HAPPY HALLOWEEN . . . . . . . Boooooo!

 

 

 

 

Hope you get a lot of candy and no one tricks you this evening. Ha Ha Ha, He He He !

I’ll be back tomorrow with more music tips and what not!

Musician By Night . . .

Steve Lukather with Toto (1977 - )

Versatile musician, guitarist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger Steve Lukather was born in Los Angeles on October 21 in 1957. Before his father bought him a guitar (a simple Kay acoustic) and a copy of Meet the Beatles at the age of seven, Luke started to play drums and keyboards. "I love keyboards, I write all my songs on keyboards except for the real obvious 'burn' tunes. I find it much easier, you have all these great synth sounds and you play a C chord and it's sounds like God, and you start thinking melodies as opposed to chops." (Lukather, 1986).

The guitar and the Beatles album changed the life of the young boy. "Just the sound of it overcame my whole soul, if you want to call it that. I knew that's what I wanted to do. I remember George Harrison played a solo in I saw her standing there and just the sound of the guitar bending and the reverb struck a nerve inside of me." (Lukather, 1993).

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In the years following, Lukather taught himself how to play the guitar. He hung out with older friends who showed him how to play and how to set the chords. At high school he met the Porcaro brothers who were a couple of years older than him. Jeff Porcaro and David Paich were already doing session stuff. "I was self-taught until about 15 and then I started taking lessons with (classical/jazz/country player) Jimmy Wyble. He taught me how to read and I took a lot of other classes, like orchestration. I wanted to learn. At that point i was really intrigued by the whole session thing. It wasn't something I wanted to do since I was a little kid. I didn't know anything about it until I was in high school. I always thought it was kind of cool to be able to play on all these great artists' records." (Lukather, 1993).

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During his high school period especially Jeff Porcaro turned out to be like a brother and mentor for Steve Lukather. "Jeff was like my mentor; he was a guy I looked up to. He and the whole Porcaro family had so much to do with my getting a break in the music business. Jeff was already in Steely Dan when I met him. That was 1972, and growing up in that whole environment was a gift. We learned the whole Katy lied Steely Dan record before it ever came out. In my high school band I was playing with Mike Landau, John Pierce, Steve Porcaro and Carlos Vega. Everybody else has since gone on to do really well. Growing up in that environment ..." (Lukather, 1993)

After playing and touring with Boz Scaggs, David Paich and Jeff Porcaro asked Steve Lukather, Bobby Kimball, David Hungate and Steve Porcaro in 1976 to join for their own band, Toto. In the meantime David Paich, Jeff Porcaro and people like Jay Graydon involved Lukather more and more in the session business. In the late seventies and the eighties Lukather showed himself to be a first class and first called session musician, who played with everybody on the planet (check out the discography).
"Toto was Dave and Jeff's band and vision. I was 19 and so honored to be invited in. You gotta dig, these guys were and still are my hero's. I still can't believe they chose me!!! It was my personal dream come true and that's why I stepped up to the plate when someone had to. Paich and Jeff are soul brothers. I use that in the present tense because when Jeff died, so did our leader. Paich was the brains and tunesmith but Jeff was the spirit and soul. You can't do one without the other. These guys had *IT*! THE thing that you can't describe. It was like being with genius', not in a pompous way at all, just the real shit. The real heart and soul of music. Critics will never understand just how real this band was and still is! Yeah, after 4 lead singers and me being with the band from day one, I picked up the ball and ran with it! Someone had to! I have NEVER been or will ever be the "leader" of Toto... No one guy is, but I will take the bull by the balls and try and keep this legacy alive." (Lukather, 2005)

