Del Shannon - Stranger in Town

Del Shannon is best known for his number one 1961 hit, Runaway, but one of my favorites is "Searchin" from a few years later. The early rock singer, who, sadly, committed suicide in 1990 after suffering from depression, also recorded other songs, notably one I heard yesterday, "Stranger in Town."

It's always a surprise when the radio (in this case, SiriusXM) digs up one I've never heard before, but this song is one of them.

I've heard it said, and seen the bumper sticker, that says "Real Musicians Have Day Jobs." I'm not sure what that means exactly, but I think that those of us who can play music in our spare time for fun and otherwise live normal lives may be better off than stars who burn bright but die young. For every Elton John there's an Amy Winehouse.

Del, we'll never forget you (and Channel 6 on SiriuxXM will make sure of that)!

An Even Smaller MINI -- Rocketman!

I can hear Elton John's iconic song from 1973 in my head as I consider a new, even smaller MINI.

It only makes sense, really, as the new four-door, larger MINI Countryman appears on the scene. MINI is going back to its roots with a car sized more like the original!

When MINI releases a concept, they normally build it later, so this could be the real thing. It will sell against the smart car and tiny offerings from Toyota, among others.

Read all about it, courtesy of Autoweek.