The Music of My Life – 1981

Welcome back to The Music of My Life, where I feature ten songs from each year of my life. In most cases, the ten songs I choose will be ones I like personally (unless I explain otherwise). The songs will be selected from Billboard’s Year-end Hot 100 Chart, Acclaimed Music, and will all be released in the featured year.

In 1981 there were two things that influenced me musically. First of all, I discovered American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. My dad had it the radio on one day while he was washing the cars and doing yard work. It was my first exposure to a countdown show. As a matter of fact, as I looked over the list of possible songs for my list, there were plenty of songs that I remember hearing for the first time on AT40. Some of those that are not on my list are: Start Me Up, Centerfold, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Elvira, Bette Davis Eyes, Hearts, Physical, and so many others!

The second thing that not only influenced me musically, but everyone else in the country, was the birth of MTV in August of 1981. This changed the way people listened to music. Some of those 80’s music videos are forever etched in my mind. I loved the creativity of many of those videos. In many cases, the videos helped with the popularity of songs and how much airplay they got on the radio. Perhaps you’ll remember the videos from some of the songs on my list?

Here we go ….

My dad played guitar in a wedding band for many years. Often, my brother and I would have to go to band practice with him. It was there that I recall being introduced to some of the current songs. One of them was Just The Two of Us by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers. I can remember the distinct mystical sounding keyboard part at the beginning from my dad’s band and being wowed at how it sounded exactly like the record.

Grover Washington, Jr. wrote this with his musical partner Bill Salter before Withers added to the lyrics. It was produced by Ralph MacDonald, a percussionist who played on many of Washington’s tracks. MacDonald was friends with Withers and made the connection. Bill said in an interview with songfacts:

“I’m a little snobbish about words, so they sent me this song and said, ‘We want to do this with Grover, would you consider singing it?’ I said, ‘Yeah, if you’ll let me go in and try to dress these words up a little bit.’ Everybody that knows me is kind of used to me that way. I probably threw in the stuff like the crystal raindrops. The ‘Just The Two Of Us’ thing was already written. It was trying to put a tuxedo on it. I didn’t like what was said leading up to ‘Just The Two Of Us.'”

The song reached number 2 on the charts, but never made it to number 1. It was kept from that spot by Sheena Easton’s Morning Train (9 to 5) and Kim Carnes’ Bette Davis Eyes. The song did win a Grammy award for Best R&B Song. It would be Grover Washington Jr’s only Top 40 hit.

Just The Two of Us

I’ve told this story before, but it is why the next song is here. I remember my dad throwing the 45 of The Breakup Song on the turntable and playing the intro over and over. He’d pick on his guitar and work out that intro over a matter of minutes. Once I heard him play it note for note, I was in awe of him.

The Greg Kihn Band had been around for some time. Their album Rockihnroll was their sixth studio album. It celebrates the quality of breakup songs in rock’s earlier times, as the narrator laments both his recent breakup and the fact that they don’t write good breakup songs anymore. The song is perhaps best known by the hook, “They Don’t Write ‘Em Like That Anymore.”

The Breakup Song

I have always loved the Commodores, with and without Lionel Richie. Lady (You Bring Me Up) was released as the lead single from their album In The Pocket, their last with Lionel Richie in the group. Lionel didn’t write the song, Commodores’ trumpet player William King did. He wrote it with his wife, Shirley, and Harold Hudson, a member of the Commodores’ backing group, The Mean Machine.

In 1981, sexually suggestive songs like “Physical” and “Girls on Film” caused a bit of controversy. Naturally, some disc jockeys poked fun by warning listeners that this was another song with sexually suggestive lyrics: “Lady, you bring me up when I’m down.” In truth, the song is simply a song about a man whose woman gets him through life’s difficult times. It went to #8 on the Hot 100 chart.

Lady

It wasn’t until years later that I found out that Juice Newton wasn’t the first one to sing Queen of Hearts. It was actually written by Hank DeVito of Emmylou Harris’ band and first recorded in 1979 by rocker Dave Edmunds. His version was big in the UK and Ireland, but didn’t go far anywhere else.

