The Little Eva Who Could

Legend had it that when Carole King heard her newly hired babysitter Eva Narcissus Boyd sing she yelled, ‘Stop! We must record that voice!’. Another story often told is that Eva’s dancing around her living room inspired the lyrics to The Locomotion. Truthfully, King and her husband Gerry Goffin knew exactly how good a singer Eva was when they hired her as a babysitter, since she had been singing on demos and working with their girl group the Cookies. Continue reading “The Little Eva Who Could”

Dolly Parton’s Discography: 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs

Despite never working a 9 To 5 job in her entire life, Dolly Parton understood the plight of working women and channeled that despair, hope and frustration into an anthem that still resonates today, long after the film of the same name has faded in the cultural consciousness. Her previous album, Dolly, Dolly, Dolly had been entirely written by others, so it was ironic (although not a surprise to anyone who understands her songwriting talent) that she would find the crossover hit she was looking for in her own pen after all. Continue reading “Dolly Parton’s Discography: 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs”

Women Win Big At the Americana Music Awards

Last year at the Americana Music Awards many women were nominated but only Molly Tuttle took home an award for instrumentalist of the year. Before this year’s ceremony Margo Price, who had been one of those 2018 nominees, tweeted that she hoped things would be different in 2019 and the headlines would finally read that women had won big. Thankfully I can report with some delight that her wish has indeed come true and women won an equal share of last night’s awards including the big prize of Artist of the Year. Continue reading “Women Win Big At the Americana Music Awards”

Album Review: The Highwomen

Flash forward to next year and imagine that the Highwomen have just won the CMA for album of the year to add to their Grammy, they have been played every hour on the hour on country radio and topped the charts with their first five singles, headlined a huge arena tour and been invited to join the Opry. Yes, Mama went and damn well changed the Nashville sound.

Doesn’t that sound like the most wonderful dream? Yet even me, the biggest Stan in all of Stanville, knows that this is unlikely, nay impossible. But why can’t it be reality, you may ask? After all Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby are four of the most talented women in all genres of music. Together they have produced an album full of quality songwriting, gorgeous country music and enough personality to dazzle even the most dark-hearted of cynics. Continue reading “Album Review: The Highwomen”

Album Review: Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!

I hadn’t listened much to Lana Del Rey before I began writing this blog. Sure I knew Summertime Sadness and Video Games but they didn’t encourage me to listen further. There was something about her sad-girl-loves-bad-boys image that made me think she was a construct, a record label fantasy surely created by a man. Her dead eye stare was as cold as the beats of her over produced music.

And, to be honest, I still don’t know if I’m entirely wrong about those initial assumptions. What I do know is that with Norman Fucking Rockwell! Lana Del Rey just released one of the best albums of 2019. Her quiet evolution into one of the most vital voices of this year has been quite stunning to witness. Continue reading “Album Review: Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!”

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