Today's edition of Country Catalyst, our periodic attempt to bring new fans to country music, spotlights a song that has been recorded many times, both with and without lyrics. But it's as an instrumental that it reaches its full impact, making "Sugar Foot Rag" a classic challenge for virtuoso guitarists in its more than sixty … Continue reading Country Catalyst – A Challenge For ‘Pickers’
Category: Nostalgia
Old And In The Way
In spite of what you might think -- especially given the fact that this blog is mostly for and about geezers -- the title of this piece does not refer to a pathetic old guy who is feeling a little unappreciated. It is instead about a short-lived 1970s bluegrass band of that name led by … Continue reading Old And In The Way
Five-Star Favs – It All Began In Mexico
First a word of explanation to newer visitors (and a reminder to regulars). The Special Feature known as Five Star Favs is the one that spotlights a song that falls into a very unique category -- it inhabits space in the top tier of my music collection, which means I have given it a five-star … Continue reading Five-Star Favs – It All Began In Mexico
In Appreciation Of The Amazing Viola Smith
This is a different kind of post for the GMC. First of all, the only music I can find that features the spotlighted performer is on a video. But it's also different because I'm going to give you the basics, but then point you toward a couple of other places that do a much better … Continue reading In Appreciation Of The Amazing Viola Smith
Baltimore’s Own Ronnie Dove
Over the course of Ronnie Dove's long career, which began well over a half-century ago, the talented singer has been a little hard to classify. In his later years he's often been called a country crooner, but he was also an important part of the early days of pop music. And even though he officially … Continue reading Baltimore’s Own Ronnie Dove
Saluting Silly Songs – An Echo From The Past
Today's edition of Saluting Silly Songs was born when I began thinking about certain current events, specifically those surrounding a couple of instances of satire. One example is the tragic situation connected to the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, but it's an earlier controversy about a movie -- The Interview -- that more closely relates to … Continue reading Saluting Silly Songs – An Echo From The Past
The Legend Of Whispering Jack Smith
Most legends have at least a partial basis in fact, and that would appear to be the case with Whispering Jack Smith, a crooner who flourished in the 1920s and 1930s. But even though his soft baritone singing voice was a little unusual, it's not clear whether it was really caused -- so the story … Continue reading The Legend Of Whispering Jack Smith
Billy Lee Riley – True To His Roots
Regular visitors to the GMC know that we like to occasionally turn the spotlight on one of the lesser-known rockabilly singers from the early days of rock and roll. Guys who might not have reached the level of stardom enjoyed by the likes of Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis but still managed to make their … Continue reading Billy Lee Riley – True To His Roots
Anatomy Of A Song – From Movies To Doo-Wop
This edition of our Anatomy of a Song feature showcases a classic that's a little unusual. Like many of the old standards, it was written for a movie way back in the golden days of Hollywood musicals, but in this case it also became a hit record decades later for a doo-wop singing group. Written … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – From Movies To Doo-Wop
Bebe Daniels – The Forgotten Star
I'd be willing to bet that most of us don't remember actress/singer Bebe Daniels, even though she was a pretty big star for a while and made a lot of movies. (Her IMDB filmography has 230 entries.) Part of the reason for that lack of recognition might be that she was at her peak way … Continue reading Bebe Daniels – The Forgotten Star
Geezer Music Club 