April 2017 - #Atozchallenge - Unquestionably U

U is for "URGENT" by Foreigner!

I think that Foreigner is definitely one of my top 5 bands, maybe number 1.  We certainly have seen them quite a few times at several different venues, including our very first concert together, Day on the Green.  The last time I actually got an in-concert, up close and personal contact with the lead singer, Kelly Hansen!  I was in heaven!

Unfortunately, that's not the show I'm highlighting here, those pictures are not scrapbooked yet!  This is from the Mountain Winery event we saw in 2008.

Mick Jones was still touring with them, although he has since had health issues and is not always with the band (which leads some people to say that it is not really Foreigner without both he and Lou Gramm - who left the band in 2003).  Unlike Journey without Steve Perry, I think Foreigner sounds really good and stays pretty true to the old songs.  Also, Foreigner had put out a new album that I really like, "Can't Slow Down," while I really can't get into any of Journey's new stuff.  Okay, off that soap box, back to the show at hand...

Kelly Hansen has a habit of coming out into the crowd and that is so much fun to watch.  One of my absolute favorite songs is Urgent.  The sax solo by Thom Gimbel is just terrific.

We were close enough to get some guitar picks they gave out.  Love my souvenirs!

Okay, there's U.  Now I just need to pick up the letters, Q and S!  It sounds so much better to only be 2 behind instead of 5!

How about you?  Like the sax?  Foreigner versus Journey (in their current forms)?  Love to hear your comments!


You can click over to the main A to Z Challenge page to see what other participants have come up with for this letter, and come back to see what V has for us!

Suddenly September - 2016

September 6 - Create a playlist.

Wow.  That's tough.  I think any playlist of mine would have to include the following songs, in no particular order:

1. Faithfully - Journey (the Steve Perry version, not any other!)
2. Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks and Don Henley
3. Happy - Pharrell Williams
4. Caught Up In You - .38 Special
5. Keep on Loving You - REO Speedwagon
6. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney
7. Lady - Kenny Rogers
8. Urgent - Foreigner  
9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - George Harrison
10. Somebody Else - Glenn Frey
11. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
12. Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac
13. Always on My Mind - Elvis or Willie Nelson
14. Spanish Eyes - Elvis
15. Something About the Way You Look Tonight - Elton John
16. Sway - Dean Martin
17. With Arms Wide Open - Creed
18. I Want You To Want Me - Chris Isaak
19. Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
20. Grenade - Bruno Mars
21. Look What You've Done To Me - Boz Scaggs
22. You Want To Make a Memory -  Bon Jovi
23. You'll Accompany Me - Bob Seger
24. Use Me - Bill Withers
25. Breathe - Backstreet Boys
26. Biggest Part of Me - Ambrosia
27. Why Do You Love Me - Adele
28. Play Ball - ACDC
29. Set Fire to the Rain - Adele
30. American Girl - Tom Petty
31. No Ordinary Love - Sade
32. Take My Breath Away - Jessica Simpson
33. With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston
34. You and I - Crystal Gayle & Eddie Rabbitt
35. The Game of Love - Santana 
36. Wicked Game - Chris Isaac
37. Paradise - Sade
38. Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean
39. Stepping Out - Joe Jackson
40. The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
41. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
42. California Girls - The Beach Boys
43. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
44. Permanent Stain - Backstreet Boys
45. Stop Dragging My Heart Around - Tom Petty
46. Something - The Beatles
47. Old Time Rock and Roll - Bob Seger
48. Something About You - Boston
49. Photograph - Def Leppard
50. Stand Back - Stevie Nicks

I could go on. I'm sure I'm missing some, like Rod Stewart and Dean Martin for example.  I think I have a very eclectic taste in music and, with the exception of classical and rap, I have just about every genre there is on my iTunes.  How about you?  What's your playlist look like?  Hop on over to the Blog-Tember roll call to check out other playlists!

A to Z Challenge - 2016

S is for Saxophone...

My favorite instrument are drums.  That beat really gets me moving; however, there is something to be said for the saxophone as well.  By far the biggest saxophone I've ever seen is the one played by Alto Reed (how cool is that for a name of a sax player?) who plays with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.  It looks like it is almost as big as he is.

Alto Reed

His sax intro to the song "Turn the Page" is quite haunting.  

A little more lively saxophone performance is that done by Thom Gimbel of Foreigner.  The song "Urgent" is one that really gets my blood flowing, especially that sax part.

Thom Gimbel

Here is a little video I took when we saw them at Mountain Winery a few years ago.

We were lucky to have pretty good seats.  Forgive the shaky camera, it was hard for me not to dance!

My daughter, Rachel, also played the sax in her school band for one year. Here she is marching in a parade in our town.    

Okay.  There's the S-word for the day.  Not many letters left but we are coming to some really tricky ones.  Hope I can make it.

How about you?  Like the sax?