I found a couple of rare Randy Travis clips on YouTube featuring his audition on You Can Be A Star…
Hi everyone. Today’s post is going to be short because I just got back from Texas and have had a lot to do today. This morning, one of my friends at Pop Rock Nation sent me an email asking about pictures of Randy Travis on Star Search. Though I was a big fan of Star Search back in the day, I wasn’t aware that he was ever on the 80s era talent show Star Search. Nevertheless, I went searching for pictures or a video clip… and I came up mostly empty except for one thing. Back in 1983, young Randy Travis auditioned for You Can Be A Star, a talent show for would be country stars. The show aired on the now defunct cable channel, The Nashville Network. I saw a couple of episodes, but back in those days, I wasn’t a fan of country music.
Here’s a very young Randy being interviewed by Florence Henderson and singing on his audition tape. This was obviously done after he was discovered, since the audition tape is from when he was just a regular guy hoping to launch a music career.
TNN featured Randy Travis a couple of times. Here’s a very early interview and performance from when he was a rising star.
Sadly, it’s been reported that Randy Travis is very ill right now with viral cardiomyopathy, a serious illness that has affected his heart. I know I’m not alone in hoping that Randy Travis makes a complete and speedy recovery.
Incidentally, I also found a video starring a very young Alan Jackson on You Can Be A Star. He looks different today, but that voice is still the same.
We’re going to spend the entire week in San Antonio, visiting my mother-in-law, searching for a house, and celebrating my husband’s birthday and the Fourth of July. That means you won’t be hearing from me next week, because it’s too hard to blog on an iPad. I can’t believe it’s time for yet another move and hope this will be the last time for awhile.
Despite being tired of the moving process, I do look forward to relocating to San Antonio at the end of next month. I think Texas is kind of exciting, even if it is hotter than four hells in the summer. I’ll miss North Carolina and I hate house hunting, but a fresh start somewhere else always means new experiences and perhaps even some new music. San Antonio is a festive city, military friendly, and the subject of some great songs!
Patsy Cline “San Antonio Rose”
Lots of people have sung “San Antonio Rose”, but I’m partial to Patsy Cline’s 1961 version because I am a fellow Virginian. As I listen to this song this morning, I am struck by Patsy Cline’s amazingly clear vocals. Her voice was like a bell. This song is probably the first one a lot of people think about when they think of songs about San Antonio. It was written by Bob Wills.
Tanya Tucker “San Antonio Stroll”
Here’s Tanya Tucker singing “San Antonio Stroll”, a song that was written by Peter Noah and recorded by Tucker in 1975. I wonder what Tanya Tucker is up to these days… Haven’t heard from her in awhile. This video is pretty much the way I remember her. Her voice is definitely distinctive, with its raspy quality. I also seem to remember her hot affair with Glen Campbell, who incidentally, is a distant relative of my husband’s. Six degrees of separation, I tell ya!
Charley Pride “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone?”
Charley Pride is notable for many things. He’s one of the few black Americans who had great success singing country music and only the second to be inducted in the Grand Ol’ Opry. I will admit I’m not that familiar with his music. I remember hearing this particular song in ads for a compilation album he was selling in the 1980s. As I listen to this classic song, I’m thinking it might be time to listen to more of Charley Pride’s music. Back in 1994, I purchased a compilation album called Rhythm, Country, and Blues. After listening to that compilation, which married country singers with R&B singers on duets, I realize that country music has a lot in common with rhythm & blues, a genre where black singers are much more common.
Lyle Lovett “San Antonio Girl”
I loooooove me some Lyle Lovett. I also love me some Willie Nelson and Ray Price. I love this song, “San Antonio Girl”, too. One of my favorite concert experiences was in Stuttgart, Germany, when I saw Lyle Lovett perform. We had seats within spitting distance of the stage and he put on a fabulous show. The fact that he made a great song about my new city is gravy!
Christopher Cross “Sailing”
Huh? “Sailing” doesn’t mention San Antonio in the title! But it is sung by Christopher Cross, a singer-songwriter who has San Antonio roots. Since I am a child of the 80s, I am very familiar with Christopher Cross’s music and remember him when his career was red hot.
Holly Dunn “Daddy’s Hands”
Holly Dunn is another San Antonio singer who hit it big in the 80s. “Daddy’s Hands” is the song I always think of when I think of Holly Dunn. If you have anything to do with the US military, you’ve no doubt heard this song many times.
Today’s post is mostly about country singers, but I am sure I will no doubt be exposed to some Mexican music as well. And Austin is not too far away, either. I look forward to the new digs and the new sounds of San Antonio! Have a great weekend, everybody. See y’all after next week!
