This album is a vibrant reminder of what he does best...conjuring vintage R&B/soul sounds and composing evocative ballads."

— The Washington Post

It's Carroll's evocative grand piano and impassioned vocals that sell the songs."

— No Depression

It’s June.
It’s summertime.
I feel like dancing.

So I ask you, who better to move and groove to than Jon Carroll?

Jon is an amazing and energetic keyboardist and guitar player, a fantastic singer, and a great writer. He won two Grammy Awards® when he was 18 with the Starland Vocal Band – including Best Vocal Arrangement for their hit Afternoon Delight. His song Get Closer was recorded by Linda Ronstadt for her album of the same name, and Tom Jones and Kenny Rogers have also recorded his songs. Jon is from the Washington DC area and has received 21 Wammie Awards from the Washington Area Music Association. He has played in the bands of renowned artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rodney Crowell, and The Dixie Chicks. He is on tour this summer with Peter Wolf (formerly of J. Geils Band) and also with Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Mary Chapin Carpenter has this to say about Jon’s latest recording: “Jon Carroll is a one man band, a poet, a songwriter, a singer of every kind of song and above all, a musician’s musician. This wonderful record shows the remarkable confluence of his gifts, and I can also attest to his being a not-to-be-missed performer.”

I couldn’t agree more! Jon is one of my favorite people in the world, and I’m happy to share some of his music here to start the summer off right. Ranging from classic R&B styles to heartfelt and beautifully arranged ballads, his music is meant to move you and make you move.

It’s summer.
Dance on!

Just Relax is my favorite song. I have put the recorded version in the playlist, but I have also included a video of a live performance of Jon with his son Ben (also a great singer-songwriter). This song makes me smile every time.

On the Front Porch is a perfect summer song and I can’t help but sing along. Most of us have fond memories of a porch in our lives. I love the idea of the front porch as a haven, both a public and a private space.

Listen to Jon sing on Can’t Argue With That! Doesn’t it make you want to see him in concert? In this song about the power of words, I love the line, “your shadow makes a lousy shade.”

The next song is Jon’s incredible R&B version of the Bob Dylan song, Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love). Love it.

And the last song on the playlist is a surprise ONLY for the readers of The Troubadour Series Blog! Jon sent me a rough mix of a brand new song that will be on his next album which won’t be out until the beginning of next year. This song called Can’t Afford Not To may be my new favorite. I can’t stop listening.

SPECIAL NOTE FROM MAE:

I’d like to welcome the fans and readers of Victory Music (supporters of acoustic music for 40 years). Victory Music is now reprinting blog posts from the Troubadour Series to their website. Thanks to Victory Music for helping spread the word on this fine music. Visit them here.