THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES:
SONGS THAT MADE HISTORY AND SHAPED CULTURE
PERFORMANCE/LECTURE WITH ROD MACDONALD AND THE HUMDINGERS

Rod MacDonald

DESCRIPTION: Most popular songs come along at the right time, and some define their times. As they are performed through the years by great singers, we remember those moments when they captured our hearts—where we were, and what it meant to us. These are the songs that make history and shape our culture through the years. Join Rod MacDonald & the Humdingers for a fresh perspective on the “Soundrack of Our Lives,” a fun and lowdecibel performance/lecture on the genius and lasting legacies of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim, Paul Simon, and other classic songwriters. Through the years these songs have been performed by Barbra, Frank, Louis, Cab, Elvis, the Beatles, Aretha, Whitney, and many more.

The Humdingers

• Rod MacDonald – Guitar/Vocal: Has 10 CDs of his songs, plus A Few Dylan Songs with Big Brass Bed, as heard on WLRN. He performs frequently in South Florida, throughout North America and Europe, and is a lifelong devotee of popular song. He has been an instructor at the Lifelong Learning Society (LLS) since 2006.

• Bill Meredith – Drums: The backbone of several Palm Beach County rock-and-roll bands, including Big Brass Bed and Illumination. He’s toured throughout the U.S. and Canada, and has made more than a dozen CDs.

• Stan Silverman – Piano: Studied classical music and theory at the New England Conservatory of Music and Philadelphia Music Academy, but is better known for his work with the jazz bands Hook and the Johnny Panks Band.

• Doug Lindsey – Bass: He performs with the Mario LaCasse Band and several Palm Beach County groups.

• John Smotherman – Lead Guitar: He plays with Big Brass Bed, Illumination and several Palm Beach County bands. Because of his exquisite solos, the Palm Beach Post has named him one of the “10 Magnificent Musicians of Palm Beach County.”

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Rod MacDonald began his career as a singer/
songwriter in Greenwich Village in New York City, in 1973. He has 21 songs in the Smithsonian Folkways collection and has released eleven CDs, including the 2011 releases Songs Of Freedom and Dylan Jam + 2 with his group, Big Brass Bed. He performs at festivals, at concerts and in clubs, locally and throughout North America and Europe. He was named Best Local Acoustic Performer in Broward and Palm Beach counties by the New Times, and one of the “10 Magnificent Musicians” of Palm Beach County by the Palm Beach Post.