A View from the Podium

Sedaka Comes to Town

2011-08-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

Neil Sedaka

On Monday, September 12, Neil and Leba Sedaka will come to Bowling Green for the Kentucky premiere of his piano concerto, Manhattan Intermezzo. The concert will also include the world premiere of Charles W. Smith's The Morningstar Photos, Leonard Bernstein's Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, and crooner Steve Lippia, singing the Frank Sinatra songbook. I will discuss the latter compositions in a future blog. For tickets and more information, call (270) 846-2426 or visit our website.

I'll let Mr. Sedaka explain his composition:

"Manhattan Intermezzo is a journey through the musical diversity of Manhattan. As a lifelong New Yorker, I wanted the audience to feel the spirit of the city, exploring its melting pot of nationalities. I tried to incorporate the sounds of the city where I was born; Latin, Asian, Russian, Broadway, and the New York of today and yesterday. Having studied at the Juilliard School, I was exposed and inspired by many different composers. I wanted to write something that was clearly American, in style and feel, but still keeping it distinctively Neil Sedaka. Writing pop songs is one thing. But, composing a serious piece gave me much more creative freedom. I am very proud of this work.

"In addition to composing a piece, it takes a great artist's interpretation to bring it to musical fruition. I would like to acknowledge Jeffrey Biegel for his dedication to Manhattan Intermezzo. We share a unique bond, having both studied under Adele Marcus at The Julliard School of Music in New York. Mr. Biegel's impeccable performing of the piano part is in the tradition of the great Romantic concerti. Mr. Biegel’s adaptation of Manhattan Intermezzo not only enhances my composition, but also proves he understands my work and our roots."

For more information on pianist Jeffrey Biegel, visit his website.

Presenting the Kentucky premiere of Sedaka's piece is quite an honor for Orchestra Kentucky. The history of Rock N’ Roll would be incomplete without the innumerable contributions of Neil Sedaka. For over fifty years, Neil has written, performed, produced, and inspired countless songs, and his canon of compositions will continue to stand the test of time.

Here is Sedaka's bio, courtesy of the artist:

"Neil Sedaka was born on March 13, 1939. Neil’s interest in music began at the young age of four, when he would listen to The Make-Believe Ballroom. But, it was not Rock and Roll, but Classical music that would shape Neil into the musician he is today. By the time he was eight years old, he had already begun his intensive classical piano training at the prestigious Julliard School of Music. At 16, Arthur Rubinstein voted Neil as one of the best New York High School pianists. Though Neil considered pursuing a Doctorate in music, Neil’s next choice became his chosen vocation.

Eager to gain acceptance from his peers at Abraham Lincoln High School, Neil began performing Rock N Roll outside of his classical training. At this time, he would form the Doo-Wop group The Tokens, in which they would record two singles that would go on to be regional hits. But, it was his introduction to his young neighbor Howard Greenfield, by Greenfield’s mother, that began one of the most prolific songwriting partnerships of the last half century that sold forty million records between 1959-1963.

Sedaka and Greenfield became one of the original creators of the “Brill Building” sound in the late fifties and early sixties when they were the first to sign with Don Kirshner and Al Nevins at Aldon Music. Aldon Music would go on to sign Neil Diamond, Carole King, and Paul Simon among many others, and they became the center of the pop world.

Sedaka catapulted into stardom after Connie Francis recorded his "Stupid Cupid." She then sang the theme song Neil and Howard had written for the 1960 MGM spring break classic, Where the Boys Are, which would be her biggest hit. Rhythm and blues stars Clyde McPhatter and LaVern Baker also scored hits with his songs. As a result of these hits, Sedaka was able to sign a contract with RCA as a writer and performer of his own material. Sedaka soon recorded chart toppers "The Diary," "Oh! Carol," " Stairway to Heaven," "Calendar Girl," "Little Devil," "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen," "Next Door To An Angel," and "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," songs that have become a part of peoples' lives and can instantly take listeners back to special moments. His music became distinguished for a unique recording style involving multi-tracking his own voice to achieve a rich sound. This was merely the first act in a career that has not ceased to evolve and entertain.

In 1964, the direction of American music changed drastically when The Beatles launched The British Invasion. It became very hard for most male solo artists to continue to pursue their career in music. Due to his many talents as a songwriter, Neil was able to prevail, writing hit songs for such artists including Frank Sinatra (The Hungry Years), Elvis Presley (Solitaire), Tom Jones (“Puppet Man”), The Monkees (When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door), and The Fifth Dimension (Workin’ on a Groovy Thing).

Neil’s journey continued in the UK with the release of his album “Emergence” in 1972. This was the first step of redefining himself as a solo artist. It was Elton John who decided to sign Neil to his up and coming record label Rocket Records and begin to re-introduce Neil to American audiences. The two albums he recorded for the Rocket label, Sedaka's Back in 1974 and The Hungry Years in 1975, both became top selling albums around the world. His comeback was further heralded by two of his songs co-written with Phil Cody, "Bad Blood" and the quintessential "Laughter in the Rain," both reaching the #1 position on the music charts. In Rolling Stone Magazine, Sedaka was hailed as "the new phenomenon." The song "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" was re-released as a ballad in 1975, and made music history when it reached #1 on the charts, becoming the first song recorded in two different versions by the same artist to reach the Number One. During this time, Sedaka also helped to launch the career of the Captain and Tennille with their version of his "Love Will Keep Us Together," which won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year for this worldwide, number one hit.

The accolades showered on Neil Sedaka have been numerous. Among the honors he has received, Sedaka has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, has had a street named after him in his hometown of Brooklyn, and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

With a career spanning six decades, a rare feat in the entertainment world, Sedaka never ceases to amaze. He shows no signs of slowing down. Neil has appeared on FOX’s hit Television show American Idol, as a guest judge – in which Clay Aiken would perform Neil’s Solitaire, which saw an inevitable release, reaching #4 on the Hot 100 Singles chart, and was one of the Top Selling Singles of 2004.

On June 10 2004, he received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Popular Music / Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization's 35th annual induction and awards ceremony in New York. Named for the former President of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, this award is given to individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements in furthering the successes of songwriters.

In 2006, Neil concluded a 10 city tour of the United Kingdom, where he filmed a Live Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall for PBS (which was released as Neil Sedaka: The Show Goes On – Live at the Royal Albert Hall). During this historical evening, Neil was presented with The Guinness Award for his song “(Is This the Way to) Amarillo”, as the best selling single of the 21^st century in the UK, a song that was originally performed by Tony Christie over thirty-five years ago.

On April 24, 2007, Neil released “The Definitive Collection”, a career-spanning retrospective released in honor of his 50^th Anniversary in show business. “The Definitive Collection” debuted at #22 on the Billboard Chart, marking the first time Neil has appeared on the chart since 1980.

On October 26, 2007, Neil was honored with a tribute at Avery Fisher Hall at New York’s Lincoln Center. “Neil Sedaka: 50 Years of Hits”, a benefit for The Elton John AIDS Foundation, showcased Neil’s songs, with performances by Connie Francis, Dion, Paul Shaffer, Natalie Cole, Clay Aiken, Renee Olstead, and Captain and Tennille. The evening was hosted by Cousin Brucie Morrow and David Foster. Sir Elton John and Barry Manilow sent video tributes in their absence.

Sedaka has been married for forty-eight years to his wife, Leba, and they have two children: daughter Dara is a recording artist and vocalist for television and radio commercials, and son Marc is a successful screenwriter in Los Angeles. He and his wife, Samantha, made Neil a grandfather, for the first time in 2003 with the birth of twins, Amanda and Charlotte, and for the second in 2005 with the birth of Michael Emerson.

Inspired by his grandchildren, Neil released “Waking Up is Hard to Do”, a collection of Neil Sedaka Hits that have been reinvented as children’s songs. “Waking Up is Hard to Do” was a family collaboration, in which Neil’s son Marc adapted four of his father’s classic songs, and Neil’s five year old grand-daughters made their recording debut as his backup vocalists.

In addition to his extensive tour schedule, Neil has just released “The Music of My Life”, a CD of brand new Sedaka material, including his first ever Salsa song, “Do You Remember”, produced by Grammy Award Winner David Foster. “This is my best collection of songs in 57 years of songwriting. It might be my last set of pop songs, as I feel I cannot top these”, said Neil.

In May 2010, Neil was awarded The Special International Award from The Ivors, honoring excellence in songwriting. On October 8^th, Neil was the Variety Club’s recipient of The Silver Heart Award, for his outstanding service to the music industry and his charitable work.

Neil has returned to his classical roots, composing his first symphonic piece “Joie De Vivre”, and his first piano concerto “Manhattan Intermezzo”. In October 2010, Neil recorded these two pieces with the London Philharmonic at the famed Air Studios in London.

“Laughter in the Rain”, the critically acclaimed musical that chronicles Neil’s rise, fall, and rise again, just concluded its tour through the United Kingdom. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield, “Laughter in the Rain” garnered exceptional reviews for Philip Norman’s book and Wayne Smith’s star-making performance as Neil. Neil is very hopeful it will be launched this year in The West End.

All of these ventures will no doubt add to his legend – that of a consummate musician, an extraordinary vocalist, and an ageless songwriting talent."

Piano Men-Part 4

2011-08-04T13:26:00.000-06:00

Stevie Wonder

The last "piano man" featured in Orchestra Kentucky's Piano Men concert (Friday & Saturday, August 12 & 13), is Stevie Wonder. If you don't have tickets yet, visit http://www.OrchestraKentucky.com or call (270) 846-2426.

The thing that strikes me about Stevie Wonder is that his harmonic language is much more complex than other pop composers. His music is definitely influenced by the jazz world. The harmonic richness, coupled with great tunes, makes his songs some my favorites.

Now, let's get some background information on him, courtesy of wikipedia.com:

Stevland Hardaway Morris (previously Judkins;born May 13, 1950), known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist.Blind since shortly after birth,Wonder signed with Motown Records' Tamla label at the age of eleven,and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day.

Among Wonder's best known works are singles such as "Superstition", "Sir Duke", "I Wish" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". Well known albums also include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life.He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist. Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States.In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five.

Early Life

Stevie Wonder was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, being the third of six children to Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway. Owing to his being born six weeks premature, the blood vessels at the back of his eyes had not yet reached the front and their aborted growth caused the retinas to detach.The medical term for this condition is retinopathy of prematurity, or ROP, and while it may have been exacerbated by the oxygen pumped into his incubator, this was not the primary cause of his blindness.

When Stevie Wonder was four, his mother left his father and moved herself and her children to Detroit. She changed her name back to Lula Hardaway and later changed her son's surname to Morris, partly because of relatives. Morris has remained Stevie Wonder's legal name ever since. He began playing instruments at an early age, including piano, harmonica, drums and bass. During childhood he was active in his church choir.

Discovery and early Motown recordings

Ronnie White of The Miracles gives credit to his brother Gerald White for persistently nagging him to come to his friend's house in 1961 to check out Stevie Wonder.Afterward, White brought Wonder and his mother to Motown Records. Impressed by the young musician, Motown CEO Berry Gordy signed Wonder to Motown's Tamla label with the name Little Stevie Wonder.Before signing, producer Clarence Paul gave Wonder his trademark name after stating "we can't keep calling him the eighth wonder of the world". He then recorded the regional Detroit single, "I Call It Pretty Music, But the Old People Call It the Blues", which was released on Tamla in late 1961. Wonder released his first two albums, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie and Tribute to Uncle Ray, in 1962, to little success.

Of course, all that changed....

Watch a live performance of Isn't She Lovely and Sunshine of My Life.

Piano Men-Part 3

2011-08-03T12:25:00.000-06:00

Billy Joel

Today's article is about the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel. Not many artists have had his staying power. He has had hits for much of the last 40 years.

I saw him in concert a few years ago and was impressed with his pianistic abilities. He is no lightweight when it comes to "tickling the ivories". In fact, just explore his earliest albums, like Piano Man, and you will discover some of his best work (The Ballad of Billy the Kid is the first thing that comes to mind).

As usual, instead of reinventing the wheel, I'll let Wikipedia provide a short biography of Mr. Joel:

William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, Piano Man, in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to the RIAA.

Joel had Top 40 hits in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; achieving 33 Top 40 hits in the United States, all of which he wrote himself. He is also a six-time Grammy Award winner, a 23-time Grammy nominee and has sold over 150 million records worldwide.He was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999), the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2006) and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame (2009). In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Joel at number twenty-three. With the exception of the 2007 single All My Life, Joel discontinued recording new material after 1993's River of Dreams but continues to tour.

Listen to a music video of Piano Man from the '70s.

Piano Men-Part 2

2011-08-02T12:31:00.000-06:00

Rather than continue with a discussion of Elton John, as promised, I decided that we should first look at the other artists whose music will be featured in our upcoming Piano Men concert. After that, we will look at some of their individual songs.

Today's featured artist is Carole King. I first discoverd her music, courtesy of my sister, who wore out King's Tapestry album. Here is a short bio and information on the album Tapestry, taken from www.wikipedia.com:

Carole King (born February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King's album Tapestry topped the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks, in 1971, and remained on the charts for more than six years.

She was most successful as a performer in the first half of the 1970s, although she was a successful songwriter long before and long after. She had her first No. 1 hit as a songwriter in 1961, at age 18, with Will You Love Me Tomorrow, which she wrote with Gerry Goffin. In 1997, she co-wrote The Reason for Celine Dion.

In 2000, Joel Whitburn, a Billboard Magazine pop music researcher, named her the most successful female songwriter of 1955–99, because she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

King has made 25 solo albums, the most successful being Tapestry. Her most recent non-compilation album is Live at the Troubadour, a collaboration with James Taylor, which reached No.4 on the charts in its first week, and has sold over 400,000 copies.

She has won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her songwriting. In 2009, Carole King was inducted into the "Hit Parade" Hall of Fame. She holds the record for the longest time for an album by a female to remain on the charts--306 weeks--and the longest time--15 consecutive weeks--for an album by a female to hold the No.1 position, both for Tapestry.
Tapestry features minimal production by Lou Adler. Tapestry has sold over 25 million copies worldwideand on July 17, 1995 was certified diamond in the United States by the RIAA for 10 million copies sold in the US. Additionally, out of all the albums by female artists to earn that distinction, it was the first released.In 1972 the album also garnered four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year (It's Too Late), and Song of the Year (You've Got a Friend). Three songs from the album, I Feel The Earth Move, It's Too Late, and You've Got A Friend, all reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after Tapestry's release. Altogether, four songs on the album were at one point #1 hits, all of which were written or co-written by King. In 2003, the album was ranked number 36 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Production

King wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, several of which had already been hits for other artists such as Aretha Franklin's (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (in 1967) and The Shirelles' Will You Love Me Tomorrow (in 1960). Three songs were co-written with King's ex-husband Gerry Goffin. James Taylor, who encouraged King to sing her own songs, and who also played on Tapestry, would have a #1 hit with You've Got a Friend. Two songs were co-written with Toni Stern: It's Too Late and Where You Lead.

Reception

The album was well received by critics; Robert Christgau felt that her voice, raw and imperfect, free of "technical decorum", would liberate female singers;while Jon Landau in Rolling Stone felt that King was one of the most creative pop music figures and had created an album of "surpassing personal-intimacy and musical accomplishment".

In 2003, the album was ranked number 36 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.In 2001, the VH1 TV network named Tapestry the 39th greatest album ever. In 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

Various artists combined to re-record all the original tracks for more than one tribute album; the first, released in 1995, entitled Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King, which was certified gold, and the second, released in 2003, entitled A New Tapestry — Carole King Tribute.

Cover art

The picture used for the cover of Tapestry was taken in the living room of Carole King's house in Laurel Canyon, California. It shows her sitting near old Indian print curtains and holding a tapestry she hand stitched herself. Also in the picture is her cat Telemachus.

Listen to a live performance of King's Jazzman, one of the songs to be performed at Orchestra Kentucky's Piano Men concert on Friday and Saturday, August 12 & 13. Call (270) 846-2426 or visit www.OrchestraKentucky.com for tickets.

Piano Men-Part I

2011-07-29T10:42:00.002-06:00

I know. It's been a long time since my last post. I wasn't sure if anyone was reading. I've discovered that there are at least two of you who are, so I will do my best to keep it up.

Today, I start a new series of posts relating to the newest concert in Orchestra Kentucky's Retro Series. Entitled Piano Men, the concert will feature some of the greatest hits of Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, and Stevie Wonder. As is the case with all Retro concerts, we will perform "record copies" of the songs, live on stage with vocalists, a rock band, and orchestra. The music of these pop-rockers is perfect for the orchestra because they used lots of orchestral instruments on their recordings. Those were the days.... Oh, the concerts are August 12th & 13th. As usual, visit www.OrchestraKentucky.com for more information and tickets.

First up is Elton John. I won't tell you which songs will be performed (that would give away the surprise). Let me just say that you won't be disappointed. To get some background, read the following short bio, courtesy of Wikipedia. tomorrow, we will look into some the Elton John songs that will be performed.

Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is an English singer, composer and pianist. He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriter partner since 1967; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date. John was named a CBE in 1996and received a knighthood from HM Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.

In his four-decade career John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time.His single Candle in the Wind 1997 has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and In 1992, he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party, which has since become one of the most high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $200 million. John entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists" (third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).

Larnelle Sings Spirituals-Part III

2011-02-25T10:48:00.001-06:00

Longfellow

By the shores of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.

These famous lines are from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha. I know what's going through your mind right now: "What in the world does this poem have to do with Larnelle Harris and spirituals? Nothing directly. The common link is Antonín Dvořák's New World Symphony, which appears on Monday night's concert.

As we have discussed over the past week, Dvořák's masterpiece was influenced by African American and Native American "folk" music. In attempting to create an American style of composition, Dvořák was led to explore plantation songs, which he did. However, an even bigger influence was Dvořák's idea of Native American culture.

How does one learn about the Native American culture in 1892, when Dvořák was composing the symphony? By reading a poem by Longfellow, of course.

Dvořák was familiar with the work in Czech translation. The 1855 poem was immensely popular throughout the world and Dvořák was a huge fan of the poem. In fact, it might have been a reason that he was willing to leave the comfort of Bohemia, travel across the Atlantic, and reside in a foreign city. You see, Dvořák suffered from agoraphobia, which is a fear of being in large, open places (that pretty much describes NYC). Of course, he may have overcome his fears to collect the $15,000 salary for heading the National Conservatory of Music (that was a sum that few people earned at the time). For whatever reason, Dvořák did travel to the "New World," where he composed the eponymous work.

Getting back on topic, "How exactly did Longfellow's poem influence Dvořák's symphony? In an article published in the New York Herald on December 15, 1893, Dvořák stated that the second movement of his Symphony No. 9, From the New World, was a "sketch or study for a later work, either a cantata or opera ... which will be based upon Longfellow's Hiawatha" and that the third movement scherzo was "suggested by the scene at the feast in Hiawatha where the Indians dance." (He never composed the cantata or opera.)

Let me be clear. Dvořák did not quote any Native American tunes. I doubt he knew many, if any. Unlike Henry Burleigh, the African American student who helped introduce him to spirituals, Dvořák did not have a Native American student at the conservatory. Besides The Song of Hiawatha, Dvořák 's only contact with "Indians" was Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, which came through NYC and appeared at the Madison Square Gardens. And let's be honest, neither the poem or the show presented an accurate view of Native American culture. (Buffalo Bill's show presented a romanticized view of the Wild West, in order to make money. He wasn't on a crusade to teach white people about the Native American culture, although his show apparently wasn't that unfair.)

A day before the symphony's premiere, in an article published in the New York Herald on December 15, 1893, Dvořák explained how Native American music had been an influence on this symphony:

"I have not actually used any of the [Native American] melodies. I have simply written original themes embodying the peculiarities of the Indian music, and, using these themes as subjects, have developed them with all the resources of modern rhythms, counterpoint, and orchestral colour."

