"​No Sing Along For Me"
BY MIKE PODSEDLY
 
I enjoy the great music of my generation that is played nonstop on Inside The Gates Radio. I experience the emotion and memory produced by the music that has been documented in earlier articles. One thing that is missing is my ability to sing along in a pleasant voice that the music deserves. I elicit groans and pleas to stop when in the company of others. This condition has been consistent throughout my life and has led me to be a closet car and shower singer.
I can trace this lack of ability to sing to an event that occurred back in the fifth grade. My class was to perform a choral presentation at a school function. We had a tiered platform, robes and the works. After the music was selected it became imperative to rehearse for the upcoming show. I had memorized the words and was ready to go. After a few practice sessions I was pulled aside and directed to pantomime instead of singing. This evaluation was to plant the idea that singing was something I should avoid at all costs. This feeling has persisted into my senior years.
While helping launch ITG Radio I began to listen to music more often. I heard many different vocal styles that I had not paid attention to before. I wondered why my voice did not come close to being within this rather wide range of recorded musicians.
So, I put on my research hat to determine the cause of my seemingly outlier of a singing voice. I first came upon a test for being tone deaf on musical-u.com. I put on my best noise cancelling headphones and began the test. It was divided into three sections, all comparing two tones. First was responding whether the tones were the same or different, second consisted if the sequence of tones went up or down and lastly if the tones were higher or lower. I was surprised by my score of 83% correct. I could eliminate being tone deaf as a reason for my poor singing voice.
On the musical-u website they offer training to improve your musical ability. They state that there are two aspects to singing in tune, voice control and hearing the notes. Voice control is about 20% of what it takes to sing while the ability to hear the note you should sing compared to note you are singing makes up the other 80%. As in most activities, the brain must be trained to recognize pitch and tuning.
I found another article that supported the assessment that that pitch accuracy is primary cause of bad singing. There is an interview with Sean Hutchins, while he was at BRAMS (International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research), studying the neuroscience of music. “Hutchins says that even though nearly all of us are equipped with the biological hardware to produce a wide range of notes, bad singing is rampant. ‘Singing is a complex expression,’ he explains. ‘The majority of people, around 60 percent, have a difficult time’ with it. (Discover Magazine, Can't Sing? Blame Your Brain, James Dziezynski, June 22, 2014). The problem was not the perception of a note but the ability to reproduce the sound with their voices. Hutchins’ conclusion: “Our brains have the ability to signal the voice to produce the correct note, but have mapped out the wrong output to match a perceived note. ‘Our brains are quite good at perception, which is why so many of us enjoy listening to music without being great musicians,’ he says. But those same brains give our vocal cords faulty instructions.”
There are many articles debating whether musicality is an innate or acquired skill. Aside from those rare individuals who are born with perfect pitch, I believe it is a skill that requires both an aptitude and practice. People born with physical assets such as height, speed, stamina, etc. are drawn to sports activities if they wish to exploit their advantages. The same holds true for people that test well may focus on academics. I have heard comments from musicians about the need to practice regularly or they see deterioration in their skill level in a relatively short time. This complaint is often repeated by participants in sports such as golf, tennis and many others. After several interruptions to my golf game, I would remark that it felt like I was starting over when I got back to the course.
It appears that for me to improve my singing voice it would take a vigorous and sustained effort to train my brain to match the notes in my head to those coming from my vocal cords. Given my age and a myriad of other interests, this will not happen for me. I will proudly continue in the company of the 60% of the population that are considered “bad singers”. I will continue to experience the music on Inside The Gates Radio library, the greatest music of our lifetime!
Please visit our website insidethegatesradio.com for information about connecting options, download apps, live show schedules and station news.  Send us an email to ITGRadio@bigcanoepoa.org to express your questions, comments or suggestions.

