The 500 - #164 = The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #164

Album Title: The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt

Artist: Linda Ronstadt

Genre: Country, Rock, Soft Rock, Pop

Recorded: Various Studios (1967-1995)

Released: September, 2002

My age at release: 37 (My guest blogger, Ava, was not born)

How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite (New to Ava)

Is it on the 2020 list? No, but her 1974 record, Heart Like A Wheel, is

Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: You’re No Good

For the fifth straight year, I have invited  anyone in my Grade 7 class  to pick an upcoming record and write about. I was delighted when Ava accepted the challenge. Here is her post on The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt, by Linda Ronstadt.

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Hi, my name is Ava and I am a Grade 7 student in Mr. Hodgkinson’s class. Earlier this year he asked if any of us would be interested in being a guest blogger for one of the records on Rolling Stone Magazine's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and I volunteered.

Let me tell you about myself. I love performing and I am definitely an extrovert. I like singing and acting, but my passion is dancing. I have been taking dance classes since I was three. One of my favourite musical artists is Justin Beiber. I became a fan when my aunt played it for me and she is hoping to take me to see him in concert. She even gave me her concert sweatshirt from this 2009 tour. (See Below)

 

The album I picked from the list Mr. Hodgkinson showed me is The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt, by Linda Ronstadt. At first, I wasn’t sure which album to pick, but I went home and shared it with my dad. We listened to a few tracks from some of the other records, but I picked Ms. Ronstadt because I wanted to learn about a female artist and it stuck out from the other records we listened to, including Imperial Bedroom by Elvis Costello and Live At Leeds by The Who. They were okay, but Ms. Ronstadt stood out more.

Linda Ronstadt in the 1970s.

I did some research and this is what I learned.

Linda Ronstadt is an American singer who was born July 15, 1946. Linda’s family life was filled with music and tradition, which influenced the stylistic and musical choices she later made in her career. She has performed and recorded in many genres including country, rock, opera, and Latin music. She was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy in 2016. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April, 2014.

Winning one of her 11 Grammy Awards.

Despite not being married, she has two children. In 1990, she adopted a daughter, Mary and in 1994, she adopted a baby boy she named Carlos.

The song I picked for Mr, Hodgkinson’s playlist is You’re No Good. I like it because it is catchy and fun to sing along with. It wasn’t written by Ms. Ronstadt but by Clint Ballard Jr. He was an American songwriter who had two number one hits. One was this version of his song by Linda Ronstadt and the other was in 1965 – Game of Love performed by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders.

Linda reduced her performance schedule after 2000 when she felt her singing voice deteriorating. She released her final solo album in 2004 and her final collaborative album in 2006, and performed her final live concert in 2009. She announced her retirement in 2011 and revealed shortly afterward that she is no longer able to sing because, sadly, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease – a progressive disorder that primarily affects the brain's movement-controlling areas. Since that time Linda has continued to make public appearances, going on a number of public speaking tours raising awareness about her illness.

When I read about her Parkinson’s diagnosis I felt a lot of empathy for her. She is a singer and I am a dancer and I can’t imagine not being able to dance anymore. I know that she is being brave and fighting through this, but it must be very hard for her.

Here are five fun facts I learned about Ms. Ronstadt.

• She was the first female artist to have four consecutive albums go platinum.
• She has been nominated for 27 Grammy Awards and has won 11.
• She has also been awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
• She has even won an Emmy Award for her 1989 performance in Canciones De Mi Padre (Songs of my Father) on the PBS special Great Performances.
• Her grandfather, Lloyd Groff Copeman, was an inventor. Among his inventions, he designed early versions of the electric toaster, stove refrigerator and even the microwave oven. He also invented the flexible rubber ice cube tray which earned him millions of dollars. We have one of those in our fridge, so I guess we gave the Ronstadt family some money,

Thanks for reading.