When you listen to the symphony, there is really only one place that "embodies the peculiarities" of "Indian" music. That's the second theme in the first movement. At that point, the flutes have a tune in g minor, accompanied by tom-tom-like cello fifths. It basically sounds like the score one might hear in a B movie from the '50s. Did Dvořák help create the "Indian" sound?

To be honest, the symphony is all Czech. If one doubts that assertion, one need only consider Dvořák's claim that "the music of the Negroes and of the Indians was practically identical," and some passages that suggest African-American spirituals to modern ears may have been intended by Dvořák to evoke a Native American ambiance. In other words, Dvořák had no accurate idea of what the Native America culture's music was really about. Nevertheless, we are left with one great piece of symphonic music.

Larnelle Sings Spirituals-Part II

2011-02-23T09:44:00.000-06:00

Antonin Dvorak

In my last blog, I mentioned that the Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, found inspiration in spirituals and Native American music. Today, I will explore just how that came about.

Upon his arrival in America, Dvorak stated:

"I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States. These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them."

When Dvorak took over the leadership of the National Conservatory, he quickly made the acquaintance of an African-American named Harry Burleigh. Burleigh's grandfather was a former slave who purchased his freedom. Harry learned the "plantation songs" from his grandfather when he helped him light oil street lamps each night. Apparently, Dvorak hired Burleigh to copy parts for him and sing spirituals, when requested. Dvorak would have learned songs like, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from Burleigh. Why did Dvorak believe that spirituals were "the folk songs of America"?

According to wikipedia:

During slavery in the United States, there were systematic efforts to de-Africanize the captive Black workforce. Slaves were forbidden from speaking their native languages.

Because they were unable to express themselves freely in ways that were spiritually meaningful to them, enslaved Africans often held secret religious services. During these “bush meetings,” worshippers were free to engage in African religious rituals such as spiritual possession, speaking in tongues and shuffling in counterclockwise ring shouts to communal shouts and chants. It was there also that enslaved Africans further crafted the impromptu musical expression of field songs into the so-called "line singing" and intricate, multi-part harmonies of struggle and overcoming, faith, forbearance and hope that have come to be known as Negro spirituals.

"Folk music" has been defined as "as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers." This is exactly how spirituals were written and transmitted. No one knows who wrote Swing Low, but we know that later generations, including Dvorak, learned the songs by mouth, as opposed to by written music.

There are two obvious examples of how spirituals found their way into Dvorak's New World Symphony. The most obvious is the melody from the second, slow movement: the Largo. Most people know it as Goin' Home. What most people don't know is that it is not a spiritual. Words were add in the 1920s by another Dvorak student. Why the confusion? Because Dvorak captured the essence of spirituals with his tune. It conjures up the same type of feelings as a spiritual, like Deep River.

A less obvious example, is the third theme of the first movement. Known as the "Swing Low" theme, it is first played by the flute. The tune is almost a verbatum copy of the spiritual, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. The notes corresponding to the words "Char-i-o-t" are the first four notes of the melody. After that, Dvorak uses the notes corresponding to the words "Coming for to carry me home", but changes them a bit.

In other words, Dvorak did exactly what he always did in his music. He found inspiration in folk music (usually Bohemian folk songs) and wrote this tunes. But he didn't quote them verbatum. He captured the essence of the tunes in his own original melodies.

So, Dvorak's New World Symphony was the first time the music of America was successfully "used" in a classical composition.

It would take time for composers to follow Dvorak's lead. George Gershwin's use of jazz (which came from spirituals) in Rhapsody in Blue and his opera, Porgy and Bess, are examples from the '20s and '30s. Aaron Copland used cowboy songs in his music from Rodeo and Billy the Kid. Charles Ives used church hymns from New England in his music. American music was no longer second-rate German music. Composers had finally developed an American voice. Dvorak would be proud.

Larnelle Sings Spirituals

2011-02-21T12:10:00.000-06:00

Larnelle Harris

Next Monday evening, Larnelle Harris will join Orchestra Kentucky in a concert, featuring Dvořák's New World Symphony and a group of spirituals from 19th century America.

You may wonder why I'm featuring Dvorak and plantation songs on the same program. There is a very good reason. Read on.

In 1884, Jeanette Thurber founded the National Conservatory of Music in New York, City. She was among the first major patrons of classical music in the US, having attended the Paris Conservatory. Fortunately for classical music, she married Francis Thurber, a millionaire who made his fortune as a grocery wholesaler. It was her ambition to found a uniquely American school of classical music composition, a national conservatory, federally funded and based in Washington DC with branches throughout the United States. In furtherance of her goal, in 1892, Thurber brought the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák to the United States to head her conservatory. Why Dvořák?

Thurber thought Dvořák was best suited for the task of building a new school of American composers. Up to that time, American's were writing mostly second-rate German music. Having studied in Paris, Thurber was well aware of the various nationalistic movements occurring in European countries. These movements came out of the desire to write music that was distinctly Russian or German, of what have you. The composers discovered that by incorporating folk music, they could create that sound.

Dvořák, for example, had great success with his Slavonic Dances. While Brahms' Hungarian Dances actually used Hungarian folk songs, Dvořák's melodies were his own, based on the characteristics of Bohemian or Slavic folk music.

Thurber wanted Dvořák to do for American music what he had done for Czech music. So, she brought him to NYC to head the conservatory. She, and others, had the opinion that American composers would find inspiration in spirituals and Native-American music. She believed that this music was the folk music of American.

Soon after arriving, Dvořák set to work on his best-known work, his Symphony No. 9 in E minor, subtitled From the New World. This would be his example of how composers could find inspiration in African-American and Native-American songs.

Tomorrow, I will discuss spirituals and how Dvořák used them in his symphony.

Endless Love-Part XXI

2011-02-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

This is the last blog in preparation for tonight's Endless Love concert. The song for today is from 1996. Who says I don't feature new music?!

Change the World is a song written by Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy and Wayne Kirkpatrick which was recorded by Eric Clapton with backing by Babyface for the soundtrack of the 1996 film Phenomenon. The song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year (for the songwriters), as well as Best Male Pop Vocal performance. The song was chosen by the RIAA as one of the Songs of the Century, ranked at #270.

The single peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1996. It also spent 13 weeks at #1 on the adult contemporary chart and remained on that chart for over a year and a half (80 weeks), a feat which was extraordinarily rare at the time. Since then, however, certain songs have remained on the AC chart for extended periods of time, prompting the eventual creation af an Adult Contemporary recurrent chart for songs that have stayed on the chart for many weeks and fallen below a certain threshold.

Although Change the World is better known as an unplugged acoustic track, a rare electric performance of the song was featured on Babyface's 1997 live album Babyface MTV Unplugged NYC, with Clapton on co-lead vocals, playing his namesake signature Fender Stratocaster guitar. There was also another electric cover of this track, released the following year, with Nathan East on electric bass.

In the song, the performer expresses his desire to communicate his love to an unnamed woman. This love, he fears, will go unrequited without a drastic change in his life.

Previous to the release of Clapton's hit version, the song was recorded by country superstar Wynonna Judd for her album Revelations, released in February 1996. Wynonna, however, did not release her version as a single despite the popularity of Clapton's.

Watch Clapton's live performance of the song.

Endless Love-Part XX

2011-02-10T09:32:00.000-06:00

Today's song will be sung by Bowling Green's very own Tyrone Dunn at this weekend's Endless Love concert.

Use ta Be My Girl was a hit song by R&B vocal group The O'Jays. Released from their hit 1978 album, So Full of Love, it became a huge crossover hit. The song spent five weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart. It also peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Use ta Be My Girl became one of their biggest and most familiar hits by The O'Jays.

The O'Jays are a Canton, Ohio based soul and R&B group, originally consisting of Eddie Levert (b. June 16, 1942), Walter Williams (born August 25, 1942), William Powell (January 20, 1942–May 26, 1977), Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays had their first hit with Lonely Drifter, in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music business until Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays (now a trio after the departure of Isles and Massey) emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul with Back Stabbers (1972), a pop hit, and topped the U.S. singles charts the following year with Love Train.

Watch a 2008 video of the O'Jays, singing their hit song.

Endless Love-Part IXX

2011-02-09T11:10:00.001-06:00

Today's blog is about the title song for this weekend's Endless Love concert. Darla Day and Tryone Dunn will do the honors. Got your tickets?

Endless Love is a song originally recorded as a duet between soul singers Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, who wrote the song. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by soul singer Luther Vandross with R&B singer Mariah Carey and also by country music singer Kenny Rogers. The song also was featured in the movies Beethoven and Happy Gilmore.

Ross and Richie recorded the song for Motown, and it was used as the theme for the film Endless Love, starring Brooke Shields. Produced by Richie and arranged by Gene Page, it was released as a single from the film's soundtrack in 1981. While the film Endless Love was a success, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year (first was Physical by Olivia Newton-John) in the U.S. and landed at number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, where it stayed for nine weeks from August 9 to October 10, 1981. It also topped the Billboard R&B chart and the Adult Contemporary chart, and landed at number 7 in the UK.

The soulful composition became the biggest-selling single of Ross' career and her 18th career number-one single (including her work with The Supremes), while it was one of several hits for Richie as the 1980s progressed. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, but the famous version was her last hit on Motown. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for Richie, and was the second song with which Ross was involved that was nominated for an Oscar. It also won a 1982 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.

Watch a video of Diana and Lionel singing the song.

Endless Love-Part XVIII

2011-02-08T10:29:00.000-06:00

Today's song was written by the composer for his wife. What a great Valentine's Day gift.

Woman is a song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1980 album Double Fantasy. Written by Lennon, it is an ode to his wife Yoko Ono, which is introduced by Lennon whispering, "For the other half of the sky ...", a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb, once used by Mao Zedong.

In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on 5 December 1980, Lennon said that Woman was a "grown-up version" of the Beatles song Girl.

Woman was the second single released from the Double Fantasy album, and the first Lennon single issued after his death on 8 December 1980. The B-side of the single is Ono's song Beautiful Boys. The single debuted at #3 in the UK, then moving to #2 and finally reaching #1, where it spent two weeks, knocking off the top spot his own re-released Imagine. In the US the single spent three weeks at #2. The single was also a commercial success in New Zealand where it spent five weeks at #1.

Watch a video, featuring the song Woman.

Endless Love-Part XVII

2011-02-07T11:23:00.000-06:00

Today's blog topic comes from a 1985 film. The lead singer of the song has a cameo role in the film. Do you know the film title and the singer?

The Power of Love is the title of a 1985 single by Huey Lewis and the News written for and featured in the 1985 blockbuster film Back to the Future. It gave the band their first number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, their second number-one hit on the U.S. Top Rock Tracks chart, and was a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart, where it appeared on UK editions of the band's fourth studio album, Fore!. The song was nominated for an Academy Award at the 58th Academy Awards.

The song appears early in Back to the Future as Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) skateboards to school, then when he and his band played the song for a Battle of the Bands auditions (which a character played by Lewis himself is judging, and tells Marty's group that they are "just too darn loud"), and later when Marty returns to his neighborhood. In the sequel, Back to the Future Part II, the 2015 version of Marty attempts to play the song on his guitar just after being fired, but ends up playing it very poorly due to his damaged hand from his 1985 accident with a Rolls-Royce. Finally, it can be briefly heard playing in the car where Needles and his buddies are driving when Needles challenges Marty to the fate-determining car race near the end of Back to the Future Part III.

The music video shows the band playing in a nightclub with Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) showing up in his DeLorean, apparently after time-traveling, and a couple stealing it for a joy ride.

Watch the music video.

Endless Love-Part XVI

2011-02-04T10:03:00.000-06:00

Today's blog subject was voted one of the top 100 greatest songs of all time.

The Way We Were is the title song to the 1973 movie The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, scored by Marvin Hamlisch and performed by Streisand. It won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Song and also made AFI's list of Top 100 Songs from Film; it was ranked number eight.

The Way We Were topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in 1974 and was replaced by Love's Theme by The Love Unlimited Orchestra. It then returned to number one for two additional weeks. The song also spent two weeks atop the easy listening chart, Streisand's second single to reach the top of this chart (following 1964's People).

The 45 version of the song is a different vocal take than the version which appeared on the original movie soundtrack and subsequent greatest hits compilations. Both versions use the same music track. The difference in the vocals can most easily be heard on the line "Smiles we gave to one another" at approximately 1:15 into the song. The true 45 RPM single version has never appeared on CD. The soundtrack version of the song, a completely different take with alternate music track, appears on Just For the Record, Streisand's 4-CD box set collection released in 1991.

A bootleg of the recording sessions exists, featuring Streisand with composer Marvin Hamlisch in a recording studio as they perform various takes of the song. One segment reveals Streisand changing the first word of the song from "Daydreams" to "Memories."

Streisand's version was listed at #90 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time.

Watch a video of film clips from The Way We Were, accompanied by Barbra Streisand's recording.

Endless Love-Part XV

2011-02-02T11:13:00.000-06:00

The topic of today's blog is the song, 9 to 5, and I'm not talking about the one by Dolly Parton.

9 to 5 is also the title of a popular song recorded by Sheena Easton in 1980. It was her biggest hit. It peaked at number three in the United Kingdom in August 1980 and was released in the United States in February 1981, where it reached number one.

Easton had released one single prior to 9 to 5: Modern Girl. This had failed to chart highly, but after exposure on the BBC documentary, The Big Time, both 9 to 5 and Modern Girl were propelled into the top ten at the same time, making her the first female artist to achieve this feat. 9 to 5 became a top three hit and was one of the best-selling singles of the year.

Early in 1981, EMI Records decided to launch Easton in the US and released 9 to 5 as her debut single. The title of the song was changed to Morning Train (Nine to Five) to avoid confusion with the Dolly Parton song of the same name. Easton's song went to #1 on both the U.S. pop and adult contemporary charts; it remained at the top for two weeks on Billboard's pop chart.

The song is about a woman who waits at home all day for her man to come home from work. The music video was filmed on the Bluebell Railway, a heritage line running between East and West Sussex in England. The video stars London and South Western Railway No. 488, a preserved LSWR 0415 Class locomotive.

Watch the music video.

Endless Love-Part XIV

2011-02-01T09:31:00.000-06:00

I remember her from the "Proud Mary" days. That's 1968 for you youngsters out there. Although Proud Mary would remain her signature hit, she would have to wait nearly 25 years for her biggest success.

What's Love Got to Do with It is the second single (after Let's Stay Together) released from Tina Turner's fifth solo album Private Dancer. In Europe it was the third single following Turner's cover of The Beatles' Help!. What's Love Got to Do with It became Turner's most successful single.

Turner had previously released two solo albums while still with her husband and musical partner, Ike Turner. She split from him in 1976 and divorced him in 1978. Following the divorce, she released two more solo albums, both of which failed on the charts. However, What's Love Got to Do with It, from her fifth solo album, reached the top five in both the US and UK. The music video was directed by Mark Robinson. The song ranked #309 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It also ranked #38 on Songs of the Century. It was the 17th best-selling single of 1984 in the UK. The song was originally recorded by UK pop group Bucks Fizz, but unreleased until 2000. In 1993, the song's name was used as the title for What's Love Got to Do With It, a biographical film about Tina Turner's life.

Up until the release of What's Love Got to Do with It, Tina Turner had not had a top ten single since the early 1970s. The single went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for three weeks, becoming Turner's first and only solo number-one hit in America. It peaked at #3 on the UK singles chart. Tina Turner, along with then-husband Ike, first charted in the United States in 1960 with the single A Fool in Love. What's Love Got to Do with It went to number-one in the US on September 1, 1984, making it the longest span between an artist's first charted song and first number-one song (a difference of 24 years). Another notable fact is that Turner was 45-years-old when the song hit number one, making her the oldest solo female artist to place a number-one single on the US Hot 100. (Grace Slick, who is older than Turner by about one month, hit #1 in 1985 and 1987 with We Built This City and Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, respectively, but she was not a solo act on those recordings but instead a member of Starship). In 1999, Cher at age 53 became the oldest solo female to have a US number-one hit when Believe hit the top position in America.

The song received three awards at the 1985 Grammy Awards. The music video for the song claimed a prize at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1985 for "Best Female Video". The song received the following awards at the 1985 Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Watch Tina Turner perform her number one hit.

Endless Love-Part XIII

2011-01-31T10:51:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the most romantic band of the '70s was the rock group, Bread. From Los Angeles, California, the band placed 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1970 and 1977 and were a primary example of what later was labeled soft rock.

The band consisted of David Gates (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, violin, viola, percussion), Jimmy Griffin (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion), Robb Royer (bass, guitar, flute, keyboards, percussion, recorder, backing vocals), Mike Botts (drums; joined in 1970), and Larry Knechtel (bass, guitar, keyboards, harmonica; replaced Royer in 1971).

The group's number one single, Make It with You is a song written by David Gates. The song first appeared on Bread's 1970 album On the Waters. Released as a single in June 1970, it would become the group's first top ten and only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S., spending the week of August 22, 1970, at the top spot. It was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over one million copies.

The song was well-received by easy-listening stations at the beginning of the singer-songwriter driven soft-rock era, reaching number four on the Billboard Easy Listening Top 40. Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Dusty Springfield, The Originals, The Main Ingredient, The Whispers, Marc Anthony, Teddy Pendergrass, Don Julian & The Larks, Let Loose, Dennis Brown, Andy Williams, and Marc Cohn are among those who have recorded cover versions of the song.

Watch this live performance from the 1977 telecast of the TV show, The Midnight Special.

Endless Love-Part XII

2011-01-28T10:23:00.000-06:00

The subject of today's blog is a song from a thirteen minute suite by the group, Chicago. I remember the first time I heard it. Needless to say, it blew me away.

The song, Make Me Smile, was written by band member/trombone player James Pankow. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II (1970). Guitarist Terry Kath sang the lead vocal.

A radio-friendly edit of Make Me Smile (incorporating the end of Now More Than Ever, another track from the Ballet) was released as a single in March 1970, becoming the band's first Top 10 record, peaking at number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon, is nearly thirteen-minutes long. It was the group's first attempt at a long-format multi-part work. Pankow got the inspiration to write the Ballet from his love of long classical music song cycles. The Buchannon in the title is actually a misspelling of Buckhannon, West Virginia. Ballet takes up three-quarters of side two of Chicago II and consists of seven tracks, three of which are instrumentals:

1. Make Me Smile

2. So Much to Say, So Much to Give

3. Anxiety's Moment (instrumental)

4. West Virginia Fantasies (instrumental)

5. Colour My World

6. To Be Free (instrumental)

7. Now More Than Ever

The final track, Now More Than Ever, is a single-verse reprise of the suite's opening song, Make Me Smile. The vocal songs within the suite can be viewed as telling the story of a man searching for a far away lost love and attempting to rekindle the love they had shared. In addition to Make Me Smile (Now More Than Ever)(#9, 1970), Colour My World (#7, 1971)reached the top ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Watch an early video of Chicago, performing Make Me Smile. The footage was filmed on July 21, 1970, only 3 months after the song hit the Top 10. The concert was at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA.

Endless Love-Part XII

2011-01-27T09:24:00.000-06:00

In yesterday's blog, we talked about how Berry Gordy of Motown fame, almost kept Stevie Wonder's For Once in My Life off of record shelves. Today's song subject was co-written by Gordy.

You've Made Me So Very Happy is a song that was written by Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway, Frank Wilson and Berry Gordy, and was released first as a single in 1967 by Brenda Holloway on the Tamla label. The song was later a huge hit for jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969.

