I was sorry to read about the passing of R&B singer Jewel Akens, who succumbed to complications from back surgery a few days ago in Inglewood, California. Although he's most remembered for his big 1965 hit "The Birds And The Bees," he had a long career that included both performing and producing, and it lasted … Continue reading Jewel Akens Remembered For His Signature Song
Author: BG
BG (aka The Big Geez) is a retiree who who has spent over a decade generating the Geezer Music Club, where he tries to prove that geezers can stay in touch with today's world. . .and still find time for the trimming of ear hair.
Dick Stabile — Dino’s Go-To Guy
One of the things I enjoy about reading biographies of entertainment legends is learning about the less famous people whose lives revolved around the stars, like the guy I ran across in a book about Dean Martin. An accomplished saxophonist who'd gotten his start in the early big band era, Dick Stabile was the musical … Continue reading Dick Stabile — Dino’s Go-To Guy
Rockabilly Pioneer Sonny Burgess
Albert Austin "Sonny" Burgess - May 28, 1929 – August 18, 2017 I've written before about how common it was in the early days for rockabilly stars to come from the ranks of country music veterans, but it wasn't always that way. In at least one case, a guy who was one of the best … Continue reading Rockabilly Pioneer Sonny Burgess
Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
It would be difficult to find a song with a more unusual history of success than the swing era classic, "And The Angels Sing." Originally an instrumental with a Jewish klezmer-style segment, it would later have lyrics added and become a hit record for a famous big band, while at the same time turning into … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “And the Angels Sing”
Spring And Strange Slideshows
Now that March has arrived, I wanted to do a slideshow with bright and colorful pictures that would herald the approach of Spring, but I got sidetracked by something. The slideshow widget used by WordPress (the GMC host) has either changed or my memory is worse than I thought, because no matter what size pictures … Continue reading Spring And Strange Slideshows
Doris Day’s Rock And Roll Connection
It's likely that most fans of oldies music remember a California-based group known as the Rip Chords, a combo that epitomized a sub-genre of rock and roll known as 'hot rod music' with a big hit on "Hey Little Cobra" in 1964. You might also recall that the group seemed to go through a lot … Continue reading Doris Day’s Rock And Roll Connection
Texas Ruby Was A Real Firecracker
Texas Ruby has been gone for fifty years now, and she didn't headline in Vegas or score any huge hit records during her too-short career, but she remains one of the most memorable country music stars of all time. Ably accompanied by husband Curly Fox's fiddle, her deep singing voice and distinctive performing style helped … Continue reading Texas Ruby Was A Real Firecracker
Ray’s Song Becomes A Fantastic Foursome
I know what you're thinking: isn't it about time we had another Fantastic Foursome? Okay, maybe you weren't thinking that but I was, and so here we go. It's difficult to hear "Georgia On My Mind" and not think of Ray Charles, but it has actually been performed by a lot of folks since Hoagy … Continue reading Ray’s Song Becomes A Fantastic Foursome
Search For A Song Leads To The Norman Petty Trio
GMC visitors who keep an eye on the 'recent comments' in the left column might already know a little about today's subject, but here's the scoop for those who don't: one of our most popular posts is a 2008 piece about a 1950s doo-wop group called The Danleers -- but I think that's mostly because … Continue reading Search For A Song Leads To The Norman Petty Trio
The Legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band
I don't consider myself a jazz expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd like to think that I've picked up a few things in the many years that have passed since I began enjoying it as a teenager. That's why I was a little surprised when I first read about a 1960s jazz … Continue reading The Legendary Clarke-Boland Big Band
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