Juice Newton had the biggest success with “Queen of Hearts” after it appeared on her 1981 album, Juice. In September 1981, Newton’s version peaked at #2 on the US charts, having shifted over one million copies. It almost didn’t happen, though. Juice remembers, “I did [‘Queen of Hearts’] live for about a year…Then I brought it to [producer] Richard Landis when we started the Juice album. He wasn’t convinced at that point that it was a breakout song but I told him I think this is a real cool song … so we cut it”.

In 1982, the song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Dave Edmunds told Creem Newton stole his composition: “She did pinch my arrangement, note for note, but I’m not angry with that.”

Queen of Hearts

Before Foreigner recorded this album 4, two members of the group left, trimming the band from six members to four. This, along with the fact that it was their fourth album, explains the title. My favorite cut on the album has a Motown connection.

Future Mr. Shania Twain, Mutt Lange, produced the album. Lange wanted to hear every music idea guitarist Mick Jones had recorded on tape, no matter how embarrassing. One of these ideas was the opening riff for what would become “Urgent”. “I had the riff starting out,” Jones recalled. “And I said, ‘That’s like an experimental instrumental thing that I’m working on.’ He said, ‘No, it isn’t anymore – let’s take that one, because that’s got a lot of potential.’ There wasn’t even a song with it.”

The group wanted a “Junior Walker-style” sax solo for this record. When they took a break from recording, one of the members read in New York newspaper The Village Voice that Walker was performing that night mere blocks from the recording studio. Walker accepted their offer to play, and the recording of the sax solo was swift and without a hitch.

Urgent

ELO’s TIME is a concept album about a time traveler who visits the year 2095. This song takes place on his return trip in 1981. He is inspired, and now knows that everything he needs he can find back home. “Hold On Tight” was the first single from the album.

By this time, the band was credited as ELO, downplaying the orchestra because they had recently jettisoned their string section. The lead instrument on “Hold On Tight” is piano played by group leader Jeff Lynne, who wrote the song. Billboard called it an “affectionate tip-of-the-hat to ’50s rock ‘n’ roll” that was inspired by the piano playing of Jerry Lee Lewis. That sound is probably why I love this song so much, as well as the uplifting message.

There was an elaborate (for its time) video was made of this song. Wikipedia states that this was the most expensive music video ever made (at the time). Directed by Mike Mansfield, it’s a sendup of sci-fi movie trailers from the 1940, which often blared words on the screen in huge font (AMAZING!, BREATH-TAKING!). Their violinist, Mik Kaminski, had left the group by this time but shows up in the video miming guitar.

The song topped out at number 2 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart.

Hold On Tight

Who can deny a great cover song? Am I right? (I’m talking to you Randy! LOL)

Yep, one of the biggest 80’s hits is actually a cover of a song first recorded in 1964. Ed Cobb of the Four Preps composed the song, and it was first recorded by Gloria Jones. (Fun Fact: Glen Campbell was a studio musician and played guitar on that version!) Her version was actually the B-side of her single, “My Bad Boy’s Comin’ Home.”

In 1973, British club DJ Richard Searling purchased a copy of the almost decade-old single while on a trip to the United States. The track’s Motown-influenced sound (featuring a fast tempo, horns, electric rhythm guitar and female backing vocals) fit in perfectly with the music favored by those involved in the UK’s Northern soul club scene of the early 1970s.

In the book 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Soft Cell’s Marc Almond called this song “A mixture of cold electronics with an over-passionate, over-exuberant, slightly out of key vocal.” Almond recalls, “Dave (Ball) introduced me to the record and I loved it so much and we wanted an interesting song for a encore number in our show. Dave loved northern soul and it was a novelty to have an electronic synthesizer band doing a soul song. When we signed with our record company, they wanted to record it. They told us to put bass, guitar and drums on it as they said it was too odd. They put it out anyway and the next thing it was gathering radio play and then it was #1. I was fascinated that it was originally by Gloria Jones, the girlfriend of Marc Bolan and I’d always been a T-Rex fan.”

Marc Almond’s vocal is the first take he recorded. That take was actually a run-through so they could tweak the settings, but it had just the right emotion, so that was the one they used. Obviously it was the right take because even Gloria Jones liked it. She said that she considers the Soft Cell version to be the best one. “I loved the emotion in his voice,” she said. “Their version was far better than mine.”

