ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 23, 1983 By Steve Newton In 1981 Quincy Jones' album The Dude received a record 12 Grammy nominations and became one of the most consistently impressive LPs ever made. The singer on three of The Dude's tunes--the funky title track and romantic ballads "Just Once" and "One Hundred Years"--was a fellow … Continue reading James Ingram on backing up Ray Charles, working with Quincy Jones, and his new hit single “Yah Mo B There”
Tag: Ray Charles
That time I asked Dr. John which musician he was most proud of working with
By Steve Newton If you're a dedicated music fan you’ve no doubt heard by now that Dr. John passed away the other day. He was one helluva musician, which is why everybody and their dog wanted to play with him. He started hanging with folks like Professor Longhair and Earl King as a teenager. When … Continue reading That time I asked Dr. John which musician he was most proud of working with
Willie Nelson bares his down-home soul on Revolutions of Time box
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 14, 1995 By Steve Newton I’ve gotta admit that I’m not a real huge country-music fan. I actually view what’s known as “new country”—that lightweight, vacuous, fabricated piffle churned out by the Nashville music mill these days—with the same jaundiced eye reserved for lowly “gangsta rap”. But there’s … Continue reading Willie Nelson bares his down-home soul on Revolutions of Time box
Tom Petty’s new songs soar and his oldies roar at the Heartbreakers show in Vancouver
By Steve Newton Along with the obligatory old hits, and tunes from his new number-one album, Tom Petty has been including some choice covers on his current tour. As well as opening shows with the Byrds' riotous "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star", his last three West Coast dates have seen … Continue reading Tom Petty’s new songs soar and his oldies roar at the Heartbreakers show in Vancouver
Blues survivor Buddy Guy tries slipping in the back door with Feels Like Rain
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 8, 1993 By Steve Newton Back in the ’60s, it is said, Jimi Hendrix was so inspired by Buddy Guy’s guitar playing that he would go to blues clubs and lay a tape recorder at Guy’s feet to capture his performances. Not only Hendrix, but rock greats such as Eric Clapton, … Continue reading Blues survivor Buddy Guy tries slipping in the back door with Feels Like Rain
My interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan the month before his death
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 19, 1990 By Steve Newton On the honker from Montreal, Stevie Ray Vaughan is a tad disoriented. It's 7:30 p.m. his time, but he's still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I just woke up," he explains. "Hope I'm not late. I looked at my watch and realized … Continue reading My interview with Stevie Ray Vaughan the month before his death