I Got The Music In Me - Part 1

So I decided to make a list, 'cause I'm bored and I like making lists.  After many months of downloading music I have amassed nearly 10,000 titles.  Instead of just downloading songs that I know, or that I know I like, I download entire albums, which has introduced me to songs I had never heard.  Now I feel I must make a list of certain bands' best albums, in my opinion of course.  But maybe by listing these albums, you'll get turned on to something that you possibly never thought you would.  The list will be alphabetical and open to criticism if you so like.  Enjoy.  Oh, by the way, the Highest Charting Single data comes from Billboard U.S. Top 100 charts.

AC/DC

The first band I chose turns out to be a really tough decision.  I credit my high school buddy, Iain Mitchell, for turning me on to AC/DC.  They were "his" band, whereas Van Halen was "my" band.  At the time Brian Johnson was leading the band, and I had no idea there was another singer before him.  When I first heard songs by Bon Scott, I was completely hooked!  AC/DC was formed back in 1973 when brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, two Scottish-born lads transplanted to Sydney, Australia, recruited Larry Van Kriedt (bass), Colin Burgess (drums) and Dave Evans (vocals).  They played local spots and started to gain a pretty good following based on their live shows.  Angus had already adopted his schoolboy schtick and people loved it.  In 1974, the brothers Young relocated to Melbourne and started to really develop their blues-rock repertoire.  They quickly realized that Evans was not the singer they needed to vault them into fame.  Bon Scott was a friend of a friend of the oldest Young brother, George.  He came in to be the new singer, Phil Rudd became the new drummer, and Mark Evans was the new bassist.  The rest, as they say, is history.  

Now, why was this a hard decision for me?  Basically because 1980's Back In Black was a monster hit, and rightfully so.  It was Brian Johnson's first album with the band after Scott's untimely death.  It had huge hits, including "Hells Bells", "Back In Black" and easily the band's biggest hit, "You Shook Me All Night Long".  It's a great album, no doubt, but AC/DC's last album with Bon Scott on vocals is my choice as their best.  Highway To Hell, released in 1979, opened with the title song which peaked at number 47 on the Billboard charts.  The second song "Girls Got Rhythm" is just a balls-out rocker with Scott screaming his head off near the end, and you can feel it deep down in your soul.  "Touch Too Much", "Beating Around The Bush" and "Shot Down In Flames" could be interchangeable, but each one rocks.  But it's the 8th song "If You Want Blood (You Got It)" that pretty much defines the bad-ass attitude of the band, and Scott himself.  Screaming like a banshee, "YOU GOT IT!!!", Scott shows why he was one of the best heavy rock singers of all time.

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  17 (1975-2014)

Grammys: One (Best Hard Rock Performance "War Machine" - 2010)

Highest Charting Single: 23 ("Moneytalks" - 1991)

AEROSMITH

I'm 14 years old, working at the local IGA.  One of my co-workers, a few years older than me, was very excited to score tickets to the Aerosmith concert coming to town later in the year.  I remember asking him "Who's gonna sing the Run-DMC parts to 'Walk this Way'?".  He just about fainted away at my stupidity.  That was the only Aerosmith song I knew of at the time!  Not long after I realized Aerosmith was a pretty big band back in the day.  The year 1986 was the beginning of their comeback.  Back in 1970, two bands collided.  Steven Tyler was in a band Chain Reaction as the drummer and part-time singer.  Joe Perry (guitar) and Tom Hamilton (bass) were part of a band known as Jam Band.  Joey Kramer (drums) joined up with Jam Band later on.  In 1970, Chain Reaction and Jam Band played the same show.  Tyler loved Jam Band's sound and suggested they combine to make a new band.  They started writing songs and practised in one of their garages, and soon brought on Tyler's friend Ray Tabano (rhythm guitar).  The first concert as Aerosmith took place  at Nipmuc Regional High School in Mendon, Massachusetts.  Soon after, Tabano left the band and Brad Whitford took his place.  Tyler, Perry, Hamilton, Kramer and Whitford would be the core band members for the first of many successes Aerosmith had.

Of all their albums, 1975's Toys In The Attic has to be my fave.  They had bigger selling albums in Rocks, Permanent Vacation and Pump, and they all contain good songs, but I always go back to "Toys".  The album starts off strong with the rockin' "Toys In The Attic" and slides in to the almost hillbilly rock of "Uncle Salty".  But the record really gets good with songs 4, 5 and 6.  The fourth track is a tune called "Walk This Way", the song I heard in 1986 when they teamed up with Run-DMC, except this is the original.  Tune number five is a live version of "Big Ten Inch Record", a tongue in cheek nod to the groupies that would follow the band around for years and years.  Then the sixth song, "Sweet Emotion", is probably the one Aerosmith song that I can listen to again and again. Toys In The Attic has been certified 8 times Platinum (8,000,000 copies sold) and peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 15 (1973-2012)

Grammys: 4 (Best Rock Performance "Janie's Got A Gun" - 1990)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Livin' On The Edge" - 1993)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Crazy" - 1994)

                     (Best Rock Performance "Pink" - 1998)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - 1998)

ALICE COOPER

Alice Cooper has been on the rock scene since the late 1960's, and still going strong.  He's released 26 albums, some good, some not even worth mentioning.  Alice Cooper was the name for the band that was created by Vincent Furnier after his band, the Nazz, had to change their name because of Todd Rundgren's band, also called Nazz.  Furnier's band had just moved to Los Angeles and he thought they needed some sort of gimmick in order to make a name for themselves.  The name "Alice Cooper" did not come to the band from a Ouija Board as the urban legend suggests.  It actually came from a character on "Mayberry R.F.D.".  Furnier thought the juxtaposition of the saintly Alice Cooper and the demon induced show that they put on was cool.  Soon after, Furnier would legally take the name Alice Cooper, along with the image that went along with it.

Alice Cooper released some really good albums in the 1970's including Love It To Death, which contained the very famous "I'm Eighteen", School's Out and Welcome To My Nightmare, but 1973's Billion Dollar Babies has to be my pick.  It opens with "Hello, Hooray" which, if you are a listener of Q107's Psychedelic Psunday in Toronto, you know all too well.  Soon after, the great, and underrated, "Elected" comes on, melding it's way into the album's title song "Billion Dollar Babies".  The second side, or sixth song on your CD, starts off with "No More Mr. Nice Guy", one of my favourite Cooper tracks.  And it all gets wrapped up with the spooky ballad-like "I Love The Dead" which pretty much sums up the Alice Cooper image.  Billion Dollar Babies went certified Platinum in the US and reached number 1 on the Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 26 (1969-2011)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 7 ("School's Out" - 1972)

                                            ("Poison" - 1989)

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

I got into The Allman Brothers Band late in life.  I was always a big fan of "Whipping Post" and "Ramblin' Man" and "Southbound", but I didn't become a huge fan of the band until I started downloading ALL their stuff.  Such a great, tight, inventive band.  The brothers Allman included Duane (guitar) and Gregg (vocals and keyboard).  They started to form what would become their band in the late 1960's, recruiting Dickey Betts (guitar) and Butch Trucks (drums).  They moved to Macon, Georgia and started recording for Capricorn Records.  Their first album, The Allman Brothers Band, was a commercial flop, but word of mouth coming from their sensational live shows started to spread.  Probably one of the most famous live albums ever was recorded in 1971 in New York, titled At Fillmore East.  This album solidified the band as one of the best live bands around.  The players would change every so often, but the brothers were always there.  That is until late in 1971 when Duane Allman died in a horrible motorcycle crash back in Macon.  Gregg would carry the torch for another 40 odd years.