Tainted Love

Here is another song with a Dave Edmunds connection. Tempted was the second single off Squeeze’s East Side Story album. It was written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. Chris wrote the lyric while the band was taking a taxi to Heathrow Airport. The descriptions of the city and airport sights are interspersed with the narrator’s ruminations on a relationship that is failing, or has failed, due to his own infidelities. As he recalled,

The original story behind “Tempted” is we’re going on another American tour. I got on a taxi and I started writing down what I saw lyrically. I don’t know the course of time of how long it took, but then I gave Glenn the lyrics and then Glenn put the music to it. It’s an extraordinary song. It’s one of the most played songs that we have in our catalog.

Unlike most other Squeeze songs, which are sung usually by Tilbrook or Difford, the song’s lead vocal is sung by newly recruited keyboardist Paul Carrack. According to Carrack, this was the result of a suggestion by co-producer Elvis Costello:

They’d actually recorded a version of that song before I was on board. Dave Edmunds produced it, and it was completely different. The song was in the can, and we were recording the other songs from East Side Story when we had some downtime and played ‘Tempted’ but in that slow, soulful, Motown groove. Elvis Costello, who was producing, ran in and said, ‘Let’s put this down on tape!’ So, we did, and Elvis said ‘Paul, you should sing it.’

I had never heard the song before, but in 1994, I was driving a lot for my job and this would come on Planet 96.3. I have always loved the opening line of this song, “I bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face” I can’t imagine it without the slow bluesy feel.

Tempted

Loverboy’s first single from their Get Lucky album didn’t really burn up the charts, however, years later it would be linked forever to a classic Saturday Night Live sketch.

Working for the Weekend originated when guitarist Paul Dean was out walking one Wednesday afternoon, looking for inspiration in his songwriting. He noticed that much of the area was deserted, as most people were at work. “So I’m out on the beach and wondering, ‘Where is everybody? Well, I guess they’re all waiting for the weekend,'” he later said. Mike Reno, the band’s vocalist, suggested they change the title to “Working for the Weekend”. According to Dean, he first began writing the song in a hotel room following a Montreal concert. At the time, the band were still playing bars to little response from patrons. After completing the song, they used it to open one set, and Dean recalled that “the dance floor was packed”.

The video had a life of it’s own on MTV. Loverboy lead singer Mike Reno tells about the filming of this video: “We would play the song over and over again, and we’d bounce around like we normally did. Here’s what I thought was kind of interesting: The director would say, ‘OK, we’re going to shoot another song, now go get changed.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘You have to put on a whole new outfit, and we’re going to change the lighting a bit.’ But it was the same stage! So basically, we just had to get some other clothes, fix your hair, take a break, and then jump back on stage and do the same thing over and over again. I really felt like I was being abused a bit, but that’s the nature of the beast.”

On October 27, 1990, Patrick Swayze hosted Saturday Night Live. It was on that show that the famous Chippendale’s Audition sketch debuted. It featured Chris Farley and Swayze auditioning for the final spot in the Chippendale line up. Their audition was done to this song.

Working for the Weekend

“Shake It Up,” was the title track of The Cars’ fourth album. It is hard not to want to dance when you hear it. Some call it a “tailor-made party song.”

It was written by Cars’ frontman Ric Ocasek. It really is an odd song for Ric in that it’s very straightforward, simply encouraging us all to get on the dance floor and boogie like nobody’s watching. Ocasek’s songs were generally far more enigmatic. Years later, Ocasek dismissed the song’s lyrics, saying, “I’m not proud of the lyrics to ‘Shake It Up.'”

This song has some throwback elements, like the “ooo ooo ooo” backing vocals and references to a “quirky jerk” and “night cats” – lingo that was hep in the ’60s when songs about dancing were in vogue. At the same time, “Shake It Up” as a futuristic sound, with synthesizers and drum machines that were part of the new wave.

It was released as the lead single from the album. “Shake It Up” was a big American hit for The Cars, getting them into the Top 10 for the first time as the song reached #4. The song was such a departure from what fans expected that some accused the band of “selling out.” The band, however, insisted they were simply progressing and growing (one point in their defense: they continued to live in Boston instead of relocating to New York or Los Angeles). The jabs came mostly from the UK, where the band got lots of positive press early on but faced the wrath of a finicky press when they released this song about dancing.

