AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lonette McKee

 

Artist:Lonette McKee f/Gretha Boston and Michel Bell

Song:Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

Album:Show Boat: World Premiere Cast Recording

I have been a Lonette McKee fan since I found her 1978 album Words and Music in a used record store in Toronto. She wrote and produced everything. Plus she is a fantastic singer and is drop dead gorgeous. But when her records didn't sell, she turned to acting and she has done that ever since. She has only released three albums. You may have seen her in the films Sparkle (1976), The Cotton Club (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), 'Round Midnight (1986) and three Spike Lee films; Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992) and He Got Game (1998). She recorded her third album for Lee's record label. Lonette has also had success on Broadway as Julie in the 1994 production of Show Boat. Of course Show Boat was based on Edna Ferber's book with music by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical was first produced in 1927 and there have been many revivals. There have also been a couple of films. This particular revival is interesting because it was produced by Toronto based narcissist Garth Drabinsky. The kicker was that he brought in Broadway veteran Hal Prince to direct. I'm sure that's why it moved to Broadway. The actors in this video were in both versions including Lonette McKee, Michel Bell and Gretha Boston. Show Boat ran for over two years on Broadway. Lonette was nominated for a Tony. She also played Billie Holiday in the musical Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. In recent years, she has toured with her one woman show. I just think she had the talent to be a big singing star. But she took advantage of her acting opportunities. Here's Lonette McKee with Michel Bell Gretha Boston performing Can't Help Lovin Dat Man on PBS Great Performances Mar. 7, 1995.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lindsey Buckingham

Artist:Lindsay Buckingham

Song:Trouble

Album:Solo Anthology:The Best of Lindsey Buckingham

Of course Lindsey Buckingham is best known as a long time member of Fleetwood Mac. He does record solo occasionally and he scored a top ten hit with the 1981 single Trouble. But other than that, he hasn't been successful as a solo artist. He was born Oct. 3, 1949 in Palo Alto, CA. His father was a football star at San Jose State College and ran a coffee plant. Buckingham and his two brothers swam competitively and Gregory Buckingham won a silver medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Buckingham is self taught on guitar and he doesn't read music. He played along to folk music records as a teen. He was in the band Fritz in high school. He met Stevie Nicks when she was hired as a backup singer. Their romantic relationship began after both left Fritz. After they recorded demos, they signed with Polydor Records and released the 1973 album Buckingham Nicks. Richard Dashut was the recording engineer and he went on to produce Fleetwood Mac for two decades. Polydor dropped Buckingham Nicks  when the album didn't sell. Buckingham toured with Don Everly's backing band. In 1974, Mick Fleetwood was looking to record at Sound City in Los Angeles. When he heard the song Frozen Love from Buckingham Nicks, he asked about the guitarist. Buckingham Nicks were recording demos at Sound City. After Bob Welch left Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood offered that slot to Buckingham. Buckingham told Fleetwood that he and Stevie Nicks are a team and he didn't want to work without her. So Fleetwood hired both of them and the rest is history. So we all know how successful Fleetwood Mac was. But during the recording of the 1977 album Rumours, Buckingham and Nicks split up. For the 1979 album Tusk, Fleetwood allowed Buckingham to work on the album at home. When the album wasn't as successful as previous albums, Buckingham released the 1981 album Law and Order. The single Trouble reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Buckingham wrote all the songs, produced with Richard Dashut and played all the instruments. On Trouble, George Hawkins of Loggins & Messina played bass and Mick Fleetwood played drums. The problem was despite the hit single, the album got mixed reviews and didn't sell well. So Buckingham returned to Fleetwood Mac. Law and Order is not available. But you can get Trouble along with the song Holiday Road from the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation on this budget comp that was first released on 3CDs and reduced to one. 3CDs is a little excessive. Over the years, Buckingham would leave Fleetwood Mac, go solo and then return when his solo albums didn't sell. Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac for good in 2018. He recorded and toured with The Killers and released his most recent album in 2021. He had open heart surgery in 2019 so he is currently off the road. But he is working on a new album. Here's the video for Trouble by Lindsey Buckingham. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Noah Haidu