By 1967, Brenda Holloway had been recording for Motown Records since 1964 and had struggled with Berry Gordy over control of her music, alleging that Gordy had forced her to sing Mary Wells' "leftover tracks" after the Motown singer left the label in 1964. Some of the songs in question included modest hits such as When I'm Gone and Operator. Holloway was planning to release her long-awaited second album, Hurtin' & Cryin, which had released Just Look What You've Done as the leading track, but for unknown reasons, the record was eventually shelved. Along with her sister Patrice, using music provided by Frank Wilson and with additional help from Gordy himself, Holloway co-wrote You've Made Me So Very Happy. Ironically, Holloway recorded the song after a breakup with a former boyfriend.

Reaction to the song was stronger than Holloway's previous offerings, rising to number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Holloway's third Top-40 pop single. The song also peaked at number 39 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Shortly after the release of the song, Holloway left Motown and the song was eventually featured on the "second" Holloway album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway. After two more years singing background for acts like Joe Cocker, Holloway retired to marry a preacher and have a family. Holloway would eventually return to music full time by the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, Holloway's song got a boost when the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears covered it in 1969. The song became one of the group's biggest hits, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in April 1969 and number 35 in the United Kingdom in May of that year. The song was also covered by fellow Motown acts such as Edwin Starr and Blinky in 1969, The Temptations in 1970, The Miracles, also in 1970, and Diana Ross in 1994 on a Berry Gordy tribute album. Lou Rawls also covered the song. It also been covered by Pop international superstar Gloria Estefan. She included the song on her album Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me in 1994, which was a collection of covers who inspired her musical career.

Watch a 1993 performance of the song by BS&T.

Endless Love-Part XI

2011-01-26T10:46:00.000-06:00

Although written in 1967, today's blog subject is such a great song, it sounds like it has been around for years. It has truly become a pop standard. Despite Berry Gordy's unequivocal role as the mastermind behind Motown, he actually vetoed the most popular version of the song. Read on.

For Once in My Life was written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967. The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow-ballad versions of the song.

The most familiar and successful version of For Once in My Life is an uptempo hit version by Stevie Wonder, recorded immediately after DuShon's original. Wonder's version, issued on Motown's Tamla label in 1968, was a top-three hit in the United States in late 1968 and early 1969.

Stevie Wonder's version was recorded at about the same time as The Temptations' in the summer of 1967. However, Berry Gordy did not like Wonder's version, an upbeat rendition produced by Henry Cosby. Gordy vetoed the single's release, and the recording was shelved. Billie Jean Brown, the head of the Motown Quality Control department, finally coerced Gordy into allowing Wonder's version to be released in October 1968.

Contrary to Gordy's instincts, For Once in My Life was a highly successful record, peaking at number-two on both the Billboard Pop Singles and Billboard R&B Singles (it was held off from the number-one spot on each chart by another Motown single Gordy had originally vetoed, Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through the Grapevine). For Once in My Life, issued by Tamla with Angie Girl as its b-side, was later included as the title track on Wonder's For Once in My Life album.

Wonder's version of the track is often singled out by bassists as the greatest example of James Jamerson's playing style, with no two bars of music played alike during the whole song; a completely improvisational line that is both melodic and complementary to Wonder's vocal.

Watch Stevie Wonder sing the hit.

Endless Love-Part X

2011-01-25T10:27:00.000-06:00

A trumpet player singing a pop song? Yes. And I'm not talking about Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. I'm talking about the "A" in A&M records. Mr. South-of-the-Border himself. Herb Alpert. What's more amazing is that his record went to number one on the charts.

This Guy's in Love with You was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and recorded by Herb Alpert. Although known primarily for his trumpet playing as the leader of the Tijuana Brass, Alpert sang lead vocals on this solo recording, arranged by Bacharach.

Alpert originally sang This Guy's in Love with You on a 1968 television special, The Beat of the Brass. In response to numerous viewer telephone calls, the song was released as a single and reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in June of that year, remaining in the top position for four weeks. It was not only Alpert's first #1 single, but it was also the first #1 single for his A&M record label. The song also spent ten weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart. For the single's B-side, Alpert chose A Quiet Tear, an album track from his first album in 1962, The Lonely Bull.

Eleven years later Alpert would become the first (and only) artist to reach the top of the Hot 100 with both a vocal performance and an instrumental performance when Rise went to the top of the charts.

Now, all I have to do is get a record deal....

Watch Herb Alpert sing his hit in a rare video.

Endless Love-Part IX

2011-01-24T10:31:00.000-06:00

Today's song could have been written as (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Man. Not quite the same ring.

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman is a 1967 single released by American soul singer Aretha Franklin on the Atlantic label. The record was a big hit for Franklin, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a standard song for her.

Co-written by the celebrated writing-producing team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the song was inspired by Atlantic Records co-owner and producer Jerry Wexler. As recounted in his autobiography, Wexler, a student of African-American musical culture, had been mulling over the concept of the "natural man" when he drove by King on the streets of New York. He shouted out to her he wanted a "natural woman" song for Franklin's next album. In thanks, Goffin and King granted Wexler a co-writing credit.

It was recorded by Carole King on her landmark 1971 album Tapestry, and by Mary J. Blige, whose 1995 version, from the soundtrack of New York Undercover, also charted. Rod Stewart covered that version in 1974 for his album Smiler. Bonnie Tyler did a successful version of the song on her album It's A Heartache (outside the U.S., known as Natural Force) in 1978. Céline Dion also recorded this song in 1995 for the Tapestry Revisited album. Franklin gave a live performance of the song alongside King, Dion, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain on the first VH1 Divas special in 1998. Whitney Houston also covered the song during her Bodyguard World Tour, as part of a portion of her show that she specifically dedicated to Aretha Franklin. (The Houston cover was never recorded as part of an official album.)

Watch Aretha sing Natural Woman on The Mike Douglas Show from December 1967.

Endless Love-Part VIII

2011-01-21T10:20:00.000-06:00

The Turtles

The subject of today's blog was originally a surf-rock group called the Crossfires from the Planet Mars. Not quite the same ring as the name we know them by: The Turtles.

The band was formed in 1965 in Westchester, California, (a neighborhood in west Los Angeles) by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. With the help of a DJ and club owner, they signed to White Whale Records. Adhering to the prevailing musical trend, they re-branded themselves as a folk rock group under the name "the Tyrtles," the intentional misspelling inspired by the Byrds and the Beatles. The trendy spelling did not survive long.

As with the Byrds, the Turtles achieved breakthrough success with a Bob Dylan cover. It Ain't Me Babe reached the Billboard Top Ten in the late summer of 1965, while their third hit, You Baby, charted in the top 20 in early 1966.

After several misses, the band was rescued by a song co-written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon. Happy Together had already been rejected by countless performers to the point that the demo recording wore out. The tune became both their biggest hit and their signature song. It replaced the Beatles' Penny Lane at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1967. The Turtles' only No. 1 remained there for three weeks.

The following artists also recorded the song:

Petula Clark
Captain and Tennille
The Nylons
Donny Osmond
Frank Zappa
Hugo Montenegro
Red Army Choir and the Leningrad Cowboys
Johnny Panic
Curtis Burch and Friends (featured on Orchestra Kentucky's Burchland CD)

Watch a 1967 music video featuring The Turtles.

Endless Love-Part VII

2011-01-20T10:38:00.000-06:00

Frankie Valli

Two of the songs to be sung at Orchestra Kentucky's Endless Love concert are from a Jersey boy.

Frankie Valli was born Francis Stephen Castelluccio on May 3, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey. Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, and Bob Gaudio were the original members of The Four Seasons. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.

Valli scored 29 Top 40 hits with The Four Seasons, one Top 40 hit under The Four Seasons' alias The Wonder Who?, and nine Top 40 hits as a solo artist. As a member of The Four Seasons, Valli's number one hits included Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like a Man, Rag Doll and December 1963 (Oh, What A Night). As a solo artist, Valli scored #1 hits with the songs My Eyes Adored You and Grease. Valli's recording of the song Can't Take My Eyes off You reached #2 in 1967.

My Eyes Adored You was originally working titled Blue Eyes in Georgia. It was written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan and recorded by The Four Seasons in early 1974. After the MoWest label balked at the idea of releasing it, the recording was sold to Valli for $4000. After rejections by Capitol, Atlantic, and other labels, Valli succeeded in getting the recording released on Private Stock Records, but the owner/founder of the label wanted only Valli's name on the label. The single was released in the U.S. in November 1974 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1975.

The single was Valli's first number one hit as a solo artist, and remained at number one for one week, being knocked out of the top spot by another Crewe/Nolan-penned song, Lady Marmalade. Although it was released as a Valli solo effort, the song is sometimes included on Four Seasons compilation albums. It is from the album Closeup.

The success of My Eyes Adored You triggered a revival of interest in recordings by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The group was subsequently signed to Warner Bros. Records as Valli's followup single, Swearin' to God was climbing to the #6 position on the Hot 100. Three months later, The Four Seasons visited the Top Ten for the first time since 1967 with Who Loves You.

Watch Frankie Vallie sing Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.

Now watch Valli sing My Eyes Adored You

Endless Love-Part VI

2011-01-19T09:44:00.000-06:00

The topic of today's blog is a song written by the Brothers Gibb. It will be sung at Orchestra Kentucky's Endless Love concert on February 11 & 12.

To Love Somebody is the second single released by the Bee Gees from their third LP, Bee Gees 1st. As stated many times by Barry Gibb, their manager Robert Stigwood wanted Barry to write a soul song for Otis Redding for him to record. Barry, along with Robin came up with To Love Somebody, a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals.

The song was written on a boat in Monte Carlo the day the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein was found dead (August 1967). The Bee Gees heard the news from Robert Stigwood's assistant.

This unlikely group of artists covered the song:

Janis Joplin (on the 1969 album I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!)
Joe Cocker
Gram Parsons
Lulu (November 1967)
Rod Stewart with Booker T. and the M.G.'s
Billy "Crash" Craddock (from 1989's Back on Track)
Eric Burdon & The Animals (1968)
Roberta Flack (on the 1971 album Quiet Fire)
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Bonnie Tyler (on the 1988 album Hide Your Heart)
Tom Jones
Michael Bolton (Billboard #11 pop, #1 adult contemporary)
Jordin Sparks
Dusty Springfield
Hank Williams, Jr. (on the 1979 album Family Tradition)

Watch the Bee Gees perform their hit in a 1974 Melbourne, Australia concert. Notice the live orchestra in the background!

Endless Love-Part V

2011-01-18T09:51:00.000-06:00

What started as a made-for-TV rock group, inspired by The Beatles Hard Days Night, resulted in four number-one albums in a one-year span. Hey, hey, they're The Monkees!

The Monkees were assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, and Englishman Davy Jones. The band's music was initially supervised by producer Don Kirshner.

At the time of the group's formation, its producers saw The Monkees as a Beatles-like band. At the start, the band members provided vocals, and were given some performing and production opportunities, but they eventually fought for and earned the right to collectively supervise all musical output under the band's name. The group undertook several concert tours, allowing an opportunity to perform as a live band as well as on the TV series. Although the show was canceled in 1968, the band continued releasing records until 1970. The group reached the height of fame from 1966 to 1968, and influenced many future artists. In 1986, the television show and music experienced a revival, which led to a series of reunion tours, and new records featuring various incarnations of the band's lineup. The group went on to sell 50 million records worldwide.

The Monkees had many international hits which are still heard on pop and oldies stations. These include I'm a Believer, (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone, Daydream Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, and Pleasant Valley Sunday.

Orchestra Kentucky will perform Daydream Believer, one of their number one hits. It was composed by John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. The single hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1967, remaining there for four weeks, and peaked at number five in the UK Singles Chart. It was The Monkees' last number one hit in the U.S.

Davy Jones wasn't sure of the song's potential at first, and admitted later that he'd recorded the vocal with a hint of annoyance at the ongoing takes. His feelings changed when the song became a hit.

Watch The Monkee's music video of Daydream Believer.

Endless Love-Part IV

2011-01-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today's song comes from one of the most influential rock albums of all time. It was influenced by The Beatles and also influenced The Beatles. Huh? Read on.

Pet Sounds is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band The Beach Boys, released May 16, 1966, on Capitol Records. It has been widely ranked as one of the most influential records ever released in popular music and has been ranked at #1 in several music magazines' lists of greatest albums of all time, including New Musical Express, The Times and Mojo Magazine. In 2003, it was ranked #2 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Pet Sounds was created several months after Brian Wilson had quit touring with the band in order to focus his attention on writing and recording. In it, he wove elaborate layers of vocal harmonies, coupled with sound effects and unconventional instruments such as bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Electro-Theremin, dog whistles, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans and barking dogs, along with the more usual keyboards and guitars.

The catalyst for Pet Sounds was the U.S. version of The Beatles' album Rubber Soul, which was released that December in time for the Christmas market. Wilson later recalled his first impressions of the groundbreaking album:

“ I really wasn't quite ready for the unity. It felt like it all belonged together. Rubber Soul was a collection of songs ... that somehow went together like no album ever made before, and I was very impressed. I said, "That's it. I really am challenged to do a great album."

The Beatles have said that Pet Sounds was a major influence on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Paul McCartney has repeatedly named it as one of his favorite albums – completing a circle begun by The Beatles' influence on Wilson. McCartney stated that:

“ It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water. I love the album so much. I've just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life ... I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album ... I love the orchestra, the arrangements ... it may be going overboard to say it's the classic of the century ... but to me, it certainly is a total, classic record that is unbeatable in many ways ... I've often played Pet Sounds and cried. I played it to John [Lennon] so much that it would be difficult for him to escape the influence ... it was the record of the time. The thing that really made me sit up and take notice was the bass lines ... and also, putting melodies in the bass line. That I think was probably the big influence that set me thinking when we recorded Pepper, it set me off on a period I had then for a couple of years of nearly always writing quite melodic bass lines."

Orchestra Kentucky, the Rewinders, and Retro Singers will perform the album's opening track, Wouldn't it Be Nice, at its Endless Love concert on February 11 & 12. The song was composed and produced by Brian Wilson, with lyrics by Tony Asher and Brian Wilson, and the lead vocal was sung by Brian Wilson with Mike Love singing lead vocals on the bridge and the end tag, 'Good night my baby, Sleep tight my baby'.

In the Endless Harmony documentary, Brian Wilson described the song as "what children everywhere go through… wouldn't it be nice if we were older, or could run away and get married".

Wilson was quoted as saying:

"Listen for the rockin' accordions and the ethereal guitars in the introduction. Tony and I had visualized a scene. We had a feeling in our hearts, like a vibration. We put it into music, and it found its way onto tape. We really felt good about that record."

Wilson used the title of the song for the title of his autobiography.

Watch The Beach Boys' '60s music video of the song.

Endless Love-Part III

2011-01-13T13:04:00.001-06:00

Roy Orbison

Today's blog subject, Oh, Pretty Woman is a song, released in 1964, which was a worldwide success for Roy Orbison. Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, Tennessee, it was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The best-known guitar performance was by Wayne Moss, later of Barefoot Jerry. Although the official recording appeared in 1964, the Beatles recalled Orbison's having written and performed the song during a mid-1963 tour of the UK which included both acts.

Orbison posthumously won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his live recording of the song on his HBO television special Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. In 1999, the song was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #222 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The lyrics tells the story of a man who sees a pretty woman walking by. He yearns for her and wonders if, as beautiful as she is, she might be lonely like he is. At the last minute, she turns back and joins him.

The title was inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette interrupting a conversation to announce she was going out; when Orbison asked if she was okay for cash, his co-writer Bill Dees interjected "A pretty woman never needs any money."

Watch Roy Orbison sing his hit on a Japanese TV show.

Endless Love-Part II

2011-01-12T09:54:00.001-06:00

Lenny Welch

Today's blog subject, Lenny Welch, is most likely not known to most people. It's unfortunate. His biggest hit, one of the songs that will be sung at Orchestra Kentucky's Endless Love concert, has become a jazz/pop standard.

Lenny Welch was born Leon Welch on May 15, 1938, in New York City. He was raised in Asbury Park, New Jersey. His biggest hit, a cover version of the big band standard Since I Fell for You, reached number 4 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. His other hits included Ebb Tide, a1964 recording that was featured in the film Sweet Bird of Youth. He also recorded the first vocal version of A Taste of Honey in 1962.

Since I Fell for You was composed by Buddy Johnson in 1945 and was first popularized by his sister, Ella Johnson, with Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra.

Other notable versions:

Eartha Kitt (1950)

Dinah Washington (1961 sessions with Quincy Jones Orchestra)
Vince Guaraldi (1962)
Doris Day (1963)
Ramsey Lewis (1965)
The Rascals (1967) - from the album "Collections"
Barbra Streisand (1971)
Bonnie Raitt (1971)
Count Basie & Joe Turner (1974)
Charlie Rich (1976)
Tom Waits (various live shows, around 1979)
Al Jarreau, Bob James, and David Sanborn (1986) - This version peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[3]
Michael Bolton (1992)
Natalie Cole and Reba McEntire (1993)
B.B. King (2000) - from the album Makin' Love Is Good for You
Ronnie Milsap (2004) from the album Just for a Thrill
Katharine McPhee (2006) (American Idol)
Gladys Knight (2006) from the album Before Me
Glen Campbell
Van Morrison

Listen to Lenny Welch's original recording.

Endless Love

2011-01-11T11:06:00.000-06:00

Today begins a new blog series on Orchestra Kentucky's upcoming Retro Series concert, Endless Love. This all-new concert will feature the Rewinders, Retro Singers, and Orchestra Kentucky in an evening of great love songs from the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. The concert is Friday and Saturday, February 11 & 12. It's the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day.

The first song we will discuss is the 1960 hit, At Last, made popular by Etta James.

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins) was born on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California. She is a singer who covers many genres, including blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz. James is the winner of four Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer. She is best known for performing At Last, which has been featured in movies, television shows, commercials, and web-streaming services. James has a contralto vocal range.

At Last was written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was first performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, vocal by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday, although unreleased recordings of the song were made in 1941 for possible inclusion in the film Sun Valley Serenade. It was recorded in Chicago on May 20, 1942 and released by RCA Victor Records. The song was a major hit for Miller, reaching number 9 on the Billboard pop charts in 1942, staying on the charts for 9 weeks, and it soon became a standard. Nat King Cole recorded it in 1957 on his number one album Love Is the Thing. It was James' version that was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Watch Etta James sing At Last.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part XI

2011-01-06T11:55:00.000-06:00

Kurt Anderson, son of Leroy Anderson

Today, we conclude our series of blogs on Leroy Anderson.

Don't miss Monday's concert dedicated to his music.

In 1975, Anderson died of cancer in Woodbury, Connecticut and was buried there. For his contribution to the recording industry, Leroy Anderson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1620 Vine Street. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1988 and his music continues to be a staple of "pops" orchestra repertoire. In 1995 the Harvard University Band's new headquarters was named the Anderson Band Center in honor of Leroy Anderson.

Listen to one of Anderson's most beautiful melodies, Forgotten Dreams, written in 1954.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part X

2011-01-05T09:55:00.000-06:00

Anderson with Arthur Fiedler

Anderson would occasionally appear on the Boston Pops regular concerts on PBS to conduct his own music while Fiedler would sit on the sidelines. For The Typewriter, Fiedler would don a green eyeshade, roll up his sleeves, and mime working on an old typewriter while the orchestra played.

Fiedler performed Anderson's Fiddle-Faddle so much that Boston audiences began calling it Fiedler Faddle.

Published in 1947, Anderson wrote the piece as one of a number of pieces commissioned over time by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. Written in classic "song-and-trio" form, it is based on the childhood nursery song Three Blind Mice. It was recorded many times in the late 1940s and early 1950s by a variety of musical ensembles. Prominently featuring the violins, as the title would imply, the opening and closing sections rely on rapid sixteenth note passages, followed by pizzicato playing in the trio.

Watch Danny Kaye conduct the New York Philharmonic in Fiddle Faddle. I had the pleasure of playing under Kaye's baton as a music student. It was for an ABC-TV special, celebrating the opening of Disney's EPCOT Center in the early 1980s. For someone who is not a trained musician, he is amazing. And he was a very kind gentlemen, too!