Fun Fact: Guitarist Elliot Easton said he wanted his solo to sound like “two guys trading off”. He first plays a Fender Telecaster, in a style skewing country, then midway through the solo switches to a Gibson guitar for a heavier rock sound.

Shake It Up

Finally, a song that has yet another Michigan connection. When Styx was preparing their tenth album, Paradise Theater, guitarist Tommy Shaw, says he was asked to write one more song for the album, which followed the theme of a concert hall rising to prominence and then crumbling. Shaw liked the concept, but was having trouble writing songs that fit. So he just wrote one that didn’t follow the theme – “Too Much Time On My Hands.”

Shaw had a long drive to and from the recording studio, and on one trip, the bassline popped into his head: “dun-dun dun-dun dun-dun-dun-dun.” When he arrived, he quickly had the band record what was in his head so he wouldn’t lose it. He found himself calling out chord changes as they played, which laid the groundwork for the track.

When it came to the lyrics, he drew inspiration from a real bar in Niles, Michigan, where he was living. “I think officially it was called Mark’s Tavern, but everybody called it Mark’s Bar. It was the local watering hole. The drinks were good, and the drinks were cheap. You could go in there with 20 bucks and be a hero, you know – buying rounds of drinks. And you’d always run into somebody you knew in there. That was the basis of the song.”

The song was released in the spring of 1981 and reached its US chart of #9 in May. In August, MTV went on the air, which gave the song new life, since the video was one of the few the network had available from an American rock band, and they played constantly.

Too Much Time On My Hands

Looking back over the list of songs released in 1981, there are so many worth mentioning. Did I miss one of yours?

As I start looking at each year and jotting songs, I have gone from 2 pages to 3 pages of songs to chose from. These 80’s years are probably going to be the toughest to narrow down for me.

Next week, we’ll jump into 1982 and see what 12 year old Keith was liking ….

Thanks for reading!

(Most info was gathered using sources like Wiki, songfacts.com, and artist websites)

Friday Photo Flashback

This Sunday (6/9) will mark 36 years since I graduated from high school. Coincidentally, I graduated from college with my Associates Degree 25 years later (11 years ago). I mention this because there have been so many graduation posts on Facebook over the last week or two. Many of my friends have been celebrating the college and high school graduations of their sons, daughters and grandchildren and they pictures and messages have been wonderful to read.

For the Friday Photo Flashback today, I share two photos from my high school graduation day. The first is one with my dad and me.

I remember when we took this photo thinking it was corny, but looking back at it now, I am so glad we took it. I’m sure there were plenty of times that my folks wondered if I’d ever get grades good enough to graduate! I had so much trouble with Algebra and often did the bare minimum in some of the classes that I hated (like Family Life – URGH). Luckily, there were plenty of classes that I took that I did like.

This photo is taken in our driveway just before I left to go to commencement. I was in band and we played before the ceremony started, so I had to be there early. That is my Ford Escort that my grandmother bought me for graduation. I laugh because of the stuff painted on it and the cat that is suction cupped to the back window. The Oops at the left rear bumper is where my friend Margaret slid into my car one winter morning (that’s a story in itself).

I truly love this photo of my dad and me.

The second photo is from later that evening, but before the ceremony. Our ceremony was held outdoors in the football stadium. The stage was set up in the center of the field and parents and family were seated in the stands to watch. The band set up on the track in front of the field. The first few numbers were played with all the seniors in place. When it was close to the start of the ceremony, the seniors left and lined up to walk into the stadium.

I remember all of the little things that happened in the month or two before graduation where the reality of school ending would hit me. One of those things was when we went to band class and there were songs that were played without us senior players. We sat and listened and it was hard. I loved playing music so much, I hated the fact that it was all coming to and end for me.

One of my favorite memories of that night was getting to conduct the band. There were a couple of us who did that. I picked a song called Tin Pan Alley, which was a medley of songs like I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover, Ain’t She Sweet, and Happy Days Are Here Again. It was a long song and I was surprised I was allowed to conduct that one.

