Grooves & Cuts January 2023 – by John Apice
Every now & then I rummage through all the music I’ve received, been pitched, in my own collection, or acquired through friends in shoeboxes, milk crates & overseas containers. Stuff that came from major labels & independents or directly from artists.
I have had CDs & LPs that may have been underwater at one time. Lyric inserts that have pages stuck together — with what? I hope it was water & not some other by-product. CDs with no artwork, vinyl albums with mold on the covers & some that were stored poorly & warped.
I have 8-tracks that became doorstoppers & hundreds of cassettes in boxes too heavy to lift. Records that should never have been made & some that should’ve been noticed & heard but weren’t. It’s also a sad possibility that many people don’t take music as seriously as other people. But I’m not a sports fanatic, collector of police badges, or glass menagerie. I like music (and books).
There are people who say they love a particular song simply because it’s on the radio, gets played, streams incessantly & the mainstream says — it’s great music. So, the leisure time buyer agrees & hypnotically buys it. This way the “bought audience” doesn’t feel out of touch. The award shows also profess this “greatness” despite how many times their awards for people of alleged greatness actually fell short. Every year it’s the same artists who grace the stage.
But much of what’s radio fodder is disposable, like food. It has a shelf date. Not all, but the majority. It’s demographics, ratings share & it’s basically driven as a tool for advertising.
Very few songs actually become classics in the truest sense of the word. “Eye of the Tiger” is as important as “Satisfaction?” I don’t think so. “Rock the Boat,” is as pertinent as “Heartbreak Hotel?” “Mandy,” is as good as “Light My Fire?” I doubt it.
FM rock radio plays “Eye of the Tiger,” endlessly but seldom “Roadhouse Blues,” by The Doors. They’ll play “Imagine,” by John Lennon ad nauseam but neglect “Gimme Some Truth.” Some listeners have never heard of Americana-Roots music. But every now & then a movie like “O Brother, Where Art Thou,” is released & Americana music sales soar. Go figure.
Pop music’s always been yesterday’s apple — is today’s wrinkled brown unidentifiable thing. In 1960 the “baby boomers” embraced the single (45 rpm records). Many “classics” came about because we heard these infectious tunes during our childhood. Once we’re gone, maybe those songs will slip into advertising jingles & into the ether. They’re doing it already.
Record labels are close cousins to the film industry. Films, 45 singles, LPs & demo songs — never released. Simply because the marketing departments don’t know how to promote the stuff. Who’s the audience? Not, let’s create an audience. It took lots of bellyaching to release Darryl Hall’s solo LP “Sacred Songs.” It wasn’t commercial enough, no hits on the disc. It was recorded in 1977 & didn’t see release until 3 years later. That’s just one.
The Dave Clark 5’s lead vocalist Mike Smith, an incredible singer recorded a solo LP & it wasn’t released for years. The incredible Righteous Brothers’ Bobby Hatfield recorded a solo LP that failed simply because they didn’t market it. And probably because some songs were ill-suited to his fine voice. They weren’t all “Unchained Melody.”
Dave Clark of the DC5 was the only artist of the British Invasion who always owned his own masters. Some in the industry criticize his drumming but Clark was a shrewd businessman. He even staged a successful Broadway play.
Jules Shear of the punk-rock band Jules and the Polar Bears recorded 3 albums for Columbia. Only 2 made got to the stores. One was shelved for 10 years. When they broke up Shear wrote many hits for other artists (Cyndi Lauper, The Bangles). Then, became a solo artist with another major label. Then Columbia decided to cash in on Shear by releasing the 3rd band LP. But times had changed.
Columbia also did this with a band called The Four of Us (“Mary”) who made 2 LPs & then – goodbye. Some artists are told to finish entire LPs with the record company’s full knowledge that the LP wasn’t going to be released or it would be with little support. Chubby Checker’s 1986 rocking MCA LP “A Change Has Come,” had superb production, soaring saxophone rock ala Bruce Springsteen & no marketing. Write-off?
Then why not sell the masters to a minor label? Sell or give it back to the artists. Rock singer & Hammond organist Lee Michaels (“Do You Know What I Mean”) did this years ago. He bought back his A&M & Columbia masters. Then he released them himself as remastered CDs. There are many of these stories in all genres of music. To this day, jazz LPs recorded in the 50s are finally being released. But the artists are dead. They reap little benefit.
