Tag Archives: Columbia Records

Music Monday: May 22, 2023

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Today we celebrate three more milestones, the first involving one of my all time favorite shows. It is still an obsession of mine despite the fact that it concluded its six season run 13 years ago. “Lost” ended on May 23, 2010 and I have not been the same since. I watched it again a few times in the decade after it ended. But during lockdown, I became more passinate than ever about this phenomenal series. If you never watched it and failed to binge it during the pandemic, do it now.

In the broadest reference possible, and at its very core, “Lost” is like “The Island Of Misfit People” who find where they belong. And who they belong with. One of the things the series focused on was the importance of certain numbers, 23 being one of them. So if you have never been to the island, you must-MUST-afford yourself this beautiful experience and make 2023 your year to get “Lost”. You will not regret it. The first of today’s three songs was used in a S3 episode which helped turn it into one of the best scenes ever in a television series. There is no way to watch it and not be moved.

Shambala

Lost anniversary 2

Lost 2

Three memorable moments from “Lost”: Top: A montage of the glorious van ride in S3. Middle: A scene from S1’s finale, “Exodus”. Bottom: Vincent the dog joins Jack (Matthew Fox) in the jungle in the series finale. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Rosemary Clooney was born 95 years ago on May 23, 1928 in Maysville, KY. The incomprable vocalist with the velvet & satin sound enjoyed a long career as a big band singer, jazz artist, actress and author. From her less than stable childhood she became a teenage radio singer as one half of the “The Clooney Sisters”. That led to a stint performing with bandleader Tony Pastor. When her sister, Betty, left the act in 1949, Rosemary was on her own in NYC and signed to Columbia Records. There she met Mitch Miller who persuaded her to record, “Come On-A My House”. With that, Rosemary Clooney the star was born.

The song I chose by her ties in with four other women I adore. The incredibly talented Bea Arthur, who was born 101 years ago on May 13, 1922, and the rest of “The Golden Girls” who ended their seven season run 31 years ago on May 9, 1992 (days before Arthur’s 70th birthday). She performed Clooney’s pick as Dorothy Zbornak in S7 E19, “Journey to the Center of Attention”. And talk about timeless-this song was written 100 years ago by the one and only Irving Berlin. I would be remiss not to add that Rosemary’s nephew, the dashing George Clooney, appeared in a GG episode, too: S2 E24, “To Catch A Neighbor”.

Rosemary Clooney mic

Dorothy 1

Golden Girls b and w

George GG 2

Top: Rosemary Clooney at a Columbia Records recording studio circa the 1950’s. Middle 1: Bea Arthur as Dorothy in “The Golden Girls”. Middle 2: The four GG’s: Dorothy (Bea Arthur), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose (Betty White) and Sophia (Estelle Getty). Bottom (L-R): Another famous Clooney, George. appeared in a S2 episode of The GG along with Joseph Campanella, pictured with McClanahan & White. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Stephanie Lynn Nicks will celebrate birthday #75 this week. She was born May 26, 1948 in Phoenix, AZ. She started her recording career in 1973 as part of a duo with Lindsey Buckingham before he was recruited by Mick Fleetwood to join his band. But Nicks’ boyfriend at the time would not go without her, so they both joined Fleetwood Mac. In 1975 the band’s self-titled album and its first with Nicks, included one of today’s songs and what has arguably become her most beloved track, “Landslide”.

From the group’s #1 iconic Rumours record, Nicks’ song, “Dreams”, became the band’s only #1 single. She started a successful solo career in 1981 with the release of her debut record, “Bella Donna“. That led to her becoming the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame twice as a performer-first with Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and then in 2019 for her solo work. Nicks is currently on a U.S. tour with dates into 2024.

Stevie circa 1978

Top: Nicks circa 1977 (Image found online. Original source unknown). Bottom: Photo taken by me 9/4/2011 in Wantagh, NY. 

SONY DSC
                   

Three Dog Night: “Shambala” (1973, lead vocal by Cory Wells (February 5, 1941 – October 20, 2015), written by Daniel Moore. Featured in Lost S3 E10, “Tricia Tanaka Is Dead”).

Rosemary Clooney: “What’ll I Do” (2002, written by Irving Berlin).

Fleetwood Mac: “Rhiannon” (1975, written by Stevie Nicks).

Stay safe & well.

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Music Monday: May 15, 2023

Posted in Music, Music Monday by

Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Bruce quote 2023

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

On May 6, 1968 Columbia Records released “At Folsom Prison” by country legend Johnny Cash. It was the first live record of his career and both a critical and commercial success. It hit #1 on the country albums chart and #13 on the Billboard 200 Album chart as well.

The concert was held 55 years ago on January 13, 1968. The Man In Black was joined by guests June Carter (they did not marry until March 1968), Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers, The Tennessee Three-guitarist Luther Perkins, bassist Marshall Grant and drummer W.S. “Fluke” Holland-along with Columbia staff producer Bob Johnston who pulled it all together to make the album complete. It was so successful Cash followed this record with another live prison album, At San Quentin, released in 1969. That hit the #1 spot on both the country & national album charts.

