Posts by Alby

A great Australian singer died last week, but it wasn't Olivia Newton-John. Few Americans recognized the name Judith Durham, but many more would recognize the voice that propelled this 1964…

I don't mean to speak ill of the dead. Olivia Newton-John seemed to be a nice person, devoting time, money and energy to various worthy charities, never being involved in…

We'll leave the Aussies for tomorrow -- Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame died yesterday at age 81. He and his partners churned out an astounding 15 No. 1 singles for…

Cleaning out a CD rack this weekend I ran across "Stuck on Nothing," the debut album from this Philadelphia-based power pop quartet. Critics mostly loved it, and Rolling Stone called…

Guest post by Nathan Arizona Iconic British DJ John Peel called it his favorite song ever. He cried when he first heard it. He had lyrics from it carved on…

California hippie-rockers Canned Heat, founded by blues aficionados Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, had their biggest US hit with this tune. It became an anthem for the back-to-the-country movement that…

Guest post by Nathan Arizona It must have been weird being the son of Jerry Lewis. Did the comedian make funny faces and flop onto the floors around the house…

The obituaries for Nichelle Nichols, who died late last week at age 89, naturally headlined her historic role as Lt. Uhura on the original "Star Trek," and admirably highlighted her…