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part IX

2011-01-04T11:18:00.001-06:00

In 1958, Anderson composed the music for the Broadway show Goldilocks. Even though it earned two Tony awards, Goldilocks did not achieve commercial success. Anderson never wrote another musical, preferring instead to continue writing orchestral miniatures.

Goldilocks book is by Jean and Walter Kerr with the lyrics by the Kerrs and Joan Ford.

A parody of the silent film era when directors made quickie one-reelers overnight, it focuses on Maggie Harris, a musical comedy star retiring from show business in order to marry into high society, until producer-director Max Grady arrives to remind her she has a contract to star in his film Frontier Woman. The two battle and slapstick situations ensue as the movie evolves into an epic about Ancient Egypt and filming extends well beyond the amount of time Grady promised it would take to make the movie.

Following tryouts in Boston and Philadelphia, the Broadway production, directed by Walter Kerr and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, opened on October 11, 1958 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where it ran for 161 performances, closing on February 28, 1959. The cast included Elaine Stritch, Don Ameche, Russell Nype, Margaret Hamilton, Pat Stanley, and Patricia Birch.

Musicals Tonight! presented the musical in concert in June 2000 in New York City. 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco, California presented the show in a staged concert in 2001.

An original cast recording, orchestrated by composer Anderson and Philip J. Lang, was released by Columbia Records.

Jean Kerr later recounted the trials and tribulations of creating a new musical in her books Please Don't Eat The Daisies, The Snake Has All the Lines, and Penny Candy.

It's no wonder the musical had such a short run. Also playing in New York a the time was The Music Man and West Side Story!

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part VIII

2011-01-03T09:17:00.000-06:00

Erich Kunzel

Happy New Year! Today's blog continues our dicussion of Leroy Anderson. Don't forget to get tickets for next Monday's concert, featuring the music of Leroy Anderson.

Anderson wrote his Piano Concerto in C in 1953 but withdrew it, feeling that it had weak spots. In 1988 the Anderson family decided to publish the work. Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra released the first recording of this work; three other recordings have since been released. It is a conservative Romantic work in sonata form, heavily influenced by Rachmaninoff and American popular music, and somewhat resembles Copland's tonal works in style.

Listen to a movement from Anderson's piano concerto.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part VII

2010-12-30T10:44:00.000-06:00

Today's blog continues our discussion of Leroy Anderson, whose music will be featured by Orchestra Kentucky on Monday, January 10, 2011.

Leroy Anderson's musical style, heavily influenced by George Gershwin and folk music of various lands, employs creative instrumental effects and occasionally makes use of sound-generating items such as typewriters and sandpaper. (Krzysztof Penderecki also uses a typewriter in his orchestral music, in Fluorescences, but with a decidedly less humorous effect.)

Watch an animated film by Richard Haynes and Mikolaj Watt in which a low-level office worker get excited by the sight of a old-fashioned typewriter and imagines himself as being an assistant to the CEO as he bangs out a long report. The music for the film is Leroy Anderson's The Typewriter.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part VI

2010-12-29T10:09:00.000-06:00

Mitchell Parish

Rodgers had Hammerstein. George had Ira. Loewe had Lerner. In the case of Leroy Anderson, he had Mitchell Parish.

Anderson's pieces and his recordings during the fifties conducting a studio orchestra were immense commercial successes. As mentioned in yesterday's blog, Blue Tango was the first instrumental recording ever to sell one million copies. His most famous pieces are probably Sleigh Ride and The Syncopated Clock, both of which are instantly recognizable to millions of people. Mitchell Parish added words to tunes such as Syncopated Clock, Sleigh Ride and Blue Tango. Much of the success of these pieces, especially Sleigh Ride, may be credited to Parish's clever lyrics.

Mitchell Parish was born on July 10, 1900 to Michael Hyman Pashelinsky to a Jewish family in Lithuania. His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901 on the SS Dresden when he was less than a year old. They settled first in Louisiana, where his paternal grandmother had relatives, but later moved to New York City.

By the late 1920s Parish was a well regarded Tin Pan Alley lyricist in New York City. Besides writing the lyrics to the aforementioned Anderson compositions, he also penned the lyrics to songs such as Star Dust, Sweet Lorraine, Deep Purple, Stars Fell on Alabama, Sophisticated Lady, Volare (English lyrics), Moonlight Serenade, One Morning in May, and Louisiana Fairy Tale, which was the first theme song used in the PBS production of This Old House.

Mitchell Parish died on March 31,1993 in Manhattan at the age of 92. He was buried in Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, New York.

Watch Leroy Anderson sing Mitchell Parish's lyrics to his composition, The Waltzing Cat (sung at Anderson's home in Woodbury, CT).

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part V

2010-12-28T09:46:00.000-06:00

Today's blog continues our discussion of Leroy Anderson, one of music history's greatest composers of light symphonic music.

Anderson was a reserve Army officer and was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. During the war, in 1951, Anderson wrote his first hit, Blue Tango.

Although Mitchell Parish added lyrics, the instrumental version recorded by Anderson (Decca Records, with the flip side Belle of the Ball) reached #1 on the Billboard charts in 1952. It first reached the Best Seller chart on December 21, 1951 and lasted 38 weeks on the chart. It was the first instrumental recording ever to sell one million copies.

Parish's lyrics:

Here I am with you, in a world of blue,
While we're dancing to the tan-go we loved when first we met.
While the music plays, I recall the days,
When our love was a turn that we couldn't soon forget.
As I kiss your cheek, we don't have to speak,
The vio-lins like a choir ex-press the de-sire,
We used to know, not long ago.
So just hold me tight, in your arms to-night,
And the blue tan-go will be our mem-o-ry of love.

Listen to Anderson's million-selling, number one hit!

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part IV

2010-12-27T10:14:00.000-06:00

Today's blog continues the bio of Leroy Anderson, whose music will be featured on the January 10, 2011 concert of Orchestra Kentucky.

In 1942 Leroy Anderson joined the U.S. Army, and was assigned to Iceland as a translator and interpreter. Later in 1945 he was assigned to the Pentagon as Chief of the Scandinavian Desk of Military Intelligence. But his duties did not prevent him from composing, and in 1945 he wrote The Syncopated Clock.

Anderson had been invited by Arthur Fiedler to guest-conduct the Boston Popular ("Pops") Orchestra during their annual Harvard Night. Anderson wanted to introduce a new work to Fiedler and composed a song about a clock with a syncopated rhythm. The idea of the title reportedly occurred to him before he wrote the music. In a few hours he wrote the music, scored it for orchestra and then mailed it to Symphony Hall in Boston. Fiedler had the orchestra parts copied from the score. Then, with a 3-day pass, Anderson traveled from his home in Arlington, Virginia to Boston where he conducted the premiere on May 28, 1945. Anderson recorded the work for Decca Records during 1950 with the best musicians selected from various New York orchestras. This was true for all of his recordings for Decca, collected as "Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra." Anderson's "orchestra" was an assemblage of musicians hired by Decca specially for Anderson's recordings.

The album entered the charts on March 23, 1951 and spent 14 weeks there, maximizing at number twelve, while a version credited to the Boston Popular Orchestra itself (released by RCA Victor Records) entered on June 1, 1951, spent 2 weeks on the charts, and maximized as number 28.

When The Syncopated Clock was recorded during 1950, it was noticed by the producers of a new WCBS-TV program called the Late Show, a nightly program with a format of old movies that was to be the station's first venture into late night television. The piece was chosen as the theme music for the Late Show and that helped publicize Anderson's music. The Syncopated Clock was used by the show for the next 25 years, and became a piece that many Americans could readily hum or whistle, even if few would have known the name of its composer.

http://www.wikipedia.com/

Watch the opening of the Late Show, featuring a short excertps of Anderson's The Syncopated Clock.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part III

2010-12-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

This will be my last blog until Monday, when I will continue my series on Leroy Anderson.

Leroy Anderson's medley, A Christmas Festival, is one of the most beloved holiday arrangements played by orchestras. It includes some of the best sacred and secular Christmas tunes, ingeniously woven together by Anderson.

Enjoy this recording of Anderson's arrangement by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.

Merry Christmas!

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part II

2010-12-21T10:04:00.000-06:00

Today's blog continues the bio of Leroy Anderson. Orchestra Kentucky will feature his music on its January 10th concert. Anderson continued studying at Harvard, working towards a PhD in German and Scandinavian languages. (Anderson spoke English and Swedish during his youth but he eventually became fluent in Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese.) During this time he was also working as organist and choir director at the East Milton Congregational Church, leading the Harvard University Band, and conducting and arranging for dance bands around Boston. His arranging work came to the attention of Arthur Fiedler in 1936 and Anderson was asked to show Fiedler any original compositions. Anderson's first work was Jazz Pizzicato in 1938. Fiedler suggested that a companion piece be written and thus Anderson wrote Jazz Legato in 1938.

Listen to Anderson's first work, Jazz Pizzicato.

Pop Goes the Orchestra-Part I

2010-12-20T10:17:00.000-06:00

Leroy Anderson

On January 10, 2011, Orchestra Kentucky will present a concert of original compositions and arrangements by Leroy Anderson. Anderson is one of those people whose name you might not know, but whose music is very recognizable. With Christmas coming this week, you have probably heard Anderson's most popular tune, Sleigh Ride. But he is not a one-hit wonder. I will devote the next several blogs to the music and the man. Today, I discuss his early life and his biggest hit, Sleigh Ride.

Leroy Anderson (June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John Williams described him as "one of the great American masters of light orchestral music."

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Swedish parents, Anderson was given his first piano lessons by his mother, who was a church organist. He continued studying piano at the New England Conservatory of Music. In 1925 Anderson entered Harvard University, where he studied theory with Walter Spalding, counterpoint with Edward Ballantine, harmony with George Enescu, composition with Walter Piston and double bass with Gaston Dufresne. He also studied organ with Henry Gideon. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1929 and Master of Arts in 1930.

Anderson's Biggest Hit

Anderson had the idea for Sleigh Ride during a heat wave in July 1946; he finished the work in February 1948. Lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter's day with another person, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra. The song was a hit record on RCA Victor Red Seal, and has become the equivalent of a signature song for the orchestra.

Leroy Anderson recorded his own version of "Sleigh Ride" in 1950 on Decca. This recording hit the Cashbox magazine best sellers chart when re-released in 1952.

Although Sleigh Ride is often associated with Christmas, and often appears on Christmas compilation albums, the song's lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion (apart from certain recordings, such as those by the Carpenters, Walter Schumann and Air Supply, that substitute "Christmas party" for "birthday party" in the song's bridge). In fact, the mention of "pumpkin pie" in the last verse might suggest an association with Thanksgiving rather than Christmas.

According to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers [ASCAP] review of Christmas music, Sleigh Ride consistently ranks in the top 10 list of most performed songs written by ASCAP members during the Christmas season worldwide.

According to author Steve Metcalf in the book Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography [Praeger 2004], "'Sleigh Ride' ... has been performed and recorded by a wider array of musical artists than any other piece in the history of Western music."

Watch John Williams conduct the Boston Pops in a performance of Sleigh Ride.

Christmas Madness-Part XV

2010-12-17T09:44:00.000-06:00

Today is my last day for blogs regarding this weekend's Christmas Madness concert. If you don't have your tickets, call 846-2426. This is the last time for the concert for a while.

Step into Christmas is a Christmas song by Elton John (Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin) released in 1973. It was originally released as a stand-alone single in 1973 with the B-Side Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas), peaking at #23 in the UK. Due to Billboard magazine's editorial policy it was held off the Hot 100. It did, however, make #1 on a specially designated Christmas chart, and it appeared in the Cashbox Top 100 charts. It was later included as a bonus track on the 1995 remastered reissue of the album Caribou, even though it was released in the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road days. It also appears on the albums Elton John's Christmas Party, Rare Masters, To Be Continued, and The Best Christmas Album in the World...Ever! There are differences on the vocals between the promotional video and standalone song.

According to liner notes about the song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin (in Rare Masters and Elton John's Christmas Party), the track and its B-side, both produced by Gus Dudgeon, were recorded during a quickie session at Morgan Studios in London, owned by drummer Barry Morgan, who had played on several of Elton's early albums. Step Into Christmas was mixed to sound like one of producer Phil Spector's record, using lots of compression and imitating his trademark "wall of sound" technique. This was according to both Elton and Taupin intentional, an homage of sorts to Christmas songs by Spector-produced groups such as The Ronettes.

(http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Watch Elton John sing his Christmas hit.

Christmas Madness-Part XIV

2010-12-16T10:46:00.000-06:00

He's grrrreat! Today's blog is about the man who voiced Tony the Tiger and sang a Christmas favorite.

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch is a Christmas song that was originally written and composed for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The lyrics were written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, the music was composed by Albert Hague, and the song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft. The song's lyrics describe the Grinch as being foul, bad-mannered and sinister using increasingly creative metaphors and synonyms, beginning with the opening line "you're a mean one, Mister Grinch". The song has six verses.

Because Ravenscroft was not credited in the closing credits of the special, it is often mistakenly attributed to Boris Karloff, who served as narrator and the voice of the Grinch in the special but who himself could not sing. After becoming aware of the oversight, Seuss himself called Ravenscroft and apologized profusely, and later wrote letters to columnists nationwide telling them that it was Ravenscroft who provided the song.

Ravenscroft recorded two versions of the selection, one version for the television special and the other version for the soundtrack. The two versions differ in the order of the verses; the instrumentation—the soundtrack version's accompaniment is more straight-forward, and features fewer instruments and "sound effect" musical events, than the version heard during the special; the nature of singing (Ravenscroft uses more sprechgesang--half singing, half talking style--in the version heard on TV than the soundtrack version, which is mostly sung straight and in rhythm) and the transitions between verses—the soundtrack's transitions are shorter and less abrupt.

Born in 1914, raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Ravenscroft served as a navigator in the WWII Air Transport Command before settling in Hollywood. An accomplished singer, he performed with the Sportsmen, the Mellomen, the Johnny Mann Singers, and many major stars, including Jim Nabors and Elvis Presley. He was best known, however, for his mellifluous voiceovers, and he voiced Tony the Tiger in countless advertisements for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes in both English and Spanish. In 1996, he and his wife June retired to southern California, although he still did occasional work as Tony. He died in 2005 of prostate cancer.

(http://www.wikipedia.com/ and http://www.imdb.com/)

Come to this weekend's Christmas Madness concert and see WBKO-TV news anchor Gene Birk sing this holiday classic.

Watch You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Christmas Madness-Part XIII

2010-12-15T09:56:00.000-06:00

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1971 by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and the Plastic Ono Band on Apple Records. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the British singles chart. The song's first appearance on album was the 1975 compilation Shaved Fish. Although ostensibly a protest song about the Vietnam War, it has become a Christmas standard and has appeared on several Christmas albums.

The lyric is based on a campaign in late 1969 by Lennon and Ono, who rented billboards and posters in eleven cities around the world that read: "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko". The cities included New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Rome, Athens, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Helsinki. At the time of the song's release, the US was deeply entrenched in the unpopular Vietnam War. The line "War is over, if you want it, war is over, now!", as sung by the background vocals, was taken directly from the billboards.

The record starts with a barely-audible whisper of Christmas greetings to their children: Yoko whispers "Happy Christmas, Kyoko", then John whispers "Happy Christmas, Julian". The lyric sheet from the 1982 release The John Lennon Collection erroneously gives this introduction as "Happy Christmas, Yoko. Happy Christmas, John".

It was recorded at Record Plant Studios in New York City in late October 1971, with the help of producer Phil Spector. It features heavily echoed vocals, and a sing-along chorus. The children singing in the background were from the Harlem Community Choir and are credited on the song's single. The lyrics were written by Lennon and Ono, while the melody and chord structure were taken from the folk standard known as Stewball. The single was released in the US in December of 1971, but the UK release was delayed until the following November due to a publishing dispute. The song was re-released in the UK on December 20, 1980, shortly after John Lennon's assassination on December 8, peaking at #2.

Notable cover versions

Andy Williams recorded the song for his 1990 album I Still Believe in Santa Claus

David Cook sung it at the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in 2008.

Sarah Brightman recorded her own version as a bonus track for her album A Winter Symphony.

Melissa Etheridge recorded a live version.

Maroon 5 recorded a cover version in 2007 as part of Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. This version also appears on Now That's What I Call Christmas! 4.

Jessica Simpson covered the song on her 2010 album Happy Christmas.

Céline Dion covered the song on her 1998 album These Are Special Times.

Jimmy Buffett covered the song on his 1996 album Christmas Island.

The Moody Blues performed the song on their Christmas album December.

'N Sync recorded a cover version for one of their albums.

REO Speedwagon covered the song for their 2009 release Not So Silent Night...Christmas with REO Speedwagon. All royalties from the song benefit the John Lennon Foundation.

Neil Diamond recorded a version of this song on The Christmas Album.

Diana Ross recorded the song for her 1994 album A Very Special Season.

(http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Watch the music video, featuring the children of the Harlem Community Choir.

Christmas Madness-Part XII

2010-12-14T10:57:00.000-06:00

Please Come Home for Christmas is a Christmas song, released in 1960, by the American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown. Hitting Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in December 1961, the tune Brown co-wrote with Gene Redd peaked at position #76. It appeared on the Christmas Singles chart for nine seasons, hitting #1 in 1972. It includes a number of characteristics of Christmas music, such as multiple references in the lyrics to the Christmas season and Christmas traditions, and the use of a Church bell type sound, created using a piano, at the start of the song. It is sometimes referred to as Bells Will Be Ringing.

In 1978, the rock band Eagles covered and released the song as a single. Their version of the song peaked at #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. The lineup features Don Henley (drums/vocals), Glenn Frey (piano, backing vocals), Joe Walsh (guitar, backing vocals), Timothy B. Schmidt (bass/backing vocals), and Don Felder (lead guitar). Originally released as a vinyl 7" single, it was re-released in the nineties as a CD-single.

Other artists who have recorded the song:

Gary Allan
Keith Anderson
Fiona Apple
Pat Benatar
Jon Bon Jovi
James Brown
Anita Cochran
Holly Cole
Harry Connick, Jr.
Eagles
Dion DiMucci
Josh Gracin
Andy Griggs
Taylor Horn
Etta James
Bob Kames
Toby Keith
Sammy Kershaw
B. B. King
Dave Koz & Kimberley Locke
Unwritten Law
Lonestar
Southside Johnny Lyon
Jesse McCartney
Willie Nelson
Aaron Neville
Lee Roy Parnell
Randy Rogers Band
Sawyer Brown
Vonda Shepard
Sister Hazel
The Uniques
Luther Vandross
Clay Walker
Johnny Winter

Listen to the Eagles version of this classic hit.

Christmas Madness-Part XI

2010-12-13T12:50:00.003-06:00

I remember with fondness the annual television airing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. One of my favorite characters was Sam the Snowman, voiced by folk singer Burl Ives.

The movie, produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass, first aired December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the USA, and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour.

The special is based on the song by Johnny Marks, which was in turn taken from the 1939 poem of the same title written by Marks' brother-in-law, Robert L. May. Since 1972, the special has aired over CBS, which unveiled a high-definition, digitally remastered version in 2005. As with A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph no longer airs just once annually, but several times during the ChristmasA Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Frosty the Snowman). And again, as with the Charlie Brown special, Rudolph has now been shown more than thirty-one times on CBS, although in this case, CBS was not Rudolph 's original network.

As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. He was born in 1909 in Jasper County, Illinois and died at the age of 85 in Anacortes, Washington in 1995.

Watch Sam the Snowman sing Holly Jolly Christmas.

A Magical Nutcracker

2010-12-12T14:01:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, I had the privilege of conducting selections from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker a few weeks ago. The concert primarily featured the Divertissement (in ballet, that's a suite of short dances) from Act II. The dancers were members of the Louisville Ballet. Unfortunately, I had the worst seat in the house. I conducted on stage, with my back to the dancers.

