Bob Ruggiero
Houston Press
Houston, TX, United States
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Past articles by Bob:
Things to Do: Read Leon Russell by Bill Janovitz
Sometimes we tend to forget that even musical heroes have musical heroes. When Elton John came to these shores to play his first highly-anticipated run of shows at L.A.’s Troubadour Club in 1970, he was ecstatic to meet one of his: Leon Russell. Cut to nearly four decades later and... → Read More
Things to Do: See Bob Wills' Texas Playboys at Main Street Crossing in Tomball
Merle Haggard called him “The Best Damn Fiddle Player in the World” on a tribute album. Waylon Jennings opined that it didn’t matter who roamed the halls of state governmental power in Austin, because he was “Still the King.” And his influence is evident on acolytes ranging from Asleep at... → Read More
Al Stewart: Of Zodiac Cats, Succulent Grapes and the Genius of Chuck Berry
It’s an enviable position for any musician to find him or herself in: You have enough disposable income to need something to spend it on. But instead of drugs, flashy cars or shady offshore investment situations, in the early 1970s Scottish singer/songwriter Al Stewart decided he’d literally put his money... → Read More
JD Souther Brings His Many Hits (and Memories) to Tomball
In 1979, JD Souther released the lush, plaintive ballad “You’re Only Lonely,” which hit #7 on the Billboard Top 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts. But it wasn’t on these shores that he first realized he had a giant hit on his hands. “It had already peaked in... → Read More
Things to Do: See Blaggards Pogues Tribute Show at the Continental Club
It was nearly four decades ago, but Patrick Devlin still vividly remembers the first time he heard the music of the Pogues. “It was 1985 when I was still living in Ireland. I went to my friend Stephen McGuinness’s house in a place called Ballybrack just south of Dublin,” the... → Read More
Things to Do: Listen to Another Fork in the Road by Kansas
During the initial flush of worldwide Beatlemania, Ringo Starr was asked by on camera what he planned on doing when their bubble eventually burst in a couple of years. With utter sincerity, he told the reporter that he planned on opening a chain of ladies’ hairdressing salons. After all, nobody... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Alice Cooper @ 75 by Gary Graff
He’s long been lauded (or, depending on your point of view, condemned) for being “The Father of Shock Rock.” But this upcoming February 4 when he turns 75 years of age, he could up that title to “Grandfather.” Still, as recently as this year, Alice Cooper is out there many... → Read More
Things to Do: Read The McCartney Legacy by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair
Paul McCartney has been giving interviews—a lot of interviews—for more than 60 years. He’s been the main or partial subject of thousands of books published over decades on his career with both the Beatles and as a solo artist. Could there be anything more to say about the man known... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Addicted to Noise by Michael Goldberg
What is the state of Music Journalism today if it can even still be called that? In 2022, seemingly anyone with access to a keyboard and the internet and possessing of at least a) one working ear attached to their head and b) an opinion; can and do pontificate on... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Saxophone Colossus The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins by Aidan Levy
At the age of 92, Sonny Rollins is‚ as The Village Voice dubbed him years ago, “The Last Jazz Immortal” when it comes to the greats who came of age and prominence during the Bebop era of the ‘40s and ‘50s. The tenor saxophonist was hugely influential, has a significant... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Whiskers Abroad by Carrie Carter
The Japanese have a word to express one’s purpose in life or reason for living—ikigai. Houstonian Carrie Carter loves the concept, but lacked a distinctive for summation for herself. Even when she would create her own list of “likes” and force all her friends to go over them with her... → Read More
Things to Do: Listen to the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Los Angeles Forum and Read Jimi
There are a lot of estate organizers, trusts and conglomerations that look after the posthumous interests and product of rock stars. But Experience Hendrix, LLC, is the gold standard in terms of how it should be done, for the artist who died in 1970 at the age of 27. In... → Read More
Things to Do: Read the Hound Dog Taylor Biography Goodnight Boogie by Matt Rogers
There aren’t many artists who can say that someone created an entire record label and business for the sole purpose of putting out an album by them (and in fact, this might be the only instance). But that’s what superfan Bruce Iglauer did for his favorite local Chicago blues band,... → Read More
New Book Analyzes the Anthems and Hit Songs Embedded in Our Minds
It was 1970 or 1971 and Carly Simon was waiting in her apartment for a dinner date to arrive. He was running a bit late so the singer/songwriter—to calm her nerves—picked up a guitar and began to casually put together a song. Less than 20 minutes later when the doorbell... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Chuck Berry An American Life by RJ Smith
Chuck Berry was a complicated man. He craved love, attention, and acceptance. But he could brutally deride those who gave it to him. He could be kind and generous to strangers. And harsh, cold and explosive to those closest to him. He was a Founding Father of Rock ‘n Roll... → Read More
Things to Do: Listen to Ace of Blues by Angela Strehli and See Her at the Mucky Duck
It had been nearly two decades since vocalist Angela Strehli stepped into a recording studio to cut a solo record. But she knew if she didn’t, there just might be some disappointment at home. After all, it was longtime husband Bob Brown who suggested and encouraged her to make a... → Read More
Things to Do: See Steve Martin and Martin Short at the Smart Financial Centre
For many years, when an excited fan would approach Steve Martin and ask for an autograph or picture, the actor/screenwriter/novelist/playwright/comedian (whew!) would immediately hand the person a pre-printed, autopen-signed business card. It said, “This certifies that you have had a personal encounter with me and that you found me warm,... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Biblical by Rob Halford and Ian Gittins
The Judas Priest screamer produces his second—and just as entertaining—tome with homilies on the heavy metal life, his own ups and downs, and setting off airport metal detectors. → Read More
The Firebrand, the Photographer, and Black Power Converge at the MFAH
In the fall of 1966, Stokely Carmichael was a 25-year-old rising star in the the movement and struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. And he was a smart, focused and powerful speaker and organizer. Recently elected as the Chair for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee... → Read More
Things to Do: Read Martin Scorsese a Journey by Mary Pat Kelly
As a teenager growing up in a tight-knit Italian community in the Bronx, New York, Martin Scorsese had two obsessions: religion and the movies. So, it wasn’t surprising that the two places he seemed to visit most were the nearby St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and Loew’s Theatre. He even started... → Read More