  
In September 1977 Toto released their first album Toto that generated the hit singles Hold the line, I'll supply the love and Georgy Porgy. With the album David Paich and Steve Lukather started Toto career that spanned more than 25 years. Lukather did some minor contributions to the songwriting in the first years of the Toto career. However his contributions increased by degrees. "I've been writing songs since I was a kid, but I kind of stopped writing when I joined Toto because Dave had all these incredible tunes. Every day he'd come in and say 'Dig my new tune' and when he played it, it would be a killer tune. To my ears anyway. But towards the second album, like the song Hydra, which was a group written tune and I came up with the riff parts. So it started with that album and on the third album I wrote three tunes and the fourth also had three or four tunes, and then gradually I'm writing more and more. And then there were a couple of hit records with other people, like with The Tubes I wrote Talk to ya later and She's a beauty and also the Benson tune Turn your love around with Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin. So I started writing different weird things for other people and that made me a little more confident about my song writing. Then we started co-writing in the band a little bit more, and by the Toto IV  album we were really writing a lot together." (Lukather, 1986)
The year 1982 turned out to be the most successful (commercially) in Toto's and Lukather's career. Lukather, Paich and Jeff and Steve Porcaro contributed heavily to Michael Jackson's Thriller album, that turned out to be the most successful album in music history ever (over 50 million copies). The album Toto IV went platinum and the hit-singles Rosanna and Africa became all time classics. A year later Toto received six golden grammophones at the Grammy Awards in relation to Toto IV and Lukather gained a Grammy for best rhythm & blues song Turn your love around, co-written with Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin.
Although the next Toto albums were less successful than Toto IV, Lukather was (co-)writing more than ever and appeared to be more and more selective in his session work. "We did the sessions for a long time but we're not doing that anymore. It kind of bugs me that people still go, "Oh yeah, those studio guys." I'm tired of that label. I'm proud of a lot of the work I did and I'm ashamed of some of the other work. You know, sometimes you have to polish a turd. That's the bottom line. That's what it is, man - get out the brown polish, man, here we go. I just didn't want to do that anymore. I wanted to play music that I liked with people that I respected." (Lukather, 1993).
After touring with Jeff Beck, Simon Phillips and Carlos Santana in Japan, Lukather released in 1989 his first solo album Lukather, music wise a very heterogeneous album with contributions of lots of musical friends he respected and had worked with: Michael Landau, Danny Kortchmar, Randy Goodrum, Eddie Van Halen, David Paich, Steve Stevens, Jeff Porcaro, Richard Marx etc. In the same year he released the first (self-titled) album of his side project Los Lobotomys, live recorded with the cream of west-coast musicians like David Garfield, Jeff Porcaro, Vince Colaiuta and Will Lee for example. "I like to be making records or playing live. That's why I play with Los Lobotomys. We don't rehearse; it's just fun to get together and play in a club just to keep the chops up. I like to feel the tips of my fingers and it makes me feel like I'm doing something." (Lukather, 1993)
In 1991, right after the departure of Toto's fourth lead singer Jean-Michel Byron, Steve Lukather takes over the role of lead singer in the band. "There's certain techniques that you can learn from professional vocal coaches. I never lost my voice in the all the shows that we did. It was amazing to me. But I warm up properly. It takes me 20 or 25 minutes just to sing along with this tape while I'm getting dressed. Then I'd play the guitar for 20 minutes, have a beer and shoot the shit, stretch out and I was ready to go. It's like anything else. It's like playing guitar, man. If you haven't played for a while and you pick it up and you start playing all this stuff, after a while your muscles feel tight." (Lukather, 1993).

In 1992, right after the Kingdom of desire recordings, Lukather had to cope with one of the most heavy losses in his life, the sudden death of his brother and mentor Jeff Porcaro, who died of a heart attack after an allergic reaction to a pesticide he was spraying in his garden. "How can I equate this? It's so hard for me to actually come to grips with how to put how I feel into words. It's so hard. I'll never be the same without him. But he'll always be with me. I have pictures of him over at my house. I feel his presence." (Lukather, 1993).
"Lots of people think when Jeff died, so did Toto. True in some ways but... The rest of us left to play together would not bring Jeff back. We are trying to keep the music alive. I am the only guy that has made every Toto gig and been there from day one, nor have I backed off of trying to keep this thing burnin'. Maybe we will never write an Africa again etc... but we will die trying! We have been together as Toto for 28 years; more if you count High School. We have done amazingly well against all odds and critics hatred worldwide. Jeff lives in our hearts and the music he created with us, and Jeff was always the last word! He just happened to be the coolest and smartest and most together... despite bullshit rumor's, of which there are many!!!" (Lukather, 2005)

