Sometimes a performance of a song can transcend its own circumstances. As a former rock journalist I’ve had the rare privilege of witnessing some of them. Here’s an account of one of those. — It was Christmas, 1999 and I’d been invited to a small gathering in the family home of Albert and Kathleen Reynolds on the plush Donnybrook neighbourhood street, Ailesbury Road. …

Tribute to Jeff Beck — Within my humble personal tribute to Jeff Beck, I wanted to express how I felt whenever I took the time to listen to his songs rather than write an essay portraying his musical biography. You have been playing music for over sixty decades. Your journey began with an old acoustic…

Why is Danny Boy sung at funerals? He has no real connection to the song — but it grabs his heart — Why do we love “Danny Boy?” The song stirs our souls through a powerful wedding of melody and rhyme: the meeting of life, dying, family, and love. Elvis Presley recorded “Danny Boy” in 1976, concluding it was “written by angels.” …

Paul Anka dreamed up My Way for Sinatra, but soon Elvis and countless other Americans made it our new national anthem — the song of self — Frank Sinatra called My Way the national anthem, but he grew embarrassed by the song of self. Blame it on a young Paul Anka. The song was so good it became Sinatra’s signature song. Audiences made him sing it. Eventually, he came to think it sounded too “self-serving and self-indulgent.”

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Music Must Serve a Purpose to Resonate and Avoid Being Commodified UGC: User Generated Content. Some contend that the future of the music industry is about understanding that a transition is underway where fans are no longer passive listeners but want to move beyond traditional fan consumption towards communicating and…

From annoying bells to soothing playlists — For many students, the sound of the school bell ringing between classes can be quite annoying. The sudden, loud noise can cause anxiety and stress, making it difficult to transition from one class to another. However, a growing number of schools in Australia are replacing the traditional bell with curated…

The state with the greatest songs? Midnight Train to Georgia was originally Farrah Fawcett taking her midnight plane to Houston — What state has the greatest songs written about it? Is any state more melodic than Georgia? The best evidence: Midnight Train to Georgia was initially written about a Midnight Plane to Houston, — inspired by a young Farrah Fawcett’s real-life journey home. More on that in a bit.

Embracing the Wisdom of the Beatles to Find Peace and Clarity in a Chaotic World — Let me take you back to the mid-seventies. I was a young kid, fresh out of elementary school for the day, being picked up by my mother. Instead of heading straight home as I wished, we took a detour to the dreaded barbershop. …