Sometimes record companies simply say hey, we have a Sinatra & Johnny Mathis LP coming out next month, so we’ll have to push back that Matt Monroe LP. But singer Matt Monroe may never get released since the label moves on to the next big thing. Maybe Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash.
Mitch Miller (A&R Director of Columbia) didn’t want to release any early Bob Dylan. Mitch was no big fan of rock in any form – folk or country. Young people tend to not understand the barriers that people like Elvis in the 50s & Dylan in the early 60s came up against. If it wasn’t for producer/A&R man John Hammond, Dylan may have faded away. Only Verve Records was interested in him. No one else & Verve didn’t have a big budget. Once Miller started to hear the cash register bells on Dylan (it took time) he stepped back. Miller then went on to promote & record Tony Bennett, Andy Williams & Percy Faith.
However, in regard to Columbia Aretha Franklin was a failure. Her hits & recognition came when she switched to Atlantic Records. Today? Instead of signing artists through the A&R pipeline labels hunt down independents who recorded & pressed their own albums, & did all the homework. Then, they lease the master to the major. The major prints its logo on its records/CDs. Some A&R people just watch America’s Got Talent instead of cruise shows to discover talent. However, many talented people from these shows don’t last much more than 2 LPs. Like Susan Boyle, she was traumatized by a touring schedule & how the business treated her.
Warner Brothers used to have a great music development team in the late 60s early 70s. They kept artists in their Loss Leaders camp. Up to 4 to 5 LPs committed & even if they didn’t sell they stuck with it. Who didn’t sell? Randy Newman, Frank Zappa, Van Dyke Parks, Little Feat, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, The Grateful Dead, Long John Baldry, Ella Fitzgerald (only 2 LPs), the countrified Beau Brummel’s & the Everly Brothers. Warners stuck with many until they started to “move.” This doesn’t happen today at a major label. Accountants & lawyers don’t have that patience.
What’s intriguing is how much is released monthly. In every genre (look up genres in Bandcamp) they will list hundreds of identifiable genres. Each gets an abundance of releases per week. Some are good, some not so good. Some remarkable & many questionable. Almost all are independent/self-made. The late singer John Prine did quite well leaving Atlantic for his own label Oh Boy. But back in the mid-70s an independent artist who sold his albums on TV – Peter Lemongello, was laughed at.
Some major artists were on small labels throughout their careers. Name acts from the past up to the present, known & unknown, mainstream & fringe. And one-off teams – Bill Evans & Miles Davis. Strange stuff like Carla Bley & obscurities like Scott Bradford (“Rock Slides”). So much product (by this point it does become product). If you’re a young jazz aficionado it will take your entire lifetime if you live to be 100 & listen every day, all day, to come close to hearing everything available.
Rock music? There’s good rock music (the 50s through today) & so much drek as well that one would need a knowledgeable guide to navigate the tasty mushrooms & the poisonous ones. Lots & lots of music — rock music, folk, country, Americana, singer-songwriter, easy listening, middle-of-the-road, progressive rock, Uncle Bob in the garage with a Sears guitar & the man with the mandolin on the 10th floor. You have to discover things on your own. That’s what sites like Americana Highways provide. An index.
It all comes down to marketing, entertainment politics & the almighty $$$. I worked for a small movie company in NYC that handled many Australian-New Zealand films. When certain Australian actors/directors became famous years after our films played (Mel Gibson, Judy Davis, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill) the majors wanted to buy all of our films. Not to release them – to shelve them. Or possibly, cash in one day by releasing a poor film that features that same now-famous actor. There are many films (& record masters) still shelved or lost forever (the 2008 Universal warehouse fire) or sitting deep in the bowels of a vault somewhere. Titles that are mislabeled or simply forgotten.
Let’s see how long it takes before David Crosby & Jeff Beck’s obscure songs start to make the rounds. The ones they didn’t want to be released. But some fanatics, absolutely, positively have to have.
How do I know all this? I was once responsible for it.
SPILLED MERCURY:
Tom Glynn – Skylight Intervention
This self-produced effort is primarily set in the typical singer-songwriter folk idiom. The songs are all well-recorded & Tom Glynn sings with a clear, articulated voice. Skylight Intervention (Drops Feb 7–Independent) could be received as John Denver-lite with generous passes at singers like David Wilcox & the late David Blue, Jim Croce, & England’s David McWilliams.
