Soul legend Cropper back with a vengeance

Southern soul legend Steve Cropper has been living off his reputation for more than 40 years since Stax Records petered out and Memphis lost its mojo.

But Cropper is back from nowhere with a surprising tribute to a band called The 5 Royales. "Dedicated: A Salute to The 5 Royales" is a star-studded album, featuring performances  from B.B. King, Lucinda Williams and Betty LaVette.

But it's Cropper who is on fire, reaching deep in salute to the little-known R&B/gospel group he says inspired him to jump into  a career that led him to become one of the 20th century's most successful songwriters (stuff like "In The Midnight Hour" and "Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay" to name just two).

NPR affiliate WBUR has a nice interview with Cropper that offers a glimpse at an understated musician who, thankfully, is sharing some of his inspiration all these many decades later.

Contagious energy fuels rock 'n' roots artist

"Soundcheck" opened my ears to a wonderful artist named J.D. McPherson, whose high-energy songs are a blend of country, rockabilly, R&B, punk and blues.

His energy is contagious, but that's just the beginning of why his act works. Like Imelda May, McPherson truly has a handle on how to blend those old styles pop in a digital age without coming across as a novelty act.

By the looks of fan reviews for his album "Signs & Signifiers," McPherson has big upside. Can't wait to see his act come out West.

Think Quarterly tackles innovation

Open publication - Free publishing - More google

Google has released its second edition of "Think Quarterly," its digi-zine that's smarter than all of us. This edition's theme is innovation. 

As the intro says:

"In 2003, a total of five exabytes of data existed. Now we generate that every two days. We are, literally, more creative than ever. Where to begin? Right here. We've curated big ideas from heads of industry, leading experts and our homegrown visionaries -- all to help guide your own thinking. In our inaugural US issue, we focus on Innovation. Where can you break molds and shape the future? We hope this gives you inspiration, insight, and some new ideas of your own."

You game?