Don’t Forget The Boswells

I've written several times about singing sister acts, and there are a lot of fans who still remember the Fontanes, the Andrews Sisters and others. But one of the earliest and best of the sister groups might be a little less familiar, and that's a shame because the Boswell Sisters were supremely talented. The Boswell … Continue reading Don’t Forget The Boswells

Songwriter Turned Star – Eddie Rabbitt

Perhaps more than any other genre, country music has always been filled with singing stars who got their start as songwriters. Many worked behind the scenes for years, surviving by furnishing memorable songs to better-known singers before hitting the big time as a performer. A good example would be a guy who wrote a couple … Continue reading Songwriter Turned Star – Eddie Rabbitt

Getting To Know Arthur Greenslade

I've mentioned before that I like to periodically check the freebies that Amazon and other online music sellers offer. Although some of the tracks they give away are a little iffy, you can also find yourself getting acquainted with good music from someone you might not know too well, like Arthur Greenslade. Arthur Greenslade's name … Continue reading Getting To Know Arthur Greenslade

Marching Along With Flare

I was once again going through some old pictures, and ran across one of myself lined up with the other members of my Boy Scout troop. (I'm the last one in the middle row.) It would date from the early 1950s, and I think we were arranged that way because we were practicing drilling, one … Continue reading Marching Along With Flare

The Many Talents Of Tex Ritter

Maurice Woodward Ritter came by his nickname honestly. Born and raised in the great state of Texas, he had as much right to the name "Tex" as anybody, and it turned out to be an especially good name for someone who would end up having a long career in the public eye. Along the way … Continue reading The Many Talents Of Tex Ritter

Remembering The B-List Music Stars

Although you seldom see much about the big band era that flourished before and during World War II, many of the names are still familiar. Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman have names that will ring the proverbial bell with most of us, but what about Chick Webb, Larry Clinton, or Claude Thornhill? As … Continue reading Remembering The B-List Music Stars

Games Within Games

I guess I'm all caught up in baseball lately, so am probably not quite as music-oriented as usual. (But I will close with an appropriate tune.) The deadline for non-waiver deals has passed and the number of trades made, coupled with continuing stories about steroids, makes baseball the biggest thing on sports pages this weekend. … Continue reading Games Within Games

Bob — The Other Crosby

Something that has always fascinated me is how often two or more members of the same family find musical fame, even if in varying degrees. I suppose it's not that unusual for offspring, siblings, cousins, and the like to gravitate to the field that has provided success for others in the family, whether it's music, … Continue reading Bob — The Other Crosby

Photoshopping The Old-Fashioned Way

A relatively new word that has entered our lexicon is "photoshopping", and it's pretty commonly used by everybody now to describe the digital manipulation of pictures. The term is derived from the popular image editor Adobe Photoshop, although there are a lot of other programs around too. Of course, manipulating photos has been a reality … Continue reading Photoshopping The Old-Fashioned Way

Kate Smith’s Special Song

As most baseball fans know, since the events of September 11, 2001, a lot of games now feature the singing of "God Bless America" at the 7th inning break. I was watching a game on TV the other day, and as the music was performed I began thinking about the origins of the song itself … Continue reading Kate Smith’s Special Song