Author: James Porter

Funk Remembrance Rock Soul 

Game Was Her Middle Name: Remembering Betty Davis

March 1, 2022March 1, 2022 James Porter 0 Comments American Bandstand, Aretha Franklin, Betty Davis, Bettye LaVette, Candi Staton, Etta James, Gladys Knight, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, Soul Train, the Buddy Miles Express, The Chambers Brothers

If anybody ever embodied the term “Black Girls Rock!,” the dearly departed funk-rock innovator was it

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Blues Funk Remembrance Soul 

It Wasn’t Because He’s Black, It Was Because He Was Great

February 9, 2022February 10, 2022 James Porter 3 Comments Al Green, Ann Peebles, Booker T. And the MG's, Booker T. Jones, Buddy Guy, Cypress Hill, funk, Hi Records, KRS One, Mavis Staples, Michael Jackson, R&B, RIP, Soul, Syl Johnson, Willie Hutch, Wu-Tang Clan

Remembering the art and artistry of sampled soul giant Syl Johnson

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Bluegrass Country and/or Western Pop Remembrance Rock 

Remembering Nez: Now It’s Time To Listen To The Band

December 16, 2021April 3, 2022 James Porter 4 Comments Davy Jones, Generation X, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, MTV, Peter Tork, RCA, RIP, The Monkees

Why losing Michael Nesmith means so much more than the death of the “Quiet Monkee”

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Blues Festivals Funk Gospel jazz Soul World 

“Are You Ready, Black People?”: Summer Of Soul Takes Us Higher

July 6, 2021March 28, 2022 James Porter 3 Comments Chuck Jackson, David Ruffin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Harlem Cultural Festival, Questlove, Sly & the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Summer of Soul, The Chambers Brothers, The Fifth Dimension, The Roots

In his directorial debut, Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson celebrates the great lost music festival of 1969

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Blues jazz Records Remembrance Retail 

Bob Koester: The Purest of Purists

May 25, 2021March 24, 2022 James Porter 7 Comments Aaron Moore, Big Joe Williams, Bob Koester, Chicago, Curtis Jones, Dave Specter, Delmark Records, J.B. Hutto, Jazz Record Mart, Jimmy Burns, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny B. Moore, Junior Wells, Lurrie Bell, Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Piano Red, RIP, Rockin' Johnny Burgin, Roosevelt Sykes, Sleepy John Estes, Sunnyland Slim, Toronzo Cannon

Remembering the life of the man who kept the spirit of jazz and blues alive and thriving in Chicago

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Glam Pop Punk Remembrance Rock 

(Sleep) Baby Doll: Remembering Sylvain Sylvain

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021 James Porter 0 Comments Arthur Kane, David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls, RIP, Sylvain Mizrahi, Sylvain Sylvain

The beloved New York Dolls guitarist lost his battle with cancer on January 13

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Country and/or Western Remembrance 

“It’s My Music, Too”: Farewell Charley Pride

December 14, 2020December 17, 2020 James Porter 1 Comment Bakersfield Sound, Buck Owens, Charley Pride, Coronavirus, Country Music, COVID-19, Delbert McClinton, RIP, Sonny Rollins

The Demon COVID takes another country legend, gone at 86

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Country and/or Western Remembrance 

Jerry Jeff Walker Was The Outlaw’s Outlaw

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020 James Porter 1 Comment Circus Maximus, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mr. Bojangles, Outlaw Country, RIP, Sammy Davis Jr.

Standing in his own field, the country great created a body of work that became a category all its’ own

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Blues Folk Soul 

Still Bill, Just As He Was

April 6, 2020 James Porter 2 Comments Bill Withers, Columbia Records, Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Gil Scott-Heron, John Hammond, Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, Swamp Dogg, Terry Callier

There was almost no precedent for Bill Withers in the 1970s

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Latin Pop Rock 

REISSUES: Revisiting The Land of 1000 Dances

January 22, 2020January 22, 2020 James Porter 0 Comments Buffalo Springfield, Cannibal & the Headhunters, Chris Jenner, Don Waller, Fats Domino, Frank Zappa, Frankie “Cannibal” Garcia, Goldmine Magazine, Johnny Rivers, Los Angeles, Minky Records, Rampart Records, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Doors, The Mamas & The Papas

An essential box set chronicles the history of iconic Los Angeles Latino rock label Rampart Records

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Pop Rock 

The Everlasting Endurance of Paul Revere & The Raiders

October 10, 2019February 9, 2021 James Porter 10 Comments Columbia Records, Dick Clark reunion with Paul Revere, GTO commercial, Indian Reservation, Johnny Mathis, Kicks, Link Wray, Mark Lindsay, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Quentin Tarantino, Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Something Happening, The Judge Pontiac, The Smothers Brothers, Tommy Smothers

How Quentin Tarantino kickstarted a resurgence for the band behind “Kicks”

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Country and/or Western 

Buck Owens and the 1970s

June 28, 2019June 28, 2019 James Porter 0 Comments Bakersfield Sound, Buck Owens, Buck Owens and the Buckaroos Complete Capitol Singles 1971-1975, Omnivore Recordings, The Buckaroos

A new compilation from Omnivore Recordings highlights the Bakersfield honky tonk great’s rockiest period

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Pop Psychedelics Remembrance Rock 

Farewell, Roky Erickson: We’re Gonna Miss Him

June 4, 2019June 4, 2019 James Porter 2 Comments 13th Floor Elevators, RIP, Roky Erickson

One fan remembers the psychedelic rock icon, who died on May 31 at the age of 72

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Blues Psychedelics Soul 

The Excellence of Music City USA

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 James Porter 0 Comments Excello Records, Lightnin' Slim, Nashville, RPM Books, Slim Harpo

An in-depth new book explores the catalog of Nashville’s premier R&B imprint Excello Records

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Pop Remembrance 

Remembering Peter Tork

February 22, 2019February 23, 2019 James Porter 0 Comments Peter Tork, RIP, The Monkees

The sweet, silly and razor sharp bassist for The Monkees loses his battle with cancer at 77

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