The 1960s Folk-Rock Revolution, Part Two OLLI Dominican University Week Eight: Folk-Rock's Legacy in the Early 1970s: Singer-Songwriters/ Folk-Rock's Legacy in the Mid-1970s: LA Country-Pop-Rock and New/Old Singer-Songwriters Recommended Listening: David Ackles, David Ackles (WEA, 1968). One of the most unusual cult singersongwriters, who was in his mid-thirties and had no experience with rock music (coming from a theater background) before he somehow signed to Elektra in the late 1960s. His quirky, somewhat grim narrative composing style found favor with Elton John and John's songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, who produced one of Ackles's later albums. This debut was his best, though unfortunately an anthology of his Elektra recordings (from 1968-1970) that was planned for release five years ago was canceled. Jackson Browne, The Very Best of Jackson Browne (Rhino/Elektra, 2004). Two-disc compilation has all of his most celebrated songs, like "Doctor My Eyes," "Take It Easy," "The Pretender," and "Running on Empty." As with all the best-ofs on this handout, it should be noted that most of these singers were very album-oriented artists who produced at least some full-length works that were meant primarily to be listened to on their own. John Cale, Vintage Violence (Columbia, 1970). Formerly the most avant-garde member of one of the edgiest, most experimental rock bands of the 1960s (the Velvet Underground), Cale proved it was possible to evolve from strangeness to relatively normalcy on this quite gentle, accomplished, and tunefully introspective solo debut. Along with George Harrison s All Things Must Pass, this is another testament to the influence of the Band affecting unlikely artists, and getting translated into a sound that some listeners will find more lively and interesting. Leonard Cohen, Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1975). Cohen actually didn't have hits, but this has his most well known songs from his first four albums, like "Suzanne," "Famous Blue Raincoat," and "So Long Marianne." His 1968 debut Songs of Leonard Cohen remains the most striking and influential album from this artist, who epitomized the dark and gloomy poetic singer-songwriter more than anyone else. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks (Columbia, 1975). Considered to have been in artistic decline since the late 1960s, Dylan roared back into critical favor with this mid-1970s best-seller, inspired in part by difficulties in his marriage. "Tangled Up in Blue," "Simple Twist of Fate," and "Idiot Wind" are some of the more beloved songs from the record usually regarded as his best post-1960s album, though 1976's Desire generated nearly as much acclaim.
The Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (Elektra/WEA, 2007). Though a group, the Eagles shared some similarities with the singer-songwriter movement in their laidback Los Angeles rock arrangements, the personal emotional focus of their songwriting, and their hit cover of Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy." Which is here along with other classic rock staples like "Witchy Woman," "Take It to the Limit," and "Desperado." Fleetwood Mac, The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (Reprise, 2002). Like the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac (despite their British roots) had similarities with the singer-songwriter movement as standard-bearers of the slickly produced Los Angeles soft rock sound. They also had three members Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie who could have carved our careers as solo singer-songwriters in their own right had things gone differently. This two-cd compilation has their mid-to-late 1970s radio favorites like "Go Your Own Way," "Say You Love Me," "Rhiannon," etc., though you wouldn't lose much by just getting their two biggest albums, 1975's Fleetwood Mac and 1977's megasmash Rumours. Bobbie Gentry, Chickasaw County Child: The Artistry of Bobbie Gentry (Shout! Factory, 2004). Usually not considered part of the singer-songwriter in its classic sense, and usually not even considered part of rock music, Gentry's fusions of country, pop, soul, and a strong sense of narrative nonetheless mark her as a standout performer in the style. Her 1967 #1 hit "Ode to Billie Joe" is her only track that had a major impact on the pop world, but she had lots of other fine material, as this best-of demonstrates. Although he's even more removed from rock and thus not included in this list, another artist worth checking out in the eclectic country-pop vein that had some influence on the pop-rock world is John Hartford, of "Gentle on My Mind" fame (though not on his more folk/bluegrass-oriented recordings). George Harrison, All Things Must Pass (EMI, 1970). Harrison's debut solo album was the strongest Beatles solo release, affording him space he couldn't have on Beatles albums dominated by Lennon-McCartney songs. It gave him the chance to leap to the forefront as a singer-songwriter with his big catalog of compositions, including the hits "My Sweet Lord" and "What Is Life." Although his Indian spiritual beliefs informed much of the material, there was quite a bit of influence from the Band, Bob Dylan, and contemporary country-rock and blues-rock too. Elton John, Greatest Hits (Polydor, 1974). Though he might have been more influenced by trends in pop and hard rock than most singer-songwriters, Elton John was one of the artists who most reflected his era. This has the early-'70s hits that made him a superstar, like "Daniel," "Your Song," "Rocket Man," and "Honky Cat." Carole King, A Natural Woman: The Ode Collection (Columbia, 1994). Straightforward two-cd collection of material from King's prime, including the hits that established her as a mainstream pop star: "I Feel the Earth Move," "It's Too Late," "You've Got a Friend." Her major album statement remains, of course, 1971's Tapestry, which is still one of the biggest selling records of all time.
