In a recent piece about actress/singer Shirley Ross I mentioned that she often sang with Gus Arnheim's orchestra, as did Fred McMurray (before he became a movie star). In fact, Arnheim was a tremendously influential figure in the early jazz age, a talented pianist and composer who also had a hand in helping build the … Continue reading Gus Arnheim Influenced Many Stars
Tag: Big Band
Dick Jurgens Led A Popular Band
Today's spotlighted performer connects with a couple of previous posts on the GMC. Trumpeter and bandleader Dick Jurgens led a very successful band during the swing era, and for a while it provided the backing for crooner Eddy Howard. Also, Jurgens and his group often made appearances at Catalina's Avalon Casino ballroom, an iconic building … Continue reading Dick Jurgens Led A Popular Band
And The Winner Is . . .
If you've visited the GMC over the last couple of days, you've noticed some turmoil in the way it looks. It all began when the hosting company apparently had a snag in the ways things were formatted for some of their sites, and it made for some strange looking views. That's all fixed now (hopefully … Continue reading And The Winner Is . . .
Shirley Ross Was Bob Hope’s Good Luck Charm
Although Bob Hope has been gone for a decade now (he was 100 when he died in 2003) he is still well-remembered, and most of us might also recall his signature song, "Thanks For The Memory." But what you might not know is that his breakout moment occurred when the then little-known comic actor performed … Continue reading Shirley Ross Was Bob Hope’s Good Luck Charm
Ken Curtis – Crooner Turned Cowboy
Although I usually include just one video with each post, a while back I featured one with several videos because I wanted to show the arc of a performer's career. Same thing today, but with a twist. We're going to spotlight the singing career of a guy who was better known as a Western actor. … Continue reading Ken Curtis – Crooner Turned Cowboy
Frank Wess Transitioned Several Eras
When I read that Frank Wess had died recently, I remembered that he'd been featured on the GMC in the past so I set about the process I usually follow to mark the passing of a notable musical performer, which is to revive the original post and add some new material. What I discovered was … Continue reading Frank Wess Transitioned Several Eras
From Crooning To Cartoons – ‘Handsome’ Harry Babbitt
Although our mental image of a big band era crooner is of a suave, velvet-voiced charmer who could purr into the microphone while the ladies swooned, it wasn't always like that. Harry Babbitt, who could certainly fill the bill as a traditional crooner - his boss, bandleader Kay Kyser, usually introduced him as 'Handsome Harry' … Continue reading From Crooning To Cartoons – ‘Handsome’ Harry Babbitt
Alice Faye Did It Her Way
Among the many actresses who sang, one of the best was the smokey-voiced Alice Faye, who for a while seemed to be in just about every colorful movie musical around. But she was the real thing, a trained singer and dancer who starred in a lot of films, even though her fierce independence might have … Continue reading Alice Faye Did It Her Way
Diamonds In The Rough – Part II
I thought it might be time for the 2nd edition of our newest special feature, Diamonds In The Rough. You might recall that its purpose is to present a list of interesting older posts that you might have missed, and rescue them from fading sadly into the mists. I hope you'll find them entertaining because … Continue reading Diamonds In The Rough – Part II
Fantastic Foursome Is Back!
I guess the headline is a little misleading because the Fantastic Foursome hasn't really been gone, but it has been AWOL for almost two months so we're certainly due for another installment. (A little info for new visitors; the Fantastic Foursome is a GMC special feature that offers a chance to hear - and vote … Continue reading Fantastic Foursome Is Back!
Geezer Music Club 