I remember it was a tad breezy that night and at one point the conductor’s score flipped a few pages. Thank goodness I was familiar with the song and really didn’t need it. As I look at this photo I see many classmates that I am still in contact with. Our valedictorian, Debbie, who is playing trumpet in the white cap and gown played the trumpet solo that I had played when we did it in concert because I was conducting. Directly to the right of my left hand, you can see a leg in a pink cast. That’s Theresa, if memory serves me right, she fell and broke her ankle at the band banquet a few weeks prior to graduation.

What an amazing feeling to be in front of the band, and in control of the tempo and volume of a piece of music. We had a conducting class that year and many of us got to conduct warm up pieces before rehearsal began. I learned so much from this and I would love the opportunity to do that again.

You know what’s funny? After 36 years, I can remember exactly how that song goes. I remember all the transitions, the tempo changes, the drum and cymbal cues, and solos. I could probably sing it for you note for note.

Shortly after this, all of our band seniors got up, shook hands with Mr. Shaner (our director), and lined up with the rest of our class. For three years, we had been the ones playing Pomp and Circumstance on a loop as seniors walked down the aisles and to their seats. Now, it was our turn. What a surreal moment to be listening to it as we walked in and prepared to get our diplomas.

36 years ago … wow.

Friday Photo Flashback

This week, I began a new feature called The Music of My Life and began featuring music from every year of my life. I began in 1970, and I thought I would stay in 1970 for the Friday Photo Flashback. As a bonus, because I couldn’t decide on one picture, you get two!

The above photo was taken shortly after I came home from the hospital. It is one of my favorite photos of my dad and me. There really isn’t a whole lot happening in the background, but there are some things that really stick out to me.

First, I was a pretty good looking kid! Next, my dad, for as long as I can remember always had a mustache. The fact that he doesn’t have one in this picture makes it a bit more special to me. Then, there are his sideburns. It seems like he always seemed to have those, but they are a bit more prominent here. Dad is also wearing a white t-shirt in this picture. It seems like he would wear those often when he was just walking or working around the house. Finally, we both have hair in this photo! LOL

The above photo is a bit after the one with my dad. I love my mom’s smile in this picture! Despite my brother and I making fun of her about them in later years, I love that she’s wearing the horn-rimmed glasses.

This photo was taken at my grandma’s house. So it makes it a nostalgic trip to remember the lay out of her house. It seems like my grandma had that yellow couch forever! There was a green chair made of the same scratchy fabric that went with it. It is no surprise to see the paneling on the wall behind it. If I could stretch the right side of the picture a bit more, directly above the couch was grandma’s cuckoo clock.

On the left side of the picture is a napkin holder that I vaguely remember her having. Later on, they just used paper towels that they stacked in a Tupperware sort of container. Directly behind my mom was grandma’s fridge, which always had a big block of parmesan cheese that she would grate fresh for spaghetti dinners. The freezer was on top and I remember they’d have Wonder Bread in thick plastic bags in there. I wish I knew what that thing is above the freezer next to that vase. It looks like fake flowers, but I don’t know.

Behind me is the stove, which produced some of the most amazing meals I’ve ever eaten! It looks like there was an analog clock on it to the right. I can see one of grandma’s percolators on the stove, as well as the infamous casserole dish that everyone had in the 70’s! In the middle of the stove top, I can see the glass salt and pepper shakers that my grandma used all her life. They are just like the ones you used to see in restaurants before they were replaced by those plastic ones.

There is actually a space between the stove and that counter top behind me. If I were to stretch that side of the photo to the left, the sink would be against the wall and another cupboard would be on the left side of a window that was above the sink. This was the spot where my father was aggravating my grandma one day and she went to kick him in his behind, but he moved. She fell and he stood there laughing. It was probably not funny for her at the time, but she certainly laughed about it whenever she retold the story.

There was a time when grandma always had a table cloth on the table, but as we got older, she stopped. I’m guessing it is because we stained them with food or drink. She eventually just had placemats. For whatever reason, I remember that there was a wooden bowl in the middle of the table that had fake wax fruit in it. My brother and I always seemed to pluck the plastic grapes off the plastic vines.

I have so many wonderful memories of that house, my grandparents, my mom, and my dad. I am glad to have so many photos to remind me of those days…..

