Fri, 28 Nov 2008

Utah Phillips - Moose Turd Pie

Utah Phillips - Moose Turd Pie

Seemed somehow fitting.

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Utah Phillips died earlier this year.

Bruce "Utah" Duncan Phillips (May 15, 1935 – May 23, 2008) was a labor organizer, folk singer, storyteller, poet and the "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest". He described the struggles of labor unions and the power of direct action, self-identifying as an anarchist. He often promoted the Industrial Workers of the World in his music, actions, and words.

His nickname comes from when he was in the army. No one had ever met anyone else from Utah so they called him Utah.

- wikipedia

I got—I left home. I went up to work in Yellowstone National Park during high school. I was going to make some summer money. I went up on the freight trains, and for the first time I rode the freight trains. And I worked on a road rating crew. And at that time, I was playing the ukulele and singing ersatz Hawaiian music—Johnny Noble, things like that, “Lovely Hula Hands,” “Malihini Melee.”

The other hands working on that crew, a lot of them were old, old alcoholics who could only shovel gravel. But they knew songs. And late at night, you know, there would be a fire. We would live in these clapboard shanties. They sang old songs, Jimmie Rodgers, and they sang old Gene Autry songs, songs I had never heard, but were much closer to the way I was living right there at that time, certainly a lot closer than as Hawaiian music. So they showed me how to turn my ukulele chords into guitar chords and taught me those songs.

And it’s right about then I started making songs in that mold, making songs of what I saw in the world around me, but using those tune models and those verse models that had endured for so long and will continue to endure simply because they work. So, you know, I’ve been making songs and stories for over fifty years now. It’s a way of life. It’s like breathing.

- Democracy Now - Amy Goodman interviews Utah Phillips Jan. 2004

U. Utah Phillips (1 of 7)

U. Utah Phillips - 2

U. Utah Phillips - 3

U. Utah Phillips - 4 - Funniest Story Ever!?

U. Utah Phillips - 5

U. Utah Phillips - 6

U. Utah Phillips - 7 - Get rid of the bum on the plush!

utahphillips.org is The U. Utah Phillips Appreciation and Information site. They host his podcasts.

Here he is doing the Joe Hill song, "There is Power In The Union", with a slide show of IWW (Industrial Workers of the World (wobblies)) images.

Utah Phillips - Power in the Union

Utah Phillips singing words Joe Hill wrote nearly a hundred years ago. They're still hard hitting and they still ring true today.

Please add your favorite Utah Phillips, labor, hobo, or train songs in the comments.

Utah Phillips was also discussed here.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Van Morrison did a great job on his Austin City Limits show recorded in 2006. There he was calling out the songs to what I call a world class Honky Tonk band with piano, fiddle, and steel guitar. Of course the backup singers were as good as you can hear and when Van would play Sax one of the singers would play trumpet giving them a horn section. The variety in styles, not just songs, was amazing. It seemed they could do anything. And they did. Including, of course, "Gloria" and "Brown Eyed Girl".

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Click here for the PBS page on that show.

When "Astral Weeks" was recorded Van Morrison was 23 years old and singing with a Jazz band made of incredible musicians.

... three jazz musicians of the highest calibre: bassist Richard Davis, who had played with the likes of Miles Davis and Sarah Vaughan, guitarist Jay Berliner, best known for his work with Charles Mingus, and drummer Connie Kay, a member of the esteemed Modern Jazz Quartet...

- Sean O'Hagan - Is this the best album ever made?

Morrison has recreated "Astral Weeks" as a live show. He played the whole album live at The Hollywood Bowl on November 7 and 8, 2008, just two weeks ago. He also played repertoire from before and after "Astral Weeks". These three videos are from that show. There are many more on the tubes.

Van Morrison - Caravan

You can't stop us
On the road to Freedom
You can't stop us
Cause our eyes can see

Men with insight
Men of granite
Knights in armor
Bent on chivalry

- Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey

Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey / Why Must I Always Explain?

As you can see he's still Van.

Please join me in comments to discuss Van Morrison's music and listen to some of our favorite songs.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Pimp Your Song! - Play For Free

Hi,

You've written a great song and you're really proud of it. Not only does it groove like a midnight train but the lyrics really say something. It would be great if some people could hear it besides your family and friends.

Or maybe you've been working on some songs. Some are finished. Some need a little polish. It would really help if you had some audience interaction.

How can you make this happen? How can you get your songs heard? How can you expand your audience? How can you change the world with music?

Play for free.

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Some songwriters are content to stay at home and work on another one. But most songwriters and musicians thrive on an audience. And most songwriters don't play for an audience as often as they'd like to.

