When I read that the blizzard that hit the Northeastern U.S. had been given the name 'Nemo' it surprised me a little. The National Weather Service says it's just a marketing ploy from the Weather Channel and wants no part of it, but it has really caught on, and the next blizzard -- Orko -- … Continue reading Finding Smiles Amidst Nemo’s Snowdrifts
Category: Nostalgia
The Sapphires – Then And Now
I recently went to an actual movie in a theater -- something I seldom do -- and during the seemingly endless previews of coming attractions I saw one that caught my attention. It was for a film called The Sapphires, and it was about an R&B quartet from the 1960s that featured indigenous Australians -- … Continue reading The Sapphires – Then And Now
Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
I've decided to formalize a type of post that has already shown up a number of times on the GMC, and by formalize I mean that I'm going to give it a name and add it to the 'categories' tab in the left column (like I did a while back for Fantastic Foursomes). It's the … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – “Moonlight Serenade”
A ‘Thoughtful’ Fantastic Foursome
Something a little different on today's Fantastic Foursome. I'm still giving you four different versions of a song and asking for you to vote for your favorite, but I'll tell you right up front that I'll be voting for Nat King Cole. His rendition of "The Very Thought Of You" is one of my all … Continue reading A ‘Thoughtful’ Fantastic Foursome
It All Started With Clarence – Or Was It Tom?
One of the things I enjoy most about musical history is how often you can find interesting connections. I ran across one recently while reading a piece about a currently popular folk/country group, Old Crow Medicine Show. It seems that the legendary Doc Watson (who died last year) helped the group get its start. That … Continue reading It All Started With Clarence – Or Was It Tom?
Benny’s Buddy Was A Virtuoso Too
I'm pretty sure that legendary clarinetist Benny Goodman didn't require his life-long friends to be virtuosos of his caliber, but at least one of them was just that. Pianist/composer Mel Powell might not have been quite as famous as Benny but he was every bit as talented, and over the course of their long careers … Continue reading Benny’s Buddy Was A Virtuoso Too
Rockabilly’s Sparkle Moore Inspired By Comics
It seems as if most performers now keep their real name when starting a career, but in the past it was very common for young beginners to choose a stage name, and they were sometimes pretty inventive. A good example of that occurred in the 1950s when Omaha-born rockabilly pioneer Barbara Morgan turned herself into … Continue reading Rockabilly’s Sparkle Moore Inspired By Comics
Vegas – Nostalgia Done Well
I don't usually write about current TV shows but there is one that caught my interest when I first read about it, because its subject matter looked perfect for nostalgia-loving geezers -- the Las Vegas of fifty years ago. After watching a few episodes, I'm happy to report that it's very well done, with clever … Continue reading Vegas – Nostalgia Done Well
Robert Parker – Barefoot Singin’ Saxophonist
Being born and raised in New Orleans has always pretty much guaranteed that someone would be exposed to good music while growing up. In a lot of cases, that in turn led to a musical career like the one enjoyed by Robert Parker, who began as an instrumentalist but later added singing to his act, … Continue reading Robert Parker – Barefoot Singin’ Saxophonist
The Mystery Of Charly McClain
As hard as it might be to believe, the GMC is approaching seven years of existence and has featured almost twelve-hundred articles. At least half of those (and probably more) have been profiles of various musical performers from the past, and during that time I've noticed some similarities in how their careers progressed in later … Continue reading The Mystery Of Charly McClain
Geezer Music Club 