Tag: Chris Isaak

Houston Concert Watch: Brooks and Dunn, Chris Isaak and More

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Producer (he preferred the term “engineer”) and musician Steve Albini passed away last week at the age of 61 after suffering a heart attack. Albini was the man at the recording console for Nirvana’s In Utero, the Pixies’ Surfer Rose and Page and Plant’s Walking into Clarksdale, along with dozens of albums recorded over the past 30 years.

In addition to his musical activities, Albini was an accomplished cook and poker player, not to mention a world-class wiseass. Last year, he took to Twitter in order to share his thoughts on Steely Dan, prefacing his remarks by writing, “I will always be the kind of punk who shits on Steely Dan.” Among the litany of complaints: “‘They spent three weeks on the guitar solo…’ Three weeks of watching guitar players give it their all while doing bumps and hitting the talkback, ‘More Egyptian but keep it in the pocket…’” Followed by: “Music made for the sole purpose of letting the wedding band stretch out a little.” Rest easy, you magnificent bastard.

Ticket Alert
The big news this week is that Childish Gambino (actor / director / writer / comedian / singer Donald Glover’s rap identity) will perform at Toyota Center on Sunday, September 8, in support of his new album Atavista. Presales are in progress, with the general ticket sale beginning on Friday.

Popmeister Marshall Crenshaw (“Someday, Someway”) will be touring this summer to celebrate “40+ Years in Showbiz!” Catch him on Friday, August 23, at the Heights Theater, with Kelly Willis opening.

America (“Sister Golden Hair,” “Horse with No Name”) has just announced its “Ride On” tour, which will make a stop at the Smart Financial Centre on Sunday, September 1. Tickets are on sale now, with VIP / Meet and Greet packages available.

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band will play a concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Woodlands at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Friday, October 18. The show is free, and you can pre-register for “priority access” before the tickets are made available to the general public in August. Fellow north-side native Hayes Carll will open.

This just in: Police guitarist Andy Summers will perform on Wednesday, November 6, at the House of Blues, bringing with him a multimedia extravaganza featuring his music and photography, a production dubbed “The Cracked Lens + A Missing String.” Presales begin today, with the general sale on Friday.

Concerts This Week
The focus is on music from Mexico this week at Toyota Center. International superstar Luis Miguel (“El Sol de México”) will perform for two nights, this evening and Thursday. On Sunday, it’s Pepe Aguilar, who made his first concert appearance when he was three years old, performing at Madison Square Garden with his parents, Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre. Aguilar’s Toyota Center show will continue the family tradition, with his children Leonardo and Ángela joining in an exploration of the clan’s history in Regional Mexican music.
If your boots are itching to scoot, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is the place to be on Friday, when Brooks and Dunn bring their “Reboot” tour to town. The country duo has notched 20 No. 1 hits, so the challenge in assembling the set list will be what to leave out. David Lee Murphy and Ernest (see Clint Hale’s story in the Press) will open.
You’ve gotta love the blueprint for Uli Jon Roth’s show on Saturday at the Dosey Doe. Roth will open the evening with a set of electric guitar versions of classical pieces by Vivaldi and others, plus Roth’s “Metamorphosis Concerto.” That will be followed by a TED talk which presents an overview of his new book, In Search of the Alpha Law, and a set with Roth’s full band. And this will all take place in a 150-year-old barn, with a chicken fried steak available for dinner. No place but Houston, baby!
For over 30 years, Chris Isaak has maintained a career in both music and film, releasing the hit singles “Wicked Game” and “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing” while appearing in features like Married to the Mob and Silence of the Lambs. Isaak will perform on Tuesday at the House of Blues. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: Isaak is close friends with singer Stevie Nicks and director David Lynch.

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Tom Richards

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May 15, 2024
Your Holiday Playlist: All The Best New Christmas Songs For 2022

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If all you want for Christmas is some new holiday songs, help is here. This year has seen the release of dozens of fresh new tunes for the season ― including some that just might stick around and enter the holiday rotation every year.

R&B singer and songwriter Alicia Keys is out with her first-ever holiday effort, “Santa Baby,” released on Apple Music. And while the title track is her take on the Eartha Kitt classic, the album also shows off her songwriting skills with multiple originals, including “December Back 2 June”:

For a different take on the tune, she also released a stripped-down version showcasing her vocals and piano playing.

1980s pop icon Debbie Gibson released the original track “Christmas Star” last year. Now, she’s back with an entire album of holiday tunes ― including “Heartbreak Holiday,” a duet with Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block:

Retro rocker Chris Isaak dropped his newest holiday album, “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas,” which pays tribute to the sound of the legendary Sun Records, the studio that birthed Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and more.

