Folks, it's time for a dose of good medicine, music that might not normally be your first choice but will make you feel better afterwards, I promise. For quite a while now, I've led you along an easy, comfortable path by writing about jazz, country music, oldies and the like -- but it's time to … Continue reading Mantovani Brought The Classics To Everyone
Category: Video
Summer Is All About Vacation Trips
As I write this it's difficult to think about anything but the heat -- it's sweltering, with local temperatures in the high 90's. But although the blazing heat makes me think about Summer, I thought I'd try to ignore it and focus instead on another facet of the season -- vacation trips, especially those by … Continue reading Summer Is All About Vacation Trips
Marty Robbins – A Star In Many Different Genres
It could be said that Gary Cooper introduced me to Marty Robbins. You remember Coop, right? He was the long, lanky, leather-faced movie star who specialized in Westerns and was rumored to possess Hollywood's biggest...gun. In the late 1950's he made one of his many oaters, something called The Hanging Tree, and although I enjoyed … Continue reading Marty Robbins – A Star In Many Different Genres
Paul Mauriat – Reinterpreting The Classics
Most of us are aware of examples of modern musicians updating and reinterpreting classics -- it's certainly been a long-standing tradition in the music world. After all, Mozart was probably fond of re-working some of Handel's stuff...well, maybe not, but you get my drift. In more recent times, you can see example after example. Some … Continue reading Paul Mauriat – Reinterpreting The Classics
Eddie Fisher And The Ladies
Every day there seems to be a new scandal of some kind involving a celebrity, but misadventures by the rich and famous are nothing new. We certainly had our share of them while I was growing up, and even if there were fewer ways to spread the stories, people still found ways to pass the … Continue reading Eddie Fisher And The Ladies
Roy Clark – Much More Than A Hee-Haw Host
My musical tastes run all the way from A to Z (I love zydeco) but some genres have had to work a little harder than others to get my attention and loyalty. Country music is a good example. I often heard the music of the heartland while I was growing up, so I sometimes count … Continue reading Roy Clark – Much More Than A Hee-Haw Host
Johnnie Ray – The Prince Of Wails
In the late 1940's and early 1950's there was a type of singer who bridged the gap between swing era crooners and the pop vocalists who would come along later. They were guys who'd probably come up through the club route rather than as big band vocalists, and often had a sound that was a … Continue reading Johnnie Ray – The Prince Of Wails
Woody Guthrie – The Okie Troubadour Who Became Dylan’s Muse
A while back I caught the John Ford movie, The Grapes Of Wrath, on TV. For those who might not know, it's based on the Steinbeck novel about the trials and tribulations of dust bowl farmers during the Depression. Although the film's message has been debated for years, and even taking into account the upbeat … Continue reading Woody Guthrie – The Okie Troubadour Who Became Dylan’s Muse
Benny Carter – Eight Decades Of Excellence
When Benny Carter died in 2003, he was just a month short of his 96th birthday -- and only a few years removed from performing. From his beginnings in the late 1920's, he was a force in jazz for eight decades. But it would be wrong to attribute his legacy to his longevity, as special … Continue reading Benny Carter – Eight Decades Of Excellence
Beyond Doo-Wop – The Original Platters
I've never been able to come up with a catchy name for a type of song I've written about before. It's not a genre in the usual sense of the word, although in the broadest definition - as a category of music - I guess you could call it a genre. But this particular genre … Continue reading Beyond Doo-Wop – The Original Platters
Geezer Music Club 