Posts From Jeff Tamarkin
Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Grateful Dead Singer During the 1970s, Dies
The only female member of the storied San Francisco band, Godchaux-MacKay, who was 78, died in Nashville, Tenn., following a long battle with cancer.
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‘Ringo’: His 1973 Solo Breakthrough, With a Little Help From You Know Who
Although he’d had a couple of solo hits post-Beatles, the albums just weren’t happening. Then he reached into his phone book and made a few calls.
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The Gentrys’ ‘Keep on Dancing’: Behind the ’60s Garage Classic
The Memphis septet took an obscure R&B tune and turned it into a top 5 rocker in 1965. The story behind the recording—and the band—is fascinating.
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Willie Nelson: A New Book Analyzes His Massive Album Catalog
This handsome new hardcover book is stocked with factual details on every album, along with analyses of the music within.
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Leslie West on Playing With Jimi and The Who
The Mountain man recalls his solo years and jam sessions sitting in with fellow rock giants, and much more.
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The Mighty Manfred Mann: From ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ to ‘Blinded By the Light’
They underwent frequent personnel changes, including several lead singers—and they were named after the keyboardist—but they kept producing hits.
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An Interview with Dion: The Bronx, the Blues & Beyond
“If you are looking to retire you’ve probably been in the wrong job. I do what I love now.”—Dion
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17 Classic Chuck Berry Covers
The legend, who may have invented rock and roll, died at 90 in 2017. To celebrate his legacy, we’ve chosen 17 of his best, by some of his biggest fans.
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1973: The Year in 50 Classic Rock Albums
We looked back at hundreds of albums released in 1973 and whittled the list down to the 50 that we think represent the cream of the year’s crop.
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‘MacArthur Park’: The Jimmy Webb Recipe for a Hit
“Someone left the cake out in the rain/I don’t think that I can take it ’cause it took too long to bake it.” Love it or hate it, here’s the story.
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