[contextly_auto_sidebar] I THINK it was the writer Michael Chabon who once told me he loved family partly because it gave him a glimpse at four different generations and the way they saw the world and its history -- starting with his grandparents and all the way down to his own children. That's the way it is for most of us, including me. My situation is unusual though not unheard of: My … [Read more...]
The Powerful Influence of Leonard Cohen
[contextly_auto_sidebar] IT'S been a very tough year for music lovers, and the last week or so has been especially rough for other reasons. But the legacy left by the late poet/ songwriter is something to be grateful for. In my latest Salon story, I document the influence of Cohen from the earliest covers of his songs (Judy Collins' "Suzanne," Fairport Convention's "Bird on a Wire"), … [Read more...]
Otis Redding at the Whisky — Revisited
[contextly_auto_sidebar] YOU can never really have too much Otis Redding. The great R&B singer and songwriter died in a plane crash in 1967, at just 26 years old, and just about everything he recorded (included his radio spot for "Stay in School") is worth hearing. So it's good news that a legendary set of concerts -- his April 1966 shows at the Whisky a Go Go, which have been available in … [Read more...]