A moment of tribute today for legendary Philadelphia musician Robert Hazard who died unexpectedly August 5, 2008 at age 59 after surgery for pancreatic cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. While Robert is probably best known for his song Girls Just Wanna Have Fun covered by Cyndi Lauper and more recently by Miley Cyrus, early songs like Escalator Of Life and Change Reaction established him as one of Philadelphia's finest. A great loss indeed.

Robert Hazard - Troubador
Buy Troubador

Via Vanguard Records:
MUSIC ROYALTY COMES TOGETHER TO PAY TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO ON NEW CD
GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

LANDMARK RECORDING TO BENEFIT TIPITINA’S FOUNDATION MISSION OF SAVING THE MUSICAL CULTURE OF NEW ORLEANS

Icons from the world of rock, blues, reggae, pop and country music have joined together to salute the genius of legendary piano man FATS DOMINO for the upcoming double CD set, Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino.

Goin’ Home is set for a September 25th release on Vanguard Records. This stellar tribute to one of the cornerstones of rock n’ roll music will help raise desperately needed funds specifically earmarked for instruments to be donated to New Orleans’ public school children.

Monies raised from the sales of Goin’ Home will also go toward the rebuilding of Fats Domino’s home and to create a community center in the Crescent City’s still ravaged Lower 9th Ward. Proceeds of Goin’ Home will fund additional community related
programs.

The Tipitina’s Foundation, a 501 ©(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving the cultural legacy of New Orleans through music education for the youth and providing programs that support working musicians of New Orleans and the Gulf Region, conceived and executive produced Goin’ Home.

The roster of music royalty contributing their interpretations of classic Fats Domino songs include: Sir Elton John (Blueberry Hill), Sir Paul McCartney (I Want To Walk You Home), Tom Petty (I’m Walkin’), Robert Plant (It Keeps Rainin’), Willie Nelson (I Hear You Knockin’), B.B. King (Goin’ Home) and Neil Young (Walkin’ To New Orleans).

Goin’ Home will also feature the late John Lennon’s version of Fats’ most popular song, “Ain’t That A Shame.”

In addition, some of modern music’s most prolific artists have contributed their time and talent including Lenny Kravitz, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Ben Harper with The Skatalites, Toots and The Maytals, Taj Mahal, Herbie Hancock and Bonnie Raitt. Up and coming stars such as Marc Broussard with Sam Bush, Corrine Bailey Rae and Joss Stone with blues master Buddy Guy have recorded their renditions for this unique compilation.

The participation of some of New Orleans’ greatest musicians has been paramount in the process of recording of Goin’ Home. Dr. John, Art Neville, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Galactic,Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Theresa Andersson, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Rebirth Brass Band and NOLA funk masters George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli and Henry Butler.

Goin’ Home is the brainchild of Tipitina’s Foundation executive director Bill Taylor. “The idea came to me last September when I was trying to come up with a way to thank Fats for donating the proceeds of his last recording, Alive and Kickin’ to our Foundation. I also wanted to create a project that could shine the spotlight on our city’s unique music culture”.

Kevin Welk, President and General Manager of The Welk Music Group stated, "We feel privileged to be involved in such a worthy project. Not only is this a great cause, it continues to raise awareness to a great city that needs all of our support."

Taylor adds, “Fats Domino is the cornerstone of New Orleans music, which in turn became the bedrock for R&B, Soul, Country, Reggae and Rock and Roll. Getting him back to his Lower 9th Ward house will send a clear message to his friends, neighbors and fans that we in New Orleans are coming back and Fats is leading the way.”


Some great new music for a worthy cause and a tribute to true legend. Here's a tasty sample to tide you over until September 25th rolls around.

MP3: Randy Newman - Blue Monday
MP3: Marc Broussard(feat Sam Bush) - Rising Sun
Buy GOIN’ HOME: A Tribute to Fats Domino

[VANGUARD RECORDS]

photo by Jack Robinson

via billboard.com

Bjork, Prince Lead Joni Mitchell Tribute Disc
Joni Mitchell

December 21, 2006, 3:30 PM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Bjork, Prince, James Taylor and Elvis Costello are among the artists
who have recorded covers for "A Tribute to Joni Mitchell," due in the
spring via Nonesuch. The 11-track set also boasts contributions from
Sarah McLachlan, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Sufjan Stevens.

In related news, Billboard.com has learned that Mitchell has been
recording original material at a Los Angeles studio in recent weeks.
It is unknown in what form she plans to release the music; she
angrily announced she was quitting the music business in 2002 after
her last album, "Travelogue."

"A Tribute to Joni Mitchell" comes concurrently with 429
Records' "Endless Highway: A Tribute to the Band," due Jan. 30. That
projects boasts covers from Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket,
Jack Johnson and Widespread Panic, among others.

Here is the track list for "A Tribute to Joni Mitchell":

"Free Man in Paris," Sufjan Stevens
"Boho Dance," Bjork
"Dreamland," Caetano Veloso
"Don't Interrupt the Sorrow," Brad Mehldau
"For the Roses," Cassandra Wilson
"A Case of U," Prince
"Blue," Sarah McLachlan
"Ladies of the Canyon," Annie Lennox
"Magdalena Laundries," Emmylou Harris
"Edith and the Kingpin," Elvis Costello
"Help Me," k.d. lang
"River," James Taylor


Looks like some strange artist and song choices for sure. Here's one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs, A Case Of You. A version by Prince(not the tribute version) , a rare Tori Amos B-Side version, and the original Joni version.

MP3: Prince A Case Of U
MP3: Tori Amos - A Case Of You
MP3: Joni Mitchell - A Case Of You

So, while I was surfing the web in search of a Joni Mitchell picture for this post I happened across these lovely songs by a girl named Morgan Ryan. I thought I'd share them here with you all. Enjoy. Stop by her myspace page to hear some more.

MP3: Morgan Ryan - Hallelu
MP3: Morgan Ryan - Phone Lines

myspace : www.myspace.com/missmorganryan