John Lennon, The John Lennon Collection (Capitol, 1982). He's not commonly categorized as a singer-songwriter, but his 1970s work fits that label about as well as any. This concentrates on his hits and most familiar album tracks, from 1969's "Give Peace a Chance" to songs from the LP released just before his 1980 death, Double Fantasy. John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band (EMI, 1970). Lennon's first solo album was a hardboiled repudiation of his Beatles past, emphasizing stark and at times painfully personal songs exorcising demons of his troubled childhood and post-breakup turmoil. Some of the key tracks were "Working Class Hero," something of a folk protest number (though John actually had the most materially comfortable upbringing of the four Beatles); "God," in which he questioned the validity of almost everything, from religion to Dylan and the Beatles; "Mother," his most cathartic look at his familial anguish; and the refreshingly gentler "Look at Me," which was written during the Beatles White Album era. Gordon Lightfoot, Songbook (Rhino, 1999). There s no good survey of Lightfoot s early- 70s work (or even 70s work, period). This four-cd box spans 1962-1998, and so is too extensive for most listeners, even some big Lightfoot fans. However, it does take in his most important recordings in the 1960s and 1970s, even if it goes way downhill in its second half. Those parts of the set do allow you to hear his transition from a barely rockinfluenced folk singer-songwriter in the 1960s to a more successful, more slickly produced, more pop-oriented performer in the 1970s, including the big hits If You Could Read My Mind and Sundown. Joni Mitchell, Hits (Reprise, 1996). Though a very album-oriented artist, Mitchell did have some hits, especially "Help Me." Whether singles or not, though, numerous songs from this compilation are standards, like "Chelsea Morning," "Both Sides Now," "Woodstock," and "Big Yellow Taxi." All of her albums from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s were major statements in their own right, from her nearly unadorned 1968 self-titled debut to ones which saw her going into Los Angeles soft rock, and ultimately jazz. Van Morrison, The Best of Van Morrison (Mercury, 1990). Though not always considered a singer-songwriter and sometimes considered a law unto himself, Morrison has done more than any other artist to bring heavy doses of blues, soul, folk, and mystic poetry into the form. Going all the way to his days in the British Invasion band Them, this has most of Van the Man's most famous songs, from "Gloria" and "Brown Eyed Girl" to "Moondance," "Wild Night," and "Domino." Numerous of his albums have their champions, especially 1968's Astral Weeks and 1970's Moondance. Randy Newman, Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman (WEA, 1998). He didn't sell a ton of records (though his hit "Short People" is here), but he was a critics' darling as the man who brought ironic satire to the singer-songwriter form. This emphasizes his more well known songs, including "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (a hit for Three Dog Night), "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," "Sail Away," and "I Love
L.A." His first few albums are the one that made the most critical impact, though, including 1968's Randy Newman, 1970's 12 Songs, and 1972's Sail Away. Harry Nilsson, Personal Best: The Harry Nilsson Anthology (RCA, 1995). Two-CD career overview of a singer-songwriter who, in contrast to the usual serious singersongwriter, exuded much playfulness and Beatlesque melody. There are a lot of good, relatively unknown songs here besides his hits "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You" (which were actually written by others), though they tend to be from the earlier part of his career on disc one. Laura Nyro, Time and Love: The Essential Masters (Columbia/Legacy, 2000). One of the most passionate, exuberant, and soul-influenced early singer-songwriters, in contrast to the stereotype of the genre as belong to laidback sensitive types. Nyro's songs are far more familiar in the hit covers by other artists, but her originals are all here: "Sweet Blindness," "When I Die," "Wedding Bell Blues," "Stoney End," "Blowin' Away," "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Eli's Comin'," and more. Lou Reed, Berlin (RCA, 1973). While Reed might seem to have less roots in either folk or singer-songwriter pop than other names on this list, there seems little doubt he was affected by the lyrical ambitions of outstanding folk-rockers and singer-songwriters. Because of its difficult subject matter including child abuse, suicide, and decadent, doomed romance Berlin, his third solo album, was not well received by either critics or record buyers at the time. It s gained in stature over the years, however, and is probably the Reed