You’ve Got Me Humming…

I would sing this song  to my children every Spring!

You’ve Got Me Humming…

A quietly affable presence, Mr. Scruggs popularized a complex, three-fingered style of playing banjo that transformed the instrument, inspired nearly every banjo player who followed him and became a central element in what is now known as bluegrass music.

But Mr. Scruggs’ legacy is in no way limited to or defined by bluegrass, a genre that he and partner Lester Flatt dominated as Flatt & Scruggs in the 1950s and ’60s: His adaptability and open-minded approach to musicality and to collaboration made him a bridge between genres and generations.

Rather than speak out about the connections between folk and country in the war-torn, politically contentious ’60s, he simply showed up at folk festivals and played, at least when he and Flatt weren’t at the Grand Ole Opry. During the long-hair/short-hair skirmishes of the ’60s and ’70s, he simply showed up and played, with Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and The Byrds. And when staunch fans of bluegrass — a genre that would not exist in a recognizable form without Mr. Scruggs’ banjo — railed against stylistic experimentation, Mr. Scruggs happily jammed away with sax player King Curtis, sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, piano man Elton John and anyone else whose music he fancied.

“He was the man who melted walls, and he did it without saying three words,” said his friend and acolyte Marty Stuart in 2000.

You’ve Got Me Humming…

In Memory of Trayvon Martin

For God’s Sake Get Rid Of The Guns.

You’ve Got Me Humming…

Irish Soul.  Happy St. Paddy’s Day!   

You’ve Got Me Humming…

Women!

Songwriters Carole King and her husband Gerry Goffin  perfectly captured the feelings of young women before the sexual revolution of the 1960′s… all in less than 3 minutes. The Shirelles’ vocal was impeccable—full of innocence and desire.   It is the first song by an all girl’s group to hit #1 (1960)  on the charts.

Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves!

Women!

You’ve Got Me Humming…

Songs with secrets.  What are they?

You’ve Got Me Humming…

Nostalgia.

You’ve Got Me Humming…

Black History Month

The original—Good Rockin’ Tonight written in 1948 by Roy Brown for Wynonie Harris.  Covered by Elvis in 1954.

The original—Hound Dog Recorded by Big Mama Thornton  in 1952.  Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.  Covered by Elvis in 1956.

Beautiful Whitney Houston