31 May 2023 - Berlin ‎- Sex (I'm A...)

Hello, fellow pleasure-seekers! Today, we dive headfirst into the scandalously seductive world of Berlin's provocative hit song, "Sex (I'm A)." Buckle up and get ready to embrace your guiltiest of pleasures!

Berlin's "Sex (I'm A)" burst onto the scene in 1983, immediately raising eyebrows and temperatures alike. This audacious track, with its bold and risqué lyrics, left listeners blushing and gasping for breath. It's the musical equivalent of a secret rendezvous in a dimly lit alley—raw, daring, and oh-so-naughty!

At the helm of Berlin's tantalizing tunes is the charismatic and sultry Terri Nunn, the voice and heart of Berlin. Nunn's seductive vocals and uninhibited performance style turn up the heat, ensuring this song etches itself into the guilty pleasure hall of fame. Her ability to exude both vulnerability and fierce confidence makes us weak in the knees.

Can we talk about these lyrics for a second?!  "Sex (I'm A)" tantalizes with innuendos and cheeky wordplay that would make even the most composed individual blush like a schoolgirl. With lines like "I'm a push and a shove in your thighs," Berlin masterfully combines sensuality and suggestive wordplay that leave little to the imagination.  In an era of post-Sexual Revolution conservative norms and whispered desires, these lyrics broke through the chains of societal restraints. "Sex (I'm A)" challenged the status quo, bringing sexual liberation to the forefront. By doing so, the song inspired countless conversations, pushing boundaries, and leaving a lasting impact on pop culture's perception of sexuality.

Despite its titillating subject matter and radio bans, "Sex (I'm A)" skyrocketed up the charts, taking the music world by storm. The song reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100, on limited airplay. Berlin's audacity paid off, as audiences eagerly embraced the unabashed celebration of passion and desire.

Now, let's talk about the video.  Bathed in sultry red hues, it features Terri Nunn seducing the camera, leaving viewers both scandalized and spellbound. With its provocative imagery and bold cinematography, the "Sex (I'm A)" music video further solidified Berlin's status as pioneers of sensual visual storytelling.

So, enjoy this bold, adventurous, groundbreaking song.   

30 May 2023 - Enigma - Sadeness (Part I)

Remember that week in the 1990's when we all listened to Gregorian chants?

Today, we explore the mystery of our collective quirky musical preferences to unravel the enigma surrounding the iconic song, "Sadeness (Part I)" by Enigma. 

Enigma is a musical project of Michael Cretu, with a revolving roster of supporting artists.  This song sampled Michael's then-wife, Sandra (a pop star in her own right), singing some French vocals, as well as some James Brown drum beats and a 1974 chant by Gregorian monks.  

That magical combination was a top 5 hit in 1991.  

Gregorian chants made the pop charts in the United States.

Yep, as many times as I say that, it doesn't seem real.

So, let's address that. 

While traditionally associated with religious ceremonies, Enigma fearlessly incorporated these sacred vocal arrangements into their sensual soundscape. Imagine finding yourself torn between spiritual reflection and seductive daydreams. It's a musical rollercoaster that leaves you wondering, "Can I pray and dance at the same time?"

Yes.

The song ended up being groundbreaking, with other artists daring to blend classical music with modern beats to create something new.  But nothing beats the original.  

29 May 2023 - Jack Black - Peaches

Many of you have probably seen the The Super Mario Bros. Movie.  I have.  It's the highest grossing movie of 2023 so far.  

Jack Black voices the villian, Bowser.  Bowser's motivation in the film is his love for Princess Peach, who rules over the Toad Kingdom.  This love ballad features prominently in the movie, and has become something of a hit in its own right, even hitting the Billboard Hot 100 and other charts around the world.  

It is intentionally performed in the style of a ridiculous, over-the-top ballad. This video, featuring animation from the movie, is one of two for the song.

     

The other, of course, features Jack Black doing Boswer-inspired cosplay.

26 May 2023 - Jennifer Paige - Crush

Admit it - you almost forgot this song existed, didn't you?  

Well, released in 1998, "Crush" swiftly climbed the music charts, reaching remarkable heights around the world. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, solidifying Jennifer Paige's status as a rising star. The song's success was not limited to the United States but also spread across Europe, where it topped the charts in countries like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Her status as a rising star would be short lived.  This, her debut single, would be her only charting hit in the United States (although she continued to hit the UK charts).  