Fortunately there are venues that will be glad to have you. I love to play coffeehouses. This goes back to the folk revival of the sixties for me. Whether it was Folk music, Jug Bands, or the Blues I have fond memories of playing and listening in these informal settings. And how about music at the city park? Whether you are just showing up and jamming, which many parks allow, or volunteering to play at free festivals, playing outside like this can't be beat. Benefits and fundraisers of all kinds need music. When you hear of a good cause give them a call and see if they would like to have you play. After you do a few of these and the word gets around organizers will start calling you.

Since this is DailyKos I should mention that political rallies often need music. You can promote your songs and promote your candidate at the same time.

Maybe your songs are fine but you lack confidence in your performance skills. If you would like to play short sets in front of small audiences where the audience is guaranteed to be appreciative play in church. Other venues where you can hone your performance skills in front of non-judgmental audiences are nursing homes and residence facilities for the handicapped. Not only do you get to play but it is certain to warm your heart. Everybody loves music.

I do have rules. I won't play for free anywhere. Your rules may be different than mine but I won't play for free if there is an admission fee or cover charge. In my opinion that money should go to the band and if I'm playing for free it ain't. I won't play for free if alcohol is being served. Why should I sell their beer and enrich a club owner without getting paid? If not me at least some band should be making money when alcohol is being sold. I also don't play for free at private parties. Now that doesn't mean I won't carry my guitar to a party where I am a guest. What it means is that if I'm playing a free gig I want everyone to be welcome. I want to expand my audience.

Expanding your audience is one of the major benefits of playing for free. You can also try your new material out at a free gig more easily than where someone is paying you and you feel obligated to play music the audience is familiar with. Another advantage to playing for free is that anyone can come however rich or poor. Believe me, there are people in the world that can't come to see you if there's a five dollar cover charge. And you can invite people without getting into their pocket. It's much easier for me to invite people to a free show than to say come and see me and make me ten bucks richer.

Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with getting paid. Work is work and musicians work harder than most people for their money. But even big stars play some shows for free for many of the same reasons I have listed above.

And just because you're playing for free doesn't mean you're selfless. Music promotion is a business and music promotion costs money. One way of promoting your songs is to play for free. This way it's only costing you time. And a good time at that. If you're playing for free the audience knows you're enjoying it. And the audience loves musicians who enjoy themselves on stage. They're there to have a good time and you're there to help them have a good time.

So go on. Do it. Sing some songs and have a good time. Play for free.

Please Pimp Your Songs! in the comments. Share your experiences playing for free. What are your favorite free venues? Has playing for free ever helped your music career? Has it been a good time?

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Ella Fitzgerald - How High The Moon

Ella Fitzgerald sings "How High the Moon" Stockholm 1966

Ella Fitzgerald is one of the premier Jazz vocalists of the twentieth century. She is perhaps the foremost interpreter of the Great American Songbook a collection of songs most easily defined as songs Ella sang.

The version of "How High The Moon" in this video is interesting because of her extensive scat solo and because in the middle of her improvisation she breaks into The Beatles.

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Ella did not sing topical music. It was her presence, dignity and originality that changed the world. She was an inspiration to African Americans, women, and musicians everywhere. It is impossible not to be moved by her performances.

A few days after Fitzgerald's death, New York Times columnist Frank Rich wrote that in the Songbook series Fitzgerald "performed a cultural transaction as extraordinary as Elvis's contemporaneous integration of white and African-American soul. Here was a black woman popularizing urban songs often written by immigrant Jews to a national audience of predominantly white Christians."

- wikipedia

In doing what she did she created American culture. Not Black culture, Jazz culture, or Jewish culture but American culture. Listen to her here, singing the Gershwin classic, "Summertime" with Louis Armstrong on trumpet.

I bet a lot of you thought this was a Janis Joplin song. By covering "Summertime" Janis was paying tribute to Ella and she was smart to bring herself to it. No one could ever do it like Ella.

Buddy Guy also paid trubute to Ella Fitzgerald with his song "Mary Had A Little Lamb". Ella originated the nursery rhyme genre with a song she cowrote with Al Feldman "A-Tisket A-Tasket". Buddy Guy even included the title of Ella's song in his lyric.

Ella Fitzgerald - A-Tisket, A-Tasket

In case you're wondering about all the cowboy hats this video is from the 1942 Abbot and Costello film, "Ride 'Em Cowboy".

I'm going to close this diary with a swinging number sung by Ella in Allemagne, France in 1974. The band is incredible. Joe Pass (g), Tommy Flanagan (p), Keeter Betts (b), Bobby Durham (dr), Roy Eldridge (tp), Eddie Lockjaw Davis (ts), Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass (Herb Geller, Art Farmer, ...)

