AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Neil Diamond

Artist:Neil Diamond

Song:Cherry, Cherry

Album:In My Lifetime

The 1966 single Cherry, Cherry was singer songwriter Neil Diamond's very first top ten hit. Of course he has had plenty of hits but it allows me to talk about his early days. He was born Jan. 24, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY. His grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia. He attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn where he sang in a chorus along with classmate Barbra Streisand. His family moved to Brighton Beach and Diamond attended Abraham Lincoln High School. Diamond was given a guitar for his 16th birthday. While at summer camp, he saw Pete Seeger perform. And that gave Diamond the idea that he could write songs too. After taking guitar lessons, he started writing songs. After graduating high school, Diamond attended New York University on a fencing scholarship. He was on the 1960 NCAA men's fencing championship team with future Olympic fencer Herb Cohen. Diamond was bored in college and left in his senior year to take a songwriting job at a publisher. After that job ended, Diamond wrote and recorded demos. He released a couple of 1962 singles with friend Jack Parker as Neil and Jack. They were similar to The Everly Brothers. This led to Diamond getting a record deal with Columbia. When the 1963 single Clown Town failed to chart, Columbia dropped him and he returned to freelance writing. He was in the Brill Building with all the other freelance songwriters and publishers. His first success was the 1965 Jay and the Americans top 20 hit Sunday and Me. Then The Monkees' 1966 single I'm a Believer topped the charts. This got Diamond a record deal with Bang Records owned by Bert Berns. Solitary Man was Diamond's first single. After it charted, Berns let Diamond record the 1966 album The Feel of Neil Diamond. Then the single Cherry, Cherry reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was produced by the Brill Building husband and wife songwriting team of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Diamond says that he worked on Cherry, Cherry with Barry and Greenwich and they recorded a demo with Artie Butler on piano and organ. A full band version was recorded in the studio. But it was decided that the demo version would be released as a single. Berns tells a different story. But considering that the demo version was used, I believe Diamond's story. You can get both versions on this 1995 Columbia 3CD box set available at a reasonable price. It contains Bang, UNI, MCA and Columbia recordings along with alternate takes and demos. After two albums for Bang, Diamond sued to get out of his contract with Bang and signed with UNI Records in 1968. They were owned by Universal Pictures and the name was changed to MCA Records. And that's when Diamond's career really began. Here's Neil Diamond performing Cherry, Cherry on the Oct. 6, 1966 episode of the TV show Where the Action Is. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-33Miles

Artist:33Miles

Song:There Is a God

Album:33Miles

33Miles was a CCM band that had an alt rock sound that CCM labels were looking for twenty years ago. They had some success on the CCM charts and then faded away. But now it seems that the band may return. Jason Barton was lead singer of the CCM band True Vibe from 1999-2003. They released two albums on the CCM label Essential. They lived in Nashville. After they split up, Barton formed 33Miles with Collin Stoddard on piano and Chris Lockwood on guitar. Their sound will remind you of Switchfoot and other alt rock bands. They started playing Nashville clubs and signed with the CCM label INO Records. As I said, it's the kind of sound that CCM labels were looking for at the time. 33Miles is a reference to Jesus Christ's age when he died. There Is a God was on 33Miles 2007 debut album 33Miles. The album was produced by veteran CCM producers Nathan Nockels and Sam Mizell and Mizell wrote There Is a God. 33Miles did OK on the CCM charts. The album is available on CD. Stoddard left in 2009 to become a pastor. Lockwood left in 2014. They released three albums on INO. Barton became a Nashville background singer. It looks like the original 33Miles reformed last year. They have played reunion shows but it's not clear if it's going anywhere. Here's the video for There Is a God by 33Miles. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Grant-Lee Phillips

