Song of the Day: 'Now I'm Shining' (live in church) by Maria McKee

This post isn't for everyone. But for fellow New Wavers who grew up worshiping Lone Justice like I did, did you know that in addition to being the half sister of Bryan MacLean (1946-1998) of the legendary psychedelic band Love, Maria McKee grew up a church fart, in a kooky Beverly Hills household with a mother who "received Jesus" after watching Billy Graham on television? 

A rabbit hole led me to an album of songs a young Maria did with her big brother ("No One Was Kinder") -- he started a band for her in 1980, a couple years before she was "discovered" by Linda Ronstadt on the Sunset Strip -- including two recorded at the family church. And THIS ARTICLE, which was unintentionally unsettling, with nonstop talk of religion, rampant drug abuse, codependency, mental illness, not-so-veiled family resentments; lengthy estrangements; and further details of MacLean's abbreviated life including that he appeared in "An Affair to Remember"; auditioned to be on "The Monkees"; was advised to pursue acting by Jack Nicholson; was childhood friends with Dino Martin (Dean's son) and Liza Minnelli (Judy's daughter); and other juicy details about the dynamic bipolar duo. I recently watched and was blown away by the HBO documentary about Jane Fonda, frequently saying to myself that people don't live lives like that anymore. Add Maria McKee to that list. Truly unreal. 

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