Her intro is not to be missed.

Ella Fitzgerald - It Don't Mean a thing - 1974

Asking you to post your favorite Ella songs is awfully close to asking you to post your favorite songs so please do it. If Ella sang it and you love it I want to hear it.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon - Under African Skies

Miriam Makeba and Paul Simon - Under African Skies

On 9 November 2008, she became ill while taking part in a concert organized to support writer Roberto Saviano in his stand against the Camorra a mafia-like organisation local to the Region of Campania. The concert was being held in Castel Volturno, near Caserta, Italy.

- wikipedia

Organizers and the construction crew working on Miriam Makeba's last concert in Castelvolturno were threatened by members of the Camorra to pay 2000 euros for the anti-Camorra concert to go on without incident; shaken organizers bravely refused to pay the Camorra and contacted Carabinieri police officers to ensure safety during the concert. Makeba performed for around an hour and suffered a heart attack after singing her hit "Pata Pata", and was taken to the "Pineta Grande" hospital. Doctors were unable to revive her.

...

In his condolence message, former South African president Nelson Mandela said it was “fitting that her last moments were spent on a stage, enriching the hearts and lives of others - and again in support of a good cause.”

- wikipedia

Miriam Makeba singing her hit "Pata Pata" in 2007

Miriam Makeba spent her life changing the world with music. She was an outspoken advocate against apartheid in her native country, South Africa, both with her words and her music. Because of this advocacy she was not allowed to return to her home for years. After she testified against apartheid at the United Nations her citizenship was revoked.

In 1966 she received a Grammy award for the Best Folk Recording for her LP with Harry Belafonte, "An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba". This album brought the plight of black South Africans to the eyes and ears of the world.

Miriam Makeba with Hugh Masekela- South Africa Freedom Song

She never quit singing and she never quit fighting. She remains a role model to all of us who would change the world with music. Her courage propelled her all the way to the end. Now her courage must inspire us all.

Please also read this Miriam Makeba diary by Deoliver47.

Add your favorite Miriam Makeba songs and stories in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Sat, 15 Nov 2008

Internet Radio - Pimp Your Song!

Hi,

Every songwriter wants to be heard on the radio. Unfortunately broadcast radio has become almost entirely corporate playing short playlists targeted at narrow demographics for marketing purposes. They are not in the business of providing music to listeners. They are in the business of providing listeners to advertisers.

Internet radio provides songwriters and indie bands with a great opportunity to be heard. Sure you can put your songs on your website and MySpace but if someone hasn't already heard you how will they know to go to your site? By getting your songs played on internet radio alongside other songs that are similar you will be heard by a new audience that hasn't heard you before. Then if they like your music they will find your website and MySpace to hear some more.

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There are two types of internet radio stations. Them that pay and them that don't.

Live365 is the leading provider of internet radio infrastructure with royalty payments in place. The advantage of using a service that pays royalties is you can broadcast any song you want whether it's your favorite top forty act or the indie band down the street. Live365 and similar services will make sure the royalties get paid keeping you legal. Another advantage to using a service like Live365 is that they provide all the software setup and support. All you have to do is manage your station.

Blues City Radio contacted me yesterday through MySpace.

The station is run by Sheila. She has a blog entry about how to submit your material to her station.

They are on Live365.

Or you can listen from her website.

The other type of internet radio station is called royalty free. Since they don't pay royalties they must have permission from the songwriter to play the songs. One way of getting this permission is by contacting the songwriters directly. Permission can be written or verbal.

Another way to play songs royalty free is through blanket permissions. This is often called cleared for internet distribution or podsafe.

Podcasting is like blogging but it's audio instead of text. Podcasters produce a show and then make it available for download from their website or from a podcast internet service like blogtalkradio. Most podcasts provide RSS feeds so listeners can subscribe to the show. Since the music on podcasts is available for download it must be precleared or podsafe.

Fortunately many artists and labels realize that the internet is the new AM radio and preclear selected songs. Even major labels are getting on the podsafe bandwagon. Recently I added Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis doing "Bright Lights Big City" to Delta Boogie Radio. I was also able to add the Elvin Bishop hit "Struttin' Your Stuff". Of course most of the songs on Delta Boogie Radio are from indies. That's not a bad thing. I get a lot of CDs from bands you've never heard of and I mostly prefer them to what the majors are putting out.

I discussed Creative Commons licenses in this diary. They have a search engine for podsafe music. Here's a couple more good sources for podsafe music.