​Inside The Gates Radio Embraces Cover Songs
BY: MIKE PODSEDLY
Cover Songs have an important place in the rock music universe. I have looked for cover versions of songs because the interpretations by other artists are fascinating listening. Covers range from duplicating the original performance to putting a whole new spin on the song.
In popular music, a cover version, remake, cover song, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by someone other than the original artist or composer of a song. No matter how unique and different your version is, someone else legally owns the song and is therefore entitled to royalties. By requesting a mechanical license, you are ensuring that the original creator of the song is getting their fair share of the sales of the cover.
The advent of the singer/songwriter era, around the late 60s or early 70s, many artists’ songs had greater lyrical and musical depth leaving room for an evolving re-interpretation of a song’s feel or meaning. Using someone else’s hit song has often been a way for a new act to get heard and recognized.
Nowadays, a “cover-version” of a writers’ song is considered a high compliment. It means that the effort has garnered attention and appreciation to the point of other stylists wanting to add their interpretation to a song they find appealing.
 I have selected a list of cover songs that I consider significant in some way. I have added some comments to each song of interest. 
“Twist And Shout” (1963) cover by The Beatles of The Isley Brothers: In the beginning of their career The Beatles covered a lot of songs.  This one was especially attention getting.
“House Of The Rising Sun” (1964) cover by The Animals of            Unknown: This song is so old, its origin is unknown with many theories.
“With A Little Help From My Friends” (1968) cover by Joe Cocker of The Beatles: These versions couldn't sound less alike.  The Beatles version sounds vanilla, while Joe's is gospel soul bliss.
“Everybody’s Talkin’” (1968) cover by Harry Nilsson of  Fred Neil: Nilsson had been a computer programmer at a bank in Los Angeles. He released “Everybody’s Talkin'” on his 1968 album, “Aerial Ballet”.  The next year it stole the show as the featured theme song of the 1969 cult classic film, Midnight Cowboy. The song helped solidify Nilsson’s career as a countercultural poet with no master.
“Woodstock” (1970)  cover by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young of Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded the definitive song about the Woodstock festival. She did not attend but watched the TV coverage from her hotel room. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young did appear, playing an acoustic set followed by an electric set around 3 a.m.
“Me and Bobby McGee” (1971) cover by Janis Joplin of Kris Krisofferson: This was written by Kris Kristofferson, but it was Janis Joplin's hit cover that gave his career a lift. The song was released after she died of a heroin overdose. It was the second song that was #1 in US after the artist had died.
 “Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds” (1974) cover by Elton John of John Lennon: As the story goes, Elton made a bet with Lennon that he could make a #1 hit with it. After he lost, Lennon came out of retirement during Elton's show got up on stage for 3 songs.
“Blinded By The Light” (1976) cover by Manfred Mann's Earth Band of Bruce Springsteen: This cover version from went #1 in 1976.  Ironically, Bruce used to perform the Manfred Mann hit “Pretty Flamingo” in early concerts.
“Cocaine” (1977) cover by Eric Clapton of J J Cale: Another song that was recorded and released originally by J J Cale.  The success of the song led to Cale getting a record deal enabling him to have enough money to make music on his own terms.
“Ooh Baby Baby” (1978) cover by Linda Ronstadt of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Linda was not a songwriter, so it was about picking the right song.  Her styling was the key to her success.  She covered many songs but this was a perfect choice for her.
“Walk Away Renee” (1983) cover by Rickie Lee Jones of The Left Banks: Rickie was a great interpreter of Rock and has done an entire album of covers.  This one is from the highly praised "Girl At Her Volcano" LP.
“Alone” (1987) cover by Heart of i-Ten: “Alone” first appeared on i-Ten's 1983 album with little success. They heard that Heart was looking for a power ballad and Alone came to mind.  They liked everything about the song except for the first line of the chorus.
 