After the concert, I heard many fabulous comments about the high quality of the dancing (and the orchestra, too!). With my curiosity piqued, I had to see what all the fuss was about. The answer came yesterday afternoon.

My family, Darrell Edwards (Orchestra Kentucky's executive director) and I attended the full production of the ballet at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville. The only way to describe it is, it was magical: both figuratively and literally!

I have always been a sucker for magic, but I never expected to encounter it in a Nutcracker production. In yesterday's performance, the audience was treated to, amongst other things, a levitating dancer in the Arabian Dance; regular-sized Nutcrackers transformed into life-sized equivalents; and a special effect at the very end of the ballet (I won't divulge it, lest I ruin it for everyone). One of the most "magical" moments was at the end of Act I, where Marie and the Nutcracker begin their journey to the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the midst of a snowstorm (known as the Journey through the Land of the Snow in Tchaikovsky's score). As the snow on stage fell harder, snow began to fall on the audience. Imagine the delight of the audience--especially the children! It wasn't just a cheap special effect. It brought the audience into the action on stage. In fact, it brought tears to my eyes. Not only because of the magic, but also because of the beautiful choreography (courtesy of the famous Val Caniparoli). As the snow fell, the dancers (representing Snowflakes) gradually "fell" to the stage in one of many breathtaking moments that afternoon.

Reading the program, I learned that the Louisville Ballet's Artistic Director, Bruce Simpson, believes that The Nutcracker has been popular in the US for so long because it is magical. I couldn't agree more. Tchaikovsky's score is magical. It's full of great tunes and gorgeous orchestrations that work together for maximum emotional impact. In fact, it's the reason I first began to love orchestral music. The story is magical: a little girl's journey to other make-believe lands. As alluded to, the choreography was magical. The sets and costumes were magical (courtesy of famous designer, Peter Cazalet). And, the illusions I've discussed were magically awe inspiring. None of this, however, would have come to life without the Louisville Ballet. the quality of dancing would rival that of much larger cities.

Congratulations to Bruce Simpson and everyone associated with the Louisville Ballet. Bravo! If you have a chance, do yourself a favor and see this production. It will bring a new sense of magic to your holiday season.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that today's Nutcracker will be the last in which the music is performed live by the Louisville Orchestra. Filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy this month, the musicians will not be paid after this week. What a travesty. Not only will the ballet be affected, but also the Kentucky Opera, and so many other arts groups in the region.

Someone asked me how this could happen. There are a lot of reasons, but one thing I've noticed is a certain complacency with the arts in some parts of America. People take their artists for granted. "Someone else will sponsor the concert. Someone else will buy tickets to the ballet. Someone else will make a donation." I just hope that Louisvillians and Kentuckians wake up before it's too late. Will your Nutcracker be the same without a live, professional orchestra? How about your Carmen? Will your church services at Easter be as special without the professional musicians of the Louisville Orchestra participating in them? I can tell you the answer: No, no, no! Great musicians don't do it part time. It is their livelihood. If the orchestra fails, the musicians we have all come to rely on will move on to take jobs elsewhere. In the process, Louisville will become just another mid-sized city. And, part of what makes the city magical will be lost, too. It will be a sad day. But it's not too late. Support the arts. Make them a priority in your life.

Christmas Madness-Part X

2010-12-10T10:49:00.000-06:00

The song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, started as an idea for a coloring book. Yep, you heard it right. Read on.

Robert L. May created Rudolph in 1939 as an assignment for Montgomery Ward. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. In its first year of publication, 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story were distributed by Montgomery Ward. The story is written as a poem in the meter of Twas the Night Before Christmas.

May's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. Marks (1909–1985), was a radio producer and wrote several popular Christmas songs. He was born in a New York City suburb and graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., before going off to Paris to study music. He had a heroic World War II combat record, winning the Bronze Star and four battle stars.

It was first sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon on New York city radio in the latter part of 1948 before Gene Autry recorded it formally in 1949, and has since filtered into the popular consciousness.

Autry's version of the song also holds the distinction of being the only number one hit to fall completely off the chart after hitting #1 the week of Christmas 1949. Nonetheless, it sold 2.5 million copies the first year, eventually selling a total of 25 million, and it remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s.

Other recordings of the song:

In 1953, Billy May recorded Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo with vocals by Alvin Stoller.

In 1965, The Supremes recorded the song for their holiday album, Merry Christmas.

In 1970, The Jackson 5 recorded the song for their holiday album, The Jackson 5 Christmas Album.

In 1996, The Wiggles recorded this song for their album, Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas. A year later, they sang it on their video, Wiggly Wiggly Christmas.

(http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Listen to Gene Autry and The Pinafores sing Rudolph.

Christmas Madness-Part IX

2010-12-09T10:26:00.000-06:00

Some say it's just a reworking of Little Deuce Coupe. Nevertheless, Little Saint Nick has sold a million copies. Not a bad day's work.

Little Saint Nick was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and originally performed by their group The Beach Boys. It was first released as a single in December 1963, reaching number three on the Billboard Christmas charts and peaking at #69 on the regular weekly sales chart surveyed by Cash Box. Despite a media-hushed Christmas in mourning for recently--assassinated President John F. Kennedy, the single went into the Top Tens of Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Vancouver and Washington DC, and the Top Twenties of San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, Houston, Miami, and Springfield MA. Eventually, over several more Christmases, it was credited as an unofficial (non-RIAA audited) million-seller.

Little Saint Nick reappeared on The Beach Boys' Christmas Album in 1964, minus the overdubbed sleigh bells from the original single mix. The song borrows its rhythm and structure from the group's 1963 hit Little Deuce Coupe. (An alternate version, utilizing the melody from Drive-In, was recorded for the album but remained unreleased until a 1991 CD reissue.)

The song is sometimes mistakenly called Run Run Reindeer because of the lyrics in the bridge. In 2005, the song was re-recorded by Brian Wilson for his solo Christmas collection, What I Really Want for Christmas.

The song has been covered several times, including versions by John Denver and the Muppets (1979), Hanson (1997), Sugar Ray (2001), McFly (2004) and Overboard (2008). The song is also used in a Coca-Cola holiday commercial featuring a family of polar bears who stumble upon a festive penguin gathering. Some versions of the song use a xylophone.

(http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Watch the Beach Boys sing Little Saint Nick and two other songs on the TV show Shindig! in 1964.

Christmas Madness-Part VIII

2010-12-07T09:58:00.000-06:00

Andy Williams

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Eddie Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album. However, the song was not released as a promotional single by Williams's record label (Columbia Records) that year, as they instead opted to promote his cover of White Christmas as the official promo single from the album.

The original version of It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams has since become a radio airplay standard, attaining more and more popularity with each passing holiday season since the song's original release. It was also selected as the theme song for Christmas Seals in both 1968 and 1976.

In 1986, another popular version was released by Johnny Mathis on his fourth holiday album, Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis.

In 1999, country singer Garth Brooks became the first artist to chart a version of the song in North America, as his country remake reached #56 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Garth's version was taken from his second holiday album, Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas. Also in 1999, Kathy Troccoli recorded the song as a duet with Williams.

Most recently, a 2008 recording of the song by Harry Connick, Jr. (from his third Christmas album, What a Night! A Christmas Album) hit #9 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (the highest charting version of the song to date in the United States).

The cast of the Fox TV series Glee has also recorded a version of this song. It can be heard on Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album.

For years, the song was used in a humorous fashion in the Staples office supply retail chain's annual back to school advertising campaign. In the commercials, the parents joyously shop for school supplies to this song in anticipation of the upcoming school year while their children sullenly follow.

Watch the Staples commercial for a little Christmastime levity.

Christmas Madness-Part VII

2010-12-06T11:50:00.000-06:00

José Montserrate Feliciano García was born on September 10, 1945 in Lares, Puerto Rico. One of twelve children, Feliciano is blind because of congenital glaucoma. He was first exposed to music at age three. When he was five, his family moved to Spanish Harlem, New York City and, at age nine, he played on the Teatro Puerto Rico. He started his musical life playing accordion until his grandfather gave him a guitar. He reportedly sat by himself in his room for up to 14 hours a day to listen to 1950s rock albums, classical guitarists such as Andrés Segovia, and jazz players such as Wes Montgomery. He later had classical lessons with Harold Morris who earlier had been a student with Segovia.

At 17, he quit school to play in clubs, having his first professional, contracted performance in Detroit.

In 1970, he wrote and released an album of Christmas music, Feliz Navidad, which may be deemed to be his most famous recording. The title song has been covered by many artists and is now a traditional part of the musical landscape in the U.S, Canada and Latin America around Christmas time. Each year during the Christmas season, Feliz Navidad returns to US airwaves, one of the most-played and most-downloaded radio songs and downloaded songs of the season. Feliz Navidad is also recognized by ASCAP as one of the 25 all-time most-played Christmas songs in the world.

http://www.wikipedia.com/

Local favorite Tyrone Dunn will sing the song at this season's Christmas Madness concert on Friday and Saturday, December 17th and 18th.

Watch Feliciano sing his Christmas hit.

Christmas Madness-Part VI

2010-12-03T10:18:00.000-06:00

I remember certain Christmas albums from my childhood. One is the Harry Simeone Chorale's The Little Drummer Boy. I can still see the painting of the drummer boy on the album cover.

Another album from my childhood, that is perhaps my favorite of the season, is the Carpenter's Christmas Portrait.
It is the first Christmas album recorded by the Carpenters (and the only one issued during Karen Carpenter's lifetime), originally released on October 13, 1978.

The album sold one million copies and included a revised version of the group's signature Christmas song, Merry Christmas Darling, which was originally recorded in 1970. The single went to number one on Billboard's Christmas singles chart in 1970, and did again in 1971 and 1973. Interestingly, the words were written by the Carpenter's college choral director, Frank Pooler, when he was 18 years old. Richard Carpenter supplied the music.

The CD version of Christmas Portrait, issued in 1984, is a compendium of selected tracks from the Carpenters' two Christmas albums into one 74-minute program, with tracks from each interspersed in the running order. In 1998, a 2-CD set titled Christmas Collection was issued, containing Christmas Portrait and An Old-Fashioned Christmas together in their original respective track lists. Richard Carpenter remixed some of the album tracks for both CD collections, most notably Ave Maria.

Here are Richard Carpenter's comments on how the album came about, from http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/:

"Karen and I had always been fond of Christmas music and in interviews, as early as 1971, were stating that we would soon be working on one. In hindsight, of course, we can see that it wasn’t about to happen. With the schedule that presented itself following the success of Close To You and We’ve Only Just Begun, we were fortunate to complete a regular album each year. (As previously mentioned, in 1974, even that did not happen.)

"On December 8, 1976, ABC aired our first television special: The Carpenters’ Very First Television Special, which placed No.6 in the Nielson Ratings for that week. This led to our being offered more specials, the second of which was The Carpenters at Christmas, airing December 9, 1977. It was while selecting and recording music for this special that Karen and I decided the time had come to finally record a Christmas album. To a degree, our project was patterned after a favorite of ours: Spike Jones’s 1956 Xmas Spectacular, in that it features more than the average album's number of songs, both sacred and secular, along with some top-notch choral singing. Selecting Christmas music is, indeed, dealing with an embarrassment of riches and I ultimately chose, and we recorded, more than enough for even Christmas Portrait, which stretched the limit of how much music could fit on a LP.

"What was saddening to me then, and even more so now, is that I was at my nadir dealing with the sleeping pill problem. If I were at my best, I could have and would have contributed a lot more in both creativity and spirit to Hush, Passage, and the first four television specials. By the time Karen and I began recording on the Christmas album, I was not interested in more than production work, and an occasional lead and some minor piano work. Arranging (something I truly enjoy doing, especially with Christmas songs) was turned over, by me, to veterans Peter Knight and Billy May. With Karen’s marvelous leads, combined with an oversize studio orchestra and chorus, terrific arrangements and timeless music, Christmas Portrait was, and is, an almost incomparable Christmas album. It was a hit in 1978 and every year succeeding; I receive compliments on it every holiday season. What I should have realized then, although I don’t know if A&M would have gone for it, is that Christmas Portrait is Karen’s album, and should have been titled accordingly, not Carpenters. (I did oversee the mixes, of course, but that falls under production.)

"Many a listener will notice that this album is not as originally released. Ave Maria was arranged from the start for chorus, as well as orchestra. With so much music, not to mention people, around the studio while the album was being made, the choral parts were misplaced, only to be discovered after the album was “in the can”. The multi-track was retrieved, and the chorus recorded, in 1984, during the An Old Fashioned Christmas sessions. To all of us involved, it was a great addition. The song was later remixed (and an editing error in the lead vocal fixed) in 1990. Some others were remixed at the same time for inclusion in From The Top, and ultimately all except Merry Christmas Darling, were remixed for the Carpenters Christmas Collection two CD set for Japan."

Watch Karen Carpenter sing Merry Christmas Darling.

As an added bonus, watch Karen Carpenter sing the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria. Hands down the best recording by a pop singer. Notice the long phrases sung in one breath and the impeccable diction.

Christmas Madness-Part V

2010-12-02T10:36:00.000-06:00

Elvis Presley

Most people think Elvis was the first one to record Blue Christmas. Not so. Read on.

Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded by Ernest Tubb in 1948. In 1957, Elvis Presley effectively made Blue Christmas a steadfast rock-and-roll holiday classic by recording it in his signature style. The song has since been recorded by a host of rock and country artists alike, as well as those of other genres. Blue Christmas was a 1960 Hot 100 entry by the Browns (Jim Ed, Bonnie and Maxine). The song was also featured in the children's Christmas special, The Year Without a Santa Claus. More recently, the song has been covered by Céline Dion, indie band Bright Eyes and Billy Idol in his 2006 Christmas album Happy Holidays, as well as Andrea Bocelli, for his 2009 holiday album My Christmas, in a duet with Reba McEntire. To date, there have been more than 65 significant recorded versions.

Elvis Presley's famous recording of the song appeared on his 1957 LP Elvis' Christmas Album. It was also released as a single. Ernest Tubb's version of the song included an extra verse not used by Elvis' later version.

In 2009, Elvis' version was used in a TV commercial for Verizon Wireless.

The song was covered by the American rock band The Beach Boys. The song was released as the B-side of the The Man with All the Toys single on November 16, 1964; it charted at #3 in the U.S. Christmas charts but did not chart in the U.K. The song was also released on the bands 1964 album The Beach Boys' Christmas Album on the same day. The song featured Brian Wilson on lead vocals.

(www.wikipedia.com)

Watch a 1965 film of Elvis singing the classic, Christmas hit.

Christmas Madness-Part IV

2010-12-01T11:32:00.000-06:00

Brenda Lee

Christmas is the best thing that ever happened to Brenda Lee. She had two hit Christmas songs, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and a cover of Jingle Bell Rock.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree was written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 on the Decca record label.

Although Decca released it in both 1958 and again in 1959, it did not sell well until Lee became a popular star in 1960; that Christmas season, it hit #14 on the Billboard pop chart and turned into a perennial holiday favorite. It continued to sell well during the holiday season, hitting #5 on the Christmas chart as late as 1984. Brenda Lee's recording still receives a great deal of airplay. Despite the song's title, its instrumentation also fits the Country genre which Brenda Lee more fully embraced as her career evolved. Despite her mature-sounding voice, she recorded this song when she was only 14 years old. The recording featured Hank Garland's ringing guitar. For decades, Brenda Lee's recording was the only notable version of the song. Radio stations ranging from Top 40 to Adult Contemporary to Country Music to Oldies to even Adult Standards played this version.

An instrumental version of the song appears as background music in the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which exclusively featured music written by Marks. It can be heard in the scene where Rudolph first arrives at the "Reindeer Games" and meets another reindeer named Fireball.

Watch a video montage of Brenda Lee, accompanied by her singing Jingle Bell Rock. For a video of Brenda Lee singing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, see part one of this series.

Christmas Madness-Part III

2010-11-30T11:25:00.002-06:00

Ask someone their favorite Christmas song, and there's a chance it will be White Christmas. Written by Irving Berlin (who wrote over 1,000 songs), Bing Crosby's recording has sold more than 50 million copies. In fact, one source ranks the song as the number one Christmas hit of all time. It was ranked number two on the Songs of the Century list (second to Over the Rainbow).

Although possibly an apocryphal story, Berlin supposedly wrote the song in 1940, poolside at the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. He often stayed up all night writing. One morning, after writing all night long, he told his secretary, "Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I've ever written — heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody's ever written!"

The first public performance of the song was by Bing Crosby on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall, Christmas Day, 1941. He recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers for Decca Records in just 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on July 30 as part of an album of six 78-rpm songs from the film Holiday Inn. At first, Crosby did not see anything special about the song. He just said "I don't think we have any problems with that one, Irving."

The song initially performed poorly and was overshadowed by the film's first hit song, Be Careful, It's My Heart. By the end of October 1942, however, White Christmas topped the Your Hit Parade chart. It remained in that position until well into the new year. Its popularity may be attributable to the mix of melancholy — "just like the ones I used to know" — with comforting images of home — "where the treetops glisten." These words must have resonated strongly with listeners during World War II. The Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests for the song.

In 1942 alone, Crosby's recording spent eleven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. Re-released by Decca, the single returned to the #1 spot during the holiday seasons of 1945 and 1946, becoming the only single with three separate runs at the top of the U.S. charts. The recording became a chart perennial, reappearing annually on the pop chart twenty separate times before Billboard Magazine created a distinct Christmas chart for seasonal releases.

Following its prominence in the musical Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In the film, Bing Crosby sings White Christmas as a duet with actress Marjorie Reynolds, though her voice was dubbed by Martha Mears. This now-familiar scene was not the moviemakers' initial plan; in the script as originally conceived, Reynolds, not Crosby, was to sing the song.

The familiar version of White Christmas most often heard today is not the one Crosby recorded in 1942. He was called to Decca studios on March 18, 1947, to re-record the track; the 1942 master had become damaged due to its frequent use. Efforts were made to exactly reproduce the original recording session, and Crosby was again backed by the Trotter Orchestra and the Darby Singers. Even so, there are subtle differences in the orchestration, most notably the addition of a celesta and flutes to brighten up the introduction.

Crosby was dismissive of his role in the song's success, saying later that "a jackdaw with a cleft palate could have sung it successfully." But Crosby was associated with it for the rest of his career. Another Crosby vehicle — the 1954 musical White Christmas — was the highest-grossing film of 1954.

Crosby's White Christmas single has been credited with selling 50 million copies, the most by any release and therefore it is the biggest-selling single worldwide of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records 2009 Edition lists the song as a 100-million seller, encompassing all versions of the song, including albums. Crosby's holiday collection Merry Christmas was first released as an LP in 1949, and has never been out-of-print since.

Some say Elton John's recording of Candle in the Wind outsold White Christmas. However, after careful research, Guinness World Records in 2007 concluded that, worldwide, Crosby's recording of White Christmas has, in their estimation, sold at least 50 million copies, and that Elton John's recording of Candle in the Wind 1997 has sold 33 million, making Crosby's recording the best-selling single of all time.

Watch Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds in the classic scene from Holiday Inn.

Christmas Madness-Part II

2010-11-29T10:27:00.000-06:00

Nat King Cole

My favorite secular Christmas song is The Christmas Song, subtitled Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. It is one of the songs featured at Orchestra Kentucky's Christmas Madness on Friday and Saturday, December 17th and 18th. Tyrone Dunn will sing.

Originally subtitled, Merry Christmas to You, The Christmas Song is a classic written in 1944 by vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer. In an effort to “stay cool by thinking cool,” the most-performed (according to BMI) Christmas song was born.