Ariels Cyber PR

If you're promoting your music on the internet you should clear some or all of your songs for internet distribution and make downloads available. Then you should contact internet radio stations and podcasters that play similar music and make them aware of your songs. They are always looking for new and interesting material so you will be played. Then their listeners will get to hear what you do.

Another option is to start your own podcast or station and include your music along with other songs providing your listeners with variety while still highlighting your recordings.

That's what I did.

I run two internet radio stations.

KGPL - All genres and all styles

If you have songs that you would like me to play get in touch. I'm always looking for new and interesting material.

Both of these stations run on different versions of my KGPL software. Both versions are free software licensed with the GPL license. If you are interested in using this software to program your internet radio station I'll be glad to help you.

Do you listen to internet radio? Please post your favorite stations in the comments. And don't forget. If you're a songwriter or musician Pimp Your Song!

Thanks,

Hairy Larry
hairylarry@deltaboogie.com

Afrissippi
Afrissippi - Live at ROOTSWAY Festival 2007 (Parma/Italy)

Guelel Kumba, from West Africa loves music. When he first heard John Lee Hooker's Blues he thought it sounded so familiar. Now he has joined up with Mississippi Hill Country Blues musicians to form Afrissippi. On their MySpace they put it this way.

West Africa + North Mississippi = World Boogie!

- Afrissippi MySpace

Like many bands Afrissippi has undergone some personnel changes. The current lineup is Guelel Kumba, voice and guitar; Eric Deaton, voice and guitar; Kinney Kimbrough, drums; Justin Showah, bass. They have some great live shows up at archive.org.

Here's the story of their origins.

AFRISSIPPI Guelel Kumba comes from the Futa Tooro region of West Africa, and is a member of the FULANI people, nomadic cow people who spent centuries in the North African desert when it was still green before settling on the Atlantic Coast where many were captured by their enemies and sold into slavery. Kumba was born into the West African social caste known as GRIOTS, who pass down a millenniums worth of oral tradition including songs, stories, and lineages. As a youngster Kumba learned the molo, the one string guitar, and at age 8, the six string. When he was 20, he heard John Lee Hooker. "The blues is close to my music. The lyrics are different, but the emotions are the same," he says. "I loved the melodies but I was too young to understand the anguish yet." The nucleus of AFRISSIPPI was born when Eric Deaton, apprentice of the late JUNIOR KIMBROUGH, invited Guelel to explore the hill country sound of North Mississippi.

- Afrissippi MySpace

Guelel Kumba - Bambangel

So Fulani were enslaved and brought to America where they lost the details of their thousand year tradition in story and song but they retained the essentials. Then hundreds of years later a contemporary Fulani musician learns to love the Blues and begins to play with some musicians from Mississippi bringing it all full circle.

Isn't music fantastic!

Like me, many of you may have learned of Mississippi Hill Country Blues from the recordings of Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside. It's great to see their tradition carried on an extended with a global dimension.

Please post more about Hill country Blues and the global reach of Blues music in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi (live)

Joni Mitchell's song, "Big Yellow Taxi" laments the urbanization of society and celebrates country values and the natural life. Whether it's too much concrete, not enough trees, or too much DDT, Mitchell finds these things getting in the way of an appreciation of nature and a stable love life.

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Hey farmer farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!

- Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi

I relate to this lyric.

They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em

- Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi

Joni Mitchell is a writer of love songs. She often works anti-war and pro-environment sentiments into her songs. Like here, in "Woodstock".

And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation

We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden
Caught in the devil's bargain
And we've got to get ourselves
back to the garden

- Joni Mitchell - Woodstock

Joni Mitchell - Woodstock (Big Sur Celebration)

Joni continues to write. In 2007 she released the CD "Shine". From this CD she won a Grammy for "One Week Last Summer", an instrumental. This is how she describes the process of writing that song.

I stepped outside of my little house and stood barefoot on a rock. The pacific ocean rolled towards me. Across the bay, a family of seals sprawled on the kelp uncovered by the low tide. A blue heron honked overhead. All around the house the wild roses were blooming. The air smelled sweet and salty and loud with crows and bees. My house was clean. I had food in the fridge for a week. I sat outside 'til the sun went down.

That night the piano beckoned for the first time in ten years. My fingers found these patterns which express what words could not. This song poured out while a brown bear rummaged through my garbage cans.

The song has seven verses constructed for the days of that happy week. On Thursday the bear arrives.

- Joni Mitchell - One Week Last Summer

Learn more at her website, jonimitchell.com and wikipedia.