As of last week, summer is officially upon us… That means it’s time to find good songs for chilling out!
I’ve lived in the South for most of my life which means I’m really familiar with hot weather. For some reason, this year has been somewhat mild, at least in North Carolina. We will be moving to Texas at the bitter end of next month, which will put us in the dead of summer heat in Texas. I don’t know how the weather has been in Texas lately, but here in North Carolina, it hasn’t been bad at all. But even without triple digit temperatures, sometimes you just want to create a cool vibe. Today’s post is about just that… finding music that inspires you to cool it.
Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants
Yesterday, I listened to Stevie Wonder’s 1979 album Journey Though The Secret Life of Plants. This is a two disc set Stevie Wonder composed for a documentary by the same name, which was also based on a book of the same name. The documentary wasn’t a hit; frankly, by Stevie Wonder’s standards, neither was the soundtrack. For years, I had been curious about it and I finally picked it up when a friend and music faculty member at my alma mater, Longwood University, recommended it to me. I bought it, listened to it, and loved it. I count it as a great album for chilling out.
The title song from Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants…
You could listen to this entire album and just zone out. Just the imagery of the plants makes me feel cool all over.
Zero 7’s “In The Waiting Line” from Simple Things
The first time I heard the song “In The Waiting Line”, I was watching an episode of Army Wives. It’s been used on a number television shows to set a certain mood. I liked the song so much that I downloaded the album it came from, Simple 7. I remember reading a review of the album that referred to it as the writer’s “favorite chill out” music.
The video for “In The Waiting Line”…
I can’t say I love the rest of the album quite as much as I love this song. But if you need to chill out, Simple Things definitely a good album to own.
Peter Gabriel’s Passion
Peter Gabriel composed the music for the film The Last Temptation of Christ and it’s on his album, Passion. This soundtrack is mostly instrumental, with musicians from all over the world coming together to make exotic sounds that excite the senses. I love this soundtrack when I hope to relax or do some thinking, even though it’s hard not to be swept up in Peter Gabriel’s brilliance.
Passion, the whole album because the whole album is so cool!
This music is timeless and intricate and it never fails to chill me out.
Dead Can Dance’s Into The Labyrinth
The first time I ever heard Dead Can Dance, it was 1993 and I was working as the cook at a church camp. I had a week off in mid summer and I spent it visiting my sister, who lives in the Washington, DC area. We took a trip to Ellicott City, Maryland, where I watched her try on clothes. At some point, we ended up in a music store and she purchased Into The Labyrinth by Dead Can Dance. She played it and I was pretty mesmerized by the sounds of this very intense album.
“The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” by Dead Can Dance.
“The Carnival Is Over” by Dead Can Dance.
It was until fifteen years later that I got around to purchasing this album myself. Even though it’s now twenty years old, this music never gets old… It’s easy to get lost in its coolness. The song, “The Carnival Is Over” is especially chilling to me. I remember listening to it when we lived in Germany in a house that had no air conditioning. It was a hot summer night, but this music was like a refreshing breeze wafting though the house.
The Alan Parson’s Project “Sirius/Eye In The Sky” and “Time”
“Sirius” and “Eye In The Sky” are actually two songs that run into each other. “Sirius” is an instrumental, which actually makes me think of heat when it first starts. It’s very dramatic, with heavy thudding percussion, and a crashing guitar. But then the rhythmic bass line kicks in and it flows into the very cool hit song, “Eye In The Sky”.
“Sirius/Eye In The Sky” by The Alan Parson’s Project…
This song was popular in the early 1980s, but it never gets old to me. And it’s wicked cool. The Alan Parson’s Project actually has a lot of really timeless songs that never fail to chill me out. I also love to cool down with “Time”, another hit from the same time period.
“Time” is just plain majestic. When I hear this, I think of rushing rivers and waterfalls… and I miss the early 80s.
Kate Bush Never For Ever and Hounds of Love
It’s no secret that I love Kate Bush’s music. In the 1980s, she came out with two albums that I think are really cool, especially for summer listening. The first one, Never For Ever was released in 1980 and has a wonderful mix of cool songs, including one called “Delius (Song of Summer)”.
When I hear “Delius”, I immediately have visions of summer weather complete with refreshing breezes. This almost makes me want to eat a salad.
In 1985, Kate Bush released Hounds of Love, which includes the fabulous song “Cloudbusting”, which was based on a book Kate read about a man and his son building a rainmaker.
The video for “Cloudbusting”… It’s kind of a sad song, but it’s also very cool.
I could probably come up with more cool songs… but I must go out and mow the lawn while the temperature is still tolerable. That’s one thing about summer I never miss. Until next time, stay cool everyone!