“I saw a spiral pad on his piano with four lines written in pencil,” Tormé recalled. “They started, ‘Chestnuts roasting ... Jack Frost nipping ... Yuletide carols ... Folks dressed up like Eskimos.’ Bob (Wells, co-writer) didn’t think he was writing a song lyric. He said he thought if he could immerse himself in winter he could cool off. Forty minutes later that song was written. I wrote all the music and some of the lyrics.”

The Nat King Cole Trio first recorded the song early in 1946. At Cole’s behest — and over the objections of his label, Capitol Records — a second recording was made the same year utilizing a small string section. This version becoming a massive hit on both the pop and R&B charts. Cole re-recorded the song in 1953, using the same arrangement with a full orchestra arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, and once more in 1961, in a stereophonic version with orchestra conducted by Ralph Carmichael. The latter recording is generally regarded as definitive and continues to receive considerable radio airplay each holiday season, while Cole’s original 1946 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974. Mel Tormé recorded the song himself in 1954, and again in 1965 and 1992.

Watch Nat King Cole sing this classic hit.

Christmas Madness-Part I

2010-11-27T11:11:00.000-06:00

Next week, I will begin a series of blogs on the music to be performed at Orchestra Kentucky's next Retro Series concert, Christmas Madness. The concert will feature a thirty-five piece orchestra, the Rewinders (rock band) and the Retro Singers, performing classic, secular Christmas hits. Included will be songs from Brenda Lee, The Beach Boys, The Carpenters, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters, Jose Feliciano, Bruce Springsteen, Andy Williams, The Eagles, and many more!

To order your tickets, click here or call (855) 232-1452 (toll free) or (270) 846-2426 (locally).

In the meantime, enjoy Brenda Lee singing her hit, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Finale

2010-11-24T10:04:00.000-06:00

Today's blog concludes our discussion of Tchaikovsky with a link to an article about The Nutcracker, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia/.

I have warm feelings about The Nutcracker. I remember falling in love with the music as a child. There was something about the lovely melodies and lush orchestration that made a deep impact on me. So much so, it furthered my desire to learn an instrument. In fact, Tchaikovsky is known for both his memorable melodies and inventive orchestration.

To conclude this series, watch the final waltz and apotheosis from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part XI

2010-11-23T10:15:00.000-06:00

Tchaikovsky's death mask

Today's blog explores the mysteries surrounding Tchaikovsky's death. Was it cholera or suicide?

Tchaikovsky died in Saint Petersburg on November 6, 1893, nine days after the premiere of his Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique. Though only 53 years old, he lived a long life compared to many Russian 19th century composers. He was interred in Tikhvin Cemetery at the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, near the graves of fellow-composers Alexander Borodin, Mikhail Glinka, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Mily Balakirev and Modest Mussorgsky. Because of the Pathétique's formal innovation and the overwhelming emotional content of its outer movements, the work was received by the public with silent incomprehension at its first performance. The second performance, led by Nápravník, took place 20 days later at a memorial concert and was much more favorably received. The Pathétique has since become one of Tchaikovsky's best known works.

Tchaikovsky's death has traditionally been attributed to cholera, most probably contracted through drinking contaminated water several days earlier. However, some, including English musicologist and Tchaikovsky authority David Brown and biographer Anthony Holden, have theorized that his death was a suicide. According to one variation of the theory, a sentence of suicide was imposed in a "court of honor" by Tchaikovsky's fellow alumni of the St. Petersburg Imperial School of Jurisprudence, as a censure of the composer's homosexuality. This unproven theory was first broached publicly by Russian musicologist Alexandra Orlova in 1979, when she emigrated to the West. Wiley writes in the New Grove (2001), "The polemics over [Tchaikovsky's] death have reached an impasse ... Rumor attached to the famous die hard ... As for illness, problems of evidence offer little hope of satisfactory resolution: the state of diagnosis; the confusion of witnesses; disregard of long-term effects of smoking and alcohol. We do not know how Tchaikovsky died. We may never find out ....." (http://www.wikipedia.com/)

Watch the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part X

2010-11-22T11:04:00.000-06:00

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Today's blog continues the bio of Tchaikovsky. Find out why the line "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" had special meaning for Tchaikovsky.

Tchaikovsky returned to Moscow Conservatory in the autumn of 1879, having been away from Russia for a year after the disintegration of his marriage. However, he quickly resigned, settling in Kamenka yet traveling incessantly. During these years, assured of a regular income from Nadezhda von Meck, he wandered around Europe and rural Russia, never staying long in any one place and living mainly alone, avoiding social contact whenever possible. This may have been due in part to troubles with Antonina, who alternately agreed to, then refused, divorce, at one point exacerbating matters by moving into an apartment directly above her husband's.Tchaikovsky listed Antonina's accusations to him in detail to Modest: "I am a deceiver who married her in order to hide my true nature ... I insulted her every day, her sufferings at my hands were great ... she is appalled by my shameful vice, etc., etc." It is possible that he lived the rest of his life in dread of Antonina's power to expose publicly his sexual leanings. These factors may explain why, except for the piano trio which he wrote upon the death of Nikolai Rubinstein, his best work from this period is found in genres which did not depend heavily on personal expression.

In 1880 the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, commissioned by Tsar Alexander I to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon in 1812, was nearing completion in Moscow; the 25th anniversary of the coronation of Alexander II in 1881 was imminent; and the 1882 Moscow Arts and Industry Exhibition was in the planning stage. Nikolai Rubinstein suggested a grand commemorative piece for use in related festivities. Tchaikovsky began the project in October 1880, finishing it within six weeks. He wrote to Nadezhda von Meck that the resulting work, the 1812 Overture, would be "very loud and noisy, but I wrote it with no warm feeling of love, and therefore there will probably be no artistic merits in it." He also warned conductor Eduard Nápravník that "I shan't be at all surprised and offended if you find that it is in a style unsuitable for symphony concerts." Nevertheless, this work has become for many, as Tchaikovsky authority Professor David Brown phrased it, "the piece by Tchaikovsky they know best."

Watch the Grand Pas-de-deux from The Nutcracker. A pas-de-deux, or dance for two, is a duet for dancers.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part IX

2010-11-19T09:26:00.000-06:00

von Meck

Behind every great artist is a patron of the arts. Tchaikovsky had Nadezhda von Meck. But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Read on, courtesy of www.wikipedia.com:

"Nadezhda von Meck was the wealthy widow of a Russian railway tycoon and an influential patron of the arts. Having already heard some of Tchaikovsky's work, she was encouraged by Kotek to commission some chamber pieces from him. Her support became an important element in Tchaikovsky's life; she eventually paid him an annual subsidy of 6,000 rubles, which made it possible for him to resign from the Moscow Conservatory in October 1878 at the age of 38, and concentrate on composition. With von Meck's patronage came a relationship that, at her insistence, was mainly epistolary – she stipulated they were never to meet face to face. They exchanged well over 1,000 letters between 1877 and 1890. In these letters Tchaikovsky was more open about much of his life and his creative processes than he had been to any other person.

"As well as being a dedicated supporter of Tchaikovsky's musical works, Nadezhda von Meck became a vital enabler in his day-to-day existence by her financial support and friendship. As he explained to her,

"There is something so special about our relationship that it often stops me in my tracks with amazement. I have told you more than once, I believe, that you have come to seem to me the hand of Fate itself, watching over me and protecting me. The very fact that I do not know you personally, while feeling so close to you, accords you in my eyes the special status of an unseen but benevolent presence, like a benign Providence.

"In 1884 Tchaikovsky and von Meck became related by marriage when one of her sons, Nikolay, married Tchaikovsky's niece Anna Davydova. However, in 1890 she suddenly ended her relationship with the composer. She was suffering from health problems that made writing difficult; there were family pressures, and also financial difficulties arising from the mismanagement of her estate by her son Vladimir. The break with Tchaikovsky was announced in a letter delivered by a trusted servant, rather than by the usual postal service. It contained a request that he not forget her, and was accompanied by a year's subsidy in advance. She claimed bankruptcy, which, if not literally true, was evidently a real threat at the time.

"Tchaikovsky may have been aware for nearly a year of his patroness's financial difficulties. This did not stop him from continuing to take his allowance for granted (with regular protestations of his eternal gratitude), nor did he offer to return the advance he received with the farewell letter. Despite his growing celebrity throughout Europe, von Meck's allowance still made up a third of the composer's income. While he may have no longer needed her money as much as in the past, the loss of her friendship and encouragement was devastating; he remained bewildered and resentful about her abrupt disappearance for the remaining three years of his life."

Surprisingly, Bowling Green is home to a relative of von Meck. She told me that the family had handed down a story explaining von Meck's decision to "cut Tchaikovsky off." According to her, it was because of Tchaikovsky's homosexuality, which the patroness had not known of previously.

Watch the Russian Dance from The Nutcracker (performed by the Mariinsky ballet).

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part VIII

2010-11-18T10:08:00.000-06:00

Tchaikovsky and wife

For Tchaikovsky, marriage was not heaven on earth like it is for most of us. (Notice I said most of us!). Read on, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/:

"In 1868, at the age of 28, Tchaikovsky met the Belgian soprano Désirée Artôt, then on a tour of Russia. They became infatuated, and were engaged to be married. He dedicated his Romance in F minor for piano, Op. 5, to her. However, on September 15, 1869, without any communication with Tchaikovsky, Artôt married a member of her company, the Spanish baritone Mariano Padilla y Ramos. The general view has been that Tchaikovsky got over the affair fairly quickly. It has, however, been postulated that he coded her name into the Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor and the tone-poem Fatum. They met on a handful of later occasions, and in October 1888 he wrote Six French Songs, Op. 65, for her, in response to her request for a single song. Tchaikovsky later claimed she was the only woman he ever loved.

In April 1877 Tchaikovsky's favorite pupil, Vladimir Shilovsky, married suddenly. Shilovsky's wedding may in turn have spurred Tchaikovsky to consider such a step himself. He declared his intention to marry in a letter to his brother. There followed Tchaikovsky's ill-starred marriage to one of his former composition students, Antonina Miliukova. The brief time with his wife drove him to an emotional crisis, which was followed by a stay in Clarens, Switzerland, for rest and recovery. They remained legally married but never lived together again nor had any children, though she later gave birth to three children by another man.

Tchaikovsky's marital debacle may have forced him to face the full truth concerning his sexuality. He apparently never again considered matrimony as a camouflage or escape, nor considered himself capable of loving women in the same manner as men. He wrote to his brother Anatoly from Florence, Italy on February 19, 1878,

Thanks to the regularity of my life, to the sometimes tedious but always inviolable calm, and above all, thanks to time which heals all wounds, I have completely recovered from my insanity. There's no doubt that for some months on end I was a bit insane, and only now, when I'm completely recovered, have I learned to relate objectively to everything which I did during my brief insanity. That man who in May took it into his head to marry Antonina Ivanova, who during June wrote a whole opera as though nothing had happened, who in July married, who in September fled from his wife, who in November railed at Rome and so on—that man wasn't I, but another Pyotr Ilyich.

A few days later, in another letter to Anatoly, he added that there was "nothing more futile than wanting to be anything other than what I am by nature."

Watch the Mariinsky's performance of The Dance of the Mirlitons from The Nutcracker. A mirliton was an early instrument, producing its sound like a kazoo.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part VII

2010-11-17T10:33:00.000-06:00

Today's blog regards Tchaikovsky's struggle with homosexuality. He was gay during a time when it was socially unacceptable. The subject so affected Tchaikovsky, that his biography would be incomplete without it. So, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/, we now turn to the topic.

"In his book, Tchaikovsky: The Quest for the Inner Man, Poznansky showed that Tchaikovsky had homosexual tendencies and that some of the composer's closest relationships were with persons of the same sex. Tchaikovsky's servant Aleksei Sofronov and the composer's nephew, Vladimir "Bob" Davydov, have been suggested as possible romantic interests. Tchaikovsky dedicated his Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique, to Davydov. The love theme from Romeo and Juliet is generally considered to have been inspired by Eduard Zak.

More controversial than Tchaikovsky's reported sexual proclivities is how comfortable the composer might have been with his sexual nature. After reading all Tchaikovsky's letters (including unpublished ones), Poznansky concludes that the composer "eventually came to see his sexual peculiarities as an insurmountable and even natural part of his personality ... without experiencing any serious psychological damage." Relevant portions of his brother Modest's autobiography, where he tells of his brother's sexual orientation, have also been published. Modest, like Pyotr, was homosexual. Some letters previously suppressed by Soviet censors, where Tchaikovsky openly speaks out about his homosexuality, have been published in Russian, as well as by Poznansky in English translation. However, biographer Anthony Holden claims British musicologist and scholar Henry Zajaczkowski's research "along psychoanalytical lines" points instead to "a severe unconscious inhibition by the composer of his sexual feelings":

One consequence of it may be sexual overindulgence as a kind of false solution: the individual thereby persuades himself that he does accept his sexual impulses. Complementing this and, also, as a psychological defense mechanism, would be precisely the idolization by Tchaikovsky of many of the young men of his circle [the self-styled "Fourth Suite"], to which Poznansky himself draws attention. If the composer's response to possible sexual objects was either to use and discard them or to idolize them, it shows that he was unable to form an integrated, secure relationship with another man. That, surely, was [Tchaikovsky's] tragedy.

Musicologist and historian Roland John Wiley suggests a third alternative, based on Tchaikovsky's letters. He suggests that while Tchaikovsky experienced "no unbearable guilt" over his homosexuality, he remained aware of the negative consequences of that knowledge becoming public, especially of the ramifications for his family. His decision to enter into a heterosexual union and try to lead a double life was prompted by several factors—the possibility of exposure, the willingness to please his father, his own desire for a permanent home and his love of children and family. While Tchaikovsky may have been romantically active, the evidence for "sexual argot and passionate encounter" is limited. He sought out the company of homosexuals in his circle for extended periods, "associating openly and establishing professional connections with them." Wiley adds, "Amateurish criticism to the contrary, there is no warrant to assume, this period [of his short-lived marriage] excepted, that Tchaikovsky's sexuality ever deeply impaired his inspiration, or made his music idiosyncratically confessional or incapable of philosophical utterance." Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music agrees, describes his turn towards a troubled inner world where he, “found a world of self-expression that he might never have discovered had he felt less alienated from society.”

Watch the Mariinsky's version of the Chinese Dance or Tea, from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part VI

2010-11-16T10:37:00.000-06:00

Music from Swan Lake

Today's blog continues with Tchaikovsky's biography, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/:

"From 1867 to 1878, Tchaikovsky combined his professorial duties with music criticism while continuing to compose. Some of his best-known works from this period include the First Piano Concerto, the Variations on a Rococo Theme for violoncello and orchestra, the Little Russian and Fourth Symphonies, the ballet Swan Lake and the opera Eugene Onegin. The First Piano Concerto suffered an initial rejection by its intended dedicatee, Anton Rubinstein's brother Nikolai, though he eventually championed the work. The work was subsequently premiered in Boston in October 1875, played by Hans von Bülow, whose pianism had impressed Tchaikovsky during an appearance in Moscow in March 1874.

"In Moscow, teaching with Nikolai Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky gained his first taste of famed appreciation. Introduced into the Artistic Circle, a club founded by Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky enjoyed a sense of social celebrity status among friends and fellow artists. However, over a five-year period, Tchaikovsky became frustrated with teaching and found himself struggling financially. He gradually moved away from Rubinstein, to maintain his independence from Rubinstein's renowned reputation. Nevertheless, while the move to Moscow was bittersweet, filled with friendship, jealousy, and inner struggles, it was successful from a professional point of view. Tchaikovsky's musical works were frequently performed, with few delays between their composition and first performances, and the publication (after 1867) of songs and piano music for the home market helped bolster the composer's popularity."

Watch the Royal Ballet perform the Arabian Dance from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part V

2010-11-15T10:50:00.000-06:00

Last week we discussed Tchaikovsky's conservatory years. Today, we turn to the influence of "The Mighty Handful", also known as "The Five". Sounds ominous, doesn't it?

Again, I quote from http://www.wikipedia.com/:

Rubinstein's Western musical orientation brought him into opposition with the nationalistic group of musicians known as The Five. As Tchaikovsky was Rubinstein's best-known pupil, he became a target for the group, especially for César Cui [pronounced, "kwee"]. Cui's criticisms began with a blistering review of a cantata Tchaikovsky had written as his graduation exercise from the Conservatory. Calling the piece "feeble", Cui wrote that if Tchaikovsky had any gift for music, "then at least somewhere or other [the cantata] would have broken through the fetters of the Conservatoire". The effect of this review on Tchaikovsky was devastating: "My vision grew dark, my head spun, and I ran out of the café like a madman.... All day I wandered aimlessly through the city, repeating, 'I'm sterile, insignificant, nothing will come out of me, I'm ungifted.'"

When in 1867, Rubinstein resigned as conductor from Saint Petersburg's Russian Musical Society orchestra, he was replaced by composer Mily Balakirev, leader of The Five. Tchaikovsky, now Professor of Music Theory at the Moscow Conservatory, had already promised his Dances of the Hay Maidens (which he later included in his opera The Voyevoda, as Characteristic Dances) to the society. In submitting the manuscript (and perhaps mindful of Cui's review of the graduation cantata), Tchaikovsky included a note to Balakirev that ended with a request for a word of encouragement should the Dances not be performed. Possibly sensing a new disciple in Tchaikovsky, Balakirev wrote "with complete frankness" in his reply that he felt that Tchaikovsky was "a fully fledged artist". These letters set the tone for Tchaikovsky's relationship with Balakirev over the next two years. In 1869, the two entered into a working relationship, the result being Tchaikovsky's first recognised masterpiece, the fantasy-overture Romeo and Juliet, a work which The Five wholeheartedly embraced.

Though, personally, Tchaikovsky remained on friendly terms with most of The Five, professionally, he was usually ambivalent about their music. Despite the collaboration with Balakirev on the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture, Tchaikovsky made considerable efforts to ensure his musical independence from the group as well as from the conservative faction at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

Watch the Ballet Company of The Mariinsky Theatre, dance the Chocolate or Spanish Dance from The Nutcracker. The Mariinsky Theatre is where the Nutcracker was first premiered. I had the pleasure of attending a concert there when I visited St. Petersburg, Russia.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part IV

2010-11-12T09:45:00.000-06:00

Imperial School of Jurisprudence

Continuing our discussion of Tchaikovsky, today we explore his days as a music student, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/:

"On June 10, 1859, at the age of 19, Tchaikovsky graduated from the School of Jurisprudence with the rank of titular counsellor, a low rung on the civil service ladder. On June 15, he was appointed to the Ministry of Justice. Six months later he became a junior assistant and two months after that, a senior assistant, where he remained for the rest of his three-year civil service career.

"In 1861, Tchaikovsky attended classes in music theory organized by the Russian Musical Society (RMS) and taught by Nikolai Zaremba. A year later he followed Zaremba to the new Saint Petersburg Conservatory. Tchaikovsky decided not to give up his Ministry post "until I am quite certain that I am destined to be a musician rather than a civil servant." From 1862 to 1865 he studied harmony and counterpoint with Zaremba, while Anton Rubinstein, director and founder of the Conservatory, taught him instrumentation and composition. In 1863, Tchaikovsky abandoned his civil service career and began studying music full-time, graduating from the Conservatory in December 1865. Though Rubinstein was impressed by Tchaikovsky's musical talent, he and Zaremba later clashed with the young composer over his First Symphony, written after his graduation, when he submitted it to them for their perusal. The symphony was given its first complete performance in Moscow in February 1868, where it was well received."

When I conducted concerts in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2003, I visited the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where I took a conducting lesson and toured the facility. I was impressed that, of all the famous graduates of the school, Tchaikovsky was the one person whose name was inscribed in the school's grand staircase.

Listen to a tableau from Act I of The Nutcracker.

A Heavenly Review

2010-11-11T11:00:00.000-06:00

Read this review of last weekend's Orchestra Kentucky concert, Rock 'n Roll Heaven.

