We have a huge pine tree in our front yard, and it's situated dangerously close to the garage. The danger exists because the tree has grown so large and mature through the years that it's now susceptible to losing limbs every time we have heavy snow, or ice, or even strong winds. We've had it … Continue reading Tale Of A Treacherous Pine Tree
Category: Seniors
The Three Stages Of Molly Bee
Although she's now mostly just remembered by her loyal fans, singer Molly Bee, who died in 2009, enjoyed a varied if sometimes troubled career that stretched across five decades. Along the way, she was at stages a child star, a teen idol, and a successful country music singer. Born in Oklahoma as Mollie Gene Beachboard, … Continue reading The Three Stages Of Molly Bee
The Enigma Of Fred Neil
After almost a decade since his death, the enigma of Fred Neil continues to puzzle many of his fans. A tremendously respected songwriter and performer who inspired many, including John Sebastian, David Crosby, and Bob Dylan, he is most remembered as the composer of "Everybody's Talkin'," the Midnight Cowboy theme that became a mega-hit for … Continue reading The Enigma Of Fred Neil
Beatles Were Inspired By Channel And McClinton
Among all the classic songs that have been performed by artists known as one-hit wonders, there are some that just seem to be sort of special. Designating them as so might be a matter of personal opinion, but one I'd nominate is 1962's "Hey! Baby," with vocal by Bruce Channel and harmonica accompaniment by Delbert … Continue reading Beatles Were Inspired By Channel And McClinton
A Gaggle Of Bagpipers
Have you ever found yourself walking head down through a quiet business office and suddenly been surprised by a group of bagpipers honkin' like a gaggle of berserk geese? I didn't think so. It happened to me one day. I found out later that it was a rental group that was getting warmed up in … Continue reading A Gaggle Of Bagpipers
The Hi-Lo’s Meet Sinatra
It seems like Frank Sinatra is showing up here a lot lately, but I happened to run across a couple of tidbits that sort of connected. While working up a piece on a close-harmony singing group called the Hi-Lo's, I found that Ol' Blue Eyes had encountered the guys a time or two -- and … Continue reading The Hi-Lo’s Meet Sinatra
Dakota Staton – Beyond George Shearing
The recent death of George Shearing was noted in a number of articles, and some of the more detailed pieces mentioned various performers who recorded with the legendary jazz pianist. Among them was a singer whose name might not be quite as familiar as Shearing's -- but his 1958 pairing with singer Dakota Staton on … Continue reading Dakota Staton – Beyond George Shearing
It Might As Well Be Spring
In our area of the Midwest, daytime temperatures have been rising into the 60s. That's pretty amazing for mid-February, and even though I know there's bound to be lot of bad weather still to come, I can't help but wonder if Spring is at least not TOO far away. That being the case, I thought … Continue reading It Might As Well Be Spring
Happy Traum And The Origin Of Dylan Classics
I didn't watch the Grammy awards telecast, and really haven't paid that much attention to it other than reading that there were some surprising winners. I also noticed that Bob Dylan performed to mixed reviews, and it got me to thinking about the legendary singer/songwriter and his history. Although his singing is not for everybody, … Continue reading Happy Traum And The Origin Of Dylan Classics
In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
I've written before about musical artists who somehow fall short of super-stardom, even though they might be more talented than some of their more-famous contemporaries. Another good example would be jazz vocalist Sue Raney, a gorgeous lady with an even more beautiful voice, who over the course of her long career has been a favorite … Continue reading In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
Geezer Music Club 