thank you for the music

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
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(yes I have a Tweety Bird vest on)

It was ‘never-fail’ music that would get any crowd on their feet and singing alongIMG_2628

We were probably only ever about 2 songs away from being called a Divinyls cover band
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(…and a matching tutu…yep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzljoDf_r4s
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
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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
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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?

34 comments

  1. Chrissy has always been one of my favourites too. So sad about it, too darn young. First Darryl Cotton, now Chrissy.. two of my favourites gone in less than two months. That is so awesome about your given name being so meaningful, lovely! My Dad says I was named after Kylie Mole.

  2. Well growing up I listened to a lot of country songs and slim dusty was my fave but he died back in 2003! But I would be devastated if I lost my fave comedian and by that I mean you! Your my current music/comedy hero! Xx

  3. I think Meatloaf got to be right up there. My mum used to play him really loud and I followed on. When I was pregnant with Jamie, I has a best of cd in the car- he used to kick in time. ‘Twas great fun!

    Another one my mum loved was Gene Pitney. Sadly he is no longer with us, but he was stunning. 🙂

  4. Devastating News to hear both Chrissy & George Jones passed this week. I grew up with George. My Dad’s favorite too. No one could ever fill his shoes. He’s been around so long that I just never imagined he’d go. HUGE Loss to Country Music.

    The Divinyls were the first Aussie Band I saw when I moved to Oz. JUST AWESOME! Chrissy was also in the first Aussie movie I ever saw, “Monkey Grip”. She bravely battled these past few years and I thought she had won. HUGE loss to our Rock Industry. I agree with everything you said.

    I would be devastated to lose James Taylor, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, Willie, Dolly, Linda or Emmylou. Stevie Nicks would be another great loss.

    Jim Croce was a massive influence – his passing devastated me. As did losing Ray Charles – he gave me soul. I spoke to him before he passed – we were to meet to discuss a song he was interested in but I was ill. He said, “Next year, baby”. Next year never came. 🙁

    Life is fragile. We are all here without a clue as to when it will end. All we can do is LIVE like there’s no tomorrow, as it may not come. I know that all too well. Everyone matters. Everyone has a story. If we could just respect those we meet along the way, as we do those we get to know through the media, music, film and TV, we would see that this planet has as many stars as the Universe – just as much space junk too. 😉

  5. I grew up in the 70s listening to Elvis, Dolly parton, Tammy wynette, Glen campbell, Johnny cash and many many more.

    My favourite artists i would be most devastated to lose would be Meatloaf, kevin b wilson and yourself.

  6. I love all music from all Genres but I would but childhood favourites would have to be Jon Bon Jovi and Tom Jones because they are both people my parents love and they’ve past that love to me. I’d be devestated if anything happens to them

  7. They may physically be gone Jenny, but they left a legacy in their music!

    I had 2 favourite Country singers.
    Tammy Wynette and Jim Reeves…
    This is the first song that ever made me cry!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X-_1X3hxbk

    and this is the one that was playing on my record player (omg that was a long time ago) when my husband proposed to me!
    He was in the Royal navy and we married just a few days later… awwwwwwwww! hehehe

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t1fQzTOdO4

    1. Oooops … Maybe skip the first link Jenny…. You have shed enough tears and I don’t want you blubbering on my account!

  8. Anything that was in the 80’s chart! I used to have a MAJOR crush on Paul Young, but my secret (not any more!) is Rod Stewart, I love Baby Jane!

    BTW, I love your ‘given’ name, it was one of the names we went through before settling on ‘B’! xx

  9. I grew up in the nineties but was brought up on music from the 70’s and 80’s I am forever grateful of that, Meatloaf is one of my favourite singers bat out of hell favourite song but my number one singer is Alice Cooper and favourite song is poison my parents used to play it all the time they got me into the music I love today, don’t tell them I said this but they have a great taste in music for the most part anyway

      1. Now I am jealous I have seen him live I would love to meet him, he seems so down to earth, on day I hope to be able to meet you if you come back to the uk

  10. Losing Chrissy was a big blow to all of us, as a kid she was “It”. I watched the video clip shows hoping the Divinyls and Chrissy would be on. Her music was awesome and I have to admit like every other bloke in Australia – I had a crush on her. I must admit, for the first time in a long time the death of someone I had never met actually made me pause and reflect, she was some lady.

  11. I grew up listening to dads collection of the Rolling Stones queen and the carpenters. Freddie and Karen are very special still. It might be too modern for this but pink is never allowed to shuffle off

      1. If you’ve never seen her live add it to your bucket list, if you have when are you flying above and into the crowd?

  12. I grew up listening to all the classic Aussie Rock and Yankee country singers …. and a few classic Aussie … hmm would you class them singers??? It’s a shame that we have lost two legends in the same week. But as long as there are a few that the bloke up high won’t touch then I’ll be happy … Keef, Angus, Bald Noggin’ from the Oils, and Kev … and yourself Jenny ….. we’ll I’ll still be happy ;P

  13. I will break down the day that Stevie Wonder and Nile Rodgers die. Stevie´s album In Square Circle was the first album i absolutely fell in love with-never had that feeling since. Nile for being the producer of the music of my childhood. Then again i´m like you, there´s so many artists i like/love.

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