Many folks would have chosen 1972's Eat A Peach as The Allman Brothers Band's finest album.  I do love that album, even the 33-minute tune "Mountain Jam".  But for me it's the 1970 album Idlewild South that really gets me going.  Blending R and B with good old Southern Rock perfectly, the album opens with the toe-tapping "Revival".  Song number 3 is the ever-popular "Midnight Rider" which I love to pieces.  But where things really get interesting is song number 5.  It's a brilliant re-imagining of the Willie Dixon tune "Hoochie Coohie Man" that has been done a thousand times before, but the brothers rock it out with that great Sothern twang.  It's fabulous!  It all ends with Gregg Allman showing off his vocal chops on "Leave My Blues At Home".  Just a great album from start to finish.  In 2014, Rolling Stone magazine listed Idlewild South as one of the 40 Most Groundbreaking Albums Of All Time.  It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard charts.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1969-2003)

Grammys: 1 (Best Rock Instrumental "Jessica" - 1995)

Highest Charting Single: 2 ("Ramblin' Man" - 1973)

THE ANIMALS (ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS)

The Animals came about in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1962.  Lead singer Eric Burdon (the blackest white man in music) joined forces with Alan Price (keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums) and "Chas" Chandler (bass) and began playing versions of Rhythm and Blues standards.  Some had said that they came up with the name "Animals" because of their crazy live shows.  Actually, they called themselves The Animals to pay tribute to a friend of theirs, "Animal" Hogg.  Once they recorded "House Of The Rising Sun" in 1964 they were able to ride the wave of the British invasion that took over the States in the mid-'60's.  The original members were together for only 4 years, when, because of terrible mismanagement of funds, they had to disband.  Burdon kept the name and found other musicians to become Eric Burdon And The Animals, but they only lasted a few years themselves.  Through the years there have been many incarnations of The Animals including reunions of the original members in the mid-'70's and '80's.

I chose Animal Tracks (the UK Version) as my favourite of The Animals' albums for two reasons.  One, they were still getting used to the fame that "House Of The Rising Sun" brought them, and two, they followed that success with amazing takes on some great Blues songs.  The Album starts with one of my favourites, "Mess Around", a version that seemed to be made for Eric Burdon.  Track number 3 is another fabulous take on Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So".  The next song is also a Charles song, "I Believe To My Soul" which Burdon sings from the depths of his soul.  The seventh tune, "I Ain't Got You", also shows off the incredible vocals of Burdon.  "Let The Good Times Roll" has Burdon having a bit of fun, and the last tune, "Roadrunner", makes you feel like you're at a party and The Animals just happen to be playing live in the corner of the room.  The whole able makes you want to sing and dance and have a good time!  

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1964-1983)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("The House Of The Rising Sun" - 1964)

BAD COMPANY

Paul Rodgers (vocals) and Simon Kirke (drums) used to be in the band Free, a group that had called it quits in 1973.  Rodgers quickly got more musicians to join him, Mick Ralphs (guitar) and Boz Burrell (bass), and formed Bad Company.  The band was an immediate hit.  Their debut album, Bad Company, was released in 1974 and went to number 1 on the Billboard Album chart.  They continued their hard rocking ways churning out hits like "Feel Like Making Love", "Shooting Star" and "Rock And Roll Fantasy".  They released their last album, Rough Diamonds, in 1982 and soon after disbanded, feeling they needed a break from the touring life they had.  Ralphs had said their breakup was "wrong from a business standpoint" but they all needed to stop for a while.  Different incarnations of Bad Company emerged in the 1980's, with Brian Howe and Robert Hart taking turns as lead singer, but they never reached the heights of their time with Paul Rodgers.  The original foursome reunited in 1999 for a tour, and still continue to play to this day, but never released a new album.

I had to choose Bad Company's first album, Bad Company, as my favourite.  Their first album, released in 1974, shows what the band is all about.  The great rockin' start, "Can't Get Enough", starts off with a toe tapping drum and Rodgers' fantastic vocals.  Song number 2, "Rock Steady", leaves no doubt that he can wail!!  "Ready For Love" is an almost ballad, again showing the incredible of range of Rosgers' vocals.  "Bad Company" and "Movin' On" just keep the album going, featuring some fine guitar work, and, of course, Rodgers front and centre.  The album would hit number 1 on the Billboard Album chart with two Top 20 singles ("Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On") and go on to be certified five time Platinum.  

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 12 (1974-1996)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 5 ("Can't Get Enough" - 1974)

THE BEASTIE BOYS

The Beastie Boys came on the scene right around 1986, when I was a young and impressionable 14 year old.  I was immediately hooked after hearing "(You Gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)".  It turned out to be one of the songs I hate to hear now because of heavy rotation on MuchMusic and on the radio.  Still, back then, I found a trio that would help shape who I am today.  Michael Diamond (Mike D), Adam Yauch (MCA) and Adam Horovitz (Ad Rock) would grow as I grew, mature as musicians as I matured as a man.  The 'Boys' were born back in 1981 when Diamond and Yauch teamed up with a couple of friends to play punk music.  They would play ahead of other more well known bands like The Dead Kennedys and Bad Brains.  Horovitz came on board in 1982 and the Beastie Boys released an EP called "Cooky Puss" which showcased their underground rap style along with their skilled sampling.  Rick Rubin came on to DJ their live shows.  Soon after Rubin left the group to develop his own record label along with Russell Simmons.  They called it Def Jam Recordings and brought the Beastie Boys on board right away.

The Beastie Boys' first album, Licensed To Ill, was put out by Def Jam, but all subsequent records were put out by Capitol Records.  It's that first album that got me hooked to the Beastie Boys, but their followup album, Paul's Boutique, is my favourite of all.  Where Licensed To Ill seemed like three kids having a good time, Paul's Boutique really saw the maturity of the trio, putting more thought into what they wrote and how it sounded.  "Shake Your Rump" is one of my favourite songs, "High Plains Drifter" and "Egg Man" are fun, and "Hey Ladies" became an instant classic.  The entire album has a rap-punk, 1970's funk sound to it.  Great sampling and an early showcase of the Beastie Boys' genius.  The album made it to number 14 on the Billboard Album chart.

