and signed with RCA's country label BNA. Her 2001 debut single When You Lie Next to Me reached #8 on the Country Singles chart and #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album When You Lie Next to Me reached #5 on the Country Albums chart. Plus Kellie won Top New Female Vocalist on the 2003 Academy of Country Music Awards. The album was produced by veteran Nashville producer Dann Huff and he also played guitar on the album. Kellie wrote seven songs with co-writers including When You Lie Next to Me. Her co-writers were veteran Nashville songwriter J.D. Martin and Trina Harmon who seems to specialize in writing for female pop vocalists. This album is available as a budget CD. Kellie was touring with Kenny Chesney and George Strait. So she seemed to be on her way. She recorded the 2004 album A Little More Me. Two singles were released and both charted. But then BNA pulled them and dropped Kellie from the label. The album has never been released. We don't know why BNA dropped Kellie. I saw a 2018 interview with Kellie and she still doesn't discuss it. So that tells me that there is a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and she can't discuss it. So we will never know or hear the unreleased album. Since then Kellie self released a 2007 album and a 2009 EP. She seems to be retired but she hasn't said anything. She does have a family. Here's the video for When You Lie Next to Me by Kellie Coffey. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-hellogoodbye

Artist:hellogoodbye

Song:Here (In Your Arms)

Album:Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! and More

The 2006 single Here (In Your Arms) was a top twenty hit and was the only chart single for the band hellogoodbye. Their music is pop with electronic elements. I would also say that they are a one man band and the rest of the band is disposable. Forrest Kline leads hellogoodbye. He's lead singer and writes all the songs. He attended high school in Huntington Beach, CA with Jesse Kurvink and they decided to start a band mostly to entertain their friends. After recording some songs on Kline's home computer, Kline decided to call the band hellogoodbye after a line from Screech on Saved by the Bell about how fast life moves. A band was assembled to play local clubs and they toured with the band Peachcake. After sending out demos, hellogoodbye signed with the indie label Drive-Thru Records and released a 2004 EP. They toured until they released the 2007 album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!. The big surprise was when the single Here (In Your Arms) reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Why was it a hit? I think in this case, Kline deserves much of the credit as he promoted the band on the internet and that got them a grass roots following that bombarded radio stations with requests. Normally, a band would need to be on a major label to chart that high. But Kline was a very good self promoter. The problem was Kline couldn't keep hellogoodbye together. By 2008, Kurvink was the only remaining original member and he left to return to school. I think the instability prevented hellogoodbye from getting a major label record deal. In 2008, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! was re-released with bonus demos and a live DVD. This is available. hellogoodbye last released a new album in 2018 and a couple of singles since then. They are touring England in October and plan to tour Australia in 2027. Here's the video for Here (In Your Arms) by hellogoodbye. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chris Tomlin

Artist:Chris Tomlin

Song:Holy Forever

Album:Always

In the music business, if an artist is going to remain relevant for a long time, the artist has to keep an eye on musical trends and change things if necessary. Chris Tomlin has been a popular CCM singer songwriter since 2004. When his record sales started to decrease, he decided to incorporate Praise & Worship (P&W) into his music. And he's working with some of the popular P&W artists. This started when he led a tour called Worship Night in America in 2015. When the 2015 single Good Good Father topped the CCM charts, he knew he was going in the right direction. For the 2022 album Always, he went even farther in the P&W direction featuring appearances by Elevation Worship, Steffany Gretzinger of Bethel Music and Brandon Lake of Maverick City Music. Though veteran producer Ben Glover produced most of the album, Jonathan Smith produced a couple of songs including Holy Forever. He has worked with P&W artists like Elevation Worship. Tomlin wrote Holy Forever with Brian and Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music, veteran CCM songwriter Jason Ingram and Phil Wickham who is probably the most popular P&W artist right now. And you'll notice that Wickham appears in the video clip. So for me, it looks like Tomlin is aiming some of his songs at the P&W crowd. Of course Tomlin won't admit to this. But Holy Forever topped the Christian charts and that and the album were nominated for Grammys. Always is available on CD. His 2025 album The King Is Still the King was very similar. Jonathan Smith produced and Wickham and Ben Fielding of Hillsong made guest appearances. I don't think he will alienate his existing fanbase because he hasn't changed his music that much. But it is a significant shift though he will never admit it was done for commercial reasons. Here's Chris Tomlin featuring Phil Wickham performing Holy Forever live in Nashville.