album most aligned with the singer-songwriter style. Lou Reed, Different Times: Lou Reed in the 1970s (RCA, 1996). Although Reed's albums from 1972 (Transformer) and 1973 (Berlin) are highly worth hearing by themselves, this has the ex-velvet Underground leader's best work from the earliest (and best) part of his solo career. Besides the hit "Walk on the Wild Side," it has some of his other most popular songs, such as "Perfect Day," "Vicious," and "Berlin." Lou Reed, John Cale & Nico, Le Bataclan 72 (Pilot, 2003). Excellent, if fairly little known, recording of a January 1972 semi-velvet Underground reunion in Paris where Reed, Cale, and Nico perform Velvet Underground songs and early solo material together and separately. This is admittedly on the margins of a folk-rock course, but fits into this class as an example of the singer-songwriter style s influence on an unlikely area. It s also one of the earlier instances of artists playing live acoustically in a manner that would eventually be popularized with the term unplugged. A few of the songs were filmed, and available on the DVD Paris 1972 (see listing in DVD section). Linda Ronstadt, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (Asylum, 1976). Though not a singer-songwriter herself, Ronstadt was on the edge of the genre as a frequent interpreter of contemporary songs by others, and a prime exponent of the mellow 1970s Los Angeles studio rock sound. This has her big early hits, though it's a little unrepresentative of her repertoire as a whole, since it has a bunch of oldies covers that became chart singles, though it also has versions of songs by the Eagles, Neil Young, and Mike Nesmith.
Carly Simon, The Best of Carly Simon (Elektra, 1975). Simon's career stretched way beyond the mid-1970s, but this concise collection of her most famous songs from the first half of the decade has by far her best and most important work. Though she was perhaps the mildest of the major singer-songwriters, she did rock pretty hard for her landmark #1 hit "You're So Vain," which of course is on this anthology. Paul Simon: The Essential Paul Simon (WEA, 2007). There's no easily available Simon anthology that concentrates on his 1970s recordings. But disc one of this two-cd set does, from "Mother and Child Reunion" to "Still Crazy After All These Years." While much material on this collection postdates the 1970s, it makes the point especially on his big mid-1980s hit album Graceland that he, like some other major singersongwriters like Joni Mitchell, was not content to remain with the folk-rock with which he rose to stardom, moving into material heavily influenced by reggae, gospel, and then African music. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run (Columbia, 1975). Another arguable inclusion in the singer-songwriter category, especially as someone who often rocked pretty hard and fronted his own band on electric guitar. But Springsteen did grew out of the singersongwriter tradition to some extent, and was even saddled (along with numerous other performers) with a "new Dylan" tag in his early career, though he quickly outgrew it. There's no best-of concentrating on the '70s work of a performer who did a great deal of work after the decade. But Born to Run (his third LP) was undisputedly his breakthrough album, paced by the hit title track and other songs that were almost as popular ("She's the One," "Thunder Road"). Cat Stevens, Greatest Hits (A&M, 1975). The most successful British singer-songwriter of the early 1970s, and also one of the ones most adept at creating catchy hit singles. They're all here "Wild World," "Morning Has Broken," "Oh Very Young," "Moonshadow." Al Stewart, The Best of Al Stewart (Arista, 1986). The second-most successful British singer-songwriter of the 1970s, whose recording career (like Cat Stevens's) actually dated back to the mid-1960s. It wasn't until the mid-1970s that he had his big commercial breakthrough, and the songs that made it possible, like "On the Border" and "Year of the Cat," are here (along with some of his trademark historical epics). Some listeners might actually prefer the two-cd compilation of his early work, To Whom It May Concern: 1966-1970, on which he was much more tied to a distinctly British folk-rock sound. Stephen Stills, Stephen Stills (Atlantic, 1970). Stephen Stills s self-titled solo debut LP is rather overlooked, in part due to the far greater critical attention given to the solo work of his Buffalo Springfield/CSNY bandmate Neil Young. Still, this is the best solo album from a CSNY member other than Young, testifying to his status as perhaps the most versatile major 1960s folk-rocker (and perhaps the one, along with Young, most adept at employing both electric and acoustic guitar). Here he branches out from folk-rock to hard rock, Latin-influenced music, and some soul and jazz influences. There s still some folk-
