Michael Stanley RIP
I just found out that he died on 5 March.
https://www.rockhall.com/michael-stanley
https://www.classicrockrevisited.com/show_interview.php?id=1050
I am really sad to hear about his death 😢. I have been a fan since the early 70's. He was a great songwriter and lyricist. His first two albums featured Joe Walsh and Barnstorm. The first album is a classic 70's rock album. Lots of different styles and, excepting a dreadful cover of Subterranean Homesick blues, is excellent. Joe Walsh still plays Rosewood Bitters .
He wrote two of my all-time favourite tunes
From Friends and Legends "Let's Get the Show on the Road'
Friends and Legends is the second solo album by Michael Stanley. The album title refers to the backing musicians accompanying Stanley on the album, which was recorded at Applewood Studios in Golden, Colorado. The basic band on all tracks was Barnstorm, composed of Joe Walsh on lead guitar and synthesizer, Joe Vitale on drums, flute, synthesizer and backing vocals, and Kenny Passarelli on bass. In addition, three members of Stephen Stills' Manassas performed: Paul Harris on keyboards, Joe Lala on percussion and Al Perkins on pedal steel guitar, and the band also included saxophonist David Sanborn. Among the backing vocalists were Richie Furay and Dan Fogelberg. In keeping with the collaborative spirit, J. Geils assisted with production of the saxophone tracks.
From Shadowland "I am You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reLqMTaKTgg
I absolutely HATE the 'Anne Geddes' cover (I created an alternate cover for my cd). Apart from that, this is probably his best album. Every track is killer.
And here is track that probably every musician out there can relate to "Midwest Midnight"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOznWDy42Wg
With a will to believe, and my songs on my sleeve
If only I'd known from the start
Such a sensitive toy, for a suburban boy
Who believed he was suffering for art...
But then something went wrong
And he watched as his songs
Met a slow death of silence, but worse
He was taken to task, by some critic who asked
"Do you write the words or lyrics first..."
I am going to close out with a track that shows that he and his band could seriously ROCK!
From Shadowland, 'Shadowland'