Isham Jones kept pretty busy in the 1920s and 1930s as the leader of a popular orchestra, but years later his legacy is more about his songwriting ability. He was the composer of a number of familiar songs, among them "I'll See You In My Dreams," "There Is No Greater Love," and our Anatomy of … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – It Had To Be ME?
Category: Seniors
The Persistence Of Wesley Tuttle
You have to give a lot of credit to Wesley Tuttle. He enjoyed a pretty good career as a country music performer, racking up several hit records and even enjoying a chart-topper on "With Tears in My Eyes" in 1945. He also wrote some good songs, worked alongside stars like Merle Travis and Tex Ritter, … Continue reading The Persistence Of Wesley Tuttle
Gisele MacKenzie – Canada’s First Lady Of Song
Although she is probably best remembered now for her years on TV's Your Hit Parade, Canadian singer Gisele MacKenzie actually had a long and varied career. Beginning in radio, she seamlessly moved to early TV, where she made countless appearances, not only a regular on many shows but also as the star of her own. … Continue reading Gisele MacKenzie – Canada’s First Lady Of Song
Luis Russell Missed The Fame Express
Although there were a lot of orchestras around in the late 1920s and they were playing everything from ballroom music to dixieland, a new style was beginning to evolve. Ironically, 'hot' jazz became the coolest thing around, and its rising popularity soon led to the beginning of the big band era, a period that would … Continue reading Luis Russell Missed The Fame Express
Diamonds In The Rough — Part VIII
Welcome to the eighth edition of Diamonds in the Rough, the Special Feature that offers links to a variety of posts from the past that I think you might find interesting. They're definitely some of my favorites, but then that's kind of the whole idea. Regular visitors to the GMC might recognize a few of … Continue reading Diamonds In The Rough — Part VIII
The Detergents Spoofed The Shangri-Las
I've always enjoyed a good 'answer' or 'response' song, a special type of piece that's sometimes put together following a hit record. It's something that has always been especially popular in country music -- examples include records by Goldie Hill and Kitty Wells -- but it occurs in pop music too. One of the cleverest … Continue reading The Detergents Spoofed The Shangri-Las
Jimmie Skinner Was A Go-Getter
I'm not sure if the expression is common everywhere, but I've often heard the term 'go-getter' applied to an ambitious, hard-working, driven person. That would certainly describe country music dynamo Jimmie Skinner, who had a long and diversified career, not only as a performer and songwriter but also as the co-founder of a record company … Continue reading Jimmie Skinner Was A Go-Getter
Fantastic Foursome – A Funny Face Redux
It's been quite a while since our last Fantastic Foursome, so for the benefit of newer visitors I'll explain that it's our Special Feature that allows you the chance to hear four different versions of a classic song. Then - if you like - you can vote for your favorite. (You can find links to … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome – A Funny Face Redux
Mindy Carson’s Solo Flight
Mindy Carson had an interesting and varied career, one that only lasted a couple of decades but included her radio debut with the King of Jazz, singing for a big band, and even starring in her own radio show. She also spent some time as a regular on an early TV show before later becoming … Continue reading Mindy Carson’s Solo Flight
Art Mooney Found The Magic Formula
Bandleader Art Mooney led one of the most popular orchestras around during the post-war years, but his biggest success came after he changed styles. He'd led a solid swing band for a few years, but found the magic formula to widespread popularity when he changed to a feel-good type of music, one that featured sweet … Continue reading Art Mooney Found The Magic Formula
Geezer Music Club 