From the Desk of CLASSICKONG
Welcome back, music lovers.
Coming one day after September 11, today naturally carries a little reflection with it.
Music has a remarkable way of meeting us in those quiet places. A melody can bring back a person, a time, a home we once knew, or somebody we simply wish could still be sitting beside us.
September 12 gives us plenty to celebrate—Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, Neil Peart, Joe Sample, Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Barry White and more.
Some of these artists are still with us. Others have left the stage.
But the music remains.
And sometimes four simple words say everything:
Wish you were here.
To all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces—past and present—thank you for your service. 🇺🇸
Pink Floyd — Wish You Were Here
On September 12, 1975, Pink Floyd released Wish You Were Here in the United Kingdom. The American release followed on September 13.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios and released on Harvest Records, Wish You Were Here followed the enormous success of The Dark Side of the Moon. Instead of simply trying to repeat that record, Pink Floyd created something more introspective.
Absence hangs over the album.
Much of that feeling is connected to founding member Syd Barrett, whose presence—and absence—continued to loom over the band. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” became Pink Floyd’s great musical tribute to their former bandmate.
Then there is the title song.
“Wish You Were Here” has long since grown beyond any single interpretation. People have used it to remember friends, parents, spouses, bandmates and people separated by miles or by time.
Coming one day after September 11, it is difficult not to hear those four words differently.
Wish you were here.
Pink Floyd did not write the song about September 11, of course. The album arrived more than a quarter-century earlier. But that is one of music’s extraordinary gifts: a song written in one time and place can find an entirely new meaning in somebody else’s life.
The Album
Wish You Were Here (1975) — Harvest Records
Essential listening:
- “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I–V)”
- “Welcome to the Machine”
- “Have a Cigar”
- “Wish You Were Here”
- “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI–IX)”
More than half a century after its release, Wish You Were Here remains one of Pink Floyd’s defining works.
Johnny Cash — The Man in Black Takes His Final Bow
On September 12, 2003, Johnny Cash died at age 71.
Trying to summarize Johnny Cash in a few paragraphs is nearly impossible.
Country. Gospel. Folk. Rockabilly. American roots music.
Cash belonged to all of it.
Before becoming a recording star, he served in the United States Air Force, enlisting in 1950 and serving as a Morse code intercept operator. After leaving the service, his road eventually led to Sam Phillips and Sun Records.
Then came records such as “Cry! Cry! Cry!,” “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line.”
Cash later made two of the great live albums in American music:
At Folsom Prison (1968) — Columbia Records
At San Quentin (1969) — Columbia Records
His career would span generations, eventually reaching a new audience through his extraordinary late-period American Recordings albums.
But today, there is another Johnny Cash story worth telling.
Josh Turner Knocked on Johnny Cash’s Door
Just yesterday, I watched country singer Josh Turner tell a wonderful story on The Drifting Cowboy podcast, hosted by Dillon Weldon.
As a young man in 1999, Turner went to Johnny Cash’s home in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
And Johnny answered the door.
Think about that for a second.
You’re a young singer trying to find your way, standing at the home of one of the towering figures in American music—and suddenly Johnny Cash himself is standing in front of you.
Turner has recalled how deeply the encounter affected him. It wasn’t simply meeting a celebrity. He had met one of the people who helped shape the musical road he hoped to travel.
There is something beautiful about knowing Turner got the opportunity to meet Johnny while Johnny was still here.
And that leads perfectly into something we believe strongly around this desk:
Give people their roses while they’re here. ❤️
WTSG-DB Shout-Out — The Drifting Cowboy
A big WTSG-DB shout-out today to The Drifting Cowboy podcast and its fantastic host, Dillon Weldon.
Dillon does a great job. He’s knowledgeable, genuinely interested in the stories his guests have to tell, and above all, respectful of the people sitting across from him.
He gives his guests room to talk rather than trying to make the interview about himself.
The recent Josh Turner conversation is a perfect example. It’s an excellent interview filled with stories about the music, the people and the experiences that helped shape Turner.
Shows like The Drifting Cowboy help preserve the stories behind country music.
Keep up the great work, Dillon. WTSG-DB is listening. ❤️🎙️
Neil Peart — The Heartbeat of Rush
Neil Peart was born September 12, 1952, in Hamilton, Ontario.
For drummers, there are certain names that require no introduction.
Neil Peart is one of them.
