Simply Red "Sunrise"

One of my newest favorite Pandora radio stations is the Simply Red station. Its songs are ideal for dinner or perhaps late night as it features smooth tunes such as "Sunrise". This 2003 soft rock hit from Simply Red samples "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" from Hall & Oates (say what?). I can't think of a better song that I haven't already covered for this anniversary of my birth...

Amy Grant "Simple Things"

After releasing a few Christian-Rock albums in the late-'90s and early-2000s, Amy Grant returned to mainstream music with Simple Things in 2003. Her secular album was the first in six years and gave us the self-entitled hit "Simple Things". While both Adult Contemporary and Christian radio stations played the tune, the song never became much of a hit.

Jason Mraz "The Remedy"

There are only a handful of episodes available on Netflix, but the show The Jamz wonderfully explores the goings-on at a fictional Chicago radio station (called "The Jamz"). Created and co-written by the former Social Media Director at The Mix in Chicago, the four-part series features an episode with a Jason Mraz-like character called "Jeremy Mraz" who gets recruited to perform at the station's "Jamzing at the Park".

Sheryl Crow "The First Cut Is the Deepest"

Decisions on job cuts in radio happen every November and December as annual budgets get set. My first experience with this happened in 1997. The station I worked changed owners three times over a couple of months leading to rumors of an impending format switch. After months of rumors, word on the street was that the entire on-air staff would be fired by the weekend. That Thursday evening, the afternoon host was first to go. On Friday, the morning show and midday hosts also got axed. Having no idea if I still was supposed to work that Sunday morning, I phoned my boss that Saturday night and left her a voicemail. She called me back to share with me that she didn't know if I was still working on Sunday morning....because she got fired. I was only nineteen years old and had no idea what to say. I simply thanked her for all she did for me and followed her advice to introduce myself to the new Program Director and keep a low profile. I achieved my goal of keeping a low profile because that December, I was nearly kicked out of the company's Christmas party -- because no one knew who I was.

Sarah McLachlan "Fallen"

Sometimes life has a way of gently reminding us that things may not be perfect in our life, but they could be far worse. I spent my morning at the Dermatology Department of Rush University. Over the summer, my primacy care doctor noticed a couple suspicious looking moles on my back and referred me to Rush. With my fair skin and collection of freckles and moles, I'm apparently more at-risk for melanoma that your average Joe Suntan. I had to wait two-plus months for their first available appointment, but finally had my full body screening in September. There was one particular mole that concerned my dermatologist, so he took some pictures and arranged for a follow-up visit. Thankfully, today's visit concluded that there was nothing to be concerned with, and I walked away with a clean bill of health and instructions to be vigilant and lather on the SPF-50. 

My mind was preoccupied with thoughts of my $2500 insurance deductible on my way back to work while riding Chicago's "L" train. I was almost too distracted to notice two blind men boarded the train. The two were no more than 18 or 19 years old and were being assisted by an older woman. She gave detailed and helpful instructions to the two guys in a way that was friendly yet firm. "Be mindful of the gap between the platform and the train car," she advised them. "You always want to count the number of stops until it's yours just in case the announcement isn't audible," she added. One of the blind guys who donned a baseball cap appeared more confident than the other. The other reminded me of Conan O'Brien: pale, thin and had a hairstyle much like Conan's. The other detail that struck me (and tugged at my heart) was the look on his face. He looked absolutely, 100 percent terrified. He struggled to board the train and find a seat--his stick was flailing left and right while he reached out frantically with one of his hands trying to find something to hold. The older woman was there to assist, but her role was clear: teach these young blind men to be self-sufficient. She was calm, patient and reassuring, but wasn't there to coddle. She told them not to worry if she wasn't there because there would always be someone willing to help. Within ten minutes, the trio exited the train and exited my life almost as quickly as they entered. To this day, I still wonder about these two boys. What happened to them that caused their blindness? Has the older woman continue to assist them or are they out on their own? What if they try to board the train during rush hour when it's crowded and people are less patient? I haven't shook the image of the frightened guy with the Conan hair and may never do so.

After this incident, I helped a blind person who rode the train one morning during rush hour. He struggled to find his way from crowded train to crowded platform to crowded escalator. I grabbed hold of his arm and reassured him that I would get him through the sea of people. While standing on the escalator, a man gave me a tap on my shoulder. At first, I thought he wanted something but soon I realized he was just giving me a tap to say "you're doing a good deed". It's a friendly reminded to help those who may be afraid to ask for help...and to acknowledge those who do offer assistance. 

Phil Collins "Come With Me"

While the #DadJokes phenomenon is relatively new, Phil Collins once introduced me to a whole world of humor I never knew existed. While working as Morning Show Producer, I had the privilege to interview him for his role with the Brother Bear Soundtrack in 2003. During the interview, Phil admitted people often cracked drummer jokes to/at him. Such as:

"How can you tell a drummer is at the door?"

The knocking speeds up.

"What do you call a drummer that breaks up with his girlfriend?"

Homeless

"Did you hear about the drummer who finished high school?"

Me neither.