DJ Reactions
After investigating cover songs I wanted to get reactions from the Inside The Gates DJs, a most knowledgeable group.
Dinnis Keefe has a live show on Saturday evenings at 6:30pm titled SoundSense. He has been in the radio and recording business for years and his experience is reflected in his show commentary. 
“Everybody wants to cover a Dylan song. First off, the songs are almost all lyrically marvelous  and melodically obliging. It’s hard not to look and sound good with one of these tunes coming out of your mouth. And frankly, Mr D’s original renditions usually leave some room for refinements.”
Keefe described what he looks for in a cover saying “For taking a song as far as conceivable from its original intent and turning it into something astonishing, if not unrepeatable. Bettye Lavette’s ‘Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook’ takes the gold. Start with George Harrison’s ‘Isn't It A Pity.’ Listen sitting down to avoid injury when your knees buckle.”
 
Alikhan shares his favorites
Shiraz Alikhan has a live show on Sundays at 4:30 pm named San Francisco Nights. He was in a cover band here in Big Canoe for several years called Off the Record. He also performs a lot of covers at the Acoustic Showcase performances
Alikhan commented about “’With a Little Help From My Friends’. John and Paul wrote this for Ringo to sing on ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and deliberately wrote a melody with limited range. Cocker put himself on the rock music map with his aching, soulful version at Woodstock which became a kind of anthem. That concert and the movie documenting it displayed Cocker's rather eccentric singing style that some people mocked. He was good natured during his ‘Dueling Cockers’ appearance on SNL in 1976. Then John Belushi joined him on another great Cocker cover, Dave Mason & Traffic's ‘Feeling Alright’”.
Alikhan further pointed out that “We have a great cover of  Procul Harum’s ’A Whiter Shade of Pale’ by Annie Lennox and also have a terrific cover of ‘Ain't No Sunshine’ a Bill Withers classic by Joan Osborne in our library. My wife really likes this version.”
 
Looney’s Tunes too
Craig Looney has a Live Show on Sundays at 6:30 pm appropriately called Looney’s Tunes
Looney remarked that “Cover songs are the topic and I think all of the ITG Radio DJ's are huge fans of them.  I enjoy them so very much that I started a new regular segment on Looney's Tunes, Cover Me Up.
Each week I play an original track from an artist/band and go to great lengths to find an interesting cover version.  The covers I most enjoy are versions that consider the original as a foundation and build it into something unique, respectful of the original, but distinct in their own interpretation.
I have found some great ones during my research, including Simon & Garfunkel's ‘Scarborough Fair’ covered by the band Sea Level, Simon & Garfunkel's ‘Sound Of Silence’ covered by the artist, Disturbed, Aerosmith's ‘Sweet Emotion’ covered by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon and Johnny Cash's ‘Ring of Fire’ covered by Ruthie Foster”
Please visit our website insidethegatesradio.com for information about connecting options, download apps, live show schedules and station news.  Send us an email to TGRadio@bigcanoepoa.org to express your questions, comments or suggestions.

