I’ve added some new songs, mainly to the benefit of my work playing for senior audiences. Any of these could find their way into my public solo work as 3’N1 or my trio 6is9. The new songs are Ain’t Misbehavin’, All Shook Up, Day After Day, Down in the Boondocks, Midnight Rider, Living On a Prayer, and You Belong to Me. I’ve got a few more lined up to get to after I incorporate these.
Ain’t Misbehavin’, Fats Waller was my idea. I’ve been interested in the old, 1930–1940s songs, of which I consider this to be one. I’m going for the ones that people (everyone actually, seniors in particular) will know and recognize.
All Shook Up is Elvis Presley of course. This is out and out a choice to appeal to lots of people. Lots of people like Elvis, and I do too. Although to be honest, my regard for him took a hit after I read the two volumes of Peter Guralnick’s bio on him.
My wife has bought me a number of music biographies. She gets them cheap at yard sales and/or used book stores. I’ve read several that way that I probably wouldn’t have on my own. One of those was Mike Love’s book, the singer and writer from the Beach Boys. From his book I learned that the Four Freshman were a big influence and inspiration for Brian Wilson, so I looked them up online. I think I’m right in saying Day By Day is their biggest hit. It’s kind of Latin-y, and when I’ve played it people start dancing (either actually or wiggling in their chair). It’s a challenge. I do one-part harmony. Ha!
Down in the Boondocks was suggested by my good buddy Mickey Bones, and I’ve been digging it. I have a theory that everyone thinks their from the wrong side of the tracks, no matter what side they’re actually from.
Living On a Prayer is not my style, I’m not a Jon Bon Jovi listener or fan. I don’t put him down, but I’m not a consumer. This is for one lady at one senior residence that I play who requested not this song, but the band. I went online to review possible selections and chose this one. So far I haven’t had a chance to try it on the requester yet, so we’ll see.
Midnight Rider is for a similar purpose. The adult daughter of a senior resident mentioned that they listened to the Allman Brothers a lot. Now I am a consumer of the Allman Brothers, that’s what I listened to in late high school, college and beyond. Duane Allman is a major influence on me (and everyone else). They didn’t specify Midnight Rider but it’s one of my favorites and I thought they’d like it. I did get a chance to play it for them and it was well-liked by them. They have now also requested Blue Sky, another great song, which I’ll take a stab at.
I like to listen to the people and what they request or say they like and then try to learn things to bring that to them the next time I go back. I just played a senior gig and a woman said her favorite stuff was Vince Gill in particular and ’90s country in general, which I found surprising. Now I’m going to try to learn to do My Kind of Woman / My Kind of Man (which is a male/female duet, how will I sing it solo?). I can’t pull off any and everything, but trying to do what I can is a good part of the work I think.