A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:

Jeff Nelson of Minneapolis:

1 The Weight Band, the Dakota. They are five seasoned musicians from the Woodstock music scene with roots in Levon Helm's midnight ramble tradition. While they covered a lot of the Band's songs, they were far more than a tribute band. They displayed top-drawer musicianship performing great songs, whether their own or others.

2 The California Honeydrops, Turf Club. Tight seven-piece horn-driven funk with a talented, charismatic frontman, Lech Wierzynski. It was impossible not to move to the music. The party slowly built to a point of frenzied (in a good way) funky fun. I wish they could have played at my wedding.

3 VocalEssense, "The Mendelssohns," Bethel University. Musical talent often runs in families, and one of history's most talented set of siblings were the Mendelssohns — Felix and Fanny. The VocalEssense choir along with a high school festival choir, soloists and orchestra made for a full plate of musicians in beautiful Benson Hall performing marvelous music.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:

1 "Coal Miner's Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn," CMT. This touching live all-star tribute featured emotional, noteworthy performances by Wynonna Judd, Alan Jackson, Jack White, Brandi Carlile and Lukas Nelson, Willie's son, with Emmy Russell, Loretta's granddaughter. There were also brief heartfelt taped speeches, the best of which was by Taylor Swift, who talked about Loretta, not herself.

2 Jack Harlow, "Saturday Night Live." As host and musical guest, the Louisville rapper held his own with good comic timing in the opening monologue, credible acting chops in a sketch parodying an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that turned into a pitch for a Pixar movie, and throwing down his songs, "State Fair" and "First Class," with its "Saturday Night Fever" staging.

3 Taylor Swift becomes first artist to simultaneously hold the top 10 spots on Billboard's Hot 100. Between her mega-selling new album "Midnights" and tickets for her 2023 concert tour going on sale this month, she is doing more to stimulate the economy than the government is.

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