AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Muni Long

Artist:Muni Long

Song:Made for Me

Album:Revenge

R&B singer songwriter Muni Long released her debut album in 2009. She finally had success with a couple of top 20 pop hits including the 2023 single Made for Me. If she was in her 20s, I would say she has star potential. But she's 37 and I doubt that her label DefJam can be patient with her development. She was born Priscilla Renea Hamilton Sept. 14, 1988 in Gifford, FL which is a Vero Beach suburb. She was raised by her grandparents as her father was in the US Navy. She was in the church choir as a child. After she started posting videos on YouTube, She appeared on the MTV game show Say what? Karaoke!. Priscilla signed with Capitol Records in 2009 and the album Jukebox was released. Benny Blanco was one of the producers. After the album didn't sell, she left Capitol and started writing songs for others. Among the songs she co-wrote was the 2014 single Somethin' Bad for Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood which was nominated for a Grammy. Then she released the 2018 album Coloured on the indie label Thirty Tigers. When that went nowhere, Priscilla changed her name to Muni Long (pronounced "money long"). Then she started her own label and released a couple of EPs. She got a record deal with DefJam in 2022. She told Vogue that she created a "fashion identity" with a celebrity stylist. She released an album which was a re-release of her EPs. The single Hrs. and Hrs. was a top twenty hit. Then she released the 2024 album Revenge. The single Made for Me reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Muni wrote and produced with co-writers. Made for Me was written and produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri and Jordan XL Orvosh. Christopher "Tricky" Stewart produced several songs. So she's working with big name producers. It remains to be seen where Muni Long goes from here. She was on tour for all of 2025. Now I would think she would record a new album. Even if Muni Long doesn't become a big star, she has potential as a songwriter and producer. The stardom window is closing. Here's the video for Made for Me by Muni Long.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Iain Matthews

Artist:Iain Matthews

Song:Shake It

Album:The Seattle Years 1978-1984

Iain Matthews is a British singer songwriter who started out in the 60s with the legendary British folk band Fairport Convention and attempted to cross over to pop in the 70s. He was mostly unsuccessful except when he scored a top 20 hit with the 1978 single Shake It. You may have seen it play over the opening credits for the 1980 film Little Darlings. Unfortunately, there is no soundtrack album for that film. He was born Ian Matthews MacDonald June 16, 1946 in Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, England. He changed his name to Ian Mathews in 1968 to avoid confusion with Ian McDonald of King Crimson. Matthews' family moved to Scunthorpe when he was 12 years old. Matthews left school at age 16 and worked as an apprentice sign painter while he played in local bands. He moved to London in 1965 and was in the surf rock band Pyramid. They released one single on Deram Records. In 1967, he was brought into Fairport Convention by bassist Ashley Hutchings. He appeared on a couple of albums. But Hutchings and producer Joe Boyd decided that he didn't fit in the band. He signed with UNI/Decca and released the 1970 album Matthews Southern Comfort. Fairport Convention veterans Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol played on the album. The veteran songwriting team of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley produced under the pseudonym of Steve Barlby. They managed Matthews. Mathews wanted to turn it into a band. Marc Ellington suggested Matthews check out the band Harsh Reality who were about to be dropped by Philips Records. The base of that band became Matthews Southern Comfort. They topped the British carts with their cover of Woodstock. But Matthews Southern Comfort only lasted a year as most of the band hated the country influenced sound. After recording a couple of solo albums, Matthews moved to Los Angeles to join the band Plainsong. They recorded one album for Elektra and split up. Matthews bounced around including working with former Monkee Michael Nesmith. But nothing clicked until the 1978 single Shake It reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's from the 1978 album Stealin' Home. After failure first at Elektra then Columbia, he signed with producer Sandy Roberton's label Rockburgh Records. They were distributed in the US by the Canadian label Mushroom Records. Heart was on that label. Roberton produced the 1978 album Stealin' Home. Matthews wrote most of the songs. But Shake It was written by Terence Boylan and he recorded it on his 1977 album Terence Boylan. Matthews heard the song on the radio and got more info about it and recorded it. Former King Crimson saxophonist Mel Collins played the sax solo. Shake It also played over the opening credits of the 1980 film Little Darlings. But there was no soundtrack album as back in those days, film producers used songs without acquiring the rights to use it. That's why it took forever for some films to show up on home video. The producers had to replace some songs. You can get Shake It on this Varese comp. Since then Matthews has bounced all over the place. His memoir was published in 2019. He last released an album in 2017. Here Shake It by Iain Matthews as it appeared in the opening credits of the 1980 film Little Darlings.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Candy Flip

