Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Kris Kristofferson

I was late to Kris Kristofferson. His early years were full stop Country. I was a Rock DJ.

But then, there was the second remake of "A Star is Born," a mainstream movie with Barbara Streisand. And, I began to delve into this "star's" past. An amazing writer of songs who got his break while a janitor at a recording studio.

Of course, there was the duet with Barbara.

With Rita Coolidge: Help Me Make it Through the Night.

With Russel Crowe: Me and Bobby McGee.

Wanna go deeper into this American Icon? Travel back to this segment on CBS Sunday Morning. And this feature with Charlie Rose.

Rest well, Kris...and thank you for your art.

J.D. Souther

We lost another voice last week that so many may not know the name...but will know the songs.

J.D. Souther was the "reluctant" Eagle; the co-writer of many of their hits. He's even pictured as if he was actually in the band on the album art of Desperado. But joining the band was not in the cards ("I am a terrible team player," he once said...even though he was coerced by his label to create a rock band.).

Instead, he collaborated with a veritable who's who of the artists that launched the "California Sound" in the late '70s and '80s. Linda Ronstadt, Karla Bonoff, Bonnie Raitt and others...as well as produced a handful of sensational solo albums.

We were blessed to have seen him a decade or so ago and were mesmerized by his musicality, lyrics and vocals. There are so many ways we could go on this Music Friday:

When we first met him...as a quasi-Eagle, and composer of Doolin Dalton.

He composed Faithless Love for Linda Ronstadt...but this version is a better video.

Picking up a little New Orleans vibe with the evocative Closing Time.

And then my favorites that have no video...but such was the era of his greatest work.

New Kid in Town.

The Last in Love.

And, isn't that last video just the perfect image? J.D. Souther songs are the ones that are best served on a rainy evening when contemplation reigns.

Sleep, sweet prince.

Tito Jackson

For some, Tito Jackson will be best remembered as a reference in an Eddie Murphy bit about his brother. But he was much much more.

The third in line of the Jackson brothers that became the Jackson 5, Tito played bass and sang for the quintet in its early years. He was also the last of the Jackson siblings to place a solo single on the charts, he as a blues player.

We lost Tito earlier this week. On this Music Friday, we share a fun track (with tons of cameos) he laid down a few years ago. This is "Love One Another."

RIP.

Brian Wilson

The brilliance of Brian Wilson is without dispute. Songs like "God Only Knows" are like manna from heaven, dripping with emotion and sensational aural resonance. So much so that very few have attempted to cover it (but Bryan Adams does a creditable job).

A decade ago, Brian assembled a solo album that was generally rejected by fans and critics...but there was one track that stood out like, as Joni Mitchell once sang, "a ruby in a black man's ear."

On this Music Friday, we share "One Kind of Love." It has the french horns and sensational harmonies of "God Only Knows." And, as one reviewer said,"God Only Knows has the overall message of 'I would not be who I am without you,' but One Kind Of Love says 'I wouldn't be anyone without you.'" 

Absolutely love this song. And hope you do, too.

And thank you, Terri, for noticing me.

Wanna hear the true magic...here's "God Only Knows" a capella.

It Was 60 Years Ago Today

On this day in 1964, the Beatles played two shows at Detroit's Olympia Stadium, just about midway through their Summer Tour of America. Most of the dates on this tour were in northern cities...but their one foray into the south was to be 5 days later in Jacksonville FL. Word had gotten back to the band that seating at the Gator Bowl might be segregated...and, on this day, they issued a release stating that if there was any evidence of segregated seating when they arrived, they wouldn't go on stage. The show went on. The power of the burgeoning cultural revolution...and a sold out stadium at $6.50 a pop.

On this Music Friday, we share rare footage of the Beatles in concert in the Motor City. It's rough and far from complete...but it is a capsule in time.

60 years ago tonight.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder has enthralled audiences for over 60 years.

50 years ago, his maturation from child star to musical genius was pretty much complete. 1973's Innervisions was a tour de force and 1974's Fulfillingness' First Finale would cement his stature as one of the pre-eminent voices in American culture.

On this Music Friday, we go with two of my favorites from FFF...."You Haven't Done Nothing" and "Boogie on Reggae Woman."

Now let's get this holiday weekend started

Chaka Khan

Can it really be 50 years since that first Rufus album hit the stores and the charts? A song written by Stevie Wonder for this fledgling R&B band out of the Southside of Chicago, the Grammy Award winning "Tell Me Something Good" was Top 5 in America...out of nowhere.

On this Music Friday we share one of the first televised versions of the song (on the Midnight Special in July 1974)...and recently to kick off an NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

And, then...there's this jam with Prince one night in London on "Sweet Thing."

Simply Sensational. Simply Timeless.

Greg Kihn

It's a name most don't remember...but you know the hits. A darling of MTV (when they actually played music videos) Greg Kihn was the force behind hits like "The Breakup Song" "Testify" and "Love and Rock n Roll."

We lost this amazing voice this week...and I'll share some Greg moments I'll never forget.

In my 20s, one of my softball teams typically hung with a girls softball team after our games at an area tavern. One of the girls had a crush on a guy and shared with me that she had just given him a mix tape of songs that she thought might encourage him to make a move. I asked what song she led with and she said, "I Love You Desperately." I said that I didn't know that song and she replied, "yes you do, silly. It's all over the radio." And I realized she misunderstood Greg's lyric, "Our Love's in Jeopardy," When I told her, she was mortified. 

Years later, Greg was on the back nine of his career in music and was playing a small club on the near Westside of Madison. I got there early to get a good seat and went to grab a drink at the bar. Next to me was a guy in a leather jacket working a beer. Of course, it was Greg...and I was blessed to have a great conversation with one of the most engaging guys I've ever met.

And finally, it's beyond the music. Greg was a gifted storyteller and was the author of several books. My favorite (and a recommendation) is "Big Rock Beat." Best moment in the book was when the protagonist is confronted with an archangel who says something along the lines of, "what I love about you humans is you are trying so hard to get to heaven to avoid burning in hell. You don't realize that this is hell."

Greg...you have been a big part of the soundtrack of so many lives (even those that misunderstood your lyrics). Thank you.

And, sleep sweet prince.

Here's one last video that always makes me smile."Reunited."

Aerosmith

Sad news this past week that Steven Tyler's vocal chord rehab was unsuccessful...and he'll be unable to complete the farewell tour with Aerosmith. While certainly unfortunate for all that wanted to see the Bad Boys from Boston one more time, can you believe that this didn't happen sooner? One listen to the intro scream of "Walk on Water" and you have to marvel that his vocal chords lasted as long as they did.

Aerosmith was born from the Blues (Train Kept a Rollin'), veered into mainstream (Don't Want to Miss a Thing) and always flirted with country (Crazy). 

And, of course, the video that changed everything: "Walk This Way."

On this Music Friday, we are heartened that while their touring days are over, there are rumors that a new studio album may still be in the offing.

Glad I saw them in concert in their prime.

Here's Steven's solo (country) track: "Love is Your Name."

Dave Loggins

I've always associated "Come Monday" and "Please Come to Boston" as two peas in a pod. But, until I went searching, I didn't realize that was probably because Dave Loggins' song bumped Jimmy Bufett's song out of the Top Spot on the charts in the summer of '74. So the two songs were like one long song for that summer of my life.

We lost Jimmy last summer. We lost Dave last month.

On this Music Friday, we look back on both artists with two of their biggest hits.

Jimmy's "Come Monday"...and Dave's "Please Come to Boston."

Like I said...it's one long song of longing.