One reason I enjoy doing this is that I keep discovering new things about subjects I thought I'd pretty much explored to death. For example, I've written before about my affinity for Benny Goodman, and in another piece furnished some details about his ground-breaking 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, but I recently discovered something new. It … Continue reading Helen Ward – A Songbird With Something Extra
Tag: Big Band
Freddie Slack’s Boogie-Woogie Double Play
I've always loved boogie-woogie, so it's not surprising that it has shown up from time to time on the ol' GMC. In fact, a piece from 2007 titled From Boogie-Woogie To Early Rock And Roll – Ella Mae Morse is a favorite of mine (and of a lot of other folks too). It was also … Continue reading Freddie Slack’s Boogie-Woogie Double Play
Frances Langford – The Accidental Songbird
Although she didn't spend a large part of her multifaceted career fronting for a big band, songstress Frances Langford knew her way around a bandstand, and was one of the best songbirds around. But the singer who was so beloved by World War II servicemen that she was called 'The Sweetheart of the Fighting Fronts' … Continue reading Frances Langford – The Accidental Songbird
The Perseverence Of Irene Daye
One of the things I’ve learned during six years of doing this is that even performers who don’t reach big stardom can still have fascinating life stories. A good example is big-band songbird Irene Daye, who was never a huge name but still managed to be the solo vocalist on one of the biggest hits of … Continue reading The Perseverence Of Irene Daye
Carmen Cavallaro – Poet Of The Piano
One of the most popular pieces on the GMC is The REAL Eddy Duchin Story, which has been visited thousands of times since its appearance a couple of years ago. In fact, it received a burst of 2,000 visits in one day when the movie of the same name was shown recently on Turner Classics. … Continue reading Carmen Cavallaro – Poet Of The Piano
Snooky Lanson Had Lots Of Fans
Since we recently profiled Dorothy Collins, the sweetheart of TV's musical program Your Hit Parade, it seems only fitting that we follow up with the guy who often teamed up with her on the show. And even if Snooky Lanson wasn't quite as memorable as Collins (except for his improbably-cute name), he had plenty of … Continue reading Snooky Lanson Had Lots Of Fans
Billy Butterfield Had The Perfect Name
I get silly ideas sometimes. For example, I've always thought that jazz trumpeter Billy Butterfield's mellifluous moniker seemed to perfectly suit his lush, smooth playing style. You might not agree, but even if you think I'm all wet you have to admit that it is a great name for a performer. Like many of his … Continue reading Billy Butterfield Had The Perfect Name
Charlie Spivak – Playing Sweet And Straight
Orchestras in the big band era were often labeled in one of two ways. They were either 'hot' -- which meant cutting-edge music that often featured improvised solos -- or 'sweet', which perfectly describes the smooth and straight-ahead sound offered by bandleaders like Charlie Spivak. Although his origins were a little fuzzy -- he either … Continue reading Charlie Spivak – Playing Sweet And Straight
Ted Weems And His Late-Blooming Hit
Although he died a half-century ago, Ted Weems is still remembered by a lot of older music fans. An early jazz musician and bandleader, Weems was very popular in the prohibition era and would later introduce fans to Perry Como, but is probably most remembered now for the late 1940s popularity of "Heartaches" -- even … Continue reading Ted Weems And His Late-Blooming Hit
Archie Bleyer Joined La Rosa In Godfrey’s Doghouse
If you were a fan of Arthur Godfrey when he was a popular radio and TV host in the 1940s and 1950s, you probably remember the volatile star's on-air firing of popular crooner Julius La Rosa. What you might have forgotten is the name of his musical director in those days, a guy who had … Continue reading Archie Bleyer Joined La Rosa In Godfrey’s Doghouse
Geezer Music Club 