Look, I like the Beach Boys as much as the next guy, maybe more. I’d rank “Sloop John B.” among my top 20 favorite tunes of all times, and I’ve downloaded a bunch of other Beach Boy classics, from “Kokomo” to “Heroes and Villains,” onto my laptop. But is Virginia so sparse of home-grown musical talent that we need to import a headliner from the West Coast to fete Tim Kaine’s inauguration?
If I were elected Governor, here’s whom I would ask to play at my inauguration:
Susan Greenbaum, a Richmond musician. A half dozen cuts on her CD, “Hey, Hey, Hey,” are as good as — nay, better — than any of the popular music heard on the radio today. A former communications executive for Chesapeake Corp., she’s too old to fit the mold of the 20-something pop Diva, but she’s way more talented. Not only can she belt out a song, she writes her own music.
Carbon Leaf, a Richmond band, hasn’t made it into the Top 40 yet, but it is doing national tours. Every song on its latest album, “Indian Summer,” is solid, and some are inspired. Carbon Leaf’s music is not easily categorized, but it’s darn good.
And my absolute favorite, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth. Miller lives in Knoxville, TN, but he grew up in Virginia and the lyrics in his albums — “Downside” and “Thus Always to Tyrants” draw heavily upon Virginia themes. Plus, his music totally rocks. Great lyrics, great tunes, great range, great guitar.
Mr. Governor, why not use your inaugural gala to showcase some of the great musical talent that Virginia has to offer!
