The Imaginaries Release New Music

The Imaginaries

The Imaginaries, one of my favorite musical couples, are comprised of blues rocker Shane Henry and pop singer and pianist Maggie McClure. I featured them in September of 2022 and explored how they, coming from two different musical backgrounds, combined their efforts to bring us the unique folk/pop-rock duo, The Imaginaries. 

Besides the music they create together, they have long been part of the Sync World, writing music for TV and movies and occasionally starring in them. You can catch them in the Reagan movie singing Frankie Vallie’s “My Eyes Adored You.”

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Review: Norm Grant’s ‘Tales of Young Patriots’

Tales of Young Patriots

P. Norman Grant has written “Tales of Young Patriots,” a delightful collection of 12 short stories of historical fiction celebrating the story of America, and the virtues that made our people great, through the eyes and ears of young participants in key moments in our country’s history.

From the ocean passages of the 1600s to our modern desert wars, Young Patriots contains lessons in virtue driven by action. The stories are written in a style and with language to appeal to middle or high school students of social studies or history.

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Music Spotlight: Noah Thompson

The one word that came to mind when I heard Noah Thompson for the first time was “unexpected.” And I believe that is part of why Thompson won American Idol in 2022. No one, including himself, expected that he could sing so well and then win the competition.

Even though he had a “tumultuous childhood” in rural Western Kentucky, where he was raised, he can always remember music being part of his life. Thompson’s dad was a musician growing up, and he instilled music in him literally from the time he was in his mother’s belly.

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Seven SJSU Women’s Volleyball Players Will Transfer amid Controversy over Male Teammate

San Jose State University

Nearly half of San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball players intend to transfer after a season marked by controversy over the inclusion of a male player on their team.

The seven athletes who have entered the transfer portal include Nayeli T’ia, Mari Lawton, Ava Martin, Laurel Barsocchini, Kiyana Faupula, Jade Epps, and Teya Nguyen. None of the players have given a specific reason for transferring, according to Outkick.

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Seven SJSU Women’s Volleyball Players Will Transfer amid Controversy over Male Teammate

San Jose State University

Nearly half of San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball players intend to transfer after a season marked by controversy over the inclusion of a male player on their team.

The seven athletes who have entered the transfer portal include Nayeli T’ia, Mari Lawton, Ava Martin, Laurel Barsocchini, Kiyana Faupula, Jade Epps, and Teya Nguyen. None of the players have given a specific reason for transferring, according to Outkick.

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Music Spotlight: Wendy Moten

Wendy Moten

Not long after I started writing my Music Spotlight column, I came across one of the greatest voices I’d ever heard in Nashville, Wendy Moten. I even gave her a shoutout when Heidi Newfield released her Barfly Sessions record in 2020.

After Moten rose to fame as the runner-up on NBC’s The Voice in 2021, the rest of the world saw how fabulous she was, and I knew getting an interview would be more of a challenge.

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2024 (Mostly) Country Christmas Roundup

Various artists release new Christmas music every year, hoping one might “stick” and be replayed year after year. Many of the songs I have included in this article are from my Music Spotlight artists. Some covers are unique in their own right, but I am particularly drawn to the never-before-heard originals. For those on Spotify, here is my playlist with all the songs mentioned included. The songs are in random order.

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