A couple of weeks back, two guys passed away who contributed mightily to the sound of music in the past 50 years, albeit quite a bit more anonymously than Michael Jackson. Keyboardist Barry Beckett was one of the legendary Muscle Shoals session players. He's on classic records such as Aretha's "I Never Loved a Man," Wilson Pickett's "Land of 1000 Dances," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," and Paul Simon's "Kodachrome." He also produced albums for Bob Dylan, John Prine, Dire Straits, Etta James, the Staple Singers, Phish, and many others. A serious resume.
Bob Bogle created one of the greatest guitar sounds you've ever heard. He was the lead guitarist for the Ventures and, if you're over the age of 55, chances are you bought one of the band's umpteen hit 45s, including "Walk — Don't Run" and the theme from Hawaii 5-0. Bogle is in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and you can look it up. Neither of these guys were superstars, but they made solid contributions to the soundtrack of our lives.
Related:
Why local TV news will suck, Justice prevails, Bridge to nowhere, More 
- Why local TV news will suck
For the past few weeks, the phones at Casa Diablo have been ringing off the hook with word of what was about to transpire at Channel 10/WJAR-TV.
- Justice prevails
Well, it's about time people in power began taking note of who Phillipe and Jorge support, just as we jettisoned Barack Obama into the presidency after endorsing him prior to the Iowa caucus.
- Bridge to nowhere
The Department of Transportation has taken quite a few knocks in this space over the years. So to try to offset that, spurred by the story in the June 8 Urinal about the Pawtucket River Bridge, let us throw them a compliment: they do a hell of an artist's rendering.
- Bad blood at 'PRO
The ongoing Hatefest at Salty's Joint has hit the Urinal, with an absolutely ridiculous story alleging that veteran Rhode Island radio hand, Ron St. Pierre, inadvertently "assaulted" John "The Journalist" DePetro with an 8x11" sheet of paper loaded with a dangerous metal staple.
- Our Pazmanian Devil
Phillipe and Jorge often think of how nice it would have been if Warren Zevon's "Boom Boom Mancini" ("Hurry home early, hurry on home/Boom-Boom Mancini's fighting Bobby Chacon") had been about local boxer Vinny Paz, nee Pazienza.
- Michael Jackson and his fears
At the dead end of a decade when everyone was too discouraged to wonder if pop had a center, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall (1979) gathered up disillusioned factions of fans as confidently as it punted four singles into the Top 10.
- The Thriller is gone
With the release of Bad (Epic), Michael Jackson ends a recording hiatus of nearly five years. He could have stayed away for 10 years and still not have escaped the shadow of Thriller , the biggest-selling album of all time.
- Abnormal encounter of the suds kind
What better place to show off your new brand of beer, Three Stooges, than at the annual Stooges convention in California? That's exactly what Dewey Parsons was doing recently when word came that the convention had to close early to allow a certain VIP to wander through.
- Mommy, what's with Michael?
" After I got HIStory , I played it incessantly. It was the greatest, strangest, angriest, most bizarre thing I ever heard. Michael Jackson is this iconic persona..."
- Britney Spears and Michael Jackson fight it out
Cue up track six on the new Britney (Jive) and prepare yourself for the Technicolor disco flash-back of the year, swooning string section, chunky Nile Rodgers guitar riff, and all. The song's called "Anticipating," and it captures the most famous 19-year-old girl in the world at her guileless, sentimental best.
- The Wiz is alive in Boston
For many years, people have been asking me, 'Quincy, what was your very first big assignment?' My answer now is, "THE WIZ." – Anytime you have 9 singing principals, 120 dancers, 6 sound technicians, 3 conductors, 4 contractors, 300 musicians, 105 singers, 9 orchestrators, 6 copyists, 5 music editors; you are talkin' big numbers.
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Phillipe And Jorge
, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, More
, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, Wilson Pickett, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Phish, The Staple Singers, Halitosis Hall, Less
