It always seemed to me that one-hit wonders have gotten a bum rap, with the assumption being made that the musicians were a flash in the pan and their hit song was almost a fluke. However, there's plenty of evidence to the contrary, and with my strong record as a contrarian I'm always ready to … Continue reading Buffalo Springfield – Two Short But Amazing Years
Category: Video
Dinah Washington – Queen Of The Blues
The more time I spend looking into the history of music and musicians, the more I realize the magnitude of my ignorance. I've always enjoyed music, but for most of my life it was pretty much just an aural experience for me, and I seldom delved too deeply into the backgrounds of the musicians themselves. … Continue reading Dinah Washington – Queen Of The Blues
Songs That Tickle (Part II) – Rock & Roll Oldies
In my first installment on this subject, I tried to make the case that country music is tops when it comes to songs with strange titles. I still believe that to be true, but every genre has its share of goofiness although it might be of a different type. When I reflect on rock and … Continue reading Songs That Tickle (Part II) – Rock & Roll Oldies
Bad Boys Of Early Rock – Gene Vincent
Teenagers in mainstream America who followed pop music in the 1950's had a lot of choices, but most could be classified in one of two groups -- the good guys or the bad boys. The former were those singers who were perceived as clean-cut, well-dressed, respectable, and - well - safe. The poster boy was … Continue reading Bad Boys Of Early Rock – Gene Vincent
Outdoor Concerts – From Early Americana To Streisand
For years, Central Park in New York has drawn a lot of attention by hosting huge concerts starring Barbra Streisand and others. But for over a century New Yorkers have enjoyed all kinds of music in the park, and other large cities have similar traditions, with many different varieties available for citizens. Folks in small-town … Continue reading Outdoor Concerts – From Early Americana To Streisand
Teresa Brewer And Her B-Side Million-Seller
I'm not one to brag about the reliability of my memory. In fact, just the opposite -- I'll be the first to admit that my memory is so full of holes that you could use it to make a chain-link fence. That's why a lot of the songs I remember from my childhood are a … Continue reading Teresa Brewer And Her B-Side Million-Seller
Bix, Bing, And The King Of Jazz
Jazz and I have been old friends for a long time, but as much as I enjoy my favorite kind of jazz - swing music - I'm not old enough to actually remember it during its heyday. Its golden age was probably the 1930's, and it was still pretty popular during the war years but … Continue reading Bix, Bing, And The King Of Jazz
The Monkees – More Than Just Beatles Wannabes
Before the mob with torches starts marching to my castle, let me hasten to assure you that I'm not equating the Monkees with the Beatles. Far from it. On the one hand, you have a band that was a pop icon in the 1960's and on the other hand you have the Beatles. Wait -- … Continue reading The Monkees – More Than Just Beatles Wannabes
Rethinking The Musicality Of Liberace
For a while in the early 1950's there was a phenomenon appearing on weekly TV, a man who was enormously popular with a wide audience (mostly female). He wore his tailored tuxedo on every show, and his megawatt smile lit up the tiny black and white screen like a searchlight. He was certainly a regular … Continue reading Rethinking The Musicality Of Liberace
Mouth-Harps — From Lincoln To Dylan And Beyond
Whenever I hear a mouth-harp (what most people call a harmonica) I think of my maternal grandfather, who grew up during the early part of the 20th century in an area filled with hard-scrabble farm folks. As was the norm at that time and in that place, he had only a grade-school education, and he … Continue reading Mouth-Harps — From Lincoln To Dylan And Beyond
Geezer Music Club 