When Peart joined Rush in 1974 alongside Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, the chemistry changed almost immediately. Peart wasn’t merely a drummer. He became Rush’s principal lyricist and helped shape the intellectual and musical identity that made the band unlike almost anyone else in rock.
Rush fans would affectionately come to know him as “The Professor.”
His influences included Gene Krupa, Keith Moon, Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell, John Bonham, Michael Giles and Michael Shrieve.
But Neil didn’t simply copy those players.
He built his own language.
Listen to “YYZ,” “La Villa Strangiato,” “Tom Sawyer,” “The Spirit of Radio,” “Limelight” or the sprawling “2112.”
There is power, precision and tremendous technical command—but there is also composition.
Neil approached drum parts as pieces of music.
As a drummer myself, that is one of the things I’ve always respected about the great players. Technique matters, but technique has to serve the song.
And Neil never stopped learning.
Even after becoming one of the world’s most celebrated rock drummers, he continued studying his instrument and challenging himself.
There is a lesson in that far beyond drums:
Never become too accomplished to remain a student.
Happy birthday, Neil. ❤️🥁
Joe Sample — Warmth at the Piano
On September 12, 2014, the music world lost Joe Sample at age 75.
This one is personal.
Joe was a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later simply known as The Crusaders, and became one of the most distinctive keyboard voices to move between jazz, funk, soul and R&B.
I first discovered Joe through The Crusaders and the music surrounding the film Sharky’s Machine.
But years later, another Joe Sample recording found me in a completely different way.
Leading Me Back to You
On Joe Sample’s 1989 album Spellbound, there is a beautiful song called “Leading Me Back to You,” featuring the unmistakable voice of Michael Franks.
Joe Sample and Michael Franks wrote the song together.
As a classically trained pianist myself, I’ve always had a special appreciation for Joe.
It wasn’t simply what he played.
It was how he played it.
Joe had warmth.
His touch, phrasing and sense of space could make a piano speak. He didn’t need to overwhelm the music to command your attention. His technique served the song.
And you can hear his love of music shining through his records.
“Leading Me Back to You” became especially meaningful during long stretches when military deployments kept me away from my wife.
When miles separated us, her love sustained me.
And music had a way of crossing those miles.
Certain songs become attached to moments in our lives so deeply that years later, a few notes can bring the entire experience rushing back.
For me, this is one of those songs.
Discover Joe Sample
If Joe Sample is new to you, don’t stop with one recording.
- The Crusaders — Street Life (1979)
- Joe Sample — Rainbow Seeker (1978)
- Joe Sample — Carmel (1979)
- Joe Sample — Voices in the Rain (1981)
- Joe Sample — Spellbound (1989)
Joe Sample left behind recordings filled with musicianship, warmth and soul.
God rest you, Mr. Sample.
And thank you for the music. ❤️🎹
Aerosmith — Pump Turns the Amps Up
Okay.
We’ve reflected.
We’ve remembered.
Now somebody plug in the guitars. 😂🤘
On September 12, 1989, Aerosmith released their tenth studio album, Pump.
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn and released by Geffen Records, Pump caught Aerosmith firing on every cylinder.
Steven Tyler. Joe Perry. Brad Whitford. Tom Hamilton. Joey Kramer.
The classic five.
And what a track list:
- “Young Lust”
- “F.I.N.E.”
- “Love in an Elevator”
- “Monkey on My Back”
- “Janie’s Got a Gun”
- “The Other Side”
- “My Girl”
- “Don’t Get Mad, Get Even”
- “Voodoo Medicine Man”
- “What It Takes”
This wasn’t Aerosmith quietly reminding everybody they were still around.
Pump was a statement.
Big riffs. Big hooks. Tyler in full command. Perry and Whitford bringing the guitars. Kramer and Hamilton holding down that unmistakable Aerosmith engine.
“Love in an Elevator” still comes charging out of the speakers.
“What It Takes” showed the band’s emotional side.
And “Janie’s Got a Gun” proved Aerosmith could tackle darker material without losing their musical identity.
Thirty-seven years later?
Total rocker.
Turn it up.
Thin Lizzy — Fighting Before Jailbreak
September 12, 1975 also brought us Fighting from Thin Lizzy.
Released on Vertigo Records, the album captured the classic lineup of:
Phil Lynott — bass and vocals
Brian Downey — drums
Scott Gorham — guitar
Brian Robertson — guitar
This is where that magnificent Thin Lizzy twin-guitar attack really began finding its mature identity.
