As you know, if a performer we've featured in a previous GMC article passes on I usually put together a little tribute and also direct visitors to the previous article. (As I did recently for Marvin Rainwater.) But in a reversal of sorts, I started writing about today's featured artist -- Grammy-winning jazz pianist Marian … Continue reading Marian McPartland Had Rich Career
Category: Boomers
Marvin Rainwater’s Musical Journey Is Over
Once again, I'm saddened to report that someone we've previously featured on the GMC has passed on. Marvin Rainwater, an early rockabilly star who also found a lot of success in country music, died recently in Aitken, Minn. He was 88. You can read more about him in the post below, which was originally published … Continue reading Marvin Rainwater’s Musical Journey Is Over
Snuffy Jenkins Inspired Many Banjo Greats
I always enjoy writing about musicians who were still active in their later years. Although making good music is a lot tougher than anything I do (like maintaining the GMC) I have to applaud anyone who keeps doing what they enjoy for as long as they can. Which brings us to Snuffy Jenkins, a legendary … Continue reading Snuffy Jenkins Inspired Many Banjo Greats
Anatomy Of A Song – A Classic About ‘Things’
This edition of Anatomy Of A Song offers up one that has always been a favorite of jazz musicians as an instrumental, but actually started life as a show tune. With a melody by Jerome Kern and words by Oscar Hammerstein II, "All the Things You Are" made its first appearance in the 1939 stage … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A Classic About ‘Things’
The Many Faces Of Teri Thornton
Teri Thornton, a talented but under-appreciated jazz vocalist who died more than a decade ago, had a career that was varied and unconventional to say the least. Although she's probably most remembered for her successful recording of "Somewhere in the Night," (the theme for the TV show Naked City) she went through a lot of … Continue reading The Many Faces Of Teri Thornton
Diamonds In The Rough – Part I
I guess I might be tooting my own horn, but today I'm introducing a new Special Feature that's sort of dependent on my opinion of myself -- or at least of my writing ability. Let me explain. I've been doing this for over 7 years and there are more than 1300 individual articles, and I … Continue reading Diamonds In The Rough – Part I
Danny Williams Was Known As Britain’s Johnny Mathis
Although he was actually born in South Africa, singer Danny Williams rose to popularity in the British Isles during the 1960s, becoming a beloved star who was sometimes called the British Johnny Mathis. Best remembered in the U.S. for his 1964 hit "White On White," he had already topped U.K. charts in 1961 with one … Continue reading Danny Williams Was Known As Britain’s Johnny Mathis
Billy & Lillie Rocked Dick Clark
Billy Ford was in his thirties and already a veteran of the music business as a trumpeter and singer when he teamed up with teenager Lillie Bryant in the late 1950s. He'd had a couple of underwhelming records of his own, but when he latched onto young Lillie it turned out to be a good … Continue reading Billy & Lillie Rocked Dick Clark
George Sanders Was A Crooner Too?
Most of us probably remember British actor George Sanders, who had a long, celebrated career and a colorful life that sadly ended with his suicide in 1972. But what you might not realize is that in addition to being an Oscar-winning actor who specialized in playing heels, he was also a writer, a composer, and … Continue reading George Sanders Was A Crooner Too?
Sathima Bea Benjamin – A Legendary Voice Stilled
I was sorry to hear of the recent death of Sathima Bea Benjamin, a South African who became a world-renowned jazz vocalist, composer, and activist during her lifetime. She was 76 when she died at her home in Cape Town. The singer was featured in a GMC album review back in 2008, and you can … Continue reading Sathima Bea Benjamin – A Legendary Voice Stilled
Geezer Music Club 