I've been writing songs for over ten years and there are many songmakers I like, including the Beatles, the progressive rock band Yes, the bluegrass band Hot Rize, and singer-songwriters such as Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchell, and Sarah McLachlan. Read on for specific recommendations.
Arlen is my favorite songwriter of the Broadway tradition. Yes, he wrote Over the Rainbow, but most of his music is much more jazz-tuned than that. My favorite performances of his music are by Ella Fitzgerald on The Harold Arlen Songbook (Volume I and Volume II).
Asleep at the Wheel puts out wonderful Texas boogie music that practically forces you to dance. My favorite among their releases is The Swingin' Best of Asleep at the Wheel.
Aztec Two-Step is a somewhat obscure folk-rock duo that combines intelligent songwriting (by Neal Shulman), hot acoustic lead guitar (by Rex Fowler), and great harmonies to create an overall effect that I really like. Their acoustic retrospective See It Was Like This... contains most of their best songs in modern, clean recordings. I especially like So Easy, Baking, The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty, Dance, Killing Me, and It's Going on Saturday (their only quasi-hit).
It's hard to recommend Beatles recordings, since so many of them are excellent. I would single out Hard Day's Night, Help!, Rubber Soul, and Abbey Road as most representative of the Beatles at their best. And here are some of my favorite Beatles tunes: I Saw Her Standing There, Twist and Shout, Every Little Thing (also check out the great cover of this song by Yes on their first album), Things We Said Today, Hard Days Night (what is that opening chord?), I'm a Loser, The Night Before, You Like Me Too Much, I'll Follow the Sun, Drive My Car, Think For Yourself, I'm Looking Through You, I Feel Fine, I Call Your Name, Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Fixing a Hole, She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, I Will, Julia, Honey Pie, One After 909, Get Back, Ballad of John and Yoko, For You Blue, and my all-time favorite Let It Be.
Karla Bonoff is an underrated songwriter whose main claim to fame is that some of her songs were covered by Linda Ronstadt (e.g., Somebody to Lay Down Beside Me). Her self-titled first album is quite fine.
I think Jackson Browne is a great songwriter and I love the honest sound of his voice. My favorite of his albums is his self-titled first release (a.k.a. Saturate Before Using). Specific songs I like a lot include Rock Me On The Water, Doctor My Eyes, Something Fine, Under the Falling Sky, My Opening Farewell, I Thought I Was a Child, Looking Into You, Ready Or Not, Redneck Friend, Fountain of Sorrow, Walking Slow, The Fuse, Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate, The Road, Nothing But Time, You Love the Thunder, and The Load Out. Not long ago I picked up his 1993 album I'm Alive in a used CD store and have really enjoyed it.
The swing revival is going strong, and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies are a big reason why. This band swings hard! I dare you to listen to Zoot Suit Riot without dancing.
For a long time now I've had to turn the volume way up every time I've heard Joe Cocker's rendition of "With a Little Help from my Friends" on the radio, so I recently broke down and bought the album. Great stuff! Sure, some of it sounds pretty dated at this point, but most of it is simply some of the most soulful rock'n'roll ever made.
When I first listened to Sam Cooke's greatest hits collection The Man and His Music, I was amazed that one person wrote so many famous songs -- You Send Me, Chain Gang, Cupid, Love Will Find a Way, Another Saturday Night, etc. -- and that I had never heard of him. My favorite song of his is A Change is Gonna Come, which never fails to send shivers up my spine.
Some of their songs sound a little dated now, but from their early years I still love Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Guinnevere, Long Time Gone, 49 Bye-Byes, Carry On, Almost Cut My Hair (!), Ohio, Our House, and Find the Cost of Freedom. I particularly like their underrated 1977 release CSN, which has some really interesting songwriting and wonderful harmonies -- especially on See The Changes, In My Dreams, and the powerful Graham Nash song Cathedral.
Mark Knopfler's songwriting tends to be considered secondary to his guitar playing, but he's written some really good songs -- from driving rock to reflective ballads. I especially like Down to the Waterline, Sultans of Swing, In The Gallery (a paean to artistic integrity), Lions, Where Do You Think You're Going?, Lady Writer (the greatest power pop tune since the Beatles' I Feel Fine), Tunnel of Love, Skateaway, Expresso Love, and Telegraph Road.
