Summer Break!

Alright, all you Kool Kovers fans, it's that time of the year when we must put the laptop aside and go outdoors for awhile. I'm gonna hang out with the family, grill up some great food, lose a bunch of golf balls, play some music with my friends, maybe travel a bit, and just enjoy the Summer. It won't be long before we'll all be hunkered down and hibernating indoors during the long grey months of cold Midwestern Winter suckage. So I'm gonna go play outside while the sun is shining. I truly believe I need to move somewhere that's warmer year-round. Someday...

What all that means is, I'm taking the month of July off to recharge the creative batteries. The weekly Kool Kovers blog features will resume anew in August. But fear not, my friends. During the break, the blog's very own Facebook page will be updated often with items of interest, as the whim of the muse dictates. There's bound to be some interesting musical news that will surface, and I'll be sure to post it for you. There's also well over 100 Kool Kovers articles on this website for you to go back and check out, if you've missed any over the past year or so.

I would also like to send out a great big "Thank You" in sincere appreciation to all of you who read this blog regularly, and to those who've slapped a "Like" on our Facebook page in recent weeks. Knowing that there are music fans worldwide, that find the time to enjoy this little project of mine, makes all the work that goes into it worthwhile.

As a seasonal send-off, here's a stunning cover version of one of my all-time favorite Summer songs, Brian Wilson's "The Warmth Of The Sun", as performed by one of the best voices in any genre of popular music, Vince Gill. It's an emotional, melancholy song for sure, although the lyric resolves in a hopeful way, and was written by Brian and Mike Love in the wee hours of the morning on November 22, 1963. But in my mind, that gorgeous melody takes me directly to a sun-drenched California beach every time I hear it. "The Warmth Of The Sun" also qualifies as one of the more amazing B-sides of the 60's, as it was issued on the flip side of The Beach Boys' October '64 single, "Dance Dance Dance", which peaked at #8. It should have been a #1 double A-side hit, but there was plenty of high quality competition for the top of the charts at the time.

Serious props go to Vince Gill and Brian's band for absolutely nailing this performance, which is from the "All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" concert, held at Radio City in New York, back in 2001. Keep a tissue handy.

You can pick up a used DVD of the entire concert at Amazon for fairly cheap, but a new copy might be a tad spendy.

Nearly 30 years worth of music from Vince Gill is procurable through a variety of sources. His latest work, "Bakersfield", pairs him with steel guitar master, Paul Franklin, and reminds us that as good as Gill can sing, he's no slouch as a guitarist either. Good singin', good pickin'.

Everyone's music collection should include at least one decent Beach Boys anthology. There's a few good ones out there, but I'd recommend the 30 song, single disc "Sounds Of Summer" album as a solid starter.

Those of you who are not yet familiar with The Beach Boys' masterwork from 1966, "Pet Sounds", are in for a real treat. I would encourage you to listen actively to this album, keeping in mind the context of the times, and the other music that was popular then. You will hear what the years have proven; that this recording is nothing less than a sublime work of musical genius.

Have yourselves a great July, and we'll meet again in August. Until then, Love and Mercy to all!