Guilty pleasure,Del Shannon,C.Baker etc.

I had the pleasure to see Diana Krall..in the parking lot
in back of a pub in Milwaukee. The owner of this bar had
given her a place to play when she was a nobody..and she
re-paid the favor by playing there again a summer or two
ago again..when she was playing the best at places in the
world. So....my point?..True class..is not always part of
what "everyone" gets, and that is VERY much part of the
"high-end".

Paul: I agree with you on Elliman's choice of material, which is part of the problem that I have with the album, though my wife loves it (memories of a very exciting time in her life). I played Krall for my father (who was visiting over the holidays) and his comment was exactly my take on her voice. His comment was that she has no style as far as phrasing goes (which I guess is a style in itself), like father like son. I still enjoy her music though. My guilty pleasure when I still played vinyl was a Claudine Longet album. I once put it on at a party which was attended by an olympic skier (this was in the mid 80's) and he cracked up when he realized who we were listening to (nice guy with a good/sick sense of humor, like many here).

You guys have mentioned some good singers doing good music. What's to feel guilty about Linda Ronstadt or Yvonne Elliman. DK, your other picks are pretty good (bad?), and actually Ms. Elliman, for all of her talent, recorded a lot of really bad material.

Although I haven't taken them out in a long time, the Bobs (who should make you feel dopey for laughing along with them), and although they have a lot of talent, the Roches. For some reason, I always feel sheepish when I listen to the Roches, even their Christmas album, which my kids like.

Now, something more current, Whitney Houston's the Preacher's Wife. My wife complains that I'm listening to disco music.

Finally, and please, I don't mean to insult anyone by this, Diana Krall. My wife calls her albums elevator music and my best friend can't understand how I can like Tracy Chapman (for example) and also Diana Krall. I do think she's highly overrated, but I do like her, and I do feel guilty about it.

Here is part of our dirty laundry list. 1. Herb Alpert "Second Wind", my pick. 2. Yvonne Elliman "Yvonne Elliman", this is my wife's pick and she attended a party at her place in London in the 70's which may be a part of the attraction. 3. Johnny Rivers "Anthology 1964-1977", my pick mainly for "Secret Agent Man". 4. Razor & Tie "Sampler" for a couple of songs by 38 Special, my pick. 5. Marlene Dietrich "Live at the Cafe De Paris", my pick. 6. Johnny Mathis "The Ultimate Hits Collection", my wife's pick. 7. Boney M. "32 Superhits", my wife's pick. 8. "The Simpson Sing the Blues", both of us. 9. Jimmy Jackson "Pull String Angel" a CD that sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom by a very mediocre guitarist but he does an instrumental of "Ghost Riders in the Sky", my pick.

Swampwalker....thanks for the reminder..I had almost forgotten how much I had enjoyed mid-'70s Ronstadt. If you
have a chance to find one..The Valarie Carter album from
that time perior "Wild Child" is great. Jim

How about mid 70s Linda Ronstadt (When will I be loved, Tumbling Dice, etc.) Altho My Little Runaway definately is also up there.

Oops, that should be "nobody's". I gotta learn to proof read.

If it makes you feel any better, I listen to Journey sometimes when nobodies around

We listen to anything that tickles our fancy and that is the way that it should be. We invited two neighbors over (from our 8 unit building) to listen to a CD of Georgian folk songs. The ladies are in their 70's and landed in LA from Russia 8 years ago. They laughed with tears in their eyes at the music. This is what music is all about.