BY MIKE PODSEDLY
 
I watched a TV documentary on EPIX recently titled “Laurel Canyon: A Place In Time” directed by Alison Ellwood that sought to capture one of rock music’s greatest eras. Constructed from old videos and photos augmented by new interviews, it told the story of this landmark music scene. Many of the songs generated during this time are mainstays in the Inside the Gates Radio vast music library.
The golden years of the Laurel Canyon scene, roughly 1967-74, saw the birth of the singer-songwriter movement and the rise of huge stars, from folk-rock bands like the Byrds and the Mamas and the Papas to Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Carole King, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, the Flying Burrito Brothers, America, and the Eagles—many of whom played on each other’s records.
Artists didn’t initially move to Laurel Canyon because it was a musical mecca. They moved there because it was a cheap place to live, with easy access to L.A. and clubs like the Troubadour and Whisky A-Go-Go that would give new artists a shot. Musicians gravitated to places that were inexpensive and then their friends gravitated there. Pretty soon, no one but musicians lived there.
There were so many artists that had gotten out of folk music because folk had gone out of fashion. The music produced there has often been labeled as folk or soft rock for its mellow sound, but the canyon was a melting pot, cross-breeding the genres of folk, psychedelia, pop, blues, country and rock. Laurel Canyon bloomed with melodic, atmospheric and politicized songs that defined the moment, made by artists who defined a generation.
Laurel Canyon was an idyll for musicians, a place secluded from the bright lights of Los Angeles, where they could breathe the same air and create freely, together. During the show photographer Henry Diltz, who saw and documented much of the scene, narrates the encounter where David Crosby recalls inviting his protégé, an unknown Joni Mitchell, to a party arranged by Cass Elliott to welcome Eric Clapton on his first visit to America. Clapton sat mesmerized, Crosby recalls, by Mitchell’s unique guitar-fingering style. 
In a new interview for the show, “We were living in the very center of this beautiful bubble of friendship, sunshine, sex, drugs and music,” says Graham Nash, the British Invasion veteran who defected to Southern California, where he became a charter member of Laurel Canyon society, hooking up with David Crosby of the Byrds and Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield at the Laurel Canyon home of Joni Mitchell, Nash’s girlfriend at the time, to form Crosby, Stills & Nash.
The heyday of the Laurel Canyon music scene may be over, but that’s the point. Lisa Robinson wrote in a February 8, 2015 Vanity Fair article entitled “An Oral History of Laurel Canyon, the 60s and 70s Music Mecca”, “Scenes aren’t meant to last. They sparkle with activity, flourish, then burn out.” It’s never forgotten though — the musical style and sound lives on, continuing to inspire and influence the artists of today.
Gary Tripp from Long Live Vinyl.net compiled a list of 40 albums in terms of Laurel Canyon-ness.  I have selected some of the great albums released from his list during this time have endured time and genre changes.  They are big part of “the Greatest Music of our Lifetime” played on the Inside The Gates Radio rotation.
“Buffalo Springfield” (1967): Buffalo Springfield’s songwriting power trio of Young, Stills and Richie Furay combined to produce a timeless and stupidly influential release.
“Crosby, Stills & Nash” (1969): The harmonies and the confessional songwriting of CSN’s debut has come to define the Laurel Canyon sound.
“Sweet Baby James” James Taylor (1970): After recording his debut in the UK for The Beatles’ Apple label, Taylor decamped to Laurel Canyon, adding to the ranks of straggly-haired, denim-clad, introspective singer-songwriters.
“Ladies of the Canyon” Joni Mitchell (1970): Moving away from the airy folkiness of her first two albums, the singer-songwriter’s transitional third opens her up as an artist of boundless talent.
     “Déjà Vu” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970) Crosby, Stills and Nash were bolstered by the arrival of Neil Young into their fold. the album’s magical harmonies and memorable songs mark it out as a milestone of the movement. It remains the quintessential Laurel Canyon LP.
“If I Could Only Remember My Name” David Crosby (1971)                                                     
​Surfing the wave of Déjà Vu, David Crosby invited his mates to help him out on his solo debut and Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Grace Slick and Jerry Garcia, among others, answered the call.
“Tapestry” –Carole King (1971)
Carole King had written a string of hits for others as a songwriter in New York’s Brill Building, but on “Tapestry”, she was singing for herself. Its perfectly crafted songs marked it as one of the quintessential singer-songwriter albums of the 70s.
“Songs For Beginners” Graham Nash (1971) Nash recorded his first solo album in the wake of his split with Joni Mitchell, and many of the songs lament the time spent together.
“For Everyman” Jackson Browne (1973) Equal parts bluesy folk and piano-driven ballads, Laurel Canyon resident Jackson Browne. The serene songwriter was able to enlist a star-studded supporting cast including his buddies Glenn Frey and Don Henley, while Elton John, credited as “Rockaday Johnnie,” contributes some piano.  As a side note, the genius of Jackson Browne was presented in a midweek special show by Craig Looney on Inside the Gates Radio Live.
Please visit our website insidethegatesradio.com for information about connecting options, download apps, live show schedules and station news.  Send us an email to ITGRadio@bigcanoepoa.org to express your questions, comments or suggestions.

