Dana Spiardi

Led Zeppelin in The White House! The Song Will Never Be the Same.

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Been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time….since the musical machinations of Led Zeppelin first set my turntable needle ablaze. Zeppelin – the first band cited by audio engineers as the loudest on earth – was perhaps the most enigmatic mega-group in rock. Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegün, who signed them to his label, said, “Peter Grant, their manager…kept them hidden in a shroud of mystery. They became the most unapproachable band in rock history.” Rumors abounded for years about devil worship, Faustian bargains and wild sex orgies involving fresh fish. Yet, despite their reputation, there they were, at the White House on Sunday night – guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, and bassist John Paul Jones – receiving Kennedy Center Honors medals from President Barack Obama

Mr. DeMille, He’s Ready for his Close-up: Gram on Film

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Honky tonk honey Gram Parsons loved being in the spotlight. Whether he was singing and strumming on stage or posing for the camera in fancy finery and eyeliner, he was always the most exotic cat in the room. With his pretty face, Southern charm, and puppy-dog charisma, I believe he might have been just as … Read more

I A.M. What I Am: Breakfast of Champions with KDKA

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As a kid I had breakfast every morning with the 50,000-watt Godzilla of all AM radio stations – KDKA 1020, Pittsburgh, PA. The first commercial radio station in the world, launched by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, turns 95 years old today. My dad always had our kitchen radio tuned to 1020 on the dial. There … Read more

The Original Lovely Rita

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Here she is:  the original…the one-and-only, Ms. Rita Hayworth. Feast your eyes on the screen goddess performing “Put the Blame on Mame” from the 1946 film noir classic “Gilda.” It’s one of Hollywood’s most iconic scenes, and a top favorite of mine. And, as an added treat, you get to see the “Rita head toss” … Read more