The first cut “Back Home,” is melodic & simple in an early-John Prine manner. No heavy subject matter or controversy. He starts his songs with a focus on his finger-picked acoustic guitar & then after the first chorus introduces additional instruments. It’s subliminal but a clever appealing approach. “June If It Rings True,” has a lovely melody & story about letting down the facades in a relationship & being honest. Maybe Mr. Glynn is mining a music vein many have ignored or aren’t adept at approaching as wisely as he does.
The collection has 2 covers with a Tom Glynn touch. Good proving grounds for his kind of showcase. “Wichita Lineman,” (Jimmy Webb) & Jim Croce’s “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels).” “Waiting To Be Born,” has a little more depth. Closer to something Tim Hardin or Tim Buckley would create.
Glynn is a multi-instrumentalist & does all the work & it’s an optimistic set of songs. There is a song about depression but Tom’s ability to sing about it in an enduring melody is what keeps it optimistic. It is not a depressing song. There’s nothing mediocre in this kind of acoustic music & Glynn sings about many things a majority of songwriters skip. His sense of melody is adorned with memorable notes & his James Taylor moments are more of the album-oriented gems of Taylor’s & not the Taylor commercial output. Glynn also has a Nick Drake quality in some melodies.
Highlights: “Back Home.” “June If It Rings True,” “Magic Bonnie Wonder,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Operator,” “Blue You’ll Do,” & “In Me Still.”
Cover image by Katrina Brown. The LP has 12-cuts at 42-minutes with song samples + CD @ https://www.tomglynn.com/
Nate Amor – Keep Dreaming
A late-comer is this fine self-produced CD by a newly relocated to L.A. artist. Originally from Minneapolis Nate Amor has a new 10-cut in Keep Dreaming (Dropped Jan 20-Deadrock Records). A 36-minute healing journey — an LP that explores relapse, sobriety, codependency, loss & coping. It touches upon realizing that things will never be perfect & we should do the best we can. For a singer-songwriter that’s a fairly brave bunch of subjects to tackle.
Some artists create situations to sing about & others draw from life’s true happenings. Nate has a vocal that has the tonality & warmth that comes from singers similar to Marc Cohn especially when he drives the lyric like an ax through the melody. The well-written & performed “Ain’t Hittin’ Me Yet,” is powerful.
Good vocalizing throughout. Unlike many who take the breathy, whispery, angst-ridden path. Nate sings with some aggression but with energy that asserts his lyric. “Lose This Way,” is one of these. It’s evident that Nate admired Elvis Presley & The Beach Boys – his voice has that Elvis authority & his music has lots of Beach Boy melodic magic. Maybe that’s why Nate is also a singer with the marvelous Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Yeah, he’d fit there.
“Count on the Rain,” is another beauty. Solid production, the band is tight as a knot in a string & the song itself is riveting. Nothing’s wrapped in cliché & it isn’t some hair-band syrupy ballad. It has balls.
This CD is highly recommended. Nate’s voice soars where it should & the backing musicians support luxuriously & with “The Bullet,” Nate steps into the rock field of deep provocative vocals like Steve Swindells (“Turn It On, Turn It Off,” “Figures Of Authority”) & Junkhouse’s Tom Wilson (“Shine” “Burned Out Car”).
Highlights: “Ain’t Hittin’ Me Yet,” “Lose This Way,” “Count On the Rain,” “Keep Dreaming,” “The Bullet,” “Tired of Feeling,” & “Give You Up.”
CD availability & song samples @ Spotify & https://nateamor.com/
Silverstring Farm – “I Heard Them Songs”/”On a Winter’s Night”
Formed in 2010 this duo was signed by a Nashville label in 2019 & consists of Stefan Deland (bass) & Tommy Linnell (guitar). They manage to mix Americana-Roots & Alt-Country flavorings with some delicately applied Swedish musical sensibilities.
These are introductory singles to a soon-to-be-released spring album. “I Heard Them Songs,” & “On a Winter’s Night.” (Dropped Jan 20-Bassboom Recordings/Hemifran). The group sings with warmth but does have a slight Euro-tint to the pronunciation of some lyrics. I think that adds to the charm that is married up quite well to the melodic tunes & fluent pieces.