Joni Mitchell has been a prolific songwriter since the sixties. This short essay does not scratch the surface. Please post your favorite Joni Mitchell songs in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Les McCann and Eddie Harris - Compared To What

Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Compared To What

When this song came out in 1969 it was electrifying. It was real Jazz. It was accessible enough to be played on pop music stations. And that lyric.

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The President, he's got his war
Folks don't know just what it's for
Nobody gives us rhyme or reason
Have one doubt, they call it treason
We're chicken-feathers, all without one nut. God damn it!
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what? (Sock it to me)

- Gene McDaniels - Compared To What

Now that the election is over I can discuss literary precedent for Rev. Wright without being counter productive. Here's the first verse of "Compared To What".

I love the lie and lie the love
A-Hangin' on, with push and shove
Possession is the motivation
that is hangin' up the God-damn nation
Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now!)
Tryin' to make it real — compared to what? C'mon baby!

- Gene McDaniels - Compared To What

Please post your favorite Jazz, anti-war, or any music that changed the world in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Bitone Troupe - Change The World With A Microphone

In the Luganda language of Uganda Bitone means talents. The Bitone Center For Children uses a childs musical talents to help that child in life.

The mission of The Bitone Children’s Home/Troupe is to restore the lives and hopes of Ugandan children between 8 and 18 years old who have been traumatized by the death of their parents or loss of their home due to disease, war, or economic hardship.

- Bitone MySpace

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I read about Bitone in TapeOp Magazine, the magazine for and about audio engineers and producers. (If this interests you click over for a free subscription) They interviewed Grant Buhr who recorded the children at this mission.

Over the six months I spent in Uganda, I had the life-changing pleasure of recording the music of this center and its children, and in the process creating some of the most profound friendships in my lifetime.

- Grant Buhr - TapeOp interview

This final paragraph in the interview with Grant Buhr really got me. This is why I'm running this diary on a Sunday even though it's not explicitly about Gospel music.

The Bitone children are deeply rooted in a spirituality that's rare in the Western world. They didn't come off as evangelized, or as if they had been brainwashed by missionaries - when they prayed it was the most moving expression of song I have ever witnessed. They would all cram into the backroom of the house, close their eyes, and take turns leading the call and response of their favorite devotional songs, adding whatever they wanted whenever they felt it.

- Grant Buhr - TapeOp interview

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Fri, 07 Nov 2008

Mississippi Sax - Pimp Your Song! - Networking

Hairy Larry - Mississippi Sax

Ok, you're all on DailyKos so you all know what networking is about. Websites grow and form a community of people who interact and exchange love and info. Sometimes other emotions and disinfo. Starting with BBS systems, before there was an internet, social networking has alway been an important part of the online experience.

YouTube is more than a video delivery service. It's a social network with messaging, friends, subscribers, and embeds. You're on DailyKos so you know about YouTube. It's the number one video delivery network in the world and likely to stay that way. If you want to Pimp Your Song! You should put your song on YouTube.

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Not that you shouldn't put your video on other sites as well. I use TubeMogul so I upload once to deliver my videos to many sites.

So I'm going to go all Jerry Pournelle on you and give you my recent excursions in networking.

It's great to be on the big sites like MySpace and Facebook but often a smaller site will have a more dedicated focus. I got invited to join livebluesworld.com and what I found there was a small but active group of mostly Blues musicians and promoters, the kind of people at the center of every grass roots blues gathering.

You can click on the link above to go to my LiveBluesWorld page. But really I want you to go see this guy's page. My page is barely started. Mark Easton has got it going on.

Scroll down to the ReverbNation TuneWidget. Now I've seen a lot of promotional embeds on the internet. I've even written a few for KGPL. But this embed is something else. Slick and professional. Completely viral. So I headed over to ReverbNation and signed up.

You can see I've got a TunePak started.

I plugged Mark Easton into the ReverbNation search and found him right away.

Be sure to listen to his music. He's really good. He's from Australia.

So LiveBluesWorld is a global community of Blues musicians and dedicated fans with the primary purpose of networking and information sharing. ReverbNation is also a community of musicians and fans but here the focus is on artist promotion. And they do a really good job at providing a platform for artists with their embed tools, fan lists, show schedules, and streaming or downloadable music.

Back in the dark ages of the internet, in 1995, before your average user even knew what broadband was, Mark Cuban (yes, that Mark Cuban) started audiocentral.net, a pioneering site that allowed musicians to upload their original music and connect to fans on a 1 to 1 basis. This site became mp3.com which changed the world. ReverbNation is the most professional and complete example of this type of internet application that I have found to date.