Artist:Candy Flip

Song:Strawberry Fields Forever

Album:Madstock...The Continuing Adventures of Bubblecar Fish

This 1990 cover of The Beatles classic Strawberry Fields Forever was a top five hit in England. It was the only hit single from the only album by the British duo Candy Flip. They are from Stoke-on-Trent, England and were part of the Madchester music scene of the late 80s. Danny Spencer and Ric Peet were already doing remixes when they decided to form a duo. At first, they called themselves Yin Yang then changed it to Candy Flip which is a drug reference. Other than Strawberry Fields Forever, all the songs on the 1991 album Madstock were written and produced either by Peet or Spencer and his brother Kelvin Andrews. Spencer is the singer. First Strawberry Fields Forever was a hit on the Madchester rave scene. Then it reached #3 on the British Singles chart and it was a hit across Europe. It got so big that Candy Flip had to sign with Atlantic Records to keep up with the demand. The main sample is the drum beat from James Brown's Funky Drummer. They released a few more singles from the album but none of them did well. So I guess Strawberry Fields Forever was a fluke hit. Madstock is available as a digital download. Peet and Spencer never recorded again as Candy Flip. Peet produced the bands The Charlatans and Six by Seven. Spencer formed the remix duo Sure Is Pure with his brother Kelvin Andrews and they did remixes of Sister Sledge's back catalog. Sometimes they work together. But this is the kind of music they make today. Candy Flip could have been famous. But I don't think Peet and Spencer wanted that. Here's the video for Strawberry Fields Forever by Candy Flip. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Charlie Puth

Artist:Charlie Puth

Song:Attention

Album:Voicenotes

Posting videos on YouTube got singer songwriter Charlie Puth a record deal. The 2017 single Attention is one of his two big hits. Since then he hasn't had the same success. So it makes me wonder if Puth will have long term success or is just a flash in the pan. We'll see. He was born in the New York City suburb of Rumson, NJ on Dec. 2,1991. His mother is a teacher and his father is a real estate agent. His mother started teaching him piano at age four. He started studying jazz at age ten and participated in a summer youth jazz band at Count Basie's theater Cool School in Red Bank, NJ. While in high School. Puth attended Manhattan School of Music followed by Berklee in Boston where he majored in music production and engineering. Puth started his own YouTube channel in 2009. He self released a 2010 EP The Otto Tunes. At the time, he posted a lot of covers. One of those covers was of Adele's Someone Like You with Emily Luther. Ellen Degeneres liked it enough sign both to her label eleveneleven with Warner Bros. distribution. Puth appeared on Ellen's show a couple of times. But when it came time to record an album, eleveneleven disappeared. I think that happens a lot with vanity labels as it turns out to be more work than they thought. Puth returned to self releasing until in 2015, he signed with Artist Partner Group (APG) with Atlantic distribution. APG is owned by former Warners A&R exec Mike Caren. When Puth signed with APG, all his previous recordings were removed from iTunes. His debut single was Marvin Gaye in 2015. It featured Meghan Trainor who was hot at the time. It reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the British charts. Then the single See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Puth topped the charts worldwide. Puth's 2016 album One Track Mind was certified 2XPlatinum. Attention was the first single from the 2017 album Voicenotes. It reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This is his biggest US hit. Puth wrote and produced the album with Jacob Kasher and Richard Goransson. Both guys have produced other similar pop artists The album was certified Platinum. Puth's subsequent albums and singles haven't done as well. And as I said, it makes me wonder if he will have long term success. I think Puth was wondering too. He was recording an album in 2019. A couple of singles were released. Puth didn't like any of the songs so he scrapped the album. He may have a future as a producer as he wrote and produced the 2021 #1 hit Stay by Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber. He has been trying things to promote himself. But each subsequent album has decreased in sales. He also did the phony reality show The Charlie Puth Show on Roku in 2024. It looks like he is putting off the decision to continue as a recording artist or be a producer. We'll see what he does Here's the video for Attention by Charlie Puth. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Blitzen Trapper

Artist:Blitzen Trapper

Song:Sci-Fi  Kid

Album:Wild Mountain Nation

Blitzen Trapper is an indie band that became successful as an album and touring band after the 2007 album Wild Mountain Nation was favorably reviewed by the music press. Their music is a mix of several styles most notably the 70s country rock of New Riders of the Purple Sage and progressive rock. They record for their own label and have used several distributors. Blitzen Trapper is from Portland, OR. led by Eric Earley. He is lead singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer. At first the band was called Garmonbozia which is a Twin Peaks reference. They weren't going to be able to call themselves that for copyright reasons so the name was changed to Blitzen Trapper. The other original members were Erik Menteer and Marty Marquis on guitar, Drew Loughery on keyboards, Michael Van Pelt on bass and Brian Adrian Koch on drums. Early and Koch are the only original members still in Blitzen Trapper. They recorded as Garmonbozia from 2000-03 and changed their name to Blitzen Trapper which is a reference to Earley's seventh grade girlfriend. They started their own label. Their first couple of albums had more country influences. For the 2007 album Wild Mountain Nation, Earley signed with the major indie label Sub Pop and he decided to go with a more mainstream sound. The album got a rave review from Pitchfork. And Rolling Stone called Blitzen Trapper "the best Grateful Dead knockoff in forever". Earley wrote and produced the album. The album is available as a digital download. They recorded four albums for Sub Pop followed by albums for Vagrant and Yep Roc. All three are major indie labels. Blitzen Trapper released their latest album in 2024. I suppose Blitzen Trapper could sign with a major label if they wanted. But that might backfire with their current fanbase. Blitzen Trapper is not on tour but they are playing a few shows in August. Here's Blitzen Trapper performing Sci-Fi Kid at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco Feb. 28,2008. 