The disc is a mix of covers and originals, including “Almost Christmas,” a new track about some last-minute holiday panic:

Teen garage rockers the Linda Lindas went viral last year for their anti-hate anthem, “Racist Sexist Boy.” Now, they’re bringing their pop-punk approach to the holidays with “Groovy Xmas”:

Violinist Lindsey Stirling released her second Christmas album in October. Given that timing, the wild video for “Snow Waltz” mixes this Christmas-tinged tune with a Halloween look:

Old Crow Medicine Show celebrates Christmas in Nashville with “Trim This Tree,” a rockin’ Americana track full of spiked eggnog, Dollar Tree decor and even some Goo Goo Clusters:

Old Crow Medicine Show will also spend the season raising cash for the Room in the Inn homeless shelter in Nashville.

Singer-songwriter Molly Burch released two standout new tracks that showcase her distinctive voice: the upbeat “Cozy Christmas” and the far moodier “December Baby”:

“Mad at Disney” singer Salem Ilese dropped a playful new track called “Secret Santa” in which she steals the gig from St. Nick to get the one thing on her list:

Indie/Christian rockers Switchfoot show off the band’s harmonies in “California Christmas” from their new disc, “This Is Our Christmas Album.” True to the name, the tune shows off some strong Beach Boys influence:

It’s not the only tune with that title this year.

As highlighted on the essential Christmas A Go Go blog, Dutch singer-songwriter Judy Blank also has a retro-sounding new track called “California Christmas.”

“My goal was to write the 13th song on a Beach Boys Christmas album,” she told the blog.

Christmas A Go Go also surfaced this new gem from New York singer-songwriter Paola Bennet, “Christmas Will Work It Out”:

Christmas Underground, another great holiday music blog, spotted a new track by Chicago-based indie pop group The Walters called “Another Christmas”:

The Backstreet Boys released their first Christmas album. While much of it is covers, there are a handful of original tracks, including “Christmas in New York,” written by country music songwriter Gary Baker:

Australian pop star Sia re-released her 2017 Christmas album, “Everyday Is Christmas,” with some festive new tracks, including “Naughty and Nice”:

Country singer Lee Brice meets Santa in an unexpected place in his new track, “Santa Claus Was My Uber Driver.” Along with driving Uber, this Santa loves beer … hangs in Virginia Beach … and plays drums in a ’90s cover band:

Country duo Dan + Shay continued their recent tradition of a new tune for Christmas. This year’s is about a “Holiday Party” for two ― and they dropped a video along with the track:

For a more chill take on the season, check out the instrumental album “Pickin’ On Christmas” by Georgia-based guitarists Davis Causey and Jay Smith.

The duo originally recorded the album in 1998 as a gift for friends, but this year it finally gets a formal release. While most of the disc is guitar-based covers, the album includes an original track, “Following a Star”:

Grammy-winning children’s artist Joanie Leeds reunited with rapper and children’s artist Fyütch for another holiday effort after last year’s “Winter Wonderland,” this time with a full album of reimagined classics and new tracks.

“Oy Vey! Another Christmas Album” pays homage to the Christmas titles penned by Jewish songwriters, and includes an original track celebrating each day, “Every Day’s a Holiday”:

“Glee” alum Chord Overstreet is starring with Lindsay Lohan in the Netflix film “Falling For Christmas,” and naturally contributed to the soundtrack with the original tune “Everybody Loves Christmas”

Christian artist Ellie Holcomb’s latest effort, “Sing: Christmas Songs,” is a mix of Christmas classics and new tracks that accompanies her new children’s book, “Sounding Joy.”

The album and book were inspired by the song “Joy to the World.”

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November 28, 2022
Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Whitley join the Country Hall of Fame

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two artists who started their careers outside of country music were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as early rock pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and bluegrass performer-turned-country star Keith Whitley joined the ranks.

Lewis, the 87-year-old artist nicknamed “The Killer,” was unable to attend the induction ceremony on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, due to guidance from his doctor. But his fellow country stars Hank Williams Jr. and Kris Kristofferson showed up in his stead to accept and honor the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

Whitley’s widow, fellow country star Lorrie Morgan, accepted the medallion on his behalf during the ceremony featuring performances by Garth Brooks, Mickey Guyton, Chris Isaak, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert and Alabama. Also inducted this year was music executive Joe Galante, who had a key role in marketing country music to wider pop and rock audiences starting in the 1980s.

Lewis, from Ferriday, Louisiana, grew up on country music, but Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, turned him into a rockabilly star, with hits like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.”

Williams, who also helped induct Lewis into the Rock & Hall of Fame in 1986, recalled Lewis spending time at his home when he was a kid and listening to Lewis’ rock songs on the radio. He said Lewis taught him that entertaining was about more than skill.

“Jerry Lee doesn’t ask for your attention, he demands it,” Williams said. “He doesn’t take a stage, he commands it.”

In Memphis, Lewis played alongside Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash in the now famous Million Dollar Quartet. Lewis’ career was nearly derailed over the scandal arising from his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin, Myra, and he faced a backlash from fans during a tour in England in 1958, when crowds became combative.

