The Many Talents Of Rosalie Allen

At the beginning of her career Rosalie Allen performed as a singing and yodeling cowgirl, a style inspired by earlier stars like Patsy Montana. In fact, her first hit record in 1946 was an update of Patsy's iconic "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart." But before she eventually retired to raise her family she … Continue reading The Many Talents Of Rosalie Allen

Swingin’ With The Eel – Bud Freeman

Those of us who are fans of the big band era know that the tenor saxophone was an important part of its success, and in the early years its use was popularized by guys like Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. But there was another saxman around in those days who could stake a legitimate claim … Continue reading Swingin’ With The Eel – Bud Freeman

Saluting Silly Songs – A Classic With Staying Power

Although it might be a little tough to define the requirements for our Saluting Silly Songs feature, I know a good candidate when I see and hear one, and it starts with the title. I'm sure most of us remember "Da Doo Ron Ron" by the Crystals, but what you might not know is that … Continue reading Saluting Silly Songs – A Classic With Staying Power

Goebel Reeves – The Texas Drifter

It might not surprise you to hear that Goebel Reeves, the guy who wrote one of Woody Guthrie's signature tunes, "Hobo's Lullaby," actually did spend some time as a hobo. After all, a lot of the early folk/country singers were ramblin' men, and the guy who sometimes called himself the Texas Drifter (among other things) … Continue reading Goebel Reeves – The Texas Drifter

Rose Murphy – The Chee-Chee Girl

If ever there was a performer who could bring a smile to just about anyone, it was Rose Murphy. A skilled pianist and disciple of Fats Waller who could hold her own in any company, she rose to fame in the 1940s mostly because of her irresistible singing style, which featured a kewpie-doll voice along … Continue reading Rose Murphy – The Chee-Chee Girl

The Geezer And The Gigolo

Okay, I'm not going to get all silly and turn this into a new special feature, but I do want to report that I've had another one of those funny musical coincidences. You might recall that I wrote about this kind of thing in a previous post titled Mysterious Musical Occurrences. If you're new to … Continue reading The Geezer And The Gigolo

The Tale Of The Singing Edsels

The Ford Edsel became such a well-known failure, it's difficult to remember that when it was launched in September of 1957 it carried high expectations. Its advanced technology and styling was meant to be revolutionary, so it's easy to see why a singing group of the era would latch onto the name. But even though … Continue reading The Tale Of The Singing Edsels

Fantastic Foursome – Revisiting A Familiar Time And Place

It's been several months since our last Fantastic Foursome, so I'll remind everyone that it's the Special Feature that presents a classic song in its definitive version and then gives you four different variations. You can listen to them and - if you'd like - vote for your favorite. We seem to be featuring music … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome – Revisiting A Familiar Time And Place

Ral Donner Was Caught In The Elvis Trap

Given the longevity of the GMC, I guess it's inevitable that we would have featured multiple variations of Elvis. By that I don't mean Mr. Presley himself -- although he has made plenty of appearances here -- but rather various other versions of the King. Among those already covered are several entertainers who were often … Continue reading Ral Donner Was Caught In The Elvis Trap

About That Nostalgia Thing

I was looking back over some of the past GMC posts and it occurred to me that even though everything here is about nostalgia, it's been a long time since I did a nostalgic piece centered around a personal experience. By that I mean posts like: 3D Has Been Around For A Long Time Tonettes … Continue reading About That Nostalgia Thing