Yes, I'm a Bob Dylan fan! It took me a while to warm up to his music, but I really like his songwriting, his irreverent sense of humor, and his celebration of freedom and individuality. I probably listen to The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan most of all, but I like songs from all of his earlier records (up through Blonde on Blonde). Big favorites include Corinna Corinna, Boots of Spanish Leather, Don't Think Twice It's Alright, Talking World War Three Blues, Bob Dylan's 115th Dream, It Ain't Me Babe, If You Gotta Go Go Now (Or Else You've Got To Stay All Night), It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding), It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Like a Rolling Stone, Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat, Tangled Up In Blue, Forever Young, Lay Down Your Weary Tune, Little Maggie, and Mama You've Been On My Mind. If you don't like Dylan's voice (or even if you do), I recommend Tim O'Brien's recent recording Red On Blonde -- bluegrass-flavored versions of some of Dylan's greatest songs.
Jonathan Edwards is another obscure songwriter I like a lot. His self-titled first album has some great songs on it, including the almost-libertarian Sunshine, the tender Sometimes, Train to Glory, Emma, and Shanty.
Here's another pop supergroup that I like. Sure, some of their stuff is kind of cheesy, but Jeff Lynne is a musical genius -- I love his upbeat lyrics, his great melodies, and ELO's marriage of rock and classical (check out their version of Roll Over Beethoven!). Mostly I listen to their albums Time and Out of the Blue.
Ella is my favorite jazz singer. Her Songbook series contains definitive recordings of the music of Harold Arlen, the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, and other great American songwriters of the early twentieth century. Strong arrangements and band performances, as well as Ella's effortless singing, are much in evidence on these recordings. My highest recommendations go to The Harold Arlen Songbook (Volume I and Volume II) and Jerome Kern Songbook, although the Cole Porter and Gershwin songbooks are of high quality, as well. A more reflective side of Ella's genius can be heard on The Intimate Ella. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have seen her in concert, not once but twice!
Could it be that I like some music by "The Leader of the Bland"? Well, yes. I was really into Fogelberg in my teenage years and I still like some of his early stuff -- especially his first album, Home Free (if you can get beyond some of the string arrangements).
Most of Aretha's early music is great. Her ballads are incredibly soulful (check out I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Today I Sing the Blues, etc.) and her up numbers (Think, Respect, etc.) are absolute classics. Her finest recordings are ">The First 12 Sides and I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You.
The Art of Tea is my favorite album by this songwriter. I really like the intelligent lyrics and cool-jazz flavor of this recording. My favorite track is Popsicle Toes, although several of the other tunes are equally good.
More Broadway biggies. I especially like Fascinatin' Rhythm, Summertime, They All Laughed, and Isn't It A Pity (the only song I know of that finds a rhyme for Schopenhauer!). Ella Fitzgerald's three-volume Gershwin Songbook is quite fine, although some of Nelson Riddle's arrangements are a bit slow for my taste.
I don't understand the lyrics, but I love the energy and passion of the Gipsy Kings' music (maybe it's that Spanish thing, because I love Albeniz and Granados, too). Favorites are Djobi Djoba, Baila Me, Montaña, Bem Bem Maria, Bamboleo, and most of all the haunting Trista Pena (all available on their greatest hits).
Yes, I even like a little Grateful Dead once in a while. I'm no deadhead, but I really like their live acoustic recording Reckoning (a.k.a. "For the Faithful..."), which contains some great performances.
My wife introduced me to Hot Rize and over time the band has just continued to grow on me. Bluegrass is a wonderful form of American music, and Hot Rize produced some great examples of the genre. My favorites are their self-titled first album (on which I especially like Blue Night, Nellie Kane, High on a Mountain, and Ninety Nine Years) and their final record Take It Home. And the country swing music put out by their alter-ego band Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers is pretty good, too!
Kern is another of the great Broadway songwriters. Once again Ella does the honors with her Jerome Kern Songbook -- it's only a single CD but I wish it were more, because the songs on this CD are just fabulous!
Abbey Lincoln is my second-favorite jazz singer after Ella Fitzgerald. Her recording You Gotta Pay the Band is consistently outstanding and contains several songs written by Lincoln that I like a lot (especially Bird Alone).
Henry Roeland Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair, is usually referred to as a New Orleans piano guru. I like his piano style, his singing style (which influenced the early Elvis!), and many of his songs. My personal favorite is They Call Me Dr. Professor Longhair (available on Rock 'n' Roll Gumbo), which was in the back of my mind when I wrote Gatekeeper Blues.
I like Jamaican songwriter Bob Marley so much that I even wrote an article about him. Unfortunately the Songs of Freedom boxed set is out of print; as a substitute you might try Legend (a greatest hits collection) and Natty Dread.
I just kept re-hitting play when I first got Sarah McLachlan's album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (the acoustic version of Possession is especially powerful). Her earlier recording Solace and latest release Surfacing are both quite good, too.
Joni Mitchell is a highly original songwriter, especially in the way she explores emotions and personal relationships. Her best albums are Blue and Court and Spark, although Ladies of the Canyon has some really good songs on it, too.