Young Fear

My son gets a weekly visit from Head Start. She brings over projects for them to do and works with him on fine motor skills, coloring, cutting, and such. He and my daughter love this visit.

My wife was talking to the Head Start lady as she was getting ready to leave. I didn’t hear the beginning of the story, but it was about a kid whose mother was shopping and had no idea that the child wasn’t with her. “How do you not know your child is not with you?” was one of the questions that was asked.

I was immediately taken back to a day that I barely remember. I remember certain things about it, and I probably should have called my dad to get a clearer version of the story before I write this. For now, here is my side.

This would have been in the early 70’s. There were no cell phones. We were told not to go with strangers, but times were a lot different than they are today. We could go out when we got up and stay out until dark without checking in and our folks never gave it a second thought.

I remember my family went to the mall. My mom went off with my brother who may have only been 2 or 3 at the time. I was probably about 5 or 6. I had yet to get glasses, so my eyesight was not the greatest. I remember I was standing in whatever store my dad and I were in (probably Kresge) and we had walked down the toy aisle. I was looking at some sort of car or truck and dad was ready to move on. “Time to put that down, Keith. Let’s go find your mom.” “I’ll be right there,” was my reply.

I do not know how long afterward I stood there looking at the other toys on the shelf, but it couldn’t have been that long. I remember when I finally did look up, I couldn’t find my dad. I remember standing there and feeling like everything around me was a blur. I didn’t see which way he went. I just stood there. I am sure I began crying.

I remember a man asking me something. I was so scared I don’t really know what he said. I don’t remember if he took me to a store employee, if they made an announcement over the PA, from this point it is pretty much a blur. Long story short – my dad and I were reunited.

I don’t recall him yelling at me or lecturing me, but I am sure he did. I only remember the next part because of how unusual it was. We rarely (except for holidays) went to my grandparents house at night. That night, however, we went there and my dad told them what happened.

I remember sitting at the head of the dining room table with the chandelier above it turned on. I remember the heads and faces of my parents and grandparents telling me how dangerous a situation it was. I remember hearing how lucky I was that someone didn’t snatch me away. I was told how worried they were when they couldn’t find me.

Because it was dark out and I was at the kitchen table, I felt like I was in a film noir interrogation room!

As a parent, I completely understand what my parents must have experienced that night. My kids are SO fast when they are out and about. They can be gone in a flash. In a split second, I can lose sight of them. It is a parent’s worst nightmare.

I pray that I never EVER have to go through what my dad and mom did with me. I suppose this same kind of situation is what led to someone creating the “leash backpacks” for kids.

I’ve been scared many times in my life, but even though I was very young, I can still remember the terror I felt that day!

Happy New Year – Welcome 2024

“Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard

2024 rang in quietly at my place. Sam worked New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I was in bed and asleep by 11:45pm on NYE. I didn’t even hear the fireworks and gunshots. At 5:45am, Daisy was barking to go outside. I got up, got dressed, and took her outside. The sad thing about this who scenario is that the first kiss of 2024 for me … was from the dog!

Sam came home and went to sleep and the kids and I prepared for my dad’s visit. Each of us had things going on over the holiday, so he said he’d drive up on New Year’s Day. He brought the kids their Christmas presents. Ella got a Barbie Camper and Andrew got a Little People car wash. Naturally they fought over the toys while my dad and Rose were there. During one loud batch of screaming, I looked at my dad and said, “By the way, I was hoping you could babysit the kids for a few days.” LOL

Rose doesn’t like her picture on the net, so I cropped her out of the picture. It is always nice when the kids get to see them.

I’m glad I got to see my dad. I feel like I see him less now with my new schedule, but we still talk all the time. There’s nothing better than seeing each other in person, though.

My yearly recap is coming and a pretty big thing happened today that brought me to tears. More on that next blog.

A Proud Son

I waited until he posted about this first, and now I want to share it with you. It brought me to tears.

First, let me say the pride a father feels in his children. The father-son bond is a special one. All too often, we lose sight of the pride that a son has for their father. Our dad is our hero. He is our role model. He is a teacher and giver of advice. My dad is all of that to me and more.

I have written about my dad and his time in the army here before. He was in Vietnam. I didn’t learn till I was older all the things he went through there and back home. When I came to partially understand those things, I felt more pride for him than ever. Well, that pride grew a bit more this weekend.

Let me let my dad tell you what happened. Here is his Facebook post:

Yesterday after around 11:15 am, a car pulled up in front of my house it had QOV on the door of the car. I had no idea what this was about. She came to the door and Rose opened it her name was Lynn Lebeck and she asked for me. So I came out to the front room and in her hand she had what looked like a flag inside of it was a quilt. This organization is the Quilts of Valor. Rose nominated me for my service in Vietnam. I was chosen to receive this quilt after they reviewed information about my service. When she pulled it out of the case I was without words, Rose broke out in tears and hugged me and said “Welcome Home, Sam”. I almost lost it, and told her and Lynn, that I felt I didn’t deserve this. Lynn said “you are so wrong Sam.” Rose found out about this organization because I did a Veterans Day presentation twice at our Elementary School.

What a tremendous honor for my dad! He has often told me that he was “just doing my duty.” He is quite humble, as many veterans are. His service to our country is nothing to take lightly, in my opinion. He deserves to be recognized for it (as do ALL veterans)!

This quilt is just beautiful and will forever be treasured by my dad and our family. How awesome to think of the work it took to produce it and the love that is behind every stitch!

I have never heard of this organization. If I had, I most certainly would have nominated him for it. I am glad that Rose did and that he was chosen to receive one of these amazing quilts.

Rose is not one who likes her picture on the internet, but know that before it was cropped, she is standing proud next to me dad as he wears his quilt of valor.

I am so proud to be my father’s son. Dad, I love you and I am happy that your service was recognized. Thank you for all that you have done for me, my family, and our country.

If you know of a veteran who is deserving of this honor, you can submit a nomination at their website:

https://www.qovf.org/

Celebrating Jimmy Reed

The fantastic blues singer Jimmy Reed was born today in 1925. He was born Mathis James Reed in Mississippi where he learned to play guitar and harmonica. He moved to Chicago in 1943 and was drafted into the Navy. After he was discharged a couple years later, he went back to Mississippi where he married his girlfriend and the moved to Indiana.

By the 1950’s he was a fairly well known musician and was signed to Vee-Jay Records, where he recorded many of his hits. Those hits influenced many artists including Elvis, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, Bob Dylan and more. All of them have recorded covers of Jimmy’s songs.

My dad introduced me to Jimmy when I was working at my first radio job. He asked me to make him a cassette of some songs if they were in the station’s library. A couple of those songs were from Jimmy. He told me stories of how he and my Uncle Tom loved listening to Jimmy Reed and the they even played a couple of those at my high school graduation party.

To me, Jimmy is a blues pioneer. When people talk about the blues, Jimmy’s name comes up. He was posthumously inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. His music may not be for everyone, but I really dig it. It will always make me think of my dad and my uncle.

Here are some of my favorites in honor of his birthday!

One of the songs on my dad’s list was “Baby What You Want Me To Do.” Elvis did this at a few of his concerts. I love the groove of this one …

Another one that Elvis covered was Jimmy’s “Big Boss Man”

The guitar lick from Jimmy’s “Shame, Shame, Shame” seems like one that I always heard my dad playing when he was warming up …

Another favorite is “Bright Lights, Big City”

https://youtu.be/l9xXchxodYg?si=0MWbQhh7N2JbjJfJ

The Stones covered this great one – “Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby”

The Blues Brothers covered Jimmy on one of their albums, doing a cool version of “I Ain’t Got You”

Jimmy died of respiratory failure just 8 days before his 51st birthday on August 29, 1976. He was inducted posthumously to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. He was certainly a “Boss Man of the Blues”

Happy Birthday, Jimmy!

Like Father – Like Son

This phrase is so true for me. It is true is a couple ways actually.

You can find many blogs I have written about the similarities between my father and I. He is my biggest influence in music, books, movies, and TV shows. When someone tells me that I am just like my dad, I take that as a compliment.

I remember my dad introducing me to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin’s music. The Sinatra channel on Sirius XM is my go to music channel. My children were familiar with it because I always had it on in the car.

