Good Riddance To (Most Of) These Words

by Kevin Burton    My first reaction upon reading that Merriam-Webster plans to eliminate words from the dictionary was protective: “keep your hands off my words!”    Then I read the list.    Well all right then, go ahead and chop them. Except for mugwump.  I need that one to stay.     The Mugwumps was …

Coast To Coast: California Dreamin’

by Kevin Burton    Texas has its outsized pretentions, but California for most of a century was considered the American promised land. This was reflected throughout popular culture, including in music.    So there is no shortage of songs we could use to represent the Golden State in our summer rock and roll road trip …

Spoonful’s John Sebastian Turns 79

by Kevin Burton     Happy 79th birthday to the personable multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter John Sebastian.    Both his music and his personality seem accessible, based on how he comes off in interviews on You Tube. I mean, here’s a rock and roller who plays the auto harp of all things. He said he learned the instrument …