Artist:Grant-Lee Phillips

Song:Mona Lisa

Album:Virginia Creeper

Singer songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips was the leader of the 90s band Grant Lee Buffalo. Since they split up in 2000, Phillips has recorded and toured as a solo artist. He was born Bryan G. Phillips Sept. 1, 1963 in Stockton, CA. He started playing guitar as a teen. After graduating from high school, Phillips moved to Los Angeles and worked as a roofer during the day while taking classes at UCLA at night. He left UCLA for CalArts where he lived with his future wife Denise Siegel. He also got reacquainted with an old friend friend from Stockton Jeffrey Clark. They formed the band Shiva Burlesque in 1987. Clark was lead singer. Phillips was guitarist. After releasing two albums, the band split up in 1990. Three of the band members including Phillips formed the band Grant Lee Buffalo. Phillips was lead singer, guitarist and songwriter. They released four albums for Slash Records with Warner Bros. distribution. When they were unable to get significant radio play despite critical acclaim, Grant Lee Buffalo disbanded in 1998. Phillips signed with Rounder's Zoe label and released the 2000 album Ladies Love Oracle. Mona Lisa is from Phillips' 2004 album Virginia Creeper. Phillips writes and produces everything. Mona Lisa appeared in an episode of the TV series Smallville. This album is available as a budget CD. The major criticism of Phillips is he sounds too much like Nebraska era Bruce Springsteen. And as I have said before, that kind of criticism goes both ways as some listeners may like that. Phillips switched to the indie label Yep Roc with the 2008 album Little Moon. He still records for them and released his latest album in 2025. Phillips is not on tour right now. But he is appearing in Los Angeles clubs. Here's Grant-Lee Phillips performing Mona Lisa at City Winery in New York City Oct. 3, 2013. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Nilsson

Artist:Nilsson

Song:Everybody's Talkin'

Album:One: The Best of Nilsson

The 1969 single Everybody's Talkin' was not Harry Nilsson's biggest hit. But it was his breakthrough hit and it allowed him to do whatever he wanted. It was the theme for the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy. Though Nilsson wrote most of his own songs, his two big hits were not original songs. He was born June 15, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY. He was of Swedish descent. He was raised by his mom and her parents after his father abandoned the family. Nilsson wrote about this in the song 1941. He moved to Los Angeles and worked at a bank while developing his music. He started performing in the early 60s and learned to write songs. He started out singing demos. In 1964, songwriter Perry Botkin Jr. (Nadia's Theme) gave Nilsson a key to his office so he could write songs in private. While working for Botkin, Nilsson met George Tipton. He financed Nilsson recordings that were released on Capitol's Tower label. After Tower released the 1966 album Spotlight on Nilsson and it went nowhere, Nilsson signed with RCA and released the 1967 album Pandemonium Shadow Show. Though there were no hit singles and the album didn't sell, it was critically acclaimed and after The Beatles press officer Derek Taylor gave copies of the album to The Beatles, they became Nilsson fans and they wanted to sign him to their new label Apple. And later Nilsson became friends with John Lennon. Plus the Nilsson song Cuddly Toy was a hit for The Monkees. Nilsson never toured. He didn't like performing live. He preferred the recording studio. The Fred Neil song Everybody's Talkin' first appeared on Nilsson's 1968 album Aerial Ballet. It was the only song on the album that Nilsson did not write. Nilsson was searching for a hit single when his producer Rick Jarrard played Everybody's Talkin' for him. Neil recorded it on his 1966 album Fred Neil. RCA released Everybody's Talkin' as a single but it didn't chart. Meanwhile, director John Schlesinger was working on Midnight Cowboy. Derek Taylor recommended that Nilsson should write and perform the theme for the film. Nilsson wrote and recorded the song I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City. But Schlesinger preferred Nilsson's recording of Everybody's Talkin'. Of course the film was a big hit and Everybody's Talkin' reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. BTW. I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City appeared on Nilsson's 1969 album Harry. The songwriting royalties allowed Fred Neil to retire from music. So now Nilsson was a big star. This 2CD budget comp from the British oldies label Music Club has all of Nilsson's Hits. I will look at the second half of Nilsson's career in the future. Here's Nilsson performing Everybody's Talkin' on the German TV show Beat Club 1968. Yes, he's lip synching. As I said, Nilsson hated performing live.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Buffalo Bills

