A lot of different words are used by music critics when describing a performer, but while gathering info for this piece I was a little surprised to see 'subtle' applied to the singing style of jazz vocalist Chris Conner. On the other hand, it does seem to fit the talented singer, who died in 2009 … Continue reading The Subtle Style Of Chris Connor
Memorial Day Tickles Nostalgia Bone
I was thinking that we often talk about how something tickles our funnybone, so maybe it's acceptable to say that Memorial Day tickles my nostalgia bone. The reason for that is that even though I know it's a holiday with a traditional meaning, it always makes me think of the start of Summer picnic weather, … Continue reading Memorial Day Tickles Nostalgia Bone
Anatomy Of A Song – The Sound Of Pain And Suffering
One of my favorite movies has been on TV a lot lately, and it's the basis for today's Anatomy Of A Song feature. The film -- O Brother, Where Art Thou? -- starred George Clooney and was broadly based on Homer's Odyssey (in fact, Clooney's character was named Everett Ulysses McGill) but took place in … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – The Sound Of Pain And Suffering
Remembering The Girls In The Band
A familiar line that has been used in live shows for years is 'let's hear it for the boys in the band'. Additionally, Boys In The Band (albeit with a different meaning) has been the title of both a play and a movie, so it has become a familiar phrase. A new documentary takes advantage … Continue reading Remembering The Girls In The Band
The Musical Side Of Polly Bergen
I don't know about you, but even though I knew Polly Bergen could sing, I have always thought of her as an actress. In fact, I was doing just that -- thinking about her -- not too long ago when I read a story about the odds of Hillary Clinton becoming president, because one of … Continue reading The Musical Side Of Polly Bergen
Strange Creatures Abound
The easy availability of image-editing software has opened the floodgates for lots of people with good imaginations. One specialty seems to be creating imaginary hybrid animals. In the slideshow below you can see some of those strange creatures. They're all imaginary -- I think -- but some of them are still a little creepy. Dominik … Continue reading Strange Creatures Abound
A Salute To The Girls of the Golden West
One of the most interesting acts of the early days of country music was a pair of sisters who called themselves the Girls of the Golden West. Rising to popularity via radio in the late 1920s and early 1930s, they found a lot of success on the broadcast waves and in record sales while dressing … Continue reading A Salute To The Girls of the Golden West
Blue Barron – Moving To The Front
During the big band era, one of the most popular 'sweet' bands around (as opposed to cutting-edge 'hot' bands) was the outfit whose motto was: 'the music of yesterday and today, styled the Blue Barron way'. But the leader's name wasn't originally Blue Barron, and fronting a band -- or performing in one, for that … Continue reading Blue Barron – Moving To The Front
Jim Nabors And The Musical Side Of Gomer Pyle
June 12, 1930 - November 30, 2017 Now 82 years old, actor/singer Jim Nabors was in the news earlier this year when he traveled from his home in Hawaii to Seattle (where same-sex marriage is legal) to marry his long-time partner. Although he hadn't publicly acknowledged being gay before that, it wasn't much of a … Continue reading Jim Nabors And The Musical Side Of Gomer Pyle
A Lunar Fantastic Foursome
One of my favorite posts on the GMC is titled Picnics And Music –The Curious Case Of Moonglow, and it explores how "Moonglow" -- a fine song in its own right -- somehow got attached to the theme from the 1955 film Picnic, and became a best-selling record. In fact, the resulting two-song medley was … Continue reading A Lunar Fantastic Foursome
Geezer Music Club 