Another Feeebird, Falling From The Sky...

15 years ago today (1/23/1990) Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins dies of complications from pneumonia in Jacsonville, FL. He was only 37. AC had been paralyzed since a drunk driving accident (he was the driver) in which his girlfriend was killed. One of the great guitar playes of our time, taken too soon. Hoe sad to have survived the plane crash, then to throw his life away....

afoot

Self portrait, of sorts..... Sorry about it. Nikon D70 DSLR copyright L.P.Lawhead

On a morning from a Bogart movie......

"In a country where they turned back time"......
On this day (1/21) in 1977 Al Stewart's "Year of the Cat" entered the top 40. His first Top 40 hit, it peaked at #8. While perhaps overplayed, YOTC is a really great song, with some wonderful lyrics. "She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running Like a watercolour in the rain".

Deep Green Day

A shot from last summer, I'm missing the warm weather these days....
Kodak LS443, Simplified in Photoshop Elements. Copyright L.P.Lawhead

Layla....... I’m begging, darling please.

1/21/1966 - Beatle George Harrison married Patti Boyd. The couple later divorced and she subsequently remarried Eric Clapton . Patti Harrison was the inspiration for Clapton's song "Layla", when she was still married to George. Derek and The Dominoe's "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" remains one of my favorite albums, approaching 35 years since it's release.

Just Shoot Me #924

Breaking into the charts today (1/21) in 1978: "Happy Anniversary Baby" by Little River Band. This song made it up to #16, but has lingered through the last 27 years to keep tormenting us. Let's just say I'm not a big fan. I could never figure out why LRB was popular then, much less now.... Weren't these guys part of our strange obsession with anything Australian??

Reflecting the Cliffs

Walking along the beach at Torrey Pines State Reserve, I saw this pool of water. I liked the white rock contrasted with the black-"highlights" in the sand, with the reflected cliffs and blue sky... blah, blah, blah..... Kodak DC210 Digicam

Do Ya Do Ya Do Ya Wanna Dance?

Making it's debut in the Top 40 on this day (1/20) in 1973, "Do You Wanna Dance" by Bette Middler. A wonderful, slow and sultry remake of a song with 3 previous charting versions. Bette's version made it to #17. Of course, in 1978, this tune was completely redefined by the Ramones.

Pacific Ocean from TPSR

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Getting to the end of the Torrey Pines State Reserve shots... Another shot of the ocean from Guy Flemming Trail. You can almost see where the rental car is parked, just past where the cliff exits the right-hand frame.... Kodak DC210, Photoshop Elements

And The Road Goes On Forever......

Hitting the Top 40 this day (1/19) in 1974: Midnight Rider by Gregg Allman. This is Gregg's version of the Allman Brothers song, just slightly different, and just slightly better. It peaked at #19, pretty good for a non-"pop" record. One of my all time fav's, and provided to title for the best ABB hits Album:

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On The Road Again.... (2)

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Still life, Marriott San Diego Del Mar, CA. a "readymade" shot of last week's home-away-from-home... Sort of a follow up to On The Road Again from back in November... Kodak DC210 adjusted in Print Shop ELements.

Better Photo Finalists!

The December finalists are finally posted at BetterPhoto.com. A great place to see some great photography!! I've got 1 finalist...... feel free to seek it out.

Your Bulldog Drinks Champagne....

30 years ago today (1/18/1975), Jim Stafford hit Top 40 with "Your Bulldog...." Frankly, I don't remember ever hearing this one, though it made it up to #24. I do remember 3 other songs which debuted on the charts 1/18/75: "Lonely People" by America peaked at #5, "Lady" by Styx made it to #6, and "Nightingale" by Carole King reached #9....

Long Way Down....

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Looking over the cliffs at Torrey Pines State Reserve, towards the Pacific Ocean. This is from the north end of the Guy Flemming Trail.

And love's so distant and obscure.....

Entering the Top 40 29 years ago today (1/17): “All By Myself” by ex-Raspberries lead singer Eric Carmen. This somewhat whiney song made it all the way up to #2. Just imagine the Celine Dion cover version. The main notable fact about this song is that the melody is lifted directly from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2. I didn’t discover this until 1980 or so, when listening to Rachmaninoff for the first time…..