Jazz is America's music. It is America's sole original form of art, yet it had declined in popularity by the 1970s to the point that some musicians resisted even being associated with it. Still, jazz's influence was felt in popular music by bands like Chicago and Steely Dan. These bands were able to evoke the spirit of jazz while presenting their music in a form that was easier for music fans to accept and interpret. Perhaps no tribute to jazz in the 70s was greater than Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke," which paid homage to Duke Ellington and others who, in the words of Wonder, "gave us something that is supposed to be forever."

Tom Wolfe said the 70s was witness to the Third Great Awakening, as many Americans turned to religion on their quest for self-enlightenment or simply to find a way to make sense out of the social and political chaos. This religious revival was reflected in pop music of the era, although writing or singing songs about religion was still a bit risky. This episode looks at songs by artists such as George Harrison, The Staples Singers, and Kansas to try to better understand the intersection of religion and popular music of the 70s.

There is no single sound that defines the 70s but there is no doubt that Philly Soul, or the Sound of Philadelphia, is an essential element. The O'Jays, The Spinners, Three Degrees, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and Billy Paul are just some of the artists that created silky, lush soul records under the direction of "The Mighty Three": Thom Bell, Kenny Gamble, and Leon Huff. With a distribution deal from Clive Davis at CBS Records, Gamble and Huff were not only the McCartney and Lennon of the 70s, they created Philadelphia's Motown. Their brand of soul, or "funk dressed in a tuxedo" was not just dressed up R&B, but also told stories and spoke to social issues that were part of the fabric of the 70s.

Who knew that Barry Manilow wanted "Could it Be Magic" to be a "musical orgasm?" That song was part of the wide menu of 70s pop, which has been often derided by critics, yet found an audience with millions of music fans then and now. This episode examines the variety of songs that are classified as pop, which became a genre unto itself in the 70s. Artists such as The Carpenters, Cher, ABBA, and Andy Gibb made music for the masses and the masses responded by buying their records and making these artists stars. Is it a bad thing if music doesn't always have "meaning?" This episode makes the case that music always has meaning, just by its existence in our lives, and doesn't have to make a statement to have value. (Also, HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY TO FTR70!)

The relationship between music and sports in the 70s was multidimensional. There were songs about individual athletes, there were songs that enhanced the game for the fans, and there were songs that created an identity for athletes and teams. This relationship was evident even in rollerskating, which saw music set the mood and, at times, offered an escape in times of turmoil. This episode looks at songs on a wide spectrum, from "Nadia's Theme" to "The Groove Line" to "We Will Rock You" in a close examination of the powerful relationship between 70s music and sports.

Gram Parsons called country rock Cosmic American Music; it was a little of this and a little of that, combined into a musical stew that today we call Americana. In the 70s, though, the marriage of rock and country, complete with the steel guitar and perhaps a banjo or two, seemed like an unlikely marriage. The truth is that rock and country share similar roots, but heavily formatted radio was not sure what to do with bands like Poco, The Flying Burrito Brothers, or Pure Prairie League. The DID know what to do with The Eagles, who ultimately abandoned the country in their country rock on the way to selling millions of records. This episode looks at the sub-genre of 70s rock that was considered by some to be too country for rock and too rock for country.

This episode of FTR70 looks at the music that some considered too country for rock and too rock for country.

It is the THIRD ANNIVERSARY of FTR70 and the podcast is celebrating with a look at 70s pop! Yes, we SHOULD celebrate the likes of The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, Cher, Andy Gibb (!) because they sang the songs with the hooks, the beats, the melodies that people could not get out of their heads. Even if critics dismissed pop songs as shallow or meaningless, we know they really were not because pop songs are often the soundtracks of our lives. 

The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974 was Muhammad Ali's quest to regain the heavyweight boxing championship he lost when he refused to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. To be sure, it was an important event in sports history but the festival that preceded it, Zaire '74, was every bit as important. B.B. King, Bill Withers, The Pointer Sisters, The Spinners, James Brown, and many others performed in a festival that was intended to "return to the beat." This episode examines the importance of the fight and the music festival. 

The Seven Essentials project wants to know: What are your choices for the essential rock songs of the 70s? Tell me your Top Two. You can leave a  message in the voice mail link and let me know!