Artist:The Buffalo Bills

Song:Sincere

Album:The Music Man: Original Soundtrack

No, I'm not talking about the Buffalo Bills NFL football team. This is about The Buffalo Bills barbershop quartet. They appeared on 50s TV and are best known for appearing in the 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man and the 1962 film version. Of course the name barbershop music is because even today, the local barber shop is a community hub. It's similar to other types of four part harmony including offshoots like doo wop. The Buffalo Bills were formed in 1947 in Buffalo. Members were tenor Vern Reed, lead Al Shea, baritone Herschel Smith and bass Bill Spangenberg. None were professional musicians. They were introduced as The Buffalo Bills at an appearance and the name stuck. In those days, barbershop quartets competed in competitions. It's similar to what is seen today in college a cappella competitions. Smith left The Buffalo Bills when he got a job in Wisconsin. Dick Grapes replaced him and The Buffalo Bills won the 1950 Barbershop Harmony Society International Quartet Contest. They appeared on radio and TV shows like The Faye Emerson Pepsi-Cola Show on CBS. They toured military bases and even got a record deal with Decca. In the early 50s, The Music Man composer Meredith Willson hosted the radio show Music Today. He heard The Buffalo Bills records and went to Buffalo to meet them. In 1957, The Buffalo Bills competed on the TV show Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and appeared on Godfrey's morning show. Willson asked The Buffalo Bills to appear in his Broadway musical The Music Man. They moved to New York. Grapes stayed behind and was replaced by Scotty Ward of the Great Scotts quartet from Steubenville, OH. After The Music Man was a big hit, The Buffalo Bills continued to appear on TV and signed a record deal with Mitch Miller at Columbia Records. They recorded four albums for Columbia and also recorded for Warner Bros. and RCA. And they appeared in the 1962 film of The Music Man. That soundtrack album is available as a budget CD. Spangenberg died in 1963 and was replaced by Jim Jones of The Sta-Laters. The Buffalo Bills continued to tour until they disbanded in 1967. Here's The Buffalo Bills performing Sincere in the 1962 film The Music Man.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Horse Feathers

Artist:Horse Feathers

Song:Curs in the Weeds

Album:House with No Name

Horse Feathers is another case of a solo artist using a group name to retain his anonymity. Justin Ringle writes and produces everything and he has been bringing in musicians to help him since 2006. Ringle is from Idaho. And after he was in several short lived rock bands, he moved to Portland, OR. and started performing as Horse Feathers. Peter Broderick was born in Maine but he grew up in Carlton, OR. He plays violin, banjo and mandolin and he became a session and touring musician. After Broderick heard a couple of Ringle's demos, he offered to help record them. And that led to Horse Feathers 2006 debut album Words Are Dead on the local label Lucky Madison. Broderick's sister Heather Broderick joined Horse Feathers on cello and the band started touring. They signed with the major indie label Kill Rock Stars and that meant they could tour everywhere. Curs in the Woods is from the 2008 album House with No Name which was Horse Feathers' first album on Kill Rock Stars. As I said, Ringle writes and produces everything but he brings in outside musicians to help record and also for tours. Personally, I don't care for Ringle's singing. But obviously enough people like him that he has recorded six Horse Feathers albums. The most recent of these was released in 2018. Horse Feathers is active on Instagram and Facebook. Kill Rock Stars has released a 20th anniversary edition of Horse Feathers' debut album Words Are Dead. And they are playing a show in Portland in August. But It's not clear if Ringle intends to continue Horse Feathers or do something else. Here's the video for Curs in the Woods by Horse Feathers. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Sugarcubes

Artist:The Sugarcubes

Song:Birthday

Album:The Great Crossover Potential

Of course the Icelandic band The Sugarcubes is best known as the launching pad for the popular singer Bjork. I guess she had to start somewhere. They only recorded three albums. So they weren't around very long. I guess she got too big for the band. Bjork had been in bands as a teen. She even recorded a solo album in 1977 when she was 11 years old. The band was called Puki when it was formed in 1986 out the ashes of two bands. Bjork had just given birth to a son. She wanted a cute band name so it was changed to The Sugarcubes. Bjork and singer Einar Orn were in The Sugarcubes' entire run along with guitarist Por Eldon Jonsson. Bassist Bragi Olafsson and drummer Siggi Baldursson were the other main members. The Sugarcubes signed with the British indie label One Little Indian and Elektra Records in the US so they could tour everywhere. Birthday is from their 1988 debut album Life's Too Good. It's probably their best known song. The Sugarcubes did well on the British charts. But they never had a big hit single. But Life's Too Good was highly acclaimed by the music press including Album of the Year by the British music papers NME and Melody Maker. Plus Bjork got plenty of attention from the music press. So one would have thought that the album's success would lead to stardom for The Sugarcubes. But it really didn't and they split up in 1992. Fans were interested in Bjork but not The Sugarcubes. This comp covers all three albums. So The Sugarcubes were most notable as a launching pad for Bjork. Here's the video for Birthday by The Sugarcubes.