Thank you, Sheena Johnson Smith. I'm glad you liked it.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part III

2010-11-11T10:49:00.000-06:00

Tchaikovsky as a teenager

Today, we continue our discussion of Tchaikovsky with his mother's death and early school years. Not an easy time for young Peter.

"On June 25, 1854 Tchaikovsky suffered the shock of his mother's death from cholera. Tchaikovsky authority David Brown calls it 'the crucial event of [Tchaikovsky's] years at the School of Jurisprudence',and noted that 'it was certainly shattering.' Tchaikovsky bemoaned the loss of his mother for the rest of his life, and admitted that it had 'a huge influence on the way things turned out for me.' He was so affected that he was unable to inform Fanny Dürbach [his French governess] until two years after the fact. At the age of 40, approximately 26 years after his mother's death, Tchaikovsky wrote to his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck, 'Every moment of that appalling day is as vivid to me as though it were yesterday.' However, within a month of his mother's death he was making his first serious efforts at composition, a waltz in her memory. Tchaikovsky's father, who also became sick with cholera at this time but made a full recovery, immediately sent the boy back to school in hope that the classwork would occupy his mind. To make up for his sense of isolation and to compensate for the loss in his family, Tchaikovsky formed important friendships with fellow students, such as those with Aleksey Apukhtin and Vladimir Gerard, which lasted the rest of his life. He may have also been exposed to the allegedly widespread homosexual practices at the school. Whether these were formative experiences or practices toward which the composer would have gravitated normally, biographers agree that he may have discovered his sexual orientation at this time.

"Music was not considered a high priority at the School of Jurisprudence, but Tchaikovsky maintained a connection to music extracurricularly, by regularly attending the theater and the opera with other students. At this time, he was fond of works by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi and Mozart. He was known to sit at the school's harmonium [a type of reed organ] after choir practice and improvise on whatever themes had just been sung. 'We were amused,' Vladimir Gerard later remembered, 'but not imbued with any expectations of his future glory.' Piano manufacturer Franz Becker made occasional visits to the school as a token music teacher. This was the only formal music instruction Tchaikovsky received there. In 1855, Ilya Tchaikovsky funded private lessons with Rudolph Kündinger, a well-known piano teacher from Nuremberg. Ilya also questioned Kündinger about a musical career for his son. Kündinger replied that while he was impressed with Tchaikovsky's ability to improvise at the keyboard, nothing suggested a potential composer or even a fine performer. Tchaikovsky was told to finish his course and then try for a post in the Ministry of Justice."

Watch a performance of the March from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part II

2010-11-10T10:51:00.000-06:00

Tchaikovsky family-
Peter is on the left

Today's blog features an article on Tchaikovsky's childhood, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/. Don't forget to get your tickets to Orchestra Kentucky's Tchaikovsy's Nutcracker, Monday, November 29, 2010. Tickets are going fast.

"Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, a small town in present-day Udmurtia, formerly province of Vyatka in the Russian Empire, to a family with a long line of military service. His father, Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky, was an engineer of Ukrainian descent who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Department of Mines and manager of the famed Kamsko-Votkinsk Ironworks. His grandfather, Petro Fedorovich Chaika, emigrated from Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The composer's mother, Alexandra Andreyevna née d'Assier, 18 years her husband's junior, was of French ancestry on her father's side, and was the second of Ilya's three wives. Tchaikovsky had four brothers (Nikolai, Ippolit, and twins Anatoly and Modest), and a sister, Alexandra. He also had a half-sister Zinaida from his father's first marriage. Tchaikovsky was particularly close to Alexandra and the twins. Anatoly later established a prominent legal career, while Modest became a dramatist, librettist, and translator. Alexandra married Lev Davydov and had seven children, one of whom, "Bob", "[became] a central figure in the composer's final years". The Davydovs provided the only real family life Tchaikovsky knew as an adult, and their estate in Kamianka (now part of Ukraine) became a welcome refuge for him during his years of wandering.

"In 1843, due to the growth in family responsibilities, Tchaikovsky's parents hired a French governess, Fanny Dürbach, a 22-year-old experienced teacher who, Modest later wrote, "knew both French and German equally well, and whose morals were strictly Protestant". While Dürbach had been hired to look after Tchaikovsky's elder brother Nikolai and a Tchaikovsky niece, it was not long before Tchaikovsky became curious about the young woman and, as biographer Anthony Holden wrote, "wormed his way into Fanny Dürbach's affections, and thus into her classes". Dürbach's love and affection for her charge is said to have provided a counter to Tchaikovsky's mother, who is described by Holden as a cold, unhappy, distant parent not given to displays of physical affection. However, Tchaikovsky scholar Alexander Poznansky wrote that the mother doted on her son.

"Tchaikovsky began piano lessons at the age of five. A precocious pupil, he could read music as adeptly as his teacher within three years. His parents were initially supportive of his musical talents, hiring a tutor, buying an orchestrion (a form of barrel organ that could imitate elaborate orchestral effects), and encouraging his study of the piano. However, his parents' passion for his musical talent soon cooled, and, in 1850, the family decided to send Tchaikovsky to the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in Saint Petersburg. The school mainly served the lesser nobility, and would prepare him for a career as a civil servant. As the minimum age for acceptance was 12, Tchaikovsky was required to spend two years boarding at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence's preparatory school, 800 miles (1,300 km) from his family. Once those two years had passed, Tchaikovsky transferred to the Imperial School of Jurisprudence to begin a seven-year course of studies."

Watch a performance of the Overture Miniature to Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker ballet.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker-Part I

2010-11-09T11:54:00.000-06:00

Tchaikovsky

Today's blog begins a discussion regarding Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. I thought we would begin with a general overview of Tchaikovsky, courtesy of http://www.wikipedia.com/.

Pyotr (or Peter) Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840 [O.S. April 25-Russia used the Old Style calendar or Julian calendar during Tchaikovsky's life] and died on November 6, 1893 [O.S. October 25]). He was a Russian composer of the Romantic era, which is generally dated as the years 1800 to 1900. His composed six symphonies, ten operas, three ballets, instrumental and chamber music and 106 songs. He wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the classical repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, the Overture 1812, his First Piano Concerto, his last three numbered symphonies, and the opera Eugene Onegin.

Born into a middle-class family, Tchaikovsky was educated for a career as a civil servant, despite his obvious musical precocity. He pursued a musical career against the wishes of his family, entering the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 1862 and graduating in 1865. This formal, Western-oriented training set him apart from the contemporary nationalistic movement embodied by the influential group of young Russian composers known as The Five, with whom Tchaikovsky's professional relationship was mixed.

Although he enjoyed many popular successes, Tchaikovsky was never emotionally secure, and his life was punctuated by personal crises and periods of depression. Contributory factors were his suppressed homosexuality and fear of exposure, his disastrous marriage, and the sudden collapse of the one enduring relationship of his adult life, his 13-year association with the wealthy widow Nadezhda von Meck. Amid private turmoil Tchaikovsky's public reputation grew; he was honored by the Tsar, awarded a lifetime pension and lauded in the concert halls of the world. His sudden death at the age of 53 is generally ascribed to cholera, but some attribute it to suicide.

Although perennially popular with concert audiences across the world, Tchaikovsky's music was often dismissed by critics in the early and mid-20th century as being vulgar and lacking in elevated thought. By the end of the 20th century, however, Tchaikovsky's status as a significant composer was generally regarded as secure.

Watch this tribute to Tchaikovsky, complete with photos and biographical highlights and accompanied by the Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker

2010-11-08T12:06:00.000-06:00

Next up for Orchestra Kentucky is Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. The Louisville Ballet will join the orchestra in selections from the famous ballet. The rest of the concert will be traditional Christmas music. The concert will be presented on Monday, November 29th at 7:30 p.m. at Van Meter Hall.

Over the next week or so, I will discuss Tchaikovsky and his masterpiece, bit by bit. Tomorrow, I will begin a discussion about Tchaikovsky's life. In the meantime, and to get you in the mood, watch a photo montage from the Louisville Ballet's 2008 production.

Only the Good Die Young-Finale

2010-11-05T10:15:00.000-06:00

Righteous Brothers

Since tonight is the first of two nights for Orchestra Kentucky's Rock 'n Roll Heaven concert, I thought I would end my series of blogs with the song that created the idea that there might be a heaven for rock 'n rollers. Of course, the song is Rock 'n Roll Heaven, which was recorded by the Righteous Brothers.

The song was written by Alan O'Day (born October 3, 1940). He is best known for writing and singing Undercover Angel, a song which was number one in 1977. He also wrote the 1974 Helen Reddy number one hit Angie Baby. Rock 'n Roll Heaven, also released in 1974, peaked at number three on the charts. In the 1980s he moved from pop music to television, co-writing over 100 songs for the Saturday morning Muppet Babies series, and in the 1990s he wrote and performed music on the National Geographic series Really Wild Animals.

There are two sets of lyrics to the song. Here are the original lyrics. At the risk of stating the obvious, I've made comments about who the song refers to in parenthesis by the lyrics:

If you believe in forever
Then life is just a one-night stand
If there's a rock and roll heaven
Well you know they've got a hell of a band, band, band

Jimmi gave us rainbows (refers to Jimi Hendrix's Rainbow Bridge)
And Janis took a piece of our hearts (refers to Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart)
And Otis brought us all to the dock of a bay (Otis Redding's (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay)
Sing a song to light my fire (The Doors' Light My Fire)
Remember Jim that way (Jim Morrison of The Doors)
They've all found another place
Another place to play

(Chorus)

Remember bad bad Leroy Brown (Bad, Bad Leroy Brown by Jim Croce)
Hey Jimmy touched us with that song (Jim Croce)
Time won't change a friend we came to know
And Bobby gave us Mack the Knife (Bobby Darin's Mack the Knife)
Well look out, he's back in town (the final line from the song, Mack the Knife)
They'll all be there together
When they meet in one big show

(Chorus)

There's a spotlight waiting
No matter who you are
'Cause everybody's got a song to sing
Everyone's a star
(Everybody's got to be a star)

(Chorus)

****************************************************
All of the above-named stars are represented in the show, except for Jimi Hendrix. I thought about opening the concert with his rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, but then common sense stepped in!

Watch a video tribute to the artists featured in the Righteous Brothers' hit.

Now watch this video tribute, which features a new recording of the song, new lyrics, and a montage of the artists featured therein.

See you this weekend!

Only the Good Die Young-Part XII

2010-11-04T10:08:00.000-06:00

Michael Jackson

The most recent inductee to Rock 'n Roll Heaven is Michael Jackson. Orchestra Kentucky will pay tribute to the "King of Pop" with three songs at its Rock 'n Roll Heaven concert this weekend.

When I think of Michael Jackson, I see two people: the innocent little boy who sang like a pro, and Michael Jackson, the dysfunctional man who turned into a sort of circus freak. Very sad.

In the interest of full disclosure, and if it's not already obvious, I am a fan of the young Michael Jackson. When I was in elementary school, I collected 45 rpm recordings of The Jackson 5. I'll Be There is one I particularly remember. Today, it is a Motown classic. Jackson lost me with the white glove, moon walk, and his "hiccup" style of singing. I also found his music of that time to be repetitive and tuneless, with too much emphasis on rhythm. Despite my dislike for his music of the '80s, I continued to remember his early years with fondness and respect. So, it is with that in mind that I give you, the reader, some background on Michael Jackson, courtesy of www.wikipedia.com.

"Michael Joseph Jackson was born [in Gary, Indiana on] August 29, 1958...The eighth child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s, and began his solo career in 1971.

"In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller, were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as Black or White and Scream made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop, contemporary R&B and rock artists.

"Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of music. He was also a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for beneficial causes and supporting more than 39 charities.

"Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series This Is It, Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death."

Jackson was 50 years old at the time of his death.

Watch Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5's first appearance on American Bandstand.

Only the Good Die Young-Part XI

2010-11-03T12:17:00.002-06:00

Karen Carpenter

Today we discuss one of my favorite female singers, Karen Carpenter. (In case you're interested, my other favorites are Ella Fitzgerald and opera singer Jessye Norman.) As has been the case with all of the musicians featured in this series, Karen Carpenter's story is a sad one.

Karen Anne Carpenter was born in New Haven, Connecticut on March 2, 1950. Her brother, Richard, became a piano prodigy at an early age. In fact, their parents saw Richard as the talented one, even after Karen had become a star.

In June 1963, the Carpenters moved to Downey, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. When Karen enter high school, she joined the band and ended up playing drums.

A bit pudgy as a child, Karen started her first diet around the age of 17. Under a doctor's guidance Karen, who stood 5'5" and weighed 145 pounds, went on the Stillman Diet. She drank 8 glasses of water a day and counted fat grams. This started her life-long battle with anorexia nervosa. By September 1975, Karen's weight dropped to 91 pounds.

Richard formed a jazz trio in 1965 with college friend Wes Jacobs (a bass and tuba player). Karen joined The Richard Carpenter Trio on drums. Karen, Richard, and other musicians also performed as Spectrum, a group which featured a harmonious, vocal sound. They recorded many demo tapes in the garage studio of friend and bassist Joe Osborn, but with no studio success.
Finally, in April 1969, A&M Records signed the Carpenters to a recording contract. Their first singe, which reached #54 on the charts, was a cover of The Beatles' Ticket to Ride.Their next album, 1970's Close to You, featured two mega-hit singles, (They Long to Be) Close to You and We've Only Just Begun. They peaked at #1 and #2, respectively, on the Hot 100.

Karen Carpenter started out as both the group's drummer and lead singer, and she originally sang all her vocals from behind the drum set. Eventually, she was persuaded to stand at out front at a microphone while another musician played the drums, although she still did some drumming. By 1973, Karen's drumming lessened. Nevertheless, Karen always considered herself a drummer who sang-not a singer who drummed.

The Carpenters frequently cancelled tour dates, and they stopped touring altogether after their September 4, 1978 concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In 1981, after the release of the Made in America album (which turned out to be their last) the Carpenters returned to the stage and did some tour dates, including their final live performance in Brazil.

In 1979, Richard Carpenter took a year off to cure a dependency on quaaludes. Karen decided to make a solo album with producer Phil Ramone, something that she had always wanted to do. Her solo work was markedly different from usual Carpenters fare, consisting of adult-orientated and disco/dance-tempo material with more sexual lyrics and the use of Karen's higher vocal register. The project met a tepid response from Richard and A&M executives in early 1980. The album was shelved by A&M CEO Herb Alpert, in spite of Quincy Jones' attempts to talk Alpert into releasing the record after some tracks had been remixed. A&M made the Carpenters pay $400,000 to cover the cost of recording Karen's unreleased solo album, which was to be charged against the duo's future royalties.

Carpenters fans got a taste of the album in 1989 when some of its tracks (as remixed by Richard) were mixed onto the album Lovelines, the final album of Carpenters' new unreleased material. Seven years later, in 1996, the entire album, featuring mixes approved by Karen before her death and one unmixed bonus track, was finally released.

Karen unsuccessfully dated several men, finally marrying a real estate developer Tom Burris on August 31, 1980. The marriage was not a happy one, and the couple filed for divorce in November 1981.

The song Now, recorded in April 1982, was the last song Karen Carpenter recorded. She recorded it after a two-week intermission in her therapy with psychotherapist Steven Levenkron in New York City for her anorexia. The sight of Karen upon her return to California in April shook Richard and his parents, since she had lost a considerable amount of weight since beginning her therapy with Levenkron.

Her final demise is outlined in a http://www.wikipedia.com/ article:

"In September 1982, Karen's treatment—which had never convinced her family as being an effective method—took a sinister turn of events when Karen called her psychotherapist to tell him she felt dizzy and that her heart was beating irregularly. Karen was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and hooked up to an intravenous drip, which would be the cause of her much debated 30 pound weight gain in eight weeks. Richard recalled visiting her in the hospital, saying "Karen, this is crap. Don't you understand? This is crap! You're going about this all the wrong way, this guy isn't getting anything accomplished, because you're in a hospital now!"

"Karen returned to California in November 1982, determined to reinvigorate her career, finalize her divorce and begin a new album with Richard. She had gained 30 pounds over a two-month stay in New York, and the sudden weight gain (much of which was the result of intravenous feeding) further strained her heart, which was already weak from years of crash dieting. During her illness, Karen also took thyroid replacement medication (in order to speed up her metabolism) and laxatives.

"On December 17, 1982, Karen made her final public appearance in the "multi-purpose" room of the Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California singing for her godchildren and their classmates who attended the school. She sang Christmas carols for friends.

"Shortly after the new year, Richard tried to get through to Karen that she was still sick, saying many years later 'Karen had marvellous, big brown eyes. And there was just no life in them.' Speaking of a meeting with his sister and Werner Wolfen, the Carpenters' financial advisor, two weeks prior to her death, Richard said:

Karen was hot as hell at me for even questioning how she looked. And I told her 'the only reason I'm bringing all of this up, and talking to people...is because I'm concerned and because I love you.' And am I glad I said that because within weeks, that was that. She was dead.

"On February 4, 1983, less than a month before her thirty-third birthday, Karen suffered heart failure at her parents' home in Downey, California. She was taken to Downey Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead twenty minutes later. The LA coroner gave the cause of death as "heartbeat irregularities brought on by chemical imbalances associated with anorexia nervosa." Her divorce was scheduled to have been finalized that day."

Watch Karen sing Rainy Days and Mondays.

Only the Good Die Young-Part X

2010-11-02T09:42:00.001-06:00

Pete Ham of Badfinger

The story of Pete Ham, lead singer and songwriter for the group Badfinger, is one of the most tragic in rock 'n roll history. Orchestra Kentucky will perform one of the group's biggest hits this weekend at Rock 'n Roll Heaven.

Again, thanks to http://www.wikipedia.com/, this is Ham's story:

Peter William Ham was born on April 27, 1947 in Swansea, Wales. In 1961, Ham formed a local rock group called The Panthers. After several name and member changes, the group became The Iveys in 1965. Ray Davies of The Kinks took an initial interest in the group and, in 1968, Mal Evans (The Beatles' personal assistant) introduced the group to the Fab Four, who unanimously approved their signing to Apple Records. Apparently, The Beatles were impressed by the band's songwriting abilities.

Upon the single release of Paul McCartney's Come And Get It, the group changed its name to Badfinger. Initially protesting against using a non-original song, Ham was convinced of the wisdom of having a likely hit single to propel the band's career. Indeed, the song became a worldwide Top Ten hit. In late 1970, Ham's song, No Matter What, became another Top Ten worldwide hit, which he followed with two more worldwide hits: Day After Day and Baby Blue. Ham's greatest songwriting success came with Without You, which he co-wrote. When Harry Nilsson covered the song in 1972, it became a worldwide #1 hit. The song was nominated for a Grammy and won an Ivor Novello award for Song of the Year in 1973. Badfinger was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 1972, when Apple Records began to fail.

From 1973 to 1975, during their time with Warner Bros. Records, Badfinger suffered financial and managerial problems. By 1975, Ham literally had no money in his bank account. With no explanation from the band's business manager Stan Polley, and a girlfriend who was eight months pregnant, Ham became despondent and hanged himself in the garage of his Surrey home. His blood alcohol was .27%. Ham's suicide note read: "I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better." The note had a post script about the band's business manager: "P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me." Some of Polley's other clients also accused him of corruption. Ham was 27 years old.

Watch Pete Ham and Badfinger sing No Matter What.

Only the Good Die Young-Part IX

2010-11-01T10:52:00.000-06:00

Janis Joplin

Just say "no" to drugs. If Janis Joplin had, we would still be enjoying her music to this day. Although Joplin is not available, Orchestra Kentucky will present the next best thing: Bev Lovelace will perform two of Joplin's hits at this weekend's Rock 'n Roll Heaven concert. You'll have to attend to find out which tunes will be featured.