Greetings From Inside The Gates Radio.  I asked a number of our station listeners for their opinions about Inside The Gates Radio and thought you may enjoy their comments.  I have not edited any of their input.  As these are folks I know, there are a number of comments about my live show in particular.  Shiraz Alikhan and Dinnis Keefe have excellent shows and faithful listeners as well, but I wanted to share the following kind words to give you all a perspective of Inside The Gates Radio.  Perhaps...just maybe...it will inspire you to listen to your community radio station just a bit more.  Of course, if you haven't taken the opportunity to listen...please do so.   
 
Deb Boardley, Toledo, Ohio
Early last summer, 2019 BC (Before Coronavirus), a few of my music loving friends had just returned from Jazz Fest and they were talking about listening to Inside the Gates Radio.  That Sunday night I tuned in and was so impressed with the music and Craig Looney's knowledge and insights about music. I have been a "regular" since then. I love the live show, and also frequently listen to the streaming music throughout the week.  

There are a couple of reasons I enjoy the station. This is the music I have enjoyed my whole life. But ITG is so special because it is not the "same old, same old". I often find myself listening to a favorite artist, but realizing that I never heard "that song".  It is GREAT and I wonder how I missed "that song".  I also enjoy the song quizzes - and learn fun facts every week.  Finally, the live shows are so much fun because it is a shared experience. I do know the Toledo crowd - but hearing names of people tuning in from Big Canoe, Chicago, DC, Nevada, West VA and NE Ohio, etc., it feels like kindred spirits - connecting through music.  It is far better than when I took my portable radio to the pool!
Thanks so much for ITG!  It is a gem!
 
Ben Godwin, Big Canoe
Inside the Gates Radio is my go to station for music while I am working, reading, or relaxing. On Sunday nights we enjoy listening to Looney’s Tunes as we  have a cocktail and make dinner. Craig’s selection of artists and some of their lesser known tunes make for an entertaining evening with a mix of familiar and new music. We are looking forward to a great summer with music from Inside the Gates Radio!
 
Tim Hanofee, Big Canoe
Like many or most of the ITG listeners,  I grew up listening to the music LooneyMan and the other “jocks” play for us.
The diversity, the history, the back stories provided in the Live shows brings back wonderful  memories and offers us the opportunity to drift back to our youth.  The  ITG music is always phenomenal, the live shows are sublime!
 
Lisa Keating and Phil Odenweller, Hendersonville, NC
Our introduction to Craig's show was an eye-opener from the get go and continues to be so! We look forward to settling in on Sunday evenings for a blast from the past and an entree to new artists. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity and we take full advantage of it! Kudos to Inside the Gates Radio!
 
Dale, Cherie and Wrigley Hood, Big Canoe
Let me just say, that it is a breath of fresh air to be able to relax and enjoy music and songs from artists that you would otherwise never hear  because radio stations tend to only play what are considered to be the hit songs they recorded.  Kudos to our Inside The Gates radio station for introducing these great songs to its listeners as well as artists and musicians that we are hearing for maybe the first time.  Keep Rocking Inside The Gates!
 
Pud and Deenie Ritter, Las Vegas, Nevada
A New Sunday Tradition in our household is listening to Looney’s Tunes on ITG Radio. The songs played and the historical commentary by Craig Looney bring back memories of times past but not forgotten. Tell all your friends to tune in to be completely entertained, they won’t be disappointed.
 
Sara Bennett...Lawrenceville, Georgia
How do I love thee ITG....
1. Great music
2. Great music
3. Great music
4. No commercials
5. Awesome live shows
6. Awesome live shows
7. On the air 24/7
8. Every time I listen to a live show, I learn something new about the artists.
9. It's so great I tell everyone to listen!
10. Did I mention GREAT MUSIC???
 
