45 Years Ago - 1977 Steely Dan released their sixth album Aja.
The album's title is pronounced like Asia. Donald Fagen has said the album was named for a Korean woman who married the brother of one of his high-school friends.
Aja won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical and received Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Three songs were released as singles, but now the whole album is just classic.
"Peg" (#11 #30 AC) The song's guitar solo was attempted by seven top studio session guitarists—including Robben Ford and recurring guitarist Larry Carlton—before Jay Graydon's version became the "keeper". He worked on the song for about six hours before the band was satisfied.
"Deacon Blues" (#19 #40 AC.)
Not on the album, but from the same sessions came the song "FM (No Static at All)" (#22) which was on the soundtrack of the FM movie. Eagles members Timothy B. Schmit, Glenn Frey and Don Henley are singing backing vocals.
"Josie" (#26 #44 AC.)
Aja is one of the albums in the development of Yacht Rock, because...wait for it...Michael McDonald dow some backing vocals. That's him on "Peg."