That's all for today BYE! -Ava

(credits to Wikipedia for the blog and CNN10 for the facts)

The 500 = #175 - Close To You - Carpenters

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #175
Album Title: Close To You
Artist: Carpenters

Genre: Soft Pop

Recorded: A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA

Released: August, 1970

My age at release: 5
How familiar was I with it before this week: A few songs

Is it on the 2020 list? No
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Close To You

Fifty years ago during the winter of 1974/75, my grandfather (Pop) purchased my first saxophone. It was a Conn 6M alto and part of Conn’s "naked lady" series. The "naked lady" in question is an image of a topless woman, etched on the front of the horn.

I didn't realize it at the time, but that artwork signaled that the instrument was of high value. According to the KGU music dealership site:

"a vintage Conn saxophone from the mid-20th century, is considered exceptionally good due to its high-quality craftsmanship, rich and vibrant tone, excellent response, and unique design features from that era, making it highly sought after by collectors and professional musicians alike."

In fact, the same site lists the value at $900 -- $3,000, depending on wear and tear. Even the mouthpiece is listed at more than $150 because vintage Conn saxophones sound much better with it than with a modern one.

My vintage Conn 6M "Naked Lady" saxophone in the original case.

That same winter, I joined my elementary school band at Jack Miner P.S. in Kingsville, Ontario. The first song our bandleader provided  was (They Long To Be) Close To You, the 1970 chart-topping hit from Carpenters. To my delight, the alto saxophones carried the melody for much of the Junior Concert Band arrangement.

That melody energized my fingers and breath so many times as a nine-year old that it is still part of my muscle memory. Next week, when the school band at Sir Arthur Currie P.S., where I teach, resumes practising, I'll give my Conn 6M a whirl and see if I can remember it. Playing twice a week with our students is a highlight. After early morning practice, I am calmed, grounded and focused by the teacher-student collaboration. It might be the breathing or the counting of beats or just the multi-tasking required when playing music. It is the only time, other than when sleeping, that my brain shuts off.

Eight members of our Currie Band who
were also in the Grade 7 class I teach

Close To You is also the name of the second studio album by siblings Richard and Karen Carpenter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, but raised in Downy, California, they began music lessons at a young age – Richard on piano and Karen on drums. Initially, they were part of a trio that included bassist Wesley Jacobs. Later, the siblings formed a soft-rock group called Spectrum.

The Carpenter siblings left the group when they signed a deal with A&M Records in 1979, releasing their first album, Offering. It contained one minor hit, a soft-rock, ballad version of Ticket To Ride from The Beatles.  It was well received by critics who praised Richard's lush arrangements and Karen's beautiful contralto voice, but it did not sell particularly well.

Album cover for Offerings by The Carpenters (1969).

The second release, Close To You, was a massive success, featuring two singles that topped the charts for multiple weeks -- the aforementioned title track and We've Only Just Begun. The album and the singles earned the duo eight Grammy Nominations, and two wins. Both songs are ranked on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of The Greatest Songs Of All Time at #176 and #414 respectively.

Album cover for the single, We've Only Just Begun, (1970).

The Carpenters continued to make music, releasing eight additional records before Karen succumbed to anorexia nervosa -- an eating disorder characterized by severe dietary restrictions due to an overwhelming desire to be thinner. Individuals with this mental health condition, including Karen Carpenter, have a distorted view of their body image. Carpenter weighed an entirely reasonable 53 Kg (120 lbs.) when she collapsed and died from a cardiac arrest on February 4, 1983. It is a tragic disease from which more than one percent  of the population suffers -- the vast majority women.

The world lost an extraordinary talent that day. A beautiful singer and talented drummer who has influenced a generation of vocalists that include Madonna, k.d. lang, Shania Twain and Sheryl Crow. Sir Paul McCartney has said she had, "the best female voice in the world, melodic, tuneful and distinctive." Fortunately, for 15 years that voice was captured and the record Close To You became a marvelous landmark in her incredible career.