That doesn't make it a bad song.  It just makes her a one-hit wonder.  And that's OK.  Few songs can boast the kind of international recognition that "Crush" received. It garnered extensive radio airplay and commercial success in countries like Germany, Sweden, Norway, and many others.  Are bad songs worldwide hits?  Certainly (although we love them, too).  

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And this is not a bad song.  "Crush" seamlessly blended elements of pop, dance, and a touch of R&B, showcasing Jennifer Paige's versatility as an artist. This fusion of genres played a significant role in the song's widespread appeal, captivating listeners from diverse musical backgrounds and preferences.

25 May 2023 - Bryan Adams and Tina Turner - It's Only Love

In 1985, Canadian hitmaker Bryan Adams wrote a song and released a single with R&B legend and resurgent superstar Tina Turner.  When reflecting on it with Songfacts in 2009, Adams considered this experience as one of the most memorable of his career.

Working with Tina Turner was amazing. I used to go to see her in the clubs when I was in my late teens/early 20s before she hit the big time. It was incredible to watch her. Amazingly when we toured together years later, I never saw Tina walk through a performance, she always put on a great show, and was gracious and grateful to her audience.It was such a privilege to have sung with her, especially since I was only 24 at the time.

I was not a huge fan of Byran Adams growing up (I appreciate what he did a lot more now), but this song always broke through for me.  The song takes a different slant on heartbreak - and talks about moving on  because, you know, it's only love, yeah, and that's all. I appreciated both the interesting lyrics and the dynamic interaction between Adams and Turner.  

24 May 2023 (Special Edition) - Tina Turner - Proud Mary

I'm really breaking a lot of protocols here by publishing a cover on this blog and not Totally Covered, by posting for a second time in a day, and by not billing the late Ike Turner here - this song was by Ike and Tina Turner.  .  

But this was Tina's song.  And she has passed away at age 83.  It's her voice we're missing today.

She also did a solo version of the song, but we're getting there.    

She reinvented John Fogarty's song - shooting it back into the top 10 in the US and winning a Grammy (Best R&B Performance By A Group) for the performance in the process. This is truly one of the greatest covers of all time, and also a great song in its own right, regardless of songwriter.  This would be her first of twelve Grammys, which includes a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and three Grammy Hall of Fame awards, one of them for this song (separate from the CCR version, which ALSO recieved a Grammy Hall of Fame award).  

In 1993, a biographical movie about Tina Turner called What's Love Got To Do With It was released.  She rerecorded this song herself, without Ike (who didn't exactly get a glowing treatment in the movie, as he was famously abusive).  This version was a hit in Europe in 2010 after a performance by a contenstant on the TV show X Factor.  

Anna Mae Bullock had a good, long life and a career that started in her late teens, but she was still performing until she was 70.  Her last tour was in 2009 - and here she is, performing this song on that tour, and bringing just as much energy in 2009 as she did in 1971.

Tina Turner was a classic, groundbreaking voice, and she will be deeply and sorely missed.   

24 May 2023 - Jay Scøtt - Copilote

Last year, we made a mistake.

We made this mistake on one of the most popular posts ever on this blog.

We gave FouKi credit for a song by Jay Scøtt.  FouKi, in that case, was the guest star.  THIS version, written by Jay Scøtt, came first, and was a quiet tribute to a lost love.  

Indeed, Jay Scøtt is a Quebecois treasure, and we apologize for the disrespect.   Here is his best-known song, which is frequently sung in this household.  

23 May 2023 - Obie Trice ft. Eminem - Rap Name

You've heard this before.  

Yep, the song that Eminem uses as an intro to "Without Me" is a real song, by a real guy signed to his real record label with a real name of Obie Trice.  

No gimmicks.

Discovered in his hometown Detroit by rap collective D12, they brought him to fellow Detroit native son Marshall Mathers - initals M and M (just say that out loud if you don't get it) - who signed him to Shady Records.

This song, Obie Trice's debut, appeared on the soundtrack to the movie 8 Mile.  I guess that's a pretty good introduction to the world - an Oscar nominated movie, of course. He had a good career, and does still make music, but legal issues of late have gotten in the way of more output - his latest single was released in 2019.

