MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE KEYBOARD PLAYERS

1.  Ray Manzarek
2.  John Paul Jones
3.  Paul McCartney
4.  Elton John
5.  Pete Townshend
6.  Billy Preston
7.  Nicky Hopkins
8.  Steve Winwood 
9.  Billy Joel
10.  Ian Stewart 

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE VOCALISTS (FEMALE)

1.  Janis Joplin
2.  Ann Wilson (Heart)
3.  Nancy Wilson (also Heart)
4.  Barbra Streisand
5.  Grace Slick
6.  Stevie Nicks
7.  Debbie Harry
8.  Alanis Morrisette
9.  Liza Minelli
10.  Meg White (White Stripes)
11.  Exene Cervenka (X)
12.  Carly Simon
13.  Madonna
14.  Tina Turner
15.  Christine McVie
16.  Diana Ross
17.  Angela Lansbury
18.  Bette Midler
19.  Lady Gaga
20.  Chrissie Hynde
21.  Pat Benatar
22.  Agnetha Faltskog (ABBA)
23.  Anni-Frid Lyngstad (also ABBA)
24.  Linda Ronstadt
25.  Cher
26.  Joan Jett
27.  Judy Collins
28.  Michelle Phillips
29.  Cass Elliott
30.  Linda McCartney

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE BASSISTS

1.  John Entwistle
2.  Roger Waters
3.  Paul McCartney
4.  Jack Bruce  
5.  John Paul Jones
6.  Sting
7.  Bill Wyman
8.  Geddy Lee
9.  Adam Clayton (U2)
10.  Paul Simonon (Clash)

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE DRUMMERS

1. Keith Moon
2. John Bonham
3. Larry Mullen Jr.
4. Ginger Baker
5. Charlie Watts
6. Neil Peart (Rush)
7. Nicky 'Topper' Headon (Clash)
8. Kenny Jones (Small Faces, Who)
9. Stewart Copeland
10. Ringo Starr
11. Nick Mason (Pink Floyd)
12. Mick Fleetwood
13. Dave Grohl
14. Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
15. Joey Kramer (Aerosmith)
16. Mick Avory (Kinks)
17. Bill Berry (REM)
18. Ralph Molina (Crazy Horse)
19. John Densmore (Doors)
20. Dave Abruzzese (Pearl Jam)
21. Martin Atkins (Public Image Ltd.)
22. Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
23. Dave Clark
24. Don Henley
25. DJ Bonebrake (X)

WEBLOG ENTRY - SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

 As I type this, I am enjoying a day off work, and watching a cheesy movie on the Hallmark channel.  My workplace re-opened about five weeks ago, with little fanfare.  Due to you-know-what (i.e. the virus that dare not speak it's name), traffic is way down.  The upside is that the job itself is easier, now.  It's been an eventful summer, to say the least!  

Since my workplace was shut for about four months, I ended up taking a (brief) job at a well-known company - I will not say their name here, as one never knows who is reading these things.  Their company's shipping center was so big, it was like a small city!  A mixture of old-fashioned blue-collar factory, and high-tech innovation.  They even had moving kiosks (loaded with consumer goods) that looked almost like robots as they glided across the floor.  I worked the 'graveyard' shift, which (for me) is easier than it sounds.  The reason is that I am a hard-core night owl.  However, the job itself was quite grueling - so much product that had to be moved through the system, and some of it was quite heavy, too.  By the time I quit, I was starting to understand why Norma Rae did what she did!  lol  

Probably the highlight of my summer was visiting family in Connecticut.  They let me sleep in their guest bedroom, and took me to a local beach.  It was small, and not too crowded.  They had this giant wooden dock out in the water, which I swam to and then sunned upon.  It had a diving board on it, but I ended up not using it.  I guess I am getting too old for making big dives into the water.

The hardest part of my summer - apart from the work stoppage - was losing my father.  He had a brief bout of lung infection (not related to COVID), for which he he had to be hospitalized.  He was released after a few days, but complained of bodily pains.  Since he lived far from me, I wasn't able to be at his side during his last days.  My stepsister was, for which I shall be eternally grateful.  He was getting on in years - well into his 80s.  I think it was 'his time', and that he was ready to go.  He lived a long and accomplished life, if not an especially happy one.  RIP, Dad.