Considering The Carpenters’ stellar ranking in the music world, it’s disappointing their record was dropped from Rolling Stone Magazine’s 2020 list. I suppose a victim of a new generation of judges who probably didn’t get to play Close To You in the school band.

The 500 - #182 - Self-Titled - Fleetwood Mac

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #182
Album Title: Self-Titled
Artist: Fleetwood Mac

Genre: Soft Rock, Folk Rock, Pop

Recorded: Sound Studios (Van Nuys, California)

Released: July, 1975
My age at release: 10
How familiar was I with it before this week: Fairly well

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #237, dropping 54 places
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Landslide

One of life’s lessons is that sooner or later we are proved wrong. For whatever reason – assumptions, misinformation, indoctrination or an over-reliance on familiarity – can lead to an oops moment. Hearing the truth can be embarrassing or unsettling. Call it learning – which is a good thing.

I was reminded of this while reviewing this week’s record by Fleetwood Mac – the British/American rock band whose pleasing music became one of my pop favourites.

For nearly half a century, the classic line-up has comprised founding member Mick Fleetwood (drums), John McVie (bass) and his one-time wife, Christine McVie (keyboard/vocals), Lindsay Buckingham (guitars/vocals) and Stevie Nicks (vocals).

Fleetwood Mac in 1975, (l-r)J.  McVie, C. McVie, Nicks, 
Fleetwood, Buckingham.

So entrenched were these names in my mind, along with their style of soft folk pop-rock, that I thought for many years Fleetwood Mac had been ever thus.

To my chagrin, I learned at a house party in the early ‘80 that , Fleetwood Mac was originally a British Blues band, formed in July, 1967, when drummer Fleetwood and vocalist Peter Green left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (#195 on The 500) and paired their talents with slide guitar Jeremy Spencer and bassist Bob Brunning.

By September of the same year, Brunning was replaced by John McVie. Green suggested the rhythm section of Fleetwood and McVie combine their last names to christen the band. Rumour has it that Green said to the duo: "I'll probably end up quitting this band, too, so you might as well name it after yourselves."

Fleetwood Mac in 1968, (l-r) McVie, Spencer, Green and Fleetwood.

The revelation that the Fleetwood Mac I thought I knew -- with female vocalists and soft rock harmonies -- was originally a blues rock band for eight years blew my teen-age mind. It took some persuasion by Dave Robinson, older brother of my high school friend Gomer, that I was, shall we say, in error as we drank beer in his townhouse, listening to the album, Unleashed In The East, by British heavy metal band Judas Priest.

Side One of Unleashed In The East concludes with a song with the unusual title of The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown). It was a favourite among my head-banging compatriots, even though we had no idea what a Manalishi was and why it might be green.

"That's originally a Fleetwood Mac song," Dave told me as he took a swig of beer, and perhaps a hefty puff of a cigarette or joint.

"What?" was my incredulous response.

"Yep, Fleetwood Mac used to be a heavy rock band, before they added the Americans -- Buckingham and Nicks."

I remained dubious, until the song ended and he took the record off the turntable.

"See", he said pointing to the label, "It was written by Peter Green. There is no Peter Green in Judas Priest. He was in Fleetwood Mac.

Label for Unleashed In The East, featuring The Green Manalishi,
composed by Peter Green.

The self-titled Fleetwood Mac record on The 500 was released on my tenth birthday, in 1975. It was the group's tenth record, and sixth since (true to his word) Green left in 1970. It was the first to include the two Americans, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The pair, who were also romantically involved, had been performing as a duo in the California area for a few years and had released their first, and only, record two years earlier. John McVie wanted to add Buckingham as a guitarist after hearing him in the studio recording some demos. Buckingham agreed to join, but only with Nicks as part of the package.

Buckingham Nicks album cover (1973).

