Kenny Loggins "This Is It"

SIGN OF THE TIMES:

"This Is It" from Kenny Loggins charted on the Hot Soul Singles Chart in 1979. The chart has been renamed several times since then but, next time you think Soul music, try to remember the smooth Yacht Rock sounds of Loggins and Michael McDonald.

Kenny Loggins "Heart to Heart"

Not to be confused with the early-'80s amateur detective television show Hart to Hart, Kenny Loggins' "Heart to Heart" was a soft rock hit on the radio in 1982. As with most of Loggins' early smooth gems, he recruited his buddy Michael McDonald for backup vocals and David Sanborn for the requisite '80s sax solo.

Kenny Loggins "I Am Not Hiding"

My nephew Carsen is four years old and begins each day by asking if he has to go to school. On days when he doesn't have school, he gets quite upset and demands that someone still take him. This eagerness ran counter to my early days of kindergarten. Back then, I attended afternoon kindergarten meaning that I had to find my own way to school, but rode the bus home. My mom carpooled with our neighbor, Kathy, whose daughter was also in my kindergarten class. At first, when it was Kathy's day to drive, I would tell my mom I was walking next door to Kathy's when in reality I headed to our backyard. Once there, I would hide under our deck. Why? Well simple, I didn't want to go to school. This led to many confrontations where my mom had to beg me to come out from under the deck. It was a scene that would play out years later when our cat Junior took refuge under the deck whenever he escaped the safety of our home. But, back to me. There was no simple reason I didn't want to go to school, I just preferred to stay home. Mom eventually coaxed me out from underneath the deck by saying the police threatened to throw her in jail if I didn't attend school. Her plan worked.

Queen "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

Am I the only one who used to think that Kenny Loggins sang "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"?

Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes"

BELIEVE IT OR NOT?

Michael Jackson once boasted to his pal Elizabeth Taylor that he provided backing vocals for the Doobie Brother's Minute By Minute album--specifically for the title track as well as the album's biggest hit: "What A Fool Believes". Members of the Doobie Brothers dispute this story.

Kenny Loggins "Return to Pooh Corner"

Parents and their children in 1994 had a new song (and album) to sing along with thanks to Kenny Loggins. His ballad "Return to Pooh Corner" was an updated version of  his 1970 tune "House at Pooh Corner". The 1994 version featured Amy Grant and her then-husband Gary Chapman providing backup vocals and also contained a new third verse for Loggins' son.

Poco "Nothing to Hide"

I had no idea Jim Messina was part of the country-rock group Poco (really, why would anyone know this?). Some background: Poco formed in the late-'60s following the demise of Buffalo Springfield, but Messina left after the band's second album. He then teamed up with Kenny Loggins for the soft rock duo Loggins & Messina. By 1976, Messina was back on his own after he and Loggins parted. Messina later rejoined Poco for a reunion tour in 1989 and the band scored a minor hit that year with the ballad "Nothing to Hide".

Michael McDonald "No Lookin' Back"

Michael McDonald teamed up with fellow Yacht Rocker Kenny Loggins (as well as Ed Sanford) to write "No Lookin' Back".  There's really not much left to say about this tune.

Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks - "Whenever I Call You Friend"

After bumping into each other at awards shows in the '70s, Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester became friends...and later writing friends.  The two penned "Whenever I Call You Friend" in 1978, but Loggins chose Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks as his duet partner for the tune.  A year later, Manchester recorded the duet with Arnold McCuller for inclusion on her album, but the song never became a hit. Manchester and Loggins later spoke of collaborating on "Whenever I Call You Friend" -- it just never happened.  I wonder how their friendship is these days...

Kenny Loggins - "Forever"

Super-producer David Foster played keyboards with Steve Winwood on Kenny Loggins' mega-ballad "Forever".

Loggins & Messina - "Danny's Song"

A friend of mine insists that 7-Eleven is selling drinks in soda cups imprinted with famous bands.  She showed me a photo from Facebook of one of the cups that featured Loggins & Messina.  I can't imagine a Slurpee tasting any better than it already does...until now.

Kenny Loggins - "The Real Thing"

Filed away in the "Forgotten Adult Contemporary Ballads" file is Kenny Loggins' "The Real Thing".  The song comes from his Leap of Faith album--Loggins' first album post-divorce.  With a little help from David Foster, Loggins showed a softer side in the lyrics:

"I did it for you, and the boys,
Because love should teach you joy,
And not the imitation,
That your momma and daddy tried to show you.
I did it for you, and for me,
And because I still believe,
There's only one things,
You can never give up,
Never compromise on,
And that's the real thing you need in love."

Kenny Loggins- "For The First Time"

When you think back to your first love, you remember doing all these sappy and innocent things that almost make you roll your eyes.  My first real girlfriend (and love) was a dance major in college.  I, on the other hand foot, have two left feet and picture myself dancing far better than I really do.  Since you really can't screw up slow dancing (too much), I would meet her halfway (nice Kenny Loggins pun, btw) and slow dance with her whenever the moment struck she wanted.  A snapshot from the summer of 1997 would show the two of us dancing to Kenny Loggins' "For The First Time" in my bedroom.  What can I say, I used to consider myself quite the romantic...

Toto - "I'll Be Over You"

When it's 1980-something and you needed some backing vocals to your Adult Contemporary song, who ya gonna call?  MICHAEL McDONALD!  Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, and even James Ingram (Mr. Ya Mo Be There) picked up the phone and dialed Mr. Michael McDonald when their song needed some smooth vocals.  Thankfully, someone passed Michael's phone number to Toto and they speed dialed him in 1986 for some help on "I'll Be Over You".  Obviously, the song shot to #1 and became their second #1 Adult Contemporary hit.

Kenny Loggins - "Meet Me Halfway"

Did you know that Kenny Loggins' first name is Clark?

Kenny Loggins - "If You Believe"

Like Peter Cetera, Kenny Loggins' Leap of Faith album contained songs written after Loggins' divorce.  Following his divorce, Loggins went on to marry his therapist.  This bothered fellow classic rocker Eddie Money who said that he didn't particularly care for Loggins and wanted to punch him in the face.  (Full disclosure: the anger may have more to do with the fact that Eddie Money sang backup on Loggins' "I'm Alright", but never got credit for it.)

Kenny Loggins - "Conviction of the Heart"

Can you rattle off some songs about preserving the Earth? "Mercy, Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye might come to mind followed by.....um.......silence. Well, don't forget about Kenny Loggins and his 1991 song "Conviction of the Heart". It quickly became a catchy "who sang that?" song whenever it turned up on the radio and the album version runs just about seven minutes in length. Heck even after creating the internet, Al Gore adopted "Conviction of the Heart" as the anthem of Earth Day back in 1995.