If there is one thing that Delray Beach homeowners appreciate it is a quality piece of vinyl. Of course, everyone has his or her personal favorite records kept safely in their homes. For example, Mark Jenkins is a 48-year-old school teacher who lives in a gorgeous 3-bedroom Delray Beach luxury home. Hailing from New Jersey, Mark has always had a deep appreciation for the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.
Mark takes pride in how well he has cared for 1975’s Born to Run. He considers it to be a flawless concept album about small-town Jerseyites and their hope, possibility, and the lure of the open road. Songs like “Jungleland,” “Thunder Road,” “Backstreets,” and the title track are considered epic productions.
Another one of Mark’s favorite records is 1984’s Born in the U.S.A. The album features Springsteen’s radio-friendly arrangements that helped the work reach Number One on the Billboard Chart, selling over 15 million copies sold in the U.S. alone. With the support of the single, “Born in the U.S.A,” the LP is widely praised as one of the best albums of all time.
Nancy Hawkins is a Delray Beach real estate owner with three teenage boys. She prefers a more funk sound, such as Frank Zappa’s Roxy & Elsewhere. She explains that the record captures Zappa enjoying himself on stage in 1974, while his guitar work and showmanship were in their prime. Highlights include the tasteful “Pygmy Twylyte” and burning renditions of both “Penguin in Bondage” as well as the funky “More Trouble Every Day.”
Nancy’s mother, Pam Baker, lives with her. Pam prefers a more adult contemporary sound that Zappa. The 63-year-old woman listens to Neil Diamond’s Hot August Night as often as she can. In 1972, Diamond ensured his reputation as a live performer with the double album. Highlights include rearranged versions of his early hits, including “Solitary Man” and “Cherry.” However, the sweet strings of “Prologue,” the Spanish guitar on “Canta Libre,” and the African tribal rhythms of “Soolaimon” are what set the record apart.
Another favorite of Pam’s is Cat Stevens’ 1970 release Teaser and the Firecat. In fact, Nancy remembers her mother singing tracks to her when she was a little girl. The third album of this British singer/songwriter features songs of love, loss, and spirituality sung with emotion stunningly gorgeous, such as “Peace Train” and the sublime hymn “Morning Has Broken.”
Pam’s nephew, Scott Stevens, is a 22-year-old who recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Scott was thrilled to find a small but spacious home for sale in Delray Beach. Best of all, the place is right by the beach on Atlantic Ave. Despite his young age, Scott loves classic rock, not unlike Crosby Stills, Nash & Young’s timeless recording from 1970, Déjà Vu. The work stands as the quintessential album of the 1960’s counterculture. Each song on the LP is remarkable, as “Carry On,” “Teach Your Children,” “Almost Cut My Hair,” “Our House,” and “Woodstock” contain social relevance that helped pioneer the folk-rock genre.
About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty:
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty serves 19 counties throughout Florida with over 40 locations and approximately 1,800 Sales Professionals. The full-service brokerage company, founded in 1999, is a subsidiary of Lennar Corporation, a Fortune 500 company and is a franchise member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ network, one of the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name. The company offers residential and commercial services as well as seasonal rentals, property management, REO & Foreclosures, corporate relocations, referral services, title, home service plans, and personal concierge services. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty ranks in the Top 10 in the network among 42,000 Sales Professionals, 1,200 offices throughout 47 states. The company is the overall No. 1 fundraiser for The Sunshine Kids Foundation, having generated more than $3.37 million since 2001. Visit www.BHHSFloridaRealty.com.