The following account of her life comes from http://www.wikipedia.com/:

Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on January 19, 1943. Her mother was registrar at a business college and her father was an engineer for Texaco. Joplin's parents felt that Janis always needed more attention than her two siblings: According to her mother, "She was unhappy and unsatisfied without [receiving a lot of attention]. The normal rapport wasn't adequate."

As a teenager, Joplin was friends with a group of students who were considered outcasts. One of them had albums by African-American blues artists Bessie Smith and Leadbelly, whom Joplin later credited with influencing her decision to become a singer. She began singing in the local choir and expanded her listening to blues singers such as Odetta and Big Mama Thornton.

Primarily a painter while still in school, she first began singing blues and folk music with friends. She stated that she was mostly shunned in high school. Joplin was quoted as saying, "I was a misfit. I read, I painted, I didn't hate niggers." As a teen, she became overweight and her skin broke out so badly she was left with deep scars which required dermabrasion. Other kids at high school would routinely taunt her and call her names like "pig," "freak" or "creep."

Joplin graduated from high school in 1960 and attended Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont, Texas, during the summer and later the University of Texas at Austin, though she did not complete her studies.

Cultivating a rebellious manner, Joplin styled herself in part after her female blues heroines and, in part, after the Beat poets. She left Texas for San Francisco in 1963, living in North Beach and later Haight-Ashbury. In 1964, Joplin and future Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen recorded a number of blues standards, further accompanied by Margareta Kaukonen on typewriter (as percussion instrument).

Around this time her drug use increased, and she acquired a reputation as a "speed freak" and occasional heroin user. She also used other psychoactive drugs and was a heavy drinker throughout her career; her favorite beverage was Southern Comfort.

In the spring of 1965, Joplin's friends, noticing the physical effects of her amphetamine habit, persuaded her to return to Port Arthur, Texas. Back in Port Arthur, she changed her lifestyle. She avoided drugs and alcohol, began wearing relatively modest dresses, adopted a beehive hairdo, and enrolled as a sociology major at Lamar University in nearby Beaumont, Texas.

In 1966, Joplin's bluesy vocal style attracted the attention of the psychedelic rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She was recruited to join the group by Chet Helms, who brought her back to San Francisco. Due to persistent persuading by keyboardist and close friend Stephen Ryder, Joplin avoided drug use for several weeks, enjoining bandmate Dave Getz to promise that using needles would not be allowed in their rehearsal space or in the communal apartment where they lived. When the group moved with the Grateful Dead to a house in Lagunitas, Californina, Joplin relapsed into hard drugs.

Her band's debut album was released by Columbia Records in August 1967, shortly after the group's breakthrough appearance in June at the Monterey Pop Festival. In November 1967, the group parted ways with Chet Helms and signed with top artist manager Albert Grossman. Up to this point, Big Brother had performed mainly in California, but had gained national prominence with their Monterey performance.

During the spring of 1968, Joplin and Big Brother made their nationwide television debut on The Dick Cavett Show. Time magazine called Joplin "probably the most powerful singer to emerge from the white rock movement," and Richard Goldstein, in Vogue magazine, wrote that Joplin was "the most staggering leading woman in rock... she slinks like tar, scowls like war... clutching the knees of a final stanza, begging it not to leave... Janis Joplin can sing the chic off any listener."

The group' second album, Cheap Thrills, gave the band a breakthrough hit single, Piece of My Heart, which reached the number one spot on the Billboard charts eight weeks after its release, remaining for eight (nonconsecutive) weeks. The album was certified gold at release and sold over a million copies in the first month of its release.

On August 31 and September 1, Joplin announced that she would be leaving Big Brother. The group continued touring through the fall and Joplin gave her last official performance with Big Brother on December 1, 1968.

Joplin formed a new backup group, the Kozmic Blues Band. The band was influenced by the Stax-Volt Rhythm and Blues bands of the 1960s, as exemplified by Otis Redding and the Bar-Kays, who were major musical influences on Joplin. The Stax-Volt R&B sound was typified by the use of horns and had a more bluesy, funky, soul, pop-oriented sound than most of the hard-rock psychedelic bands of the period.

By early 1969, Joplin was addicted to heroin, allegedly shooting at least $200 worth of heroin per day.

The Kozmic Blues album, released in September 1969, was certified gold later that year but did not match the success of Cheap Thrills. Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band toured North America and Europe throughout 1969, appearing at Woodstock in August. By most accounts, Woodstock was not a happy affair for Joplin. Faced with a ten hour wait after arriving at the festival, she shot heroin and was drinking alcohol, so by the time she hit the stage, she was "three sheets to the wind." At the end of the year, the group broke up.

After a short time off drugs, Joplin began using heroin again. Around this time she formed her new band, the Full Tilt Boogie Band, composed mostly of young Canadian musicians and featured an organ, but no horn section.

Among Joplin's last public appearances were two broadcasts of The Dick Cavett Show. Her last public performance, with the Full Tilt Boogie Band, took place on August 12, 1970 at the Harvard Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts.

During September 1970, Joplin and her band began recording a new album in Los Angeles. Although Joplin died before all the tracks were fully completed, there was still enough usable material to compile an LP. Mercedes Benz was included despite it being a first take, and the track Buried Alive In The Blues, to which Joplin had been scheduled to add her vocals on the day she was found dead, was kept as an instrumental. The result was the posthumously released Pearl (1971). It became the biggest selling album of her career and featured her biggest hit single, a cover of Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGee. Kristofferson had been Joplin's lover not long before her death. In 2003, Pearl was ranked #122 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

The last recordings Joplin completed were Mercedes Benz and a birthday greeting for John Lennon (Happy Trails, composed by Dale Evans) on October 1, 1970. Lennon, whose birthday was October 9, later told Dick Cavett that her taped greeting arrived at his home after her death. On Saturday, October 3, Joplin visited the Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles to listen to the instrumental track for Nick Gravenites' song Buried Alive in the Blues prior to recording the vocal track, scheduled for the next day. When she failed to show up at the studio by Sunday afternoon, producer Paul A. Rothchild became concerned. Full Tilt Boogie's road manager, John Cooke, drove to the Landmark Motor Hotel (since renamed the Highland Gardens Hotel) where Joplin had been a guest since August 24. He saw Joplin's psychedelically painted Porsche still in the parking lot. Upon entering her room, he found her dead on the floor. The official cause of death was an overdose of heroin, possibly combined with the effects of alcohol. Cooke believes that Joplin had accidentally been given heroin which was much more potent than normal, as several of her dealer's other customers also overdosed that week.

Joplin was cremated and her ashes were scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach. The only funeral service was a private affair, attended by Joplin's parents and maternal aunt. Joplin's will funded $2,500 to throw a wake party in the event of her demise. Brownies laced with hashish were unknowingly passed around while party members contained their emotions of grief.

Watch Joplin's live performance of Piece of My Heart.

Only the Good Die Young-Part VIII

2010-10-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

Sam Cooke

On this eve of the eve of All Hallow's Eve, we turn to a story that is stranger than fiction. That is, the circumstances surrounding the death of singer Sam Cooke. But before we get into the details, first a commercial: Don't forget to get your tickets for Orchestra Kentucky's Rock 'n Roll Heaven, next Friday and Saturday, November 5th and 6th, 8:00 p.m. at Van Meter Hall in Bowling Green. For tickets, call (270) 846-2426 or go online.

Samuel Cook was born on January 22, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, one of eight children of a Baptist minister. Starting in gospel music, Cooke (who later added the "e"), became known as the King of Soul. His music led to the rise of Aretha Franklin, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and James Brown.

Cooke had 29 top-40 hits in the U.S. between 1957 and 1964, including You Send Me, Chain Gang, Wonderful World, Another Saturday Night and Cupid. Cooke was among the first black performers to found both a record label and a publishing company as an extension of his career as a singer-composer. He also took an active part in the American Civil Rights Movement.

On December 11, 1964, Cooke was shot dead by the manager of the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles, California at the age of 33. At the time, the courts ruled that Cooke was drunk and distressed, and the manager killed Cooke in what was later ruled a justifiable homicide. Since that time, the circumstances of his death have been widely questioned.

Bertha Franklin, manager of the motel, told police that she shot and killed Cooke in self-defense because he had threatened her. Police found Cooke's body in Franklin's apartment-office, clad only in a sports jacket and shoes, but no shirt, pants or underwear. The shooting was ultimately ruled a justifiable homicide. However, the circumstances surrounding his death are still in dispute.

Cooke had checked into the Hacienda Motel early in the evening of December 11. Franklin said that Cooke broke into her office in a rage, wearing only a shoe and sports coat. He demanded to know the whereabouts of a woman who had accompanied him to the motel. When Franklin said that she didn't know, Cooke grabbed her and again demanded to know her whereabouts. Franklin and Cooke struggled and fell to the floor. Franklin got up to get her gun, which she then fired at Cooke. Franklin claimed that it was in self defense because she feared for her life. She shot Cooke once in the torso. Cooke apparently said, "Lady, you shot me," then charged at her one last time. Franklin beat him over the head with a broomstick before he fell dead of the gunshot wound.

Apparently, Franklin and the motel owner were on the telephone when Cooke entered the office. The owner overheard the conflict and gunshot and called the police.

A coroner's inquest determined that the woman who accompanied Cooke to the motel, Elisa Boyer, had also called the police shortly before the motel owner. She called from a telephone booth near the motel and claimed that she had just escaped being kidnapped and raped. She claimed she had met Cooke at a nightclub and asked him to take her home. Instead, he took her against her will to the motel, where he tried to rape her. When Cooke went to the bathroom, she grabbed up her clothes and, accidentally, his clothes and fled. Some believe she willingly went to the motel, as she was later arrested for prostitution. It is possible that she took Cooke's clothing to rob him.

The inquest determined that Cooke was drunk at the time, which would explain his behavior. Because Franklin and Boyer had passed lie detector tests, the jury accepted Franklin's version of the incident and declared the shooting justifiable homicide.

Others believe that Cooke's death was part of a murder conspiracy. For example, in her autobiography, singer Etta James claimed that Cooke's head was so badly beaten that it was nearly separated from his shoulders, that his hands were crushed, and his nose mangled. This was all based on her viewing of his body at the funeral home.

Whatever the cause of death, it was certainly tragic, robbing the world of one of the greatest soul singers of all time.

Watch Cooke sing You Send Me on an early TV show with Dick Clark, probably American Bandstand.

Only the Good Die Young-Part VII

2010-10-28T10:23:00.005-06:00

Bill Haley

How would you like to have an asteroid named in your honor? Not a star, like the ones you can buy for your loved ones, but a real asteroid? That's exactly how the International Astronomical Union marked the 25th anniversary of Bill Hailey's death.

William John Clifton Haley was not always such a notable person. He was born on July 6, 1925 in Highland Park, Michigan. During the depression, his father moved the family from the severely depressed Detroit area, to Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.

Bill grew up in a musical family. His father played the banjo and his mother was a classically-trained pianist. The notes accompanying the 1956 album Rock Around the Clock, described the beginnings of his career: "Bill got his first professional job at the age of 13, playing and entertaining at an auction for the fee of $1 a night. Very soon after this he formed a group of equally enthusiastic youngsters and managed to get quite a few local bookings for his band. When Bill Haley was fifteen [c.1940] he left home with his guitar and very little else and set out on the hard road to fame and fortune. The next few years, continuing this story in a fairy-tale manner, were hard and poverty stricken, but cramful of useful experience. Apart from learning how to exist on one meal a day and other artistic exercises, he worked at an open-air park show, sang and yodelled with any band that would have him and worked with a traveling medicine show. Eventually he got a job with a popular group known as the Down Homers while they were in Hartford, Connecticut. Soon after this he decided, as all successful people must decide at some time or another, to be his own boss again - and he has been that ever since. For six years Bill Haley was a musical director of Radio Station WPWA in Chester, Pennsylvania, and led his own band all through this period. It was then known as Bill Haley's Saddlemen, indicating their definite leaning toward the tough Western style. They continued playing in clubs as well as over the radio around Philadelphia, and in 1951 made their first recordings."

In 1952, The Saddlemen were renamed Bill Haley with Haley's Comets. Of course, the name was inspired by Halley's Comet, which is commonly mispronounced. In 1953, their recording of Crazy Man Crazy became the first rock 'n roll song to hit the charts. Soon after, the band became Bill Haley & His Comets.

In 1953, the song Rock Around the Clock was written for Haley. He finally recorded it on April 12, 1954. It stayed on the charts only one week. However, Haley had a major hit with Shake, Rattle and Roll, which eventually sold a million copies.

Haley was an important force in white audiences accepting rock 'n roll, which was considered an underground genre. As fate would have it, Rock Around the Clock was used as the opening music for Glenn Ford's 1955 film, Blackboard Jungle. It hit the top of the charts and stayed there for eight weeks, beginning the rock 'n roll era. The song earned Haley the title, "Father of Rock and Roll".
Haley went on to have hits through the '50s, including See You Later, Alligator. His fame soon faded in America, when Elvis hit the charts. However, his fame continued in Latin America, Mexico and Europe throughout the '60s.

Haley struggled with alcoholism into the '70s. In the fall of 1980, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. When the tumor worsened, he retired from show business and died at his home in Harlingen, Texas on February 9, 1981. He was 55 years old.

Watch Bill Haley perform Rock Around the Clock in 1956.

Only the Good Die Young-Part VI

2010-10-27T10:42:00.000-06:00

Mama Cass

It's not true. The bit about Mama Cass choking on a ham sandwich and dying is an urban legend. A partially eaten sandwich was found by her body, but no food was found in her windpipe. She simply died of a heart attack, most likely because of her obesity.

Cass Elliot was born on September 19, 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland. Given the birth name Ellen Naomi Cohen, she adopted the name "Cass" in high school, presumably borrowing it from the actress, Peggy Cass. "Elliot" came later, as a tribute to a friend who had died. She dropped out of high school and moved to New York City, where she appeared in The Music Man. Her singing career began when she attended American University in Washington, DC. Folk music was on the rise in the early '60s, influencing Cass to join with others to form various bands throughout the decade.

The name "Mamas and the Papas" came about when John and Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and Cass were watching television, discussing possible group names. The Hells Angels were on a talk show, saying "Now hold on there, Hoss. Some people call our women cheap, but we just call them our Mamas." Apparently, Cass jumped up and said, "I want to be a Mama." The name was born.

Cass's distinctive voice was a big factor in the group's success. Hits like California Dreamin', Monday, Monday, and Dream a Little Dream of Me featured her memorable vocals. The later song was turned into a ballad in 1968. The song was actually written in 1931 as a dance tune. It's ironic that Ozzie Nelson, the father of yesterday's blog subject, was the first to record it.
The Mamas and Papa's last album was released in 1971.

After their breakup, Cass had a successful solo career. Her biggest solo hit was the aforementioned Dream a Little Dream of Me. Although recorded by the Mamas and the Papas, it was also released as part of Cass's first solo album.

In addition to her singing career, Cass often appeared on TV talk shows and variety shows in the '70s, including The Julie Andrews Hour, The Mike Douglas Show, The Andy Williams Show, Hollywood Squares, The Carol Burnett Show and The Tonight Show, which she guest hosted.

Cass's personal story is a sad one. She was married twice. The first time was to help a band mate avoid the Vietnam War. The second marriage ended in divorce after a few months. She had one daughter by a man whose name has never been disclosed.

In 1974, Cass was performing two weeks of sold-out concerts at the London Palladium. On July 28th, after speaking with band mate Michelle Phillips, Cass went to bed and died in her sleep at the age of 32. It is eerie to note that the London flat in which she died, on loan from singer Harry Nilsson, was also the location of Who drummer Keith Moon's death, four years later.

Watch Cass sing Dream a Little Dream of Me on the Smothers Brothers Show.

Only the Good Die Young-Part V

2010-10-26T10:44:00.000-06:00

Ricky Nelson

Eric Hilliard Nelson was born into show business on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey. Not exactly Hollywood. But that would come later.

Eric, who went by Ricky, was the second son of Big Band leader Ozzie Nelson and Big Band vocalist Harriet Hilliard Nelson. The family moved to Hollywood when Ricky's parents were hired to appear on Red Skelton's The Raleigh Cigarette Hour (those were the good ole days, when an entire series encouraged smoking).

As a child, Ricky was described as "an odd little kid", likable, shy, introspective, mysterious and inscrutable. He suffered from severe asthma, sleeping with a vaporizer each night.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet radio show premiered on Sunday, October 8, 1944. 1952 brought the film Here Come the Nelsons, which led to the television series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, which first aired on October 3, 1952. It ran until September 3, 1966, becoming one of the longest running television sitcoms in history.

Ricky attended Hollywood High School. His dad wanted Ricky to attend college, but since he was already making well over $100,000 a year, he saw no reason to attend.

Ricky's music career began with the clarinet and drums in this early teen years. He learned basic guitar chords and tried to play the guitar solos in Carl Perkins hit, Blue Suede Shoes.

To impress a friend, with his dad's help, he got a one-record deal with Verve Records, recording Fats Domino's I'm Walkin', A Teenager's Romance, and You're My One and Only Love in 1957. He made his rock 'n roll debut on the Nelson's television show, lip syncing I'm Walkin' on April 10, 1957. He also played a free lunch hour assembly at a Los Angeles high school. Two of the records hit the top ten, enabling Ricky to play four state and county fairs in Ohio and Wisconsin.

After signing a more favorable record deal with Imperial Records, Ricky scored a hit with Be-Bop Baby, which sold over one million copies. His first album hit number one at the end of 1957. His song, Poor Little Fool, hit number one and sold over two million copies.

During 1958 and 1959, Ricky had twelve hits as compared to Elvis' eleven. He used his television show to promote his records, often performing them at the end of an episode. Although Ozzie kept him off of other television shows to protect the Nelson's series, Ricky eventually appeared on Ed Sullivan's show (1967), The Streets of San Francisco (1973) and Saturday Night Live (1979).

From 1957 to 1962, Ricky had thirty Top 40 hits, more than any other artist except Elvis (who had 53) and Pat Boone (who had 38). Ricky's chart-topping career came to an end with the British Invasion.

In the mid-1960s, Ricky moved to country music, becoming a pioneer in the country-rock genre. He influenced the California sound, including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles. He did not reach the Top 40 again until 1970, with She Belongs to Me.

In 1972, Ricky reached the Top 40 for the last time with Garden Party, a song he wrote after a Madison Square Garden audience booed him when he played his new songs instead of the old hits. Some say the crowd booed because policemen tried to remove drunk fans in an upper balcony. However, he was booed when he performed Honky Tonk Woman (a Rolling Stones hit). He redeemed himself and got a standing ovation with Travelin' Man. Garden Party reached number six and was certified a gold single. After a short surge in popularity, Nelson became an attraction at theme parks, like Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland.

Nelson was a regular marijuana and cocaine user. He had a tremendous sexual appetite, estimating that he had slept with thousands of women. Drug use, a failed career, and an exorbitant life style, lead to an acrimonious divorce between Ricky and his wife. He fathered an illegitimate boy with one of several women he later dated.

Ricky hated to fly, but he refused to travel by bus. Despite his fears, he bought a 1940s plane which had belonged to Jerry Lee Lewis. The day after Christmas 1985, Ricky and his band left on the plane for a three-stop tour of the Southern United States. Following shows in Florida and Alabama, the group took off for a New Year's Eve show in Dallas. The plane crashed northeast of Dallas at 5:14 p.m. on December 31, 1985. Nelson, his fiancee Helen Blair, his band, and road manager/soundman were all killed. The pilots escaped the burning plane through the cockpit windows. The NTSB conducted a year-long investigation and concluded that the crash was probably due to mechanical problems. The pilots attempted to land the plane in a field after the cabin filled with smoke. The fire probably started when the pilots tried to use the cabin heaters, which were known to be defective on that type of plane.

Ricky Nelson was 45 years old at the time of his death.

Watch a video of Ricky performing Garden Party four months before his death.