Well, being a lifetime Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer fan, it is hard to break through the breathy vapid millenial overhead muuuzaaak in a grocery store for example. Just meaningless beat by beat and empty lyrics.
So, when will someone revive American music— even classic blues that were NOT re-introduced to the US by English cover artists (referring to Clapton, who is a student of the blues, so there’s that, and now can’t play anymore). To Wit: The Allman Brothers, Booker T and the MGs and some of the great REAL R&B that was 1.)danceable 2.)grooveable and 3) downright powerful.
There are some pros who still “have it” (thinking of the volume of work from Mark Knopfler or Sting) for melody and songs with meaningful lyrics and delivery. Have found one standout “revival” of a writer/performer from the days of Stax Records as well. So, may I direct all here to lookup Hoagy and Johnny— and will post 3 examples of what am talking about—who HAVE a nascent building millenial following after more than 25 years or longer careers (even through younger cover artists):
Knopfler: 7 mins- HD sound- “Song for Sonny Liston” (Live- Switzerland, with just him, trap drummer standup bass):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DMLnoyk6R0
Sting: “Fields of Gold” and “Valparaiso”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGED47FKXE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6MAtO71Bt8
William Bell (at age 79 now, after 30 years a new album in 2016). (Dare y’all to crank this on a good system— it is just superb, from the writer of “Born Under a Bad Sign”) “Poison in the Well”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqML2VSXiUI
The William Bell track is outstanding. I daresay this man influenced Robert Cray heavily. I can hear Bell in Cray’s work. Thank you so much for sharing that.