Although she was never a huge star, Gloria Lynne was a very respected singer with a long -- and sometimes rocky -- career, and her recent passing at age 83 was a sad moment for her fans. Probably best remembered for helping make "I Wish You Love" a standard, she sang in a style that … Continue reading Gloria Lynne Was A Fan Favorite
Category: Boomers
Anatomy Of A Song – Changing With The Times
A perfect example of a song that had to change with the times is Cole Porter's "Anything Goes," which began life as a commentary on scandalous Depression-era happenings. Unfortunately it was specific to the time period so it became meaningless to later generations, creating the need for the lyrics that are more familiar to modern … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – Changing With The Times
Remembering Cal Smith
When I read recently that country singer Cal Smith had died, my first impulse was to find the previous post I'd written about him and point folks to it. The only problem was that I had never written about him before, even though I thought I had. After all, his signature song -- "Country Bumpkin" … Continue reading Remembering Cal Smith
Alice Faye Did It Her Way
Among the many actresses who sang, one of the best was the smokey-voiced Alice Faye, who for a while seemed to be in just about every colorful movie musical around. But she was the real thing, a trained singer and dancer who starred in a lot of films, even though her fierce independence might have … Continue reading Alice Faye Did It Her Way
The Surprising Johnny Crawford
I guess it's because of constant reruns, but I can pretty easily visualize Johnny Crawford appearing as Chuck Conners' young son on the 1950s TV Western, The Rifleman. What I didn't remember (until I ran across it recently) is that he was later promoted as a teen singing idol. But what's really surprising is that … Continue reading The Surprising Johnny Crawford
Diamonds In The Rough – Part II
I thought it might be time for the 2nd edition of our newest special feature, Diamonds In The Rough. You might recall that its purpose is to present a list of interesting older posts that you might have missed, and rescue them from fading sadly into the mists. I hope you'll find them entertaining because … Continue reading Diamonds In The Rough – Part II
The Sad Story Of Susannah McCorkle
Even if you're not familiar with jazz vocalist and writer Susannah McCorkle, the title of this piece has probably already made you suspect a tragic end to her life, and you would be right. The very talented singer suffered from depression for years and finally took her own life in 2001, but she left behind … Continue reading The Sad Story Of Susannah McCorkle
Fantastic Foursome Is Back!
I guess the headline is a little misleading because the Fantastic Foursome hasn't really been gone, but it has been AWOL for almost two months so we're certainly due for another installment. (A little info for new visitors; the Fantastic Foursome is a GMC special feature that offers a chance to hear - and vote … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome Is Back!
The Golden Trumpet Of Eddie Calvert
One thing I've learned from years of putting together pieces about musical performers is that there is usually some degree of popularity that crosses borders. For example, someone who was a big star in the UK was usually well-known in America and elsewhere too, even if not quite to the same level of fame. But … Continue reading The Golden Trumpet Of Eddie Calvert
Country Catalyst – Motor City Sorrow
Once again we present an edition of our special feature known as Country Catalyst. I think I've said before that Country Catalyst is sort of a a variation on our older special feature called Anatomy Of A Song, but one designed for a specific purpose -- presenting a song that I think might intrigue a … Continue reading Country Catalyst – Motor City Sorrow
Geezer Music Club 