rock and even acoustic folk, and good songs besides the one hit, Love the One You re With. James Taylor, Greatest Hits (Warner Bros., 1976). This is actually missing some of his hits as Taylor's career continued a good long while after the mid-1970s. But these are the songs for which he'll be most remembered, and ones that helped define the "sensitive" and "confessional" wing of the singer-songwriter genre, like "Fire and Rain" and "You've Got a Friend." Note that this doesn't include anything from his self-titled debut for Apple Records, recorded in London (the two tracks from that LP on this anthology are rerecordings). His 1970 commercial breakthrough album Sweet Baby James remains his most famous standalone record. Pete Townshend, Who Came First (Hip-O, 1972). The Who would slip in some low-key or acoustic-oriented songs from time to time (though seldom onstage), but were never going to make that a main staple of their diet. So Pete Townshend reserved the more personal and subdued of his compositions for his first solo record, which owes something to the singer-songwriter genre in its folky mood and personal lyrical tone. It s also one of the more notable examples of spiritual concerns entering the singer-songwriter style, here in the form of songs with some inspiration from Townshend s spiritual guru, Meher Baba. The CD reissue is essential to getting the most out of this album, as it adds eight mostly very good songs in the same (or perhaps even more personal/spiritual) mode from limited-edition early- 70s compilation LPs produced in tribute to Meher Baba. Loudon Wainwright III, The Atlantic Recordings (Rhino Handmade, 2003). Wainwright s first two albums (1970 s Loudon Wainwright III and 1971 s Album II) are combined into one CD on this compilation. Musically Wainwright was a throwback to the days of coffeehouse folk, relying almost exclusively on his voice and guitar to tell stories. Lyrically, however, he was something else, his witty satires poking as much fun at the counterculture as the establishment, and not so much urging social change and community togetherness as painting more realistic portraits of flawed people and relationships. In that respect, he belonged to a newer era than the 1960s folk and folkrock boom, rather than reviving a form associated with the past. Neil Young, Decade (Reprise, 1977). Two-CD compilation (originally a triple LP) of Young's first decade as a major recording artist, starting with his work in Buffalo Springfield and going through his solo albums from the late 1960s through the mid- 1970s. Includes his major hits and popular album tracks, but also a good share of interesting oddities, from the singer-songwriter more than any other who could play it both soft and hard. Neil Young, Harvest (Reprise, 1972). To this day, Harvest is Neil Young s biggest hit, reaching #1 and containing a #1 single, Heart of Gold. One of his most gentle and folkcountry-flavored albums, it also had a few other popular songs, like Old Man, Alabama, The Needle and the Damage Done, and A Man Needs a Maid. Apparently with conscious intention, Young avoided making an album as accessible for
years, determined to be unpredictable and investigate other styles than the folk-rock that brought him his greatest success. Recommended Books: Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story Vol. 1, by Dave Marsh (Thunder's Mouth Press, 1996). The most in-depth bio of the Boss, from a famed rock critic whose praise of the artist can verge on the hagiographic. Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, by Clinton Heylin (Chicago Review Press, 2004). Along with Johnny Rogan's Van Morrison: No Surrender, the most exhaustive bio of Van the Man, from his days with Them in Belfast through his extensive solo career the rest of the twentieth century. Girls Like Us, by Sheila Weller (Washington Square Press, 2009). Excellent, ambitiously constructed book interweaving the stories of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon. It not only details their music and personal lives, but also how their rise was both affected by and influenced feminism and the self-perception of women during the 1960s and 1970s. Hotel California, by Barney Hoskyns (Wiley, 2007). Overview of the rock scene surrounding the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s, which was noted in part (though not in whole) as the base for some key players in the singer-songwriter movement, like Joni Mitchell. Also of interest in the same area is Michael Walker's Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Legendary Neighborhood and Harvey Kubernik's coffee table book Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and Music of Laurel Canyon. More Room in a Broken Heart: The True Adventures of Carly Simon, by Steven Davis (Gotham, 2012). Recent detailed bio of Simon's life and times, slammed by Amazon reviewers for some sloppy factual errors (which tend to be on the minor side) and inconsistencies. A Natural Woman: A Memoir, by Carole King (Grand Central Publishing, 2012). One gets the feeling that King is holding back some of the more intensely and painfully personal detail, but this 500-page book naturally has much material of interest relating to her songs and transition from behind-the-scenes composer to solo superstar artist. Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours, by Cath Carroll (Chicago Review Press, 2004). In-depth study of the genesis and completion of one of the highest-selling albums of all time. For an entertaining career overview stretching back to the late-'60s Peter Green days and emphasizing critical reviews of all of their record releases, look for Steve Clarke and Roy Carr's Fleetwood Mac: Rumours'n'Fax. Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter, by Alyn Shipton (Oxford University Press, 2013). The only serious biography of Harry Nilsson is fortunately first-rate, drawing on
interviews with many close to the enigmatic singer-songwriter, as well as excerpts of his unfinished autobiography. Paul Simon: Still Crazy After All These Years, by Patrick Humphries (Doubleday, 1989). How can it be that after all these years, there is still no first-rate Paul Simon biography? This slim one from 1989 gives a basic outline of his career, without much indepth research. Shelter from the Storm: Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Years, by Sid Griffin (Jawbone, 2010). Bob Dylan in the mid-1970s, as seen through his Rolling Thunder Revue tours, in which he showcased his material from the time with aid and support from numerous other like-minded souls, from Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez to Roger McGuinn. Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir, by Linda Ronstadt (Simon & Schuster, 2013). Like the title says, this is a memoir that sticks to the essentials of Ronstadt s musical career, with relatively little about her personal life. She intelligently and frankly recounts her journey from folk clubs to 1970s rock stardom, and beyond the 1970s to her work in theater, Mexican music, popular standards, and country. A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan & the Making of Blood on the Tracks, by Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard (Da Capo Press, 2005). The surprisingly complicated behindthe-scenes story of the album that marked Dylan's post-'60s high point, co-written by a musician (Odegard) who participated in some of the sessions. Soul Picnic: The Music and Passion of Laura Nyro, by Michele Kort (St. Martin's Griffin, 2003). The only Nyro biography isn't as substantial as might have been hoped, but might be the only one to appear. Transformer: The Lou Reed Story, by Victor Bockris (Da Capo Press, 1997). Flawed and sometimes judgmental, with occasional errors, but still the only full-length Lou Reed biography. Van Morrison: No Surrender, by Johnny Rogan (Random House, 2006). Along with Clinton Heylin's Can You Feel the Silence? (which appeared at roughly the same time) a meticulous biography of Van Morrison, though this (unlike Heylin's book) attempts to mix in some historical context from the troubled sociopolitical scene in Morrison's native Belfast. White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day, by Richie Unterberger (Jawbone Press, 2009). This is not an unbiased recommendation as the author is the instructor of this course. But this chronicle of the Velvet Underground has more information about their career than any other book, and so includes a lot of coverage of Lou Reed, including some of his early solo years. Won't Get Fooled Again: The Who from Lifehouse to Quadrophenia, by Richie Unterberger (Jawbone Press, 2011). Another biased recommendation of a book by the
instructor of this course. It charts the genesis and collapse of the Who's most ambitious concept album, Lifehouse (which mutated into 1971's Who's Next), as well as their successfully completed 1973 rock opera Quadrophenia. Relevant to this class, it also talks about the contrast between the Who s work of this period and the more obscure, far more singer-songwriter-oriented early solo recordings by their main songwriter, Pete Townshend. Recommended DVDs: George Harrison & Friends: The Concert for Bangladesh (Rhino, 2005). The film of the August 1971 Madison Garden concert organized by George Harrison, including several Harrison performances of songs from his early career (as well as "Here Comes the Sun" and "Something"), along with clips from the sets by Ravi Shankar, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and Bob Dylan. The DVD reissue includes a second disc with a documentary on the concert and some previously unseen performances. George Harrison, George Harrison: Living in the Material World (Universal, 2011). Running