Tennessee Ernie And The Caravelles

As a young teenager with eclectic music tastes, one of my favorite records was Tennessee Ernie Ford's tribute to coal miners, "Sixteen Tons." Of course, I wasn't the only one who found a lot to like about that song -- after all, it rocketed to the top of both country and pop charts -- but … Continue reading Tennessee Ernie And The Caravelles

REVIEW: Hank Jones & Frank Wess – Hank and Frank II

Follow-up albums are sort of like movie sequels. If the original was well-received and successful, the sequel is often disappointing because it's just more of the same and probably not as well done. But occasionally a follow-up comes along that not only includes a lot of what made the original good, but adds new elements … Continue reading REVIEW: Hank Jones & Frank Wess – Hank and Frank II

Glenn Campbell And The Bogus Beach Boys

In all fairness to the 1960s group known as the Hondells, it's probably a little misleading to call them "bogus". In fact, they were a bunch of solid musicians who did manage to generate some good sounds that were very reminiscent of the Beach Boys -- but the group wasn't quite what it might have … Continue reading Glenn Campbell And The Bogus Beach Boys

Memories Of Memorial Day

Memorial Day can hold different meanings for all of us, but most of our thoughts obviously have something to do with memories. The holiday itself was originally called Decoration Day and was intended to honor military casualties, but has gradually become a day to honor all those who have passed on. Although those types of … Continue reading Memories Of Memorial Day

All The “Signs” For Success Were There

Although I now enjoy most of the music from the 1960s and 1970s, that wasn't always the case. During those decades I was a conservative young married man with a growing family, and even though I enjoyed most music, I tended to dismiss a lot of the anti-establishment stuff then in vogue. But that's not … Continue reading All The “Signs” For Success Were There

REVIEW: Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker – Work To Do

Whether we realize it or not, I'm convinced that those of us who review new albums are subject to the same kinds of influences that affect any music fan (which we also are, of course). You might even call it an mental checklist, albeit an unconscious one in most cases. That being said, it's nice … Continue reading REVIEW: Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker – Work To Do

In Search Of A Salty Dog

Just browsing through old pictures again, and I happened across one that includes a really cute little fella. No, not me. I'm referring to the puppy I'm holding, although I have to blushingly admit that I did possess a little touch of cuteness myself (long since lost). A lot of dogs and a slew of … Continue reading In Search Of A Salty Dog

The Amazing Dinnings

There have been a lot of musical siblings through the years and some of them immediately come to mind, but it's difficult to imagine a group of brothers and sisters quite like the Dinnings. Over a period of several decades, they covered just about every aspect of music; including songwriting, bandleading, recording, and performing on … Continue reading The Amazing Dinnings

Puttin’ On The Ritz

May has arrived and for a lot of teenagers that means just one thing -- prom night is rapidly approaching and plans need to be made. I'm certainly not an authority of how it's done these days, but I know that everything up to and including stretch limos is pretty much the standard now. It … Continue reading Puttin’ On The Ritz

REVIEW: Bill Wimmer – Project Omaha

It's always a kick to discover a musician who has flown a little below the radar, although in all fairness to artists everywhere I should admit that my particular radar unit is not always reliable. In fact, I would have been right at home as part of the crew watching over Pearl Harbor. But putting … Continue reading REVIEW: Bill Wimmer – Project Omaha