Dark Monday • Cadillac Records

In 2008, a movie by the name of 'Cadillac Records'. The movie told the story of Leonard Chess, a man who founded Chess Records, one of the preeminent labels for Blues, Jazz and Rock artists of color to record their music. It got the name from the fact that, in the early years, Chess sold the records out of the trunk of his Cadillac. I didn't think much of the movie on the whole, but thought the soundtrack is amazing, featuring some great music. I'll must offer up one song per artist, and let you hear what I am talking about. I will begin one of the great Blues musicians of all time, Muddy Waters. Many of the British Rock 'N Rollers in the 1960s were inspired by Waters, with his connection to the music, and his heartfelt performances. After moving to Chicago in the 1940s, he truly started his career, and qucikly became known as the father of Chicago blues. For the first entry, we have Jeffrey Wright singing "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" as Muddy Waters.

If I was to say the name Chester Arthur Burnett, I bet very few would know of whom I speak. But if I mentioned Howlin' Wolf, the light bulb might come on for just a few more, for he is considered by many to be one of the premiere performers of Electric Blues, combining Rock and Blues as only he could. Born in Mississippi, the Blues he played came straight from the soul. In our second song from the soundtrack, we have Eamon Walker singing "Smokestack Lightning" as Howlin' Wolf.

Charles Edward Anderson Berry was making waves in music in the 1950s, and was certainly and inspiration to rockers in the 1960s and beyond. You might know him better as Chuck Berry, the Rock 'N Roll guitarist people still look to, and aspire to be like. Of course, most know so many songs made famous by the man, but I decided to go with "No Particular Place To Go", a hit in 1963, proving he still had what it takes to be on top. As Chuck Berry, this is Mos Def singing "No Particular Place To Go".

And, finally, a little lady known as Beyoncé was also in the cast, playing the oh-so-talented Etta James. And while Beyoncé did record and sing James' big hit, "At Last", it was her recording of another song that brought much attention after the film. Beyoncé singing on the soundtrack introduced many young teen and pre-teen girls to some great Blues sung by Etta, and one of those girls, a young Rachel Crow, song a song she attributed to Beyoncé, although it really and truly belongs to Etta. So, as Etta James, this is Beyoncé singing "I'd Rather Go Blind".

You can find the 'Cadillac Records' soundtrack on iTunes and Amazon. If you prefer to go back to the original artists, you can find 'The Best of Chess Records' on iTunes and Amazon.

Matthew Mitcham • Single Ladies

Australian diver Matthew Mitcham was a star on so many levels, sometimes it is tough to know where to start. But he came to the attention of many, including myself, at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where he stunned the world with a gold medal in 10M Platform Diving, preventing host China from sweeping all 8 diving events. He did it in amazing fashion, hitting dive after dive with great precision and style. He was also adorable, just cute as a button, with a gorgeous smile. And after the win, the openly gay man had no problem rushing over to give his partner, Lachlan Fletcher, a kiss. That could have been the moment he truly captured my heart. And then finding out he has been an out and proud man long before the Games, even if it might have cost him sponsors who usually flock to a gold medalist.


Matthew Mitcham and Lachlan Fletcher.

Well, now that the 2012 London Games are in full swing, a new video has surfaced of the darling Matthew killing some time in the Olympic Village, taking out a ukelele and performing on video for us all. So here is Matthew Mitcham singing and playing on Beyoncé's "Single Ladies".



He is back and ready to compete at the 2012 London Olympics, diving August 10th & 11th. Be sure to tune in to watch. You can follow Matthew on Twitter or like him on Facebook. Be sure to make sure Matthew knows he has your support!

GLEE Redux • Goodbye

McKinley High School completes another school year, only this time, it is a little different. The New Directions are National Champions. Coach Sue is with child, and helped Mr. Schue lead the show choir to the win. Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury are not only engaged, but they put some issues aside, and share a deeper intimacy than ever before. Quinn is out of the wheelchair, and planning on taking the Ivy League by storm. Rachel and Finn are still in love, and plan to start this new part of their life together. That includes them moving to New York City, with Kurt. But this does leave Blaine alone in Ohio, taking on his senior year without the reason he transferred to McKinley. Will they all be leaving Puck behind, or can he pass the test? All these questions we hope to be answered in the final episode of season 3, Goodbye.

