I've written before about musical artists who somehow fall short of super-stardom, even though they might be more talented than some of their more-famous contemporaries. Another good example would be jazz vocalist Sue Raney, a gorgeous lady with an even more beautiful voice, who over the course of her long career has been a favorite … Continue reading In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
Category: Big Band
Sinatra On My Kindle
I haven't written much about my Kindle lately, even though I'm as happy as can be with it. One reason I haven't mentioned it is that I mostly try to write about musical things, and even though it does play MP3 files I'm not sure if that counts as music related. But I do know … Continue reading Sinatra On My Kindle
Ben Pollack Was The Real Thing
I've written before about a couple of movies that told the Hollywood version of the lives of two stars from the big band era -- The Benny Goodman Story and The Glenn Miller Story (video below) -- but something occurred to me today. Each film included a number of real musicians from the era appearing … Continue reading Ben Pollack Was The Real Thing
Lionel Hampton And Illinois Jacquet Shared Signature Song
Signature songs are a long-time tradition in the world of music. Almost every musician or group that has ever managed to attain a measure of fame can point to one special song that became their best known and most loved by fans. But in at least one instance, a song became the signature for two … Continue reading Lionel Hampton And Illinois Jacquet Shared Signature Song
America’s Singing Master – Fred Waring
Although his name might draw a blank with the younger generation, I think just about everyone else will be at least a little familiar with Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians. Most will recall Waring as the leader of a musical ensemble that included a lot of choral pieces, but the man who was sometimes called … Continue reading America’s Singing Master – Fred Waring
Glenn Miller’s Favorite Singing Group
I have to admit that the title of this piece represents an assumption on my part, but I would guess it's probably accurate. Since the Modernaires played an important role in the band's success during Glenn Miller's biggest years, you'd have to draw that conclusion, even if he might have secretly coveted Tommy Dorsey's Pied … Continue reading Glenn Miller’s Favorite Singing Group
Freddy Martin Introduced Tchaikovsky To Millions
I've always enjoyed listening to jazzed-up versions of classical pieces, especially those as performed during the big band era. Even if purists might have dismissed the practice, it did offer the music of the ages to many people who would otherwise have shied away from what they called 'long-hair' music. (A term that has certainly … Continue reading Freddy Martin Introduced Tchaikovsky To Millions
Segue To Sweet Swing Sounds
I first learned the meaning of 'segue' while working as a young radio DJ in the early 1960s. The veteran broadcaster who was my boss would explain how the process of smoothly flowing from the end of one record into the beginning of the next would help avoid 'dead air', a forbidden sin for radio … Continue reading Segue To Sweet Swing Sounds
The Heritage Of Andy Russell
Although it's much less common now, the music world has always been filled with performers who have 'Anglicized' their birth names, and a lot of those artists have been featured here. I won't even try to list them all, but one large grouping was explored in an earlier post, the Quintessential Italian Crooner. Some of … Continue reading The Heritage Of Andy Russell
Debbie Reynolds’ Favorite Crooner?
Debbie Reynolds' favorite crooner in the late 1950s was almost certainly her husband, Eddie Fisher -- at least until he had his famous fling with Liz Taylor -- but before that, there just might have been another singer who made her swoon. Or at least that's how her character in the 1954 movie, Susan Slept … Continue reading Debbie Reynolds’ Favorite Crooner?
Geezer Music Club 