Although Chris Whitley‘s birth certificate listed Houston Texas as his birthplace, by the time the eclectic modern bluesman’s untimely death in 2005 at age 45, Chris had lived all over the world. Sensing a rare authenticity and smoldering passion upon the release of his major label debut Living With the Law in Summer 1991, we gratefully welcomed him as a prodigal Texan out on the lawn under a tent when Whitley performed the title song, for free, for Q102 Blood Drive donors that evening.- Redbeard
Blog
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Chris Whitley-“Living With the Law”- Dallas 7-91
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Band-The Band Best pt 2-Robbie Robertson
There is ample evidence in this conclusion of our two-part In the Studio rockumentary on The Band as to why Robbie Robertson was always one of my favorite musicians with whom to converse. A great storyteller gifted with rich language skills, The Band’s main songwriter and lead guitarist through seven studio albums 1968-1976 and the Rock of Ages legendary live set takes ample opportunity to reveal, in great detail, the following long-debated issues about the first-ballot Hall of Fame quintet with the generic name:-why they ( and Bob Dylan ) moved away from Woodstock, New York after the legendary concert there at which neither they nor Dylan appeared;
-the storied 1974 comeback tour with the re-emerging Dylan after eight years in self-imposed exile;
-detailed in-depth profiles of Band-mates Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko, and Levon Helm ( the last three sadly all deceased);
-and according to Robbie, how the discussions which eventually led to the legendary Last Waltz concert and subsequent film never included Robertson threatening to leave the band, as has been misreported for years. –Redbeard
( Tuning up backstage 1974 L-R: Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm)
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John Fogerty- Lodi- rehearsal Burbank 1997
As I traveled about America, I was always surprised to find just how many towns with the name “Lodi” existed. But there has only ever been one song with that moniker, written and sung by John Fogerty when he led Creedence Clearwater Revival. Here’s John and his band just before embarking on tour,at rehearsal in Burbank CA in May 1997. –Redbeard
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Robert Cray- More Than I Can Stand- 1987 Dallas
Here is proof that the Robert Cray Band has been an impeccable live outfit nightly for decades, performing “More Than I Can Stand (It’s Over)” at Dallas’ Club Redux in 1987. -Redbeard
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Bruce Springsteen- Born in the USA- Philadelphia 12-95
After the release of the Ghost of Tom Joad album, which invokes the name of the starving Depression-era Okie in the Grapes of Wrath, Bruce Springsteen did some selected dates without the “E” Street Band. More than a decade after the Republican Party appropriated the chorus from his song “Born in the USA” for President Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign, Springsteen was still rankled by the usage out of context minus the verses. Excerpting only the song’s chorus completely removes the bitter irony which is clearly evident in this tortured rendition from a solo acoustic show in Philadelphia’s Tower Theater in December 1995.Misrepresenting “Born in the USA” as an all-American flagwaving platitude is like including Oliver Stone’s Born on the 4th of July at a John Wayne Film Festival. But those that would do so also have never understood the patriotism inherent in the tradition of the American protest song. -Redbeard
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Styx-I Am the Walrus-Oregon 2004
This live performance of “I Am the Walrus” from Styx on September 11, 2004 is simply stunning, and Styx lead singer/ keyboard player Lawrence Gowan and singer/ guitarist Tommy Shaw explain what it takes to pull off a production piece that even the Beatles never attempted live.- Redbeard
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Rolling Stones- Dancing With Mr D- Brussels 1973
Long bootlegged in inferior quality, here’s vintage Rolling Stones with Mick Taylor on lead guitar doing a rare live performance of “Dancing With Mr D” in October 1973 in Brussels. Amazing sound. –Redbeard 
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Tom Cochrane-Life is a Highway- Dallas 9-92
The delightfully effervescent Tom Cochrane stripping down to the fundamentals & doing his best Bobby Zimmerman on “Life is a Highway” during one of his several appearances on my Friday afternoon Q102 radio show over the years. – Redbeard
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John Mellencamp- Small Town- 10-1-91 Dallas
When John Mellencamp performed a live acoustic version of “Small Town” on my Q102 Dallas radio show in October 1991, he had already become ambivalent about the effect that the 1985 ginormous hit was having on his career long-term. Mellencamp told me that day that he felt that too many people who discovered him through that song maintained a one-dimensional view of him through a limited perspective, not his. With guitarist Mike Wanchic and world’s greatest percussionist Kenny Aronoff. –Redbeard
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Arcangels-Living in a Dream-Austin
One of the nicest musical surprises of 1992 had to be the Arcangels album, which paired dual singer/songwriter/guitarist frontmen Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II with Hall of Fame inductees Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble rhythm section. Since that album debut there have been several one-off reunion shows, and even a series in 2009 at London’s Royal Albert Hall opening the 2009 Eric Clapton home stand, but as of now it remains the sole studio effort. Here are the Arcangels live at Stubb’s Amphitheater in Austin Texas.
( L-R Doyle Bramhall II, Chris Layton, Charlie Sexton)
