Arkansas Songbirds

I saw this on the Arkansas State Parks Facebook fanpage, this commercial is in the semi-finalist round and honestly I've fallen for it (yeah, I know it's a Folger's ad), anyway, I love it. Give them a listen and vote if you can. The first singer is the receptionist at the Ozark Folk Center and a recent transplant from KC. While she didn't plan on singing for an audience, the folk center got her into it (she's got a few video's on You Tube - Ruby Pine and the Old Saps). I don't know how the commercial came about, but I love it. Maybe it's the chickens, def. her voice, but also that nostalgic 70's feel. And of course the AR connection makes me want them to win even more.

What The Kids Today Are Listening Too

So lately I've been leaving NPR where my car radio is usually stuck for a little further left on the dial to "THE WOOD", the student radio station of Lindenwood College. I am so very amused by listening to this. Unlike Hendrix's radio station which could barely be heard off campus, this station has some range. Lindenwood is in St. Charles and I'm assuming their radio station is there too, but I've picked it up in Illinois, my parking garage downtown (just not on the second level), and down I-44 a little ways as well. Of course, like everything else (cell phones, radio and tv transmissions, and the cordless phone) it is difficult to get in Webster, but still, I get enough coverage to not be annoyed by static. Some of the things I love about THE WOOD (besides their ridiculous name)is their incredibly in-depth coverage of the Lindenwood Men's Bowling team, their strange hyper-newsy announcer feed from the AP with his old time emphasis on random words in each sentence (think Howard Cosell), the student djs/announcers who try to do this too, despite it not being particularly useful for comprehension and it's made even worse by their not pre-reading the text so they stumble through it, the occasional announcer who cannot read at all, yet painstakingly tries to get through it, and most of all the tendency of THE WOOD to play college favorites from my college period - um 20 years ago. And then they play stuff I've never heard before, but I like which is probably stuff you've all heard of, but I haven't unless it's been featured on NPR, where I get all my other music recommendations, because um, well, I'm old.

So here's a band I would have never heard about if not for THE WOOD, and I'm sharing it with you too, because I think they're nifty (aren't all Scottish bands?)and I keep hearing this song in my head. Oh and they have a girl drummer.

More Delta

All my musings in the last post reminded me of one of my favorite songs by a Delta artist - it's stuck with me since the first time I heard it. Although most people probably associate Al Green with Memphis, he's actually from Forrest City, AR.



It Might Be 15 Degrees Outside, but the KC Hall was on FIRE!

We had a blast last night at the Farewell Tour for the Starlighters, my Uncle Bill's dance/wedding band who's last gig was 20 years ago. We got there around 6:30, and the place was absolutely packed. Thankfully, Ted and Linda had saved us a seat and Ted, who'd been standing in the beer line for 10 minuets already ($4.50 for a PITCHER of Bud Light), took our beer orders, we went with the pitcher. After a close call with the fish plates (they had already run out of slaw, and we got fish right under the wire - not really a big problem since there is now a pretty good Mexican kiosk inside the KC hall too) we settled in for what turned out to be a really fun night. Lynn and Ellen had clued us in that the band had practiced only 3 times prior to this evening, and they were pretty nervous. You sure couldn't tell once they got started. Amazingly, it appeared that 80% of the hall, did I mention it was packed?, was here to see the band, including Bill's Psychology class from SWIC - they even had shirts! The Starlighter's repertoire includes a mix of oldies, country and polkas and this crowd, which ranged in age from under 3 to 93, was really into it.

Nora had a great time on the dance floor, but often had to make sure she kept out of the way of the the serious dancers who were on their feet through just about every song. It made me really wish I actually knew how to dance, even a polka. One of the neatest things about the evening was the multi-generational makeup of the dance floor. The older folks put us all to shame (except for one fabulously nimble-footed teen-aged pair) and it makes me think that the Starlighters really need to consider this as the beginning of a reunion tour instead of their final performance.

Here's some shots of the night:

I give you THE STARLIGHTERS

My Uncle Bill, obscured by mike. I understand that there was a plan for multiple changes of headgear, but that the person in charge of wardrobe "forgot" to bring them.
Fans Uncle Ted and Aunt Linda joined us for fish


And on the dance floor:

Aunt Lynn and Ellen partnered Nora throughout the evening on the dance floor, they agree that Nora needs to take lessons from someone other than Jason, who could use some lessons himself. The table behind us was in agreement.
Nora and Aunt Lynn take a break and admire the drums

Jason and Nora get down
Nora leads Aunt Lynn back to the dance floor after getting some coaching in moves from her both of her Aunts.

The evening finale (for us) Smoke on the Water, notice the addition of shades, which were thankfully not entrusted to Wardrobe. While we were busy dancing it was reported that Bill took the power stance and performed the windmill twice (he also removed the shades for the sax solo - but maybe it was because he needed his glasses to read the music), BTW, those two in the foreground - the aforementioned teen dancing duo:
Nora and Aunt Lynn are feeling the Purple Haze

Piano Recital

Here's some footage from Nora's first piano recital. I believe she is performing and original composition entitled: Karl, Karl, Karl

Obamania

While I still haven't decided who I'm voting for on Tuesday, Nora appears to have Obamania. Here she is rocking out during his victory speech in South Carolina. Yes, that's Dad on the castanets.

Mourning the Muppet Show still, but at least we have this....

Anyone who has a had a child in the past few years, is probably familiar with Sandra Boynton, illustrator and author of a band of animals who wear pajamas, dance, and play together nicely across the pages of rhyming board books. Those of you without kids, have no doubt seen her characters on greeting cards and other such products. The books withstand multiple readings and I've yet to tire of them after almost two years. But not everyone may be aware that she is also behind several CD and book sets as well. Nora has received two of these from my aunt and while we were initially hesitant to put it on (children's music isn't always a something adults want to listen to), one of these has become a standard in our ipod playlist. Jason and I have been known to spend days singing the Rhinoceros Tap songbook, especially So Long Doggies Goodbye, Oh What a Crab, and These Little Piggies and not mind a bit. It works both as Nora entertainment but also a hilarious send up of showtunes. The second CD/book, Philadelphia Chickens, featured a conglomerate of artists I've heard of but never really were into and despite a 2003 Grammy nomination (thanks Wikipedia), it never seemed to take off with us, maybe we just weren't willing to give it a chance (Scott Bakula has a song on it and I still can't get over the stink of Enterprise) But last month, as part of Nora's Christmas gifts, I picked up Dog Train (yes the name made me buy it). It had a similar conglomerate of artists (those Bacon Brothers again), but I also couldn't resist the Weird Al Yankovic / Kate Winslet duet, I need a Nap. Jason couldn't wait for Christmas and popped it in tonight, possibly to distract Nora from her cold/croup that she's suffering with. We have not been disappointed. Weird Al and Kate were fabulous, Five For Fighting made us smile with Penguin Lament, Alison Krauss mesmerized us again with her lullaby, Evermore, but what stole the CD for us was the 3 part Cow Planet by Billy J Kramer. For one brief moment it was as if David Bowie was on the Muppet Show with Lenord Nemoy. If I ever got motivated and posted a Christmas shopping guide for parents, this and Rhino Tap would top the list. It's a must if you've got children under 5 and it might even make your Christmas list even if you don't have kids. Now I'm going to have to give those Chickens another chance.

But How Will She Ever Hear The Gambler?

It was when Jason asked this that I realized how ill-equipped we were for the task. He had proposed that we compile a sort of "greatest hits" of our lifetime for Nora's benefit. I'm still unsure if he intends this to be an album of songs that we think are great or if they merely reflect the soundtrack of the time of our childhood/teens/young adult years. I guess more of the latter, since she will have access to our music collection and is already listening to it all the time. Anyway dear readers, it is clear that we are not up to the task, since after 2 hours of discussion and a great deal of lost sleep and insidious ear-worms, we still don't have a list. Nor are we even sure that this can be a single compilation, but perhaps a series of compilations - perhaps done by decades or in the footsteps of the great call now! infomercials, there could be an arena rock disc, a disco disc, a country disc, a metal disc, a Europop disc etc. Clearly we need your help. We welcome suggestions for how this project should be organized as well. Possible candidates already tossed into the ring include: the afore mentioned Kenny Rogers standard, Big Country's Big Country, David Bowie's, Space Odyssey, Led Zepplin's When the Levee Breaks, The Cure's Love Cats, Cindy Lauper's Girls Just Want To Have Fun, REM's Driver 8, The Police's Message in a Bottle, Paul Simon's Graceland or Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Nina's 99Luftbaloons, KC and the Sunshine Band's Shake your Booty, and a gazillion others have been tossed about. We've agreed that no Rush or Styx will be included but we are in debate over whether Boston's More Than a Feelin' has a place. Jason is adamant that Trio's Da Da Da be included. Obviously there are some gaping holes. We can't decide on which Bob Marley and Indigo Girls need to be included and the Pogue's are lyrically problematic so we'll wait on them till she's older. Fortunately, Jason has not insisted on Hall and Oats. We know several of you have opinions on this already, so start posting.

Children's Music That Doesn't Make You Want To Jab Pointy Things In Your Ears

I bought this album for Nora for Easter. But of course when it arrived in the box yesterday, I couldn't resist opening it up and giving it a listen. It had come recommended from some other moms on Glitter, although I hadn't actually heard it yet. When I saw the label indicating that it was part of the Smithsonian's Folkways Project, I knew I had made a good purchase, but I didn't expect to fall in love with it so immediately. Elizabeth Mitchell's voice is beautiful. I'm sure all of you will hear it when you visit us, but if you want some samples, check them out on her website. Now that I know she does The Ladybug Picnic, I think it will be a very short time indeed before I order You Are My Sunshine and all of her other albums.