Band Stats 

Studio Albums: 8 (1986-2011)

Grammys: 3 (Best Rap Performance "Intergalactic" - 1998)

                    (Best Alternative Album "Hello Nasty" - 1998)

                    (Best Pop Instrumental Album "Mix-Up" - 2007)

Highest Charting Single: 7 ("(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" - 1987)

THE BEATLES

How is it possible to select one's favourite Beatles album?  It's almost like asking what type of bacon you prefer; it's bacon, it's all great!!  Growing up I knew very little about the most famous, most influential, most copied band to ever exist.  Sure I knew the hits that got regular air play (and it's now those that I dislike hearing the most from overplay).  As I grew, my appreciation for the Fab Four grew and grew, and I started to think long and hard about the questions "Early Beatles?" or "Late Beatles?".  It was a bit of a game I played, asking others their preferences.  My preference developed into "Late Beatles", which is not to take away from any of their massive hits in the early '60's.  "Please Please Me", "Love Me Do", "Twist And Shout", "Eight Days A Week" and so on would always be ingrained into our consciousness, but I was more interested in the band when they experimented, using more instruments and effects.  

When I began this post, I knew I would have to decide which album I liked best and why.  It's taken me a few days to think about.  Why not Revolver or The White Album or Abbey Road or Sgt. Pepper's??  Truthfully, I found reasons to say "Yes, that one".  But ultimately I went with their last studio album, Let It Be.  I think I choose this one because of what the world knew was happening at the time, that is, their favourite band was in the midst of arguments and turmoil.  It came out in their songs, too.  Apart from the title song (which was about Paul's mother, but fit well with what The Beatles were going through at the time) there was "The Long And Winding Road", a song that Paul wrote specifically about the tensions within the band.  The album starts with "Two Of Us", written by Paul about he and his wife Linda, but could have been about him and John Lennon.  "Across The Universe" is an all-time classic, but my absolute favourites are the great rocking duo of "I've Got A Feeling" and "Get Back".  Whenever I hear those songs I think of the band on the roof of Apple Records.  "Get Back" was the last song the band would ever play together, as the cops shut down the free concert just after.  Thinking of them singing those songs, easily clear they were at odds with their feelings (having a great time but knowing it was the end) makes them forever special in my mind.  There will never be another "Beatles", and it's perfectly fine that way!

Band Stats:

Studio Albums: 22 (1963-1970)

Grammys: 8 (Best Pop Performance "Hard Day's Night" - 1964)

                     (Best New Artist - 1964)

                     (Best Pop/Rock/Other Contemporary Album "Sgt. Pepper's" - 1967)

                     (Album Of The Year "Sgt. Pepper's" - 1967)

                     (Best Instrumental Composition For Movie Or TV "Let It Be" - 1970)

                     (Best Music Video, Short Form "Free As A Bird" - 1996)

                     (Best Pop Performance By Group "Free As A Bird" - 1996)

                     (Best Music Video, Long Form "Beatles Anthology" - 1996)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("I Want To Hold Your Hand" - 1964)

                                            ("She Loves You" - 1964)

                                            ("Can't Buy Me Love" - 1964)

                                            ("Love Me Do" - 1964)

                                            ("A Hard Day's Night" - 1964)

                                            ("I Feel Fine" - 1964)

                                            ("Eight Days A Week" - 1965)

                                            ("Ticket To Ride" - 1965)

                                            ("Help!" - 1965)

                                            ("Yesterday" - 1965)

                                            ("We Can Work It Out" - 1966)

                                            ("Paperback Writer" - 1966)

                                            ("Penny Lane" - 1967)

                                            ("All You Need Is Love" - 1967)

                                            ("Hello Goodbye" - 1967)

                                            ("Hey Jude" - 1968)

                                            ("Come Together/Something" - 1969)

                                            ("Let It Be" - 1970)

                                            ("The Long And Winding Road/For You Blue" - 1970)

BILLY JOEL

I grew up during a time when Billy Joel was all over the airwaves.  From 1973 to 1983 it was almost impossible to listen to the radio for an hour and NOT hear a Billy Joel song.  He decided to pursue a career in music after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 at the impressionable age of 15.  He joined a band the next year, Echoes, who specialized in covers from the big British bands of the day.  In 1967 he left the Echoes and joined another band called The Hassels.  They released a couple of albums, but were commercial failures.  He recorded his first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor, in 1971.  He's been going at it ever since.

Glass Houses was one of the first albums I can remember listening to over and over again.  In fact, I still have a copy of it but no record player to play it on.  It was released in 1980 on the heels of some great successful albums, most notably The Stranger and 52nd Street.  But for me it was always Glass Houses that kept me loving Joel.  Even during the '80's with huge hits like "Uptown Girl" and "Tell Her About It", I still kept coming back.  The first four songs are all hits in my eyes; "You May Be Right", "Sometimes A Fantasy" (oh, oh, oh, oh), "Don't Ask Me Why" and "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me".  "All For Leyna" is rough and tough and heartbreaking all at once.  That was the first side.  The second side was still good, but the first side was the one that got worn out on our player.  And the album cover is awesome, too.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 13 (1971-2001)

Grammys: 5 (Song Of The Year "Just The Way You Are" - 1978)

                     (Record Of The Year "Just The Way You Are" - 1978)

                     (Best Male Pop Vocal Album "52nd Street" - 1979)

                     (Album Of The Year "52nd Street" - 1979)

                     (Best Male Rock Vocal Album "Glass Houses" - 1980)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" - 1980)

                                            ("Tell Her About It" - 1983)

                                            ("We Didn't Start The Fire" - 1989)

BLACK SABBATH

It was 1968 and guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward broke free of their band, Mythology, in order to start a new band that focused more on heavy blues-oriented rock.  They enlisted the help of bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne who played together in a band called Rare Breed.  After a few throw away names, they decided to call their band Earth.  Iommi actually left the band for a short time to play with Jethro Tull, but by 1969 the foursome were back together.  While playing around England in '69 they realized they were being mistaken for another band called Earth.  They needed a new name.  While rehearsing they noticed people lining up to see a Boris Karloff horror film called Black Sabbath.  They decided to write the song "Black Sabbath" using heavy tones and evil sounding lyrics, which, in 1969, was quite dark and original.  All four members loved the new sound and decided to call the band Black Sabbath.  They became probably the most influential heavy metal band to ever exist!

The band released two albums in 1970; Black Sabbath and Paranoid.  The former was a great introduction to the band's heavy sound including songs "Black Sabbath" and "The Wizard".  But Paranoid really showed the world what they could do and was a huge hit as a result.  "War Pigs", "Paranoid", "Iron Man", "Electric Funeral", all huge hits within the heavy metal scene.  It was loud and ominous.  You could feel the heavy strings of Iommi and Butler ripping your soul apart.  And at the centre of it all was the madman Ozzy Osbourne.  The group would see other singers join up (Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes and Tony Martin) when Ozzy decided to go solo but the foursome reunited in 2011 to tour and release one more album.  Although their last album was good, shockingly so, there was no way they could rekindle the magic of Paranoid.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 19 (1970-2013)

Grammys: 2 (Best Metal Performance "Iron Man" - 1999)

                     (Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance "God Is Dead" - 2013)

Highest Charting Single: 52 ("Iron Man" - 1972)

THE CARS

Here's another band that was huge when I was growing up.  They were all over the radio and video shows in 1984.  It took some time for me to realize that they had been around for several years before that, and what I heard from those albums got me liking The Cars a whole lot!  Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr met in the late '60's in Cleveland and played in a few bands together before moving to Boston.  They recruited Greg Hawkes (keyboards), Elliot Easton (guitar) and David Robinson (drums) and formed a band.  

