It's often difficult to pin down key moments in the early days of rock and roll, but one event that seems a likely candidate occurred in 1954 when a jive band led by a set of identical twins appeared on TV's Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Most experts feel that … Continue reading Origins Of Rock And Roll – The Treniers
Category: Seniors
Eddie Palmieri’s Big Brother Charlie
You've probably heard of Eddie Palmieri, the multiple Grammy-winning pianist who is still active and enjoying a career that has led to him becoming one of the stars of Latin jazz. But did you know he had an older brother -- Charlie -- who died in 1988, and was pretty darn good too? In fact, … Continue reading Eddie Palmieri’s Big Brother Charlie
It’s Goofy Sculpture Time Again
Every so often I get into a goofy mood and put up one of our strange sculpture slideshows. (Try saying that quickly three times.) Below are some more examples I've collected, and they might give GMC visitors a chuckle -- or at least make them scratch their heads and wonder if I've finally lost it. … Continue reading It’s Goofy Sculpture Time Again
Slim Whitman Is Amazing
Slim Whitman occupies a unique spot in the world of music. Lots of would-be sophisticates have poked fun at him for years, a practice that probably reached its peak in 1996 when the silly sci-fi movie Mars Attacks! utilized one of his yodeling songs ("Indian Love Call") as the only weapon that could stop the … Continue reading Slim Whitman Is Amazing
Elvis Presley Would Have Been A Geezer By Now
I couldn't let Elvis Presley's birthday pass without marking the occasion. He was born on January 8th, 1935, so that means he would have been 78 if he'd survived. Think about that -- Elvis would have been a geezer. (The thought of that has apparently caused a few folks to get busy with their photo … Continue reading Elvis Presley Would Have Been A Geezer By Now
The Six Teens – A Very ‘Average’ Group
I would think that basing your doo-wop group's name on something that changed as soon as any of the members had a birthday would be a little silly, but that's what six friends in Los Angeles did in the mid-1950s when they added up their ages and divided by six. The result was sixteen, which … Continue reading The Six Teens – A Very ‘Average’ Group
Patti Page Topped The All-Time Charts
I was saddened to read that pop/country singer Patti Page died recently. She was 85 when she died and had enjoyed a long career, continuing to be musically active almost to the end. She's probably most remembered now for early hits like "Tennessee Waltz," which was one of the best-selling records of all time -- … Continue reading Patti Page Topped The All-Time Charts
Georgie Stoll – The Man Behind The Music
For someone who kept such a low profile during his decades-long career that it's difficult to even find a picture of him now, Georgie Stoll helped introduce an amazing amount of memorable music. From his early days as a jazz violinist to his many years as a composer, an arranger, and the director of the … Continue reading Georgie Stoll – The Man Behind The Music
Something Resembling A New Year’s Resolution
I'm not sure if this really qualifies as a New Year's resolution, but I thought I would use the occasion to make a little promise to anyone who regularly stops by the ol' GMC. I was checking some of the links in the left column and realized that a couple lead to blogs and/or websites … Continue reading Something Resembling A New Year’s Resolution
Fontella Bass And Her Song
Although she should not be labeled a 'one-hit wonder', it's difficult to think about Fontella Bass and not immediately remember her signature song, 1965's "Rescue Me." The talented R&B singer, who was 72 when she died in her home city of St. Louis on December 26th, had several other good-charting records during her career, but … Continue reading Fontella Bass And Her Song
Geezer Music Club 