If you're like me, you would assume that the biggest hit record of World War II was probably something along the lines of Glenn Miller's "In The Mood" or maybe the Andrews Sisters' "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," but even though they were very popular they weren't the biggest. That would be Elton Britt's "There's A … Continue reading Biggest Hit Record During World War II
Category: Seniors
Elvis Followed Big Mama Thornton
I would guess that anyone reading this is familiar with Elvis Presley's 1956 rendition of "Hound Dog," but the King wasn't the first singer to hit the top of the charts with the song. That would be Big Mama Thornton, the blues-singing harmonica wiz whose record of the song sat atop R&B charts while Elvis … Continue reading Elvis Followed Big Mama Thornton
Appalachian Memories Of The Imagined Kind
Whenever I see pictures or films that depict early scenes from Appalachia I always feel a kinship with the people shown, even though I can't really be sure whether my family roots stretched that far. But my ancestral history includes lots of folks from Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana, and Eastern Kentucky is considered to be … Continue reading Appalachian Memories Of The Imagined Kind
Something Different From The Left Banke
Looking back on the pop music scene of the 1960s, we now realize that it was one of the most diverse eras in history. Most of those variations still influence today's music, but a group known as the Left Banke was something a little different. The band's two big hits -- "Walk Away Renee" and … Continue reading Something Different From The Left Banke
Warren Smith – Talent To Burn
Most fans of early rock and roll know about Sun Records in Memphis and how it helped give starts to guys like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. But there was at least one talented Sun alumnus -- Warren Smith -- who was just as good as … Continue reading Warren Smith – Talent To Burn
The Approach Of Spring Means Bugs Are On Their Way
I've written before about my tiny nemesis -- the lowly mosquito -- but the rapid approach of Spring is actually more relevant to other kinds of bugs. Mosquitoes are more of a Summer/Autumn kind of pest (although I wouldn't put it past one of them to zap me in the dead of Winter). Whether you … Continue reading The Approach Of Spring Means Bugs Are On Their Way
The Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Shermans
I'm not a songwriter and would never pretend to understand all that goes into being a successful one, but I would think that you would want to shy away from using big, long, complicated words. And yet, that's exactly what the talented Sherman brothers did when they composed "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" for the movie, Mary Poppins, and … Continue reading The Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Shermans
Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson Named For His Misadventure
It's been twenty years since director Spike Lee's Malcolm X appeared in theaters and went on to win a number of awards for both Lee and the star of the film, Denzel Washington. One scene that I still remember well was when Malcolm (Washington) decided to undergo a lye hair-straightening treatment at the hands of … Continue reading Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson Named For His Misadventure
Adding Up The Numbers
I was doing a quick bit of math with the calculator app on my tablet, and it got me to thinking about how far we've come since I was first exposed to a calculator more than forty years ago. I'm not counting slide rules (which I covered in an earlier post) but rather the first … Continue reading Adding Up The Numbers
The Forgotten Songbird – Mary Ann McCall
Not every female vocalist from the big band era went on to a big solo career. Although former songbirds like Doris Day and Dinah Shore became major stars, there were a ton of talented singers who just never seemed to get the key breaks. A good example was Mary Ann McCall, who was good enough … Continue reading The Forgotten Songbird – Mary Ann McCall
Geezer Music Club 