Top: The New Directions. Clockwise: Beyoncé; Bruce Springsteen; Madonna; Guys And Dolls; Rod Stewart; The Beatles; Room For Two; and New Radicals.

As Mr. Schue is walking down the hallway, he hears the kids singing in the chorus room. Artie, Tina, Kurt, Mercedes and Rachel playfully sing "Sit Down, You're Rocking The Boat," part of the score for Guys And Dolls.



He watches them a bit, but then takes a deep breath, and walks in. He reminds them there is nothing left to prepare for, well save the last assignment. He'd like them to prepare a song to say goodbye. The underclassmen will say goodbye to the seniors, and the seniors will say goodbye to everyone. Mr. Schue dons the guitar to kick it off with a stripped down acoustic version of "Forever Young" by Rod Stewart.



Next we see Kurt walking down the hallway, remarking on how far he has come since he was a timid freshmen at McKinley High. He is reminded how his actions has made it possible for other young gays to wear nice frocks to school. He walks into the auditorium, and finds his father there, on stage. Mr. Hummel is telling Kurt how proud he is of his son, and what they accomplished together. He reminds Kurt when they started getting honest. He found Kurt in a unitard, dancing with Brittany and Tina. They were dancing to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)."



Kurt can't help but laugh as his father does the number, still applauding as Mr. Hummel leaves, blowing kisses. Kurt couldn't imagine a better graduation present. Blaine reminds him of the monogrammed towels he bought for Kurt, and then mentions they need to talk. Blaine reminds him Kurt is graduating, but Blaine has another year to go. Can their love survive the distance between Lima, Ohio, and New York City? Kurt thinks they can make it work, for he has no intention of saying goodbye to Blaine, his high school sweetheart. But how will he say goodbye to everyone else? Well, he'll sing a Madonna song, of course. He dedicates "I'll Remember" to everyone, but especially the boys who never cared that he was gay.



In the hallway by Kurt's locker, Rachel comes up to Kurt and Finn to get them to agree they must open the letters from their prospective schools together, and in the chorus room. They agree. In another part of the hallway, Santana fights through a forest of balloons to find Sam and Mercedes, with Sam eager to talk about Mercedes record contract in L.A. Well, an indie label wanting her to sing backup, anyway. But Sam is so proud of his girlfriend. Santana congratulates Mercedes, and learns that Mike is getting a scholarship to dance with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. Santana gives him a hug, and Tina mentions Santana's plan to go to the University of Louisville. As she walks away, Santana thinks about what she wants to do, and how she is every bit as talented as Mercedes, Mike, Rachel or Kurt, so why can't she chase her dream, too? Cut to dinner, with Santana and her mother, played by the beautiful Gloria Estefan, and Brittany. She tells her mother that she wants to skip college, and head to New York. While trying to be supportive, her Mama Lopez urges her to go to school. New York will still be there when she has a degree, something Mama never got the chance to accomplish. That is when Brittany explains she is not graduating, having failed everything, and hopes to do better on her second time as a senior. If Brittany stays in Lima, maybe Santana will stay with her... Back in the chorus room the next morning, the seniors get together to sing to the underclassmen. They perform "You Get What You Give" by The New Radicals.



