But then many of the best people (Billy and Bandanaman) grew up in these streets.
And it was on one such stall that Billy’s dad bought Hank’s I’m So Lonely I Could Cry which prompted Billy to buy a banjo.
Hank’s for the memories
Music man: Billy Connolly
Billy, whose television travelogues are among the best anywhere, takes us to Hank’s gravestone in his Tracks Across America.
And texts his children and gets a photograph to tell him he’s there.
This year is a very special year for Hankophiles.
Hiram ‘Hank’ Williams was born on September 17 in Mount Olive, Alabama.
And Alabama naturally makes a big deal of their favourite son with a Hank Williams Trail.
It kicks off with a visit to his childhood home preserved as a museum in Georgiana, where he learned to play guitar from Black street musician Rufus “Tee-Tot” Payne. T
Then drive an hour north to Montgomery, where Hank moved in his teens, and pick up lunch as he did at Chris’s Hot Dogs.
Alabamaversary
Poster boy: Hank Williams
Visit Montgomery’s Hank Williams Museum to see his stage costumes, guitars, and the 1952 blue Cadillac in which he died, aged just 29.
You can pay your respects at his grave, like Billy did in homage to Hank Williams in Alabama.
In nearby Oakwood Cemetery, marked by a marble cowboy hat.
Of course, in a state where music is in the very air, there is always an anniversary.
Here’s Detroit callin’ out around the world… and to us, Scotland’s travel elite, to get back to Motor City and Pure Michigan.
And follow in the Fingertips of Stevland Judkins who 60 years ago next year exploded into our musical consciousness.
We know him best as Stevie Wonder although back in 1963 he was just 12 and was introduced to us as Little Stevie Wonder.
Walking in Stevie’s Fingertips
Candy baby: Stevie’s candy machine
His debut release for Motown label Tamla, the jazzy Fingertips, still stands the test of time.
With Stevie wowing us with his mastery of bongos and harmonica.
Stevie became the youngest artist to reach No.1 in the Billboard charts.
And the world wanted to know more about the boy wonder from Detroit.
Stevland was born in Saginaw near Lake Huron and an hour and a half’s drive south to Detroit.
Where his musical Motown family took him to their hearts.
And to his favourite candy.
Best bar none
The Wonder of you: Stevie
Stevie, who in a different Bluesier age, would probably have gone by the moniker (or harmoniker in his case) of ‘Blind Boy Stevie’, loved a nutty nougat Baby Ruth bar.
And staff at the Hitsville USA House would be sure to leave the bar in the same place in the machine so he could feel for the slot.
And they were even said to leave coins there for him too.
The Hitsville House has undergone major million-dollar changes completed this year to accommodate ever-increasing numbers of visitors.
All of which our friends from Visit Detroit and Pure Michigan updated us on as we renewed our friendships.
At Hitsville they are still inspiring the youth, the next generation and practically as well as aesthetically.
Founder Berry Gordy is 92 years young and still as wide-eyed about music as ever he was.
And he vowed: ‘Not only will the expanded museum entertain and tell the stories of talented and creative people who succeeded against all odds, but it will also inspire and create opportunities for people to explore their dreams the way I did mine.
‘I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of that.’
And that’s where Hitsville NEXT, the educational center of Motown Museum’s newly expanded campus comes in.
In the Motown Museum‘s words it is the hub of our programming efforts, it is the place in Detroit for talent cultivation, entrepreneurial training and empowerment, music making and professional development for those aspiring to be in the music industry.
Are you ready for a brand new beat? Martha Reeves
I’ve seen first hand on my travels in the States how bringing young musicians from challenging backgrounds and giving them back opportunities can yield huge awards.
And the joy in the young artists’ performance on stage for a group of European travel writers at the Stax Music Academy in South Memphis.
And their euphoria as we broke bread with them afterwards when they were told they were to tour Europe.
The water city: And the Motor City too… Detroit
Just the same glee I feel every time I know I’m going America, every bit of which the Vandellas name check in Dancing in the Streets.
And with Martha Reeves championing the Hitsville reconstruction this year.
There’s no denying that Rio is the world’s biggest carnival with two million people taking to the streets but a quarter of a million attend the Santa Cruz carnival on the island.
So what’s it all about and when is it?
Well, it’s rooted in Christian tradition and so that’s two weeks before Ash Wednesday.
