What is your most fond musical memory.


One that makes you yearn for the ‘good old days.’

Mine took place in 1970. My grandparents were going on a world tour and I had their whole house to myself for 2 months. Alone at last!. I was 16. First thing I did was set up my audio system. Then I turned down the lights and put on the just released Grand Funk “Closer to Home’ album. I thought I was in heaven when ‘I’m your Captain’ came on. 10 minutes of Pure Bliss. To this day I get the tingles whenever I play that song.

 

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I don't know if  it's my fondest, but it's the one that came to mind. I remember as a kid dancing around my home living roomwhile listening to Beethoven's Pastoral, 6th symphony. I played it regularly on my parents 'record player'. I never tire of hearing it. Another great memory is going to a  a Jackie Wilson concert in my home town of Detroit. Such a talent. Tragically gone far too soon.

Because I got into Hi-Fi at a relatively early age, I didn't attend a lot of live concerts. But being from Chicago (well, Evanston), I have strong memories of seeing Al Jarreau live a couple of times at Blues clubs near Wrigley field. This was in the mid-'70s, around the time that he released his first album, so he wasn't widely known yet, and the performances were in intimate settings.

The combination of his unique style, outstanding talent and remarkable enthusiasm, had a real impact on me, and I won't forget the experiences.

In 1966 I was a high school freshman at San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara,Ca. The school faculty told the Concert Committee that they could select any group to preform for a school fundraiser ( BIG MISTAKE ) as we booked Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention ! Needless to say the faculty was freaking out when Zappa opened with " Getting Nasty on the White House Lawn" followed by Susie Cream Cheese. LMAO looking at their horrified faces.

The other great concert for me was early 70s when Rare Earth played in Anchorage, AK.

I don’t know which would be the "most."

I sat in the front row center of a general admission 500 capacity club to see Emmy Lou Harris when she was touring Wrecking Ball. That made an impact on me.

The first time I saw Lucinda Williams was the same seat at the same club when she was touring Car Wheels and that also had a profound impact on me.

The first time I saw Stever Earle was at the same venue when he was touring El Corazon, but this time sitting on the floor right next to the stage. I was pretty much blown away by the experience.

The second time I saw The Cowboy Junkies was at an outdoor venue when they were touring Open. Before the sun had receded I had made my way up and was leaning against the front of the stage and I remember the feeling I had when they covered Thunder Road . . . I must have been grinning ear to ear and then I caught Margo Timmins’ eye and she winked at me . . . chills and goosebumps on a sweaty June evening in Pittsburgh. . . .

 

Just remembered another one.

Understand I used to play the drums. I'm on a plane, when in walks Ginger Baker, strolling down the isle. I was a starstruck young doofus, so I say..."You're Ginger Baker". He replied, "And you're not!".

Why he wasn't sitting in first class escapes me.