Tune Tag #66 with Dee Rambeau "Of a Sober Mind": Bonnie Raitt, Subdudes, Stephen Michael Schwartz, Jackson Browne, Melissa Manchester, Johnny Rivers, Chaka Khan

Two Texans Tune Tag 'til the cows come home, driving right pasture house! A little rock, a little pop, and most likely, a lot of barbecue to top it all off!

Tune Tag’s happenin’ down at the Center today, Dee, and it looks like rain! Grab a ‘brella…I brought snacks!

Tune Tag proudly welcomes

Dee Rambeau

, who creates Of a Sober Mind on Substack!

Dee is a seasoned entrepreneur and business generalist with 20 years in sports television, and 20 years in media software development. A passionate volunteer and donor supporting dog rescue with 4 of his own, he also works to heal the horrible disorder of addiction as a member of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation National Philanthropy Board.

Dee hosts the “The Empowered Community” each Friday from 7-9am on KWVH, 94.3-FM, Wimberley’s (TX) Community radio station. His mindful pursuits include recovery, fitness and wellness, travel, motorcycles, and golf. He is currently writing a book about the history of KWVH Radio.

Last week, we enjoyed the company of singer/songwriter,

Matt McClure

:

Tune Tag #65 with Matt McClure: Lilys, Lickerish Quartet, Beck, Mavis Staples, Wilco, Three O'Clock, Steve Earle, Quick

Next week, join us as we welcome

Sonny Rane

of The Gen X Jukebox!

Dee’s song #1 sent to Brad: The Subdudes, “Too Soon to Tell,” 1996

Dee’s rationale: I had seen The Subdudes in the early ‘80s at Tipitinas in New Orleans during a Mardi Gras run with some college friends. A decade later, I had relocated in Vail, Colorado, and began seeing them touring the ski towns and picking up followers from their play on KBCO/Boulder and some of the Mountain Radio Network stations. I was working in sales and development for the Mountain, so I saw a lot of their artists come through.

Brad’s song #1 sent to Dee: Bonnie Raitt, “Give It Up or Let Me Go” (live, approx. 1975)

Bonnie (l) with “The Texas Nightingale,” Sippie Wallace (1898-1986), mid-’70s. Bonnie has spent her career selflessly lifting up and showcasing the legendary blues artists who have influenced so many (including herself), and have been left forgotten by the industry, and the record-buying public.

Dee’s response: After Brad came back with Bonnie Raitt’s “Give It Up or Let Me Go,” it triggered a lot of possibilities, since Bonnie has played with so many musicians over her amazing career. What direction to go?

Bonnie covered the Jackson Browne song, “Under the Falling Sky,” which has long been a favorite of many of JB’s tours. I fell in love for the first time in the summer of 1978 seeing Jackson Browne at the Mississippi River Festival on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Alton, IL, and have been a fan for decades.

Brad’s rationale: Bonnie played guitar and sang on Dee’s Subdudes’ track, “Too Soon to Tell,” from their 1996 Primitive Streak album. We travel back 2 decades for a live take on Bonnie’s “Give It Up or Let Me Go,” which was originally recorded on her sophomore album, Give It Up, released in 1972 on Warner Bros. Records, and produced by Michael Cuscuna.

50 Years Later: Meeting Bonnie Raitt at the Beginning of Her Career, Backstage in Houston, 1972

Keyboardist, Jef Labes, plays piano in the above video. Jef was married, in the ‘70s, to Hollywood casting director, Eve Brandstein, who, among many other credits, would end up casting the classic 1984 mock-rockumentary, the Rob Reiner-directed This is Spinal Tap.

But, in 1978, she was casting for “a David Cassidy type” for Please Stand By, a proposed new TV sitcom, and approached RCA recording artist (and exclusive FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE contributor), Stephen Michael Schwartz, after an L.A. gig, and asked if he’d be interested in auditioning. That story’s here:

"Please Stand By": Stephen Michael Schwartz & The 1978 Network TV Sitcom-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW PT. 7

Recently, Brandstein co-produced and co-directed 2022’s The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, a full-length documentary about May Pang’s life and relationship with John Lennon.

Dee’s song #2: Jackson Browne, “Under the Falling Sky,” 1972

Brad’s response: Jackson’s well-known longtime friendship with Bonnie (I’m guessing) prompted Dee’s choice here. I should’ve seen that coming, and just sent Bonnie’s studio version!

Otherwise, I’m perfectly happy to listen to these two great friends and artists play and sing together….so much so that…..well, see below…not Bonnie and Jackson, but Bonnie singing Jackson! I almost can’t NOT play it! It’s a 1976 appearance by Bonnie and band on UK’s Old Grey Whistle Test program, with Freebo on fretless bass, far right:

Brad’s song #2: Jules & The Polar Bears, “You Just Don’t Wanna Know,” 1978