LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

OR REMOVED ON THEIR WHIM!

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE TRUTH OR FACTS!

BLOGGER DOESN'T LIKE FUND RAISERS AND DELETES

POSTS THAT INCLUDE FUNDRAISING THAT 'VIOLATES THEIR

UNDEFINED COMMUNITY STANDARDS SO ALL 'FUND RAISING'

IS DELETED - CONTRIBUTE AS YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT

IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS

“I’ll Be There For You”

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Sep 27

Credit: Getty Images

The theme song for the hit sitcom “Friends” is a famous earworm for a reason. It is an infectious, upbeat anthem to friendship. We were reminded of “I’ll Be There For You” because the show, which ran for ten seasons on NBC, premiered 32 years ago this week. The song and its famous hand claps are this week’s reason to smile.

It is hard to believe that it’s been more than three decades since Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross over-caffeinated at Central Perk, and three decades since we first heard The Rembrandts’ theme song, which was an accidental hit for the duo.

“Friends” creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman originally asked the band R.E.M. to use their ode to happiness, “Shiny Happy People,” for the theme song. When the creators got turned down, they decided to write their own song with the help of professional songwriter Alee Willis. Crane and Kauffman said they listened to the Beatles to channel that mid-60s pop sound.

Once the song was written, they had to find someone to sing it. The Rembrandts were an obvious choice as they were under contract with Warner Bros. Records while the show was being produced by Warner Bros. Television. The band, however, had to be convinced. Little did they know what a hit the show and the song would be.

The video for the song was shot on the set of Saturday Night Live in NBC’s Rockefeller Center studios and included both the band and the cast of “Friends.”

As sappy as it may sound, Steady will be there for you too.

For the month of September, for every new annual subscription to Steady we will give $10 to the Committee to Protect Journalists. As of today, we will be donating more than $11,000 to CPJ. And we still have a few days to go. If you are unable to support Steady as a paid subscriber, we understand and are committed to providing our content free of charge.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                      

                                                                

  LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

‘Thank God I'm A Country Boy’

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Mar 8

Credit: Getty Images

Happy Sunday! This week’s reason to smile is one of those toe-tapping, infectious, high-energy songs that you may not know the words to, but by the second verse, you’re singing along just the same. It is John Denver’s celebration of all things country, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.”

The song was written by John Martin Sommers, a member of Denver’s band, in December 1973. Denver recorded it 52 years ago today. It simultaneously reached number one on the country charts as well as the Hot 100.

The song is a classic Texas two-step, which may account for why it makes you feel like getting up to swing your partner. You can feel the audience buy-in during this live performance, driven by Denver’s joyful vocals and his fast-paced fiddle, replacing his ubiquitous guitar.

Denver was one of the most popular and best-selling country and folk singer-songwriters of the 1970s. AllMusic has called him “among the most beloved entertainers of his era.”

Thank God for John Denver and I too am thankful for growing up a country boy.

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                                                                                                                                                        

  LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

Roger Daltrey

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Mar 1

Credit: Getty Images

During a German bombing raid of London 82 years ago today, Irene Daltrey gave birth to a baby boy. Her son became rock legend Roger Daltrey, whose powerful voice and charismatic stage presence made The Who one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. Daltrey is this week’s reason to smile.

Almost every major music award and accolade has been bestowed on Daltrey and his bandmates — Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle. In addition to winning multiple Grammys, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Daltrey and Townshend were given Kennedy Center Honors, and Daltrey was included on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 greatest singers. Most recently, he was knighted by King Charles III.

The Who had numerous hit songs, but we chose “My Generation” to highlight because it captures the exuberance and revolutionary spirit of the 1960s. Maybe it will inspire that feeling in young (and old) people today.

A few years back, I had the good fortune to interview Daltrey. When I asked him to pinpoint the moment he went from aspiring singer to rock star, he said it was The Who’s performance at Woodstock in 1969 that cemented their place in the rock music pantheon.