Before Jailbreak made them international stars in 1976, there was Fighting.
Essential cuts include:
- “Rosalie”
- “For Those Who Love to Live”
- “Wild One”
- “King’s Vengeance”
- “Fighting My Way Back”
Phil Lynott remains one of rock’s most distinctive frontmen and songwriters, but Thin Lizzy was never a one-man operation.
Brian Downey’s drumming, Lynott’s bass, and those harmonized guitars from Gorham and Robertson created a sound that generations of hard-rock and metal bands would carry forward.
If your Thin Lizzy collection begins and ends with “The Boys Are Back in Town,” keep digging.
There’s more gold down there. 🤘
Creedence Clearwater Revival — An American Treasure
On the UK album chart dated September 12, 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Cosmo’s Factory landed at No. 1.
What an album.
Released in 1970 on Fantasy Records, Cosmo’s Factory contains an almost ridiculous amount of classic CCR:
- “Travelin’ Band”
- “Who’ll Stop the Rain”
- “Run Through the Jungle”
- “Up Around the Bend”
- “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”
- “Long as I Can See the Light”
- “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
Then there is John Fogerty.
Singer. Songwriter. Guitarist. Producer.
Fogerty created songs that somehow sound ancient and completely alive at the same time. Blues, country, rock & roll, swampy grooves and American storytelling all collided inside CCR.
John Fogerty and CCR have always been favorites around this desk.
And John is still out there doing his thing.
God bless him.
Some music belongs to a decade.
Creedence Clearwater Revival belongs to America.
CCR is an American treasure. 🇺🇸
Barry White — The Maestro of Love
Barry White was born September 12, 1944, in Galveston, Texas.
That voice.
You know it immediately.
But Barry White was far more than one of the most recognizable voices in popular music.
He was a singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and musician who helped create the lush orchestral soul sound that became his signature.
And then there was the Love Unlimited Orchestra.
Strings. Rhythm. Atmosphere. Romance.
Barry understood how to build a record.
Songs such as “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” and “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up” became part of the soundtrack of generations.
Barry White sang about love without apology.
In a world that sometimes works awfully hard at being cynical, there is something refreshing about that.
Nothing but respect for Barry White.
Legend. ❤️
Barry White — Must-Haves
- I’ve Got So Much to Give (1973) — 20th Century Records
- Stone Gon’ (1973) — 20th Century Records
- Can’t Get Enough (1974) — 20th Century Records
- Just Another Way to Say I Love You (1975) — 20th Century Records
- Let the Music Play (1976) — 20th Century Records
And don’t overlook The Love Unlimited Orchestra’s Rhapsody in White (1974).
Its famous “Love’s Theme” is a perfect reminder that Barry White’s musical identity extended far beyond that magnificent voice.
He knew how to create an entire sound.
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles — The Tears of a Clown
On the UK singles chart dated September 12, 1970, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles reached No. 1 with “The Tears of a Clown.”
The song has a fascinating history.
Its music grew from an instrumental idea involving Stevie Wonder and Hank Cosby, with Smokey Robinson later supplying lyrics built around the image of someone entertaining the world while hiding sadness underneath.
The recording originally appeared on the Miracles’ Make It Happen (1967) album on Tamla Records. After “The Tears of a Clown” became a belated smash, the album was subsequently reissued under the song’s title.
That contrast between happiness on the outside and hurt underneath helped make “The Tears of a Clown” one of Motown’s enduring classics.
Sometimes the person making everybody else smile is carrying something nobody can see.
Another reminder to be kind.
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles — Must-Haves
- Going to a Go-Go (1965) — Tamla
- Make It Happen (1967) — Tamla
- Special Occasion (1968) — Tamla
- Four in Blue (1969) — Tamla
- One Dozen Roses (1971) — Tamla
Around the Turntable
A few more September 12 notes worth spinning:
The Monkees television series premiered on NBC on September 12, 1966, introducing millions of viewers to Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork.
And in 1955, Chrysler announced its remarkable Highway Hi-Fi automobile record player.
The under-dash system played specially designed seven-inch records at 16⅔ rpm.
Yes, kids.
Before Bluetooth, Spotify, CDs, cassettes and 8-tracks…
somebody put a record player in the car. 😂
Imagine hitting an Evansville pothole with THAT thing playing.
September 12 Birthdays
Maria Muldaur — Born 1942
Singer Maria Muldaur has traveled through folk, blues, roots music and jazz during a career spanning more than six decades.
