For a while in the late Fifties, it was played on the radio almost continuously -- or maybe it just seemed that way. After all, a guy singing a melodic and strangely addictive song in Italian was something that certainly caught your attention. But whatever the reason, Domenico Modugno's rendition of "Nel Blu Dipinto Di … Continue reading Flying High – Domenico Modugno
Tag: Nostalgia
Jane Morgan Is Still Entertaining
I've written several times about 'songbirds', the female vocalists who worked their way up to pop music stardom after starting as band singers, but not everyone took that route. In at least one case, a gorgeous and talented American singer found success in her own country only after first becoming a hit in France. Florence … Continue reading Jane Morgan Is Still Entertaining
Memorial Day Arrives Again
It seems like just yesterday that I was posting a piece with the decidedly awkward title of Memories Of Memorial Day, but it was actually a year ago. The months seem to go by so quickly these days that I can almost feel the breeze from the flipping calendar pages. But Memorial Day is once … Continue reading Memorial Day Arrives Again
Terri Gibbs Inspired By Ray Charles
While growing up, country singer Terri Gibbs often drew inspiration from the story of Ray Charles, and in fact there are a lot of similarities in the lives of the two artists. Although Gibbs was born in Florida, she grew up in Charles' home state of Georgia, and both had extensive backgrounds in gospel music … Continue reading Terri Gibbs Inspired By Ray Charles
Earl Bostic – Taking Jazz In A New Direction
As much as I've always enjoyed the traditional big band sound of guys like Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller, I've also had a certain amount of admiration for those who came along with something a little different. A good example of that would be the bebop revolution of the post-war years, when guys … Continue reading Earl Bostic – Taking Jazz In A New Direction
Louisiana Quagmire Continues
Although I'm not any kind of environmental expert, and in fact have been known to chuckle at the occasional misguided efforts from activists, it's difficult to ignore what's currently going on in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill is continuing to encroach on more and more of the Louisiana coastline, and a solution to … Continue reading Louisiana Quagmire Continues
Another “You Pick ‘Em” Musical Poll
Nothing much going on today, so I thought I'd offer up a couple of different versions of a song that Mrs. Big Geez and I differ on. You might recall that I did the same thing a month or so ago, in a piece called Choosing Young Love. I might also mention that my version … Continue reading Another “You Pick ‘Em” Musical Poll
Roy Drusky — Crooning Country-Style
Country music has always had its share of crooners like Don Williams and Jim Reeves, but not many would rate higher on the smoothness scale than singer/songwriter Roy Drusky. In fact, at the peak of his career he was often called 'the Perry Como of country music'. The Atlanta native was the son of a … Continue reading Roy Drusky — Crooning Country-Style
Fat Cats Are Everywhere
You don't have to look far to find mention of 'fat cats' these days. A term that was originally used to describe the powerful backers of politicians, it has become common to hear it applied to certain Wall Street types, CEOs with golden parachutes, and just about anybody else who seems to have money and … Continue reading Fat Cats Are Everywhere
Rock & Roll Comes To Lawrence Welk
Most of us are familiar with what was a pretty common occurrence during the early days of rock and roll -- guest appearances by rising musical stars on TV shows. Producers of the shows recognized the burgeoning popularity of the new music and quickly realized the boost in ratings that could come their way, so … Continue reading Rock & Roll Comes To Lawrence Welk
Geezer Music Club 