“We were a well known band, in this country and in Britain and Europe. And we’d had hit records. But Woodstock, the whole event of Woodstock, just captured people’s imaginations. It became stuff of legends. It was that one event after which life changed greatly,” Daltrey said.

As a founding member of the British Invasion, Daltrey was on the front lines of a new musical genre. “The great thing about rock and roll is that we were inventing it as we went along. It was all made on the hoof. Whatever we wanted to do, we did,” he told me.

Most people might think that headlining the Super Bowl halftime show at age 65 would be a great swan song. Not Daltrey, who once said he would never retire. And it appears he meant it. The Who is currently on a farewell tour.

I asked him how he keeps his voice concert-ready. “I do work at it,” he explained. “I have to be fit to sing our songs, Pete’s songs. It’s all about the words. What I’m really proud of is that you can listen to any Who record. You’ll hear every word.”

Happy birthday, Sir Roger!

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                             

  LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

‘Stand by Me’

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Feb 22

The song “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King was a huge hit when it was released in 1961. It found a second life in the late 1980s when it appeared on the soundtrack of “Stand by Me,” a film directed by Rob Reiner. Twenty-six years after the song was released, it topped the charts for a second time. And 39 years later, it is our reason to smile.

King, a rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, was the lead singer of The Drifters, one of the most prolific hit-makers in the early days of popular music. Their songs included, “Under the Boardwalk,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” and “Up on the Roof.” But not “Stand by Me.” King recorded and released it as a solo hit after the Drifters passed on it.

The song isn’t just popular at weddings and graduation parties. It is numbered among the Recording Industry Association of America’s 25 Songs of the Century. The original recording was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, which called it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” There are 400 known recordings of the song by a diverse set of singers from John Lennon to Tracy Chapman. Even Muhammad Ali recorded a version for the B-side of 45 he released.

The song is so beloved because its lyrics convey a comforting message of friendship and support. The melody is timeless and its iconic rhythmic bass line is instantly recognizable.

It may not surprise you that the song’s simple lyrics have biblical origins. “Stand by Me” was inspired by a gospel hymn of the same name, which in turn was based on Psalm 46: “Therefore, will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”

The song reminds us all of the importance of finding strength in others during hard times, that we are all in this together.

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                                                                                           

 LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON 

‘Everyday People’

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Feb 15

Sly and the Family Stone. Credit: Getty Images

“Everyday People” is a protest song wrapped in joy. The sunny pop song admonishes without anger, suggesting we celebrate our differences. It is a message many people need to hear right now.

The song was released 57 years ago this weekend and became Sly and the Family Stone’s first No. 1 hit. It is this week’s reason to smile.

The rock-pop-funk band emerged from the Bay Area in 1968, preaching a message of peace and equity. Sly and the Family Stone was the first racially integrated band in rock history. Their hit, “Everyday People,” reflected their ethos.

Musically and lyrically, the song uses a variety of techniques to deliver its theme of inclusivity. The use of the cadence of the playground taunt “na na-na boo boo” mocks the futility of hating each other for being who we are. The song also includes the lyric “Different strokes for different folks,” cementing it as a well-known catchphrase.

We have chosen a more recent version of the song to share because it perfectly embodies the very message the song is meant to convey.

Playing for Change, a multimedia music project featuring musicians and singers from around the globe, produced this video. The mission of Playing for Change is to connect the world through music. Through its foundation, it provides music and art programs for children in underserved communities in 17 countries.

Playing for Change’s “Everyday People” features students alongside artists who teach and inspire them, including Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, Paula Abdul, Misty Copeland, Yo-Yo Ma, Elizabeth Banks, Keb’ Mo’, Josh Groban, and others.

We hope it brings a smile to your Sunday.