A few weeks before the Kingdom of desire tour the three Toto members Steve Lukather, David Paich and Mike Porcaro decided to go ahead with the tour and asked Simon Phillips, who toured with Lukather before in Japan, to replace Jeffrey. This decision turned out to be a 'lucky' one, because Simon developed himself as an integrated member of Toto and a very stimulating musical partner for Lukather and his band Los Lobotomys. "But I'm still here to play and we've been playing. At one point of course we thought we should break up. We haven't had a record out in the States in five years. This record, Kingdom of Desire, is the last piece of work that Jeff did with us. He had something to do with the writing and the whole spirit of the four guys who went to school together, without the three lead singers who for various reasons just didn't last. That was always a big problem with Toto as far as identity. We started out as a hard rock band and we ended up with the record company getting way too involved with the choice of singles. Since we have a new record company it's like a new lease on life. Then Simon Phillips came out and played with us." (Lukather, 1993).
After the Kingdom of desire tour Lukather apparently had to change his mind, on his life and on his musical career. On the Toto album Tambu he and his musical mates did a lot of personal reflection in the lyrics of the songs. "Where do I go from here? How do I find my way? When is it loud and clear, that there's no turning back? No looking back. Where do I go from here? Nobody gets away. It's a new kind of fix, for the poor and the rich. You never know what's coming next..." (The turning point, 1995).
What's coming next for Lukather is a second solo album, Candyman (1994), actually a very coherent and heavy Los Lobotomys project with Simon Phillips, David Garfield and Fee Waybill, his third solo album Luke (1997), a very personal and musical journey through the past, his fourth solo album Santamental (2003), with very hazardous fusion and rock interpretations of classic and new Xmas songs, five new Toto projects culminating in the return of Bobby Kimball as lead singer on Mindfields (1999), Livefields (1999), Through the looking glass (2002) and 25th Anniversary Live in Amsterdam (on dvd and cd), and lots of interesting musical side projects. Contributions to projects of David Garfield, Richard Marx, Mike Terrana, Pat Torpey, Gregg Bissonette etc. and touring with his friend and musical mentor Larry Carlton and his mate Edgar Winter.
During their Japanese tour in 1998 Carlton and Lukather recorded a couple of shows. In 2001 they released a selection of songs recorded in the Blue Note in Osaka, in November 1998, on their live album No substitutions. They finally got their honour on February 27th 2002 in L.A.: Larry and Luke are the winners of the Grammy in category 11 Best Pop Instrumental Album for solo artists, duos or groups with their album No substitutions. Luke stated that this award was particularly meaningful for him because of who his winning partner is. "When I was just starting to play, Larry was my hero. To be standing here 25 years later on stage with him with awards in our hands, it's a dream come true."

In view of his musical development, Lukather became more and more open, sensitive and pure. His voice developed strong and warm and his guitar sound became more and more direct and sharp, no matter if he's raging or playing tender ballads. All these developments seem to come together on Lukather's contributions to the album Inertia (2001) by Derek Sherinian, with Simon Phillips, Zakk Wylde, Jerry Goodman and Tom Kennedy. "Derek's cd is probably my best recorded work in my whole career. Simon got the best outta me. It's just me playin thru a 1/12 Marshall with my guitar, no effects, just a little delay from the board. Great cd! I'm very proud of it!" (Lukather, 2001).
In 2004 and 2005 Lukather contributed to new albums and songs of some old musical friends like Van Halen, Joe Cocker, Edgar Winter, Les Paul & Friends and Tommy Lee. On top of touring with Toto and his new own band El Grupo (with Steve Weingart, Oskar Cartaya and Joey Heredia), Lukather spent a lot of time in the studio in 2005 with his Toto mates to record the new Toto album Falling in between, released in 2006 and followed by a major world tour in 2006 and 2007 and the first months of 2008, ending up with a Japan tour together with Boz Scaggs in March 2008, which makes the Toto circle round. Having Greg Phillinganes as an official Toto member, replacing David Paich at the live concerts, Lukather and his Toto mates have given their best for the new album. Lukather: "If this is the last record we ever make (it won’t be, I hope), I can walk away knowing we threw DOWN the best we got. I hope the fans will all enjoy and appreciate the love and passion that went into making Falling in between. Our old singer Joseph Williams came back and did a duet with me that's total radio, almost like Africa part 2, plus there is Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), the Chicago horn section, L. Shankar (Peter Gabriel), Lenny Castro, Steve Porcaro, jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove and more guests. I think when people hear it everyone will have a smile on the face. EVERYONE in the band brought their best to the party!"

