Coffee and Music
This morning I remembered a promise my cousin and I made at our last family weekend. For the next one we would memorise and rehearse Tennessee Whiskey, a fantastic song by Chris Stapleton.
Uncle Don
It is a great song that we share a love for because it reminds us of her late father, my uncle Don. He used to play his guitar and sing his favourite songs during our family holidays. He had already died when the song came out but I am certain he would have embraced it and made Tennessee Whiskey his own.
Guilty Pleasure
So, sipping my coffee I played the song on youtube while going through my Steemit replies and then one thing let to another. I got so caught up in answering my followers that I only realized Chris was well into the fourth song on his playlist when my brain recognised Justin Timberlake's voice.
Now, here's a confession: JT is one of my guilty pleasures. The man is a true artist and I believe he still has a lot ahead of him musically. It is brave that he is experimenting with Blues and Country.
Well, now that that's out of the way, I switched tabs and watched these two completely different musicians working together in absolute harmony and passion. I ended up singing and swinging along in my bed.
Tennessee Whiskey and Drink You Away - Chris Stapleton & Justin Timberlake
Up My Alley
Lo and behold, the next song in the auto playlist was yet another cooperation between these two men. This time it was the new song Say Something they performed at The Tonight Show last month. That had all gone straight past me so this was the first time hearing it for me. Again, man oh man, that's some good music, exactly up my alley. And what true musicians, these two! Can't wait to see that live one day, either or both of them.
This Sunday morning was starting most enjoyably!
Say Something - Justin Timberlake ft Chris Stapleton
Goose Bumps
Next thing I know I am watching Chris Stapleton and his wife perform in the Tiny Desk Sessions. The guy keeps giving me goose bumps. He is the epifany of modern country if you ask me: he has the tear, the whiskey voice, the rhythm, the lyrics and the guiter picking down to a tee and isn't afraid to mix it slightly with other music styles.
Notice the love between the two while singing.
Tiny Desk Sessions - Chris & Morgane Stapleton
Fallen In Love
Auto playlist or not, I started browsing the suggestion list while singing and that's how I got reacquainted with Lianne La Havas, another great voice with superb rhythm.
I fell in love with her (and her music) when I saw her in an interview on television a few years back. And then when she started singing I was sold. This next video is also a take from the Tiny Desk series because that is what you get when you browse suggestion lists ;-)
Tiny Desk Sessions - Lianne La Havas
My Childhood Hero
Listening to Lianne La Havas made me think of my GOAT composer/songwriter/performer/musician Prince. When he first heard La Havas sing he said he had to meet her. She visited him in his studio and the next time Prince was in London they apparently recorded some rough songs in La Havas' small appartment. Not much longer after that Prince had his fatal overdose of pain killers.
Anyways, since this tiny motherfucker with the high voice, Babe, led me through my teenage years, accompanied me through University and made me weep and all nostalgic when I found out he had died, this next video is in his honour and for the love of Jimi. Let's not forget about him :-)
Red House - Prince
Sooo Tight
And then last, but certainly not least, it is a small step from this Jimi Hendrix song performed by Prince to Gary Clark jr. The man has some big shoes to fill but he is doing pretty well in my book. Playing the blues since he can remember this natural born artist combined the old blues rules with the pace of the 21st century and he ended up with this next song. Saw him live in Paradiso, Amsterdam and was blown away. And his band is sooo tight!
Don't Owe You A Thang - Gary Clark Jr.
I hope you've enjoyed this musical ride as much as I have.
Time to get up now and start my sunny day.
I wish you all a Sunday like mine!
All videos are links from Youtube