Em Casalena

Tucson

Music Journalist and News Reporter at American Songwriter

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Articles

He Was the Greatest Multi-Instrumentalist of the 1970s (And You’ve Probably Never Heard of Him)

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

We all know about incredible instrumentalists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. But what about the unsung heroes who have mastered multiple instruments? The greatest among them is one man, and I’ll bet you’ve never heard his name. Unless you’re a diehard fan of R&B and psychedelic soul from the 1970s, of course. Even if you have heard of Johnny Shuggie Otis, more people should know his name. I can’t think of a more underrated star of his era.
4 Unheralded Songwriters Behind the Biggest Country Hits of the 1990s

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

The 1990s were really quite a decade for country music. Country pop was bubbling up, and traditional country was experiencing a revival of sorts during the decade. It really was a busy time for musicians in the genre, and a ton of amazing country songwriters made it big during the 90s. However, far too many of them are unheralded and did not get the recognition they deserved. Let’s look at just a few examples of talented songwriters that deserve way more love, shall we?
3 Great Voices That Didn’t Translate To Record Sales

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

Some of the most incredible voices in history never got the breakthrough into superstardom that they deserved. The following three vocalists, even though they are objectively talented, just haven’t sold as many records as they should have. I’m sure a pro in the industry could explain why, but I’m still mad about it. These great voices deserved so much better. Let’s take a look, shall we?
4 Covers of the Cure That Rival the Original Songs

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

The Cure has quite a colorful discography. Some of the gothic rock outfit’s songs are quite easy and fun to cover, while others are more difficult to take on. Regardless of ease, the following four bands and musicians delivered some of the greatest covers of The Cure ever heard by mortal ears. And I think a few of them might be even better than the original songs. What do you think?
4 Bad Choruses That Stopped a Song From Going No. 1

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

Sometimes, bad choruses really can make or break an otherwise good song. The following four songs have arguably less-than-stellar choruses holding them together, and I think these songs avoided the No. 1 spot because of it. Let’s take a look! Many of these tracks are incredible, even with their controversial choruses. This collaboration between MGK and Willow is a standout single from the former’s 2022 pop punk album, Mainstream Sellout.
On This Day in 2014, Jade Castrinos Announced Her Departure From Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Leaving Millennials in Shambles

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

If you’re a millennial, it doesn’t matter what your music taste was like back in the 2010s. You definitely remember the indie folk song “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. It was the neo-psychedelia outfit’s biggest single, and it was all over the radio for a solid few years after it debuted in 2010. Jade Castrinos, the memorable lead female singer of the band, is one of the most iconic members of the outfit.
4 Famous Bands and Musicians You Didn’t Know Were Technically One-Hit Wonders

4 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

One-hit wonders tend to make it big and then disappear from mainstream consciousness fairly quickly. The following bands and musicians, though, went on to have pretty successful careers. However, they are technically one-hit wonders on the charts, despite being so well-known for other songs as well. Let’s take a look! Few jam bands on this planet are as well-known as The Grateful Dead. And yet, they are technically considered one-hit wonders.
4 Famous Bands and Musicians You Didn’t Know Were Technically One-Hit Wonders

4 days ago | flipboard.com | Em Casalena

1 hour agoThree suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Mexican musicians in Tamaulipas state along the Texas border were arrested during a series of raids, officials said on Monday. The five members of local band Fugitivo had been hired for a weekend performance in the crime-wracked northeastern city of …
Remember When: Stewart Copeland Heard Limp Bizkit for the First Time (And Absolutely Nailed His Cover)

5 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

Both on his own and as part of The Police (among several other bands), Stewart Copeland is one of rock’s greatest and most inventive percussionists. He’s proved that notion time and time again, and he hasn’t slowed down at all at 73 years old. He proved that fact even further in an appearance on Drumeo’s YouTube channel earlier this year. You won’t believe what song Copeland managed to master after listening to it just one time.
The Progressive Rock Albums That Changed How We Listen to Music

5 days ago | americansongwriter.com | Em Casalena

Who doesn’t love progressive rock albums? The genre really transformed the world of rock music back in the 1970s and onward. And there are a select few albums from the genre’s heyday that radically transformed the way people listened to music. Let’s look at just a few examples, shall we? At least one of these classics is probably already in your record collection. Would this even be a list of prog-rock albums that changed the world without mentioning The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd?