January 7 – Tuesday – Mink DeVille – Coup de Grâce

Since we already did Mitch Miller for Christmas, we move on to Willy DeVille and his group. I don’t know, I just liked it. I thought it was cool. A few of the people I have been or will be writing about have passed away, and Willy is one of them. He died in 2009 at the age of 58 (just a kid, as I see it) from pancreatic cancer. He had been a New York staple at the clubs in the 1970’s, but I didn’t catch on until the early ‘80s with this album. It’s R&B with a Salsa/Cajun flair and some Bruce-like undertones. I really like “Maybe Tomorrow” and his version of “You Better Move On.” Plus, Willy DeVille had great cheekbones.

I was happy for Willy for his Academy Award nomination for Best Song in 1987, and his appearance on the Oscar’s singing his theme song from The Princess Bride, “Storybook Love.”

This album reminds me of the year just prior to taking up with the ex, hanging out at Cagney’s and a previous boyfriend. But we won’t get into that. At least not right now.