There were plenty of hugs and knowing glances shared, but soon we are with Finn and Rachel, talking about chairs for the reception. Finn is worried that Rachel is settling for him as her husband, but she assures him that is the one thing she is definite about. Cut to Finn walking down the hallway, thinking how his career was a success, having won a State Championship in football, and a National Championship in glee club. There is only one thing that scared him - the future. But not anymore. He's marrying his great girlfriend, and moving to New York with her and his gay step-brother. Every straight boy's dream, right? Finn thinks he nailed his audition with James Lipton. He stops by to see Mr. Schue, who was signing his yearbook. He asks Finn to sit down, and apologizes about having blackmailed him to make him join glee club. Finn mocks him, and leaves. At home, Finn is spending time with his mother and a picture of his Dad. He regrets he wasn't able to get his Dad an honorable discharge, and thinks he should have tried harder. How can he redeem his father's name if he runs to New York to be an actor? His life seems to be coming together, but not this aspect. The next morning in the chorus room, the underclassmen have a chance to say their goodbyes to the seniors. First, they have a special dedication to Finn, who as the starting quarterback on the football team, had the most to lose by joining show chorus, and treat the members with respect. They perform "In My Life," by The Beatles and written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.



This is lovely, but I keep getting surprised Sam is not a senior. Now we travel down the hallway with Quinn, who remarks how she has gone full circle in her McKinley journey, from popular cheerleader captain, to troubled unwed mother, back to Cheerios captain again. She is so grateful and impressed with her friends, although she still worries about one - Puck. She sees Coach Beiste quizzing him, helping he prepare for the make-up exam he needs to pass. Quinn wants to give back in her last week of high school, and starts with a Metro Pass for her friend Rachel, so they can visit when Quinn is at Yale and Rachel in New York City. She also tries to help Puck study, and when he is about to quit, she tells him she loves him. They've been through too much together, and she won't let him give up. She kisses him, hoping Rachel was right - when she and Puck were together, she brought out the best in him. Cut to Puck walking down the hallway, well, really strutting. He has his swagger back, thanks to Quinn. He is ready to ace that exam. Roz, who is back to coaching the synchronized swim team, comes to see Coach Sue. But she would like to join forces with Sue to take out Principal Figgins. On her way out, she passes Quinn, who is coming to see Coach Sue. Sue tells her she first thought she was just like a younger version of herself, but now sees that isn't true. Quinn is not evil, and Sue admires that about Quinn. She provokes Quinn to tears, and a spontaneous hug. There are tears and honest love there. Cut to the hallway outside of the civics classroom, where all the kids are with Puck, waiting to get the results of the exam. He get's a C-, or, as he says, "a Puckerman A+!" He will graduate with the others. Puck is suddenly in his graduation getup, carrying his electric guitar as he sings "Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen.



This is sung by Puck and Finn as the seniors we know and love accept their diplomas in their red cap and gowns. After the ceremony, Finn, Kurt and Rachel meet in the chorus room, ready to find out about their future. Finn opens his first, and finds out he did not get into the Actor's Studio. Kurt opens his letter, and tells them he didn't get accepted to NYADA. That leaves Rachel, and she slowly opens up the envelope, and learns she was accepted to NYADA. We cut to Rachel clearing out her locker, getting ready to leave school. All her dreams had come true; she was Prom Queen, National Show Choir Champion, and marrying the quarterback. Yet she can't be happy, worrying about her fiancee, Finn, and her good friend Kurt. She will defer school for a year, and make sure they both will be with her in New York. Santana is clearing out her locker, and her mama comes to get her for her party. She also gives Santana an envelope, her graduation present. Santana is shocked at the amount, but gives it back. She doesn't need the money - she is not going to college. Mama tells her to take the money, and move to New York, she believes in Santana and her dreams. Feel the love! Finn picks up Rachel, just as they planned for a post-graduation wedding. But Finn heads to the train station, and he tells Rachel he loves her so much, he is calling off the wedding. He won't let her put off her future because of him. She can't stay with him, he is joining the army. So he wants her to get on the train and be the star she is meant to be. Rachel is a teary mess, and they kiss goodbye. Finn walks her to the train, and all the kids are there to see her off. She sings "Roots Before Branches" by Room For Two.



The song starts in Ohio, and ends in New York, with Rachel with her mod outfit walking by Broadway theaters. I halfway expected her to be spinning around and tossing her hat in the air, a la Mary Tyler Moore. Rachel is moving to New York, and Mercedes is moving to L.A., and Mike will be in Chicago. I guess Santana is New York-bound. Quinn will be in New Haven, Connecticut, and Finn in the Army. What will Kurt do? And Puck? Guess we won't know until season four starts in the fall.

