Kendel Carson

As he's done many times before, Bob Harris has done a fabulous job of promoting Kendel Carson's new CD on both his "Bob Harris Country" and his Saturday night programs on BBC Radio 2 recently. Apparently, her "I Like Trucks" has generated a tremendous amount of positive listener comment.

And I can see why. It's so incredibly catchy...and fun! And I'd learned most all the lyrics after only two listenings!

However, what convinced me to add her CD to my humongous collection of music was when he also played "Ain't That a Sun" on one of his recent shows. The girl can really sing! And she doesn't just belt out novelty songs, either.

So this morning, her CD called "Rearview Mirror Tears" arrived on my desk at work, via Amazon UK. I've already unwrapped it, and it's headed for my car's CD player for the drive back home from the Water Eaton Park and Ride this evening!

I didn't know much about Carson until I did a little research on her while eating my sandwich today. She's only 22. She's well-known in her native Canada for her fiddle playing and her singing. She's also part of a folk group called The Paperboys. (Have any of you heard of them before?)

Here's another blogger who has written an item about her this summer.

And you can bet that despite being Track 2 on the CD, I will be playing "I Like Trucks" first thing this evening -- and singin' my heart out right along with her as I cruise the A 4260 in the Oxfordshire countryside!

Janet

Brian May

How many of you knew that Queen guitarist Brian May could have pursued a career as a scientist had rock music not lured him away from the academic world? I didn't until this morning, when I heard one of the news items on BBC Five Live's breakfast show. Here's the story on the BBC News website.

In 1971, May had been studying at London's Imperial College (my brainy husband John's alma mater as well, by the way) when he decided instead to join the legendary rock group.

So now, at age 60, May has finally handed his astronomy PhD thesis, titled "Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud", in to Imperial College. And he will find out later this month whether or not he'll get his doctorate.

"Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud"? Wouldn't that just make a superb CD title?

Janet