They’re not The Everly Brothers & they’re not as intense as Lowen & Navarro – but it’s their stylistically artistic approach to their music that’s of interest. What is always apparent with some foreign Americana is the brilliant application of lyrics that aren’t as entrenched in typical song limitations. Because they may not have lived the all-American life. It seems these songwriters have a talent for finding a way to express this music & lyric with careful originality that renders them individualists.
The singing is formidable & in a mix similar to folk singer Steve Forbert & England’s medieval stylist Eddie Baird (Amazing Blondell). “Walk down that memory lane, it’s all like a fairy tale.” No politics, no imaginary lands, no aggression, no statements – just lovely melodies & a cool spray of guitars among the warm vocals.
The cover art is good also – a sepia image of an old prairie barn with overgrown weeds & hay. The duo’s performance wields the same picture. The lead vocals aren’t fluid but a little awkward – exactly how old folk songs were sung at one time. The singer is clear as he navigates the range of “I Heard Them Songs.” A tune steeped in recollection with guitar-picking that flows – the technique is vintage & the duo accomplishes it with skill.
Color image courtesy of Hemifran. CD @ Spotify & https://www.hemifran.com/news/detail/u/1103/Silverstring%20Farm/New%20Single%202023/
Lisas – Etiam
This 37-minute/11-cut showcase is the work of 2 Lisas from Stockholm, Sweden. Lisa Rydberg (violin/viola) & Lisa Langbacka (free bass accordion). It’s an interesting approach.
So, there are no square-dance tunes or country-blues-folk tales of hard times & barren fields. Instead, this folk music embodies the world in continuation. Etiam (Drops Feb 3–Gentle Music/Hemifran). The word Etiam is Latin for phrases such as (and also, I am at last, still, likewise, besides, even now). A word that emphasizes & deepens.
The Lisas describe their music as fiddle/accordion conversations. The first 2 have old-world flavors & much of this instrumental effort would be inspiring for writers & painters. The passages lend themselves to picturesque mental moments. Melodies will conjure scenes for films yet to be made. Some are rooted in genres of saraband, a reimagined operatic melody recalibrated into a traditional Swedish folk tune such as “Rondeau” — played well here.
The interlocking instruments allow notes to spring forth as in “Viridis” with its hints of familiar melodies that may only be subliminal. The variants among these pieces find a classical reach mixed with melancholy & folkish fillets of long-ago pub tunes. Rendered with a sentimental air that tugs at the heart as done through reminiscing. Some will not pour as modern-day selections but breeze by as token thoughts stimulated by scent, weather, or music.
“Happy New Hugo,” is accessible. Despite the economy of musicians, the music is full & dramatic. “Skirheten,” with its high-end violin perfectly controlled by Ms. Rydberg is exceptional. Both Lisas are award-winning musicians & Ms. Rydberg studied classical music at the Royal College of Music in Sweden. Later combined her classical knowledge with folk & released a minimum of 5 solo LPs. Ms. Langbacka studied at the School of Music & Drama in Gothenburg & at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm.
The Lisas take their diverse compositions (many originals) & through their creative endeavor move forward exploring new territories. It’s what people do in almost everything they can imagine or create. Instead of covering existing melodies played thousands of times these musicians let their artistry speak through their fingers expressively.
Highlights: “Rondeau,” “Viridis” “Skirheten,” & “Happy New Hugo.”
B&W image of Ms. Rydberg from her website. Color image of both Lisa’s courtesy of Anders Hanser. Music samples @ Spotify & CD available @ https://www.lisarydberg.com/ & https://lisalangbacka.com/ + https://www.hemifran.com/news/
Eric Bolton – Here Between
Toronto singer-songwriter Eric Bolton has a 1 hour, 15-track debut Here Between (Dropped Late 2022-E-Bolt Music). Basically, it’s a set of music rooted deeper than the average folkie. It includes personal examinations, some soul-searching with emotional freedom, self-discovery & other personal journeys. Vocally, Bolton (piano/electric organ/acoustic & electric guitar) has a smooth deep showcase along the lines of Eddie Vedder (especially Eddie’s solo work) & Chris Cornell. Not forgetting earlier greats — the rockier Capitol Records era & balladry period of Canada’s excellent Alfie Zappacosta or The Blessing’s William Topley (“Delta Rain”). Bolton gives an example of this quality in both “Grace Is Green,” & “Neon Soul.”
