Aww Mondays
A pair of parti tri-color American Cocker Spaniels
Monday’s Music Moves Me
Back in February I used a free choice week to feature some of the iconic keyboard players of country/pop/rock n roll music. Needless to say I left a lot of great musicians out, so I am going to add to the collection today. There was a time in country and pop music that instrumental recordings made it on to the top 40 playlist. One of the first that I can remember from my pre-teen years was Floyd Cramer. I believe the song started on the country charts and immediately crossed over to the pop radio stations and stayed on the charts for weeks and weeks. Recently I found the song recorded by none other than Conway Twitty and to be honest, I never knew there were lyrics. Last Date will always be an instrumental to me. Here is Floyd Cramer and “Last Date.”
A keyboard player that came out of an R & B and transitioned into a pop icon was Mr. Fats Domino. Perhaps his biggest hit was “Blueberry Hill”. Fats had it all, a great voice, great keyboard musicianship, and an infectious personality. Come on, find your thrill on Blueberry Hill.
We all know that walking is good exercise and most of us do far too little of it. Maybe if we put this on our playlist before we put our earbuds on we might walk forever. Once again, Fats Domino and “I’m Walkin'”.
One keyboard player that almost nobody mentions is Booker T. Jones. If that name is not familiar to you maybe the group Booker T & the MG’s might ring a bell. The very first time I heard “Green Onions” I had to have the album. From Wikipedia, “Booker T. & the M.G.’s are an instrumental R&B/funk band that was influential in shaping the sound of Southern soul and Memphis soul.”
Going from the obscure to one known as “The Piano Man”, my last artist this week is none other than Billy Joel. Among keyboard players Billy Joel ranks among the very top with a career that has spanned decades.
In 1993, Billy Joel released his final studio album River of Dreams, an album that details Joel’s issues regarding trust, betrayal and the idea of everlasting love. Watch the official music video for ‘The River of Dreams’, which became a Top 10 hit in the US and his highest-charting track of the 1990s. Have a blessed week.
Driller's Place 
Awww, on the pups.
Love all the music. Some goes way back.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, my friend. 🙂
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Cockers just melt your heart and yes, my music goes back to the stone age. Have a very blessed week.
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Awww, sweet pups.
How we miss Fats. Right after Katrina, when a lot of other NOLA celebrities were checking in, letting everyone know they were safe, no one heard from him and the cry went up, “Where’s Fats?” He spoke up from his niece’s fiances’ apartment about an hour drive away. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
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Fats had a way of putting the fun in music.
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I remember when I was terribly young & I just got my first phonograph I’d go into my bedroom with a bunch of old records my big brother gave me & listen to them many of them were Fats Domino and I still love him to this day. Thanks so much for being a few of his tunes that I use to have in 45 rpm. Blueberry Hill was a big favorite of mine & so was I’m Walkin’. Green Onions was a tune I tried to play on my mother’s Organ. Never did master that bugger. hahaha Now “The Piano Man” I thought it was just a song at first and never realized it was an actual story until one day I heard it on my car radio & actually listened to the words. It became a favorite of mine until this day. Thanks for postin’ that one my friend for sure. Hope you have a great week and thanks for the dance! I believe a curtsy goes here!!! ~hehehe~
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Billy Joel was a story teller and Piano Man was an evening in the life of a piano bar musician playing for tips. Great song.
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Awww, those little puppies look similar to GBGV puppies. Very cute.
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The spaniel family is my favorite breed.
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Driller,
I remember Conway Twitty’s ‘Last Date’ version. Booker T & the MGs funky sound I forgot about but really liked back in the day and still do. Billy Joel was so popular in the 80s and 90s. I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything new by him in years. I will have to check into this one. Thanks for sharing your choice song picks with the 4M dance crew. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!
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I’m pretty sure Billy Joel does a very few concerts now, but I don’t know that he has released any new music in quite some time.
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I think Booker T & The MG’s were the house band at Stax Records. They’re excellent. And Floyd Cramer was key to the “Nashville sound” that Chet Atkins promoted when he was in charge of A&R at RCA in Nashville. He, Chet and Boots Randolph had kind of an act at one time (you can hear them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIIEUsd8rhA). Great set, Driller!
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I think Al Hirt and Pete Fountain had a thing going in New Orleans for a long time. I don’t know if Fats was part of that sound.
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Love those tri-color cocker pups! Good music selection today – thanks!
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I love any color of cocker spaniel pup. Glad you enjoyed the tunes.
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Beautiful puppies and songs. Piano Man was the first song, I really loved as a kid,
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We all have that first song from our earliest years of music don’t we?
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Great setlist today! Out of all of the songs, I think Green Onions is my favorite.
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I loved Green Onions. I wen right out and bought the album when it was released.
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such cute puppies!
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Almost twins
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Oh, the days of instrumentals – songs from my childhood and songs more recent – a nice collection. When I first heard “Piano Man” I was too young to understand the full story of what he ws singing about. Now, years later, I understand the masterpiece it is. Fats Domino live was amazing. Hope you had a good week, Driller AA.
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