Diva Dance Party • 2006

Clockwise: Madonna; Beyoncé; Gwen Stefani; and Mariah Carey.

To celebrate the release of Madonna's latest album, MDNA, I will start out with her track from 2005, Hung Up. Off the album Confessions On A Dance Floor, Madonna spent the latter part of 2005 and the early part of 2006 on the charts and in the clubs on the strength of songs like Hung Up. The songs was written by Madonna, Stuart Price, and Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, the B's in ABBA!



You can find Confessions On A Dance Floor on iTunes and Amazon. The next song can be found on The Emancipation of Mimi, the 2005 release from Mariah Carey. The album contained many a hit for the Pop star, many continued the success in the clubs with great mixes. But It's Like That, written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, was perfect for whatever you wanted, as performed by Carey and Fatman Scoop and Dupri.



You can find The Emancipation of Mimi on iTunes and Amazon. Our next song had an interesting journey to the clubs. Check On It was written by Beyoncé Knowles, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyince, and Stayve Thomas to be a part of the soundtrack for The Pink Panther remake featuring Beyoncé. Although it didn't make the soundtrack, Beyoncé decided to rerecord it with the assistance of Bun B and Slim Thug and release it as a single, and a bonus track on the Destiny's Child #1s album. So Check On It with Beyoncé.



You can find Check On It on iTunes and Amazon. In 2004, Gwen Stefani stepped away from the band No Doubt, and released her first solo effort, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. She was interested in making an album of silly dance music, and one of those songs was Hallaback Girl. It was written by Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams, and Chad Hugo, in response to an interview where Courtney Love referred to Stefani as a cheerleader. With the single and album, she also became a chart-topping solo act.



You can find Love. Angel. Music. Baby on iTunes and Amazon.

A Draglicious Friday Night

Featuring the music of: (Clockwise) Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, and Cher.

Is there anything better than a Friday night out at the bars, watching a great drag queen? The smell of the hairspray, pancake makeup, and spilled drinks, along with the sound of ice cubes tinkling in the drinks. Across this country, there are countless ladyboys, young and old, who are out there lip synching for a living! Well, at least some extra spending money. Well, I wanted to bring that thrill to you, here on the blog. And I will start with a queen by the name of Mahlae, who does an amazing Beyoncé as she performs Single Ladies.



Now if I remember correctly, and Gawd only knows my memory can get me in trouble these days, I think one of the first drag shows I ever saw had a performer doing the incredible Tina Turner. I went to a show in Reading, PA, when I was in college, and there was a queen giving great Tina realness. This is Batty Davis doing Proud Mary.



I don't know if a drag show has existed since 1970 that did not include at least one queen coming out doing Cher. Whether it was the 1960s Cher, the 70s Cher, or whatever decade Cher, there are so many who do her, making their best attempt at wearing Bob Mackie. Here is Chad Michaels serving amazing Cher realness singing Take Me Home. This was way before you could catch Chad on before RuPaul's Drag Race.



And since the mid-1960s, you know Barbra has been a features performer at every drag show. Whether is was lip synching to My Man, People, or Don't Rain On My Parade. And, since about 1979, there was a new opportunity out there. The Barbra queens could share the stage with the Donna Summer queens and sing the disco hit, No More Tears (Enough Is Enough). Catch this cute performance by Dizzy & Barbara.



And, finally, no drag show would be complete without having their very own Bette Midler. It could be the one from Clams On The Half Shell, The Rose, or Doris DeLago, like a bad penny, Bette is bound to show up. Watch as Chelsea Raynes performs as Bette singing Stuff Like That There, from the For The Boys period.



Hope you all enjoyed the show!

Tributes to Etta James

Clockwise: Etta James; Reba McEntire; Beyoncé; Jason Walker; and Adele.
This weekend, we lost a beautiful and talented singer who shared her gift with the world for more than six decades. Etta James has been performing since the early 1950s, and by 1955, she was recording and releasing songs that were hitting the charts. James was known for using her brilliant voice on soul and blues songs, and in later years, bringing her blues to jazz as well. She left this world on January 20, 2012, after a long battle with leukemia. The following songs were all recorded before Etta's passing, but they still make for an amazing tribute to a gifted singer who inspired so many. In 1961, Etta James released The Second Time Around, a truly beautiful album. First up, we have the red-hot Adele to sing Fool That I Am, a hit off that album.



In 1961, Etta James had the At Last! album, and while the title track scored much of the attention, the album also had a track written by Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes, and Louis Prima, that demanded the attention of the public. In 1988, Reba McEntire released her 13th studio album, which had songs that sounded more Pop and Country. Among the songs Reba sang on Reba was Sunday Kind of Love, first made popular by Ella Fitzgerald in 1947, and later by Etta. Here is Reba's very beautiful cover of Sunday Kind Of Love.



Jason Walker sings At Last, a huge hit for Etta in 1961. It was off the At Last! album, and quickly became a standard, not just for James, but really a jazz standard. Enjoy while Jason puts his amazing talent to use on the song.



In 2008, the world was abuzz when superstar Beyoncé was cast to play James in the biography, Cadillac Records. In the movie, Beyoncé sang many of James' big hits, and exposed yet another generation to her music. That included little Rachel Crow, who sang I'd Rather Go Blind on the premiers season of X-Factor in the US. So this is the version by Beyoncé from the movie. Enjoy.

American Idol Top 3 Perform

Left to right: Haley, Scotty & Lauren.

The show starts off with short clips of the kids going to their homecoming celebrations last week. Crusty also tells us James had a homecoming as well, and showed a picture of him signing autographs. But they get down to business rather quickly, as Crusty tells us there will be three songs - a contestant choice, a Jimmy Iovine choice, and a Judges choice. But he also tells us the schedule is a bit different next week, with the performances on Tuesday night, and the results on Wednesday night. With 9 performances tonight, they need to get to the job at hand, which seems to be a long video intro for a woman who needs no introduction, Beyonce. She will be helping the kids this week, a job she i looking forward to doing.



Scotty is up first, and he choices to tackle Lonestar's Amazed. He does a nice enough job with it, although there were some broken and lost notes there tonight. He was pushing his limited range, and it showed. I also look forward to the day he sings from his heart, not his memory.



Lauren is up next, and she chooses Wild One by Faith Hill. Beyonce liked her, but gave her advice to get out of her own way, to psyche herself up. It is funny, but I really start to enjoy Lauren performing when she builds a bit, but then backs away from the song and her own voice. I think she could do it, if she would just try...



Haley is next. She tells Beyonce she is singing Led Zeppelin's What Is And What Should Never Be. She has her father son stage with her, playing the guitar. During the middle of her performance she takes a spill, but gets up ready to go. She is taking the song the best she can, and is actually out-singing the other two. The judges loved her, and commented on how she commanded the stage.



In fact, when asked by Crusty, they all think Haley has taken the first round, spills and all. When they return after the break, we see Scotty's audition run in full before we go to Jimmy Iovine and find out he chose Thompson Square's Are You Going To Kiss Me Or Not. It is a cute choice, and Scotty seems quite happy. He does a nice job, even feeling it a bit. Nicely picked by Jimmy, he gave it a kids feel, which was nice to see. It could have been his best of the season to date, at least for me.



After the break, we are backstage and Crusty is watching Lauren get makeup applied to her legs, as her panty hose ran. She is embarrassed, but the show must go on. This leads us to seeing the audition when she sang with Steven. Jimmy Iovine picks Perry's If I Die Young, and thinks she should keep it light and happy, cause things tend to scare Lauren a bit. Come time to sing, she starts off a little shy, but builds with the song. By the end, she is really delivering the goods.



The judges see it a bit different than I do, and find the beginning to be the good part, and when she finally added something to it to be the bad part. Oh well. After the break, we discover Haley is singing Fleetwood Mac's Rhiannon, thanks to Mr Iovine. She does a very nice job with the song, which might not have been the best call by Jimmy. The others had somewhat unknown singers, while Haley had to compete with the image of the incomparable Stevie Nicks. The judges all said she was good, obviously being polite about being unimpressed.



