Author Archives: sixstrstories

About sixstrstories

I am the son and only child of a registered nurse & a self-employed collector of wildflowers. I went on to become: a Beatles’ fan; a record collector; a drummer; a music magazine subscriber; a guitar player; a songwriter; a high school graduate; a college student; a music major; a performing singer/guitarist; a photography student; a yearbook photographer; a student teacher; a boyfriend; a letter writer; a college graduate; an elementary school music teacher; an apartment dweller; a husband; a guitar teacher/independent contractor; a homeowner; an independent music producer; the father of a daughter; the father of a son; a bandmate; a teacher of the history of popular music in America; an instructor of music/adjunct faculty member; a grandfather (x3); a condo dweller; and a blogger.

This Historic Day In Music: “Crazy Blues”

Posted on August 10, 2017 by sixstrstories

From the opening notes of the introduction, “Crazy Blues” sounds like a Jazz record. But when Mamie Smith starts to sing, the music takes a turn. “I can’t sleep at night, I can’t eat a bite because the man I … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Crazy Blues, Mamie Smith, Mamie Smith & Her Jazz Hounds, OKeh Records, Perry Bradford | Leave a comment

Through It All, So Far

Posted on August 7, 2017 by sixstrstories

Today is my personal new year’s eve. It is the day before I start getting answers to the questions posed in a certain no-longer-cute song by The Beatles. When I started thinking about commemorating this day here on sixstr stories, … Continue reading →

Posted in EFS Music, Posts with Audio | Tagged Best Walked (Life's A Road), Candles, Remaining Seas, Songs by Eric Sinclair, Through It All | Leave a comment

“Summer Solstice Rag”

Posted on July 23, 2017 by sixstrstories

(To see more Guitar TAB transcriptions, click on Guitar Music in the Categories list!) Since late last Spring, I’ve been reading a fine new book: Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar by Jas Obrecht. This 2015 publication from the University … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar Music, Posts with Audio, Random Topics | Tagged Blind Blake, Early Blues: The First Stars of Blues Guitar, Guitar Player Magazine, Guitar Transcriptions, Jas Obrecht, Ragtime Guitar, Stefan Grossman | Leave a comment

The Past Five Historic Days In Music

Posted on July 8, 2017 by sixstrstories

Day One. John Smith Hurt was born in Teoc, Mississippi, on July 3, 1893. He grew up to be the singer, finger-style guitarist, recording artist and performer know around the world as Mississippi John Hurt. Here is a recording that … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Elvis Presley, Mississippi John Hurt, Ringo Starr, Stephen Foster, The Beatles | Leave a comment

This Historic Day In Music: Capitol MAS-2653 (Mono LP), SMAS-2653 (Stereo LP)

Posted on June 2, 2017 by sixstrstories

“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles was released in America on June 2, 1967. (It had been released in the United Kingdom the day before.) It was the thirteenth Beatles’ LP released in the United States. (#8 … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged A Day In The Life, Abbey Road Studios, Capitol Records, Geoff Emerick, George Martin, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles | 1 Comment

Wrestling With The Angel, Chapter 12

Posted on May 19, 2017 by sixstrstories

If you’re a new visitor to this blog, the purpose of my Wrestling With The Angel series (or category) is to highlight and share individual songs that are on a list of mine entitled: Devastatingly Great Songs. The title phrase, … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, Wrestling With The Angel | Tagged Bank of NH Pavilion, Buddy & Julie Miller, Buddy Miller, Ellis County, Emmylou Harris, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Julie Miller, Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center, Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue, Universal United House of Prayer, Written In Chalk | 1 Comment

This Historic Day In Music: Pete Seeger

Posted on May 3, 2017 by sixstrstories

Pete Seeger was born in Patterson, New York on this day, May 3, in the year 1919. Pete performed in public for the first time on Sunday, March 3, 1940 on the stage of the Forrest Theatre in New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Bruce Springsteen, Obama Inaugural Celebration, Pete Seeger, This Land Is Your Land | Leave a comment

No. 7

Posted on April 18, 2017 by sixstrstories

Today is sixstr stories’ seventh birthday. What better way to celebrate than with a brand new song?! Especially if that song has seven verses! (Ok: it has eight.) I wrote “Weekdays, Weekdays” with my grandson in mind and, well… just … Continue reading →

Posted in EFS Music, Posts with Audio | Tagged Children's Songs, Eric Sinclair Songs, Songs About The Days of the Week, Weekdays Weekdays | 1 Comment

This Historic Day In Music: The Kansas City Five

Posted on March 18, 2017 by sixstrstories

On Friday, March 18, 1938, record producer John Hammond gathered five Jazz musicians in a New York City recording studio for a recording session. The musicians were: Buck Clayton, trumpet; Eddie Durham, trombone & electric guitar; Freddie Green, rhythm guitar; … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged Buck Clayton, Commodore Records, Dave Oliphant, Eddie Durham, Freddie Green, Jazz Guitar, Jo Jones, John Hammond, Kansas City Five, Laughing At Life, Milt Gabler, Ruth Etting, Scott Yanow, Texan Jazz, Walter Page | Leave a comment

This Historic Day In Music: Nina Simone

Posted on February 21, 2017 by sixstrstories

The 4th Annual Boston Globe Jazz Festival was held the weekend of January 31 and February 1, 1969. The festival’s venue was the War Memorial Auditorium in the Prudential Center on Boylston Street in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. (Tickets were $5.50, … Continue reading →

Posted in Posts with Video, This Historic Day In Music | Tagged 4th Annual Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Alan Heineman, Bob Dylan, Down Beat Magazine, Eunice Kathleen Waymon, I Shall Be Released, Nina Simone | Leave a comment