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70. THE TIME JUMPERS
Virtually Every Monday Night
3rd & Lindsley
Nashville, Tennessee



If you're not from Nashville, you're probably wondering ... "who?" Well, the Time Jumpers is a collection of eleven of the most elite studio musicians in the Music City: Brad Albin (bassist, Joe Nichols and Sons of Pioneers), Larry Franklin (fiddle, three Grammys with Asleep at the Wheel, Kenny Chesney, Brian Wilson, Shania Twain, and Alan Jackson), Paul Franklin (steel guitar, Sting, Mark Knopfler, George Strait, and Megadeth), “Ranger Doug” Green (guitar, two Grammys with Riders In The Sky), Andy Reiss (possibly the finest guitarist in Nashville, Slim Pickens, the Jordannaires, and Drake), Dawn Sears (R.I.P.) (vocals, Western Swing Female Vocalist of the Year), Kenny Sears (Nashville’s finest fiddle, the original Grand Ole Opry Band, Mel Tillis, Ray Price and Dottie West), Joe Spivey (fiddle, Faith Hill, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams), Jeff Taylor (accordion/piano, two Grammys with Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Harry Connick, Jr., and Martina McBride), Billy Thomas (drums, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Nelson, Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton and the Little River Band), and Vince Gill (guitar, Country Music Hall of Fame, 20 Grammys, 18 CMA Awards).


Almost every Monday night, this gang plays a vast array of sophisticated country, swing, jazz, and pop standards. More often than not, other musicians, such as Robert Plant, Norah Jones, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Buffett, Sting, and Kelly Clarkson sit in and jam with the band. 

If you love music and don't make the trip to see "The Jumpers" then you have really missed something. 

Here is a video clip I shot of Amy Grant 
sitting in with the Time Jumpers... 





69. FELIX CAVALIERE'S RASCALS
"Lifetime Of Hits Tour"
April 2, 2022
Center Of Anna Maria
Anna Maria Island, Florida

A large storm front rolled onto Anna Maria Island just as Felix Cavaliere and eight Rascals took the stage at 8:02 pm. The stage lights flickered intermittently as the band opened with In The Midnight Hour. The song quickly transitioned to Shout and then Thank You For Lettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Again. This would become a pattern throughout the concert; medleys of Rascal hits along with cover tunes. The light mellowness of Beautiful Morning was followed by several rock numbers, including You Better Run (popularly remade by Pat Benatar), I Ain’t Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore, and Come On. The live performance was much harder-edged than most people in the audience anticipated.


Midway through the concert, about a dozen inebriated women spontaneously bum-rushed the area in front of the stage and began dancing wildly. This brought the crowd to its feet. The entire audience surged forward and the performance instantly became a giant frat party. In those few minutes, the Rascals transitioned from oldies act to full-on bar band ... and Felix was having the time of his life, dancing with the girls up front and around the stage.
 

The more the band rocked, the more the audience responded. The band never let go, playing continuously without stopping, one hit to the next. Felix suddenly improvised and shouted to his guitarist “Key of D!!” Some of the musicians clearly had no idea what was happening and were looking around at each other while Felix began Roll Over Beethoven and then segued into the finale of Long Tall Sally.
 

It was one of those rare nights when the band and audience became one and together created something very special. For nearly two hours, the Rascals had rocked us through the storm, leaving everyone to disperse into the evening mist humming their favorite Rascals song. To paraphrase Felix ... it was a 'beautiful evening'.

SETLIST:
In The Midnight Hour/Shout/Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
Beautiful Morning
A Girl Like You
Love Is A Beautiful Thing
You Better Run
It's Wonderful
I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore
Come On/(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher & Higher
Lonely Too Long
A Ray Of Hope
Groovin'/My Girl/Just My Imagination
Mustang Sally/Play That Funky Music/Its Only Rock And Roll/Get Ready
How Can I Be Sure
People Got To Be Free/Everyday People
Celebration/Jam
Good Lovin'/La Bamba
Slow Down
Roll Over Beethoven
Long Tall Sally




68. GRAND 'OLE OPRY
"Grand 'Ole Opry"
Every Weekend
Grand 'Ole Opry House
Nashville, Tennessee

A weekly 'barn-dance' that began in 1925 became one of America's most significant music traditions. It continues today as the Grand 'Ole Opry. Every Friday and Saturday night, and broadcast live on radio and television, the Opry showcases country and bluegrass veterans, new talent, as well as its superstars. Where else can you watch Bill Anderson, Jeanie Seeley, the Grascals, the Oak Ridge Boys, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and Carrie Underwood in a typical show?