Artist:Noah Haidu

Song:Slipstream

Album:Slipstream

Jazz pianist Noah Haidu has played New York clubs for more than a decade. Slipstream was his 2011 debut album. He was born July 28, 1972 in Charlottesville, VA. He took piano lessons as a child but got into jazz as a teen. He moved to Los Angeles where he studied jazz piano and composition and went to clubs. Haidu studied with Kenny Barron at Rutgers University. Haidu moved to New York City and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at New School University and a Master of Music Degree at The State University of New York. He started out in the band Native Soul. After recording two albums with them, he got a record deal with the jazz label Posi-Tone and released the 2011 album Slipstream. Haidu wrote all the songs. Haidu also produced the album. Musicians are Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Jon Irabagon on soprano sax, Chris Haney on bass and Willie Johns III on drums. This album is available on CD. Haidu recorded two albums for Posi-Tone followed by four albums for Sunnyside. His latest album Standards III was released on his own label in 2025. Haidu is finishing a West Coast tour. As I said, he plays New York clubs but also tours internationally. Here's Noah Haidu performing Slipstream with Alejandro Ariel de la Portilla and Steve Johns on drums performing Slipstream at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Art Brut

Artist:Art Brut

Song:Emily Kane

Album:Top of the Pops

Art Brut is a British band that have been around since 2003. The 2005 single Emily Kane is probably their best known song though they've never had a big hit. Art Brut is a conventional rock band except for lead singer Eddie Argos speech singing delivery and cheeky lyrics. Argos was born Kevin Macklin Oct. 25, 1979 in Weymouth, Dorset, England. Argos was still in school when he formed his first band The Art Goblins in the 90s. After they split up, Argos moved to London in 2001 looking to form a new band. He met Chris Chinchilla at a party. He already knew guitarist Ian Catskilkin. The rest of the band was Freddy Feedback on bass and Mikey Breyer on drums. The band name Art Brut was inspired by a French museum that Argos visited. They started playing gigs and recorded a demo. Rough Trade released one of the demos as a single but decided not to sign art Brut. Then Fierce Panda released a single. It did well enough that they agreed to release the 2005 album Bang Bang Rock & Roll. The album was produced by John Fortis and Howard Gray. Argos wrote all the songs. The single Emily Kane reached #41 on the British Singles chart. It is Art Brut's highest charting single. They toured but Chinchilla left during the tour. He was replaced by Jasper Future of Argos' former band The Art Goblins. You can get Emily Kane on this 2CD comp. For the 2007 album It's a Bit Complicated, Art Brut signed with EMI's Mute label. It was released in the US by EMI's Downtown label. They toured the US and appeared on Conan and Jimmy Kimmel. But EMI was in the process of being sold. So Art Brut didn't get the necessary promotion and they left the label. Art Brut signed with the indie label Cooking Vinyl. They released two albums which were produced by Frank Black. Then Breyer and Future left the band and were replaced by Stephen Gilchrist and Toby MacFarlane. And that's how it's gone for Art Brut. They have released five albums on four different labels. And it's hard to get anywhere when they are bouncing around like that. Art Brut still tours. But they last released an album in 2018. But they are worth checking out. Here's the video for Emily Kane by Art Brut.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Billie Eilish

Artist:Billie Eilish

Song:Bad Guy

Album:When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?: Deluxe Edition

Singer songwriter Billie Eilish broke through in a big way with the 2019 album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and the single Bad Guy. She had success on Spotify before she signed with Interscope. Her music is popular because she was 18 years old in 2019 and teenage girls are her audience. When they get tired of her, someone else will take her place. That's how the music business works these days. She was born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell Dec. 18, 2001 in Los Angeles. Her older brother Finneas O'Connell produces and co-writes her music. Their parents are actors but not famous. They encouraged both kids to get into music. Billie started writing songs as a preteen. She was interested in acting but she didn't like auditioning. Then Billie started working on songs with Finneas. He already had a band. They posted the songs on SoundCloud. The recording of the song Ocean Eyes was for her dance class. Finneas' manager Danny Rukasin liked the song and thought she could have success with Finneas' help. Rukasin got Billie a deal with Apple who hired Platoon who specialized in packaging singers before they sign with a major label. The video for Ocean Eyes was posted on YouTube. Darkroom owner Justin Lubliner got Billie a record deal with Interscope. They re-released the singles followed by an EP of remixes. This was followed by several singles. What, no album? Well, Interscope is known to be reluctant to release an album by a young female artist until they are sure it will be a smash hit. So they set things up with Spotify to make Billie a sure thing. There were a total of eleven singles. Some were released on the 2017 EP Don't Smile at. Me. These songs didn't chart but they did great on Spotify. At the time, streaming services were not part of Billboard's metrics. That has since changed. Billie went on tour and Interscope released more singles. By the time the album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was released in 2019, it was a big Spotify powered feeding frenzy. Bad Guy was Billie's first #1 hit and the album was certified 4XPlatinum. The whole thing is too contrived for me but I'm sure Interscope was very happy. The album is available on CD in a Deluxe Edition with two bonus tracks. Billie has since released two albums and the 2024 album Hit Me Hard and Soft was certified 2XPlatinum. Look, Interscope doesn't care about Billie's long term success. They want it now. I'm sure Billie and her brother are very happy now. But what happens when sales inevitably decrease? Remember Lana Del Rey and her rise and fall? The same thing will probably happen to Billie Eilish. It's disposable music that ultimately feeds corporate beasts like Interscope. Here's the video for Bad Guy by Billie Eilish.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Platters