 
Terry Nicholson...Big Canoe
Hello, my name is Terry Nicholson, a resident here in Big Canoe, GA.  Retired, I spend a tremendous number of hours each week in my woodworker’s shop constructing various items for friends, family, myself and other that request custom made products.  I must admit, I was, and still am a fan of Pandora, which helps pass the time between saws, planes, sander and other noise making apparatus.  When Craig and the team first opened up “Inside The Gates Radio”, I split my listening pleasures between Pandora and ITGR, but gradually moved more and more towards ITGR for a number of reasons.  The variety of artist, songs, and music exceeds the expectations I was after.  Also, I get to hear the “shout-outs” from my friends and neighbors, not to mention my own, which totally impresses my grandchildren to hear their BABA on the radio.  I totally endorse and recommend Inside The Gates Radio to anyone that wants to hear great music, whether working, exercising, relaxing.
 
Rick Kanfer...Dunwoody, Georgia
ITGR...“The radio station that drives emotions”
By combining a unique collection of Rock, Blues, and Jazz from many different eras, with a heavy concentration of VERY deep tracks, Inside The Gates Radio truly brings you an emotional experience.  That’s what I like the most about ITGR -
it's not something to be played in the background while you read or play spades, rather it's positively foreground. You need to focus so you can derive the most pleasure, the most enjoyment.  ITGR makes you feel you're not alone in this crazy world. It amps up your energy and eliminates your depression. It is truly soul-fulfillment.
 
Please visit our website       www.insidethegatesradio.com     and go to the 'FAQ' link on the home page to get precise instructions on how to connect with us.  Inside The Gates Radio from beautiful Big Canoe!
 

BY MIKE PODSEDLY                                         Published in Smoke Signals July 2020 Issue

“THE GREATEST MUSIC OF OUR LIFETIMES” is our slogan that is backed by science.  Studies show that music can be a particularly effective cue for bringing one back to sights and sounds of events from across our life spans.  These have been labeled MEAMS, Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories.
The link between cues and associated memory have been demonstrated in several controlled settings with a variety of participants.  Favorite songs are typically listened to much more frequently over one’s lifetime than films or books. 

Our preferred music is rooted in adolescence and early adulthood.  Research revealed songs released when the participant was 10 to 30 years old are preferred, better recognized and elicit heightened emotional responses compared to songs from other periods.  There is also a bump in ages 40 to 50 years old.  For example, if you are 70 years old today then the music from 1960 to 1980 would be called your favorites.  There might also be some favorites from 1990 to 2000.

The average study participant listened to music 30 min to 1 hour per half day.  The number of MEAMS reported was positively associated with the volume of music listening in total.  MEAMS can be effectively evoked most often in situations where your attention is not explicitly focused on music.  Most MEAMS were experienced during background listening. They can occur while driving/traveling, doing housework, at work, relaxing, socializing, etc.  MEAMS were reported as involuntary rather than deliberately retrieved.  Another finding I found interesting was that there was no significant difference in the occurrence of MEAMS between musicians and non-musicians since I fall in the latter group.
Older adults reported more positive emotions in response to their MEAMS as expected.  They also reported having more vivid memories.  MEAMS are a relatively common everyday experience which serve to transport us back to life events that are often highly vivid, positive and social in nature.  MEAMS have a role in maintaining one’s life narrative and evolving sense of self.  This might also explain why people tend to reject the music of younger generations due to the lack of MEAMS experienced by them.

Personally, I have been constructing a timeline of significant events during my life as defined by me.  I have then noted what songs bring the sharpest recall of each of these events.  The process is not this clean because sometimes the music suggests the events and other times the events might lead me to the selection of the music. 

If you haven’t listened to our station yet, do what our loyal audience does:

• Listen to Inside The Gates Radio daily
• Let the memories come to you without forcing them
• Note the details of the events the music evokes
• Enjoy the positive experience.
• Repeat

​
Please visit our website insidethegatesradio.com for information about connecting options, download apps, live show schedules and station news.  Send us an email to ITGRadio@bigcanoepoa.org to express your questions, comments or suggestions.