Please enter your favorite music promotion sites in the comments. I am beginning a series on Pimp Your Song! about how to use these networking sites not only as networking tools but also as custom feeds to your main website and to other web pages where you are promoting your songs. I will be looking at video sharing, scheduling, playlist widgets, as well as more bbs or forum centric sites like DailyKos. So please turn me on to any recommendations you have for anything that might help.

This article will also be posted on my website and on LiveBluesWorld in their Shameless Self Promotion section, a kind of a whole forum devoted to Pimping Your Song!

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Pimp Your Song! is a subsidiary to my music that changed the world and change the world with music diaries based on the theory that you can't change the world with music if nobody hears your music. So if you want to change the world with music Pimp Your Song!

The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day

The Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day

This song has already been featured on Gospel music that changed the world. But when it was recommended for our victory party I couldn't think of anything more appropriate. So everybody sing along.

Oh happy day
Oh happy day

Junior Wells - Messin' With The Kid (1978)

Chicago Blues was the other soundtrack for the Civil Rights era. After the British Invasion Blues had a revival thanks in part to Blues covers by The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, and many other bands. In Chicago they were ready, to paraphrase Muddy Waters, because the Blues lived in Chicago.

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was one of the first national acts that was integrated. To think of their audacity. Blacks and whites playing music together on the same stage. And on college campuses all over the country students were grooving on "East West".

Paul Butterfield - East West

Buddy Guy was a top session guitarist at Chess, a Chicago label that recorded Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Koko Taylor, and many others. Guy has been credited with developing the electric blues style popularized by Jimi Hendrix. Of course Jimi brought his own chops to the table. Buddy Guy is now one of the top Blues draws in the world.

At the same time Hound Dog Taylor was playing a rocking slide guitar Blues that became the heartbeat of The Rolling Stones new sound on Let It Bleed and Beggars Banquet. Little Walter developed the electric harp style popularized by Butterfield that now permeates all genres of music.

This was the state of the Blues in Chicago in the sixties. Chicago Blues musicians had developed a sound that was destined to take off and rule the world. Even Country music today owes the Chicago Blues and this sound completely transformed Rock and Roll.

Gospel music was the soundtrack for the Civil Rights movement. And the Chicago Blues was the other side of that coin. This was an African American art form becoming integrated and reaching a white audience. When segregation was denied on America's stages it was a major step to denying it everywhere.

Please join the discussion in the comments. Did the Chicago Blues and the integration of music make it possible for us to have our first Black president? Can music really change the world?

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Spook Handy - Vote

"Vote" by Spook Handy

It's election day. Not just any election day. The election day. Spook Handy tells us all what to do.

Get your butt in the booth and pull down the lever.

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A Message from Pete Seeger - Vote Working Families!

Whether you organize and vote Working Families or whether, like me, you're just a plain old Democrat the important part of Pete Seeger's message is to elect the right people and let them know that you expect them to affect the change they were elected to make.

Vote! To end the war.

Vote! For universal healthcare.

Vote! For equality for all people.

Vote! For a fair shake for working families.

And then after we all vote the work has just begun. That's when we hold their feet to the fire.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

WickedAwesomeFilms - The Barack Obama Song

WickedAwesomeFilms - The Barack Obama Song

Ok, this is a contest. We're making a "best of" video album. The Best Barack Obama Video Songs. This album will be created on YouTube so post whatever you want but if it ain't on YouTube it won't go in the album. I put the album on my blogroll and so can you!

The winner of the contest is everyone who posts. The prize will be to see your recommended video in the album. You can enter more than once. The order of the submissions will vary from time to time and late submissions will be accepted.

So it's never too late
To participate.

Here's a link to the playlist.

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Yes We Can Obama Song by will.i.am

On any best of Obama songs album this song would have to be included. In some ways will.i.am started the whole sub-genre with this song. There have been many imitations, some of them better. But "Yes We Can" will always be identified with Obama and the 2008 campaign.

That said I'm not saying this one was the first song about that one. So if you've got an earlier song please include it in the comments.

Here's a list of nominations from my Obama songs change the world with music diaries. My personal favorites.

Real Delta Blues filmed in New York City.

Another star studded effort led by Maria Maldaur.

Extremely funny.

Jason Zumwalt's sendup on fellow democrat, Toby Keith. Really gets totally politically incorrect at the end.

Great Bluegrass for Obama from Nimbleweed.

Another star studded effort led by Dave Stewart.

This one hasn't been featured in change the world with music but no best of album would be complete without it. Seems that humor was in the mix from the start.

Ok, now it's time to do your part. Make your nomination. Post your favorite(s). Then I want you to quit screwing around on your computer and Get Out The Vote!

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Link over to the playlist to play, share, or embed anywhere YouTubes are played.

