My Picks for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011-- Part 5

Even though all of the nominated are worthy, I will keep my votes to just five. So far, I have picked Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Donovan and the J. Geils Band.

My fifth pick is NEIL DIAMOND.

OK, many will say he is the king of karaoke music or schmaltz, but he has definitely had an impact on pop and rock music. I especially like his earlier music.

From 1966 to 1986, he had 56 songs make Billboard's Top 100 with 11 Top tens and three #1s.

Neil Diamond was born in 1941 in Brooklyn, NY.

Some of his GREATS:

Solitary Man-- my all-time favorite Diamond song.
Cherry, Cherry
I Got the Feelin' (Oh No No)
You Got to Me
Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon
T Thank the Lord for the Night Time
Kentucky Woman
Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show
Sweet Caroline-- OK, let's all do that thing we do whenever we hear it.
Holly Holy
Cracklin' Rosie #1
Song Sung Blue #1
Longfellow Serenade
You Don't Bring Me Flowers (with Barbra Streisand) #1
Love on the Rocks
Hello Again
America

And, that's just some of them.

A Very Deserving Person. --RoadDog

PS. My good friend Lulu says I forgot her all-time favorite ND song, "Forever in Blue Jeans." Thanks Lulu, that was one of my favorites as well, but I missed it while I was skimming the list. Thanks for pointing it out.


SENIOR BUMPER SNICKERS: Senility Ain't Bad-- I meet new people every day.

My Picks for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011-- Part 4

My fourth choice would be the J. Geils Band.

How could you not like them, especially, if for no other reason than that fantastic Centerfold album.

They formed in Boston in 1967 and were led by guitarist Jerome Geils (hence the name). They also had singer Peter "Wolf" Blankfield.

Some of their great songs:

Looking for Love
Must of Got Lost
Love Stinks
Centerfold
Freeze-Frame
I Do
Land of a Thousand Dances

Mighty Good Stuff. --RoadDog


SENIOR BUMPER SNICKERS: Senility ain't bad. I never watch reruns.

My Picks for This Year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2011-- Part 3

I am making my five choices for induction next year. All of the fifteen nominated have a right to be in it, but I am just limiting myself to my top five.

My Third Choice-- DONOVAN


If there was a guy who fit better into the 60s groove of things more than Donovan, I'd sure like to know who.

Born May 10, 1946 and named Donovan Phillip Leitch near Glasgow, Scotland. From 1965 to 1969, he had twelve songs in the Top 40 and four of those to the Top 10 with a #1 and #2.

Catch the Wind #23
Sunshine Superman #1
Mellow Yellow #2
Epistle to Dippy #19
There is a Mountain #11
Wear Your Love Like Heaven #23
Jennifer Juniper #26
Hurdy Gurdy man #5 (my favorite Donovan song)
Lalena #33
Atlantis #7
To Susan on the West Coast Waiting #35

All the songs and background information for all artists coming from Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1993.


SENIOR BUMPER SNICKERS: Senility ain't bad. I wrap my own Christmas presents.

My Picks for This Year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-- Part 1

Last month, I listed the 15 candidates for the Class of 2011 and said I was going to make my five choices. Of course, all belong in it and hopefully will eventually get their day. But, for now, these are my five picks and why I chose them.

Right off the bat, I have to say that the more songs I hear by the artist, the more likely I am to choose them.

FIRST PICK: ALICE COOPER

If for no other reason than the song "School's Out" which was Liz and my retirement song from teaching and the name of our last two boats, only the new one has the word "...forever" added to it.

When you saw us out in it, school was most definitely out.

And them, there were these others:

Eighteen Under My Wheels
Elected
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Billion Dollar Babies
Welcome to My Nightmare.

Alice's real name is Vincent Furnier, but he changed it to Alice Cooper from a 16th century witch. Of course, then there are all his bizarre stage antics.

Wonder If He Will Be in Full Makeup At the Ceremony? --RoadDog


SENIOR BUMPER SNICKERS: I don't exercise. It makes my coffee spill.