Posts From Sam Sutherland

Dr. John’s ‘Gumbo’: A New Orleans Master’s Thesis

For the sessions, instead of his own new material, he breathed authentic life into lively new versions of hometown classics.

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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s ‘Deja Vu’: A Volatile Chemistry

By any standard, it was an enormous success. But when CSN added a new member for their second album, it was an alliance that would both define and bedevil them

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Manassas: Stephen Stills’ Finest (Solo) Hour

Stills’ third full-length as leader showcased a collaborative ensemble flexible enough to cover a broad stylistic palette.

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Bonnie Raitt Rebounds in the ‘Nick of Time’

Just when her career needed a boost, Raitt switched labels and came up with her biggest hit album, which took her all the way to number one

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Pretenders Reborn: ‘Learning to Crawl’ @ 40

With hits like “Back on the Chain Gang” and “My City Was Gone,” the band successfully rebounded from tragedy.

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Parton, Ronstadt and Harris’ ‘Trio’: Soaring Sisterhood

Their partnership is among the purest, boasting a celestial vocal blend, rooted in mutual admiration and the sheer joy of making music

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Rickie Lee Jones’ Debut: Hipster Chic, Beyond Laurel Canyon

She reached beyond folk, rock and blues influences then dominant among Los Angeles’ singer-songwriters, looking to earlier generations of songsmiths.

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Mark Knopfler—’Local Hero’ Soundtrack: A Musical Homecoming

Knopfler delivered a score that was integral to the film’s enduring appeal, launching a successful second career as a film composer.

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Jackson Browne: The 1st Album, An L.A. Troubadour’s Debut

Several of his songs, written when he was still in his teens, had already been recorded by others by the time Browne entered the studio to cut his debut

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Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’: An Epic, Massive Swan Song

By the time ‘Bridge’ swept the 1971 Grammy Awards, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel had effectively parted ways professionally.

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