Surreal is how I would describe attending a show. Sitting in the theater, while hearing shuffling on the stage behind the huge curtain, the voice of Bill Cody booms over the PA system, hawking Martha Whites cornmeal, Dollar General stores and Cracker Barrel. One becomes instantly aware that he is part of something larger than just a concert. This going out to the world!

At center stage, a circle of wood flooring was brought over from the original venue, the Ryman Auditorium, and every artist who sets foot on that stage does so with reverence for all the legends who passed before them. The reverence extends beyond the country music world. The Opry has seen guest appearances by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Steve Martin, Kenny Loggins, James Taylor, Kevin Costner, Jack Black, Peter Frampton and even James Brown!

Paul and Linda McCartney visit the Grand 'Ole Opry

The Grand 'Ole Opry is a landmark of Americana. Attending a show is an unforgettable and life changing experience.




67.  TOM JONES
"Hear Me Out Tour"
April 27, 2014
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee

The Ryman Auditorium was the location for the opening night for his  2014 "Hear Me Out" tour, and the stage-flung panties were out in full force ... including a pair of men's boxer shorts.


Slightly understated in black slacks, black mock-turtleneck shirt, and grey sport coat, Tom casually walked out as if he were in my living room and delivered a two-hour tour-de-force of classic hits, soul and blues standards, and 1990s pop. We were in the presence of a man who been to the top and had gracefully landed on the other side; mellow, smooth and confident. He was also chatty, stopping to share some personal reminisces with his 'friends' in attendance. The audience boisterously responded, frequently shouting out their admiration for him. The highlight for me, of course, was an acoustic 'creole-inspired' version of It's Not Unusual that seemed to fit perfectly with the vibe of the evening. Good show, Tom!

Here is a Ryman backstage interview with Tom Jones from his "Hear Me Out" tour ...



SETLIST:
Tower Of Song
Raise The Ruckus
Strange Things
Dimming Of The Day
Bad As Me
Delilah
Burning Hell
If I Give My Soul
Don't Knock
Back Ain't Got No Bone
Lord Help
Soul Of A Man
Run On
Didn't It Rain
Green, Green Grass Of Home
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Thunderball
I Wish You Would
It's Not Unusual
Kiss
Every Woman I Know
End Of The Road




66. THE COMEDIANS


  

 

 


Over the past forty years, I've seen a plethora of stand-up comedians. Going way back, to the 1970s, I have vague memories of Eric Idle visiting Wittenberg University (sans Pythons) and can also recall seeing Don Rickles (opening for Ann Margaret), Louie Anderson (opening for Suzanne Somers), Phyllis Diller, and Rodney Dangerfield in Las Vegas. Many comedians seem connected by a common thread ... for example, Dane Cook and Andrew Dice Clay, although generations apart, are virtually cut out of the same mold. 

I've seen Jay Leno, both on stage and for a taping of The Tonight Show in Burbank (the episode featured Jeff Daniels, Carrot Top, and Brooks & Dunn).

I have seen several of the old Saturday Night Live cast members over the years. Early Steve Martin was kinetic and intellectually obtuse; slightly raw, yet weirdly captivating. Dana Carvey's lightweight humor centered mostly on old-school celebrity impressions, classic Vegas stuff. Dennis Miller put on virtually identical shows, twenty-one years apart. Nevertheless, I enjoyed his cerebral political banter at both shows (he performed with Rita Rudner at Pine Knob Music Theatre in 1993 and solo in 2014, at the Ryman Auditorium). 