From September 2006 till the summer of 2007, during the spare weeks he wasn’t on tour with Toto, Lukather worked on his new solo album Ever changing times, encouraged by his longtime co-writing friend Randy Goodrum. Lukather: “My writing partner / executive producer Randy Goodrum suggested that I should do this record. He got me excited to do something different and work with such great players and songwriters. I was also thrilled that my son Trevor co-wrote two of the tunes with us and my daughter sang on a tune and all my friends and amazing musos came out to support”. The list of special guest also includes former Toto singer Joseph Williams and Chicago’s Bill Champlin on background vocals, Leland Sklar on bass, Steve Weingart, Jeff Babko, Randy Goodrum on keyboards and synths plus a Steve Porcaro cameo on the instrumental track, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and other friends and guest stars who all lent their talent to ensure a truly exciting and fresh result.
The results of this new studio effort, released in February 2008, are eleven songs which incorporate all aspects Steve Lukather is well known for. “The record rocks harder than Toto, but there is enough melodic stuff on there to please any Toto fan. There is also music that sounds youthful because my co-producer Steve MacMillan and my son were keeping me honest and up to date” says Lukather, “It shows a lot of my influences and music I like. If it sounds good, then I keep it”. Of course the release of Ever changing times will get a follow up by a solo world tour from June 2008. Lukather: “I'm the guy that's really gonna go out and go for it right away. I have a cool product and I'm putting together a great band and I got dates on the books. So I'm hoping that the record does well and I'll be able to build on that and stay out there for a while and get my own thing going on.”

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In the summer of 2008 Lukather decided to leave Toto, which meant the end of the band, and a full focus on his solo career. After two years of touring with his own band (Steve Weingart, Eric Valentine & Carlitos del Puerto) he started the recording of his new solo record All's well that ends well in January 2010. The album has been released fall 2010. In April 2010 he got the international Eddy Christiani Award for 33 years of guitar mastership.
In the 1993 duologue with his good friend Eddie Van Halen Lukather sighed that he would have been more respected as a guitarist if he had just done Toto. That statement has got everything to do with the mind setting of the critics who tried to shadow the musical development of Steve Lukather. How easy and comfortable is it to get a musician into an explicit corner of the musical history? And how much trouble do you want to give yourself to sift out the versatility, the importance and the delight of the musical capacities of Steve Lukather?

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Awards
Grammy Awards:

1982, Best R&B song: Steve Lukather, Jay Graydon, Bill Champlin (for George Benson) - Turn your love around.

1982, Producer of the year: Toto - Toto IV.

1982, Album of the year: Toto - Toto IV.

1982, Record of the year: Toto - Rosanna.

2001, Best pop instrumental album: Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather - No substitutions, live in Osaka.
Edison Award:

1999, Lifetime Achievement Award, Toto, Holland.
Musicians Hall of Fame:

2009, Toto induction Musicians Hall of Fame, Nashville, USA.
Eddie Christiani Award:

2010, Lifetime achievement guitar award, Holland.
Guitar Player's Gallery of the Greats:

Guitar Player Magazine winning Best Studio Player 5 years in a row in the readers poll.

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Steve is one incredible musician (guitarist, keyboard player, etc.) that is still going strong at age 54.  He does a lot of studio work along with Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour and many others accomplished guitarists.  If you haven’t heard of Steve Lukather, take some time to listen to any of Toto’s albums or pick up one of Steve’s solo albums; I think you’ll like his style.

I hope your enjoying your weekend and of course the Sunday afternoon NFL Football Games which are about to begin very soon now.  I happen to be a big RAVEN’s fan so I’ll be rooting for them as I practice my scales over and over.  Hope your team does well today . . .

Until next time, remember to give your kids a big hug so they know that they are loved.

Musician By Night . . .

My Fender Stratocaster Collection

I’ve been in New York City over the past few days on business and I’m a bit behind on my posts so please excuse me and please be patient with me as I try to catch-up and get back in the swing of things.

Since I reconnected with my good friend, Kevin Bort, of our band JORDAN from back in the mid to late 70’s, he’s turned me on to playing Fender  Stratocaster’s.  Over the years, I’ve always played Gibson guitars and specifically Les Paul’s, ES-335’s or SG’s.  In the past, I’ve owned a Fender Mustang and a couple Fender Telecasters but never a Fender Stratocaster, which is by far the icon of the entire Fender guitar product line.

As we know, many of the Top 100 Guitarists of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 List favor the Fender Stratocaster in their own guitar collection. In my collection, I’m doing my best to stick with Fenders (American Made) product line, such as the American Standard, American Deluxe, American Vintage or Highway One Series.

I currently own three Fender Stratocasters and two of them have been reconditioned, including new pickups installed in both.  The first is a 2007 Highway One model that has an Alder body with a Rosewood Fretboard and a satin nitrocellulose lacquer ‘Neutral’ finish with a white pickguard that has been upgraded with Fender’s Hot Noiseless pickups and Graph-Tech string-saver saddles and nut.  I still plan to add either the Fender Deluxe Locking Machine Heads or the Fender Schaller Locking Tuners. Both are used on the Fender American Deluxe Models.

