The 2nd Chapter of Acts – In the Volume of the Book (1975):  The 2nd Chapter of Acts is a family group, composed of siblings Annie Herring, Matthew Ward, and Nelly Greisen.

Searching in the Wilderness (Various Artists) (1986):  One fine day several years before I moved to New York City, I climbed down the stairs to a basement-level store in Greenwich Village called Underground Records.

The Searchers – This Is Us (1964):  The Searchers are from Liverpool and released a series of irresistibly sunny singles and albums with strong harmonies during the

Seals and Crofts – Unborn Child (1973):  Seals and Crofts – Jim Seals and Dash Crofts – was one of the most successful soft rock duos of the 1970’s, with hit songs that include “Summer Breeze”, “Diamond Girl”, “We May Never Pass This Way (Again)”, and “Get Closer”.  Jim Seals comes from a musical family; his brother Dan Seals was part of a similar soft rock duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, and he later had a lucrative career in country music in the latter half of the 1980’s.

Leo Sayer – Just a Boy (1974):  Hearing Leo Sayer on the radio back in the day, I expected him to be a one- or two-hit-wonder; but he kept his R&B-flavored pop hits coming for an extended period of time, and his albums were good enough as well for me to buy a couple of them.

Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs – Wooly Bully (1965):  “Sam the Sham” is the self-deprecating nickname that Domingo Samudio adopted for his stage name, but he was no sham, instead fronting one of the best American rock bands of the 1960’s.

Sam & Dave – The Best of Sam & Dave (1969):  Likely the best male R&B duo of all time, Sam & Dave had a somewhat lower profile than some of the other Atlantic/

Buffy Sainte-Marie – The Best of Buffy Sainte-Marie (1970):  The first Native American recording artist that I became familiar with is Buffy Sainte-Marie.  Hers is one of the strongest vibratos that I have ever heard in a singer, and I think it is fair to say that her music is an acquired taste.

Linda Ronstadt – Living in the U.S.A. (1978):  Living in the U.S.A. is Linda Ronstadt’s ninth solo album, following the three albums that she made with Stone Poneys, and her third and final album to reach #1 on the Billboard album chart.  The cultural power of Linda Ronstadt became apparent when the photography from Living in the U.S.A. set off a national roller-skating craze.  Arguably, Living in the U.S.A.

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels – Breakout (1966):  Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels stand out as perhaps the fiercest rock and roll band to make the big time.