I had the good fortune of watching Bill Murray perform (he was hilarious) and spend time afterward chatting with him at a local bar. Privately, he was very different than the jovial guy on stage; he seemed deeply down and depressed, and it was clear that his humor came from a very dark place. Sadly, this was not surprising to me at all. If you've seen the movie Lost In Translation ... that is the real Bill Murray.  

Yes, I've seen Bill Cosby twice; once at Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo, Michigan on March 29, 1992, at the height of his popularity (after he had just wrapped his smash-hit television comedy The Cosby Show) ... and again at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center in Sarasota, Florida on January 16, 2011, after he'd been given countless awards and honors for his work. His life has since become a pathetic tragedy, but his performances during those days were outstanding.




65. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD 
February 25, 2023
"50th Anniversary of American Band Tour"
Center of Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island, Florida



For fifty years, as a fan of Grand Funk Railroad, the sound of the iconic drum and cowbell introduction to We’re An American Band echoed frequently in my mind. It was one of the epochal sounds of 1970s classic rock. On a gorgeous February Florida night at the Center of Anna Maria Island, I was about to see and hear it live. The outdoor concert was held on the soccer field behind the center, from a small portable stage platform on wheels (try to imagine a gig at your local county fair). It was a complete sell-out, with fifty feet of liquor concession tables and a portable toilet trailer set up in the back. Everyone had to bring their own folding chairs.



Two of our seats were within arm's reach of the stage. Two other seats (purchased for our friends at the last minute) were thirty yards back. Craig and Tom sat up front, as their wives did not want to get blasted by the wall of speakers sitting five feet away and directly facing the seats. Ear plugs were mandatory. Even then, we could feel the bass reverberating through us.


Craig struck up a conversation with the band’s seventy-something year-old roadie during the soundcheck. He had been traveling with the band for twenty-seven years and lived in Traverse City. He was a good-old boy and promised to give us one of the stage setlists ... then he laughed and pointed out that the setlist had not changed in twenty-seven years.



From our seats, we could see the band milling around to the side of the trailer while an announcer introduced them. The five septuagenarians stepped onto the stage. Don Brewer and Mel Schacher were two of the original three members of the group from the 1970s. Bruce Kulick had been GFR’s lead guitarist for two decades, after playing a dozen years with Kiss. Keyboardist Tim Cashion had toured extensively with Robert Palmer and Bob Seger. Former lead singer of .38 Special, Max Carl, was the band’s co-lead singer (along with Brewer). In a way, it seemed like a version of Don Brewer’s 'All Starr' Band.


 

  

When the band opened with Rock and Roll Soul, a handful of fans squeezed in front of us and began dancing like it was Woodstock, requiring us to elbow past them for a view. There was no security anywhere, and we were literally leaning on the stage for much of the show. I don’t think I had ever been more ‘on-stage’ doing a performance than this concert. We took more than four hundred pictures and tons of video footage. I wedged myself between the keyboard and the stage monitors and fired away with my camera. The guys seemed to relish the excitement, all of them smiling and having a ball (except maybe Mel).



For ninety minutes, these old dudes played fourteen songs, encompassing nearly all of their hits. Max even performed Second Chance from his repertoire of .38 Special songs. It had been a long ride for Grand Funk Railroad in fifty years, from a sold out Shea Stadium to a sold out Center of Anna Maria Island. When Brewer started pounding on his cowbell to close the concert with We’re An American Band, the crowd was on its feet and “helped them party it down” just like the old days.

 


The roadie didn't let us down. Craig got the setlist.






64. PAUL WILLIAMS
"Paul Williams - Songwriter"
September 12, 2015
Franklin Theatre
Franklin, Tennessee






















The Franklin Theatre, with a small capacity of 322 seats, was the perfect venue for diminutive singer/songwriter/actor Paul Williams. The experience was a charming and intimate interchange between a grateful man and an appreciative audience, who came to honor him for the exceptional music he created.

Nobody expected a vocal tour-de-force when Williams bounced onto the stage with the opening lines of Old Fashioned Love Song, however, with his ear-buds malfunctioning, he was significantly off-key.  His accomplished band helped him keep him on the rails, as they did most of the night, with outstanding accompaniment and vocals. 

