What a week!
I mean, work wise, it’s been another run of ‘WOW’ shows that have truly been so fun
I know, ‘so fun’ is a lame-o description – but it’s the best one
This week has been SO FUCKING FUN
Lucky it has too, because it makes it easier to get through the shit stuff
And by shit stuff, I’m referring to the death of two of my favorite singers
Now, I have a LOT of favorites, and add more each year
But for most of my music listening life, these two have been in my top five
Fristly, CHRISSY AMPHLETT
In my opinion, the first (and still the best) true ROCK chick and front woman, to ever come out of Australia
She was the lead singer of the DIVINYLS, who most of the world would know, for their biggest hit,
I TOUCH MYSELF
While that is a great song, their music catalogue is so rich with fucking phenomenal tunes (so many of which were massive on the charts in Oz) that I would have trouble picking just one favourite.
My first paid gig as a muso was in a duo with my brother Travis, where we sang the shit out of as many Divinyls songs as we could get away with
(yes I have a Tweety Bird vest on)
It was ‘never-fail’ music that would get any crowd on their feet and singing along
We were probably only ever about 2 songs away from being called a Divinyls cover band
(…and a matching tutu…yep)
A great description found on youtbe:
“…Few Aussie Rock Bands defined the era better than the Divinyls , fewer still did it with a lead singer who was a woman, and a very assertive and menacing one at that, who had such stage presence that she demanded your attention. With a reputation for being sultry and unpredictable on stage, but never less than intriguing … There is no denying the Divinyls’ place in Australia’s Rock and Roll history … They were controversial , they had catchy songs, and Chrissy Amphlett is still the most unique and as it has turned out the most versatile female vocalist this country has produced”
And the….THEN!
GEORGE JONES died yesterday
Now, I get, that he was 81…but that doesn’t make me any less teary when I type those words….George Jones died.
A bit of background:
My parents, and particularly my Dad, have always been huge, I’m talking H-U-G-E country music fans. Our house where I grew up, in Kalgoorlie, was never quiet. There was ALWAYS music coming from the stereo. And that music was always country
And if you like your country REAL country, George Jones is your man
Then George Jones married Tammy Wynette and country music had it’s first ever King & Queen
Most of you / some of you / none of you, may know that my given name is actually
TAMMY-JO….yep….yehaw and all that
Not a lot of people actually know that the ‘TAMMY’ is after Tammy Wynette
And the ‘JO’ is after George Jones. (Dad wanted it to be TAMMY-JONES, but Mum won that one, thankyoubabyjesus)
With the occasional exception, I sing at least one George Jones song every night to warm up before going on stage
I will be eternally grateful that I got to see George live in concert three times
The last time was with Mum & Dad in Chicago. And I have no shame telling you that the 3 of us sat there with tears rolling down our faces, listening to his voice, the truest, purest country voice of all time, sing the songs that were the soundtrack to my childhood, and so many brilliant memories for our family
He was peerless, fearless, with the most distinctive, goosebump inducing tone to his voice, that I don’t believe anyone will ever match
RIP to the THE POSSUM
Just a little heads up, someone might want to go and wrap Cyndi Lauper in cotton wool and make sure NOTHING happens to her.
Or your going to need to put me on suicide watch
She’s been my number one since neck bandanas were cool.
OK, make me feel better about being such a sook
Who was the soundtrack to your childhood?
What music heroes of yours would you be devastated to lose / or have already said goodbye to?