Although you seldom hear Lee Wiley's name mentioned now, she was one of the best of the early jazz singers, with a very distinctive voice and style. She was also a pioneer in the practice of recording 'songbook' albums built around a single composer, and even though it's been well over three decades since her … Continue reading Appreciating Lee Wiley
Tag: Big Band
Helen O’Connell – A Fan Favorite
Helen O'Connell's vivacious personality and dimpled cheeks might have helped her get noticed by fans in the big band era, but she could sell a song with the best of them. And even if her voice didn't quite have the range enjoyed by some of her contemporaries, she became one of the most popular songbirds … Continue reading Helen O’Connell – A Fan Favorite
Sinatra On My Kindle
I haven't written much about my Kindle lately, even though I'm as happy as can be with it. One reason I haven't mentioned it is that I mostly try to write about musical things, and even though it does play MP3 files I'm not sure if that counts as music related. But I do know … Continue reading Sinatra On My Kindle
Glenn Miller’s Favorite Singing Group
I have to admit that the title of this piece represents an assumption on my part, but I would guess it's probably accurate. Since the Modernaires played an important role in the band's success during Glenn Miller's biggest years, you'd have to draw that conclusion, even if he might have secretly coveted Tommy Dorsey's Pied … Continue reading Glenn Miller’s Favorite Singing Group
Freddy Martin Introduced Tchaikovsky To Millions
I've always enjoyed listening to jazzed-up versions of classical pieces, especially those as performed during the big band era. Even if purists might have dismissed the practice, it did offer the music of the ages to many people who would otherwise have shied away from what they called 'long-hair' music. (A term that has certainly … Continue reading Freddy Martin Introduced Tchaikovsky To Millions
Segue To Sweet Swing Sounds
I first learned the meaning of 'segue' while working as a young radio DJ in the early 1960s. The veteran broadcaster who was my boss would explain how the process of smoothly flowing from the end of one record into the beginning of the next would help avoid 'dead air', a forbidden sin for radio … Continue reading Segue To Sweet Swing Sounds
The Heritage Of Andy Russell
Although it's much less common now, the music world has always been filled with performers who have 'Anglicized' their birth names, and a lot of those artists have been featured here. I won't even try to list them all, but one large grouping was explored in an earlier post, the Quintessential Italian Crooner. Some of … Continue reading The Heritage Of Andy Russell
Debbie Reynolds’ Favorite Crooner?
Debbie Reynolds' favorite crooner in the late 1950s was almost certainly her husband, Eddie Fisher -- at least until he had his famous fling with Liz Taylor -- but before that, there just might have been another singer who made her swoon. Or at least that's how her character in the 1954 movie, Susan Slept … Continue reading Debbie Reynolds’ Favorite Crooner?
A Singer’s Singer – Ethel Ennis
In the long history of jazz vocalists, there have always been a few who have been respectfully described as a 'singer's singer'. Some of them have been very well-known, but others have sort of flown below the radar. One that might qualify as the latter is Ethel Ennis, who is still entertaining fans after a … Continue reading A Singer’s Singer – Ethel Ennis
The REAL Eddy Duchin Story
Although his orchestra was enormously popular in its day, Eddy Duchin would probably not be a recognizable name to most current music fans except for one thing. A few years after his death, Hollywood star Tyrone Power portrayed him in The Eddy Duchin Story, a very colorful tale of his life that even today occasionally … Continue reading The REAL Eddy Duchin Story
Geezer Music Club 