I stayed home on Black Friday, and even though I'm not describing all of those who did go shopping as crazy, there were certainly a lot of nuts out there. It seems like every year there is someone who rises to new heights -- or maybe I should say sinks to new depths -- and … Continue reading Black Friday Insanity
Category: Video
The Walker Brothers Were Not What They Seemed
It's interesting to note that even though the 1960s included a period that's been described as the British Invasion, music actually flowed both ways in those days. A good example would be an American trio called the Walker Brothers that reached its highest popularity in Great Britain, hitting the top of the charts in 1965 … Continue reading The Walker Brothers Were Not What They Seemed
Shakin’ With Johnny Kidd
Although many music fans might remember it from a performance at Woodstock in 1969 by the British group The Who, the addictive rock song "Shakin' All Over" was actually a bigger hit a few years earlier for the Canadian band known as The Guess Who (originally Chad Allan & the Reflections). But both groups owed … Continue reading Shakin’ With Johnny Kidd
Scratching The Gadget Itch
Regular visitors to the ol' GMC will recall that it was about this time last year that I wrote a piece about how I was contemplating the purchase of an e-reader. It was followed soon after by a post that reported my satisfaction with the one I ended up getting, the Amazon Kindle. The latter … Continue reading Scratching The Gadget Itch
Russ Columbo – The Almost Forgotten Crooner
One of my favorite posts is a piece from 2007 titled The Quintessential Italian Crooner, in which I put forth my nominee (Dean Martin) as the best of many Italian-American smoothies. That post also generated a lot of comments about a few singers I'd missed, but we all forgot a guy who certainly should have … Continue reading Russ Columbo – The Almost Forgotten Crooner
The Velvet Guitar Of Hank Garland
Most of the talented guitarists who have populated country music through the years have been perfectly happy to stay within their comfort zone. But the best of them have occasionally stretched themselves musically, and that would be the case with Hank Garland, the legendary composer of "Sugarfoot Rag", who surprised many fans with his detour … Continue reading The Velvet Guitar Of Hank Garland
Appreciating Manning — Bob, Not Peyton
For Indianapolis Colts fans who are suffering through the absence of Peyton Manning, I offer a Manning of a different type -- a crooner. Of course, baritone balladeer Bob Manning actually started life as Manny Levin, but even if he was sort of a faux Manning he was still a good singer who didn't receive … Continue reading Appreciating Manning — Bob, Not Peyton
Young Or Not, The Rascals Had Lots Of Fans
It's pretty easy to get a little confused about the particulars of a certain 'blue-eyed soul' group -- especially its name. But even if the group started out as the Rascals, then changed to the Young Rascals for a while before eventually changing back to the original, it entertained a lot of fans in the … Continue reading Young Or Not, The Rascals Had Lots Of Fans
Sam Butera – Out Of The Shadows
I realize the title of this piece might sound a little melodramatic, but for two decades beginning in the mid-1950s Sam Butera was the guy who led -- and performed in -- the band behind entertainer Louis Prima. That meant he was performing in the shadows of the flamboyant Prima and his wife, singer Keely … Continue reading Sam Butera – Out Of The Shadows
Revisiting Pete Rugolo
Award-winning composer/musician Pete Rugolo died Sunday in Los Angeles, so I thought I'd repost a piece from last year. ------------------------ The Long Musical Journey Of Pete Rugolo It might be unfair to call TV's Richard Diamond show a Peter Gunn clone, because even though both shows featured private eyes and a jazz-laden soundtrack, Diamond actually … Continue reading Revisiting Pete Rugolo
Geezer Music Club 