Many listeners know her from the 1973 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” but her musical story reaches much further back, including her work with the Jim Kweskin Jug Band.
Must-Haves:
- Maria Muldaur (1973)
- Waitress in a Donut Shop (1974)
- Sweet Harmony (1976)
Steve Turre — Born 1948
Jazz trombonist Steve Turre built an extraordinary career performing with artists across generations of jazz.
And Turre has another musical voice unlike almost anyone else’s:
conch shells.
He developed shells into serious musical instruments and incorporated them into his performances and compositions.
Must-Haves:
- Viewpoints and Vibrations (1987)
- Right There (1991)
- Sanctified Shells (1993)
- Lotus Flower (1999)
Ben Folds — Born 1966
Singer, songwriter and pianist Ben Folds brought piano back to the front of alternative rock with Ben Folds Five before establishing an extensive solo career.
Must-Haves:
- Ben Folds Five — Ben Folds Five (1995)
- Ben Folds Five — Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
- Rockin’ the Suburbs (2001)
- Songs for Silverman (2005)
And, of course, we also celebrate today’s birthdays of:
Barry White — 1944–2003 ❤️
Neil Peart — 1952–2020 ❤️
Happy birthday to everyone celebrating today.
National Day of Encouragement
September 12 is National Day of Encouragement.
And this one belongs here.
The observance began in 2007, when a group of young people in Arkansas wanted to promote deliberate acts of encouragement. September 12 was chosen in part because of its proximity to September 11—a day associated with tremendous loss, but also extraordinary examples of Americans supporting one another.
That gives today a simple purpose.
Encourage somebody.
Tell somebody they’re doing a good job.
Thank the person who helped you.
Call somebody you’ve been thinking about.
Tell your spouse you love them.
Encourage the kid learning guitar even though the chords still buzz.
Tell the drummer practicing rudiments in the basement to keep going.
Give people their roses while they’re here. ❤️🌹
Final Spin
We began today still carrying a little of yesterday’s September 11 remembrance with us.
And we began with four words:
Wish you were here.
Maybe that’s why so many of today’s stories seem to hit a little differently.
Many of the people we’ve talked about today—Johnny Cash, Neil Peart, Joe Sample, Barry White, Phil Lynott and Syd Barrett—are no longer with us.
But then we put on a record.
And somehow, there they are.
Joe Sample sits down at the piano, and those warm chords begin “Leading Me Back to You.”
Neil Peart counts off a Rush song, and suddenly that enormous drum kit is alive again.
Johnny Cash sings a few words in that unmistakable voice, and the Man in Black walks back into the room.
Barry White reminds us that love is still worth singing about.
Phil Lynott straps on his battle-axe. 🤘
And Pink Floyd reminds us that even when someone is no longer beside us, the music can keep a part of them close.
Then there are the people who are still here.
John Fogerty is still out there singing those CCR songs.
And maybe today we hear a little something extra in them.
We can still be “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.”
And through everything life puts in front of us, maybe what matters most is knowing that somewhere out there, we can still see the light.
Music does something remarkable with time.
It brings yesterday into today.
It carries love across miles. It carries memories across decades. It introduces a young musician to someone who died before they were born.
And sometimes it brings a husband separated from his wife by thousands of miles a little closer to home.
Maybe that’s why Joe Sample and Michael Franks’ “Leading Me Back to You” feels like such an appropriate thought today.
Because in one way or another, the music keeps leading us back to them.
To the people we miss.
To the people we love.
To the places we’ve been.
And sometimes, back to ourselves.
National Day of Encouragement asks us to remember the people who are still standing beside us, too.
Give people their roses while they’re here.
Encourage them.
Thank them.
Tell them you love them.
There is still goodness in this world.
There is still love.
There is still beautiful music being made.
And no matter how dark yesterday may have been, there is still a light somewhere ahead.
As long as we can see that light…
we’re going to be okay. ❤️
Until tomorrow, keep listening, keep loving one another, and keep the music playing.
Great Music. Great Radio. Great Community.
— CLASSICKONG
WTSG Digital Broadcasting
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References
- Pink Floyd — Official History: 1975
- Johnny Cash — Official Timeline
- Rush — Neil Peart Biography
- Aerosmith — AeroHistory: Pump
- Official Charts — Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Official Charts — Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
- Texas State Historical Association — Barry White
- Michael Franks — Official Recordings
- Rush — Official Website
- Aerosmith — Official Website