It is time for Crusty to check in with the judges, and this time there is a split decision. Steven picks Lauren, while Jennifer and Randy go with Scotty. Then it is time to pay Beyonce back for spending an hour with the kids, and we watch the world premiere of her new video, Run The World (Girls).



After the break, we are back with Scotty, and see that while he was home, he got the Judge's Choice via a text. He will be singing Kenny Roger's She Believes In Me. He kicks it off a little tentative, and there was a pitch problem throughout the song. It was a bit disappointing after the last performance.



However, the judges see it differently, and think he was great. Crusty talks to his father, ripping a bit more emotion out of the situation, and even asked Dad to sing so he could have the Josh Turner moment of his own.

During her trip home, Lauren finds out she is going to sing Lee Ann Womack's I Hope You Dance for her last song. She does a nice job, but mainly cause the song doesn't have a bold moment, more of a quiet loveliness. She did a nice job, but it wasn't as impressive as I'd like to hear, but that was at least in part due to the song.



The judges love it, and Jennifer discards Haley's performance and gives the round to Lauren. Of course, I saw that coming, so she would have picked a different winner of each round. Steven and Randy loved it as well, and it seems the entire world but me are good friends with Ms. Womack. Just sayin'... After the break, we see Haley getting word on the song the judges want her to sing. She reads the text while in the limo, and she will be singing Alanis Morissette and her angry anthem, You Oughta Know. Where the judges trying to say something there?



The judges are kindly dismissive of Haley, commenting on amazing chorus', but problems on the rest. When asked, Steven gave round 3 to Haley, while Jennifer and Randy gave it to Lauren. That, of course, gave Randy and Jennifer a complete tie, with each contestant winning a round. Steven, on the other hand, went off the script, and gave Haley rounds 1 & 3, and Lauren round 2. However, on the recap, we are reminded she was the most consistent of the night. I would actually have to say Scotty won round 2, but was in the bottom on the other two. But there is no chance of Scotty going home, is there? I guess we will have to see tomorrow night when Crusty reveals the finalists for the 10th season of American Idol!

GLEE - Audition - Real Soundtrack

Well, the debut of GLEE is finally here, and it reminded me how much I missed it. In case you missed it, here is the preview for the second season.



There are a thousand sites (at least) that will be recapping the show, so I thought I would try something different. I am thinking I will be offering up the original songs the kids will be covering on the show. The first song was the kids offering up a version of Jay-Z & Alicia Keys singing Empire State of Mind.



If only briefly, new cast member Chord Overstreet, playing football player Sam Evans, sings Poison's Every Rose Has It's Thorn in the shower with Finn overhearing.



Rachel is in the ladies room and overhears a exchange student Sunshine, played by Charice, singing Lady GaGa's duet with Beyoncé, and her competitive nature kicks in as they sing Telephone. OK, the following isn't really Lady GaGa, but it made me laugh.



Sam Evans comes in to sing with the boys at Finn's insistence, and he breaks out the guitar and performs Travie McCoy's Billionaire, featuring Artie instead of Bruno Mars.



Sunshine comes in for an audition, after Rachel sent her to a crack house, and performs Listen from Dreamgirls. All I can say is Beyoncé should be checking Charice's version out!



Rachel is called on her antics by Finn, who tells her to apologize. Before she can face the kids in the choir, she takes a moment by herself to sing What I Did For Love from A Chorus Line. The version below is by Alyson Reed the movie version - I couldn't find a good version by Priscilla Lopez from the Original Broadway Cast.



So, that is the soundtrack for the Season 2 premiere, the duly named Audition.

New Episode - GLEE Episode Four

Just saw this preview released for the episode airing tomorrow night. Apparently, Kurt Hummel's (the fantastic Chris Colfer) father (Mike O'Malley) catches him dancing with some friends.



GLEE is on Wednesday night, 9PM/8PM Central. If you've missed any of the first episodes, or just wanna see them again, click here.