Fleetwood Mac had already transitioned to a softer, less bluesy sound in 1973, with the release of their seventh studio record, Penguin. Christine McVie, wife of John, officially joined the band in 1971 for the record Future Games, but had contributed piano parts prior to becoming a full-time member. With the new (now considered classic) line-up set, the band relocated from England to California and entered the legendary Sound City Studios.

Sound City Studios in the 1970s.

The group's previous album, Heroes Are Hard To Find, had been a disappointment commercially. However, fortunes changed with the addition of  "the Americans" -- despite many heated clashes between Buckingham and John McVie during the recording of the self-titled record. It spawned three Top 20 singles and went on to sell eight million copies. It would also establish Fleetwood Mac as one of the most successful bands of all time and set the stage for 1977's Rumours (#26 on The 500).

Rumours album cover -- we'll get to this one in about
two and a half years.

I am a fan of so much from Fleetwood Mac. I delight in their Peter Green, blues rock roots, Green Manalishi included, and the incredible harmonies and musicianship that came with their classic line-up.

Historical fact: Green eventually ‘fessed up that a Green Manalishi was a fictional representation of the inherent evil in money -- he had made the word up because it sounded menacing.

The 500 - #224 - The Neil Diamond Collection - Neil Diamond

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #224
Album Title: The Neil Diamond Collection
Artist: Neil Diamond
Genre: Rock, Soft Rock, Pop, Folk, Ballad
Recorded: 1968 - 1972

Released: November, 1999
My age at release: 34
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very

Is it on the 2020 list? Sadly, no Diamond albums made the 2020 list
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: I Am, I Said

Album cover for The Neil Diamond Collection.

Every University town has at least one legendary bar. In London, Ontario, (home of Western University) that gathering place is the Ceeps. The restaurant/tavern has been a popular watering hole for students, professors, alumni and locals for more than 100 years. It gets its name from the Canadian Pacific (C.P.) railway tracks just north of its doors on Mill Street. During homecoming week in October the taps rarely stop flowing. The tavern is so staggeringly popular on that weekend a staffer has the sole job of replenishing kegs in the vast, walk-in fridge compartments behind the bar. Rumour has it a keg empties every 15 minutes.

The infamous Ceeps line. Circa 1988.

On my 23rd birthday in 1988, I found myself at the Ceeps with a group of friends. While there, I ran into Shawn Burk, whom I knew casually through a mutual friend, James Fast. As it turns out, it was Shawn's birthday, too. We downed a celebratory drink as we chatted about sports, theatre and music. When I inquired  about his favourite bands, he quickly replied: "Judas Priest and Neil Diamond."

Judas Priest in their 80s heyday.

Back then, being a fan of leather-clad, British heavy metal groups was not unusual. Most of my friends, myself included, owned copies of Priest's seminal records, British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance and Sad Wings Of Destiny. However, admitting that you liked the music of uber-cheesy, soft-rock crooner Neil Diamond was bewildering to me.

Neil Diamond, performing in the 70s.

Fast-forward a few days and I found myself in Shawn's car as he blasted tracks from Hot August Night -- Diamond's 1972 live recording from The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. By the time we got to the closing song, Soolaiman/Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, I was a fan. Sadly, there are no Diamond records on the 2020 edition of The 500. Hot August Night should be.

Album cover for Hot August Night, Neil Diamond (1972).

Shawn and I became terrific friends that summer. We both had a mischievous, theatrical streak. We got our hands on a video camera and started making silly, guerilla-style productions for our friends’ amusement. One afternoon, we set up shop in the hallway of a local mall, posing as representatives from the Kraft Food Company conducting a taste test. Curious mall patrons sampled marshmallows A and B -- and we dutifully noted their preferences on a clipboard. In truth, both "types" of the fluffy, white confectionary treats were the same. Regardless of the a volunteer's choice Shawn would proudly announce: "That's the Kraft Marshmallow!" It was harmless fun that lasted until mall security became suspicious and we scrammed.

Kraft Marshmallows - certainly London's favourite on that 1988 afternoon.

