this dude can rock

over the weekend, the hubs, some friends and i saw this guy in concert.

these folks opened for him, and i was even more excited to see them (little big town) than i was the main show. little big town did not disappoint - i love the way they've fused the fleetwood mac vibe with contemporary country music. awesome.

but keith urban blew me away. i've always liked his music, but he's never entered my list of favs or must-sees . . . until now. the man is a seriously talented musician - he rocked no fewer than a half dozen guitars, and had more energy than the energizer bunny on speed. most of the show, i felt like i was at a rock concert and not a country pop concert because keith and his band kicked some serious ass. if you get a chance to see keith and company - take it - you won't regret it, even if you're not into country.

muscians i love: ben folds

i've liked ben folds since i was 16 years old, but it wasn't until i was in college that i truly fell in the with the man who rocks the suburbs. i'm quite sure my deepening affection for mr. folds was largely influenced by a certain former boyfriend, but my love for mr. folds has sustained the test of time that the former bf did not.

ben folds music is truly artistic. original. sarcastic. sad. beautiful. i can't think of a single song written by mr. folds that i do not enjoy listening to. but my all-time-favorite-ben-folds-song has to be the luckiest:

I don't get many things right the first time

In fact, I am told that a lot

Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls

Brought me here

And where was I before the day

That I first saw your lovely face?

Now I see it everyday

And I know

That I am I am I am

The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you

In a house on a street where you lived?

Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike

Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes

I see one pair that I recognize

And I know

That I am I am I am

The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties

And one day passed away in his sleep

And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days

And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that

I know we belong

That I know

That I am I am I am

The luckiest

picture from here.

musicians i love: amos lee

it's been too long since i posted my adoration for musicians.

today's post is about amos lee. you may recognize his song "sweet pea" from those horribly annoying at&t commercials, but don't be fooled: his talent is much deeper than that little ditty demonstrates.

his style can't be defined by a single genre: he's a bit folk, a bit blues, a bit jazz, a bit acoustic rock, and a lot creative. when i'm feeling uninspired, down, unsure - amos is the man i turn to. his lyrics ooze truth and his melodies help me float away.

a few of my favorite lee tunes include:

- southern girl
- love in the lies

and

- arms of a woman

"I am at ease in the arms of a woman

although now most of my days are spent alone

a thousand miles from the place I was born

but when she wakes me she takes me back home

A thousand miles from the place I was born

But when she wakes me she takes me back home"

musicians i love: bonnie raitt

the sister can groove. with her unrivaled alto melodies, and rockin' guitar skills, bonnie plays the blues like few others can.

most know her for songs like "i can't make you love me," "nick of time," and "something to talk about," but my favorite is "you."

nobody else can make me happy

no one can hurt me like you do

you were the only one that mattered

then, you were gone, love had moved on

left me alone think of . . . you.

musicians i love: billy joel

he is THE entertainer.

i am incredibly partial to singer-songwriters. and billy joel is one of the best. his music is nothing short of phenomenal. my favorite album is the stranger. i saw the piano man in concert in LA a couple of years ago and i was blown away. i did not expect such a high-energy, dynamic, crazy-amazing show. the musicians on his tour were unbelievable.

a few months ago, the hubs, mel & trav, and i saw movin' out, a musical built around the music of billy joel. i expected something mama mia-ish, but this was more a dancing extravaganza, with a live "piano man" providing all the music. twyla tharp choreographed the show, and the joining of talents was thoroughly enjoyable.

i love the man. i love his mind. i love his music. and i'm a little jealous of katie lee. just kidding.

"though we share so many secrets, there are some we never tell . . ." how true, billy. how true.

musicians i love: maxwell

for many years, my secret ambition was to be a musician. the ambition didn't fit into the plan, so i hid it away. and reveled in the musical genius of others.

maxwell is one of those musicians. his music moves me. i feel every word that he sings. i am so glad he is back on the scene. can't wait for his release of black.

here are a couple of my favs:

- lifetime

- this woman's work

(i know this one is a kate bush re-make, but COME ON! the dude is amazing!)