Neil Diamond: "Hot August Night"

Released in 1972,

this was Neil Diamond's tenth (10th) album,

his second live album.

This double album remains one of Neil Diamond's

most successful recordings.

Whatever your personal opinion of Neil Diamond,

based on your musical tastes,

he is indisputably among the greatest

singer/songwriters of the late 20th century.

In case you need to remind yourself,

or hear it for the first time,

here is the entire recording:

HOT AUGUST NIGHT

Read more about Neil Diamond HERE.

Photography: Ed Caraeff and Tom Bert (Peggy Jo Studios)

Art Direction: George Osaki

Liner Notes: Karen Shearer

Stevie Wonder: "Talking Book"

Released in 1972,

this was Stevie Wonder's fifteenth (15th) album.

Includes the mega-hits

"Superstition"

and

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life."

Many say this recording is when Stevie Wonder

'hit his stride' as an artist.

Read more about Stevie Wonder HERE.

Photography: R. Margouleff

Bread: "Baby, I'm-A Want You"

Released in 1972,

this was Bread's fourth (4th) studio LP.

This was also their most successful recording,

reaching #3 on Billboard's Hot 200 Album Chart.

Read more about Bread HERE.

Photography: Frank Bez

Art Direction: Robert Heimall

Mac Davis: "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me"

Released in 1972,

this was Mac Davis' third (3rd) studio LP.

Most reviewers agree that this album was Mac Davis'

"breakthrough" recording.

Interestingly, the Wikipedia article on this record

credits Mac Davis with "beatboxing."

I am not sure that term was in use in 1972,

since I believe it was coined in the 1980s

as a reference to human imitation of electronic drum sounds.

Nevertheless, it is an accurate description

of some of Mr. Davis' vocal stylings.

Read more about Mac Davis HERE.

Photography: Ed Caraeff

Michael Nesmith: "And The Hits Just Keep On Comin'"

Released in 1972,

this was Michael Nesmith's fifth (5th) LP

of his post-Monkee's solo career.

Features, among others, his song "Different Drum,"

which was popularized by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys in 1967.

Read more about Michael Nesmith HERE.

The Liberated Wailing Wall: "Hineni!"

Released in 1972,

this is among the earliest recordings

(may be their first?)

of the group called

The Liberated Wailing Wall.

Get a little more of their story HERE.

Pete Fountain: "The Best Of..."

Released in 1972,

this is a wonderful collection

of well-loved

Pete Fountain renditions.

Read more about Pete Fountain HERE.

Dan Fogelberg: "Home Free"

Released in 1972, this was Dan Fogelberg's debut solo LP.

Read more about Dan Fogelberg HERE.

Photography: Kenneth A. Buttrey

Portrait: Dan Fogelberg

Wayne Newton: "Can't You Hear the Song?"

Released in 1972.

Check on Wayne's life and career HERE.

Various: "100 Musical Memories, Volume One, Record Two"

Oddly

I do not know what orchestra recorded this LP.

I do not know when this LP was released.

I do not know who created the cover illustration.

The music is timeless,

and the illustration is extraordinary.

I really wish I knew who was the artist.

Bobby Vinton: "All-Time Greatest Hits"

Released in 1972,

this is a double LP collection.

Timeless classics!

Read more about Bobby Vinton HERE.

These are great photographs!

Wish I knew who took them.

Boston Symphony Chamber Players: "Smetana/Dvorak"

Fabulous recording of delicious music!

And the artwork is wonderful, too.

Unfortunately I did not record the credit

and the photo is not clear enough

to make out the name.

If anyone out there can fill me in,

please do so.

The Ventures: "JOY: The Ventures Play The Classics"

This was The Ventures' fortieth (40th) studio LP,

released in 1972.

If you are a Ventures fan,

there is pretty much no such thing as

too much of them.

Their special sauce adds a delicious flavor

to any style of music,

and this recording is no exception

to their exceptional talent.

Read more about life and times of The Ventures HERE.

Couldn't recover/discover the art/design credits, which is really too bad in this case because the illustrations are so great.

Frank Sinatra: "Greatest Hits, Volume 2"

This LP came to me without its jacket amongst a stash of records being discarded.

I rescued it, cleaned it up, and digitized its fabulous tunes.

Of course, I'm pretty sure this is all readily available on CD by now,

but what fun is that?

Here is the cover art, from Wikipedia:

Jimi Hendrix: "War Heroes"

"war heroes" is the sixth studio album of Jimi Hendrix's recordings.

It is the third LP released posthumously, in 1972.

This album went to live with a collector in Nevada.

Wishbone Ash: "Argus"

"Argus" is Wishbone Ash's third (3rd) LP, released in 1972.

Progressive rock, widely credited with being among the first to use twin lead guitars to great effect.

This LP found its way to Wisconsin.

Gentle Giant: "Three Friends"

This cover art (George Underwood) was used for Gentle Giant's eponymous debut album, released only in the UK in 1970.

"Three Friends" was their third (3rd) LP, but the first to be released in the USA, so they re-used the previous cover art for the USA release of "Three Friends" in the summer of 1972.

Progressive rock - theme rock - album rock on the order of the crop of artists that produced the likes of "Pink Floyd" "Emerson, Lake & Palmer" "Yes" and many others.

This LP went to a fan in Pennsylvania.

Soundtrack: "Jesus Christ Superstar"

This mega-hit for Andrew Lloyd Weber was actually his third collaboration with Tim Rice.

Somewhat controversial but musically brilliant retelling of the last week of Jesus Christ.

Andrew Lloyd Weber of course went on to give us "Evita," "Cats," and "The Phantom of the Opera," among others such as "Starlight Express," "Aspects of Love," and "Cricket."

This LP went to a collector in Nebraska.

No. Really.

Grand Funk Railroad: "Mark, Don & Mel: 1969-71"

Released in 1972, this double LP compilation is not, strictly speaking, a "greatest hits" collection.  It is a gathering of studio and live recordings that represent highlights from the early success of Grand Funk Railroad.  And it rocks like nobody's business (sorry, couldn't think of anything cornier).  But seriously these are tracks you'd never get tired of spinning.

Pictures, art, and news clippings in the gatefold are much more interesting than the plain cover design.

An artful presentation of the producer's "liner notes" adorns the back of the album.

And the inner sleeves featured this great scrapbook collage of news clippings:

This album made its way to an afficiando in California.