more than three hours, this Martin Scorsese documentary covers Harrison's whole life, before, during, and after the Beatles. Along with bountiful vintage performance and interview footage, it also has interviews done specifically for this project with numerous intimates, like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, both his wives, and even Phil Spector. Though there's the sense that it avoids being too critical or bringing up too much dirt, it's not wholly sanitized, and pays a lot of attention to his early-'70s highwater mark with All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh. A book with additional material was issued to coincide with the film, as was a CD of previously unreleased recordings. John Lennon, Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album (Capitol, 2000). Documentary on the making of Lennon's second real solo studio album, one of his most popular due to the hit title track. This is an entirely different film than the documentary Imagine: John Lennon (described below). John Lennon, Imagine: John Lennon (Warner Home Video, 2005). Lennon documentary emphasizing his post-beatles solo years has plenty of interviews and vintage footage, though like many products from the Lennon estate, it tends to overromanticize its subject. Also of interest, though not as music-centered, are Lennon NYC, on John's relationship to New York City (where he lived for most of the '70s), and The U.S. Vs. John Lennon, on the government's attempts to deport him in the first half of the 1970s. John Lennon, Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon (Capitol, 2003). Clips of John Lennon, performing or set to songs from his solo career. John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band (Eagle Rock, 2008). Another entry in the "classic albums" series, documenting the making of Lennon's first true studio solo album, with
comments from the likes of Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, and even Lennon's primal therapist, Arthur Janov. Joni Mitchell, Woman of Heart and Mind (Eagle Vision, 2003). Originally broadcast on the PBS American Masters series, this documentary has interviews with Mitchell herself, and close collaborators/intimates like David Crosby, Graham Nash, James Taylor, and David Geffen. Van Morrison, Under Review 1964-1974 (Sexy Intellectual, 2008). Nearly two-hour documentary on Morrison's first and best decade, with the usual mix of vintage footage/interviews and interviews done for the project with music critics. Harry Nilsson, Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (Lorber Films, 2010). Two-hour documentary deftly mixes vintage performance footage and interviews with many of his crucial collaborators, friends, and family. Lou Reed, Paris 1972 (IMV Blueline, 1972). The reviews on Amazon savage this, perhaps rightly so, for its brief (21-minute) running time and technical quality. However you see this (and as those reviews point out, youtube is an option), it does capture a brief set by not just Reed, but other just ex-velvet Underground bandmates John Cale and Nico. They do Velvet Underground songs and some solo material in a fashion that would decades later be termed unplugged. A much longer audio recording of this concert is on the CD Le Bataclan 72 (see listing in recommended listening section). Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water (CD/DVD Expanded Edition) (Columbia, 2011). The DVD disc of this expanded edition of Simon & Garfunkel's 1970 Bridge Over Troubled Water album has a good documentary about the making of the record with interviews with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, along with the duo's interesting if flawed 1969 television special Songs of America. Bruce Springsteen, Becoming the Boss: 1949-1985 (Chrome Dreams, 2005). This is a little on the dinky side, but does have interviews with guys who played in Springsteen's early bands, as well as some music critics also discussing his rise to stardom. The two authorized bonus DVDs with the 30 th anniversary expanded edition of Born to Run (one a 1975 London concert, the other a documentary on the making of the album) might be a better view, if more limited in their focus. Cat Stevens, A Classic Concert: Tea for the Tillerman Live (Wienerworld/MVD, 2008). Excellent quality color June 1971 concert, done in the studios of KCET television in Los Angeles, including his hits "Moonshadow," "Wild World," and "Father and Son." Troubadours: The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter (2011, Hear Music). Although this is ostensibly a documentary on the early- 70s singer-songwriter movement focusing on the Los Angeles club the Troubadour (which frequently showcased singer-songwriters), it especially concentrates on the interwoven rise to stardom of Carole King and James Taylor, who performed on each other's records during the period.