Their first album, The Cars, was released in 1978 and, in my opinion, was their best.  They would find a lot more airplay and video play in 1984 with the release of Heartbeat City which contained a few monster hits, "Magic", "Drive" and "You Might Think".  But their first album introduced the listener to their pop/rock melodies with great songs such as "Good Times Roll", "Best Friend's Girl", "Just What I Needed" and "You're All I've Got Tonight".  Track number 8, "Moving In Stereo", should be very familiar to anyone that has seen the movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High, specifically the scene where we all fell in love with Pheobe Cates! 

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 7 (1978-2011)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 3 ("Drive" - 1984)

CHICAGO

Chicago has been releasing big hits for more than 40 years, starting in 1969 when they were known as the Chicago Transit Authority.  It all started in, well, Chicago, Illinois.  Many of the original members attended DePaul University, a private school in Chicago.  Terry Kath (guitar), Danny Seraphine (drums), Walter Parazaider (saxophone), James Pankow (trombone) and Lee Loughnane (trumpet) all went to that school.  They got together and recruited Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals) from a neighbouring school.  They played a bunch of shows as The Big Thing, playing mostly covers.  After a while they thought they needed another singer to compliment Lamm's baritone, so they recruited Peter Cetera, a bassist with a tenor voice.  together they decided to call themselves the Chicago Transit Authority, but cut their name down to just Chicago after their first release.

It's their first album that I pick as my favourite.  Titled simply Chicago Transit Authority, it was released in 1969, and was a double album!  How many times have you heard of a band releasing a double album as their first???  What they did was pack the album with some radio friendly pop tunes like "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Beginnings" which really let's people know how incredibly well the horns played with the rest of the band.  The sound was rocking and easy all at once.  "Questions 67 & 68" let us hear the high tone of Cetera, as the brilliant Terry Kath plays in the intro.  "Poem 58" also let's us discover the brilliance of Kath, a guitarist that Jimi Hendrix once said was "better than me"!!  The real joy of this debut album, for me, is the band's rendition of "I'm A Man", the great Spencer Davis Group song written by Steve Winwood.  They really let it all loose on that track, and it remains one of my favourite Chicago songs.  In 1978 Terry Kath tragically died, courtesy of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.  The band would go on, with many changing members, and have huge hits in the '70's and '80's, but the first, for me, is still the best!

Band Stats

Studio Albums:  24 (1969-2014)

Grammys: 1 (Best Pop Performance By A Group "If You Leave Me Now" - 1976)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("If You Leave Me Now" - 1976)

                                           ("Hard To Say I'm Sorry" - 1982)

                                           ("Look Away" - 1988)

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

Creedence Clearwater Revival, or CCR, had huge hits back in the late '60's and early '70's.  Every once in a while I'd hear a song on the radio with that familiar country/rock twang, such as "Born On The Bayou" or "Green River" or "Down On The Corner".  In fact, I liked the songs played on the radio so much that I bought a "Best Of" CD, a two disc set that had hit after hit.  CCR came to be back in the early '60's when Junior High buddies John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford began jamming together, calling themselves The Blue Velvets.  Soon they would join up with John's brother, Tom Fogerty, and sign with Fantasy Records.  They changed their name at that time to The Golliwogs.  John Fogerty and Doug Clifford were drafted into the military in 1966, but were discharged in 1967, around the time that a new owner of Fantasy Records wanted to change the band's name.  They settled on Creedence (named for a friend of Tom's, Credence Newball) Clearwater (from a commercial for Olympia Beer) Revival (for the four members of the band getting back together).  Within a year the band would put out their first album, Creedence Clearwater Revival, an introduction that was well received and spawned many hits.

In 1970, CCR released Cosmo's Factory.  Even though their previous albums contained many of their biggest hits, their best work, in my opinion, lies within this album.  The first song is a perfect intro to what lies ahead, the seven minute "Ramble Tamble".  We get some more radio friendly hits in "Travelin' Band", "Looking Out My Back Door" and "Run Through The Jungle".  A great rendition of Arthur Crudup's "My Baby Left Me" slides right into the wonderful "Who'll Stop The Rain".  But the best song is the eleven minute cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", a song that wish could go on for days!  You really can't lose with any of CCR's first 5 or 6 albums, but Cosmo's Factory is a definite stand out.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 7 (1968-1972)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 2 ("Proud Mary" - 1969)

                                            ("Bad Moon Rising" - 1969)

                                            ("Green River" - 1969)

                                            ("Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop The Rain" - 1970)

                                            ("Looking Out My Back Door/As Long As I Can See The Light" - 1970)

DAVID BOWIE

What else can be said about David Bowie??  He was a true icon of music, fashion, celebrity, movies, and how we see the world through the arts.  Just a ridiculously talented man that left us far too early.  Through the years he took on many identities; The Thin White Duke, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane.  It didn't matter what you called him because you knew his latest album would be something special.  Not all of them worked (does anybody remember 1987's Never Let Me Down??) but more times than not, he soared!

Of all the great albums we got from Bowie (The Man Who Sold The World, Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Let's Dance) i would have to go back to where Ziggy was born, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.  The album tells a story of a man and his alter ego, really, Bowie himself.  You may even call it a rock opera, in the vein of The Who's Tommy.  You can hear Bowie's emotions come through in the first song, "Five Years", the sadness and hopelessness.  "Moonage Daydream" introduces the antagonist.  The beautiful, yearning, "Starman" takes us to the outer limits.  Hope is restored with "Star'.  Then we get to "Ziggy Stardust" himself, where rock n' roll can save us all.  Probably Bowie's best rocker comes in "Suffragette City".  All the songs make you feel something, which is what music should be all about.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 25 (1967-2016)

Grammys: 1 (Best Short Form Video "Blue Jean" - 1984)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Fame" - 1975)

                                            ("Let's Dance" - 1983)

DEEP PURPLE

One of the front-runners of heavy rock, along with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple are certainly one of the most underrated bands I know of.  Sure they came up with one of the greatest riffs in rock n' roll history with "Smoke On The Water", but they were so much more.  The band started with the recruitment of John Lord (organ) and Ritchie Blackmore (guitar).  Lord suggested his buddy, Nick Simper, come in to play bass.  Auditions for a singer, won by Ron Evans, also landed a drummer in Ian Paice.  Success came quickly after the release of their first album, Shades Of Deep Purple, and they were booked to support Cream on a tour.  Before the end of the next year, Ian Gillan was brought on as lead singer, and the band's success just continued to grow.  David Coverdale came in to sing for a few years in the '70's (about 1973 to 1976) and came out with a really good album in 1974's Burn, but the band would fall apart soon after.  The band reformed years later, broke up again, and reformed one more time.  As of this writing, a brand new studio album is due out in April.

