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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Southern Oregon construction industry finds subcontractors in short supply ... Death of transportation bill costs Jackson County $10 million ... Phoenix downtown in for big changes ... Southern Oregon construction industry finds subcontractors in short supply ... Death of transportation bill costs Jackson County $10 million ... Phoenix downtown in for big changes ... The Farr Side: Bryan Adams releases album of influential hits Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 16, 2014 at 12:37 PM Updated Oct 16, 2014 at 1:14 PM Posted Oct. 16, 2014 at 12:37 PM Updated Oct 16, 2014 at 1:14 PM » Social News By David T. Farr More Content Now Bryan Adams has always been one my favorite singers. When I was growing up, his albums “Reckless” and “Cuts Like A Knife” were always blaring from my jam box speakers. His music was a big part of the ’80s. I didn’t know anybody who didn’t like “Summer of ‘69,” “Run To You” or “I Need Somebody.” That whole “Reckless” record was awesome — not a bad track on the album. Who didn’t find themselves at a school dance slow dancin’ to “Heaven” and “Straight From The Heart”? I know I did a few times. Adams has made a massive career out of making incredible songs. Perhaps, “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” will remain his biggest hit, but his music had a major impact on other artists. I was fortunate to see Adams live in 1993, right after the release of “Waking Up The Neighbors.” He was at the top of his game that night. The hits rolled, one after another. Every once in a while, he’d throw in a cover track. At the time, I wondered why he would feel a need to perform any cover material, considering how much strong original material he had. Lately, it’s been the cool thing for an artist to release an album of nothing but covers. It has been a major money-maker for Rod Stewart, Gloria Estefan, Martina McBride, Barbra Streisand, and most recently, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. People appreciate classics. Now, Adams has followed suit. His latest album is the appropriately titled “Tracks Of My Years.” Let me tell you, it’s pretty good. What excites me most is that it’s not an album with all the same songs everyone else has re-recorded countless times. This album contains songs that influenced his career. Adams chose to cover songs from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, when radio would play rock, pop, soul and country next to each other. “Making the selection of songs for the album took a long time,” Adams said in promotion of the new album. “We recorded all kinds of songs until they began to present themselves or that they sounded different enough from the originals. Radio was king when I was a teenager. You’d hear (Paul) McCartney’s ‘Admiral Halsey’ straight into the Manhattans’ ‘Kiss And Say Goodbye.’ Radio didn’t discriminate back then.” “Tracks Of My Years” lives up to Adams’ days growing up, listening to the radio. The songs cover a wide array of artists and styles, while putting his own stamp of approval on them. He covers “Lay Lady Lay” (Bob Dylan), “Rock and Roll Music” (Chuck Berry), “Any Time At All” (The Beatles), “Down On The Corner” (Creedence Clearwater Revival), “Tracks Of My Tears” (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles), and “God Only Knows” (The Beach Boys), among others. Clear standouts on this project, for me, are his takes on “Never My Love” (The Association) and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (Ray Charles). Each could easily find its way back onto the charts if music was played on the radio like it once was. He’s so right. Email David T. Farr at [email protected]. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 16, 2014 at 12:37 PM Updated Oct 16, 2014 at 1:14 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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