Is there a what you listening to thread on buzz?
Brian Mcknight is one of my all-time favs. Tremendous keyboard/pianist, even greater vocals. Last year he filmed this from his house, a tribute to Whitney Houston. No music studio equipment designed to clean up the vocals, just raw and unfiltered. Been very fortunate to enjoy some of his musical transitions into the smooth jazz genre in recent years in duets with some of my favorite smooth jazz artists. The range of his vocals is amazing.
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Harry Chapin.........his concert was the best one I ever attended. It was held in a classical stage theater, think Ford Theater where Booth shot Pres Lincoln.
He came out into the audience while performing and afterwards was in the lobby just hanging out with us.
Unfortunate car crash ending in his VW Rabbit.
Oddly enough, just two days ago (July 16th) marked 37 years ago to the day when he passed away on the Long Island Expressway, dead at the age of 38.
And he was on his way to perform at a free concert that evening.
That you were privileged to see him perform live in concert, I'm sure, is special in its own right. 
PA-PLAYA - Michael Murphey is a genuine country gentleman. One of my wife's employees (medical technologist by day- cowboy at night / on weekends) retired and we went to the party early to help set up. Her employee was also there early with his wife and a friend. His friend comes up to me and starts talking about random things, couldn't have been nicer, and I have no idea yet who he was. The retiree comes up and mentions that my wife and I are VIP sponsors of the upcoming Symphony in the Flint Hills fundraiser and he said how much he appreciates our support for this worthwhile cause (native lands and prairie preservation).
Michael pulls out his guitar after we eat, starts singing, and I instantly then know who he is. Turns out he was the featured guest artist playing with the Kansas City Symphony at an outdoor concert a couple of months after this party, and as sponsors, we were gifted with another private performance after the event. It's pretty neat when a 'star' has no airs or sense of entitlement.
What a great story.... in these days of Instagram/Social Media and instant gratification - it's refreshing to know that some of the old-school song writers/musicians still have a prominent following without all of the hoopla.
If you're that good - you don't need that social media shit, contrary to what the younger generation might otherwise suggest. Talent is talent, yesterday and today.
This guy is getting better with age. Smooth jazz/R&B at its best.
Lately I've rediscovered Alan Parsons. The Alan Parsons Project and music he engineered. I've recorded before, and to me, his engineered works sound like what I hear when we are playing. The playback always left me wondering why it doesn't sound quite "all there". His stuff has that fullness to it IMO. I also like music with a sax player he and many others have used, Phil Kenzie. That dude is bad ass!
PA-PLAYA The wife and daughter went to see Kenny Chesney at a local venue about six miles from the house last Thursday. They really enjoyed it in a fairly small outdoor setting - I think the amphitheater holds maybe 2000 or or so. I'm not a huge fan, but having a daughter in middle school, I definitely identify with the meaning the song and your current reflection on it. I'm not looking forward to the day when my baby girl gets onto a life that no longer centers on our relationship. Hope y'all get to re-unite frequently and that she continues to enjoy the adventure of life.
The smaller concerts are always the best. I've developed a diverse taste in music over the years depending on the mood/company, and country music always seems to perfect these sappy, emotional tearjerking songs. And I'm always a sucker for them.
She officially moved into her new place on Friday, took her and her boyfriend 3 days of driving to get there. Talked with her last night and her boyfriend had a job interview this morning, while she's out shopping and picking up things they need. She seemed ecstatic that she got two nightstands from the local goodwill for 20 bucks! lol... She starts work in a few weeks at her new job, and with a little luck - the boyfriend will also be gainfully employed.
Reminds me of when my wife and I had just left the army to start our lives together. We were optimistic but we were also uncertain of what to expect. Love kept us grounded and got us through that initial period. I don't think that has changed since... still great medicine for most of life's uncertainties.
Appreciate the time now with your daughter. In the blink of an eye she'll be leaving for college, and then next thing you know - she's telling you that she's accepted a job a million miles away. You'll never get this time back once it's gone.
