The jazz guitar great remains in awe of Etta James, Nat King Cole and Mario Lanza, but what’s the disco classic he’d recommend to get a party started?
The first single I ever bought
The first one I remember buying was Love Is Strange by Sylvia Robinson, when she was part of a duo called Mickey & Sylvia. It came out in 1956, right after Elvis – that’s when I started buying 45s. But the first record I made was a 45 called It Should’ve Been Me, recorded in 1954 [when he was 11].
The song that is my my karaoke go-to
Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling in Love. It is one of the most romantic songs ever, and has all the elements of its time. It’s a schmaltzy ballad, but with the power of rock music. The song tells a story everyone can relate to.