The first Guest Playlist of July comes courtesy of an iconic West Michigan guitarist with a brand new album and an ear toward a perfectly retro soundtrack for summer.
Presenting The Local Spins Guest Playlist With Junior Valentine
The request for a Local Spins Guest Playlist with a summer theme caught the fancy of Junior Valentine, a Grand Rapids guitarist with an encyclopedic knowledge of the past half-century of roots and popular music.
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Junior Valentine (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Indeed, Valentine used his embrace of a diverse blend of roots music to great advantage on his latest recording, an intriguing collaboration with mandolinist Jason Wheeler, titled “Island Head.”
Fans can catch Valentine live at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill in Grand Rapids when he opens for St. Louis’ amazing The Bottle Rockets. Tickets, $15, available online here. And the first person to email john@localspins.com
with “JUNIOR VALENTINE” in the message field wins a pair of tickets to the show. Now, onto the playlist …
THE LOCAL SPINS GUEST PLAYLIST: JUNIOR VALENTINE
“Summertime evokes many musical memories. Seems like the years from puberty through young adulthood (maybe 13 – 23) are the years that most start to really listen to music and to attach to special tunes. For me, 1968 was my year of, shall we say, the change, so I’ve chosen to pick one tune each year starting with 1968. Remember, the radio was the main medium for Baby Boomers to discover songs/bands and Top 40 included a wide mix of styles. Some tunes stayed in rotation for months. My 10 are only one pass at this list. I certainly could have written 10 more lists. Here we go…”
1. Steppenwolf, “Born To Be Wild” (1968) — Their biggest hit up to this point, “Born To Be Wild” was on the radio night and day. The energy of this tune … John Kay’s vocal … the tight drum sound … the title hook … the heavy organ … the biker vibe all combine to hit hard and heavy. Heavy metal thunder, indeed.
2. Sly & The Family Stone, “Hot Fun In The Summertime” (1969) — Musta been quite the time for Sly and the Family. The band’s stellar appearance at Woodstock and this tune occurred very close to the same time. For many of us, Sly was the first racially and gender-mixed band and the horns made it extra special. Most all of us danced some kinda way during this summer and, yep, didn’t take much to feel the groove on this platter and to ‘churn da butta.’
3. Brooke Benton, “Rainy Night In Georgia” (1970) — Benton’s cover of the Tony Joe White composition is one of the greatest singles of all time. Nothing doesn’t work on this track. The narrative, vocal delivery, arrangement and title hook are about as strong as it gets. The true test of a great tune is: Can you hear it in your mind however many years after it was a hit? This be one of those.
4. The Rolling Stones, “Brown Sugar” (1971) — As if “Honky Tonk Women” wasn’t one of the greatest body grooves ever recorded, “Brown Sugar” kicked things up a notch in the Spring of 1970. There was no way of escaping this song in the summer of 1970. The Stones were nearing their peak and throwing a very big party and we were ALL invited. Little did we know that the boys had traveled to Muscle Shoals, Ala., to wax this track. My, that Southern air and soil musta been just right.
5. Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together” (1972) — On the charts for 16 weeks, the former Grand Rapids, Mich., singer scored his first #1 hit. Another perfect single. Produced by Willie Mitchell and and featuring the Hodges Brothers — fine, fine Memphis soul. Everybody dug this side and Al Green was on his way. Sublime.
6. Allman Brothers, “Ramblin’ Man” (1973) — Every Allman Brothers fan was stunned and deeply saddened when Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident in October of 1971. What would happen to this great band after losing its leader? The answer came with this Dickey Betts penned tune. there was hope and there was music. Betts stepped up and not only laid down some fine guitar work…he sang this breezy song. As we all started school again in the fall of 1973…The Allmans had thankfully returned and somehow carried on.
7. Gordon Lightfoot, “Sundown” (1974) — After “Sweet Baby James” arrived and was crowned king, Mr. Lightfoot certainly made his mark. I can see, in my mind’s eye, the apartment that was my home in the summer of 1974 and I can hear this tune wafting through the rooms at dusk. This number perfectly captures a mood that lingers in the mind.
8. The Eagles, “One Of These Nights” (1975) — California dreamin’ all over again. These boys (including Detroit native Glenn Frey) firmly staked their claim to the pop world with this song/album. Henley/Frey had become a totally solid songwriting team. Don Henley’s vocal and Don Felder’s oh-so-fluid guitar work take this one all the way.
9. Bob Seger, “Night Moves” (1976) — OK, Michigan Rock & Rollers, here we go. Bob sums up what it’s like to be a young person out and about in the summer of 1976. It took little imagination to see the Chevy and the back-woods and all the Michigan images in this song. Seger shot to big time fame and fortune with this song. Love Bob and always will.
10. Steve Miller, “Fly Like an Eagle” (1977) — Ah, we can’t forget Steve Miller. The song and LP of the same name were in oh-so-many record collections. The man had it all — great vocals, great songs, great guitar licks/tricks, and best of all, his own rock and soul groove. The Space Cowboy did it again with this track. “Time keeps on slippin’…” indeed.
Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
Copyright 2014, Spins on Music
I love Junior Valentine and just about everything he has ever done musically. His new CD is great, and this play list is full of home runs; but WLAV has ruined Steppenwolf and Steve Miller for me, as they only play about four songs from each band’s catalogue, and that sort of familiarity has bred contempt.