When producer Ken Caillait heard Go Your Own Way for the first time he thought it was a "stinker of a song". Call it diligence or call it stubbornness, in the end, their dedication to working and reworking this song made it the second single released from the Rumours album and the band's first top 10 hit in the U.S.  Can you guess which line Lindsey wrote that nearly caused Stevie to refuse laying down any vocal tracks?  Listen to the story behind the creating and recording of this iconic song. 

Most of the research for this episode was done by reading Ken Caillat and Steven Stiefel's book, Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album.

The thing we love about Fleetwood Mac is their ability to create songs as a full band, as soloists with a backing band, and as a duo with harmonies so tight they are almost indistinguishable.  Never Going Back Again is an example of Lindsey Buckingham stretching his solo ability to write and compose.  Never going back again is a compilation of 5 different guitar parts, all played by himself, and a bass part played by John McVie but written by Lindsey.  Call it a my way or the highway attitude, or call it extreme focused vision - either way, Lindsey Buckingham knew what he wanted with this song and wasn't going to compromise.  In this episode hear all about the interesting way this song came to be and maybe learn from Lindsey how to deliver bad news with a delightful tune.  

You'll also learn how Shawn translated this acoustic guitar driven song to piano.  Shawn shares a few tips and tricks for recreating guitar technique and sounds on a piano throughout this episode.  We hope you enjoy.

Most of the research for this episode was done by reading Ken Caillat and Steven Stiefel's book, Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album.

British - American rock group, Fleetwood Mac, released one of the most popular albums of all time in 1977.  Rumours solidified the band as a force to be reckoned with and the song Dreams, reminded everyone that Stevie Nicks has a genius for writing simple yet profound songs.  Her signature vocals, along with the innovative production of Ken Caillat, made this song the only #1 single from the album.

By listening to this episode, you'll find out how they embellished a simple, two chord song, into the thing you'll be humming for the rest of your day.  It's a great song to learn if you're a beginner on the piano. If you're a pro - Shawn added the other instruments into his arrangement. Video tutorials and downloadable sheets can all be found on Web Piano Teacher.

Most of the research for this episode was done by reading Ken Caillat and Steven Stiefel's book, Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album.

Ever wonder what it's like to work with your ex?  The lyrics from every song on Rumours might give you a little insight.  Apparently, Lindsey kept the lyrics to the third track, Secondhand News, all to himself until it was time to lay down the vocal tracks.  He knew what Stevie's response might have been, and he wanted to avoid a blowup.  Other than the drama his lyrics may have created, there's a treasure trove of hidden sounds in this song.  We highly suggest listening with good headphones. 

Fleetwood Mac's Rumors album, released in February of 1977, created a tidal wave of enthusiasm for the band following the earlier release of their self-titled album in 1975.  Still fresh to America, with the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham; Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie started feeling the pressure to meet the expectations of their new fans.

Most of the research came from Ken Caillat's book, Making Rumors: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album 

Fleetwood Mac's Rumors album, released in February of 1977, created a tidal wave of enthusiasm for the band following the earlier release of their self-titled album in 1975.  Still fresh to America, with the addition of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham; Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie started feeling the pressure to meet the expectations of their new fans.  In this episode of Web Piano Teacher's artist series we will break down the first track of Rumors and try to answer why this song is great and what it's contribution was to one of the greatest albums of all time.  So much to discuss with this album.  

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What a great song!  Web Piano Teacher was built on Billy Joel's Piano Man, as one of our very fist lessons to film and upload.  This song is great not just for it's superb quality as one of the best sing alongs of all time, but the timeless story and soaring chorus, will keep people listening for generations to come.  Listen along as Shawn performs Piano Man from start to finish. Most people know about this song, Joel himself talks about its origins often, but reminisce with us on this awesome piano classic. 

What is the intrigue of Joni Mitchell's music?  Certainly her pitch perfect, beautifully controlled vocals have something to do with it, but is there another reason?  We think there is. Listen to us perform (or attempt to perform) and dialogue about why her music grips so many people's interest.  Check out Morning Morgantown on Joni Mitchell's Ladies of the Canyon album released in 1970.  

Does the mention of the Goo Goo Dolls bring up nostalgic memories of your teens or twenties during the 90's?  It does for us, but we have very different reactions.  What memory is dragged up for you when a song by the Goo Goo Dolls shuffles through your playlist?  Listen with us to the Goo Goo Dolls iconic hit, Name from their first commercially successful album, A Boy Named Goo. Can you help us answer a couple of questions?  Is the Goo Goo Dolls a band for soccer moms, and just how far did they fall from their original roots? 

For all things Web Piano Teacher, visit webpianoteacher.com and sign up for a free membership.  You will find lessons for this song as well as many other favorites across all genres and skill levels.  

In this week’s episode, listen with us to Hugh Laurie’s version of Swanee River from his 2011 Blues album, Let Them Talk. Shawn and Shawna perform the song as arranged by Hugh, and discuss a brief history of the song itself. If you’re interested in blues piano, Shawn has some great tips on how to get started. Before working on this song, we had no idea that actor Hugh Laurie was a musician - and an accomplished one at that. We hope you enjoy listening to and learning about this song as much as we did.