Still, we've got "Rap Name" and it's a pretty excellent song in the freestyle rap style.  

22 May 2023 - Art of Noise - Close (To The Edit)

I remember the first time I saw this video on MTV and wondered to myself "what the hell am I watching?"

The answer is, I was watching an avant-garde group remix their previous single, "Beat Box", and throw some various Yes and Andrews Sisters samples in there.   What came out the other side was a interesting piece of music unlike anything anyone had ever seen prior.  I can honestly say this song and this video shaped a lot of my musical tastes for decades to come.

That unusual metallic sound you hear repeatedly in the song is the sound of a Volkswagen Golf, restarting.  That's not a joke or a typo.  It's really a car restarting, and poorly.  

This was the first of three videos made of the song, and has been described as a young girl in punk garb hanging out with Huey Lewis and the News in an abandoned train yard destroying musical instruments.  

So, this isn't the type of song you expect to see performed live.   And, yet, it has been.  Many times.  This particular performance was from a 2004 benefit concert in tribute to musician, producer and songwriter (who was credited on this track because of the Yes samples) Trevor Horn - and was performed by Anne Dudley (credited as Art of Noise, even though her bandmates did not perform), Trevor Horn and members of his band, The Buggles.  It is fantastic.

Here's a more contemporary performance featuring the full band actually showing their faces (something they did not tend to do) for the most part.  This performance is from 1986..

19 May 2023 - Rêve - CTRL + ALT + DEL

An artist from Montreal with a non-English letter in her first name, which is really a stage name?  With whom we've passed into the "overposting" area?

No, not that one.  This is only the 3rd Rêve post we've pulled out here.  And the first one outside of March.  Mostly, this is because we didn't have anything written for today and we stole a post from next March - but also, this song is in our heavy rotation right now.   

This one.  Without listening to the song, I would think this was a tribute to the classic three-finger salute used to restart a PC.  The song, co-written by Rêve with Banx & Ranx, uses that as a metaphor for ignoring the drama that can come with going to the club. On the surface, it might sound a little like a mean girl song, but the reality is, it's about having fun and keeping the negativity away.

It may have been more mean girl-y if not for the great delivery of the 2023 Juno Award winning Rêve, who combines a pretty great repetitive bass with a beat that the kids love to dance to with a shockingly huge voice.

18 May 2023 - Owl City - Vitamin Sea

I just wanted to remind you that Owl City has released music since "Good Time" and "Fireflies".   

And, in fact, on March 24th of this year, he released an 11-song album, called Coco Moon, which he announced on Instagram on February 9th.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Owl City (@owlcityofficial)

I don't really need to post anything more than that, do I?  Adam Young said it way better than I ever could.

He also released this, the first single from that album, that day.  It's very much an Owl City song, painting a beautiful picture and including a keytar solo.  The female vocalist you hear is frequent collaborator and Carly Rae Jepsen live stand-in Breanne Düren, a fabulous musician in her own right.   

17 May 2023 - almost monday - broken people

What happens when three high school friends from San Diego form a band?

You get indie rock gold, that's what happens.  And this single, their 2020 debut, was a bellwether to bigger and better things - including a lot of investment by Hollywood Records, who have been advertising the hell out of them on their streaming media platforms of late. 

This song was a minor alternative radio hit in 2019, and they've only gotten bigger from there.  Their look is a little different than you might expect from big rock stars, but I think that's the point - they're making music that resonates with regular people, and not just aesthetes.   

The indie emotion shines even brighter when they perform the song live.

16 May 2023 - Awkwafina - My Vag

Yes.   THAT Awkafina.

What other Awkafina is there?  Geez, we're not talking about water here.  No, we're talking about the Golden Globe Best Supporting Vag Actress winner.

No, we're talking about Awkafina's vagina today.  You know, her vagina is fifty times better than a penis.

You will be laughing straight through this incredibly politically incorrect song, which, believe it or not, put Nora Lum from Queens on the map - you can draw a straight line from this song right to her voice role in The Little Mermaid - but at the same time, you're going to be hearing this beat in your head all day.  

Oh yes.  She does it live.

15 May 2023 - Steve Earle - Back To The Wall

This was the second single off Earle's 1988 breakthrough Copperhead Road album - and, as a country-rock album, it was outside my wheelhouse from a musical taste standpoint.  However, off the strength of "Copperhead Road", the single, I purchased this album.  

The standout for me wasn't the title song (which I liked for a while but grew tired of), but, rather, this gritty song about homelessness.  The video supports it - directed by Meiert Evis and featuring homeless people.  Written by Earle, the entire album and this song in particular cemented his legacy as a great storyteller.

Yes, Earle still performs this song live.  Here he is in 2018, 30 years after the song's initial release (yes, this song is 35 years old this year), performing it as gritty as ever in New York City.

12 May 2023 - Mckenna Grace - Self Dysmorphia

We were watching The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu the other day and we noticed that there was a young actress who was playing a character that was mature beyond her years.   The character was Esther Keyes, and the actress was 16-year-old Emmy nomineee Mckenna Grace - and she is the youngest-ever Emmy nominee in any of the Best Guest Actor categories (and 10th youngest nominee in ANY category).  We know that 2nd part because we had to do a little research on this young actress.

Turns out she's an actress who sings - and has released several singles.  According to her website, she started this as a creative outlet during the pandemic, which, of course, did limit acting opportunities.  Music allowed her to get her emotions out.  

This single was released in November 2022 and was co-written by Grace.   The song itself was in the pop-rock genre that she's gravitated towards at this point in her young career.  The video was filmed after the actress's surgery to correct a scoliosis-casued 45 degree curvature to her spine (which she SHOWS you at the 2:00 minute mark of the video - yeah, that's her back).  It was directed, written, and edited by her, as she was pretty much confined to a chair in the weeks following her surgery (a doctor's directive she ignores at the 0:48 mark of the video).  

I exprect great things in the future, both in acting and music.  

Very soon after this video was performed, she seemed to be walking just fine - and she shows off the scar as she performed the song live.  

11 May 2023 - The Lemonheads - Confetti

The Lemonheads is really one guy - Evan Dando - pretending he's a band with a bunch of whatever friends happen to be available at the time.  That included people from other Boston bands, session musicians, and at two different times, a couple of Blake Babies (another band he was a member of).  

This was a single from their 1992 breakout album, It's A Shame About Ray.  Written by Dando, the cheery-sounding song is about a guy who wanted to love someone but just couldn't, and instead decides to be alone.   The fourth and final single from that album, it was a minor hit in the UK.

It also happens to be one of my favorite songs by the band. 

The Lemonheads are still together, and still performing this song live, thirty years later.

10 May 2023 - Huey Lewis & The News - Hip To Be Square

There was a time when Huey Lewis & The News were my favorite band.  I loved Sports.  Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Sports came out in '83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically.

Then Fore! came out and exploded, and I remember finding the first single off the album to be rather bland, so I moved on.   

Then they released their second single, which was all about how not actually cool they were - and I remembered why I liked them again.  The song is not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself.  That's not an original thought by me.  It's a quote from American Psycho, a film in which this song was featuted.  It's also not the first American Psycho quote I peppered in here, so start hunting.  

This song was a #3 hit for the band in 1986, and featured background vocals from Football Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana, who at the time were playing for Huey's hometown San Francisco 49ers.  

9 May 2023 - 10,000 Maniacs - My Mother the War

This song appears on both the band's 1983 debut album The Secrets of The I Ching and their 1985 major label debut, The Wishing Chair.  It is a song that longtime fans clamor to hear live (and in my times seeing them live, I did hear it a couple of times).

"My Mother The War" is the rare song with lyrics not solely written by Natalie Merchant from the early days of 10,000 Maniacs - it was co-written with Michael Walsh, with John Lombardo writing the music in the style that was so distinctive for the early days of the band.  

I don't know what else to say about this except, go Jamestown!

The band is still around, although Natalie left the band in the mid-90's (despite what you may have heard, it was amicable).  Here is not-usual-vocalist John Lombardo singing the song during a sound check in 2022. 

Here he is singing it in 2015 - you can see usual vocalist Mary Ramsey walk off stage as they play the song that defined the early band she wasn't part of (although she comes back).

