Led Zeppelin, The Band, Jimi Hendrix and The Velvet Underground get heartfelt thanks, but there are surprises – and a bunch of local acts – on this bountiful banquet table, from G’itis Baggs to Lady Ace Boogie.
‘Playful, Warm, Fun’: See which West Michigan band is thankful for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. (Photo/Anna Sink)
Thanksgiving marks the perfect time for musicians to acknowledge and give thanks to bands and solo artists who’ve inspired them. Local Spins asked some local and regional acts to pick one artist for which they’re thankful. Some of the choices are obvious, others are surprising, and more than a few chose other Michigan acts.
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Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving from Local Spins!
1. The Band
Picked by: Brother Adams
Thankful because: Understanding why The Band has had such an impact on Brother Adams is as easy as indulging in a viewing of Martin Scorsese’s documentary, “The Last Waltz,” an infinitely watchable documentation of The Band’s farewell concert and so, so much more. A random second-hand concert DVD purchase introduced us to the magic, the heart and the passion that was The Band and has made what we’re sure will be a lifelong impression on many aspects of how we approach our craft. Watch “The Last Waltz, listen to their records, learn their story.”
Track: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
2. Bikini Kill
Picked by: The Lippies
Thankful because: The Lippies would like to give thanks to Bikini Kill for igniting the fire that would become the Riot Grrrl movement and breaking down the doors for bands like ourselves and countless others to raise our voices against our oppressors and to leave a positive impact on the world we live in. We pick the song “Demirep” because it was one of the first songs we jammed on as a band and a song we still play live on occasion.
Track: “Demirep”
3. Led Zeppelin
Picked by: Wayland
Thankful because: This band showed everyone that rock ’n’ roll can be pretty and powerful. From completely acoustic to thunderously loud and electric, Zeppelin never limited themselves or their songs.
Track: “Over the Hills and Far Away.”
4. Chet Atkins
Picked by: The Legal Immigrants
Thankful because: His guitar playing is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from mine. He’s a very technical, well-thought-out player whereas I just punch it till it makes noise that doesn’t suck. “Josephine” may be the happiest tune ever recorded.
Track: “Josephine”
5. Lady Ace Boogie
Picked by: J. Rob
Thankful because: Lady Ace Boogie gives out nothing but love and is an all around dope emcee, but an even more amazing person. If I had to pick a song from her it would have to be, “My Motto.” It motivates me to work harder each day at reaching my goals.
Track: “My Motto”
6. G’itis Baggs
Picked by: The Go Rounds
Thankful because: G’itis has quietly and humbly remained the songwriting world’s best-kept secret for some time now. He is my favorite songwriter of all time. The entirety of his most recent release, “The G’itis Baggs Game” is a treasure. He’s writing a million incredible songs since this release. The Go Rounds usually have two or three G’itis songs in our quiver when we hit the road. – Graham Parsons
Track: “The G’itis Baggs Game”
7. The Velvet Underground
Picked by: Heaters
Thankful because: I think that they really led the way for rock music in innumerable ways. Their songwriting can be so creative. “I’m Waiting for the Man” was playing at Chicago Music Exchange when I bought my first Telecaster. – Nolan Krebs
Track: “I’m Waiting for the Man”
8. The Moxie Strings
Picked by: The Accidentals
Thankful because: Four years ago, The Moxie Strings did a workshop with our high school orchestra and inspired us to change the way we use our string instruments by thinking outside the box. We are thankful for the music and creativity they inspire through the classroom and on stage.
Track: “Stir-Crazy”
9. Nick Vander Vliet/Who Hit John?
Picked by: Megan Dooley
Thankful because: Nick is my favorite singer-songwriter in all of Michigan and has been a part of Who Hit John? for over 10 years. Their album. “Whistle on The Rail,” has my favorite Nick Vander Vliet tune on it, “Sweet Blue.” My father passed away about two years ago and this song always reminds me of him, and it really helped me cope with his death. I’ve rarely missed a WHJ performance over the last decade, and they always remind me to forget about my problems and reconnect with myself and the people around me through music.
Track: “Sweet Blue”
10. Lil Dicky
Picked by: The Outer Vibe
Thankful because: Rapper Lil Dicky has stolen our hearts with his creativity and fearless subject matter. He has carved his own path in the music industry, making a niche out of being the person that he actually is: a hilariously clever rapper who bends the rules and challenges the status quo. We absolutely realize that Lil Dicky isn’t for everyone. Every girl that we have shown him to asks politely to listen to something more like Justin Timberlake, but that’s exactly why we love him. To us, he represents the most important aspect of being a musician: self-expression. Not all of us are as good looking as Justin Timberlake, but because of the gift of music, we all get the chance to express ourselves and show the world why we are special. Check him out, and remember to “$ave Dat Money.”
Track: “$ave Dat Money”
11. Julio Gomez (I Believe in Julio)
Picked by: The Bangups
Thankful because: He made a six-song EP eight or nine years ago that blew us away. The first two Bangups albums would not sound the way they do without Julio.
Track: “Sun Don’t Shine”
12. Jimi Hendrix
Picked by: Jim Shaneberger
Thankful because: It wasn’t until I listened to a Hendrix album, “Live at Woodstock,” that I actually wanted to be a musician to play and sing in front of a crowd. I thought, “Yeah, I want to do that.” The song, “Little Wing,” showcases all of his talents in one song.
Track: “Little Wing”
13. Louis Armstrong
Picked by: Scott Pellegrom (Scott Pellegrom Trio, aka SP3)
Thankful because: Every time I hear his voice I smile. The force was strong with him.
Track: “What a Wonderful World”
14. Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys
Picked by: Vox Vidorra
Thankful because: Their musicianship is profound, their songwriting is tight and they are incredibly supportive of their fellow artists. We are proud of how far they’ve come and look forward to seeing and hearing what’s next from our good friends and consummate road warriors.
Track: “Everything Changed”
15. Willie Nelson
Picked by: Hank Mowery (Hank Mowery & The Hawktones)
Thankful because: I remember discovering “Red Headed Stranger.” I didn’t know why at the time but I was drawn to it. This was the first time I really paid attention to lyrics and story-telling within a song. I loved how he kept coming back to a thought (“Time Of The Preacher”) and how all the songs combined to tell a story but could stand on their own as well. “Red Headed Stranger” was the first song I tried to figure out on a guitar. To this day, this is one of my favorite albums to listen to and Willie Nelson remains one of my favorite songwriters.
Track: “Red Headed Stranger”
16. Megan Dooley
Picked by: Hannah Rose & The GravesTones
Thankful because: We give thanks because she is the real deal. She lifts us up and takes us to a higher place. Raw, unharnessed talent, passion, beauty and love.
Track: “Fall”
17. The Accidentals
Picked by: Rick Chyme
Thankful because: Their commitment to turning their dreams into reality, open minds and kind nature have improved my life. We have shared some memorable artistic moments on stages and some fantastic familial moments away from the music.
Track: “Parking Lot”
BONUS PICKS
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
Picked by: The Muteflutes
Thankful because: We love Edward Sharpe’s music because it is so playful, warm and fun.
Track: “Home”
Doc Watson
Picked by: Billy Strings (William Apostol)
Thankful because: I am thankful for Doc Watson because he influenced my music life as a young’n. My dad and I played a lot of Doc’s tunes when I was growing up, that’s how I cut my teeth. Doc’s music and spirit will live on forever.
Track: “Tom Dooley”
Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC
