On Friday, We’re ‘All Fired Up’, We Say Farewell to Garcia/Hunter, and Listen to Dylan and George Harrison’s Columbia Sessions, September 22, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We feature a brand new playlist today about fire and flame called ‘All Fired Up.’ Not quite an EP, but it may eventually get there! And there’s more, of course.

Here’s your musical lineup:

Today we debut a brand new playlist that does not quite qualify as an EP, but it may yet get there. Time will tell. In the meantime, you’ll be hearing from an eclectic bunch, including Basia, Electric Light Orchestra, The Rolling Stones, Steve Winwood, James Taylor, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Shawn Colvin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Patti Smith, Steely Dan, Jimmy Cliff, Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Deep Purple, Harry Nilsson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Stevie Nicks, Tim Buckley, Al Green, The Neville Brothers, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Move, The Shelters, Pat Benatar, Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter FINAL AIRING!

We say sayonara to our two intrepid composers today who were responsible for some of the Dead’s most memorable tunes. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new selection.

8:00 p.m. Bob Dylan and George Harrison, The Columbia Studio Sessions, New York City, NY, May 1, 1970

There were a lot of rumors surrounding this particular event. I heard it that they were supposed to hang with Elvis that day but that he stood them up. Then I read that it was the other way around. Elvis had actually stood them up. Either way, the whole Elvis thing was a bust and the boys wound up making some fine music together that day.

Here’s Your Tuesday (Bluesday) Lesson From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/22/2020!

Yes, it’s Tuesday Bluesday in The Mermaid Lounge, and the lesson is lighter than usual today. Seems it’s not a very eventful day in music history, unless you’re talking about shit we don’t play.

The Beatles Live at The Empire Theatre, Liverpool, December 22, 1963.

Here’s today’s musical lesson:

December 22, 1956: Elvis Presley finished the year with 17 hit songs, a record that would stand until the year 1964 — when The Beatles had 30. (Yes, I said 30.)

December 22, 1962: Bob Dylan played at the Singer’s Club Christmas Party in London.

Also on this day, one of the greatest instrumental songs ever recorded, Telstar by the Tornadoes, went to #1. And yes it was a tribute to the satellite.

December 22, 1963: The Beatles performed at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool.

December 22, 1972: Led Zeppelin performed at Alexandra Palace in London.

December 22, 1973: Elton John moved to #1 on the UK Album chart with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

December 22, 1978: Kenney Jones, formerly of Faces, was chosen as the new drummer for The Who. He replaced Keith Moon, who had passed away a couple of months earlier.

December 22, 1979: The Pretenders performed at the Marquee Club in London.

December 22, 1980: Linda Ronstadt debuted on Broadway in the Gilbert & Sullivan production of The Pirates of Penzance at the Uris Theatre.

Also on this date, Pat Benatar’s first hit — Heartbreaker — debuted on the charts.

Born On This Day

December 22, 1939: James Gurley, guitarist for Big Brother & The Holding Company, was born in Detroit.

December 22, 1944: Barry Jenkins, drummer for The Animals, was born in Leicester, England.

And that signals the end of today’s lesson. We’ll be back with the Tuesday Bluesday line-up in just a bit.