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

Charlie Casserly of Minneapolis:

1 RIP, Gordon Lightfoot. The first album I bought was "Gord's Gold." "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" wasn't on the double album, but I got to hear the rest of his wonderful songs such as "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," "Sundown," "Rainy Day People," "Cotton Jenny" and "Carefree Highway." I wish I'd seen him live.

2 E Street Radio, Sirius XM. It's a pleasure to hear Bruce Springsteen's March 5 St. Paul concert replayed on satellite radio and online. His guitar solos aren't as ear-splitting as they were live.

3 High school musicals. Spring means it's high school musical season. So affordable, and the kids pour their hearts into the shows. For example, at DeLaSalle you could have seen "Grease" and "Cabaret," "Mama Mia" played at Benilde-St. Margaret's and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" rocked Holy Angels. Just go, even if you don't know anyone in the show.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:

1 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2023. It's a diverse and deserving group, including Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, the Spinners, Rage Against the Machine and Willie Nelson. I don't think Kate Bush would have made it if not for Netflix's "Stranger Things" reviving her "Running Up That Hill" last year. Once again, the transparency of the Hall of Fame poobahs is lacking when the stellar Chaka Khan, who was on the ballot seven times, gets in through the side door; she was chosen by a select unnamed committee of seven experts under "musical excellence" despite never receiving enough support in the past from 1,200 voters.

2 Archie Givens Jr. funeral. The businessman and philanthropist, who was a pillar of the Twin Cities Black community, was honored by some of the area's finest musicians — the Steeles harmonizing a cappella, T. Mychael Rambo (also a cappella) and Gwen Matthews wowing on "S'Wonderful" accompanied by pianist Bobby Lyle, Givens' dear friend, whose playing was elegant and passionate throughout the ceremony.

3 Richard Thompson, the Dakota. With an excellent mix of old (Fairport Convention's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes") and new tunes (the unreleased "Singapore Sadie"), the veteran Brit charmed with his wry humor and outstanding acoustic guitar work using his hybrid picking technique.

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