Pianist and songwriter Don Robertson, who is still around and now in his nineties*, is probably most remembered for his 1956 gold record of "The Happy Whistler." But he always said that he didn't really consider himself an expert whistler, and if you examine the arc of his career there's little doubt that it's been … Continue reading Don Robertson – The Humble Whistler
Tag: country music
Lorne Greene – A Singer Of Sorts
Early country singers might have originated the 'spoken' or 'recitation' song, but the form blossomed during the post-war years, when best-sellers like "A Deck of Cards" made a big splash on pop charts. Another dimension was added in the early 1960s when Western actor Walter Brennan used the style on several popular records, but even … Continue reading Lorne Greene – A Singer Of Sorts
Jo Ann Castle – Queen Of The Ragtime Piano
Much of Jo Ann Castle's long career has revolved around Lawrence Welk, who christened her the Queen of the Ragtime Piano when she joined his TV family more than a half-century ago. But even though she was still in her teens when she made her first guest appearance on his show (playing the accordion!) she … Continue reading Jo Ann Castle – Queen Of The Ragtime Piano
Anatomy Of A Song – A Cowboy Legend
The subject of today's Anatomy of a song is a Western classic that has had several different names during its 65 years of life. Mostly it's been known as "Ghost Riders in the Sky" or "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," but its official ASCAP title omits the 'Ghost'. On the other hand, it has sometimes … Continue reading Anatomy Of A Song – A Cowboy Legend
A Superstar Named Vernon Dalhart
Would it surprise you to learn that the very first million-selling record in country music -- "The Wreck of the Old 97" backed by "The Prisoner's Song" -- was made way back in 1924? And would you be even more surprised to hear that the record wasn't made by a legend like Jimmie Rodgers, but … Continue reading A Superstar Named Vernon Dalhart
Country Catalyst – Heartbroken And Haunted
For today's edition of Country Catalyst, the recurring special feature that's designed to bring new fans to country music, we have a quintessential tearful story-song, something that's always been a mainstay of the genre. First recorded in 1959 by country star Lefty Frizzell in a departure from his usual honky-tonk style, "Long Black Veil" was … Continue reading Country Catalyst – Heartbroken And Haunted
Del Reeves – The Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo Kid
Franklin Delano Roosevelt carried the hopes and prayers of a lot of Americans when he rose to prominence in the midst of the Great Depression, so much so that many new parents named their offspring after him. That was obviously the case with Franklin Delano Reeves, who was born just a few days after FDR … Continue reading Del Reeves – The Doodle-Oo-Doo-Doo Kid
Martha Carson Influenced The King
Elvis Presley always said that one of his strongest influences was a certain lady who specialized in gospel music (which he loved), and the King sometimes even joined her in duets in the early years. In fact, Martha Carson eventually tried her hand at pop music too and had some impact on rock and roll, … Continue reading Martha Carson Influenced The King
Country Catalyst – A Rededication
Of the four varieties of 'special features' that show up from time to time on the GMC (they're listed in the left column) the Country Catalyst is probably the trickiest for me to put together. It started off as an offshoot of the well-established Anatomy Of A Song feature, but one with a specific purpose … Continue reading Country Catalyst – A Rededication
A Childhood Memory Confirmed – More Or Less
One of the most popular posts on the GMC is a nostalgia piece that showed up back in 2007 under the title The Little Rascals And A Shot At Movie Stardom. Since it was pretty much written from my memory -- which we all know is sometimes unreliable -- I was happy to stumble onto … Continue reading A Childhood Memory Confirmed – More Or Less
Geezer Music Club 