Joan Baez - Oh, Freedom

Joan Baez - Oh Freedom 1989

One of the most powerful lyrics of the Civil Rights era the song was originally a post Civil War African American freedom song which explains it's strong anti-slavery lyric and the promise of true freedom with the Lord after death.

Oh, freedom, Oh, freedom,
Oh freedom over me.
And before I'd be a slave
I'd be buried in my grave
And go home to my Lord and be free.

No more moanin' etc.

No more weepin' etc.

No more shootin' etc.

There'll be singing etc.

Dili, Tasi Tolu - East Timor Independence Day - Oh Freedom

Like many Civil Rights era songs "Oh Freedom" has been sung around the world. But it always seems most at home in church. Here's a Gospel Choir singing it for you.

This next version by Afro Blue was recorded at a Jazz Choir recital. Although it's not the best audio the harmonies are stunning. I could have used this in my acapella diary. Afro Blue - Oh Freedom

Now here's baritone David Griffiths delivering the song's message with his deep rich powerful voice.

Like much Gospel music the power of the song lies in the simplicity of the lyric and it's universal application to the human condition. Those who think that slavery ended with the end of the Civil War are taking a simplistic view of history and of slavery. True freedom is not for any of us in this life. But to strive for freedom should be everyone's goal.

Please post your favorite Gospel music and other music that changed the world in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Sun, 02 Nov 2008

Floyd Lee - Obama Red, White & Blues

Floyd Lee - "OBAMA RED, WHITE & BLUES" New York City, June 4, 2008

Schlockumentaries wrote

The day after Barack Obama became the Democratic nominee for President, I took to the streets and asked people what they would say to Barack if they had the chance. "Obama Blues" was made up on the spot by the amazing subway musician and Mississippi Delta blues man, Floyd Lee.

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Here's the Stacy Brooks Band singing for peace.

The Obama Song - Obama Peace & The Blues- Stacy Brooks Band

Some people, myself included, love Stevie Ray Vaughan. Evidently that's true of the HOTBluesBand too. They play like Stevie Ray but they got the "Blues For Obama".

If you've been following my change the world with music Obama songs diaries you remember Obama saying he's old school. That he likes Stevie and Marvin and the Temps. Evidently he likes Chicago Blues too. I mean who doesn't?

As much as I like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan style electric guitar I'm an acoustic Bluesman at heart. Here's an acoustic blues called "Deep Recession Blues" posted yesterday. Yes, it's true. I get my news on YouTube.

By the way, moobogo is from Belgium. So not only has the Blues gone around the world so has hope for Barack Obama.

Located in Israel, bluesforpeace.com doesn't have anything specific about Barack Obama but they do feature Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Hairy Larry. (I just love being able to do that.) Click on over for their excellent Blues site featuring "Blues Guitar Licks, Free Blues Guitar Tab, Blues Mp3, Blues Lyrics" and scroll down for my video, "Blues For Peace".

Except for my song all of these came off of the first page of my YouTube search. In some genres I had to work to find support for Obama but not in the Blues. Blues musicians know what it's like to be down and out and they can appreciate someone willing to give poor folks (read middle class) a little bit of help. Please post your favorite Blues and Obama songs of any genre in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Fleur de Lisa - Obama Song - He's the One

Fleur de Lisa - Obama Song - He's the One

Fleur de Lisa is an acapella harmony group. They've got a nice song here played behind footage of Barack Obama. They call their work haika meaning haiku songs.

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Here's their website.

This next group, NighTraiN, is also a female acapella quartet but they have more in common with beat poetry. They are singing here at a fundraiser on August 23, 2008 in Seattle. Like many other songwriters they have noticed that Obama rhymes with mama.

NighTraiN - Obama for Yo Mama

Here's a group called Barackapella singing their version of "Yes We Can".

They do a fantastic job with their choral arrangement for eleven singers. For more info about Barackapella and a very interesting story about how this performance came about go here.

Now here's two Obama songs sung acapella by a thirteen year old girl.

She wrote both of these songs.

It's difficult finding acapella harmony groups on YouTube because of the number of solo acapella singers posting videos. My sister recommends Chanticleer and my wife loves Manhatten Transfer. Please turn me on to your favorite acapella groups and your favorite Obama songs in any genre in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Doobie McWhitebrooks - Looks Like I'm Votin' for a Black Man

Clint Travis W. "Doobie" McWhitebrooks - Looks Like I'm Votin' for a Black Man

Doobie's got a great song here. Really funny. Most of the Obama Country songs I found were humorous and dealt with race. Maybe, like in Blazing Saddles, humor is the way to get this message across.