Before Machine Head, Deep Purple had a pretty avid following due to some hit singles in "Hush" and "Speed King", but nothing came close to the success they would have after the release of this album.  Starting off with "Highway Star", it was a good indication that this album needed to be listened to LOUD.  The pulsating guitar, the fantastic Hammond Organ played by John Lord, the screaming vocals of Gillan, the song makes you want to get into a muscle car and drive 100 miles per hour!  "Maybe I'm A Leo" sounds like it could've been a hit single for Cream.  But the real brilliance of this album comes in the last three songs.  "Smoke On The Water"'s recognizable beginning, telling the story of a rather large firs in Lake Geneva, the slow buildup of "Lazy" with Gillan's screaming soul vocals, and "Space Truckin'" which is just a balls out rocker from start to finish.  This album would easily be in my Top 10 of all-time.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 20 (1968-2017)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 4 ("Hush" - 1968)

                                            ("Smoke On The Water" - 1973)

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

The Doobie Brothers have had a couple of successful eras which most people split as pre-Michael McDonald and during Michael McDonald.  The band first got together in 1969 and 1970 with four main players: Tom Johnston (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Simmons (vocals, guitar), Dave Shogren (bass) and John Hartman (drums).  They began to play live gigs and got a huge following behind them for their rocking R and B style.  Their first album didn't do so well, partly because they couldn't replicate their live shows.  In 1971, they brought in a second drummer, Michael Hossack, and improved their sound on stage and on vinyl.  In 1975, the band had to replace Tom Johnston, who was hospitalized due to exhaustion, and found a gem in Michael McDonald.  The McDonald era went away from the band's Blues roots a bit, but they were never more successful, churning out hit after hit.  The Doobie Brothers kept a revolving door of musicians after the McDonald era, continuing to release albums, but being way more successful with their tours.

Toulouse Street was the second album the Doobie's released, back in 1972, and is my pick as their best.  They had much more success with the Michael McDonald albums, but, for me, the true rock and soul of the band before Michael McDonald is what I loved.  "Listen To The Music" became a bit hit and is still played on many rock-oriented radio shows.  "Rockin' Down The Highway" really shows off the melodic strength of their singing.  But the kicker, a song that is almost synonymous with The Doobie Brothers, is "Jesus is Just Alright".  It's a rollicking rocker that slows down and builds back up for a great ending.   Even though the band released much more popular and successful albums, the bare bones roots of Toulouse Street keep me listening over and over.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 14 (1971-2014)

Grammys: 2 (Record Of The Year "What A Fool Believes" - 1979)

                     (Best Pop Performance By Group, Album "Minute By Minute" - 1979)

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Black Water" - 1975)

                                            ("What A Fool Believes" - 1979)

THE DOORS

I used to be a HUGE Doors fan!  I still enjoy their stuff, but I ate it all up as a teen.  I couldn't get enough of Jim Morrison's voice, or Ray Manzarek's keyboard.  I thought their songs were all at once fun and deep.  The band got together in 1965.  Manzarek was in a band with his two brothers, along with others, and when he met Morrison, brought him on to sing.  Manzarek's brothers decided to quit, as did their guitarist and drummer.  Manzarek knew John Densmore from some classes they had together and brought him into the new band as it's drummer.  Robby Krieger joined up in mid-1965 and the quartet was set.  "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite", and The Doors were born.

The Doors released some really great albums in a very short time, but had a couple of duds as well.  L.A. Woman and Morrison Hotel are fabulous albums, but I always go back to their first, the one that introduced The Doors to the world, The Doors.  It starts off with a good indication of what you're gonna get, "Break On Through", Morrison's deep voice and Manzarek's whirling keyboards.  "Soul Kitchen" and "The Crystal Ship" are more examples of Morrison's great voice.  The sixth song, written by Robby Krieger, is the one that shot the band into super-stardom, "Light My Fire".  Morrison plays with the listener on Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man", a wonderful re-imagining of the song.  It all comes together at the end with the eleven-plus minute "The End", a mesmerizing song that's impossible to turn away from.

Band Stats

Studio Albums: 9 (1967-1978)

Grammys: None

Highest Charting Single: 1 ("Light My Fire" - 1967)

                                            ("Hello, I Love You" - 1968)

Ok, that's a lot to take in for now.  Stay tuned for Part II of "I Got The Music In Me".

2016 Sucked Ass!

So earlier in the year, January 3 to be specific, I wrote down in this very blog some of the celebrities that had passed away in 2015.  It seemed like a large list, but it pales in comparison to 2016.  For a time earlier in the year it seemed like celebrities, actors, musicians and the like were dropping like flies.  I was going to wait until January of 2017 to list some of the folks that left us, but I decided to do it a little earlier in hopes that I won't have to update this post.  We've had enough, 2016!!  For now, though, let's take a moment to remember a list of folks that passed and maybe share some memories of what they meant to you.

Pat Harrington Jr.
B. August 13, 1929  New York, New York
D. January 6, 2016  (aged 86)  Los Angeles,         California
Cause: Alzheimer's Disease

I never knew who Pat Harrington was until the sitcom "One Day At A Time", and I didn't follow his career afterwards.  He was always, and for me, will always be Schneider, the wise-cracking, always on the lookout for a good time, superintendent to a single mother with two daughters.  He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his work on that show.  In a career that started in the 1950's, he had appeared on tons of TV shows such as "The Steve Allen Show", "Make Room For Daddy", "The Munsters", "The Beverley Hillbillies", "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", "The Partridge Family" and many, many more.

David Bowie
B. January 8, 1947  London, England
D. January 10, 2016 (aged 69)  New York, New York
Cause: Liver Cancer

There were two deaths during 2016 that shocked me to my core, one I will get to a little further on, and David Bowie.  I think much of the world was shocked at the news of the Thin White Duke's demise.  Although he had been in the spotlight for over five decades, very few knew about his health problems.  In fact, he had just released another studio album, Blackstar, just before his passing.  I wrote about my shock of this news in another blog entry the day after his death, so I won't go into what he meant to me, and others, through the years.  But it was a huge loss to the music industry, the fashion industry, the "star machine"...to all of us.

Alan Rickman
B. February 21, 1946  London, England
D. January 12, 2016 (aged 69)  London, England
Cause: Pancreatic Cancer

This one was another shock to the system, as the general population didn't even know he was sick.  It was in the movie "Die Hard" where most people first heard of Mr. Rickman, playing Bruce Willis' nemesis Hans Gruber.  It was his first major movie role, but far from his last.  His enormous talent was soon to be shown in one of my favourite movies, "Truly, Madly, Deeply".  From there came big role after big role, as a younger generation got to follow him as Severus Snape in the "Harry Potter" films.  A phenomenal talent gone way too soon.

