Other Female Singers

I heard this song on CBC radio this morning... Lily and Madeleine, sisters from Indianapolis, Indiana. I love the retro vibe!

I love this! It reminds me of Bananarama’s Really Saying Something. Nice find Murray, thanks for posting :)
 
I’ve mentioned Danni Nicholls before on here, but she recently released a new album, The Melted Morning, and it’s absolutely beautiful. She has a great voice, her lyrics are honest and from the heart, and she is nothing short of amazing live. If you haven’t checked her out yet, I would highly recommend doing so.

This song, Beautifully Broken, is from her second album, Mockingbird Lane, which is excellent. (In case you hadn’t guessed, Danni’s one of my favourites and she’s such a lovely person too.) Enjoy! 😊

 
Canadian singer Ronney Abramson "Never Seem To Get Along Without You" (from 1977 or 1978 "Stowaway") (audio only): Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
Here is the version of ‘Our Day Will Come’ that I was most familiar with in my youth, at least, up until my early teens, as it was played on the radio quite often and was a hit in my area in 1973. This version is by Linda George.

At 13, I bought ‘Now and Then’ and became familiar with Carpenters’ version, (although I had heard it on the radio before that). The vocals on Carpenters’ version of ‘Our Day Will Come’ remain amongst my favourite performances by Karen.

 
Sometimes it’s funny to re-discover songs that used to impress you in your early teens. I heard ‘Are You Ready For Love’ a few times on the radio around 1976 and was interested. I recently did a search, not able to remember the artist, and found the song on YouTube. It was co-written by Pete Bellotte, who also co-wrote ‘Hot Stuff’ for Donna Summer, which Karen expressed an interest in using for inspiration for her solo work. Pete Bellotte also co-wrote ‘I Feel Love’ and ‘Love to Love You, Baby’ with Donna Summer. I think Patsy Gallant’s version of ‘Are You Ready For Love’ was also played on radio here.

Here’s Joy Fleming’s version - the version I remembered hearing all those years ago.

Some of the songs I liked in the mid-70s were decidedly daggy. This one does have SOMETHING, though, I guess.

 
Australia, 60 Minutes update, interview with Olivia Newton-John:


Can I tell you, Olivia Newton-John is so inspirational. I would of never imagined as a child enjoying "Grease" my beautiful Olivia would someday become this whole other person I can look up to in different ways. Even though her face shows her struggles, the eyes and smile still sparkle!
This is really the first time that her daughter, Chloe really made me proud! It wasn't all about garnering attention for her, this time it's all about her Mom, who just happens to be Olivia Newton-John.

She has become the poster-girl for cancer survival. I wish Karen would of had the time to become the poster-girl for anorexia survival. As I'm sure she would of been equally inspirational. Betting Karen would of been at Olivia's side with her support and friendship.
 
Australia, 60 Minutes update, interview with Olivia Newton-John:

Thanks Gary for this bittersweet video. It's heartbreaking to watch.
In case anyone is interested to know...the auction she mentions in the video above will be held at this link, it will be live which should be interesting to watch. I need to free up some reserves in order to get my bid in for the jacket as a million might set me back.
What else I found interesting is that this link indicates there will be items from Xanadu as well as Grease. They appear to be issuing a limited collectors book which will show all the items being sold at the auction, sounds like a nice collectors book to own.



 
I always loved these denim bell bottoms that she wore on the Midnight special in early 1975. These are in the auction! Check them out in the video below. Plus Olivia in her absolute prime!!! :)

 
From 1970, Canadian duo The Poppy Family "Tryin'" (from "A Good Thing Lost 1968 - 1973"). Susan Jacks wanted to give the song to the late country singer Tammy Wynette but Tammy said "I don't want to record your f--kin' song" so The Poppy Family did the song & was a minor Canadian hit which did not charted in the U.S.. By the way in movie news, actress Jessica Chastain might be playing the late Tammy Wynette in a bio. Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
Susan Jacks wanted to give the song to the late country singer Tammy Wynette but Tammy said "I don't want to record your f--kin' song" so The Poppy Family did the song & was a minor Canadian hit which did not charted in the U.S.. By the way in movie news, actress Jessica Chastain might be playing the late Tammy Wynette in a bio. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

I recently watched quite a few Tammy Wynette interviews on Youtube because I had never watched anything about her. I had always liked her song, 'Justified and Ancient', which she did with the KLF. I can imagine her saying the above! :)
 
Bermuda singer Heather Nova interview on her latest album "Pearl" (2019) & her 25th anniversary of her classic album "Oyster" (1995) which runs 20 minutes. Her comeback concert in The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan back on April 11, 2016 I missed back then. Hopefully she will return by 2020! Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
Mary Hopkin, born two months after our beloved Karen (May 2 1950). She had this huge hit in 1968 at the tender age of 18. Seemed like the world would've got a lot more hit songs from her. She sings this song so beautifully that it still induces chills and an occasional tear in my eye;


 
Did you know that Mary Hopkin was in a group called Hobby Horse in 1972 & they did the remake of The Jamies 1959 song "Summertime, Summertime" on Bell Records. I do like the remake of the late Doris Day "Que Sera Sera" which was produced by Paul McCartney in 1970. Mary's final chart record in the United States was "Knock, Knock Who's There" in late 1972 on Apple Records. Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
A few years ago, I had occasion to re-explore some of Mary Hopkin's work. Her hits were all over the radio back in the day, and I always liked what I'd heard, but all I had was the single "Goodbye" with a b-side of "Sparrow".

Looking to get a hits compilation, I found that there was a 1995 disc called THOSE WERE THE DAYS, a best-of retrospective that was just out-of-print and becoming difficult to find, but I ordered one from the used market. Part of the reason I was willing to spend a bit of money on this disc was the re-discovery of one of Mary's songs that I'd always loved ("Temma Harbour") and yet had forgotten as it had fallen by the wayside of history. No-one ever plays this record anymore, but it's a breath of fresh air from 1972. It only charted to #39 of the Hot 100, but was a #4 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and was a bigger hit in England.

If you've not heard it, give it three minutes of your time. If you remember it, all the better.

 
Did I get the date wrong? Still a great song.

Ok. Upon further investigation, the single record "Temma Harbour" was released in January of 1970 - so it fell in between "Ticket To Ride" and "Close To You".

As was common with Apple Records and Great Britain in general, singles were often not included on albums, and that's the case here. "Temma Harbour" remained a single for two years until it was included in the compilation THOSE WERE THE DAYS, in 1972.
 
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