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My second Strat is a 1990 American Standard Model with an ash body and a Rosewood Fretboard in an Aged White Finish with a matching pickguard and new  Seymour Duncan pickups.  I used the SD STK-S4n model for the neck, an STK-S4m model for the middle (Classic Stack Plus Pickups) and a SD JB Jr Humbucker at the bridge just like Jeff Beck’s setup on his classic white Stratocaster.  I left the original saddles and nut as they were but still plan to change the machine heads to the  Fender Schaller Locking Tuners that come standard on the Fender American Deluxe Models.

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My newest Strat is an American Standard version with a Rosewood Fretboard in 3-Color Sunburst finish. I’m having the Graph-Tech string-saver saddles and nut installed along with Joe Barden Pickups;   the S-Deluxe Strat 3-Pickup Set.

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Absolutely Strat in character, with expanded fidelity and frequency response.

The Joe Barden S-Deluxe Strat 3-Pickup Set models are the Strat equivalent to their dual blade Danny Gatton Tele pickups. Two models are available; one for the bridge position and the other for the neck and middle positions.
The tone of the S-Deluxe is absolutely Strat in character, but with greatly expanded fidelity and a balanced frequency response. Of course, hum and noise are completely eliminated. These pickups are incredibly sensitive, giving you a wide range of tones and output levels simply by adjusting the distance of the pickup from the strings.
With S-Deluxe pickups, the "in-between" positions are wonderfully hollow, and the bridge pickup has the strength, snap, and twang typically experienced only in Telecasters. The unique staggered double blade design of the bridge pickup, common to all Joe Barden single-coil sized bridge pickups, eliminates drop-outs on the outer strings.

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GC GARAGE

      

Of course my good friend Nik Kosmas of the GC Garage handles all of my guitar restorations, modifications and upgrades.  I wouldn't have anyone else touch my guitars but him.  If you have a guitar that you’d like to reinvent, give Nik a call at The Guitar Center in Glen Burnie and tell him that I told you to call.  His shop is located right inside that facility.

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I hope you enjoyed this post and use some of my ideas on your own guitars.  I’ll be back soon with another.  Remember to take care of your kids and give them a big hug to show them that you love them.

Until next time;

Musician By Night . . .

The Top 100 Guitarists According to Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone Magazine posted the following list on their website for everyone to see and make fun of.  Each of these artists have touched our lives in ways we’ll never forget.  Taking us through bad relationships or starting into new exciting relationships.  Either way, their guitars gave touched our very beings and have been to all of our parties since middle school. 

In the warm summer nights you could hear the cars driving by with their stereos blaring the roaring solo from Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin in “Stairway to Heaven” or Keith Richards and The Rolling Stones playing “Satisfaction” and many other Classic Rock and Blues tunes.

 

1 Jimi Hendrix
2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band
3 B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan
8 Ry Cooder
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones
17 Jack White of the White Stripes
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy
31 Dick Dale
32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
33 & 34 Lee Renaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
35 John Fahey
36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's
37 Bo Diddley
38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
39 Brian May of Queen
40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival
41 Clarence White of the Byrds
42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson
43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic
44 Scotty Moore
45 Frank Zappa
46 Les Paul
47 T-Bone Walker
48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith
49 John McLaughlin
50 Pete Townshend
51 Paul Kossoff of Free
52 Lou Reed
53 Mickey Baker
54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane
55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple
56 Tom Verlaine of Television
57 Roy Buchanan
58 Dickey Betts
59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead
61 Ike Turner
62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band
63 Danny Gatton
64 Mick Ronson
65 Hubert Sumlin
66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour
67 Link Wray
68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape
69 Steve Howe of Yes
70 Eddie Van Halen
71 Lightnin' Hopkins
72 Joni Mitchell
73 Trey Anastasio of Phish
74 Johnny Winter
75 Adam Jones of Tool
76 Ali Farka Toure
77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat
78 Robbie Robertson of the Band
79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps
80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids
81 Derek Trucks
82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd
83 Neil Young
84 Eddie Cochran
85 Randy Rhoads
86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
87 Joan Jett
88 Dave Davies of the Kinks
89 D. Boon of the Minutemen
90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper
91 Robby Krieger of the Doors
92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5
94 Bert Jansch
95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine
96 Angus Young of AC/DC
97 Robert Randolph
98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag
100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

