It might be hard to believe that a Cole Porter song sat virtually unused for its first decade of life, but that's pretty much what happened to the tune we're featuring today. In fact, that might be one of the reasons why Porter said it was his least favorite composition. But "Don't Fence Me In" … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A Cowboy’s Request
Category: Boomers
A Hidden Treasure – Toots Mondello
As I've said before, the big musical stars have all had plenty of stuff written about them, but what about those who were just as talented -- maybe even more so -- but never got the recognition? Guys like saxophonist Toots Mondello, who was one of the best but remains relatively unknown to most music … Continue reading A Hidden Treasure – Toots Mondello
The Fallacy Of The Famous Dueling Banjos
I've always been interested in musical oddities; things that just seem a little out of line. It's difficult to describe exactly what I mean but I've written before about quirky happenings, and I thought I'd provide another example today. Who knows, maybe this will eventually develop into another Special Feature. A lot of people like … Continue reading The Fallacy Of The Famous Dueling Banjos
John Kirby And The Biggest Little Band In The Land
In spite of its name, the big band era always had room for smaller outfits. Sometimes they'd be formed from the members of a bigger band and become part of the show, as was the case with Benny Goodman's trio and quartet. But in other cases a smaller group would do just fine on its … Continue reading John Kirby And The Biggest Little Band In The Land
Remembering The Crests
Although there were several integrated groups during the golden age of doo-wop, the Crests stood out as one of the most diversified. Now mostly remembered for the 1959 mega-hit "16 Candles," the Crests included an Italian-American, a Puerto Rican, and -- in the beginning -- three African-Americans, one of them a lady. Formed in New … Continue reading Remembering The Crests
Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye
If you're old enough to remember, or if you know a little something about the music of the past, the title of of this piece might ring a bell. But no harm done if you don't recognize it, because I'm about to tell you more. It was the catchphrase of a very popular 'sweet' band … Continue reading Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye
Eddie Jefferson – The Master Of Vocalese
There are many ways to vocalize in jazz, with variations all the way from straight vocals to the nonsensical improvising of scat singing, but one of the more unusual types would have to be something known as vocalese. It's generally defined as the addition of lyrics to well-known instrumental solos, often as a tribute to … Continue reading Eddie Jefferson – The Master Of Vocalese
Country Catalyst – Remembering A Dreamy Song
Seems to me that we're overdue for another edition of Country Catalyst. For those who don't know or remember, CC is the newest of our Special Features, and it offers the chance to spotlight classic country songs that had something extra -- the ability to make new fans among folks who usually don't care for … Continue reading Country Catalyst – Remembering A Dreamy Song
She Was Known As ‘Gorgeous’ Georgia Carroll
As I've said before, during the big band era the bandleaders were the superstars of their day, and just like today's big-name musical performers they often matched up romantically with glamorous actresses. In fact, Artie Shaw almost single-handedly conquered Hollywood, but today we're talking about the lady who charmed bandleader Kay Kyser. Actress/model/singer Georgia Carroll … Continue reading She Was Known As ‘Gorgeous’ Georgia Carroll
Genial Rusty Draper Had Wide Appeal
Like many others in his era, red-haired singer Farrell 'Rusty' Draper found success over the course of his long career by appealing to fans of more than one kind of music. Beginning with his rise to fame in the early 1950s, Draper had a number of good selling records that straddled the line between pop … Continue reading Genial Rusty Draper Had Wide Appeal
Geezer Music Club 