Top tracks from our wonderful supporters - edition #2 - Rhonda & Jeff Boehlert

This regular feature explores the music tastes of our friends, colleagues and supporters. Let’s see what floats Rhonda & Jeff's boat.

Greetings

We have just moved house and apologise for the lack of posts. It’s always a huge stress and as we have our full analogue recording studio, a massive job.

You can read all about it in Simon’s daily diary on notes, the latest episode of which can be found here!

Music is our life and we are really interested in the songs you love, so if you fancy contributing, just mail us!

So let’s get to it.

We asked the fabulous Rhonda & Jeff Boehlert to pick ten of their favourite songs a few weeks ago.

Here you go…

Much love

Suzy & Simon

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Hi

We are Jeff & Rhonda Boehlert

About four years ago we decided to sell everything, move to Portugal from America and start a new, simpler life. It continues to be an extremely rewarding and enlightening experience.

Music has always been an important thread in our lives, and that musical thread continues here in Europe.

We have been to hundreds of shows over the years at intimate clubs, house concerts, large venues, and iconic locations. We enjoy travelling Europe now and making musical discoveries here.

In fact, one of the best musical discoveries we have made here in Europe is Starlite and Campbell - more on that below as we select two songs from their discography.

The top ten…

We present to you a top 10 list. These are 10 songs you would definitely find on our playlists, among many, many others. A near daunting task to select just 10 – but here goes.

Why these 10? We have selected songs that evoke movement, emotion, and memories which can transport you to a place or a point in time. These songs have emotional connections for us. We hope you enjoy.

So… let’s get this party started.

Jeff’s picks

Green Onions by Booker T & The M.G.’s.

You gotta move, you cannot refuse, in the first couple of notes you are up and grooving to the tune and a sense of joy flows through you. Don’t believe me then crank it up. Movement! None better than this classic Memphis tune.

Memory: Back in 2013 we had the pleasure of seeing Booker T & The M.G.’s perform this song at Madison Square Garden as part of Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival. Check out this vintage live footage from 1969.

Four Day Creep by Humble Pie

The glorious 70s – best decade of music. This song always takes me back to my youth and growing up during the best decade of music. Hot & sweaty rock and roll, live albums, triple bills for $6.

Two of my brothers were guitar players and this was always on their setlists. Memory: seeing Peter Frampton perform this live - Raleigh North Carolina 2019.

Check out this from their performance: Rockin The Fillmore

Congo Square by The Neville Brothers

The best music town there is – New Orleans.

This song evokes the power and importance of music and is a reminder of people being marginalized. The Neville Brothers are known as “the heart & soul of New Orleans”, one of the many musical families from New Orleans. This song was written by the superb slide player from Louisiana, Sonny Landreth, and The Nevilles cover it so well. Memories…sooo many…. how about rolling out of Tipitina’s at sunrise after another late-night show? haha

Into The Mystic by Van Morrison

This song is somewhat of an anthem for our new life in Portugal. “...let your soul and spirt fly, into the mystic…”. Rhonda has that gypsy soul and was the catalyst to our new life direction. Memory: finally, after all these years, seeing Van Morrison last year at Sandringham UK.

Improvisation on Bolero by Larry Coryell

Absolutely beautiful guitar. Rhonda comes from a more classical background, so Bolero is near and dear to her heart. Memory: on our travels through Spain and seeing a wonderful acoustic guitar trio perform in a historic church in Barcelona.

Check out this live performance in Seville 1992.

Rhonda’s picks

Growing up, I only listened to classical music, which trained my ears to the beautiful harmonies and intensity that classical music brings.

My father was super strict and would not allow any rock music to be played in the house. It was all “evil”, and so no Rock or Pop albums in our house except for two that my sister snuck into the house… Peter Frampton Live and the soundtrack to A Star Is Born. lol 😂

When I started driving and was able to listen to the radio, I became a fan of pop music.

I enjoy music that has a great tonal quality and harmony, and then I hear the words. When a song has both, it becomes a favorite.

When I met Jeff, he became my music man and introduced me to many bands I had never heard of.  Todd Rundgren was one of these artists. I had heard “Hello it’s me” on the radio but not any of his other songs. Wow!! I was blown away.

Compassion by Todd Rundgren

Great harmonies and a deep message. 

Jeff: I was a huge Todd fan. He was the renaissance man and always taking a new direction on each project. On Todd solo LPs he does all the vocals and instruments!

Check out Todd live, with Flo & Eddie on backup vocals.

Couldn’t Stand The Weather by Stevie Ray Vaughan

We saw him in an open-air covered amphitheatre in the Finger Lakes region of NY. As he started to play this song, a lightning storm moved in. It got more intense as he played, like he was playing with the storm. It was magical!  

Jeff: musical memories… seeing Stevie Ray in a small bar for $5 ... hearing the sad news on that tragic day…

Check out this live in 1985.

Amazing Jane by Sonia Dada

Sonia Dada is a group that Jeff introduced me to. This band incorporates rock, soul, gospel, blues and funk with stunning harmonies and deep social messages.

has great harmonies, and an intensity that draws you in and makes you listen to the words and the profound message. We bought all their CDs and have a great memory of seeing them at the iconic Birchmere club in Virginia. We drove three hours each way just to see them. Well worth the trip.

The Rain by Subdudes

Subdudes is another New Orleans band with super harmonies and down to earth feeling about them. They have relatable lyrics that are easy to sing to.

This is one of our favorite songs. It brings back the memory of seeing them play it live in a small club, coming into the crowd, forming a circle in the center of the audience and belting out this song. Wow!!!

Check out this live performance.

Adagio in G minor by Albinoni

With my classical upbringing, I really enjoy listening to violin and organ music. This song is so intense with the cellos, and the organ and violins, if you sit in a dark room and focus on the sounds, it will bring you to tears with the intensity and perfect pitch and your ears will ring and you will feel the vibrations throughout your entire body. There are really no words to describe the experience.

Two of our favorite Starlite-Campbell songs. But first, a little background to put it all into context.

Starlite-Campbell is a band we discovered once we moved to Portugal. We arrived during the height of the COVID pandemic. Here we were in a strange new country, and everything was in lockdown. We felt isolated and confused. It was one thing to experience this back home in the States, but to be in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, and you do not yet understand the culture, really amplified that sense of isolation.

Lo and behold we came across the Starlite Campbell Band, and they were performing weekly livestreams – a place we could share without masks, two-meter barriers etc. This was the new way of connecting during this crazy chapter of history. It was like being thrown a life vest while you were drowning in an ocean of insanity. The first thing we loved about the broadcast; it was live music, near and dear to our hearts and absolutely the medicine we needed at that moment in time. Second, it was in English, a language we understood. And third, they were also living here in Portugal – wait what, we weren’t the only “outsiders” here? And lastly and most importantly, it was making a real human connection – albeit via the internet.

Each week we were brought into the intimate world of Suzy & Simon, sharing their music and stories with us. They were a crucial part of helping us navigate through those strange times. Since then, we have continued to follow and support their music and in some small way try to show our gratitude for the gift they have given us. Music is about sharing energy and emotion – the universal language they say. We are true believers in supporting the arts and understand the importance of independent artists.

Here are two of our favourite Starlite-Campbell songs…

Take Time to Grow Old from The Language of Curiosity

This song is a constant reminder to embrace life and live every day to its fullest. “…no need to fade away…. don’t fall back on yesterday…how long is up to you…”. Don’t count yourself out because of a number (your age), although your body will age, your spirit should always continue to grow. For us we hope to live life with the curiosity and wonder of a three-year-old. Nuff said haha

The Voting Machine from STARLITE.ONE

A very relevant and in-your-face message, great beat. We love this latest project with its new musical direction and the artistic and engaging videos.

Much love,

Rhonda & Jeff

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PS: See you all on the next Starlite-Campbell livestream. Or out on the road somewhere enjoying music.

Some events on our musical calendar… last week we caught Sir Paul McCartney in Paris (Outstanding!), always love going back to Romania in July to catch up with friends at Open Air Blues Festival, and off to the land of Oz for Byron Bay Blues Festival (Australia)...

And hopefully… somewhere… sometime… the chance to see Starlite-Campbell perform live in 2025.

Thank you kindly and we will see you in 2025. We are off for the holidays this week to do a dog sit 🐶🐶