Glen Frey
B. November 6, 1948  Detroit, Michigan
D. January 18, 2016 (aged 67) New York, New York
Cause: complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis, acute Ulcerative Colitis, Pneumonia

Another music legend gone.  Just over a week after David Bowie died, and as we were all trying to get over the shock of that, the "leader" of the Eagles leaves us.  Glen Frey was an enormous musical talent who met Don Henley back in 1970 and  they soon were asked to play in a back up band for Linda Ronstadt.  They decided to form a band soon after and the rest is rock n' roll history.  The Eagles went on to win 6 Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998.

Abe Vigoda
B. February 24, 1921  Brooklyn, New York
D. January 26, 2016 (aged 94)  Woodland Park, New Jersey
Cause: Natural Causes, in his sleep

The rumours, this time, were true.  Fish had died.  Known mostly for his roles in TV's "Barney Miller" and filmdom's "The Godfather", the distinct looking actor appeared in nearly 100 shows and movies throughout his career.  Because of a People magazine article in 1982 that mistakenly claimed Vigoda was dead he had been rumoured to have died many times since.  He even got in on it when he would appear on Late Night With Conan O'Brien numerous times just to let people know he was still alive.  "For old time sake".

Maurice White
B. December 19, 1941  Memphis, Tennessee
D. February 4, 2016 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Parkinson's Disease

Another shocking loss from the music industry, Maurice White gave us Earth, Wind & Fire.  He founded the group back in 1970.  From then on, Earth, Wind & Fire would go on to sell more than 90 millions albums.  The band won six Grammy Awards and was nominated for 20!  It was always White's smooth vocals on some of the most recognizable songs on the 1970's including "Shining Star", "Fantasy", "Boogie Wonderland", "Let's Groove" and my favourite "September".  He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's in the late1980's but stayed on as the band's lead voice until 1994.  A tremendous talent.

Vanity (Denise Matthews)
B. January 4, 1959  Niagara Falls, Ontario
D. February 15, 2016 (aged 57) Fremont, California
Cause: Renal failure

If you grew up in the 1980's, you knew who Vanity was.  Not only did she have a monster hit in 1982 with "Nasty Girl" but you'd remember her as a part-time actress, appearing in "52 Pick Up" and "Action Jackson" among others.  She met Prince in 1980 at the American Music Awards and gave her the name Vanity because she seemed like a female version of himself.  More on Prince later...

Harper Lee
B. April 28, 1926  Monroeville, Alabama
D. February 19, 2016 (aged 89) Monroeville, Alabama
Cause: Natural Causes

She published one book, but that was all she needed to become an icon in Literature.  "To Kill A Mockingbird" was published in 1960, became an instant best-seller and won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  Hollywood came calling and the adaptation of her novel became a classic.  She said the screenplay adaptation was "one of the best translations of a book to film ever made".  Although she would hobnob with some celebrities in the 1960's, she led a very reclusive life, not allowing many interviews or requests for public appearances.

George Kennedy
B. February 18, 1925  New York, New York
D. February 28, 2016 (aged 91) Middleton, Idaho
Cause: Heart Disease

He started acting in 1960, and for the next 50 plus years he was one of the most recognizable "bit actor"'s of our time.  He was in everything!  "The Dirty Dozen", "Cool Hand Luke", the "Airport" series of films, and the "Naked Gun" films.  In all, he appeared in over 180 TV shows and movies.  He won an Academy Award for his supporting role in "Cool Hand Luke", which was the only time in his illustrious career that he was nominated for an Oscar.

Nancy Reagan
B. July 6, 1921  New York, New York
D. March 6, 2016 (aged 94) Bel Air, California
Cause: Congestive Heart Failure

She was more than just Ronald Reagan's wife and First Lady of the USA from 1980 to 1988.  Nancy Reagan appeared in 20 or so films and TV shows of the 1940's and '50's as Nancy Davis.  She married the president of the Screen Actors' Guild in 1952, that being Ronald Reagan.  They were married for 52 years, until his death in 2004.  Nancy's political contribution will undoubtedly be remembered for just three words, "Just Say No".  The phrase was everywhere in the '80's, bringing a new awareness to the war on drugs in the United States.

George Martin
B. January 3, 1926  London, England
D. March 8, 2016 (aged 90) Wiltshire, England
Cause: Natural Causes

He worked as a comedy record producer in the '50's for the likes of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan.  In 1962 he was asked to listen to a new group called The Beatles.  Upon hearing them live for the first time, he wasn't sure if he wanted to work with them.  He felt their original material wasn't that strong.  He asked the fellas if there was anything they didn't like.  George Harrison said "your tie",  Lennon and McCartney joined in on the jokes and pretty soon they were signed to record contract.  If it wasn't for George Martin, there may never have been The Beatles, at least in the way we know and love them.  With Martin producing or arranging, he won six Grammys and had 30 number one singles in the UK, 23 in the States.

Keith Emerson
B. November 2, 1944  Yorkshire, England
D. March 11, 2016 (aged 71) Santa Monica, California
Cause: Suicide

He was one of the founders of possibly rock's first progressive band.  Teaming up with Greg Lake of King Crimson and Carl Palmer of Atomic Rooster, Emerson, Lake & Palmer became a monster success and is sited as a major influence to many well known bands that followed.  From 1970 to 1979, their work was regarded as some of the most innovative of the decade.  He went solo in 1980 and work with movie producers on soundtracks, also appearing on many collaborative albums through the years.  If you have never sat down and listened to ELP's "Brain Salad Surgery" then do yourself a favour and download it!

Garry Shandling
B. November 29, 1949  Chicago, Illinois
D. March 24, 2016 (aged 66)  Los Angeles, California
Cause: Heart Attack

A stand-up comic, actor, writer, producer, he did it all.  Before there was "Curb Your Enthusiasm" there was "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and the unbelievably inventive and hilarious "The Larry Sanders Show".  In 1973, working as an advertising agent, he wrote scripts for "Sanford & Son" and "Welcome Back, Kotter".  His first stand-up routine was in 1978 at the famous Comedy Store in L.A..  He would appear on The Tonight Show multiple times, even subbing in for Johnny Carson on a few occasions.  His two shows mentioned above were nominated for over 20 Primetime Emmy Awards.

Patty Duke
B. December 14, 1946  Elmhurst, New York
D. March 29, 2016 (aged 69)  Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Cause: Sepsis from a ruptured intestine

She was a known actress in her teens.  She was a major star after the 1962 film "The Miracle Worker" in which she played Helen Keller and won an Academy Award for her performance, at the age of 16!  She would go on to appear in more than 140 movies and TV shows, including a show named for her, "The Patty Duke Show", which ran from 1963 to 1966.  Throughout her career she was nominated for 10 Emmy Awards, winning three, and two Golden Globes.  In 1982 she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent most of her latter years trying to educate people about mental health issues.

