The staff of the College Football America Yearbook is on the road every weekend of the college football season, shooting games and gathering information for the following year’s book. That means a lot of driving and listening to a lot of music.
Earlier this year our College Football America Yearbook publisher Kendall Webb and our director of editorial content Chuck Cox put together ‘The Coronavirus Countdown – 100 Days of Great Music.’ Each of them sat down and compiled a list of 100 great albums. Their goal was not to select the ‘100 greatest albums of all time.’ It was simply to select 100 great albums to write about as they passed the time during quarantine and shelter-at-home orders.
This 2020 college football season will be unprecedented in so many ways. It’s very likely none of us will be on the road for games because, like most people, we’re trying to stay healthy. And we hope you are too.
So, for the next 100 days, we’re going to publish their countdown here at CollegeFootballAmericaPR.com (the list was originally published on Webb’s personal site, kendallwebb.net). Consider it the ultimate playlist for the ultimate college road trip — music for every taste, from every genre and from every decade of the modern era of music. When the staff of the College Football America Yearbook is back on the road, you can bet these will be some of the tunes we’re listening to.
And, if you missed the previous installments of our series, just click here to head to the Coronavirus Countdown — 100 Days of Great Music home page.
Here’s Day 32
This is music in the moment here. I’m discovering your bonus pick as we speak — an artist named Blaze Foley, courtesy of my buddy Danny Van Dyke.
Foley’s song “If I Could Only Fly” was covered by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson in the late ’80s and again by Merle in 2000. Joe Nichols and Lee Ann Womack also performed it as a duet.
But Foley’s stripped down acoustic version stands on its own. Your bonus pick of the day is the compilation “In Tribute And Loving Memory … Volume One” featuring artists performing music by the singer-songwriter who passed away in 1989 at the age of 39.
— Chuck Cox and Kendall Webb
CHUCK’S ALBUM OF THE DAY
Why I Love It
I had little knowledge of My Chemical Romance until this watershed concept album was released. Reminiscent of predecessors like The Who’s “Tommy” and Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” The Black Parade tells the story of a patient battling cancer with introspect and memorable songs that stick in your head and your heart long after first listen. The album is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, which is no small feat. I’m every bit as in love with this record as the day it came into my life. For my money, “Teenagers” is one of the greatest anthems ever.
Album Highlights
“Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Teenagers” and “Disenchanted”
Kendall on Chuck’s Album of the Day
This is definitely album that wasn’t on my radar before I gave it a spin, but it’s one I’ll spend some time with in the days to come. Chuck knows his “anthems” for sure, and I agree that “Teenagers” holds its own with some of the best. A great record to add to my collection.
KENDALL’S ALBUM OF THE DAY
The Gilded Palace Of Sin (1969)
Why I Love It
I’m a country-rocker to my soul, and if The Byrds’ “Sweetheart Of The Rodeo” is the template, then this album is the full realization of what Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons set out to create.
This is one of my favorite albums from any genre, and I think “Hot Burrito No. 1” is one of the best vocal performances of Parsons’ brief career.
This is also Hillman’s third appearance on my list counting, The Byrds and The Desert Rose Band, and I also included a bonus pick of his work in The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. He’s still make great records in the Americana tradition, and you can trace it all back through this album to The Byrds.
Album Highlights
“Sin City,” “My Uncle” and “Hot Burrito No. 1”
Chuck on Kendall’s Album of the Day
Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman picked up where they left off with the sound they helped create on The Byrds “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” with a new band with a great name. This debut album proved that the country and folk fusion was no fluke. Today’s two choices on our list are one of my favorite juxtapositions. It goes to show that great music is great music.
College Football America PR 