For a guy one week shy of his 75th birthday, he exuded remarkable vitality as he energetically performed blockbusters such as Evergreen and The Love Boat.

As hoped, on several occasions, Williams stopped to recount his personal experiences and several of the funniest were of his role as Little Enos Burette in Smokey and the Bandit. He said that his friend Billy Bob Thornton once told him that, in the South, people think that Smokey and the Bandit is a documentary.  He also described how he and Pat McCormick (Big Enos Burette) had become very good friends and both were stepping out of a bar one night. The six foot five inch McCormick stopped and blurted to Williams, "You look like an aerial photograph of a human being."

Williams also talked about making music. He said that both his favorite lyric and his least favorite lyric were in the same song, Rainy Days and Mondays. His favorite is "What I've got they used to call the blues" and his least ... "Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown." He talked about writing with John Williams, Ken Ascher, and Roger Nichols. He talked about working with Barbra Streisand, Karen Carpenter, and how he shared a Grammy for Album of the Year in 2014, writing for Daft Punk.

He spoke openly about his faith and how staying sober for the past 25 years changed his life. He credits his recovery for the resurgence he enjoys today.

Near the conclusion of his show, he stopped to talk about his involvement in ASCAP.  In the early 1970s, Sammy Cahn dragged Paul to ASCAP and forced him to sign up. In 2009, in what he considers his greatest honor, Williams was elected President and Chairman of ASCAP. He then introduced Mark Volman, who was sitting in the audience, and acknowledged Volman's fight to expand songwriter copyrights, to thunderous audience applause.

In the end, Paul Williams' vocal prowess did not seem to matter, because what we heard all night were the Carpenters, Three Dog Night, and Kermit the Frog ... giving voice to his songwriting genius. The brilliance of his songs seemed to stand on its own, regardless of who was singing them. All that mattered to the very appreciative audience was that they could thank the man who created them in person.


SETLIST:
An Old Fashioned Love Song (Three Dog Night)
I Won't Last A Day Without You (Carpenters)
You Give A Little Love (Bugsy Malone Soundtrack)
Evergreen (A Star Is Born Soundtrack)
The Love Boat (Television Show)
Smokey and The Bandit (Monologue)
Nice To Be Around
Old Souls (Phantom of the Paradise Soundtrack)
Goodbye, Eddie, Goodbye (Phantom of the Paradise Soundtrack)
Rainy Days And Mondays (Carpenters)
Out In The Country (Three Dog Night)
Sobriety And Still Alive (Monologue)
Still Alive
Writing With John Vezner (Monologue)
You're Gone (Diamond Rio)
Family Of Man (Three Dog Night)
Waking Up Alone
Working With Daft Punk (Monologue)
Touch (Daft Punk)
You And Me Against The World (Helen Reddy)
Sammy Cahn, Mark Volman, and Joining ASCAP (Monologue)
We've Only Just Begun (Carpenters)
Rainbow Connection (The Muppet Movie Soundtrack)
Tell Her She Reminds Me Of A Friend




63. THE MONKEES
"A Midsummer Night With The Monkees Tour"
July 24, 2013
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, Tennessee


The Ryman Auditorium is one of the best concert venues in the country and has provided us with many opportunities to see some great shows. When the Monkees were scheduled to play there, we immediately bought tickets. The group had been in the news as Davy Jones had suddenly died of a heart attack the year before. We weren't sure how they would accommodate such a loss. As we waited for the concert to begin, a large screen was showing outtakes from the classic Monkees television show. Davy was featured prominently in the clips.


When the high-spirited trio of Peter, Michael, and Micky opened with Last Train To Clarksville the crowd went wild. It didn't stop for two hours. Every song jogged a memory for most of the people in the audience, from the beginning to their big finish ... Pleasant Valley Sunday.


The Monkees at the Ryman Auditorium ...