The alt-rock approach doesn’t mean loud, grungy & disjointed. “World of Dreams,” kicks off the CD with a well-arranged intense & beautifully performed. Recorded in Ontario songs are diversified & mature with Nathan Bulla (drums), Nathan Payne (bass) & Daniel Walton (electric guitar). Additional vocals & instruments were added at Bolton’s own E-Bolt Studio.
Songs have tight construction with savvy performances & by track 3 “Road Trip Love Song,” Bolton gets soulful with the added rock musicianship (that doesn’t intrude) & frames it all with gusto. The set of varied songs is subjectively balanced – romance, outlooks on life, seeking motivation despite the detours of hardships, being optimistic, traversing a maze of emotions & burnout. As many of us have known.
What Eric Bolton may need (but not on all), is a contrasting female vocal (he used Jesse T. wisely on “Why?”). To add the grace & power that deep voices require to sweeten the performance. Shane MacGowan did it with Sinead O’Connor (”Haunted”), & again when he duetted with both Maire Brennan (“You’re the One”) & the late Kirsty MacColl (“Fairytale of New York”). Bolton has all the talent required for a long successful career.
Highlights: “World of Dreams,” “Hello, Angels,” “Road Trip Love Song,” “Tears of the Sky,” “Grace Is Green,” “Neon Soul,” “Why?” “Steady My Love” “Echoes,” & the ambitious, excellent track “Lost Part of Me.”
B&W image by Steve Goodfellow. CD availability @ https://ericbolton.ca/
Tim Stafford & Thomm Jutz – Lost Voices
The hot duo Stafford & Jutz are joined by some reliable instrumentalists & crafted an accessible, convincing set of cohesive tunes. Ballads, folky laments & striking varieties including bubbling bluegrass (“Take That Shot”).
Some performances are nostalgic. Much the same as older folk duos & groups from the early 60s. While there isn’t anything terribly political or controversial they tinker with some historical moments. Whether this would appeal to a broad audience or not remains to be seen. But the effort here is skillful.
This isn’t John Stewart, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, or Fred Neil — but the songs are delightfully Kingston Trio, Chad Mitchell, New Christy Minstrels, Brewer & Shipley & Lowen & Navarro in tradition. And that’s just a reference.
Tim Stafford (guitars/vocals) & Thomm Jutz (guitars/vocals — also played with Indiana alt-country artist Otis Gibbs) don’t sound retro whatsoever. They are infused with a modern fervor & are energetic throughout. Their songs are fortified & their virtuosity is obvious.
Produced by the duo the 14-track, 45-minute Lost Voices (Drops Feb 3-Mountain Fever Records) was recorded in Nashville. The songs also feature Mark Fain (upright bass) Tammy Rogers (fiddle), Shawn Richardson (mandolin) & Ron Block (banjo).
Track 5 “Callie Lou” has a warm rural lead vocal of Ms. Dale Ann Bradley. A well-written folk ballad with reliable storytelling lyrics. Bradley has a deeply honey-dipped voice somewhere between the late Jody Miller (“Silver Threads & Golden Needles”) & Mary Chapin Carpenter.
The set isn’t a rollicking endeavor but “Revolution Love,” has steam. Instead, most of the focus is on the salient strengths of the melodies, stories & performances. Many are originals but sound as if they were plucked from traditional songbooks. That’s talent & skill. There’s a good insert that walks a listener through each song.
Highlights: “Take That Shot,” “Callie Lou,” “Reverend Love,” & “No Witness In the Laurel But the Leaves.”
CD @ https://thommjutz.com/thomm-jutz-and-tim-stafford-project & https://www.timstaffordguitar.com/
Mile Twelve – Close Enough To Hear
After recording their previous work in Nashville this 3rd collection was recorded at Great North Sounds in Maine. 10 cuts from Boston’s modern string band & judging from the clarity & precision in “Take Me As I Am,” this is an entertaining & exciting progressive bluegrass collaboration.
The band features BB Bowness & Catherine Bowness (banjo), Korey Brodsky (mandolin), Ella Jordan (fiddle/vocals), Evan Murphy (acoustic guitar/vocals) & Nate Sabat (upright bass/vocals). Together they cook up quite a set of infectious songs. “…kiss me and teach me how to breathe.” Indeed.
