A little honesty is called for here. Whenever a familiar name from the musical world dies, if it's someone that I've written about before then I often repost the previous piece, with an introduction explaining why I'm doing so. But it's not quite that simple with Dick Clark, who died recently. He wasn't a musical … Continue reading Dick Clark – It All Began With American Bandstand
Category: Boomers
Jimmie Noone Inspired The King Of Swing
Regular visitors to the GMC know that I've always had a soft spot for clarinet legend Benny Goodman. The Chicago native has shown up in several pieces, including the one that is probably my favorite, Was Benny Goodman A Doppelganger?, but I don't think I've ever written about his early influences, and at least one … Continue reading Jimmie Noone Inspired The King Of Swing
Skeets McDonald VS Perry Como
I've written before about how certain songs seem so familiar that I'm convinced we had the record around the house while I was growing up. A good example would be Perry Como's "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes," which topped the pop charts in 1952. But even though his version is the one … Continue reading Skeets McDonald VS Perry Como
Strange But True – And Funny Too!
Regular visitors to the ol' GMC will know that we occasionally feature a slideshow of unusual sculptures, a variety of art that has always interested me. In the past we've shown sculptures created in everything from cheese to sand to ice, but today's subject has a different focus. The objects in the pictures below are … Continue reading Strange But True – And Funny Too!
Lou Christie Still Entertaining Fans
A couple of years ago I wrote about how much I'd enjoyed seeing Jersey Boys, the musical based on the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I was thinking about that as I put together today's piece, because Valli and singer/songwriter Lou Christie have some things in common, even if Christie had far … Continue reading Lou Christie Still Entertaining Fans
Shirley Horn’s Late-Life Success Inspired Many
Performers who sing while accompanying themselves on the piano have been a part of music for a long time, and some of them have been very talented at handling both duties. But not many could measure up to the late Shirley Horn, a jazz artist who was so good at focusing on both skills that … Continue reading Shirley Horn’s Late-Life Success Inspired Many
3D Has Been Around For A Long Time
The 3D re-release of the 1997 film, Titanic, has not only continued to feed the Hollywood frenzy, it has also awakened memories of my experiences with a different kind of 3D, one that I prefer by far - still pictures. Until you've experienced it, you can't imagine the jaw-dropping realism that's possible with sharp, properly … Continue reading 3D Has Been Around For A Long Time
Surfin’ To The Sound Of The Lively Ones
Several of the California bands performing 'surf music' in the 1960s have made appearances here, beginning with the Ventures, featured on one of our earliest posts (almost six year ago). Later pieces explored the Bel Airs, the Rivieras, and Dick Dale, whose name became retro-cool when his "Misirlou" was memorably used in the movie, Pulp … Continue reading Surfin’ To The Sound Of The Lively Ones
Julia Lee – Queen Of The Dirty Blues
For several decades beginning in the 1930s there was a type of music known as the 'dirty blues', and it was very popular but you wouldn't hear it on the radio. You could find it in live performances or on jukeboxes in certain kinds of places, and you could also buy records -- but you … Continue reading Julia Lee – Queen Of The Dirty Blues
Time Lurches On While Dust Collects
The passage of time can affect a geezer's life in a number of ways (aside from the obvious). In my case it often seems to result in the cobwebbing of previously well-used gizmos. One example would be the activity of bicycling, which I used to do so regularly that I even bought a second bike … Continue reading Time Lurches On While Dust Collects
Geezer Music Club 