The Candoli Brothers – Doubling Trumpets

The subject of musical siblings has always fascinated me, although I suppose it's actually a pretty common occurrence. Growing up in a musical household would subject all the kids in the family to the same influences, so it's only logical that more than one might follow the same muse. Still, it's got to be a … Continue reading The Candoli Brothers – Doubling Trumpets

Eddie Dean — One Of The Best

While putting together some background for this piece, I ran across something that stated that Roy Rogers and Gene Autry both said that B-movie star Eddie Dean was the best of the singing cowboys. The funny thing about that is that it seems to contradict a statement I relayed in a previous piece about cowboy … Continue reading Eddie Dean — One Of The Best

Yard Games — Country Style

Even though Summer doesn't officially start until late June, the month of May has always seemed to me to be when thoughts turn to the kind of activities that Summer brings. For one thing, it means that a lot of people will be spending time outdoors and taking part in picnics, cookouts, or just plain … Continue reading Yard Games — Country Style

Remembering Matt Monro

When you've been blogging for almost four years and the post you're working on will be your 688th, I guess it's not surprising if you find yourself thinking; haven't I written about this guy before? That thought flitted through my mind as I began to put together a tribute to British singer Matt Monro. After … Continue reading Remembering Matt Monro

The Flying Fingers Of Joe Maphis

There's never been a shortage of outstanding instrumentalists in country music, but through the years there have been a select few who seem to be in a special class. One of those would have to be Joe Maphis, who never met a stringed instrument he didn't like. Often called 'The King of the Strings', Maphis … Continue reading The Flying Fingers Of Joe Maphis

The Dee-Lightful Lenny Dee

To many, organist Lenny Dee was the ultimate lounge performer. And for many years he played to that image, with a popular live act and a number of successful albums with goofy covers and titles like Dee-lightful and Double Dee-light. But he was also a very skilled instrumentalist, one who is still celebrated for his … Continue reading The Dee-Lightful Lenny Dee

Patterns In The Green Stuff

As someone who has repeatedly denied having any desire to partake in yardwork, you might find it odd that I would find so much fascination with pictures like the one below. But even though it looks like someone's intricately carved lawn, it's actually a picture I found from doing a search for 'crop circles'. I … Continue reading Patterns In The Green Stuff

The Music Of Giant Tripods

I've always been a big fan of science fiction, and I have fond memories of some of the more colorful movies from my childhood. I was especially crazy about alien invasion movies, and there were plenty of them around in those days. I've written about those fun times before so I won't go into all … Continue reading The Music Of Giant Tripods

Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?

It might surprise you to learn that Lawrence Welk wasn't the first bandleader to have a 'bubbling' theme. Although Welk's champagne bubbles eventually became a famous part of his image, Shep Fields preceded him with his Rippling Rhythm orchestra in the Thirties. His group -- one of the 'sweet' bands of the big band era … Continue reading Bubbling Along With Shep Fields And – Festus?

Choosing Young Love

Mrs. Big Geez and I seldom disagree -- or to put it another way, I'm afraid of her. But when we do have a rare difference of opinion, it's usually about something silly like the best version of a particular song. A good example would be a tune that hit the top of the charts … Continue reading Choosing Young Love