Artist:The Platters

Song:Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

Album:All-Time Gteatest Hits

The Platters were the most successful R&B vocal group of the 50s. They bridged the gap between Tin Pan Alley and 50s pop music. They scored four #1 hit singles and the 1958 single Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was their biggest hit and one of the most memorable records of the era. The Platters were formed in 1952 in Los Angeles by Federal Records A&R man Ralph Bass. The original group members were Alex Hodge, his brother Gaynel Hodge, Curtis Williams, Joe Jefferson and Cornell Gunter. Gunter and Jefferson were soon replaced by Tony Williams and Herb Reed. Reed had just been discharged from the US Army. Williams was lead singer. Reed was a member of The Platters for their entire run. Reed was at the Hodge household trying to come up with a group name when Mrs. Hodge came in with a plate of cookies. There were some 78rpm records on the table and she said "They look just like platters" and Reed chose that name. After a couple of unsuccessful singles on Federal, Bass asked his songwriter friend Buck Ram for help. He brought in female singer Zola Taylor and Paul Robi replaced Alex Hodge. Then Ram got them a record deal with Mercury. He also managed The Penguins who scored a top ten hit with the single Earth Angel. Mercury wanted them and Ram agreed to it if Mercury also took The Platters. The Penguins never had another hit. Only You was a Ram song that was already unsuccessfully recorded. Williams convinced Ram to record a new version and it was a top ten hit in 1955. This was followed by The Platters' first #1 hit The Great Pretender. And The Platters appeared in the film Rock Around the Clock. Their next #1 single was My Prayer in 1958. My Prayer was interesting because Ram didn't write it. It was a French song with English lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy. And that led to The Platters' recording of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was written by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach for the 1933 Broadway musical Roberta. Maybe you have seen the 1935 film Roberta when Irene Dunne sang it. But The Platters' 1958 single Smoke Gets in Your Eyes not only topped the charts but it was their biggest hit and signature song. It was also their final #1 hit. You can get all their hits on this comp. Beware of knockoff versions. These are the original recordings. This version of The Platters lasted until 1960. Then Mercury dropped them in 1962. A version of The Platters continued to tour and occasionally record. But they never had the same success that they had in the 50s. Here's The Platters performing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes on the Mar. 1, 1958 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Children Of The Day

Artist:Children of the Day

Song:For Those Tears I Died

Album:Come to the Waters

Today, Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is very popular. But in the early 70s it was called Jesus music and the church establishment were reluctant to accept it for most of the 70s. Children of the Day may have been the first Jesus music group as the album Come to the Waters was released in 1971. The leader of Children of the Day was Marsha Stevens. She is sometimes called the mother of CCM. She was born Marsha Carter Aug. 20, 1952 in Pomona, CA. Marsha became a Christian in 1969. After writing the song For Those Tears I Died, the school's choir director suggested she publish the song. The song became popular in churches and Marsha decided that she wanted to be a performer. She brought in her sister Wendy Carter, her friend Peter Jacobs and Russ Stevens. And once they all became Christians, Children of the Day was formed. They were like a 60s folk group. Marsha sang lead and the others sang harmony. Wendy played guitar, Jacobs played piano and Stevens played bass. When they wanted to record, they borrowed $900 from Calvary Chapel pastor Chuck Smith. The 1971 album Come to the Waters was released by Maranatha Music. They usually produced choir and instrumental music. For Those Tears I Died is probably their best known song. The album is available on CD. They switched to Light Records for the 1975 album Where Else Would I Go. Children of the Day released five albums. By the time the 1979 album Butterfly was released, Jacobs left the group and they disbanded. Meanwhile, Marsha and Russ Stevens divorced and Marsha announced that she was a lesbian. This was CCM's first scandal. After that, Marsha started BALM (Born Again Lesbian Music). She still performs at gay churches. Jacobs created the Praise Symphony Orchestra and recorded for Maranatha. He has mainly been a producer for years. Here's Children of the Day performing For Those Tears I Died on a 1971 TV show.