Shania Twain "Forever and for Always"

Canadian pop singer Shania Twain apologized for saying she would have voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election. In her original interview with The Guardian, Twain claimed Trump seemed honest. That quote, however, is one small paragraph of what is a highly-emotional and in-depth look at her troubled childhood, her battle with Lyme Disease (which nearly took away her voice), as well as her failed marriage to Robert "Mutt" Lange. It's worth the full read.

Dixie Chicks "Landslide"

Near the end of the '90s, the Dixie Chicks were one of the hottest country acts in the country...if not the world. Things changed in 2003 when the band's lead singer Natalie Maines told a European audience the she was ashamed President George W. Bush was from Texas and voiced opposition to US involvement in the impending Iraq War. The result was a backlash felt from coast to coast: country music radio stations shunned the band and its music, some organized stunts where bulldozers demolished the band's CDs, sponsors pulled from the group's tour, and Maines fielded numerous death threats including many who threatened to shoot her while she performed on stage. It took the group a while to get over the hoopla and, when the dust settled, the band even released the song "Not Ready to Make Nice". One could argue that Maines took the proverbial bullet for numerous acts who followed with their own criticism of Bush, the Iraqi War and, later, Donald Trump. 

Train "When I Look to the Sky"

Hot Adult Contemporary radio stations made Train a core artist during the 2000s thanks to a long list of hits including "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)", "Calling All Angels" and "When I Look to the Sky". Like most hits from Train, "When I Look to the Sky" featured the soaring vocals of lead singer Pat Monahan.

Cyndi Lauper "I Drove All Night"

Roy Orbison originally recorded "I Drove All Night" in 1987, but the song didn't get released until 1992 (post-humously for Orbison).  Credit Cyndi Lauper for making the song a hit in 1989.  Several years later, Chrysler paid Celine Dion $14 million to endorse their cars.  As part of the ad campaign, Dion re-made "I Drove All Night" and turned it into a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 2003.

Seal - "Love's Divine"

There was once a time when album titles mattered (although some would argue they still matter).  Classic album titles such as Rumours from Fleetwood Mac or Michael Jackson's Thriller immediately come to my mind as both albums sit on the list of top selling albums in history.  I'm sure these folks sat through extensive meetings with record company executives over what the title of the album should be.  I'd also guess these meetings weren't fun and sucked the fun out of the whole process.  In the case of Seal, he just said f*ck it and simply named the majority of his albums Seal.  "Love's Divine" came courtesy of Seal IV.

Sixpence None The Richer - "Don't Dream It's Over"

You're standing in line at Marshall's looking at the millions of tempting trinkets and bizarre food items when over the loudspeaker comes a cherubic-sounding version of a song you're familiar with but can't quite place who remade it.  Perhaps you were hearing Sixpence None The Richer's take on Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over".  In any event, the automated voice is saying, "Register 7" so move along, please...

Train - "Calling All Angels"

When you think about rock bands, does Train ever come to mind?  Well, someone apparently thought of the San Franciso band.  "Calling All Angels" managed to re-define the word "rock" and helped garner two Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 2003.  Train lost both awards to Bruce Springsteen and The White Stripes, respectively.

Michael McDonald - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

Michael McDonald did a series of television commercial for MCI's "The Neighborhood" phone calling promotion that featured him singing the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".  Within a matter of years, MCI was gone.  Michael McDonald continues touring and recently toured with acts such as Boz Scaggs and Toto.

Counting Crows & Vanessa Carlton - "Big Yellow Taxi"

A few songs have made so many appearances on the Adult Contemporary Charts by numerous different artists.  One such tune is "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell, and then later by Amy Grant, followed by Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton.  Believe it or not, the latter version scored the highest chart position of any of the former versions.

Matchbox 20 - "Bright Lights"

Big fish in a little pond: it's a common theme touched upon in countless movies, books, and songs.  In the case of "Bright Lights", Matchbox 20's (or Twenty) Rob Thomas warns the female that the grass isn't always greener (or brighter) on the other side as he cries, "Come on home!" throughout the latter part of the song.

Barbara Streisand & Neil Diamond - "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"

The morning show I produced back in 2003 had the opportunity to interview Neil Diamond.  While we all knew of Neil Diamond, we really didn't know what to do with the interview.  The host of the show had an idea: the female co-host would do the interview solo but, after the interview, the host would ask Neil a series of questions that Neil would "ignore".  The gist of the bit would be that we received word before the interview that Neil Diamond didn't like the host and would refuse to answer any questions from him.  We taped the interview as planned and played it back.  What followed was an onslaught of Neil Diamond fans who emailed the station complaining about what we had done.  They claimed (falsely) that the interview was completely fabricated because Neil talked about the Cubs instead of the Red Sox (it was true--Neil did talk about the Cubs).  I can only imagine what these same fans did when Saturday Night Live did that Neil Diamond Behind The Music parody.

Martina McBride - "This One's For The Girls"

One listen to "This One's For The Girls" by Martina McBride and, depending on your gender, you'll either:
A. Roll your eyes at the cheesiness of the song
B. Sing along and declare it your anthem

Evanescence - "My Immortal"

Believe it or not, Friends went off the air over 12 years ago.  During the Spring of 2003, NBC heavily promoted the series finale with promos that featured the song "My Immortal" by Evanescence.