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Here's R.C. Bannon, a country music songwriter with his pro Obama update of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home".

Speaking of change I found this Google group.

Although this next song isn't exactly about Obama I think the message has to help him.

1. billion is a big ol' number
   Who's gonna pay this check
   Well, it always comes back to the backs of workers
   From the lower and middle class

- The Countrytards - 700 Billion Dollar Bailout

If you've enjoyed The Countrytards you can visit their MySpace.

Huffington Post has this article about Toby Keith and Barack Obama.

There's a big part of America that really believes that there is a war on terrorism, and that we need to finish up.

So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things.

So as far as leadership and patriotism goes, I think it's really important that those things have to take place. And I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton. And that's coming from a Democrat."

- Huffington Post quotes Toby Keith

Jason Zumwalt - Toby Keith's Pro-Obama Anthem

Maybe you've heard some other Country songs for Obama. I have to admit of all the genres I've covered so far this was the most difficult. Maybe nobody wants to go through what the Dixie Chicks went through over the Iraq War and George W. Bush. Maybe, like junior, country musicians really like McCain-Palin.

I don't know. Help me out.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Nimbleweed - Yes We Can (bluegrass)

Nimbleweed - Yes We Can (bluegrass)

There's something about Bluegrass. Banjos, fiddles, and mandolins, the harshness, the dissonance, the nasality, the true American beauty. Nothing screams rural America like Bluegrass. And yes, Bluegrass musicians are also saying, "Yes we can."

This video is the Nimbleweed response to will.i.am. Without as many celebrities. But still just as toe tapping.

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Here's a Bluegrass Obama video recorded in Germany by Sly and Boyle, The Original Bitterroot Boys.

Gimme Hope Obama

Here's their website.

This next one's not strictly about Barack Obama but at least it ain't the Suppress The Vote Yodel.

There is no bigger name in Bluegrass today than Ralph Stanley. Here's his radio ad for Obama.

Governor Tim Kaine, a musician himself, appreciates what Ralph Stanley has done for Virginia.

Here's a short clip of the Governor playing with the real Soggy Bottom Boys.

We have to remember that the turning point in "O Brother Where Art Thou" is when the Governor pardons The Soggy Bottom Boys in spite of the fact that the band is integrated. Of course black and white musicians have always played together but the first integrated acts that worked clubs in the US were Blues bands from the sixties. Now, of course, integrated bands are so common that nobody notices anymore.

On a side note I first learned "Man Of Constant Sorrow" from Bob Dylan back when the man of constant sorrow came from Colorado.

Here's Governor Tim Kaine and the Seldom Scene doing "Sitting On Top Of The World".

dalfireplug and I were discussing this song in the comments of my Beatnik Turtle diary and I listed 21 versions by great musicians just on the first YouTube search page. I didn't however list Rhode Island Red doing "Sitting On Top Of The World" at our show in Helena, Arkansas.

For the whole show, Hairy Larry and Rhode Island Red Live at Bunkys Breakfast on October 5, 2006, click here. We've got a thing going on with the harmonica and kazoo that you've got to hear.

I hope you've enjoyed the Bluegrass. Please post your favorite Bluegrass or Obama songs in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Ludacris - Obama Is Here

LUDACRIS - OBAMA IS HERE

Hip Hop music is by it's nature topical. It's all about the poetry. And it is essentially improvisational. Every performance different.

Hip Hop musicians have come out strong for Obama. They see that we're making history and they want to make us make it. They are working hard at it and they are making an impact.

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When it come to Hip Hop I'm not hip. Now the Talking Blues, the musical progenitor of Hip Hop, I'm all about that. Give me some "Talking World War III Blues" or "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and I get it.

Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues

But I would be derelict in my duties, definitely not fulfilling my mission, if I didn't cover some of the most important Obama songs out there.

So I am relying on you current Hip Hop fans to fill in the blanks for me. Tell me what I got wrong and what I'm missing. Just don't get all down on the dissing.

Here's an Obama video made in LA by TISA.

Not only does Hip Hop like Obama but Obama likes Hip Hop too. Here he is talking about some of his favorite music on Tavis Smiley.

I've got a video by each of the artists Obama mentioned. Here's Kanye West freestyling for Obama.

And here's Jay-Z at a voter registration concert sponsored by the Obama campaign in Miami, Florida.

There's even a MySpace Page dedicated to this subgenre.

I am sure I'm missing some of the best stuff out there. So please add your favorite Obama songs in the comments.

Thanks,

Hairy Larry

Hairy Larry blogs internet video and audio at MixRemix
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Copyright by Larry Heyl and Vivian Heyl