And for those of you who forgot that man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return then that’s January 20-February 26.
And now for the history
Party Girls: Bandanaman and his walking troupe
The history of the Carnival falls into three distinct periods…
The Iberians’ religiosity, the more spirited Twenties-orientated festival and the reinvention of the party from 1961 when it took on many of the features we enjoy today.
Now for a timetable of event and what it all mean we got the Tinerfenos to do the heavy lifting.
And with memories of our hike on the island with CanariaWays and our walk through the ages we know they do it far better than us.
So over to them.
The Queen of Tenerife
Spanish meal anyone: And preparing the dish of the day
And that would be Eva from our walk up to Afur which she took in her stride and then did yoga up at the Franco-themed bar (don’t ask).
And I’d vote for her for the Carnival Queen.
15 February – Carnival Queen Election Gala
The Carnival Queen Election Gala is when the Carnival Queen is crowned, who is chosen amongst over a dozen candidates.
The contestants wear the most spectacular costumes, made mainly of feathers, plastic, metal and rhinestones and weighing up to 400kg.
And this year we will see the first-ever junior Gala King.
Reign on our parade
Queen for a day: The carnival
And what would a carnival be without the sing-song?
17 February – Opening Parade of the Carnival
The carnival is a sea of colour, featuring the lead Carnival Queen.
Murga street music groups, comparsa bands and rondallas playing traditional old carnival songs parading down the streets of Santa Cruz.
All in it together
Take to the streets: On Tenerife
And that means a dance.
21 February – Big Carnival Parade in Santa Cruz
The Coso Apoteosis is arguably the highlight of the entire festivities.
Visitors from all around the world flock to Anaga Avenue in Santa Cruz to witness the spectacle.
It features all the Carnival Queens and Carnival groups, floats, incredible dance routines and musical performances.
Catch of the day
Packed in like… sardines
Now Spaniards and Canarians have their own particular take on carnivals which means:
22 February 2023: Burial of the Sardine – A humorous and grotesque procession of mourners saying goodbye to the carnival celebrations.
19 February & 25 February 2023: Daytime Carnival – A popular event for children and families, featuring plenty of activities to keep all entertained.
26 February 2023: Parade of Vintage Cars, Piñata and End of Party – And there’s nothing like whacking a bag of sweeties to get the juices flowing.
Free-for-all
Me-me and Dee-Dee at Crop Over in Barbados
In addition to the ticketed official carnival events, there are a number of spontaneous street events/activities to enjoy for free.
We’re advised that one of these night carnival parties is a must.
And we know all about what dancing in the dark is all about from Crop Over in Barbados.
And a glossary
Echoes of the Canaries: And special wine
Of course, when you’re in Espana then it helps to have a couple of words.
Albergue, meaning hostel, and pulpo, the Spanish word for octopus.
Carnival Groups
A carnival group is a group of people who work together creating ideas, costumes, music, choreography, who all march together in the parade.
Tenerife Carnival features hundreds of different groups but two of the key ones to look out for are below:
Murgas: The Murgas are Spanish carnival groups that feature satire artists, performing songs about current political and world events.
Comparsas: The “comparsas” represent the Brazilian influence on Tenerife’s Carnival, filling it with rhythm, colour and joy.
Nowadays, the comparsas own the street with the undeniable quality of their live performances to surprise even the most frequent carnival-goers on their nights out.
Rondallas: The Rondallas are carnival groups that consist of only guitars, bandurrias, lauds and octavinas.
And of course there is a museum celebrating it all…
At La Casa Del Carnaval, located in Barranco de Santos next to the bridge Puente Galcerán
Maybe add to that glossary for next year Noo Yoikas… because they want to be a part of it Tenerife.
Being a globetrotting superstar means you adopt fave destinations around the world, and so on the day that’s in it, we Get Mac with 80 years of Paul McCartney.
In My Life (and there will be a few of these) I’ve followed in a few of the Great Man’s footsteps.
So here’s Something Macca-related to add to the Rainy Days and Songdays catalogue from around the world.
Live and Let Liverpool
In my ears and in my eyes: Penny Lane
Liverpool: And back in my days in Liverpool in the Nineties, alas a dilapidated McCartney’s Bar sign was all that advertised that Paul had even been born here.
Liverpool City Centre is all Beatled up now to go alongside the Beatles Story at the Albert Dock and the Cavern Club.
