You have to hand it to Tommy Cash. Johnny's younger brother has managed to forge a pretty nice career for himself, even if much of it has been spent overshadowed by his superstar sibling (who died in 2003). I've written before about musical brothers, mostly focusing on those in early jazz, but it's obvious that … Continue reading Tommy Cash – Singin’ In The Shadow
Category: Video
Lloyd Price – Still Workin’ Hard
One of the hardest-working R&B stars to come out of the New Orleans area during the Oldies era would have to be Lloyd Price, who even today - after more than fifty years of performing - still has a few irons in the fire. Growing up in nearby Kenner, young Lloyd's education in the music … Continue reading Lloyd Price – Still Workin’ Hard
Tony Burrows – The Human Hit Machine
One of the most unusual stories in pop music is that of British singer Tony Burrows, who could be described as a sort of human hit machine. Although his name is not widely recognized, in the late 1960's and early 1970's he had the knack - and the talent - to show up in an … Continue reading Tony Burrows – The Human Hit Machine
The Unforgettable Jaye P. Morgan
Although she more or less reinvented herself as a TV personality in the latter part of her career, in the early 1950's Jaye P. Morgan was one of the fastest-rising young singing stars around. Her vocal talents, along with her charisma and drop-dead beauty, helped set the stage for what would become a long-lasting career … Continue reading The Unforgettable Jaye P. Morgan
The Beau Brummels’ Answer To The British Invasion
Pop music in the 1960's sometimes seemed to be all about bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and others -- an era that came to be known as the British Invasion. But there was also a secondary effect. Many of the American groups scrambling for success during that period found themselves - consciously or … Continue reading The Beau Brummels’ Answer To The British Invasion
From Summer Camp To Pop Music Stardom
One of the quirkiest musical stories of the 1950's had to be that of the singing sisters known as Patience and Prudence. Their first two recordings reached hit status in the same year and that made them pretty special, but the really surprising part is that the young ladies were only 14 and 11 years … Continue reading From Summer Camp To Pop Music Stardom
The Danleers: One-Hit-Plus Wonders
Most of us are familiar with the term 'One-Hit Wonder', especially if we're among those who love to listen to Oldies. In an earlier post, I suggested that artists whose one hit reaches the top of the charts should be called Super-One-Hit Wonders, but what would you call someone who had one big hit and … Continue reading The Danleers: One-Hit-Plus Wonders
Remembering Ritchie Valens
It's always been a little interesting to me how a long-gone musician's legacy can develop with the passage of time. Ritchie Valens is mostly remembered now as one of the doomed passengers on Buddy Holly's ill-fated plane trip, and also for his hit song, "La Bamba." But his biggest hit by far was the slow … Continue reading Remembering Ritchie Valens
Andre Kostelanetz And The Evolution Of A Genre
André Kostelanetz is given credit by some for inventing Easy Listening music, but I think the whole concept of a genre being 'invented' is a little iffy -- at least as a conscious act. It seems to me that it's more of an evolution, a natural process of musicians stretching themselves to find a wider … Continue reading Andre Kostelanetz And The Evolution Of A Genre
REVIEW: Christian Scott – Live At Newport
As a long-time jazz fan, it gets my attention whenever I see Live At Newport in the title of an album, because it evokes memories of Ellington, Brubeck, and other legendary jazz performers who have appeared at the festival through the years. Of course, it also creates expectations -- and that can sometimes be the … Continue reading REVIEW: Christian Scott – Live At Newport
Geezer Music Club 