60s music
Groove along to Beat Media's breakdown of the bands, artists, songs and culture that defined the 60s.
A Song from 1958 Helped Me Discover My Hobby
What's my favorite hobby? My favorite hobby is… Wait a minute. You know what? Let's play a game for this particular topic. I don't want to make it too easy. Enough with all the dry and vaguely-written essays that can't connect with the reader.
By Ioannis Dedes5 years ago in Beat
They’re coming to take me away (ha ha)
There was a one hit wonder recording in i1966 that made it to number 3 on Billboards top 100 chart that in today’s cancel culture might be considered inappropriate. The song was by Jerrold "Jerry" Samuels who was born on May 3 1938. The singer, songwriter and producer.used the pseudonym Napoleon XIV, for his novelty song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" There is no singing only spoken rhyme and the musical number nstruments consist of a snare drum, tambourine , and hand claps.The B side of the record is simply the A side played in reverse.
By Cheryl E Preston5 years ago in Beat
The Genius of Junior Walker
Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. is a name that might not be recognizable but you have surely heard of Junior Walker. He is known to the world for his musical contributions and is best known for his 1964 hit SHOTGUN which was recorded as Junior Walker & the All Stars. Each time I hear this song in recent years, an image from the movie COOLEY HIGH comes to mind because this song was playing during a poignant scene.
By Cheryl E Preston5 years ago in Beat
The Brill Building
As a songwriter, one of the first places I had to go to when I moved to New York in 1999 was the Brill Building at Broadway and 49th Street. It was, quite simply, a pilgrimage of sorts to walk the sidewalks where the songwriting greats walked and created.
By Julie O'Hara - Author, Poet and Spiritual Warrior5 years ago in Beat
Gil Bridges of Rare Earth Charges Racism for Being All White Band Kept out of Motown Museum
Photo by kate When Gil Bridges was in grade school in Detroit the only instrument taught was the violin. His dad thought it a girl's instrument so he had to wait. At ten, Bridges saw Aldo Ray performing the saxophone, and his older sister suggested that was the axe he should start swinging. He took the advice and went onto play in the various school bands – marching, jazz and symphonic. A friend eventually approached him about joining their band. But playing that scene with the Sunliners was something he was initially afraid to try. A little coaxing later, he was in. Beginning in 1960, they played the Motown clubs, and by the late sixties, they received a record deal from MGM/Verve. Despite not having that association go far, Motown approached the band and Rare Earth was born. As a result, songs such as "Get Ready" and "I Just Want to Celebrate" became part of the American musical lexicon.
By Rich Monetti5 years ago in Beat
Jimi Hendrix Came Right Off the Bat
Jimi Hendrix is considered to be one of the best ever to play the electric guitar. He has to be at least top ten in every list that exists around the world involving the revolutionary instrument. He is a guitar god, and he bolted into the Rock scene right off the bat.
By Bazooka Teaches5 years ago in Beat
The Never-Ending Story of the Women of Motown
As a child, one of the first CDs I ever owned was a Motown's Greatest Hits CD that I got for my eleventh birthday. Being that I turned eleven in 2009, decades after Motown's golden era under founder Berry Gordy, Jr. had already ended, my music taste led people to believe that I was an old soul. But the truth is that Motown's music is timeless and has remained in people's hearts and minds since its inception in the late 50s.
By C.R. Hughes5 years ago in Beat
