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Just think of all the music that’s distinctly American. Jazz. Rock and roll. Motown. The blues. Zydeco. (And if we didn’t invent it here, we found a way to make it better.) We tap our toes, we dance, we thrill to the music of America.
Ashman and Menken, Songwriters
It’s very possible you’ve never heard of Ashman and Menken. But I’m a huge fan. I’m especially awed by the lyrical...
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Taylor Swift
Hasn’t been a couple of weeks for Taylor Swift, has it? On Nov. 9, she’s chosen Entertainer of the Year in the CMA Awards. Then...
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“I Can’t Stop Loving You,” by Ray Charles
Even now, I have a hard time considering Ray Charles as a country singer. But he released two albums in the early sixties (Modern Sounds In...
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Blue Note Jazz Club
Is there any location in the America more appropriate for a world-class jazz club than Greenwich Village? The Blue Note on West 3rd St. in...
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Singer: Martina McBride
The first question I have about Martina McBride is simple. Are her eyes really that blue, or are those contacts? Best I can tell...
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Song: “Werewolves of London”
This song would be worthy of inclusion as a Great American Thing at any time of year. But during this season, it’s especially...
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Music: Southern Rock
Let’s have a little debate here. Which one of these bands comes to mind first when the subject is Southern Rock? a) The Allman...
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Album: Patsy Cline – The Definitive Collection
Seldom does a voice come along with the expressive soulfulness of Patsy Cline. She was definitely country enough to fit comfortably in that...
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Singer: Dion
Dion came along during that awkward period between the explosion of rock and roll in the mid 1950s and the British Invasion. He took a...
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Music: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Take the blues quality of African music. Play it on instruments mostly invented in Europe. Filter it through the African-American...
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