The Neil Diamond Collection is a compilation record released in 1999, containing Diamond's hits from 1968 - 1972. It contains most of the songs I heard on Shawn's car stereo. Diamond, born in 1941, lived a fascinating life even before deciding he wanted to become a songwriter and performer. Born and raised, for the most part, in Brooklyn, New York, he attended high school with singer Barbara Streisand and chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer.

32 years after being classmates, Streisand and Diamond scored a hit with the duet You Don't Bring Me Flowers in 1988.

Diamond was a member of the school's fencing team with his best friend, future Olympic fencer Herb Cohen. Diamond was good enough to secure a fencing scholarship to New York University where he enrolled in a pre-med program with the goal of becoming a doctor. However, in his senior year and just 10 credits shy of graduation, he made the bold decision to quit medical studies for a job writing songs at Sunbeam Music Publishing. It paid $50 a week, the equivalent to $450 today.

Diamond in a recording studio in 1963.

I was fortunate to see Diamond at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1993 during his Love In The Round tour. Shawn was with me. The 30-song set was performed, without a break, by the then 52-year old entertainer on a circular stage in the centre of the legendary hockey rink. The performance and the Collection album were reminders of the impressive  number of hits the former medical student, known as “The Jewish Elvis”, has penned.

Thirty-eight of his songs have reached the top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Charts. He has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, as well as receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Grammys. As Josh Adam Meyers postulated on the accompanying episode of The 500 Podcast, "Diamond wrote a significant chapter in The Great American Songbook". I agree. Why is he not represented on the 2020 list?

Diamond entering the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 1984.

In January 2018, Diamond announced his retirement from touring due to a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He lives in Basalt, Colorado, with his former manager, now wife Katie McNeil.

Diamond and McNeil in 2011 when he received the 
Kennedy Center Honors. 

I visit the Ceeps occasionally – typically in the summer when its expansive patio opens -- connected to its second bar, Barneys. Shawn moved to Toronto, but we remain friends. I am tremendously grateful to him for letting me couch surf at his apartment in 1991 when I first took an ill-fated restaurant job in Toronto. He was also a sympathetic ear in 1996 when my girlfriend, now wife, and I temporarily broke up. His decision to show me the film Swingers in order to help me shake my funk was an inspired decision.

When Shawn and I reconnect, it is easy to pick up where we left off – talking sports and music and laughing about our many videotaped hijinks. We still contact each other on our shared birthday to offer good wishes for another year. I am still a Neil Diamond fan because of him.

The 500 - #386 - Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

Album # 386

Album Title: Pretzel Logic
Artist: Steely Dan
Genre: Rock-Jazz-Fusion
Recorded: The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles
Released: February, 1974
My age at release: My guest blogger Heather was 6, I was 8
How familiar was I with it before this week: Very
Song I am putting on my Spotify: Any Major Dude Will Tell You 

Guest Blogger Introduction

This week, I am delighted to welcome my dear friend Heather Keep as guest blogger. We met at Saunders Secondary School where her future husband and my future wife also attended.  Consequently, the four of us have been part of each other's lives for 40 years. I was thrilled when she accepted my invitation to share her connection with this record by American music pioneers Steely Dan.

Background Information

Pretzel Logic was the third record from the American jazz, fusion, soft and pop rock band Steely Dan. It's story began in 1967 at Bard College, New York, when pianist Donald Fagen heard fellow student Walter Becker practising guitar at The Red Balloon Cafe on campus. The two cynics bonded over a love of music and beatnik culture. A musical experiment began and the duo became the core members of a musical collective they called Steely Dan. Together, they released nine records, and their attention to production and detail in the studio has become the stuff of legend. Steely Dan has sold more than 40 million records and were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2017, Becker died from esophageal cancer and the musical experiment came to an end.