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SINGERS (MALE) - A LIST / RANKING

1.  Roger Daltrey
2.  Bono
3.  Jim Morrison
4.  Mick Jagger
5.  Len Cariou (Broadway singer / actor)
6.  Eddie Vedder
7.  Robert Plant
8.  Morrissey
9.  Michael Stipe
10.  Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
11.  Paul McCartney
12.  Steven Tyler
13.  Elvis Presley
14.  Sting
15.  Paul Stanley
16.  John Lennon
17.  Stevie Wonder
18.  Ray Davies
19.  Sam Cooke
20.  Jimi Hendrix
21.  Neil Young
22.  Elton John
23.  John Lydon
24.  Brad Delp (Boston)
25.  David Bowie
26.  George Michael
27.  Frankie Valli
28.  Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze)
29.  David Gilmour
30.  George Harrison
31.  Warren Zevon
32.  Marvin Gaye
33.  Midge Ure (Ultravox)
34.  Mick Jones (The Clash / B.A.D.)
35.  Bob Dylan
36.  Paul Rodgers (Bad Company)
37.  Ozzy Osbourne
38.  Joe Strummer (The Clash)
39.  Richard Butler (The Psychedelic Furs)
40.  Peter Gabriel
41.  Mike Peters (The Alarm)
42.  Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
43.  John Entwistle
44.  Marc Bolan
45.  Bon Scott
46.  Bob Seger
47.  Freddie Mercury
48.  Steve Miller 
49.  Jack Bruce
50.  Jon Anderson
51.  Frank Zappa
52.  Lou Gramm
53.  Paul Simon
54.  Roger Waters
55.  Jack White
56.  Roy Orbison
57.  Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
58.  Bryan Adams
59.  Eminem
60.  Steve Winwood
61.  Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) 
62.  Dennis DeYoung (Styx)
63.  Phil Collins
64.  Kurt Cobain
65.  Rod Stewart
66.  Huey Lewis
67.  Robert Palmer
68.  David Coverdale (Deep Purple / Whitesnake)
69.  Bruce Springsteen
70.  David Johansen
71.  Eric Clapton
72.  John Phillips (Mamas & Papas)
73.  Michael Jackson
74.  Dave Davies
75.  Stephen Stills
76.  David Coverdale
77.  Don Henley
78.  Pete Townshend
79.  Denny Doherty (Mamas & Papas)
80.  David Crosby
81.  Buddy Holly
82.  Dave Mason
83.  Don Everly
84.  Phil Everly
85.  Glenn Frey
86.  Walter Becker (Steely Dan)
87.  Donald Fagen (also Steely Dan) 
88.  Graham Nash
89.  Don McLean
90.  Leo Sayer
91.  Dave Grohl
92.  Lindsey Buckingham
93.  Mick Hucknall (Simply Red) 
94.  Billy Ocean
95.  Dave Wakeling (English Beat)*
96.  Alan Wilson (Canned Heat) 
97.  Joe Walsh
98.  Brian Wilson
99.  Ringo Starr
100.  Billy Idol
101.  Fee Waybill (Tubes)
102.  Ace Frehley
103.  Andy Partridge (XTC)
104.  Stuart Adamson (Big Country)
105.  Bryan Seltzer (Stray Cats)
106.  Chuck Berry
107.  Joel Grey
108.  Ray Parker Jr.
109.  John Kay (Steppenwolf) 
110.  Billy Corgan
111.  Joe Jackson
112.  Bobby Caldwell
113.  Philip Bailey
114.  Gene Simmons
115.  Neil Finn (Split Enz / Crowded House)
116.  Johnny Cash
117.  Paul Simonon (Clash)
118.  Larry Kert (Broadway singer / actor)
119.  Mark Knopfler
120.  Willie Nelson
121.  John Cale
122.  Michael Crawford
123.  Keith Relf (Yardbirds)
124.  Steve Marriot (Small Faces) 
125.  Neil Innes

    *:  Dave was the live entertainment at my cousin's wedding, c. 2002; bit of 'fun' trivia.  

MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE TV SHOWS - A LIST / RANKING

1.  Monty Python (with a bullet!)
2.  Saturday Night Live
3.  30 Rock
4.  The Office (US version)
5.  Game of Thrones
6.  Uncle Floyd (syndicated)
7.  The Simpsons
8.  The Ben Stiller Show (HBO mini-series)
9.  Kids in the Hall
10.  The Mary Tyler Moore Show
11.  SCTV
12.  South Park
13.  All in the Family
14.  I Love Lucy
15.  The Honeymooners
16.  How I Met Your Mother
17.  60 Minutes
18.  Midnight Special
19.  Inside Amy Schumer
20.  The Twilight Zone