Lewis was abandoned by concert promoters for several years before mounting a return to the country charts in the late 1960s. He had No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country Chart with “There Must Be More to Love Than This,” “Would You Take Another Chance on Me” and “Chantilly Lace.” His other top country singles included “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me),” ″She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye” and “To Make Love Sweeter for You.”

Isaak delivered a rollicking version of “Great Balls of Fire” during the ceremony and 85-year-old actor and singer Kristofferson made a rare public appearance to help unveil Lewis’ plaque, which will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame rotunda.

Morgan was moved to tears during her speech, noting that her late husband would feel so undeserving of the honor. Whitley’s first work as a musician was in bluegrass, when he and Ricky Skaggs started playing as teenagers in Ralph Stanley’s band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.

“My whole family, we’ve all missed him together and all the fans who loved Keith and visited his gravesite all the time,” she said.

That bluegrass background made Whitley stand out as a country singer in the 1980s, where he brought tender emotion and incredible vocal range to hits including “When You Say Nothing at All” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.”

But his career was ended too short, spanning just four years and seven months on the Billboard charts before his 1989 death from alcohol poisoning at age 34. But the singer from Sandy Hook, Kentucky, continued to influence numerous country singers who came up alongside him, including Brooks, who praised his pure country singing and authenticity.

“Truth, honesty. The guy could outsing 99 percent of us,” Brooks said.

Galante was the head of RCA Nashville in his 30s and both Morgan and Whitley were among the hit artists that he brought to success, including Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill, The Judds, Martina McBride and more. He helped the band Alabama achieve crossover success with multi-platinum hits.

“I was a label head, but I was a huge fan of their music,” Galante said. “And it’s all about the music at the end of the day.”

__

Online:

https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/

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October 17, 2022
Jerry Lee Lewis, Keith Whitley join the Country Hall of Fame

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two artists who started their careers outside of country music were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as early rock pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis and bluegrass performer-turned-country star Keith Whitley joined the ranks.

Lewis, the 87-year-old artist nicknamed “The Killer,” was unable to attend the induction ceremony on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, due to guidance from his doctor. But his fellow country stars Hank Williams Jr. and Kris Kristofferson showed up in his stead to accept and honor the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

Whitley’s widow, fellow country star Lorrie Morgan, accepted the medallion on his behalf during the ceremony featuring performances by Garth Brooks, Mickey Guyton, Chris Isaak, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert and Alabama. Also inducted this year was music executive Joe Galante, who had a key role in marketing country music to wider pop and rock audiences starting in the 1980s.

Lewis, from Ferriday, Louisiana, grew up on country music, but Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, turned him into a rockabilly star, with hits like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.”

Williams, who also helped induct Lewis into the Rock & Hall of Fame in 1986, recalled Lewis spending time at his home when he was a kid and listening to Lewis’ rock songs on the radio. He said Lewis taught him that entertaining was about more than skill.

“Jerry Lee doesn’t ask for your attention, he demands it,” Williams said. “He doesn’t take a stage, he commands it.”

In Memphis, Lewis played alongside Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash in the now famous Million Dollar Quartet. Lewis’ career was nearly derailed over the scandal arising from his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin, Myra, and he faced a backlash from fans during a tour in England in 1958, when crowds became combative.

Lewis was abandoned by concert promoters for several years before mounting a return to the country charts in the late 1960s. He had No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country Chart with “There Must Be More to Love Than This,” “Would You Take Another Chance on Me” and “Chantilly Lace.” His other top country singles included “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me),” ″She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye” and “To Make Love Sweeter for You.”

Isaak delivered a rollicking version of “Great Balls of Fire” during the ceremony and 85-year-old actor and singer Kristofferson made a rare public appearance to help unveil Lewis’ plaque, which will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame rotunda.

Morgan was moved to tears during her speech, noting that her late husband would feel so undeserving of the honor. Whitley’s first work as a musician was in bluegrass, when he and Ricky Skaggs started playing as teenagers in Ralph Stanley’s band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.

“My whole family, we’ve all missed him together and all the fans who loved Keith and visited his gravesite all the time,” she said.

That bluegrass background made Whitley stand out as a country singer in the 1980s, where he brought tender emotion and incredible vocal range to hits including “When You Say Nothing at All” and “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.”

But his career was ended too short, spanning just four years and seven months on the Billboard charts before his 1989 death from alcohol poisoning at age 34. But the singer from Sandy Hook, Kentucky, continued to influence numerous country singers who came up alongside him, including Brooks, who praised his pure country singing and authenticity.

“Truth, honesty. The guy could outsing 99 percent of us,” Brooks said.

Galante was the head of RCA Nashville in his 30s and both Morgan and Whitley were among the hit artists that he brought to success, including Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill, The Judds, Martina McBride and more. He helped the band Alabama achieve crossover success with multi-platinum hits.

“I was a label head, but I was a huge fan of their music,” Galante said. “And it’s all about the music at the end of the day.”

——

Online:

https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/

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October 16, 2022