In this 1999 video from a Belgium television show, the late Chris Whitley gives a haunting acoustic performance of the song “Firefighter,” which would later appear on his Rocket House (2001) album as “Little Torch.” After the song, he discusses his album Dirt Floor.
Whitley was a great guitar player, songwriter, and singer who passed away on November 20, 2005 at the age of 45. We miss him.
What is your favorite Chris Whitley song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Cameron Arrigioni has made a fan trailer for The Empire Strikes Back, attempting to create what a modern trailer for the 1980 movie might look like today. The trailer emphasizes the epic scale of the classic Star Wars movie, incorporating key scenes and music from the first Star Trek film directed by J.J. Abrams. Check it out.
If you wish to compare this “modern” concept of the trailer to the real theatrical trailer for The Empire Strikes Back, check out the theatrical trailer below.
Either way, I still think The Empire Strikes Back is the highlight of the Star Wars franchise.
Do you prefer modern trailers, which often include spoilers, over older trailers? Leave your two cents in the comments.
On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state in the Union. Oklahoma has more than its fair share of songs about the state, and one of the great songs about Oklahoma is “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma.”
Writing and First Success
Larry Collins and Sandy Pinkard wrote the song, which was recorded by David Frizzell (brother of Lefty) and Shelly West (daughter of Dottie) and released in 1981. Surprisingly, after the song was recorded, every major label declined the song.
But fortunately, Clint Eastwood heard “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” and recognized it for the new classic it was. He added the song to the soundtrack of his movie Any Which Way You Can, and the song became a hit.
Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton Version
In 2005, CMT put together a 100 Greatest Duets Concert, and the show teamed up Miranda Lambert with Oklahoman Blake Shelton on the song. The two singers first met at the concert.
You can see Shelton falling in love as they sing on stage in the video above. The two soon began dating, and they married in 2011. Lambert, who was born in Texas, moved to Oklahoma with Shelton. But the two divorced in 2015, and Lambert bought property in Tennessee.
“Rocky Top” Controversy
The song, however, was not without a controversy. Songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant sued the “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” songwriters, claiming the song sounded a lot like the Bryants’ classic song about Tennessee, “Rocky Top.” The Bryants’ won the lawsuit.
Here is “Rocky Top” performed by the Osborne Brothers, who first released the song in 1967. Can you hear any similarities to “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma?”
And that is the story of how a song about Oklahoma caused a legal battle, brought together country royalty (for a time), and connects to another great state song.
Screengrab via YouTube. Do you think “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” is similar to “Rocky Top”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
The new video for Coldplay’s song “All My Friends” uses archival video footage from World War I. The song is from the band’s CD, Ghost Stories. Check it out.
The video will appear on a CD/DVD package Ghost Stories Live 2014, which will be released on November 24, 2014. What do you think of the video for “All My Friends”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Singer-songwriter Dan Bern writes about the music that was important to him as a kid in “Merle, Hank, and Johnny.” The touching meditation on aging captures the importance of music in one’s life, as the singer looks back on his own life while also wondering what music will mean to his own daughter. “But I’ll make sure she hears Merle and Hank and Johnny / Buck Owens, Jimmy Rogers and George Jones.”
Earlier this year, Dan Bern performed “Merle, Hank, and Johnny” — along with his song “Jerusalem” — at the 2014 Folk Alliance Festival in Kansas City. He also answers a few questions. Check it out.
