One of the earliest recording stars, a lady who was sometimes billed as the Queen of the Blues, was churning out hit records as early as 1917. Many of those who bought her records assumed she was black even though her style was a little more mainstream than singers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. … Continue reading Marion Harris – Queen of the Blues
Category: Boomers
Anatomy Of A Song – Inspired By A Namesake
My namesake (for my given names) was early American composer Stephen Foster, so I was interested to discover that he apparently inspired the songwriters for the subject of today's Anatomy Of A Song. It seems that a note was found on him after his 1864 death, and it was addressed to 'Dear friends and gentle … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – Inspired By A Namesake
A Fast Start For The Impalas
Among the many doo-wop groups that were based in Brooklyn during the 1950s and 1960s, only a few were racially mixed. One of those was a quartet called the Impalas, which had a huge hit with 1959's "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)." Unfortunately, the group would never manage to replicate the success of … Continue reading A Fast Start For The Impalas
Mamma Mia! Morgana King’s Singing Side
Here's something the average person probably doesn't know. The actress who played Vito Corleone's wife Carmela in the first two Godfather movies (you know, the good ones) was also a very respected and influential jazz vocalist. Now in her eighties, Morgana King was a serious singer for many years before - and after - she … Continue reading Mamma Mia! Morgana King’s Singing Side
Country Catalyst – A Rededication
Of the four varieties of 'special features' that show up from time to time on the GMC (they're listed in the left column) the Country Catalyst is probably the trickiest for me to put together. It started off as an offshoot of the well-established Anatomy Of A Song feature, but one with a specific purpose … Continue reading Country Catalyst – A Rededication
A Childhood Memory Confirmed – More Or Less
One of the most popular posts on the GMC is a nostalgia piece that showed up back in 2007 under the title The Little Rascals And A Shot At Movie Stardom. Since it was pretty much written from my memory -- which we all know is sometimes unreliable -- I was happy to stumble onto … Continue reading A Childhood Memory Confirmed – More Or Less
Gus Arnheim Influenced Many Stars
In a recent piece about actress/singer Shirley Ross I mentioned that she often sang with Gus Arnheim's orchestra, as did Fred McMurray (before he became a movie star). In fact, Arnheim was a tremendously influential figure in the early jazz age, a talented pianist and composer who also had a hand in helping build the … Continue reading Gus Arnheim Influenced Many Stars
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE GMC
******************* ******************* Glenn Miller Orch - "Auld Lang Syne"
The Cascades Sang About The Rain
Every so often I run across a song that seems so familiar that I'm sure I've already written about it and the performer or group that made it famous. But then I use the GMC's handy 'search' function and find that sometimes I haven't. (You didn't expect me to just depend on my memory, did … Continue reading The Cascades Sang About The Rain
Jazz World Remembers Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef, a legend in the world of jazz, has died at age 93 at his home near Amherst, Massachusetts. The multi-talented Grammy-winner, who was born in Chattanooga as William Emanuel Huddleston (he converted to Islam around 1950) enjoyed a career that stretched for more than seven decades, during which he became renowned as an … Continue reading Jazz World Remembers Yusef Lateef
Geezer Music Club 