David Bowling

I realized several things while contemplating my favorite songs. First, I’m really getting old. Second, I prefer older music. Third, I am somewhat mainstream, but there are exceptions. Fourth, my tastes have changed with the passage of time.I have approached this article by years beginning with the first record I purchased with my own money. That means nothing before 1964. So here is my 57-year journey of favorite songs.1964Jan & Dean -- “Little Old Lady From Pasadena”The first record I ever bought with my own money, so it has to be on the list.Roy Orbison  -- “Oh, Pretty Woman”The first…

Twenty albums do not a lifetime make, but they sure help it over the rough edges...1. Eddy Arnold – Have Guitar Will TravelI told my grandson a few years ago that my family did not own a television set until I was 10 years old. I’m not sure he believed me, as he has never known a world without computers, never mind one without a television set. That meant that the radio and phonograph were the king and queen of the house; my grandfather was in charge of both, and he loved Eddy Arnold. It was country music at its…

The career of the Rolling Stones has passed the 50-year mark; the grandchildren of their original fans are now rocking to their music. Among their 24 studio albums are some of the best and definitive releases of the rock ‘n’ roll era. They have never issued a truly terrible album, but there have been a number of stunning ones. So, here they are, from 24 to number one: “Ladies and gentlemen, the Rolling Stones.” 24. Undercover (1983)Some Rolling Stones album has to be last, and so we begin with 1983’s Undercover. It was one of the few times that Mick…

Eric Clapton’s career is now into its sixth decade and shows no signs of slowing down. He is currently the only three-time inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for his solo work and time spent with Cream and The Yardbirds. While he has been releasing solo albums for the past half-century, he spent the first decade of his career jumping from group to group, never staying long, but carving out one of the best legacies in rock music. The following 11 albums represent his best and worst band albums, although there is no real terrible release. 11.…

Elvis Presley not only changed the course of American music but of American culture as well. He did not invent rock and roll, but he helped to bring it into the mainstream. During his lifetime, he released 24 studio albums. This may seem like a small number, but it excludes his two dozen or so soundtracks and various compilation releases. To further complicate matters, his early albums did not contain any of his hit singles. Songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Love Me Tender,” and “Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear” were saved for his series…

The Doors’ career burned brightly for five years and then died along with Jim Morrison. The band held on for a couple of years after, but the magic was gone. With Jim Morrison, the band only released six studio albums during their existence. Add in two post-Morrison albums and one that was cobbled together in 1978 and you have a total of nine studio albums from a band that left a lasting legacy on rock music. There are five albums that that are virtually interchangeable. Depending on my mood, any of them could be ranked number one. What is certain…

The Beach Boys’ career has passed the half-century mark and I have been a fan almost that long. A number of their songs have become a part of American culture and Brian Wilson is acknowledged as a musical genius. Many fans know the band only through their hits and compilation albums, of which there are dozens. If, however, you want to get at the essence of the band, there are several dozen studio albums available. I have ranked them in order and have mercifully included a few shortcuts.   1. All Summer Long (1964) You can keep your Pet Sounds…

  I have been a fan of Ritchie Blackmore for decades. I have followed him from Deep Purple to Rainbow, back to Deep Purple, and back to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. The tickets to the concert were free so I headed up route 1 to see his latest incarnation, Blackmore’s Night. I had some knowledge of the musical direction of Blackmore’s Night via the Vault archive,s but I don’t think I have ever attended a concert where I was not familiar with one song in the catalog. That’s right -- there was no Deep Purple or Rainbow played that night.Blackmore’s Night can…