Van Morrison is someone I don't listen to that often, but when I do his music really hits the spot. My all-time favorite of his songs is Tupelo Honey (available on the eponymous recording), followed closely by Moondance (on his greatest hits).
I used to listen to Cole Porter all the time, but then I discovered Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern. Still, some of Porter's songs are just fantastic (Let's Fall in Love being a particular favorite of mine) and I have great respect for Porter because he, alone among the Broadway songwriters, created both the words and the music for his songs. Check out The Cole Porter Songbook as recorded by Ella Fitzgerald.
No listing of my favorite songs could be complete without mentioning the Pousette-Dart Band. I discovered PDB at an early age through a friend up in Maine and I've loved their music ever since. I've seen them live many times over the years, from their reunion show at Raouls in Portland, Maine to a number of appearances at The Turning Point in Pierpont, NY. Jon Pousette-Dart's songwriting has had a strong influence on mine and I especially love a number of his early tunes, including Woman In My Dreams, Dancer, What Can I Say, All Your Lonely Hours, There's Been a Mistake, Freezing Hot, County Line, Yaicha, and Harder. Some of his music is available on CD from ARM Records, check out their PDB page for details.
Bonnie Raitt became popular after her Nick of Time record, but I like her early stuff the best -- it's more bluesy and direct. Her self-titled first album is my overall favorite.
In my explorations of progressive rock and related genres, I recently discovered Renaissance, something of a "progressive folk" band from the 70s. Their stuff is pretty impressive and I'm looking forward to hearing more of their music. So far the only recordings I have are Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 of Tales of 1001 Nights, their "greatest hits".
This progressive rock band is highly inventive in its music and highly individualistic in its lyrics (courtesy of Rand-influenced lyricist and drummer extraordinaire Neil Peart). Their finest recordings are probably Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, and Grace Under Pressure.
Here's another progressive rock band I like. Sometimes they stray a little too far over onto the metal side of the world for my taste, and a few of their songs are a bit dark if you ask me, but The Kindness of Strangers, Day for Night, and V are excellent. Check out their website for more info.
How can one describe the Squirrel Nut Zippers? Perhaps as "Cole Porter on acid"? These guys (and one gal) are a big part of the swing revival, but they bring a thoroughly modern (and often zany) sensibility to their music. Check out Hot and you'll see what I mean.
Trivia time: did you know that James Taylor was the first non-Beatle to record for Apple Records? Although some of JT's stuff is a bit mushy, I have a lot of respect for his singing and his songwriting. Some of my favorite JT tunes are the ones that I cover, including Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, Gorilla, Sarah Maria, Wandering, You Can Close Your Eyes, Sleep Come Free Me, and his version of Oh Susannah.
Traffic had a great, upbeat, jazz-rock sound. I especially enjoy Rainmaker, Many a Mile to Freedom and the title song on The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys, and Glad, Freedom Rider, Hidden Treasure, and the title song on John Barleycorn Must Die.
The music of the medieval troubadours is quite haunting. The recordings of Paul Hillier are the only ones I've heard that do full justice to this music. Troubadour Songs and Medieval Lyrics is his finest recording (unfortunately out of print), followed by Proensa and Chansons de Trouveres.
Judie Tzuke is another obscure singer-songwriter that I like. She's British so it can be extremely difficult to find her music in the States, but her album Welcome to the Cruise is well worth seeking out (even if a bit over-produced in a late 70s sort of way). I especially like Bring the Rain, Stay With Me Till Dawn, and the hauntingly gorgeous For You.
I really like Wendy Waldman's Love Is The Only Goal, a greatest hits collection released in 1996. Waldman is not especially well-known but she's a strong songwriter and has had her songs covered by the likes of Maria Muldaur and Tuck & Patti. Standout songs include Mad Mad Me, Living Is Good, Pirate Ships, Prayer For You, and Love Is The Only Goal.
Even the mere name of this progressive rock band captures the life-affirming quality of their music. Jon Anderson's lyrics often make little sense outside the sounds of the words, but with music this good, who cares? For a long time the only recordings of theirs that I owned were Yes, The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge. However, in the fall of 1999 I bought their then-new CD The Ladder, which sparked a deepened interest in their music and drove me to purchase all their recordings; my favorites among these new acquisitions are Going for the One, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Relayer (my current #1). I saw them in concert for the first time in Albuquerque on 2000-06-27 and Denver on 2000-06-28; my review of the Albuquerque show is available on the web (and in slightly different form in my journal entry for 2000-06-29). Yes are often called musicians' musicians, since their virtuosity on their instruments is widely-acknowledged. I have a special affinity for the work of bassist Chris Squire and would like to record a set of Squire Variations at some point.