Notable Figures (Excluding Star Musicians): Lou Adler: Already a prominent music industry figure as a record executive and producer who was key to the career of the Mamas & the Papas and the organization of the Monterey Pop Festival, he was also important to the early 1970s singer-songwriter movement as producer for Carole King, who recorded for his Ode Records label. Mike Appel: Bruce Springsteen's manager and producer at the beginning of his recording career, though he'd split with his client amid much acrimony and legal action after Born to Run. His side of the story is told in the book Down Thunder Road: The Making of Bruce Springsteen. David Geffen: Manager who became co-founder of Asylum Records, home to artists like Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Jackson Browne, and (briefly) Bob Dylan that were crucial to defining the singer-songwriter/slickly produced Los Angeles wing of 1970s rock. Continued to be one of the most powerful men in the record business as head of Geffen Records in the 1980s. John Hammond: Columbia Records executive, active since the 1930s, who continued to exert an influence on popular music in the late 1960 and 1970s by signing Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen. Jon Landau: Prominent rock critic who, partly as a result of being one of the first writers to champion Bruce Springsteen, became Springsteen's manager and co-producer. Jacques Levy: Co-writer, with Bob Dylan, of many of the songs on Dylan's Desire album; before that, had been a songwriting collaborator of Roger McGuinn. Richard Perry: As producer for Nilsson, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, and others, a big architect of the glossy commercial early-1970s rock sound. Paul Samwell-Smith: Formerly bassist in the Yardbirds in the mid-1960s, and then a major player in the singer-songwriter sound as producer for Cat Stevens and Carly Simon. The Section: Group of top Los Angeles session men who played on records by James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and others, helping to define the 1970s laidback Los Angeles rock/singer-songwriter sound. Some members were guitarist Danny Kortchmar, drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Leland Sklar, and keyboardist Craig Doerge. Joe Smith: Warner Brothers executive who had a lot of power at the label at the time it was signing a lot of singer-songwriters, and was particularly important in the early career of Van Morrison.
Phil Spector: Legendary producer of 1960s hits by the Ronettes, Righteous Brothers, Crystals, and others who produced or co-produced early solo albums by George Harrison and John Lennon. Bernie Taupin: Lyricist for his songwriting collaborator Elton John, although he did not play or sing on John's records. Lenny Waronker: Warner Brothers producer and executive who worked with Randy Newman, Arlo Guthrie, Van Dyke Parks, Gordon Lightfoot, and others. Notable Places: Asbury Park: New Jersey shoreline town most known as the place where Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band honed their sound. The Bitter End: Greenwich Village nightclub that, although it had performers and comedians of all kinds, often staged shows by prominent singer-songwriters. Madison Square Garden: Site of the Concert for Bangladesh, the first huge rock concert benefiting a humanitarian cause, organized by George Harrison, who also performed. Bob Dylan played his only public show as a solo artist between 1969 and 1974 at this event. Important Record Labels: Asylum: Founded by David Geffen and Elliot Roberts, this Warner Brothers-distributed label was home to numerous singer-songwriters and folk-rock acts moving into pop-folkcountry-rock in its early years, including Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Jackson Browne, and (briefly) Bob Dylan. Ode Records: Founded by noted producer Lou Adler, and home to Carole King for her most popular records.