Our dear beloved mother left the earth peacefully this past September 6th with family by her side to go to the family table in Heaven where they toasted her arrival. She will be so greatly missed by family and friends. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Thomas …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR John Mellencamp’s professional career began in 1976. He’s a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall in 2008. He’s had multiple Grammy nominations and in addition to his indelible success, a slew of chart topping hits, 23 …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR The Livesays are greatly accomplished musicians fronted by the bands namesake, singer-songwriter and guitarist William “Billy” Livesay, who toured with former E-Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons for over 12 years. The Livesays (Pronounced “thuh lev-va-sees”) independent release Not What I Bargained For is their fifth album, …

BY DEBRA J. MORRIS The sky begins to lighten as the sun rises over the rolling hills above Martinez, filtering light through the pear trees. It’s going to be another hot dry day at Alhambra Valley Pears & Beef, a farm nestled in the beautiful Alhambra Valley/Briones Valley Agricultural Preserve …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR Professionally known as Anderson East, Michael Cameron Anderson grew up in a small town of about 20,000 in Athens, Alabama. His new album Maybe We Never Die follows his 2018 hit Encore. Not surprising for a southern kid, East’s primary musical influence was the gospel hymn. …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR A sequel is the continuation of a story that develops because of an earlier one. In this case Jack Russell and Great White have continued covering the thrilling Led Zeppelin catalog with Great Zeppelin ll: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin, 22 years after releasing 1999’s Great …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR From punk rock icon to jazz chanteuse, Chrissie Hynde has long been an innovative tour deforce in the world of music. Now, nearly 45 years after her debut as the ballsy front woman of the Pretenders, she’s lending her signature vocals and impassioned interpretations to nine …

BY DEBRA J. MORRIS Stroll through the farmers market in the fall and you’re sure to find a muted yellow, or light brown round fruit. At first glance, it looks like an apple, but upon further investigation, the texture of the skin sets it apart. While this fruit resembles their …

BY KARYN A. POKLETAR The ten tracks on Brooklyn-based Mackenzie Scott’s Thirstier embrace the rethinking of a brooding artist’s life. Scott’s place in the world, singing style and mood have changed and healed because of what she’s found since the seriousness of her 2017 album Three Futures, which recounted the …

BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER LaMonte Wade Jr’s dramatic game winning ninth inning pinch hit home run helped lead the Giants to a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the A’s Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum. Oakland had capitalized on a rocky start by Giants ace Kevin Gausman to jump out to a 3-0 …