Saturday Soundtrack began as a diversion. Or perhaps pandemic therapy. But as I’ve written before, it has become a real labor of love.* 2023 was the fourth full year of my commitment to focus more on the music in my life and share those explorations with the readers of More to Come.

At this time of reflection and “best of” lists, we once again turn to see what you — the readers and listeners — enjoyed by highlighting the ten posts with the most views from this year’s Saturday Soundtrack series. I did not list them in countdown order, working instead off a thematic framework, but I did save the post with the most views for the last.

Thanks for reading and commenting on these posts throughout the year. Your choices are outstanding!

---

Rest in Peace

Three of this year’s top Soundtrack posts are remembrances of past musical lives that continue to grace our world.

An incredibly rare event is often described as coming along “once in a Blue Moon.” On August 30/31 we experienced the second full moon within the span of one month, which had me thinking about the late and beloved singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith and her song, Once in a very blue moon.

Gordon Lightfoot, R.I.P. is my remembrance for the Canadian singer and songwriter, who passed away on May 1st. Lightfoot was a consistent voice in my world during my 20s and 30s.

The self-described folk pianist George Winston, who sold millions of albums over a long career, passed away on June 4th after a 10-year battle with cancer. Like many, I came to Winston’s melodic, quiet, and thoughtful playing in the 1980s, and I celebrate his legacy in the remembrance George Winson, R.I.P.

---

Holy music

Two of the top-ten posts this year had connections to the spiritual and holy.

Music for Holy Week was a repeat of a 2020 post that was curated by my son, Andrew Bearden Brown (more on him later). The haunting music and exceptionally talented singers Andrew selected held up well, as readers once again made it a top Soundtrack post of the year.

The Delta Rhythm Boys rattle those dry bones is tied to one of the most evocative stories in the Old Testament: Ezekiel’s encounter with God in the valley of the dry bones. The Delta Rhythm Boys put down the definitive version of the classic song Dry Bones, which I highlight (along with their other work) in this post which became a reader favorite.

---

Folk and bluegrass

Four of our top posts came from artists in the folk, acoustic music, and bluegrass field.

Watchhouse Duo goes back to the basics is a look at the most recent project by Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz. They are back on the road as they began: two individuals “with profound chemistry, performing earnest yet masterfully crafted songs that encompass the unknowable mysteries, existential heartbreak, and communal joys of modern life.”

Alison Brown doesn’t play the banjo; she plays music on the banjo. On banjo with Alison Brown shows the range of musical skill and interests of this progressive banjo player. In her newest album, a tour de force, Alison includes “forays into bluegrass, Brazilian choro music, classical and swing era jazz” with collaborators including musician, actor, and comedian Steve Martin; virtuoso mandolinist Sierra Hull; Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen; multicultural chamber group Kronos Quartet; classical guitarist Sharon Isbin; and fiddle stalwart Stuart Duncan.

The Grammy-winning artist Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway released their new record City of Gold in July. I highlight this terrific new work that showcases the versatility of the band and the expansiveness of Tuttle’s musical interests. 

Coming in at #2 on the annual Soundtrack top-ten list of reader views is A Great Wild Mercy, singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer’s newest project. Newcomer has always explored “the intersection of the spiritual and the daily, the sacred and the ordinary,” and this album continues that search. Over the course of her career she has become a prominent voice for progressive spirituality, social justice and interfaith dialogue. Author Barbara Kingsolver has written of Newcomer, “She’s a poet, storyteller, snake-charmer, good neighbor, friend and lover, minister of the wide-eyed gospel of hope and grace.”

---

Soundtrack favorite

And #1 on the list of reader views is:

Our son — the tenor Andrew Bearden Brown — was a finalist in the 10th annual Handel Aria Competition held at historic Grace Episcopal Church on the capitol square in Madison, Wisconsin. The Handel Aria Competition was established in 2013 and the finalists for this year’s competition were selected out of 125 auditions from around the world. Andrew took second prize, and in the #1 Saturday Soundtrack post for 2023 — A memorable evening of Handel — I post the videos of his two arias. All of the finalists sang beautifully in this wonderful historic setting. Needless to say, we are so proud of Andrew’s performance. I shared it with the readers of More to Come, who responded enthusiastically!

Enjoy!

More to come . . .

DJB

---

*I enjoy all types of music but realized in 2019 as More to Come passed the ten-year mark that I was seldom finding time to really listen to new music, much less highlight musicians I loved through the newsletter. Announcing a weekly commitment to showcase some of the work of those who caught my ear was a way to push me out of my typical posts. The reaction? Well, I have one family member who confesses to “never reading the music posts.” Others — friends, business colleagues, and family members — regularly comment or send emails with thoughts and suggestions only about the Soundtrack features. Suffice it to say that enough people read them that I’ll continue to feed my soul though these explorations and highlights.

---

NOTE: Here’s the 2022 top ten list.

---

Photo of albums and headphones by blocks on Unsplash