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Other than the Top 100 Guitarists, there are also other lists as follows;

Best Ever Lists

          

Other Lists

• 100 Greatest Guitarists
• 100 Greatest Singers
• 500 Greatest Albums
• 500 Greatest Songs
• 100 Best Albums of the 2000s
• 100 Greatest Beatles Songs

  

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I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you enjoy this post.  Take your time looking up each of these guitarists to learn more about them and what makes (or made) them tick.  They are (were) the best of the best; no matter what you believe, Rolling Stone Magazine hit the nail on the head with this group. 

Have a great evening and remember to give your kids a hug to show them that you love them.  Until next time;

Musician By Night . . .

Happy 85th Birthday to Chuck Berry . . .

Born October 18, 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri, Chuck Berry had early exposure to music at school and church. As a teen, he was sent to prison for three years for armed robbery. He began producing hits in the 1950s, and had his first number one hit, "My Ding-a-Ling," in 1972. With his clever lyrics and distinctive sounds, he was one of the most influential figures in the history of rock music.

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Singer/songwriter; guitarist. Considered "the father of rock 'n' roll," Chuck Berry was born Charles Anderson Edward Berry on October 18, 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents, Martha and Henry Berry, were the grandchildren of slaves and among the many African-Americans who migrated from the rural South to St. Louis in search of employment around the time of World War I. Martha Berry was one of the few black women of her generation to gain a college education, and Henry Berry was an industrious carpenter as well as a deacon at the Antioch Baptist Church.

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Chuck Berry was one of the most popular and influential performers in rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll music in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.

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HAPPY 85th BIRTHDAY CHUCK BERRY

       

"the father of rock 'n' roll,"

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On Saturday, November 5th, Chuck Berry is performing LIVE on stage in Easton, PA and when I consider he’s an 85 year old man, it simply amazes me.  However, then I think about the fact that he’s a musician who loves what he’s doing and has been through more than most people have and could go through in their lifetime.  I only hope that I’m able to get my musical career in gear so that it keeps me young and vibrant like artists such as Chuck Berry, B.B. King and Willie Nelson.

Have a great evening;  I really hope you enjoy listening to the likes of Chuck Berry and B.B. King while you can still hear them perform LIVE in concert.  Don’t miss them if they come anywhere near your hometown.  You’ll regret it if you elect to miss either of their concerts.

Remember to give your kids a hug and kiss so they know that you love them; they’ll never forget it.  Until next time;

 

Musician By Night . . .

 

The Real Dream Weaver ~ John Lennon . . .

If you are destined to be a professional musician and have a band that plays in live concerts with top artists, recording cd’s with your original tunes, etc.. You can’t listen to all the negative people around you; even if those negative people are your family members.  It first takes a dream, then a person to make that dream come true; and that person

. . . is the real Dream Weaver

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The typical negative comments that you hear from family members and friends alike are;

You’ll never make it . . .

You’re nothing but a dreamer . . .

How will you make a living ? . . .

When will you ever grow-up? . . .

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The original Dream Weaver is none other than the iconic Beatles singer-songwriter, John Lennon. 

          

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John Winston Lennon (9 October 1940 – 8 December 1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Along with fellow Beatle Paul McCartney, he formed one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.

   

Born and raised in Liverpool, Lennon became involved as a teenager in the skiffle craze; his first band, The Quarrymen, evolved into The Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine". After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to his infant son Sean, but re-emerged in 1980 with a new album, Double Fantasy. He was murdered three weeks after its release.

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John wrote many of The Beatles hit songs along with his best friend and song-writing partner, Paul McCartney.  The two Dream Weavers became the first known ‘Dream Team’.

Cool John Lennon Quotes:

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.

If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal.

Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you've got to let it grow.

I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?

You don't need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!

Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me.

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers -- Henry David Thoreau

"Possession isn't nine-tenths of the law. It's nine-tenths of the problem." - John Lennon

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Imagine Live–John Lennon - 72

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So ignore all those negative people and their comments and follow your heart and dreams.  Never stop dreaming because without your dreams, there are no Dream Weavers like John Lennon and of course The Beatles.  Look at where their dreams took them . . .

I’ll be back again soon with another post that I’m sure will get your attention.  Remember to give you kids a big hug and kiss; don’t forget to tell them that you love them.

Until next time;

Musician By Night . . .