Former Idols, Mouseketeers, & Chart Toppers - Friday Music
It is time once again to share some music with the readers of Rickey.Org, the music that has been on my blog, Soundtrack to my Day, over the past week.
Carly Smithson was a contestant on the the 7th season of American Idol, but has certainly come out of that season in top form, now singing the lead for We Are The Fallen, an amazing rock band. The members are Carly and Marty O'Brien, along with former Evanescence members Ben Moody, John LeCompt, and Rocky Gray. This week they released their debut album, Tear The World Down, which was in the Top 10 for album downloads on iTunes. This is the first single, Bury Me Alive. [New Music - We Are The Fallen - Bury Me Alive]
http://www.youtube.com/v/zzTZeeMCUBk&hl=en_US&fs=1&
The Smiths changed music in the 80s, taking a short time together to make music that was so different and so clearly self-expressive, it shook up and defined a new market - the college campus. And it gave a platform for one of the original and reigning idols, Morrissey, who controls any stage with great style and swagger. The video is This Charming Man from 1983. [Worth Another Listen - The Smiths]
http://www.youtube.com/v/F3hSDODDNs4&hl=en_US&fs=1&
Matt Morris made the world sit up and listen when he performed Hallelujah on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon. Matt was the first act signed to JT's record label, and recently released his first album, When Everything Breaks Open. This is his latest single, Live Forever. Morris has written songs for Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aquilera, Justin Timberlake and Reba McEntire. [Happy Birthday Matt Morris]
http://www.youtube.com/v/7q90xcW7STY&hl=en_US&fs=1&
1979 had some great music, but it was a new band, The Knack, that topped Billboard's year-end chart. The amazingly catchy and smart My Sharona spent weeks at #1, and had everyone dancing and celebrating whenever it was playing. Nice to remember with the recent passing of singer Doug Fieger. [Billboard Top 5 - 1979]
My friend XOLondon has a great blog, XO's Middle Eight. This week, he featured a new song from the up and coming act, Florence & the Machine, one of the most talked about bands in the UK in recent years. Check out Cosmic Love. [Flo returns with a new song on June 8]
http://www.youtube.com/v/nDp8giBz8_4&hl=en_US&fs=1&
And, finally, we must remember the passing of one of the great talents of the 20th Century, Miss Lena Horne. Whether in the recording studio, on the stage, in movies or on television, Miss Horne proved that with an amazing voice, grace, dignity, impeccable phrasing and a strong character, you can do just about whatever you want, if you believe. In this clip, she sings a medley of two of her hits, recorded a couple of decades apart. This is Stormy Weather and If You Believe. [RIP - Lena Horne]
http://www.youtube.com/v/EMf0Z7EPdLo&hl=en_US&fs=1&