• [REVIEW] Bob Dylan Takes on Sinatra's 'Stay with Me' with Swagger, Grace [LISTEN]

    At first, the concept seemed questionable: Folk legend Bob Dylan recording an entire album of Frank Sinatra covers. Then the lead single "Full Moon and Empty Arms" surfaced, causing some naysayers to second guess their initial judgments. Dylan has followed the tune with "Stay with Me," another sublime cut from the upcoming "Shadows in the Night" LP. Dylan is apparently not just a Sinatra fan — he is also an admirer of the 1963 film "The Cardinal." "Stay with Me" is a pleading love song used as the theme for the movie. Now, we are dealing with two different voices at different points in their careers — Sinatra would have been 49 whereas Dylan is now 73.

  • Buddy DeFranco Dead at 91: Clarinetist Played with Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra

    Buddy DeFranco, one of the world's greatest jazz clarinetists, died Wednesday, Dec. 24. He leaves behind a musical legacy that lasted more than 70 years, playing in bands led by Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie in addition to performing with Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. DeFranco was 91. The musician got his start in the late 1930s, bouncing around from band to band, NPR noted. He hooked up with Dorsey in 1944. DeFranco played with the band for four years before he decided to break out of swing music, opting instead for bebop, a difficult genre for a clarinetist to shine in. He toured with Basie to finish out the 1940s. DeFranco formed his own band in the '50s before joining Holiday for a European jaunt. As rock 'n' roll started gaining momentum, the musician did work for TV and film until he landed a gig fronting the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1966. He continued to play well into his 80s. According to "The Washington Post," DeFranco played on more than 160 albums.

  • Best Original Holiday Songs That Fit an Artist's Style: Mariah Carey, Joni Mitchell, Queen, More [LISTEN]

    I wonder if when Irving Berlin finished writing "White Christmas" he knew he had created a timeless classic. Holiday music has become its own little business, with artists often taking time out of their recording schedule to put together an album of covers and originals. It has become a bloated industry — every pop star and washed-up rock band has a holiday record. Sometimes they are really just mailing it in for a payday. Other times, though, they create something special. Mariah Carey, Tom Petty and Queen all have original Christmas tunes that fit right into their musical styles. You have to give props to those artists who dare to pen a Christmas tune. It is easy to just put a signature spin on something like "Blue Christmas" or "The Christmas Song." Those are already accepted by throngs of holiday shoppers who hear them every year. But what about Billy Squier thumping on "Christmas Is the Time to Say 'I Love You'"? Or Joni Mitchell's heartbreaking anthem "River"? You certainly hear those ones less than Frank Sinatra singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" while you are driving to work in December. These tunes are significantly younger than most holiday standards, so perhaps one day they will be thought of as classics. Until then, we will just call them good songs.

  • 10 Best Cover Songs Of 2014

    Because cover songs don't garner nearly as much traction on the radio or the charts as they once did, artists these days treat them more like fun little experiments, where they can try out things they normally wouldn't on one of their albums or original singles. This has resulted in plenty of inventive and fascinating covers, especially this past year. Here are the year's 10 best cover songs (in no particular order).

  • Bob Dylan Reveals Tracklist, Release Date For New Album 'Shadows In The Night'

    Back in October, Bob Dylan confirmed that his next studio album Shadows in the Night, a collection of Frank Sinatra covers, would be released at some point in 2015, and today, Dec. 9, Dylan has revealed more details about the album, including its release date and tracklist. The album is set for release on Feb. 3 through Columbia Records, and was reportedly recorded entirely live.

  • Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Bring the Funk on 'White Christmas' Cover [LISTEN]

    Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings have been known to bring some serious funk to their cover songs. They almost made Woody Guthrie's 1944 tune "This Land is Your Land" unrecognizable, and now they're bringing some signature soul licks to "White Christmas." The cover presented by Cole Haan, which recently dubbed the act this season's "Gifted and Talented muses."

  • David Bowie, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Fallon, The Pogues: 8 Best Holiday Duets [LISTEN]

    Duets are special. They tend to carve out little moments in time when two artists link up and compliment their talents to the delight of listeners. There are tons of holiday duets out there, but we decided to put a list together of some classic, some silly and some forgotten team efforts. Bing Crosby, David Bowie, Jimmy Fallon and The Pogues all made the cut.

  • 'Call of Duty' Trailer Soundtracks: From Frank Sinatra to Eminem, AC/DC and More [WATCH]

    The biggest franchise in video games at the moment released another explosive game onto the market this week. The only thing more explosive and out of control than Call of Duty series gameplay nowadays is Call of Duty commercials, which more and more feature big name musicians and celebrity guest stars. The last five titles have all packed an expensive soundtrack into its trailers.

  • A History of The Paramount Theater New York

    On September 4, 1964 The Animals played its first show at the Paramount Theater in New York City. Considering that Eric Burdon and The Animals became one of the biggest names in the British invasion and rock 'n' roll in general, this marks a major moment in American music history. It wasn't The Paramount's first historical event nor would it be the last. Check the timeline of events below to learn a little something about the historic venue.
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