There are some changes happening at my blog. I started this blog way back in the mid aughts—just about twenty years ago. A lot has changed in my life since that time but there’s one constant: music appreciation.  My passion for supporting independent musicians and live music remains steadfast.   

I started my life as a devoted music fan around age 6.  I don’t have many recollections of being exposed to music before that time.  I was a first grader who asked for a copy of “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?” by Scottish musician named Lonnie Donegan. Little did I know that Lonnie’s music was inspiring four young lads called The Beatles from Liverpool.  Okay, yes, I’m showing my age here, but I’ve decided that part of growing old means that you can take time to reflect and recall moments that bring you joy!

Listen to Lonnie here.

I found my blog to be a useful publicity tool when I was a music promoter who booked a couple dozen shows per year.  My interview questions gave artists an opportunity to promote themselves and their upcoming gigs.  I’m not promoting many shows currently so my incentive for interviewing various artists has not been strong enough for me to plunk myself down in front of my computer to do research and write questions.   I’m not saying that I will not do any more interviews but now Everything Sundry will include some Quick Nods to various artists who mean a lot to me.  This may not float your boat and I understand, but let’s just say that this part of my blog will now be a little gift to my two kids who obviously know how much I love music but may not necessarily know why certain artists, albums, singles, and concerts are sacred and life changing to me.

Despite writing very few posts in the past couple of years, I am astounded by how many views “Everything Sundry” continues to receive as well as the number of requests for interviews that come from musicians all over the world. Maybe it’s time for me to think about listening to some new music and writing about it when I’m not writing autobiographical thoughts about some of my favorite music in the world.

So, back to Lonnie Donegan. 

I do not actually remember hearing “Does Your Chewing Gum, etc.” for the first time. All I remember is asking for it for Christmas. I was still young enough to believe in Santa Claus but I know for a fact that my Aunt Mary bought me that seminal single.  I can visualize the exact location at my grandmother’s apartment when I was handed this gift.  Lonnie Donegan (1931-2002) got the attention of American music fans with his skiffle version of the folk song “Rock Island Line” and I suspect he was on TV and I heard him. It makes sense that Donegan was in a jazz band which included Dixieland music as part of its repertoire. Connect the dots and listen to the evolution of skiffle music with the addition of acoustic instruments and washboard to provide percussion. 

Needless to say, my admiration for Lonnie’s skiffle music prepped me well because it wasn’t too long after that the Beatles arrived in my life and my world changed even more.  The bouncy and fun nature of Donegan’s skiffle sound was infectious. I just liked what it sounded like and how happy it made me to hear the song and getting to own that little 45 meant that I could put it on our record player whenever I wanted. By the way, my first full-length album was by Alvin and the Chipmunks!  Come to think about it, there’s some similarity between the skiffle played in British music halls and pubs and that of the raucous chipmunks who were always irritating their dedicated director, David Seville. Can’t you just hear him screaming “Alvin!  Alvinnnn!!!!”

So with this little bit of Music Appreciation according to KSB, I’ll press send and let this fly off into the internet with lots of joy!