Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…Mondays

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Lucy; “Come on dad, I’m trying to take a nap here.”

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“You’re just not going to let it go until you get a photo are you? Okay, take the picture already.”

Monday’s Music Moves Me

WooHoo…it’s freedom of choice week! Last time I had my pick I chose to feature Mr. Leon Russell. Leon was an iconic cog in a large wheel of talented piano players/keyboard artists in rock n roll music. So, today I am going to feature a few more ivory ticklers that you may or may not recognize. First up is none other than “Killer” Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry Lee was one of the first “Wild Child” musicians in rock n roll, both on and off stage. He had two famous cousins, the Pentecostal evangelist Jimmy Swaggart and country music legendary piano player Mickey Gilly. Jerry Lee was the first keyboard player to get up off of the bench and pound the piano into submission. He, like Leon Russell was a major influence on Sir Elton John. While Lewis was a founding father of rock n roll, he was also a very good country artist, so I have selected one of his performances from the country side to feature here.

Who am I kidding? You have to see “Killer” in the beginning, when the whole world was asking what this thing called rock n roll was all about. It was all about A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!!!

One of my all time favorite keyboard masters was Ray Charles. Two of the first albums that I owned were by Ray. I also own one of his last albums, a duet compilation with various artists. Ray injected rock n roll with a heavy dose of the blues and the sound was awesome.

Next up is an artist that played in Ray Charles group before going his own way. Most bands have three guitars, lead, rhythm and bass, a drummer and maybe a keyboard. How many groups do you know that have three keyboards on the platform, a baby grand, a Hammond B3 organ, and electric keyboard? Billy Preston also had a horn section similar to Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. It all made for a great sound.

I know, there was Fats Domino, Billy Joel, Floyd Cramer and others that I have left out, but no list of great keyboard artists is complete without Sir Elton John. I have been a fan of his since the beginning. I saw him twice in concert and they were the best concerts that I ever attended. The word “showman” just barely describes Elton’s talent and ability to connect with the crowd. The first time I heard “Your Song”, I was a fan and I purchased every Elton John album over the next decade. Elton is preparing for a three year farewell tour, but we will always have his recordings.

I saw Elton in the early 70’s and he rocked the house with Pinball Wizzard. This clip from his Vegas show is even more theatrical than his early efforts. Play on Elton, play on!

35 thoughts on “Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me”

  1. XmasDolly

    Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen Jerry Lee Lewis’ “A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” in ages & that’s really something to shake too! Woo Hoo Thanks for the dance my friend! Wooooo That was fun! WOW & now Ray Charles & oh my gosh, Billy Preston… will it go round in circles… WOOOOOO!!! OH YEAH, I USE TO LOVE LOVE LOVE dancin’ to that tune! BOOGIE TIME… come on my friend… Will it go round in circles… la la la… WOO!!! ELTON’S PINBALL WIZARD’S VIDEO is totally the BEST! I never saw that one either! How cool is that! Well, my friend I must say you have out done yourself for sure! YOU’RE DUH BEST! BIG HUGS & YOU TOTALLY ROCK!!! Hugs and have a rockin’ week! Thanks for rockin’ my world!!!

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  3. Cathy Kennedy

    Driller,

    Jerry Lee Lewis was a wild child for sure. His popular occurred many years before I was born and it wasn’t until I was in my pre/teen or maybe it was in my adult years that I saw Lewis’ wild side on TV. I don’t remember the song, but he kicked his bench backward causing laughter to spill from my belly. I can only imagine what my grandparents thought of this as being some sort of crazy nonsense. lol I was never a Ray Charles fan but later in life, I came to appreciate his style but mostly his talent. He was a great pianist. My favorite song is ‘That Spirit of Christmas’ I heard first time ever from the 80s hit film Christmas Vacation. That’s just beautiful. Oh, boy I remember Billy Preston’s ‘Round in Circles’ which was a groovy dance tune and naturally Sir Elton is a big part of my teen years. He had some awwwesome hits throughout the 70s right through the early 80s. His flamboyant showmanship on the occasion I saw him on TV always made me giggle. I was so naive in those days I had no idea that the same sex could be attracted. That was the furthest thing from my mind. All I cared about in those days is the mewsic, the beautiful mewsic that moved me! Your Lucy is the purrfect candidate for Awww Mondays. 🙂 Thanks for joining the 4M gang on the dance floor. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!

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    1. DrillerAA

      Sir Elton’s music of the 70’s was the highlight of his career. Albumns like, Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Chateau, Captain Fantastic, and Yellow Brick Road along with Mad Man Across the Water were all in my collection.

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  4. aisasami

    I loooooooooooooooove Elton John’s “Pinball Wizard”, more the original Who version. I just find John can put a little more magic to the song than the band! Thanks for the tunes!

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  5. Sandee

    Lucy is such a cutie pie. Huge aw.

    I love all your tunes today. You’ve got some great ones.

    Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.

    Have a woof woof Awww Monday, Lucy. My best to your peeps. 🙂

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  6. John Holton

    Great choices here! I’m glad you led off with the Killer and gave a hat tip to Ray Charles and Billy Preston. Have you ever seen the video of Billy with Nat King Cole? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxSHBIXfFPE Billy never changed; you could see the boy in the adult. Ray was just incomparable the way he could hold an audience. He was a great piano player and singer. Elton John and I share a birthday (March 25), so I’ve always had an affinity with him. Another great piano player and singer shared the birthday, too: Aretha Franklin. Hope you pick up Billy, Fats, and Floyd in a future post…

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  16. yogiabb

    Some great selections here. Elton John is performing tonight here in Tulsa. We wanted to see him but the price points available were not compatible with the family budget.

    There was a tribute this past weekend to Leon Russell at Will Rogers High School. I would have like to see that.

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  17. handmadejewelryhaven

    LOL….reminds me of my doggy as I am leaving for the day. I try to kiss her face and say goodbye. She barely opens one eye as if to say..’Will you just leave already??!!’

    Wish I could just curl back up to sleep like that.
    Thanks for sharing!

    – Lisa

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  18. Alana

    I loved the contrast between the two Jerry Lee Lewis videos. The youthful energy vs. the more mature singing and playing – both great performances in their own way. I haven’t heard Will It Go Round in Circles in Forever, but I have to admit to some envy in now knowing you’ve seen Sir Elton in concert TWICE. I think Elton’s covers of Pinball Wizard and also Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds are both better than the originals and when you talk about the Who and the Beatles that is saying a lot!

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