By Heather Keep

Steely Dan was my "go-to-band" in high-school. At the time, I didn't know another soul who loved them like I did. Everyone seemed to know the classics, such as Rikki Don't Lose That Number, the lead single from the record, Pretzel Logic. However, few seemed to know those obscure "B-side" tracks like Kid Charlemagne from the The Royal Scam (1976) or Babylon Sisters from Gaucho (1980). 

Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan (1974)

Any Major Dude Will Tell You from this, the first of three Steely Dan records to appear on The 500 list, is one of those deep-cut pearls that I listened to as a young teen. The easy going melody, beautiful vocals, and layered acoustics always offered me comfort when I was feeling down. In some ways, it helped put things in perspective for a serious teenager dealing with high school in the 80s! 

That's me, the serious teenager on the far left (Circa 1981)

Any Major Dude's release on the flip-side of the single Rikki garnered some FM radio-play, but it has remained a hidden gem and one of Steely Dan's most underrated creations. I love it dearly still.

My introduction to Steely Dan came through my Uncle Brian and my dad. I have a clear memory of my dad lying on the carpet in our living room, headphones on, with Steely Dan spinning on the turntable. I thought my dad was so cool. I wanted to do that too and was intensely curious about this record he was listening too. 

I also have memories of my Uncle, with his wild, long, afro-like black curls, blasting Steely Dan on the cassette player at his house or in his car. The memories of which album he was playing are fuzzy, but I remember the feeling -- that great feeling was undeniable.

My sister (left), baby brother and me in 1974 - the year Pretzel Logic was released

Perhaps the thing that drew me most to the band was the inclusion of piano and electronic keyboards as principal instruments in their brilliantly orchestrated fusion of jazz, rock, and R&B. I started playing piano at six and continued to take lessons until I was 18. The classical training provided by the Royal Conservatory gave me a deep appreciation of the piano. 

I needed a way to reconcile my love of rock music with my love of the piano and the sounds it could make. Steely Dan was the answer. The band could perfectly blend keys and guitars and then accent them brilliantly with a jazzy saxophone or trumpet flourish. The keyboards didn't take over the ensemble, yet remained a crucial element in the music. The result was a unique sound and a genre too elusive to peg. Sometimes, I wasn't sure what I was listening to -- I just knew I loved it.

The walls of my teenage bedroom profess my love of piano and music.
I spent a lot of time there.

Pretzel Logic, the album's title track, is on the bluesy side and remains faithful to that genre, but is also a great example of the duo's knack for production. In it, the sax, trumpet and trombone accompany Fagen's Wurlitzer electric piano and Becker's guitar perfectly. I love the vocals on this track. Pretzel Logic was the first Steely Dan album to feature Becker on guitar. Prior to this, the guitar work had been shared by several top-shelf session musicians, with Becker only playing bass. The end result firmly established Steely Dan's trademark sound. 

With critical acclaim and commercial success with their first and biggest pop chart hit, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, the band embarked on a successful promotional tour. They even recruited future legend Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers, Kenny Loggins Band) for backup vocals.

However, shortly after the tour ended, Becker and Fagan made the decision to focus exclusively on recording in the studio. The other members of the band (Danny Dias, Jeff Baxter and Jim Hodder) moved on to other projects. Steely Dan continued to record four more records before disbanding in 1982 to pursue their own solo careers. However, they reunited in the mid-90s to record and tour again.

For me, their music and sound remains in my top 10 list of all-time favourites. I have had the privilege of seeing them twice in concert at the Molson Ampitheatre in Toronto. The first was their Art Crimes Tour in July, 1996 and the second, their Two Against Nature Tour in 2000 -- a record that won them Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. 

I'm also happy to say that my husband, who accompanied me to both of those shows, became a Steely Dan fan in the early days of our relationship. We still enjoy their music together and I continue to spread the "word of the Dan" to whomever will listen.

My time-battered concert shirt from the 1996 tour

Thanks to you Marc for giving me the opportunity to travel a bit down memory lane and revisit songs I haven't listened to in a long time. Food for the soul.