GRATEFUL TO THE BAND

I have  been a fan of The Band since the late 1960s.

MUSIC FROM BIG PINK, the group’s debut album recorded IN 1968,,was recorded in Saugerties, NY, my home town.

Members of the quintet were as follows: Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manual, and Garth Hudson.

Favorite songs from the album:  The Weight, Long Black Veil, I Shall Be Released.

The songs were recorded in the basement of a house with pink siding.

Unfortunately, I never met any members of the group, and I  have never been to Big Pink.  The group’s music, however, encouraged me to start learning to play guitar, which took me down a road I never would have imagined, and I am eternally grateful for this.  So, that’s what MUSIC FROM BIG PINK did for me.

Here are some of my favorite songs of The Band  (not all from MUSIC FROM BIG PINK): Up on Cripple Creek, Atlantic City, The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, I Shall Be Released, It Makes No Difference, Country Boy, Four Strong Winds, The Shape I'm In, Life Is a Carnival, Twilight, Acadian Driftwood, Stage Fright, and Ophelia.  Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3wOWmHmoi2IdPGgn5hLqEl?si=115d8daef6094f35

 

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GOING BACK TO 1966!

The music of 1966 served as a backdrop to the following events:

March 4, John Lennon of The Beatles states, “We’re more popular than Jesus now,” sparking a major controversy.

May 16, Beach Boys release PET SOUNDS.

August 29, The Beatles play their very last concert in Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CA.

September 12, The TV series THE MONKEES premiers on NBC.

October 16, Grace Slick performs the first time with Jefferson Airplane.

Here are some of the artists who had hit songs that year:

Mamas and the papas, The Monkees, Young Rascals, The Righteous Brothers, The Happenings, Johnny Rivers, Mindbenders, The Hollies, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Bob Lind, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles,  The beach Boys, Shadows of Night, & The Vogues.  Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19oGL1ytm49s6NICE86uRu?si=cc3cedc99e2d4101

 

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GOOD TIMES AT BREW AND BRATS!

Things were hopping with a great amount of energy from the terrific crowd at Brew and Brats last night!  Thanks to all who came out to make the open mic a lot of fun for everyone.  Big thanks to the following for contributing their talents to the evening:  Tom MacAllister, Henry Bitter, Tim Rybinski, Renee Englert, Dan Mortensen, Jim Holden, and John French.  Big thanks to Barb Cromwell for presenting Siobhan and me with our honorary “Meyer and McGuire Drunken Choir” T-shirts.  After Siobhan takes some photos of the t-shirts, I’ll post them along with the story behind them.  Stay tuned.  Big thanks to Katie Brahm, John and Sherry French, and Angela MacAllister for their continuous support of our music.  Big thanks to Kelly Schmidlin, Darryl, and the rest of the B & B staff for creating a terrific evening for the patrons.  Siobhan and I have worked with Darryl at other venues, and it was so great to be back working with her on her first night at B & B.  Our next open mic will be on July 8, but before then, we’ll be playing a concert at Brew and Brats on June 4.  Stay tuned.  Happy Easter to all!!

 

https://meyerandmcguire.com/

  

GOING BACK TO 1977!

The music of 1977 served as a backdrop to the following events:

January 20, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the 39^th president of the United States.

May 14, Montreal Canadiens sweep the Boston Bruins to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

May 25, Star Wars opens in cinemas and becomes the highest-grossing film of its time.

August 4, Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy.

October 20, Three members of the  rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd die in a plane crash outside Gillsburg, Mississippi, three days after the release of their fifth studio album.

Here are some of the artists who had hit songs that year: The Eagles, Glen Campbell, Steve Miller Band, Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor, Johnny Rivers, Bob Seger, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Carly Simon.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6m1Tlvq94foMcyG7zeInEa?si=04815a53e6ad4bf0

 

(Not a Spotify member?  Free accounts are available.) 

GOING BACK TO 1973!

The music of 1973 served as a backdrop to the following events:

January 20: Richard Nixon, the President of the United States, begins his second term.

May 3: Sears Tower is completed.

May 14: Skylab is launched.

October 10: Spiro Agnew resigns as Vice President of the U.S.

December 6: Gerald Ford becomes the 40th U.S. Vice President.

Here are some of the artists who had hit songs that year: The Eagles, Paul Simon, Elton John, Jackson Browne, Ringo Starr, Seals and Crofts, Billy Joel, and Jim Croce.  Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qeYnp62rdf7fAZHmmJOOL?si=f6fef4d006674046

(Not a Spotify member?  Free accounts are available.)