Jay McDowell

Dec 2, 2024 | americansongwriter.com | Jay McDowell

The Beatles founded Apple Corps Limited in 1968 as a multimedia conglomerate comprising a record label, filmmaking, publishing, and retail. The recording label, distributed by EMI, continued to release Beatles albums as well as a roster of new artists, including James Taylor, Ravi Shankar, Mary Hopkin, Doris Troy, Badfinger, and Billy Preston. After The Beatles broke up, Apple Records continued. In 1974, George Harrison founded his own record company.

Nov 26, 2024 | americansongwriter.com | Jay McDowell

In the late 1950s, trombonist Paul Tanner and amateur inventor Bob Whitsell developed an instrument to mimic the sound of a theremin. The Electro-Theramin used a different control mechanism but produced similar results. In the 1940s, Tanner played in Glenn Miller’s orchestra and then joined the U.S. Air Force and performed in the 378th Army Service Forces Band.

Nov 20, 2024 | americansongwriter.com | Jay McDowell

When John Lennon was a child his Uncle George gave him a Hohner harmonica, and the youngster learned to play. Inspired by the song “Hey Baby” by Bruce Channel, Lennon began adding it to his band’s instrumentation, playing it on “Love Me Do,” “From Me to You,” and “Please Please Me.” When The Beatles were recording songs for their first feature movie, they included only one song featuring the harmonica. Let’s take a look at the story behind “I Should Have Known Better” by The Beatles.

Nov 20, 2024 | flipboard.com | Jay McDowell

8 hours agoThe Beatles hit song Paul McCartney was never a big fan of: “I wouldn’t put it as a classic”The Beatles have countless songs that can be described as “classics”.

Nov 15, 2024 | americansongwriter.com | Jay McDowell

The Who had much success in England before they broke through in America. The band landed five Top-10 singles in the UK before they even hit the Top 40 in the United States. “I Can See for Miles” was the American commercial breakthrough. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the highest-charting single the band ever had in the U.S. The Who achieved much more success on the albums chart, where they consistently reached the Top 10, starting with Tommy.