When my oldest son, Dante’ got his first job, he was working at an Italian restaurant. When I dropped in to see him one night, he pointed out a picture on the wall. I am almost 100% sure it was this one:

He liked talking about Frank. When he started hanging out with this girl he liked, he told me his was singing Sinatra songs to her. I wish I would remember which ones. Anyway, the other night he texted me something and we chatted back and forth. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was reading a good book….

I just thought he would think it was cool. His response made me smile:

“I have that same book!”

I couldn’t believe it. He’d actually bought it at the store!

“You make me proud, son. I love that you dig Frank,” I told him.

Like father like son!

I told him that he needed to compile his top 10 Frank songs and I would do the same. Then we need to compare our lists! He loved the idea. Hopefully, we’ll go over those lists soon, when our work schedules allow us to get together.

Happy Father’s Day

Well, the kitten woke me up about 3:30 this morning. He’s an early bird apparently. So I decided to take advantage of the kids still sleeping and I made a pot of coffee. I figured I’d read a bit.

I then remembered that today is Father’s Day. So I wanted to take a moment to wish all the dads reading this “Happy Father’s Day! Cheers to you!

I am blessed to still have my dad around. We are closer now than ever. There are a few blogs I have written about him and I will post links here for new readers:

Birthday Tribute to “Fred”

My Biggest Musical Influence – Dad

Truth is, I could write a book about my dad (and one day I might!). I can always count on good conversations, memories and laughter when we chat. He sent me something recently that I am debating turning into a blog. He is an amazing father and I’m so lucky he is mine! Happy Father’s Day, Pop!

I also want to say Happy Father’s Day to my Father-in-law, Tony. I can’t begin to tell you how lucky I am that he is in my life. You have seen so many of the projects that I’ve completed here (the nook, grout and tile in the laundry room, building an entire new room for Ella, and countless others). I would have had to hire someone for all of those things without him. He’s another amazing dad.

I became a father 21 years ago. 5 years another son was born. 3 years ago, another blessing came with my first, and only, daughter. Finally, my third and final son arrived 20 months ago. Dante’, Dimitri, Ella and Andrew – four amazing kids – each with distinct and wonderful personalities. What an honor and privilege to be their father!

Parenting is the hardest job you will ever have. Throughout all the difficulties in life, this job is 24/7 and it is the most important! Rereading the following blog brought all of that home for me again:

They Call Me “Dad”

Dante’ works today, so we’re planning on getting together tomorrow. We’re going to meet at a park and have a pizza picnic. The last time all four of my kids were together was around Christmas. I hope that I am able to get them all to sit still for a picture.

I’m starting to ramble, so I apologize. Even though today is supposed to be all about “me” (as “dad”), I am pausing to remember all of the great men, fathers and father-like figures who played a role in preparing me for that role as “Father.” More importantly, I am thinking about the four special children who officially gave me that role!

Happy Father’s Day!

Another year passes …

Today I finished my 53rd trip around the sun. Birthdays stopped being special to me a long time ago. They are just another day. However, I will tell you that today was a birthday I won’t soon forget. Let me tell you why …

Ella has been talking about my birthday for months. She’s known that mine was coming up and eventually the “next” one. So she told Sam that she was going to get all the stuff for my “party.”

So her and Sam went to the store to order my cake. She told the woman that she was positive that I loved princesses, so this was the cake they brought home:

Ella sang Happy Birthday loud and proud and both kids helped me blow out my candles.

Yes, I did wear the tiara and hold the scepter after cutting the cake.

Sam and the kids got me the coolest card and a book I have had on my Amazon wishlist for some time. Once I get through the library books I have, I will be diving into this one.

They also got me an amazing shirt. The card and shirt go together as they are both from Bluey, the cartoon I just love! Perhaps mom was trying for a Bluey theme, but the princess won out!

We even had princess plates!!

If you are wondering about the tiara and scepter – don’t worry, there is a princess at our house making good use of them!

I also heard from my dad first thing this morning. He got a chuckle out of my cake. My oldest son called me this morning too. My middle son texted on his way home from the bus stop to send birthday wishes. There were countless text messages and birthday wishes on Facebook, too.

As much as I hate counting the years (and still claim to be 39 every year like Jack Benny) it is nice to know that so many folks will take a brief moment out of their day to send a birthday greeting. It’s almost overwhelming, but it is a reminder of just how blessed I am.