Brooklyn Music Milestones – March 2015

May 16, 2015 by David K. Moseder

Leader of the Pack Playbill Courtesy of Wikipedia

March 11, 1972: Brooklyn Heights’ own Harry Chapin releases his first studio album, Heads & Tales. Featuring his brother Steve Chapin on keyboards and fellow Brooklynite Timothy Scott on cello, the LP includes the iconic song Taxi.

March 17, 1972: Harry Nilsson’s rendition of Without You completes a four-week run as the top single in the U.S. The Bushwick native’s only number one hit will remain in the top 40 for five more weeks.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

March 28, 1995: The release of Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version marked the solo debut of East New York native Ol’ Dirty Bastard, following his departure from Wu-Tang Clan. The album will peak at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts.

April 8, 1985: Ellie Greenwich’s autobiographical musical, Leader of the Pack opens on Broadway at the Ambassador Theater. Starring Greenwich herself and fellow Brooklynite Annie Golden (The Shirts), as well as pop legend Darlene Love, it features more than a dozen hit songs and originals written or co-written by Greenwich, including Be My Baby, Baby I Love You, I Can Hear Music and the title tune, all sung by Golden; Greenwich’s own renditions of Maybe I Know and Da Doo Ron Ron, and several numbers by Love.

April 8-14, 1955: Alan Freed and His Rock ‘n Roll Easter Jubilee — the first of the legendary deejay’s 19 holiday extravaganzas at Downtown Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre — features local sensations The Three Chuckles along with The Penguins and La Vern Baker, among others.

April 17, 1976: Shannon, Sha Na Na co-founder Henry Gross’s only top 10 solo hit, reaches number six on the Billboard singles charts. Twenty-eight years later the song reaches a new audience when it is included on the soundtrack of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

April 28, 1979: Co-written by Midwood native Chris Stein and his bandmate/soulmate Deborah Harry, Heart of Glass becomes Blondie’s first number one single. Stein would later give much credit for the song’s success to Jimmy Destri, the group’s Boro Park-born keyboard player, for his synthesizer work and use of a CR78 drum machine.

Artists on our Radar

Ricky Stein: Texas Roots in Brooklyn

Ricky Stein/ photo courtesy of the artist

If you’re looking for music inspired by New York City with a Texan flare, look no further than Ricky Stein, a Brooklyn-based artist originally from Austin, Texas. Stein is a singer-songwriter whose music is grounded by a combination of his upbringing in Texas and his present life in the bustling streets of New York City and Downtown Brooklyn. Stein has an impressive discography of singles and albums, and since moving to New York City in August 2016, he has released a full album, “Long Summer” and many singles. Stein’s music is best defined as Americana and roots, with folk-infused acoustic and electric guitars, and his lyrics paint vivid images of nature and life. The listener feels connected to Stein, as his musical stylings resemble talent from the likes of John Prine and Bonnie Raitt. His most recent single, “Passenger,” highlights Stein’s talents with a strong harmonica section. The song’s instrumentation and structure is built on one verse, which compliments the song’s message about the uncertainty and ominousness of being a passenger on a long journey. Another standout, “Street Lights,” is a lighthearted commentary on the comfort of hope, the street lights representing persistent light even in the dead of night. Stein’s live performances are carefully tailored, his sets performed at local venues in Brooklyn like Pete’s Candy Store and many other venues known to support live roots and country music. His talents are always showcased, whether performing a solo show with a guitar and harmonica or being supported by a full band. Stein’s upcoming months are packed with performances at many venues, including Saturday, January 11th at Skinny Dennis Bar in Williamsburg and Friday, March 7th at Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook. You won’t want to miss it!

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