Merle Haggard
B. April 6, 1937  Oildale, California
D. April 6, 2016 (aged79)  Palo Cedro, California
Cause: Complications from Pneumonia

For over 50 years, Merle Haggard was among the greats in the world of Country Music, a genre that I don't listen to much, but some of the greats are hard to ignore.  His first big hit came in 1964 when he recorded Wynn Stewart's "Sing A Sad Song".  From there on he would record no less than 38 Number One records on the Billboard Country Charts.  He has gained many accolades including a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame.  He was working right to the end, having had recorded his last song on February 9, 2016.  He will always be remembered for his recording of "Okie From Muskogee".

Doris Roberts
B. November 4, 1925  St. Louis, Missouri
D. April 17, 2016 (aged 90) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Stroke

I had no idea Doris Roberts was as old as she was!  I figured 70, maybe 75, but then I remembered that "Everybody Loves Raymond" was about 15 years ago so, yeah.  She won 4 Emmy Awards playing the role of Raymond's mother, Marie.  But she had started in the business many years before that, appearing in over 150 TV shows and movies throughout her career.

Chyna (Joan Laurer)
B. December 27, 1969  Rochester, New York
D. April 20, 2016 (aged 46) Redondo Beach, California
Cause: Drug Overdose

Even if you had a cursory knowledge of professional wrestling, you probably still knew the name Chyna.  She was six foot monster of a woman that, because she was so much bigger than most other women in the industry, would perform with many of the men.  She was a pretty big deal during the late '90's and early 2000's, making appearances up to 2011.  She then performed in a few pornographic films before she passed from taking too many anxiety pills.

Prince
B. June 7, 1958  Minneapolis, Minnesota
D. April 21, 2016 (aged 57) Chanhassan, Minnesota
Cause: Fentanyl Overdose

I mentioned how surprised I was at David Bowie's passing, and was just as shocked of another's.  That shock came when the news of Prince passing came out.  I was stunned, stopped me right in my tracks.  Prince was one of those artists that was ever-present in my life.  When I was younger I remember when videos for "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" came out.  I remembered his movie "Purple Rain" and the great music that came from that.  I remembered "Raspberry Beret" and "Sign O' The Times" and "U Got The Look" and "Batdance" and "Cream" and "Diamonds And Pearls" and so many others.  To me, he was the funkier Jimi Hendrix, an absolute master on the guitar and a non-stop showman.  As I write this I'm stunned that I have to live in a world without Prince.

**We got out of May without a major celebrity dying, although that gorilla was shot, so, there's that.

Muhammed Ali (Cassius Clay)
B. January 17, 1942  Louisville, Kentucky
D. June 3, 2016 (aged 74) Scottsdale, Arizona
Cause: Septic Shock

He was a fighter, a boxer who was considered by many as the greatest of all-time.  But he became so much more than that.  It would be easy to say he was one of the most important sports figure ever.  Muhammed Ali stood up for what he believed in.  He fought foes in the ring and out during the Civil Rights movement.  He refused to go to Viet Nam because it wasn't his war and he wasn't going to kill people.  He fought every day for the betterment of his race.  And he could taunt his challengers like nobody else, making it into an art form that played out on TV sets all over the world.  He was, three times, the Heavyweight Champion Of The World, but his battle with Parkinson's Disease was one battle too many, diagnosed in 1984.  We all knew his time would come.  And we all cried when it finally did.

Gordie Howe
B. March 31, 1928  Floral, Saskatchewan
D. June 10, 2016 (aged 88)  Sylvania, Ohio
Cause: Natural Causes

Two sports LEGENDS within a week, first the greatest boxer who ever lived, then, to many, the greatest hockey player to ever live.  In the 1950's and '60's there would be little dispute to this claim.  He was the first player to tally 90 points in a season in 1953.  He was the first to score 600 goals for a career, and first to score 700 and 800 for that matter.  He played 25 years for the Detroit Red Wings before signing for more money in the upstart WHA with the Houston Aeros.  In 1977 he signed with the Hartford Whalers of that league to play with his two sons.  When the WHA folded in 1979 they joined the NHL and, during the year, Howe turned 52 years old, the oldest ever to play in the NHL.  His opponents would tell you he was a mean son of bitch to play against.  But away from the ice, he was one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.  Gordie Howe, to this day, still ranks 2nd all-time in goals scored and 4th all-time in points.

Michael Cimino
B. February 3, 1939  New York, New York
D. July 2, 2016 (aged 77)  Beverly Hills, California
Cause: Unknown

The name may not be familiar to you, but you've probably heard and/or watched some of his movies.  Cimino directed "The Deer Hunter", a film that won 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture.  He also directed a movie that changed the way films were financed afterward.  The film "Heaven's Gate" is a western he directed in 1980 that was famous for it's excessive spending that would tighten the purse strings of movie studios in the future.  Although it is more appreciated today, at the time of it's release it was panned by just about every critic working.  He spent more than $40-million on the movie and it took in only $3-million at the Box Office.  It just about bankrupted United Artists and ruined his reputation.  He lead a pretty reclusive life after his last movie, "Sunchaser", in 1996.

Garry Marshall
B. November 13, 1934  The Bronx, New York
D. July 19, 2016 (aged 81) Burbank, California
Cause: Pneumonia after a stroke

He did it all; producer, director, actor.  If Garry Marshall had a toe in your TV show or movie, it was destined to be popular.  He created "Happy Days", one of the most beloved sitcoms of my generation.  He directed a bunch of romantic comedies that may have been critically panned, but made tons of money; "Pretty Woman", "Runaway Bride", "The Princess Diaries".  He started out in 1959 writing jokes for comedians and kept going right up to his death, making an appearance in the new version of "The Odd Couple", which was a show he produced way back in 1970.  Some other TV shows he was responsible for include "The Dick Van Dyke Show", "Gomer Pyle, USMC", "Laverne And Shirley" (starring his sister Penny), and "Mork & Mindy" just to name a few.

Kenny Baker
B. August 24, 1934  Birmingham, England
D. August 13, 2016 (aged 81) Lancashine, England
Cause: Chronic Lung Condition

The man that was inside one of the most endearing characters in movie history, R2D2, in all of the Star Wars films up to his death.  (He worked as a consultant on "The Force Awakens").  He appeared in other films throughout his career such as "Willow", "The Elephant Man", "Labyrinth" and "Amadeus".  But he will always be remembered by the geeks of this world (of which I have a membership card) as the little robot helping to save the galaxy!

Arthur Hiller
B. November 22, 1923  Edmonton, Alberta
D. August 17, 2016 (aged 92) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Natural Causes

The name may not be familiar, but this Canadian born director made it big in Hollywood.  He directed over 30 films in a career the spanned over 50 years.  During his time in Hollywood he worked with many of the stars of the time; Natalie Wood, Peter Falk, Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, Al Pacino, and many others.  His biggest hit movie was "Love Story" starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw.  The film earned over $130-million in 1970, which was A LOT of money!  He was nominated for an Academy Award for directing the film.