SETLIST:
Last Train To Clarksville
Papa Gene's Blues
Your Auntie Grizelda
The Kind Of Girl I Could Love
She
Sweet Young Thing
I'm A Believer
(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone
You Told Me
Sunny Girlfriend
You Just May Be The One
Mary Mary
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Early Morning Blues And Greens
Randy Scouse Git
For Pete's Sake
No Time
Words
Daily Nightly
Tapioca Tundra
Goin' Down
Porpoise Song
Can You Dig It?
Circle Sky
As We Go Along
Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?
Daydream Believer
What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round?
Listen To The Band
Pleasant Valley Sunday




62. THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
"Livin' On The Fault Line Tour"
July 16, 1977
Wings Stadium
Kalamazoo, Michigan

This concert was memorable for several reasons. I was spending the summer in the Battle Creek area with my grandparents. My parents suggested that I take the daughter of friends of theirs to the concert. Her name was Julie. Her dad was the local bank president. I was sixteen and fairly naive (didn't even know what a doobie was). She had been around the track a few times. I invited her to the concert. She accepted. We went. At the gig, she ran off with her friends. I wandered around looking for her, until I realized how good the band was. I stopped and watched ... and became a Doobie Brothers fan for the rest of my life!

I have seen the Doobies probably a half-dozen times since. Never saw Julie again.

The Doobie Brothers at Wings Stadium - July 16, 1077


SETLIST:
China Grove
Takin' It To The Streets
Sweet Maxine
It Keeps You Runnin'
For Someone Special
I Cheat The Hangman
You're Made That Way
Eyes Of Silver
Livin' On The Fault Line
Little Darlin'
Neal's Fandango
Chinatown
Long Train Runnin'
Echoes Of Love
Don't Start Me Talkin'
Take Me In Your Arms
Jesus Is Alright
Road Angel
Listen To The Music




61. FOREIGNER 

"Farewell Tour 2024"
March 10, 2024

Coffee Butler Amphitheater

Key West, Florida












Foreigner had been in the news as of late. Finally, the band had been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was one of the leaders in the popular vote.


One critic, who had never been impressed with the band, explained his decision not to vote Foreigner into the Rock Hall. He said that Foreigner was anonymous, and not a ground-breaking band; instead he back-handedly called it a “brand.” His words were intended to be derisive, but he was unwittingly correct ... Foreigner’s music had become so ubiquitous, and the music so iconic, that it demanded such recognition. 


Two Rock Hall Of Fame Voters Give Their Opinions ...


Despite the handful of ridiculously elitist music critics, a groundswell of popular support was building for Foreigner, including an Instagram video by Paul McCartney …




The group was also in the midst of its farewell tour, and the Coffee Butler Amphitheater was supposed to be the band’s final outdoor concert. So we bought four great seats and made the long trek to Key West. 



Two days before the gig, Foreigner announced it was extending its farewell tour through the summer, playing with Styx, and then a final Vegas residency in November. It had become another of those never-ending rock and roll farewell tours!!


The venue was relatively new, located near the Key West yacht basin, along the waterfront. Most of it's four thousand capacity was on the lawn, but our seats were folding chairs seven rows from the stage. A hot and humid day had been chased away by a cold front early in the afternoon. By the time the concert started, it had become overcast and blustery with winds popping twenty to thirty miles per hour.


As Foreigner took the stage, a light rain was spitting horizontally. The on-stage smoke machines were worthless as the fog instantly dissipated across the floor.



It was apparent to everyone from the outset that co-founder and guitarist Mick Jones, the last remaining original member of the band, was not there. I searched the internet on my cellphone. Sadly, only seven days prior to the show, Jones announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and had quietly withdrawn from the tour. 


Mick Jones Reveals Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis


The most senior performer on stage was Kelly Hansen, the guy who replaced singer Lou Gramm in 1990. The rest of the band, although not original (Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson, and Chris Frazier), were longtime Foreigner veterans, having played together as Foreigner for the past fourteen years.




The band members may have been anonymous by name, but they rocked the hits as hard as anyone. In fact, I am not sure if I’ve ever attended a gig with more million-sellers played back to back; Head Games, Double Vision, Cold As Ice, Waiting For A Girl Like You, Blue Morning … there wasn't a dud in the nearly two-hour setlist.




It was Foreigner, playing their endless array of hits like they owned them, and the crowd cheered every minute of it!!



Stage-used setlist

Foreigner at Coffee Butler Amphitheater

March 10, 2024