Hoping to see her this Christmas!
Speaking of sappy tearjerking songs...
Saying a little prayer for you this evening, Aretha.
RIP.
Baba O'Reilly
Typhoon Baba O'Reilly
Who? 
Thread is making me feel old. My son is on a Hank Williams Jr. kick right now, so I'm re-living the sounds of my drunken youth, minus the drunk and the youth.
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Spent the weekend with my soulmate at the Norfolk Jazz Fest this past weekend. Such a wonderful time... such a great venue with a lot of my favorite smooth jazz performers doing their thing.
This is my iPhone recording of Boney James Friday evening, as he performed his hit from several years back, called "Vinyl". A much needed weekend away from the bullcrap that life throws at us on occasion.
My favorite smooth jazz bass guitarist (RIP) and a popular country music singer... whoda thunk!
And a favorite tune of mine, a remake of Barry White's "Never Gonna Give You Up" with Wayman Tisdale on the bass and Toby Kieth on the vocals.
So smooth.... not as smooth as Barry, but very close.
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PA-PLAYA With that title I almost feel like I'm going to get Rickrolled if I push play. Edit to add I did listen and it is a great sound. Didn't know of Wayman beyond his basketball playing days until you started posting him here.
Wayman Tisdale is my absolute favorite Bass player...
I've followed college hoops all my life but really didn't get into the Smooth Jazz genre up until about a decade ago. By the time I'd listened to his last album release (Rebound) in 2008, a year later he was gone. Years later, when I hear one of his songs on Sirius XM's Watercolors channel (smooth jazz) I often think about how cool it would've been to attend one of his concerts.
He was a tremendous college basketball player (his 12 years playing in the NBA was average for the most part)... one of the top college players on the 1984 US Men's Olympic basketball team, the last amateur team to win a gold medal in the Olympics.
But as good as he was playing hoops, he became an even greater musician his later years. And he seemed like such a cool dude too, with an infectious smile and a down-to-earth way about him.
I stumbled into this one yesterday - love the guy's energy!
hobbit Well there is energy, I can’t deny that! I think, but can’t tell for sure, that I like the woman’s voice. I did admire, and laugh as well at the way the dude vocalized “you” on the first run through the chorus.
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Always dug this song. This version is mesmerizing.
The man in black made this one his own. Very powerful.
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A lot of garage days songs are kick ass, i love this one-
Enjoy and turn the volume up
One of my favs, just missed out on Ten, but made Lost Dogs-
Got some Judas Priest going right now
We all go through valleys. Maybe it's the loss of a loved one, or the passing of a dear friend, or having a child move thousands of miles away and not being prepared to deal with that situation as a parent.
I've had three dear people in my life pass away over the past year. Two golf buddies, and my father who passed just a month ago. As much as we want to think that we're resilient and impenetrable emotionally - sometimes it's just not that easy.
Having people you can count on, in the backdrop providing love and encouragement and assuredness means everything. That one word... assuredness. It's the hardest. Because sometimes we just aren't emotionally equipped to deal with things and see the bigger and brighter picture, that everything is gonna work out. It's human nature.
But my wife of 29 years, who has been my support system throughout the past 29 years (but especially the past year), is the reason I want to keep going forward, want to move beyond the sad feelings and keep moving ahead.
This one is for her. She's been my rock. When I found her 29+ years ago - I found out what true love really means. And it took a while for me to figure that out. Too many years to be honest. But better late than never!
She just gets better with age.
Dream Theater right now
Can't beat it when your son is the Twisted Sister/Dee Snider Band guitarist and you can sit on the couch and listen to him practice going through a set. Right now " Under the Blade"
An intolerable screamo metal band going acoustic and sounding fantastic...
Unbelievable, absolutely AMAZING cover of Rush's Red Barchetta. Better than the original. Love it.
Bawlin'
A classic oldie with Karla Devito