Most of us have read about -- or even remember -- the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. It was especially prevalent in the Western United States, and was an accepted practice at the time with lots of historical precedence, but it was later condemned and now seems barbaric to us. The people who … Continue reading From Internment Camp To Broadway – Pat Suzuki
Tag: Music History
The Tale Of The Big Bird Dog
A mention of the Everly Brothers in a recent post reminded me of a memory from my high school football days, of a time when one of the duo's biggest hit songs became a dreaded sound for me. It was a song called "Bird Dog," which most fans of music from the era will remember … Continue reading The Tale Of The Big Bird Dog
Kalin Twins Reminiscent Of Everlys
Although the Kalin Twins were contemporaries of the early Everlys and might have had some things in common with the legendary duo, they came up short in most ways related to music. But Herbert and Harold Kalin -- who both died a few years back -- did enjoy a nice career, peaking with their 1958 … Continue reading Kalin Twins Reminiscent Of Everlys
Tale Of A Treacherous Pine Tree
We have a huge pine tree in our front yard, and it's situated dangerously close to the garage. The danger exists because the tree has grown so large and mature through the years that it's now susceptible to losing limbs every time we have heavy snow, or ice, or even strong winds. We've had it … Continue reading Tale Of A Treacherous Pine Tree
The Enigma Of Fred Neil
After almost a decade since his death, the enigma of Fred Neil continues to puzzle many of his fans. A tremendously respected songwriter and performer who inspired many, including John Sebastian, David Crosby, and Bob Dylan, he is most remembered as the composer of "Everybody's Talkin'," the Midnight Cowboy theme that became a mega-hit for … Continue reading The Enigma Of Fred Neil
Beatles Were Inspired By Channel And McClinton
Among all the classic songs that have been performed by artists known as one-hit wonders, there are some that just seem to be sort of special. Designating them as so might be a matter of personal opinion, but one I'd nominate is 1962's "Hey! Baby," with vocal by Bruce Channel and harmonica accompaniment by Delbert … Continue reading Beatles Were Inspired By Channel And McClinton
The Hi-Lo’s Meet Sinatra
It seems like Frank Sinatra is showing up here a lot lately, but I happened to run across a couple of tidbits that sort of connected. While working up a piece on a close-harmony singing group called the Hi-Lo's, I found that Ol' Blue Eyes had encountered the guys a time or two -- and … Continue reading The Hi-Lo’s Meet Sinatra
Dakota Staton – Beyond George Shearing
The recent death of George Shearing was noted in a number of articles, and some of the more detailed pieces mentioned various performers who recorded with the legendary jazz pianist. Among them was a singer whose name might not be quite as familiar as Shearing's -- but his 1958 pairing with singer Dakota Staton on … Continue reading Dakota Staton – Beyond George Shearing
It Might As Well Be Spring
In our area of the Midwest, daytime temperatures have been rising into the 60s. That's pretty amazing for mid-February, and even though I know there's bound to be lot of bad weather still to come, I can't help but wonder if Spring is at least not TOO far away. That being the case, I thought … Continue reading It Might As Well Be Spring
In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
I've written before about musical artists who somehow fall short of super-stardom, even though they might be more talented than some of their more-famous contemporaries. Another good example would be jazz vocalist Sue Raney, a gorgeous lady with an even more beautiful voice, who over the course of her long career has been a favorite … Continue reading In Appreciation Of Sue Raney
Geezer Music Club 