As I write this, weathermen are predicting daytime temperatures in our part of the Midwestern US to hit the high nineties and maybe even triple digits. Unseasonably warm, but the weather seems to be much more unpredictable than it once was. In any case, I wanted to show some pictures of 'cool' snow sculptures to … Continue reading Battling The Heat Of Memorial Day Weekend
Tag: Nostalgia
Reintroducing Jazz Fans To Cy Touff
I have to smile when I think about how the GMC has evolved over its six years of existence. My main intent has always been to combine nostalgia and music in one way or another, and that's still pretty much the bottom line, but a few things have changed along the way. For one thing, … Continue reading Reintroducing Jazz Fans To Cy Touff
The Hues Corporation’s Business Was Music
I've always been fascinated by some of the names chosen by musical groups. Many of them are very clever and inventive, although some require further explanation. A good example is a pop group with the unlikely name of the Hues Corporation, which enjoyed a few years of popularity in the mid-1970s and is now mostly … Continue reading The Hues Corporation’s Business Was Music
Again With The Signs?
Okay, I confess that posting this slideshow with pictures of funny signs is just a sort of continuation of what I featured a few weeks ago, but I'm a little under the weather today so cut me some slack. Besides, they're funny! (As I've said before, if the slideshow is going too fast you can … Continue reading Again With The Signs?
The Singing Side Of Martha Raye
Regular visitors to the GMC know that one post often triggers another, and that's the case today because I decided to look a little deeper into the singing partner (in one movie, at least) of our last featured performer, Frances Faye. That would be Martha Raye, who is probably most remembered now as a comedienne … Continue reading The Singing Side Of Martha Raye
Frances Faye Was Ahead Of Her Time
It's pretty commonplace now for entertainers to be very open about their sexuality, but that wasn't always the case. Nevertheless, at least one singer/songwriter who rose to fame in the 1930s made no secret about being bisexual. In fact, Frances Faye would eventually form a lifelong partnership with her manager, Teri Shepherd, and even worked … Continue reading Frances Faye Was Ahead Of Her Time
The Strangeloves Became Genuine Faux Australians
One of the oddest stories to come out of the 1960s pop music era had to be that of the Strangeloves, a group formed by three guys who'd been record producers and songwriters, but decided they wanted to get in on the action as performers. Of course, they weren't the first to do that, but … Continue reading The Strangeloves Became Genuine Faux Australians
The Barbarian Is Back
Today I thought I'd once again indulge one of my pet peeves, the ridiculous amounts paid in auction for works of art. But this time I'm just doing it with a slideshow, because I covered my feelings on this subject in a previous piece titled Call Me A Barbarian. Just like that one, today's effort … Continue reading The Barbarian Is Back
Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith Inspired The Duke
When a performer becomes known by a moniker like Willie 'The Lion' Smith, you might think he'd find it a little long and cumbersome to drag around. But that probably wasn't the case with the legendary jazz pianist, an early star who specialized in the 'stride piano' style*, because when he was born in turn-of-the-century … Continue reading Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith Inspired The Duke
The Essex – The Sound Of Singin’ Marines
A common thread among many performers has always been how they sharpened their musical skills while in the armed forces, and then made a career for themselves in the years following. But a R&B group known as The Essex did things a little differently. The members of the combo were all United States Marines, and … Continue reading The Essex – The Sound Of Singin’ Marines
Geezer Music Club 