Guitars Unlimited - The Eddy Arnold Songbook

Unfortunately - this is a knock off record.  On Design Records, a unit of Pickwick - which is synonimous for knockoff.  But the cover is cool.  Speaking of guitars - can anyone ID the guitars shown here?   I don't know much about Eddy Arnold - but apparently he was an icon in country and western music and had much to do with creating the Nashville Sound.  I think she is snuggling a Gretsch.  Actually - I can make out looking closely at the record jackets that all of these are Gretsch guitars.  But who or what are Guitars Unlimited?  According to answers.com - an LA based recording studio project on Capitol spearheaded by studio pros Bob Bain, Jack Marshall, and Howard Roberts. These top-dollar, first call studio guitar pickers were simply thriving by the early '60s, an era when the public's taste for guitar really did seem unlimited.  Hit television shows such as Bonanza featured arrangements heavy on guitar.  Ah ha - Guitars Unlimited also cut a less well-known series of knock-off tributes to various country artists for the budget Design/Pickwick conglomerate.

Supertramp: Breakfast in America, a hometown tribute

Saldy posting this record today.  Over on Facebook - all my old, dear sweet pals from high school today have posted comments and tributes and sweet rememberances of a hometown tragedy that happened 32 short years ago that shook our small home town.  In short - it was a accident involving a small airplane carrying members of two close families, and other dear friends from my home town.  The song on this record - Goodbye Stranger to everyone then - seemed to catch a raw nerve for most of us.  It came out at the time and the lyrics are and were haunting in their subtle references.  Many don't know that a year or two before the accident, I got to fly in that plane when the pilot, a fellow Boy Scout's dad - flew out to the gorgeous and historic Boy Scout camp in New Mexico and took the 9 or 10 of us scouts up for a stunning look from above at where we had just camped and hiked for the past two weeks.  Anyone reading this that I know - I hope you are not offended by this post.

Charlie Daniels Band...part III

I got these two at Half Priced Books a few weeks ago.  I am a sucker for Charlie Daniels records.  If you click on the post title - you will get to see my video clip lead-in to his great song, Trudy.  A true patriot and great American.  Charlie Daniels is a last-of-the breed kinda guy.  There is so much I dig about his music: the songs have such great stories (Uneasy Rider is a great example of story song).  And his causes are real: the military, freedom, decent folk, his annual Tennessee Volunteer Jam fundraiser, other southern bands, and many others.  I like also knowing that he ends up on lots of other acts' records, like Hank Jr. and the Marshall Tucker Band.  I would guess he is revered and loved by many other musicians.

Roses are Red - so are these record two covers...

I have done this before - take photos of two similar looking albums and discus.  On the left is Sammy Hagar's Three Lock Box.  Pre-VH, Sammy's solo albums and touring band is Bill Church, David Lauser, and Gary Pihl.  Joining in on this record are Jonathan Cain and Mike Reno.  The cover photo is by Moshe Brahka.  Now on the right side is called Rockin' into the Night.  The title song was written by Jim Peterik (and Frank Sullivan and Gary Smith).  The cover concept is credited to Jeff Carlisi, Michael-John Bowen, and Chuck Beeson.  I think these two records look very cool when placed together like I have them.  Although this (womens bright red lips with lipstick is sort of a tired riff on the Rolling Stones' iconic lips logo.  Another connection between Sammy Hagar and .38 Special is famed songwriter Jim Peterik who has written hit songs for both acts.  Are you aware of any other record covers with similar images?

Tommy Bolin - Bustin' out a Guest post, by Mac

Guest Post by Mac: Tommy Bolin - Private Eyes. Guest post by Mac.  To those that did not grow up in the 70's, the name Tommy Bolin might not mean much. However, there was a time when he was spoken about in the same reverential terms as Jimi Hendrix. Playing with the likes of the James Gang and Deep Purple, as well as stints in the jazz world with Billy Cobham, Tommy had the guitar skills and sartorial fashion sense that Jimi possessed, unfortunately, he also shared his appetite for heroin. On December 6, 1976 while on tour with Jeff Beck in Miami, Tommy OD'ed in his hotel room. He was 25 years old and was just beginning to taste commercial success while opening up for bands like Peter Frampton, Rush, ZZ Top and the aforementioned Jeff Beck. His only other solo effort was Teaser, released the previous year in November of 1975. Both albums have material that allowed Tommy to play hard rock, jazz, reggae and Latin inspired music, often blending these styles together within a single song. He lived hard, died young and left us wanting a lot more of his musical gifts. I bought this album in 1980 while in college and played it quite a bit at levels that were not conducive to quiet study. I recommend the same today, particularly on Bustin' Out for Rosie, Post Toastee, and Shake the Devil which are hard rockers. For more laid back, mellower guitar playing, listen to Hello Again, Gypsy Soul and Sweet Burgundy. Oh Tommy, we hardly knew ye!