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-50 Cent

Artist:50 Cent f/Olivia

Song:Candy Shop

Album:Best of 50 Cent

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson was a very successful rapper 20 years ago . The 2005 single Candy Shop was one of his three #1 hits. Like many rappers, his career stalled. His most recent album was released in 2014. He's been concentrating on film and TV production. The STARZ TV series Power has been very successful. Jackson was born July 6, 1975 in Queens, NY. His mother died when he was eight years old. So he was raised by his grandparents. Jackson started boxing as a teen. And he also sold drugs. He was arrested in 1994 for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer and went to prison where he earned his GED. Jackson did not use cocaine. Selling it was easy money unless he got caught. He claims that the name 50 Cent is a metaphor for change. It's the name given to an 80s Brooklyn robber. In 1996, he started rapping in a friend's basement. He was introduced to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was starting his own label. Jay taught him how to make records but Irv Gotti of DefJam thought he sounded too much like Jay-Z. The production group Trackmasters signed Jackson to Columbia. His debut single How to Rob appeared on the soundtrack of the 1999 film In Too Deep. Nas asked him to appear on his tour. Just as he was starting to get somewhere, he was shot several times outside his grandmother's house. Jackson recovered but the alleged attacker was killed three weeks later. Columbia dropped Jackson but signed him to a publishing deal. He became popular on the mixtape circuit. That led him to Eminem and Dr. Dre and a record deal with Interscope. The 2003 album Get Rich or Die Tryin' was certified 9XPlatinum and the 2003 single 21 Questions topped the charts. This was followed by the 2005 album The Massacre. That was certified 6XPlatinum and the single Candy Shop topped the charts. Scott Storch of The Roots was the main producer. He produced several songs including Candy Shop. Eminem and Dr. Dre also produced a couple of tracks each. The singer is Olivia Longott who was a member of the rap supergroup G-Unit led by Jackson. Her own career went nowhere. The song is influenced by Middle Eastern music and samples The Salsoul Orchestra's Love Break. Those two albums were Jackson's peak. Sales decreased and Jackson last released an album in 2014. He still releases singles. But he hasn't charted since 2012. You can get all his hits on this budget comp. My problem with 50 Cent is the same problem I have with other rappers. All his music sounds the same. Listeners get tired of it. Jackson wisely got into other ventures. The most notable of these is G-Unit Film & Television. The STARZ series Power and the various spinoffs have been successful. And his new series BMF has also been successful. He also produces films. I suppose he can still make records but he doesn't need to. Here's the video for Candy Shop by 50 Cent featuring Olivia.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rosalind Russell

Artist:Rosalind Russell f/Jacqueline McKeever

Song:Ohio

Album:Wonderful Town: CBS TV Cast

Rosalind Russell was a movie star best known for the 1940 film His Girl Friday and the 1959 film Auntie Mame. Then she came to Broadway and won a Tony for the 1953 musical Wonderful Town. She was born June 4, 1907 in Waterbury, CT. Her father was a lawyer and her mother was a teacher. Her parents thought she was going to be a teacher. She didn't tell them of her plans to be an actress. Rosalind studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. After graduating, she acted in summer stock and joined a repertory company in Boston. When she moved to Los Angeles in the early 30s, she signed with Universal. But she didn't like it there and signed with MGM in 1934. Her breakthrough role was the 1939 film The Women followed by the 1940 film His Girl Friday. That's her best known film. It helped that she traded barbs with Cary Grant. The success of that film got her much better roles. She was Oscar nominated for the films My Sister Eileen (1942), Sister Kenny (1946) and Mourning Becomes Electra (1947) but she never won one. She was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1973. Rosalind decided to take a break from Hollywood to appear in the 1953 musical Wonderful Town. This was based on the 1940 play My Sister Eileen and of course Rosalind appeared in the 1942 film version. It's about two sisters living in a Greenwich Village basement apartment looking for success. The songs were written by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Leonard Bernstein. Rosalind won a Best Actress Tony and it also won Best Musical. The show was very successful and it ran for over a year. Edie Adams was Rosalind's co-star on Broadway. When CBS produced Wonderful Town for TV in 1956, Edie Adams was replaced by Jacqueline McKeever. Jacqueline was Tony nominated for the 1958 musical Oh, Captain!. It looks like she retired from acting in 1959. The album for this TV version is available on CD. The original cast album from the 1953 version is available as a budget CD. Rosalind got her final Oscar nomination for the 1959 film Auntie Mame. Rosalind continued to appear in films, most notably the 1966 film The Trouble with Angels. Her final film was the 1971 film Mrs. Polifax-Spy. After her retirement, Rosalind did charity work for arthritis research. She died of breast cancer on Nov. 28, 1976 at age 69. Here's Rosalind Russell and Jacqueline McKeever performing Ohio from the 1958 CBS TV telecast of Wonderful Town.