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                           

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

Joni Mitchell

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Feb 8

Credit: Getty Images

Joni Mitchell, the Canadian-American singer-songwriter, is considered one of the all-time greats, and I agree. She effortlessly mixes folk, pop, jazz, and rock, blending them with her ethereal voice. She has been praised for her intimate lyrics and distinctive compositions. Mitchell is our reason to smile.

Twenty-six years ago today, she released the album “Both Sides Now.” It included beautifully orchestrated covers of jazz standards and reimagined versions of two of her biggest hits, “A Case of You” and “Both Sides Now.”

More than 30 years after releasing “Both Sides Now” on her “Clouds” album, she re-recorded the song with a full orchestra, but brought the key down to suit her new alto range.

I am partial to her original, stripped-down version of the song, in her clear soprano, accompanied by only a guitar. This version was recorded in 1970 at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Let us know which you prefer.

The multiple Grammy winner said she was inspired to write the song by a passage in a Saul Bellow novel, which she was reading during a flight.

“I put down the book, looked out the window and saw clouds too, and I immediately started writing the song. I had no idea that the song would become as popular as it did.”

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                                                                                 

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

Happy Birthday, Dolly!

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Jan 25

Credit: Getty Images

Happy birthday to my dear friend, Dolly Parton. She turned 80 years young this week. To celebrate that milestone, she re-recorded one of my favorite songs of hers, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” It is our reason to smile.

The new recording features some of music’s biggest stars, many of whom also happen to be Parton’s close friends: Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, and Lainey Wilson. David Foster is on piano, and the Christ Church Choir of Nashville provides beautiful harmonies.

Parton wrote the song in 1976, calling it her “song of deliverance,” after a painful split from her longtime business partner Porter Wagoner.

Of the new rendition, Parton said in a statement, “I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and 50 years later that message still feels just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with some truly incredible women.”

Parton released the song to celebrate her birthday and to raise money for pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital in Nashville.

Some of you sharp-eyed, longtime Steady readers may remember we have chosen a Parton song as our reason to smile more than once. To that I say, you can never have too much Dolly in your life.

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan

                            

LOTS OF POSTS IGNORED BY BLOGGER.....

ALL POSTS ARE AVAILABLE ON

MIDDLEBORO REVIEW AND SO ON

An Unlikely Friendship

A Reason To Smile

Dan Rather and Team Steady Jan 18

Credit: Getty Images

While researching this week’s reason to smile, we came across an item about Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. Fifty-seven years ago, the duo recorded Dylan’s “Girl From the North Country.”

The duet appeared on Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album. The two sang the song on the premiere episode of “The Johnny Cash Show,” helping the album become a bestseller.

It turns out that by the time they recorded the song, they had been great friends for years.

In 1963, Cash became aware of Dylan when his breakout album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was released. “I thought he was one of the best country singers I had ever heard. I always felt a lot in common with him. I knew a lot about him before we had ever met,” Cash later said.

The two became pen pals before they ever met in person. “I wrote him a letter telling him how much I liked his work. I got a letter back and we developed a correspondence,” Cash explained.

They eventually met at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, becoming close friends and collaborators.

“It was like we were two old friends. There was none of this standing back, trying to figure each other out. He’s unique and original. I keep lookin’ around as we pass the middle of the ‘70s and I don’t see anybody come close to Bob Dylan. I respect him. Dylan is a few years younger than I am but we share a bond that hasn’t diminished. I get inspiration from him.”

The country music legend and the folk music hero recorded several songs together. Their mutual admiration is apparent in this recording of “Wanted Man.”

Dylan eulogized his friend in Rolling Stone magazine when Cash died in 2003. “I was asked to give a statement on Johnny’s passing and thought about writing a piece instead called ‘Cash Is King,’ because that is the way I really feel. In plain terms, Johnny was and is the North Star; you could guide your ship by him — the greatest of the greats then and now.”

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash – a reminder that friendships are what sustain us.

If you are able to, please support my team, who make pieces like this possible.

No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading, watching, and listening.

Stay Steady,

Dan