Toni's Musical News: September 2017

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Musical News - Rick Stevens of Tower of Power

Rick Stevens, one-time lead singer of Oakland’s own Tower of Power, has died as of September 5, 2017. He died of liver cancer at the age of 77. His first recording with the band was on their debut album “East Bay Grease” on one of my personal favorites, “Sparkling in the Sand” from 1970. He led the group for their recording of the smash “You’re Still a Young Man,” and I can still hear his voice singing it with so much emotion, from the one and only time I saw the band live, way back in 1972.

Stevens left Tower of Power after recording vocals on “What is Hip” and “So Very Hard to Go, but his vocals were re-recorded after his departure. Since leaving Tower of Power, Stevens encountered hardships in his life and was released from prison in 2012. He resumed his singing career with Rick Stevens and Love Power, and in 2013, he sat in onstage with his former group, leading “You’re Still a Young Man.”

Stevens, having spent several of his best years imprisoned, perhaps did not live the life that was intended for him, but for me, his voice will live on.

Rick Stevens [1940 — 09/05/2017]
© 09/05/2017

Musical News - Walter Becker of Steely Dan

Walter Becker, guitarist, vocalist, and co-founder of the jazz rock band of the 1970s, Steely Dan, passed away on September 3, 2017, at the age of 67. Steely Dan had a unique sound and filled a unique niche that appealed to me and millions of others, with such songs as “Peg,” on which Michael McDonald provided vocals, “Deacon Blues,” and “FM (No Static at All)”. I loved several of their songs, many of which were quirky to say the least, but my favorite for personal reasons was “Hey, Nineteen.”

Steely Dan was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, after having sold more than 40 million albums over their career. Steely Dan was noted as one of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Donald Fagen, who formed Steely Dan along with Becker, has pledged to "keep the music we created together alive as long as I can.” I know their music will remain alive for me as long as I still have a memory of the most fabulous decade of my life!