Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds

It’s about time, literally and figuratively. The AppleBlog reports that iTunes song previews (for tracks longer than 2.5 minutes) will be tripled in length, to 90 seconds. I’ve long argued for this change. Thirty seconds simply isn’t long enough to decide if you like a relatively unfamiliar song (or a familiar one in a new… Continue reading Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds

And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan

Update [October, 2011]: C.S. Fuqua has published a book entitled “Alabama Musicians: Musical Heritage from the Heart of Dixie.” Why do I tell you this? Because Gene Sullivan was from Alabama, and Mr. Fuqua included a chapter about him in the book. He also included the photo shown below, and provided yours truly with a… Continue reading And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan

Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang

Below is another scan from Debbie’s mom’s collection of ’30s and ’40s memorabilia. The Chuck Wagon Gang is still going strong (I wonder what the original group would have thought about the idea of a website?), billing itself as “the oldest recording mixed gospel group still performing with ties to the original founding.” The scan… Continue reading Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang

Radio Imagination

In my hand, if I pointed it just right You oughta heard what come to me at night On that little transistor, my big sister’s radio. So many DJs from so far away You oughta heard the records they would play, On that little transistor, my big sister’s radio. Tommy Castro‘s song, Big Sister’s Radio… Continue reading Radio Imagination

Light Crust Doughboys

Debbie was going through some of her mom’s memorabilia a couple of weeks ago, and ran across a flyer for “Parker Willson and the Light Crust Doughboys.” I suspect that most people in Texas have at least heard of the LCDs, which, according to Wikipedia (the font of all human knowledge, or at least semi-informed… Continue reading Light Crust Doughboys

Bluegrass Funk/Pop: Heavenly or Hellacious? You decide…

What’s with all these bluegrass musicians doing covers of contemporary songs? First, there was Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby covering Rick James’s classic funk hit, Super Freak: Now, a bluegrass group called The Cleverlys has resurrected the 80s pop classic, Walk Like an Egyptian, originally performed by The Bangles. I have to admit that the… Continue reading Bluegrass Funk/Pop: Heavenly or Hellacious? You decide…

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Categorized as Music

It’s always something

Remember my excitement over this? The new A/V receiver was a welcome addition to our home theater setup, and I was quite happy with it…until we installed a new Sony Blu-ray player and immediately discovered that something was not quite right. Whenever we’d try to watch a DVD, the TV would display a fuzzy pink-tinged… Continue reading It’s always something

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Categorized as Movies, Music

Random Thursday

Did you notice that I posted three times yesterday? It’s almost like I’m a real blogger. It wore me out, though, so don’t get used to it. This Random Thursday post is going to be a little different than most, because I’m going to freestyle it, sort of like Kid Rock on the CMT Awards… Continue reading Random Thursday