American Songwriter News

3 Folky Songs About California That Will Instantly Brighten Your Day

Frankie Valli is ending his farewell tour early. The iconic singer recently took to Instagram to announce the early end of his and the Four Seasons’ The Last Encores Tour. “I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows, but I have decided to take

3 Albums That Originally Flopped but Became Cult Classic Masterpieces in Retrospect

Born a Century Ago Today in North Carolina, This Grammy-Winning Gospel Singer and Everyone’s Favorite Sheriff

Tim McGraw Releases Two Songs, His First New Music in More Than a Year

This Fleetwood Mac Song Was a Direct Response To “Go Your Own Way”

Born on This Day in 1956, the Iconic Texas Singer and Actress Who Hit No. 1 With a Grammy-Nominated Husband-And-Wife Duet

Hannah Harper Gives Fans an Update on Life Following ‘American Idol’ Win—and It’s Not What You Think

3 Country Songs That Feel Like Watching Your Hometown in the Rearview Mirror

3 Forgotten Country Singers Who Once Ruled Nashville

4 Amazing Songs That Barely Scraped the Top 100 in 1983

Born 111 Years Ago Today in Oklahoma, the Songwriter, Musician, Actor, Comedian, and "True Gentleman of Country Music

“Someone suggested they do ‘Twist and Shout’ with John taking the lead vocal,” studio engineer Norman Smith recalls. “But by this time, all their throats were sore; it was 12 hours since we had started working. John’s, in particular, was almost completely gone so we really had to get it right the first time. The Beatles on the studio floor and us in the control room. “John sucked a couple more Zubes,” he adds,” referring to a type of throat lozenges, “had a bit of a gargle with milk and away we went.”

Ronald LaPread has died. The bassist, who co-founded the soul group the Commodores, recently died in New Zealand, where he’s lived for the past four decades. He was 75. LaPread’s daughter, Soraya LaPread, first revealed the news on her Instagram Story. “It is with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my father, Ronald LaPread, has passed,” she wrote. She did not offer any other details about the circumstances surrounding her father’s death. Read more at link in bio

3 Rockers From the 1960s Who Had Stunning 60-Year Careers That Are Still Going

Time can mess with our minds when it comes to remembering what music was hot way back in the day. Some songs can grow in reputation, while others might not be able to sustain a strong shelf life after initially doing quite well. We’re looking back at songs on the pop charts in 1988. And we’re focusing on four songs that you might be surprised made it all the way to the Top 10 that year.

Remember This 1975 Deep Cut That Compared Life to an Italian Soup? Let’s Revisit Those Leftovers