James Taylor, Carole King and Linda Ronstadt were and are inspiring singers from the 60’s and on. They were sweet, these masters of soft, heartfelt lyrics and often even softer licks and melodies to carry them to our very souls.
1968 James Taylor’s first album is released. The song “How Sweet It Is” is released in 1975.
1971 Carole King releases her first album, “Writer” after earlier encouragement from James Taylor to start singing her own songs. (Artists, as diverse as The Beatles, Elvis, The Animals, and of course James Taylor, all had world wide hits she wrote!) But it is her second album, “Tapestry”, released later that year, that caused her ‘starburst’ onto the global stage. Double sided single, “I Feel the Earth Move” and “It’s Too Late” became her first Number One single.
1974 Linda Ronstadt first hit, “You’re No Good” tops the U.S.100 and reaches number 15 in Australia. By the end of the 70’s, according to Glenn Fry, collaborator on that album, “Heart Like a Wheel” which remained on the charts for 51 weeks, and founding member of The Eagles, she was known as the “Queen of Country Rock”.
Seems ironic that in these days of discord politically and musically we hark back 50 years to a more naive time with simpler less violent lyrics and purer, more relaxed melodies.
When you think about that era – how sweet it was!
Last night’s Tribute show at the Music Lounge in Wollongong Town Hall was wonderful.
Meera Belle, using a beautiful voice to bring some of the best loved songs of Carole King and Linda Ronstadt to life, interspersed with interesting and often humorous intros and back stories about each number. Meera was ably matched by talented singer and guitarist, Wil Linder with an accurate echo of the mellifluous James Taylor and his most memorable ballads and anthems. Loved that Wil’s favourite was “Going to Carolina in My Mind”!
This charming front line was more than supported by five great musos ranging in age from 17 to very late 50’s with only a very minor false start that we’ll chalk up to a brief communication glitch that only made us love them more. Indeed their obvious love for the music and each other was one of the memorable features of the performance and reminded me of the old adage that if you love your audience and love what you are doing you can’t go far wrong.
Ah, yes. For me, again, how sweet it was!
HOW SWEET IT IS, a sweet trip down memory lane, played the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 27th September 2024.
