In a recent post about Ernie Kovacs' Nairobi Trio, I identified the musical piece played by the gorilla-masked characters -- “Solfeggio” -- but neglected to mention the composer, who actually wrote several better-known songs. Harpist Robert Maxwell, who composed instrumental classics like "Shangri-La" and "Ebb Tide," deserves a closer look. The New York native grew … Continue reading Robert Maxwell – Beyond Gorilla Music
Category: Music
Patsy Montana Did It First
Fans of modern country music are often familiar with the names of many of the earlier stars, but I'd be willing to bet that few would guess the name of the singer who had the first number-one country hit for a female. It wasn't Loretta or Tammy or even Kitty. It was Patsy Montana, who … Continue reading Patsy Montana Did It First
Everything’s Better With Butter
Remember when TV commercials for margarine always compared the product's taste to 'the high-priced spread'? I always wondered why they couldn't just call it 'butter', which I would assume is a generic name that wouldn't have had any trademark protection. Maybe by not using the word they allowed for some wiggle room, just in case … Continue reading Everything’s Better With Butter
Nairobi Trio Gave A Classic Performance
Almost a half-century ago, comedian Ernie Kovacs died in an auto crash, one that was said to have been caused by him trying to drive while lighting one of his signature cigars. At the time, he was just 42 and married to beautiful singer/actress Edie Adams, and was finding some success as a busy character … Continue reading Nairobi Trio Gave A Classic Performance
REVIEW: Lil’ Pookie – Just Want To Be Me
Those readers who have been around since the earlier days of this blog (which is now over 4 years old) will recall that I used to regularly review new albums. Over the first 3+ years I generated well over 200 reviews, and had reached the point where I was pretty much flooded with review requests … Continue reading REVIEW: Lil’ Pookie – Just Want To Be Me
From Polkas To Honky-Tonk – Pee Wee King
You probably wouldn't guess that someone born as Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski would become a country music star. But even though his real name contains a clue to his original musical background, it would be his stage name -- Pee Wee King -- that would be remembered by fans. And even though he was a … Continue reading From Polkas To Honky-Tonk – Pee Wee King
Workin’ Hard – The Delta Rhythm Boys
To paraphrase one of James Brown's best-known descriptions, you could make a good case that the Delta Rhythm Boys were 'the hardest working close-rhythm singing group in show business'. Of course, there have been many combos that could make the same claim, but it would be difficult to top the longevity, versatility, and wide range … Continue reading Workin’ Hard – The Delta Rhythm Boys
The Tragedy Of Little Willie John
Tragic stories have always been a part of music history, and have played out in almost as many varieties as there are performers who've lived them. But one of the most most poignant types of tragedies is when a performer throws away his opportunity, and that would be the case with R&B pioneer Little Willie … Continue reading The Tragedy Of Little Willie John
The Reluctant Crooner – Rudy Vallée
Yes folks, I'm writing about crooners again. It's a subject that has always fascinated me, and my interest has resulted in a number of articles that date all the way back to my Crooner Conundrum piece from four years ago. But today's subject -- Rudy Vallée -- was a different kind of crooner. For one … Continue reading The Reluctant Crooner – Rudy Vallée
A Crooner Named Clint Eastwood
In a recent piece about James Darren, I mentioned that many of the rising young actors of the era were also promoted as singing stars, but one that might surprise you is a guy who is now better known as a legendary superstar and director. That's right, folks. Clint Eastwood was once one of those … Continue reading A Crooner Named Clint Eastwood
Geezer Music Club 