Today’s song was originally released in 1967 as a duet with Carter. It became a #2 hit that year and won the duo a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Country & Western Performance, Duet. If you do not know how the story ends by now, Cash went on to become one of country music’s greatest artists. He continued collaborating with Carter, who became his wife & partner, for the next 35 years until her death on May 15, 2003. Cash died four months later on September 12, 2003.

“When I breeze into that city
People gonna stoop and bow
All them women gonna make me
Teach ’em what they don’t know how“.

Folsom vinyl 2

Ad for Folsom Album

Top: The cover for the 1968 release. Bottom: The ad for the album which appeared in Cashbox Magazine in May 1968, courtesy of Johnny Cash’s website. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

 Johnny Cash & June Carter: “Jackson” ( Recorded live at Folsom Prison on January 13, 1968. Written by Jerry Leiber (credited under Gaby Rodgers, who was his wife & his occassional pen name) and Billy Edd Wheeler.

Stay safe and well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 412

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

May blog 2021

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Back in 1910 a man named John Hammond was born in NYC. He worked at various music related jobs including critic, record producer and talent scout for Columbia Records. He was the one responsible for signing Aretha Franklin & Bob Dylan to the label in the early 1960’s. If that was all Hammond did in his life, what a contribution that was.

But then a decade later he met a guy named Bruce Springsteen & invited him to audition for the label as well. That took place on May 2, 1972. A fifteen minute meeting turned into a two hour session & the next day Springsteen recorded a fourteen song demo. Even after all that, it took five more weeks before the label signed him. But they did & Springsteen has spent his nearly five decade career with that record company which is now owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

His music has touched my heart a thousand different times in a thousand different ways. In the process, he became one of the greatest friends I have known in my life. His three to four hour live shows have been the highlight of every year I have been lucky enough to see him. And a few years ago he conquered Broadway with a stunning one-man show about the songs that shaped his career. All the roads of his career lead back to his meeting with John Hammond & that audition nearly 50 years ago today.

“All my life I fought the fight
The fight that you can’t ever win
Every day it just gets harder to live
The dream you’re believing in“.

Bruce and John

Bruce Springsteen (L) and John Hammond (R) circa 1972. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bruce Springsteen: “The Promise” (1999, written by Bruce Springsteen).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 374

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

March 2021 Blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Nearly eight decades ago, the world received a queen. Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, TN. From her humble beginnings singing gospel in her father’s church at age 10 to conquering the world as The Queen Of Soul, from the 1960’s through infinity, Franklin was an absolute wonder in a world where there were so few.

It is hard to believe that when she started singing secular music at age 18, with Columbia Records she did not achieve instant success. It was not until she moved to Atlantic Records in 1967 that her career flourished. Today’s song was a top 20 hit in 1973 and is one of my absolute favorite Aretha tracks of all time. Happy birthday to The Queen Of Soul.

“I know there must be someone somewhere for me
Oh I lived too long without the love of someone
There’s no misery ooooooh oooh like the misery
I feel in me gotta find me an angel in my life“.

Aretha

The Queen Of Soul circa 1968. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Aretha Franklin: “Angel” (1973, written by Carolyn Franklin and Sonny Sanders).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 211

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Thoreau quote 2

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Four years ago today Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the first time for an American citizen in 23 years. It put him in the same company with other great writers like Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck and William Faulkner, amongst others. Dylan received this prodigious & well deserved honor “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

His road to this esteemed prize began in 1962 when he released his self titled debut album. Comparisons to one of his major influences, Woody Guthrie, were almost immediate. Dylan also drew inspiration from the blues, country music & rock & roll while he was growing up. He started playing guitar while he was in high school in Minnesota and his band covered songs by Elvis Presley & Little Richard. As much as Dylan enjoyed rock & roll music, he wanted his own music to show life in a more honest realistic way.

In 1960 he dropped out of college and soon relocated to New York City. It was there that he began performing but also where he would meet the man he called “the true voice of the American spirit”, Guthrie himself. Dylan started playing around Greenwich Village, getting great reviews for his work and playing on records by other folk singers like Carolyn Hester. It was through that collaboration that he met producer John Hammond who signed Dylan to Columbia Records. By 1962 he released his first record & legally changed his name from Robert Allen Zimmerman to Bob Dylan.

His debut album contained only two original songs but his sophomore release, “The Free Wheelin’ Bob Dylan” contained all his own material and the first of his many masterpieces, “Blowin’ In The Wind”. The record also included “I Shall Be Released”, “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”. His third album from 1964, “The Times They Are a-Changin'” cemented Dylan’s genius & his voice as the one to articulate the social issues of the era.

He took the world from his acoustic folk music to his electric guitar sound & introduced his back-up group, The Band, along the way. He influenced everyone from John Lennon to Joni Mitchell to Bruce Springsteen to Patti Smith to countless others. He has written some of the most iconic songs of the 1960’s & 1970’s and his profound words are what he is most revered and beloved for. The Nobel Prize is proof of what he has bestowed upon us all. To quote the many lines he is known for would take more than one blog post to list, so I will use one of my favorite verses from today’s song as an example of his immense talent. The phrase “national treasure” is overused sometimes, but if there is one person who defines the phrase perfectly, it is Bob Dylan.

“Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms quite clear, no doubt, somehow
Ah, but I was so much older then I’m younger than that now“.

Dylan

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Bob Dylan: “My Back Pages” (1964, written by Bob Dylan).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.