Need a singer? The Cavern Club
And there are no shortage of Beatles coach tours to take you around Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and even Macca’s family home.
And continuing our series, and because we’re not all pliant subjects, here are five music concerts to escape the Platinum Jubilee.
Queen’s domain
Ready, Freddie go: Freddie Mercury
Live Aid, 1985: And the generational music festival from Wembley, London, for the Ethiopian Famine Relief when Freddie Mercury and Queen stole the show.
From the moment Status Quo kicked off we were rockin’ all over the world.
While Prince, Lionel Ritchie, Madonna et al put Philadelphia on the pop mark.
Stardust in Woodstock
Hippy shake: Woodstock
Woodstock, 1969: Before all that Yasgur’s Farm in upstate New York broke the mould for music fests and climaxed the Sixties.
Joni Mitchell famously had to miss Woodstock because of the NY traffic but bequeathed her song for Matthews Southern Comfort.
You don’t have to… you can drown out the God Save the Queen’s with Jimi Hendrix’s electric version of the Stars and Stripes.
Up Pompeii
In the Pink: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd at Pompeii: And the kings of stadium rock would never play at the local ground when Classical sites would do.
The ambient super group set the pattern at Pompeii for the rest, one we fully endorse.
Well, in best Travel fashion, we wish you were here.
Rocks in the Rockies
Red Rocks: Of course, the New World has its natural wonders too.
And Red Rocks hasn’t escaped the notice of rock’n’roll royalty.
With everyone from The Beatles through U2 to OneRepublic (in front of yours truly and a private audience) playing there in Denver.
Glasto blasto
Hello from me: Adele
Glastonbury: Now there have been many claimants to the crown of Queen of Glastonbury.
Beyoncé, the Queen Bey herself, Dolly Parton and the diva of divas Shirley Bassey.
Adele famously broke the record for f-bombing, cussing 33 times in her 90-minute sets.
Now that won’t happen at the Queen’s lovebomb.
Better then, sit back and watch these five… concerts to escape the Platinum Jubilee.
And like London buses there will be another couple of lists along over the next few days.
As she famously pronounced in her twist on the Robert Palmer video the best thing about bein’ a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun… yes, it was E’er The Twain in Vegas.
And we agree to about oh, oh, oh, going totally crazy, forget I’m a lady, men’s shirts, short skirts, oh, oh, oh. Yes, man I feel like a woman.
Vegas, of course, is a time vortex where you can forget who you are for a while and channel your inner fantasy.
Whip you into shape
What happens in Vegas: With Cami
Which is what Cami from Utah was doing down in Harrah’s off the strip in Neon City.
Party people by the bar on bachelor parties were having shooters poured down their throats by barmaids.
While up on stage a burlesque cross-dressing band, The Whip-Its, were whip-crackin’ away and belting out the best Seventies and Eighties covers.
And we say, yeah, bring it on.
Shania’s journey
Oh, oh, oh, oh: Shania still rocks
Shania Twain is, of course, the Queen of Country Pop, and the great thing about Country is that it never forgets its stars.
The Canadian went stratospheric in the Nineties but Lyme’s disease, the loss of her voice (can you imagine?) and a marriage-go-round saw her disappear for 15 years.
She returned a more critically-acclaimed and considered choice than in her heyday.
Vegas, of course, had never forgotten her, just like they never forgot Ringo Starr or Marie Osmond.
Or anyone who shone brightest before but now is happy to just glisten.
Still the One
And on a theme: Female empowerment
Our friends at Cassidy Travel know as well as anybody how we all like to get our glad rags on and party with the Vegas set.
And they are offering a week in Nevada with Shania (56, really?) as the highlight.Travel on August 30 and take in the Shania concert on September 2 at the Zappos Theatre.
And all for under €1,000 (€969pp) which will give you €31 to bet on the tables.
Although maybe not ask me for craps tips.
As my attempts at rolling the dice, a la Ocean’s Eleven, ended with the cubes going over the table.
Hooray for Harrah’s
Whip it up: With the Whip-Its
The rounds were declared void and I was bestowed the nickname Hannibal.
You should also drop into Harrah’s or any of the Off Strip party bars and shake your stuff.
Drop into Cassidy Travel today or contact them on 01 8779853 to see a real singing superstar.
It’s just the way Neon City does it. Twas ‘E’er The Twain in Vegas.