Gene Wilder
B. June 11, 1933  Milwaukee, Wisconsin
D. August 29, 2016 (aged 83) Stamford, Connecticut
Cause: Complications from Alzheimer's Disease

He was one of the funniest comic actors of our time.  His first role in film was in the rather dramatic movie "Bonnie And Clyde", but his character provided the comic relief that was needed to cut the tension in the film.  From there he seemed to be in every successful comedy in Hollywood; "The Producers", "Blazing Saddles", "Young Frankenstein", "The Frisco Kid", "Stir Crazy".  Most people will say his role in "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory" is their favourite.  He was married to the phenomenally talented Gilda Radner, who died at an early age in 1989, and stopped making movies soon after.  He popped up in TV in 1994 for a comedy titled "Something Wilder" which only lasted 18 episodes, but made a few brief appearances in other shows as well.  If I were to rank my favourite comic actors that ever lived,  Gene Wilder would easily be in the top five.

Edward Albee
B. March 12, 1928  Virginia
D. September 16, 2016 (aged 88) Montauk, New York
Cause: Bladder Cancer

He was one of the most celebrated dramatists in America.  The winner of 3 Pulitzer Prizes for Drama (1967's "A Delicate Balance", 1975's "Seascape" and 1994's "Three Tall Women), but he possibly will be best remembered for writing the play "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?" which won him a Tony Award for the best play of 1963.  He wrote or adapted more than 30 plays in his life including adaptations of "Breakfast At Tiffany's" and "Lolita".

W.P. Kinsella
B. May 25, 1935  Edmonton, Alberta
D. September 16, 2016 (aged 81) Hope, B.C.
Cause: Assisted Death

He wrote possibly the most famous baseball themed novel in "Shoeless Joe", which was the basis of the film "Field Of Dreams" starring Kevin Costner.  He wrote seven novels in his career, along with 19 short stories.  He was given the Order Of Canada in 1993 and the Order Of British Columbia in 2005.  He suffered from diabetes his whole life and, when it got unmanageable, was able to have a physician's assisted death.

Arnold Palmer
B. September 10, 1929  Latrobe, Pennsylvania
D. September 25, 2016 (aged 87) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Cause: Heart Disease

He turned professional in 1954 and from that time on he was considered one of the best golfers ever.  He became a superstar athlete in the '50's and '60's due to the television coverage of the sport.  During his time on the PGA Tour he won 62 titles, which placed him third behind Sam Snead and Ben Hogan.  (He was now dropped to fifth place).  He dominated the sport in the years 1958 to 1964, winning seven Major titles during those years, including 4 Masters titles.  He also won 10 Seniors PGA titles, earning his last in 1988.  His peers regarded him as not only a great golfer, but a great man.

**Nothing too major to report for October

Leonard Cohen
B. September 21, 1934  Westmount, Quebec
D. November 7, 2016 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Leukemia

Probably one of the most respected artists to come out of Canada.  He released 14 studio albums, including one earlier in the year titled "You Want It Darker".  He also released at least a dozen works of poetry.  He was active in the arts for 60 years, very often compared to Bob Dylan when talking about the impact of folk music and writings on society.  Although he wrote many, many songs, he will always be remembered for the hauntingly beautiful "Hallelujah" which was released in 1984 and has been covered by more than 200 artists.

Robert Vaughn
B. November 22, 1932  New York, New York
D. November 11, 2016 (aged 83) Danbury, Connecticut
Cause: Acute Leukemia

If you were to look up Robert Vaughn's name on imdb.com you would see he had over 220 credited appearances in TV and movies. In the '60's and '70's it seemed his familiar mug showed up in everything, which was a credit to how good an actor he was.  He was nominated only once for an Oscar and only twice for an Emmy award.  His most notable roles include TV's "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", "The Magnificent Seven", "Bullitt", "The Towering Inferno", TV's "The A-Team" and his many appearances in "Murder She Wrote".

Florence Henderson
B. February 14, 1934  Dale, Indiana
D. November 24, 2016 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California
Cause: Heart Failure

If you grew up in the '60's or '70's you may have thought of Florence Henderson as your second mom.  She was cast as Mrs. Carol Brady in 1969 and stayed the sweet, understanding yet strict mother of six until 1974.  But "The Brady Bunch" would go on forever in syndication, allowing us to relive the moments we loved over and over again.  She was a lady of many talents, appearing on stage in the late '50's and singing and dancing in many TV variety shows, including "Tonight Starring Jack Paar" which was the precursor to "The Tonight Show".  In fact, after Paar left the show and before Johnny Carson took over, Henderson appeared as a guest host in 1962.  But no matter what she did before or after, she will always be Mrs. Brady.

Fidel Castro
B. August 13, 1926  Holguin Province, Cuba
D. November 25, 2016 (aged 90) Havana, Cuba
Cause: Not Released

Castro first appeared on the Broadway stage in a production of...oh, wait, wrong guy.  This list couldn't be complete without mentioning possibly the most polarizing figure in politics this century.  Millions loved him, millions hated him.  He was the self-appointed leader of Cuba from 1959 until 2011 when his brother took over.  Whether you believe he was a Socialist or a Communist, there is no denying his influence in world politics during some very heavy times.

John Glenn
B. July 18, 1921  Cambridge, Ohio
D. December 8, 2016 (aged 95) Columbus, Ohio
Cause: Not Disclosed...but he was 95!

This guy did it all.  You talk about living life to it's fullest, there would be no better example than John Glenn.  As a 20-year old he decided to quit college and enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps after the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbour.  He never got called to duty and instead became a pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps.  He flew 59 bombing missions during WWII and was hit 5 times by anti-aircraft fire.  He flew in the Korean War starting in 1953, going on 63 combat missions.  After the war he became a test pilot and, in 1957, flew the first supersonic transcontinental flight, California to New York, in 3 1/2 hours.  In 1958 he reported to NASA to become an astronaut.  In 1962 he became the first American to orbit the Earth.  He then became a US Senator representing Ohio in 1974 and held that seat for 25 years.  The man is, and always will be, a true legend!

...And as I was compiling all these losses in 2016, one more joined the list...

Alan Thicke
B. March 1, 1947  Kirkland Lake, Ontario
D. December 13, 2016 (aged 69)  Burbank, California
Cause: Heart Attack

Well, if you're Canadian, there's no better way to go out; playing hockey with your son.  It's tragic, but fitting.  Everybody knew who Alan Thicke was, mainly because of his run on the very popular sitcom "Growing Pains", which aired between 1985 and 1992.  Even though he was Canadian, that show made him "America's Dad".  Up in the Great White North, we were always proud when we heard Alan Thicke was hosting a show, from game shows to talk shows.  He had his own late night talk show for a couple of years, "Thicke Of The Night" and a popular show in Canada fittingly called "The Alan Thicke Show".  Most recently he made appearances on "This Is Us" and Fuller House".  A devastating, sudden loss.


Well, I hope that's it for the year.  I really don't want to have to edit this list!  But we should use it as a reminder that 2016 Sucked Ass!!!