The tightly arranged tunes weren’t easy to capture this time since the pandemic was a challenge. But the band used all the hocus pocus in their bag of tricks & created a worthy, exceptional set for Close Enough To Hear – (Drops Feb 3-Independent).
Some are straight folk music with harmony along with glittering acoustic guitar finger picking on “Johnny Oklahoma.” What I like is that their lyrics are not loaded with cliches, yet their simplicity is rich with melody. They’re not following a standard menu of country bluegrass & folk but they allow their creativity to dictate the direction with well-built compositions.
Their liberal application of instrumental sound (no showboating) & diversified intros is also commendable. The songs are expressive. Not heavily laden with political messages or preaching. These are just soft-landing pieces as exemplified in the marvelous “Close Enough To Hear.” Beautiful.
Yes, they’re following a tried & true vintage folk music fashion seldom heard today but when performed draw flies like honey. Because the tuneful tales have their authenticity built in. It takes people to places they can close their eyes & drift to a safe harmonious place. The musicians are riveting without being controversial. They dwell in an expressive atmosphere in a modern way without compromising tradition.
Diversity, virtuosity & skill is evident on just about every track & the instrumental “Hopping Around Telluride,” is a perfect example. Older listeners will have to get past the youthful vocals, but the voices are exuberant & it’s bold fun to hear something old-fashioned get polished to a high gleam as this genre has been by a band far from the fields of Dixie.
Highlights: “Take Me As I Am,” “Johnny Oklahoma,” “Close Enough To Hear,” “Light of Angels,” “Hopping Around Telluride,” “Waiting” “If Only” & the exceptional “Anywhere Town.”
Color image from the band’s FaceBook by Dave Green Photography. CD @ https://www.miletwelveband.com/
CD & Digital Links can be bought at the artists’ respective websites. No photography will appear without a photographer’s credit or owning source.
Obituaries:
Lisa Marie Presley @ 54 – (Feb 1968-Jan. 2023) vocalist & only daughter of the legendary artist & R&R Hall of Fame singer Elvis Presley & his wife Priscilla. Lisa died of cardiac arrest two days after attending the Golden Globe Awards with her mother where Austin Butler won best actor for his portrayal of her father Elvis. Color image © courtesy of Getty Images & Christopher Polk 2013
Jeff Beck – @ 78 – the renowned English lead guitarist was a member of the R&R Hall of Fame. He allegedly died from bacterial meningitis. Beck was a member of The Yardbirds, the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, Beck, Bogart & Appice & recorded several solo albums. Beck was known to record old Americana songs such as “Morning Dew” (written by Canadian singer-songwriter Bonnie Dobson & adapted by Tim Rose). Color image © courtesy of Jeff Beck Website.
David Crosby – @ 81 – Inducted in the R&R Hall of Fame twice he was a founding member of The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, a solo artist with a 6-decade career as a singer-songwriter/guitarist/vocalist. No official cause of death was announced. Color image © courtesy of Anna Webber.
Robbie Bachman – @ 69 – Drummer for the Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive who played on the 70s hits “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet,” & “Takin’ Care of Business.” B&W image © courtesy of Getty Images & Jorgen Angel.
Don Williams – @ 100 — the last surviving singer of The Williams Brother Quartet. Brother of TV crooner & recording artist Andy Williams. Natural causes. Color image © courtesy of Getty Images & Michael Putland.
Tom Verlaine – (Thomas Miller) @ 73 was the lead vocalist, guitarist & songwriter for the seminal 70s NYC art-punk rock band Television. Verlaine was born in NJ & passed away in Manhattan after a brief illness. The band’s first 2 albums (“Marquee Moon” & “Adventure”) were highly influential. B&W image courtesy of Kerstin Rodgers/Redferns.
Dean Daughtry – @ 76 was the keyboardist & last founding member of the 70s southern rock group Atlanta Rhythm Section (ARS). A former member of The Candymen (who backed up Roy Orbison) & Classics IV (“Spooky”). Dean had retired from the ARS due to health issues & passed away of natural causes in a nursing home in Huntsville, Alabama. B&W image courtesy of Tom Hill/WireImage.
Grooves & Cuts January 2023