Not to be confused with the jazz trumpeter who came along a little before him (although their careers did overlap), bluegrass performer Red Allen was a much-respected and influential part of country music for many years beginning in the 1950s. An accomplished instrumentalist with a solid singing voice, he was a favorite of many fans … Continue reading Red Allen – Bluegrass Troubadour
Tag: country music
Cheesy Is As Cheesy Does
I'm nothing if not cheesy. Or at least that's how Mrs. BG often describes me, so it seemed like cheese would be a good subject for our latest slideshow of unusual sculptures. But I seemed to remember something dairy-related showing up before, so I used my handy-dandy 'search' function and discovered that the earlier post … Continue reading Cheesy Is As Cheesy Does
Johnnie Wright Still Remembered By Fans
It might have escaped the notice of most folks, but a recent news article has reported the death of country music pioneer Johnnie Wright, who passed away at age 97 in the Tennessee home that he still shared with his wife of 74 years, country superstar Kitty Wells. Although his famous spouse is probably more … Continue reading Johnnie Wright Still Remembered By Fans
Uncle Dave Macon – The Dixie Dewdrop
When digging through the musical past I sometimes run across a character whose story is too good to pass up, even if they're pretty much unknown to many current music lovers. A good example is Uncle Dave Macon, who was one of the first stars of the Grand Ole Opry and also holds the distinction … Continue reading Uncle Dave Macon – The Dixie Dewdrop
A Closer Look At The GMC
One of the most valuable tools I have at my disposal when putting together a new piece is something that is also available to every visitor to the GMC. It's the 'search' function. After more than five years and a total of over 900 pieces -- and in consideration of my spotty memory -- I … Continue reading A Closer Look At The GMC
Chasing Memories Leads To Kentucky Colonels
I've been in a kind of funny place lately -- musically, I mean. I keep running across pictures or films of rural folk from years ago, many of the men in bib overalls and playing banjos, fiddles, or harmonicas, and I flash back to my own early childhood. But here's the catch -- although the … Continue reading Chasing Memories Leads To Kentucky Colonels
Milton Brown And The Evolution Of Taste
I was thinking today about how a person's tastes in music can change -- the person in this case being myself, but I think it's true of most of us. I can think of a lot of examples from my own meandering course through musical waters but one that comes readily to mind is how … Continue reading Milton Brown And The Evolution Of Taste
Dodging Turntables On The Turnpike
I've written before about my days as a radio DJ (HERE's one example) but I was recently reminded of a strange road trip that occurred during my earliest days in radio. It all started with turntables for a new radio station that I was helping my boss get started. Big, heavy-duty turntables were a necessity … Continue reading Dodging Turntables On The Turnpike
The OTHER Johnny Mathis
One of the busiest posts on the GMC -- in both visits and comments -- has always been my 2006 review of a special 50th anniversary release from Johnny Mathis. The beloved singer has a ton of fans and is still a world-famous entertainer whose name is familiar to almost everybody. That's why I was … Continue reading The OTHER Johnny Mathis
The Pure Sound Of Molly O’Day
Modern country music doesn't much resemble what I remember coming out of the radio during my childhood, but I don't have a big problem with it. In fact, some of it is pretty good. But it would be a shame if the slick, packaged music of today caused modern listeners to run away from the … Continue reading The Pure Sound Of Molly O’Day
Geezer Music Club 