FEATURES

1964 Fifty years ago, immediately following the collapse of Camelot, the British invaded, pop performers became their own best songwriters, drugs crept into the mainstream music scene and everyone started growing their hair. Half a century later, seven artists describe their hit songs and their personal changes in that year of turmoil, transition and really, really mind-blowing music

DEPARTMENTS

Letter: We asked, What did the Beatles’ arrival mean to you? Five good answers

Opening Act: Snippets, fun, interviews, reviews. Go meet Elmore at shows and compare notes!

Kickin’ in Your Stall: Carl Gustafson audits a class with Lady Gaga and learns something about the Lady, and himself

Influences: Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector; a Texas PK (preacher’s kid) and a Spanish Harlem bad girl, still making good 50 years later

On The Record: Paul McCartney, who changed popular music 50 years ago, still flexes his musical muscles. “Day job” seems to be a brand name paradigm: Cowboy Jack Clement, Steep Canyon Rangers, Marshall Tucker, Greg Trooper, the Coal Men, the Wood Brothers, Samantha Fish, Blitzen Trapper and Mavis Staples, but even the Hardworking Americans couldn’t get hired without their Greencards

Re.Issues: Paul Aaronson opens the door to four Fleetwood Mac album backstories. Paul Simon’s solo albums (all of them!). Hendrix, Orbison, Van Ronk and the Bottle Rockets. Diversity, here we come

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning: Doc Pomus, a wheelchair-bound thirtysomething, composed the danceable love songs for teens that remain the gold standard even today

What’d I Say: Jim Hynes guides us to guitarists who neither smash nor strum, but instead, simply shine

The Good Seats: Though it’s nearly 90 years old, New Jersey’s Count Basie Theatre—named for the jazz legend—still swings

Also Appearing: Reviews Editor Kevin Korber and Senior Writer Melissa Caruso cover CMJ—it’s more bands than one person can handle. Separately, reporting from such diverse locations as the U.S. Cellular Center and the Funky Biscuit, Elmore gets around

Listen Up! Sure cure for the blues or anything else that ails you: meals, malt and music. Ten fine places to find all three

Get to Know: 40 Working Artists Ages 70 and Up

This Month’s Trivia