8 May 2023 - Charlene - I've Never Been To Me

In 1976, Motown artist Charlene released a single that was widely considered to be a flop.  It reached a whopping #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.  

She was subsequently dropped from her label, married an Englishman, and moved to the United Kingdom to work in a sweetshop.  

The single would have been forgotten if not for a little-known DJ named Scott Shannon, at the time on the radio in Tampa, Florida.  His girlfriend loved this song, and in 1982 urged her boyfriend to play it - which he did.  Listeners loved the song, and so Shannon, who used to work for Motown Records, made a few phone calls to his old bosses about the hit potential of the song.  

So, imagie that you've left the music industry, largely feeling like you've failed, only to get a call from the president of Motown Records telling you that you weren't a failure and, indeed, he wanted to resign you to his label.  Charlene doesn't have to imagine, that, because that's what happened to her.  

The second time around, the song was a worldwide hit, hitting #3 in the US and #1 elsewhere.  It was also a crossover hit, with country radio picking up the song as well.   

The song revived her career, and although her time on Motown would only last a few more years. leaving her a one hit wonder in the US (she did have more hits in Europe), she has built a career that still continues to this day, including recording new music as of 2022.  

The song recieved something of a resurgence in 1994, with the release of the Australian movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which you should go watch right now.  This song was performed by Hugo Weaving as a female impersonator - an audience that truly embraced this song in real life.  

Unusually, Charlene did re-record the song - but only in Spanish.  This ended up being a B-side of a follow-up single, which didn't nearly match the runaway success of "I've Never Benn To Me".

6 May 2023 - The Darling Buds - You've Got To Choose

You had to expect this today.  It's Darling Buds Day.  

Long time readers of this blog will know that this happened accidentally - when we posted Darling Buds songs on two May 6ths in a row.  I hope you, as a new long-time reader, will enjoy this for years to come.   

This song, the FIFTH single from their debut album Pop Said..., is a power-pop masterpiece, with Andrea Lewis (who co-wrote every song on the album with Harley Farr) exercising her vocal chops and eschewing any comparisons to Debbie Harry, Tracy Tracy, and Wendy James.  

5 May 2023 - Ke$ha - We R Who We R

I would have sworn up and down that I did this one already.  I cannot find it.  So, if this is a repeat song, let me know.  

I can tell you we've talked about Kesha Sebert a LOT before, so I won't dive into her background too much.  I can tell you that she was surprisingly amazing when I saw her live.  She's got quite a stage presence and a stunningly strong musical range.  

This song doesn't exactly stretch her range.  It is a synth-heavy dance number about clubbing.  

Except it isn't. Kesha was inspired to write this song in the wake of an uptick in the number of gay teens killing themselves.  In her words to Entertainment Weekly:

I wanted to inspire people to be themselves. It’s a celebration of any sort of quirks or eccentricities.

In a separate interview with Rolling Stone, she elaborated.

I was really affected by the suicides that have been happening, having been subject to very public hatred [myself]. I have absolutely no idea how these kids felt. What I'm going through is nothing compared to what they had to go through. Just know things do get better and you need to celebrate who you are. Every weird thing about you is beautiful and makes life interesting. Hopefully the song really captures that emotion of celebrating who you are ... I just felt like people hate because they don't understand or they're jealous, It's all coming from a very negative place and I really feel like people don't need to pay attention to that.

She wrote a pride anthem and cleverly disguised it as a club banger.   And this song is an absolute banger.  It was also a huge woldwide hit, debuting at #1 in the US and topping charts around the world.  It is arguably her biggest hit and best known song.  

Of course, in the decade since this song came out, Kesha dropped the dollar sign and took a decidedly more rocking turn.  In this live performance from 2021, she's got a full band backing her - and it absolutely rocks.

And she makes it clear that it's still a pride anthem.

I wanted to include this older performance - one that rocks even harder - but also, pay attention to what she says starting at around 3:10 of this video.

I'm sick and tired of bully motherfuckers trying to make us feel like we shouldn't be ourselves all the fucking time. I won't stand and we can't stand for discrimination of any kind - not tonight, not now, not fucking ever. I'm talking about what country you're from, what your skin color is, what your sexual preference is, what your gender identity is, or any other kind of discrimination.  There's no room for that shit here.  There's no room for any more hate in this world.  That's what this song is about.  It's about us celebrating who the fuck we are. And now it's kind of turned into my personal life mission to spread as much love, equality, glitter and rock and roll until the day I die - until I'm six fucking feet underground.  I love you just as you fucking are.  Fuck what anyone else thinks. 

Amen, Kesha.

4 May 2023 - No Doubt - Trapped In A Box

This story starts with an older brother - a keyboardist - recruiting his kid sister to be in his band.

Eric Stefani is featured in this video.  He's the guy playing keyboards.   

Tom Dumont, the guitarist, wrote the beginings of the lyrics for this song as a poem in high school, with Eric writing the melody and other members of the band contributing lyrics.  Eric was the bandleader and prinicpal songwriter.

Their debut album was a commercial failure - a huge flop - so much so that Interscope Records refused to budget money for a video for the only single from the album.... so the band raised $5000 to make their own.  

Unlike their later work, this song - and the whole first album, in fact - was pure ska.  Later work was ska-influenced, but not as pure as this.  In fact, it was differences over that change that led Eric to leave the band, and in fact music altogether - becoming a full-time animator on The Simpsons - leaving primary songwriting duties for the band to his kid sister, Gwen.  

This isn't to say they forgot their roots.  The band still performed this song live for many years.  

And there wasn't really any ill will against the band by Eric - the split was creative, not acrimonious.  

3 May 2023 - Cyndi Grecco - Making Our Dreams Come True

Cyndi Grecco was never a household name.  Her voice, however, was well-known, playing on ABC every week for eight years and for years in syndication afterwards. 

You see, Cyndi Grecco was the vocalist featured on a theme song for a television show called Laverne & Shirley.  A spinoff from Happy Days, it was a midseason replacement show in early 1976, Originally called Laverne Defazio & Shirley Feeney (that title was quickly shortened), the show made stars of Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall.   

And this iconic opening made the theme song immediately recognizable, and brought the terms "schlemiel" and "schlimazel" into the vernacular.  Both are Yiddish terms referring to a chronically unlucky person, and can be best defined with the sentence "the schlemiel spills his soup on the schlimazel."  

Of course, as soon as the show came out and the theme was inserted into the American consciousness, everyone was requesting the song from their local radio stations, and so it was released as a single in 1976.  It became a top 30 hit in the US and Canada.

Despite her flash fame, Cyndi Grecco has not charted again since this song.  Subsequent attempts failed to chart.  Perhaps it's because this song was so earnest and inspiring - and still is.  

2 May 2023 - Gordon Lightfoot - Carefree Highway

I used to say that two celebrity deaths in my lifetime gave me kind of a gut punch - Fred Rogers and Steve Irwin, both for very different reasons I won't discuss here.   

I would have to put Canadian Music Hall of Famer Gordon Lightfoot's passing yesterday close to that as well.  He was arguably the greatest storyteller to ever carry a guitar, a prolifiic songwriter with the husky voice of an angel.  He was absolutelyl brilliant, and I am not exagerationg when I call him a Canadian treasure.  He was the pride of Orillia, Ontario 

The folk music generation has lost their voice with his passing.  Canada has lost a piece of itself with his passing.  His career was long - he performed at a teenager in the 1950. He was there when Bob Dylan (a mentor of his) went electric at the 1965 Newport Jazz Festival.  He was still touring in 2012.  

I had been saving this song for #MapleLeafMarch next year, but is served well at this time.  It was a top 10 hit for Lightfoot in the US and Canada in 1974, and immediately followed "Sundown" as a single release.  The title came to Gord first - he was driving on an Arizona highway (and almost left the title in the glove box of a rental car!), and the rest came months later.  

The beautifully written song is about a man who is driving and remembering a long-past relationship with a woman named Ann - who was real.  Ann was a woman Lightfoot had a relationship with several years before this song - and remembering the time pleasantly, and how she's doing, as you do.  

It remains one of my favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs. 

This version of the song is from a 2012 performance in Reno, Nevada.  Even well into his 70's, he had that audience enraptured.  

Ten years later, in a 2022 performance in Indiana, his voice had lost a little, but his stage presence, well into his 80s, was still there.