Bonnie Raitt
I first fell in love with Bonnie Raitt 47 years ago when she did a concert at my college. Seeing her again this weekend only reinforced my affection for her, so I wrote this piece.
The People vs. Piano Man
Billy Joel’s CBS concert special tonight reminded me of this piece by Tom Smyth, in which he imagines what it was like the first time Billy played “Piano Man” for the bar regulars he wrote about in the song.
Is It Done Yet?
Musings on how a songwriter — or any creative person — knows when the project they’re working on is done.
Turn The Lights Back Off!
Watching Billy Joel perform his new song at the Grammys was painful — not because of the tune, which was fine, but because of the way it was broadcast. Allow me to elucidate.
The Greatest Night In Pop
The Netflix documentary about the making of “We Are The World” deserves a place in the pantheon of great music movies. Here’s a review and my memories of hearing the song for the first time.
Another Late Show
I support the Madonna fans suing her for starting a concert really late — because I’ve had to sit through similar arrogant behavior by another big music star. Here are the details.