I've been listening more and more to Pandora, the online music site that lets you define your own radio stations.
I fell in love with "Cry Me a River" after hearing Judith Owen's version on Richard Thompson's 1000 Years of Popular Music, so I set up a Pandora station seeded with that song and Julie London as an artist. Bit by bit - through that station and some similar ones I've created - I've been discovering vocalists I'd never heard of before, like Blossom Dearie and Ruth Cameron.
The other day, Pandora played me a Dianne Reeves song from the Good Night and Good Luck soundtrack. I loved it - so I popped over to the library's web site and reserved a couple of Dianne Reeves discs so I can hear more of what she's done.
Who knows - maybe next time my birthday rolls around, I'll have a list of albums I'd like to own.
It's a terrific way to check out great music that doesn't find its way to me otherwise.