Category Archives: Music

Carol Channing’s 90th Birthday Bash

Happy Birthday to Carol Channing as she continues to celebrate her 90th Birthday.

She’s an American Original and there will never be another one like her…

Here’s a little press coverage and a couple of videos of the old girl in her signature roles:

Carol Channing celebrated her birthday on Monday night with a big party that helped the arts. The 90-year-old actress was in full attendance. Walking the red carpet, talking to reporters and sharing a moment with family and friends who came to celebrate with her, you would have thought the classy Hollywood legend wasn’t a day over 29.

Anne Jeffreys, Bruce Vilanche, Carole Cook, Jo Anne Worley and others took time to come to the Pantages to share the best of the Channing moment. Watching the actress come out of the back with the original dress of the 1969 performance of ‘Hello Dolly’ even the celebrities were star struck with Carol Channing.

“All the artists do is recreated what is already created,” says Channing pointing up to the sky when asked the secret to her success.

The evening events ended out on Hollywood Bouldevard with Carol Channing and all her friends posing with her star on the Walk of Stars. The famed performer definitely has lived a productive life, and is still kicking, as she so actively proved on Monday night.

via Carol Channing’s 90th Birthday bash in Hollywood had stars from the past (Video) – National Celebrity Headlines | Examiner.com.

 

 

 

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8-Track Tapes Belong In A Museum : The Record : NPR

And to think I just threw a bunch of these in the trash when I was cleaning out my Mother’s house….

Today — when you can literally take your music anywhere — it’s hard to imagine a time when that wasn’t possible. So, if you’re old enough, cast your mind back 40 years or so. Remember 8-track tapes? In the 1960s and early ’70s, they were the way that millions of Americans took their music with them. Now, a museum devoted to the obsolete format is open in Dallas, Texas.

Bucks Burnett is its proprietor. He caught the 8-track bug when he was rummaging through bins at a garage sale in 1988 and something caught his eye: the Beatles’ White Album on 8-track tape.

“And so I’m thinkin’ ‘I’ll get this for 50 cents.’ And I said, ‘How much for the 8-track?’ And the guys says, ‘$7.’ And I said, ‘No, the 8-track? How much for the 8-track?’ And he said, ‘$7.’ I said, ‘Will you take five?’ He said, ‘Put it back in the box.’ I said, ‘OK, wait a minute. Why is this 8-track $7?’ And he said, ‘It’s the Beatles. It’s the White Album. Where you gonna find another one?’ And I gave him $7.”

More than 3,000 8-tracks later, Burnett’s collection is so large he opened the 700 square foot Eight Track Museum (take a video tour). He displays between 500 and 1,000 tapes, as well as an example of every type of physical recorded music from the wax cylinders of the 1800s to the iPod.

MORE:   8-Track Tapes Belong In A Museum : The Record : NPR.

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Mary Cleere Haran: RIP

Mary Cleere Haran, one of my favorite Cabaret singers passed away this week-way too young.

Someone put together this tribute on Youtube and I would like to share it with you in her memory…

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There is definitely a Website for Everything: Lesbians Who Look Like Justin Bieber

I came across this in an article I was reading on the plane:

http://lesbianswholooklikejustinbieber.tumblr.com/

But I still don’t understand why Justin Bieber is on the cover of “Vanity Fair”…

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Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac: Dreams

Flashback to my  college years…

Fleetwood Mac “Rumours” was one of THE albums of the era….

The timeless Stevie Nicks sang “Dreams”…

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Morrison pardon doesn’t change The Doors’ history | Raw Story

I’ve always been fascinated by Jim Morrison and the Doors.  Love their music…Stopped by his grave in Paris…

But, still, can’t politicians find better ways to use their time????

Pardon of Jim Morrison can’t change The Doors’ history or answer a slew of ‘What ifs?’

A hot, frenzied night in Miami changed life for Jim Morrison and The Doors. That’s something the late singer’s pardon on indecent exposure and profanity charges can’t correct.

“It made him realize he was no longer in the graces of the gods, that things could go wrong,” said Ray Manzarek, the band’s keyboard player. “Jim had a great line — in that year we had a great visitation of energy. We had the mandate of heaven. And I think at that moment, he lost the mandate of heaven.”

An arrest warrant was issued for Morrison four days after a March 1, 1969, concert at the Dinner Key Auditorium. He turned himself in, was tried the next year and convicted on two charges. Gov. Charlie Crist and Florida’s Cabinet members pardoned Morrison of those convictions Thursday.

But forgiveness can’t change history. Morrison, worried about prison time, was distracted. Other cities, worried about The Doors, canceled concerts. Morrison ended up dead in a Paris bathtub in 1971 while appealing the convictions. Would he have died if the Miami incident never happened?

 

“It was one of the many things that contributed to his death. I don’t give it any more credence than any of 10 other things,” guitarist Robby Krieger said. “If it had never happened, would he never have died at that time? Maybe not. It didn’t help.”

 

More:   Morrison pardon doesn’t change The Doors’ history | Raw Story.

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Remembering John Lennon

I  can’t believe it’s been 30 years ago today since John Lennon was killed.

I still remember being at college at Washington and Lee.  I was on the phone with my friend Van at Randolph-Macon Women’s College when her roommate came rushing in to tell us he had been assassinated.

I can’t say I was a big Lennon fan, but I did – and still do- love “Imagine” and a lot of what John Lennon stood for….

But, I still can’t stand Yoko Ono’s “music”….

Here is a little tribute to John Lennon.

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My Favorite Things: Christmas Music

My partner Steve and I love Christmas Music.

I’m almost embarrassed to say we have several hundred Christmas CD’s.  Almost….

Our tastes are also rather eclectic.  From classical to cabaret to new age to famous vocalists…

Most of these are on Amazon.com or the website I will list the website with the entry…

Here are some of the favorites:

  1. Spencer Lewis:  “Calling in the Winter“- available at his website:  http://www.spencerlewismusic.com.  This is really part a Christmas album and part a Winter Album.  You can listen to it online.  I play it almost all year.
  2. Sting:  “On a Winter’s Night”– I blogged about this earlier and posted a link.  Again, more of a Winter Album that you can listen to all winter…
  3. Nancy LaMott:  “Just in Time for Christmas”– the late, great modern cabaret singer made many great albums.  This is one of the best….
  4. “A Cabaret Christmas“- a collection by some of the best cabaret and Broadway singers
  5. “Cabaret Noel”– from Broadway Cares/Equity fights Aids-  This has a lot of really fun holiday songs on it done by some of the best performers in the New York theater and Cabaret worlds.
  6. John Trones:  “Holiday”– Another great cabaret Christmas Album.
  7. The Carpenters:  “Christmas Portrait”– beautifully arranged by Richard and beautifully sung by Karen.  This one is one of my all time favorites.
  8. Linda Eder:  “Christmas Stays the Same”– a great album by a real Broadway Diva. Great for upbeat background music at Christmas parties.
  9. Gary Morris:  “Every Christmas”– out of print and hard to find, but just wonderful.  If you try eBay or his website you might find a copy…
  10. Sarah MacLachlan:  “Wintersong”– on sale cheap at Amazon now.  One we play over and over…
  11. Liz Story:  “The Gift“- another one we can’t get enough of and play all through the Holidays.  Great piano versions of Holiday classics
  12. Doris Day:  “The Doris Day Christmas Album”– A true classic.
  13. Johnny Mathis:  “Merry Christmas“- Another Classic
  14. Andy Williams:  “The Andy Williams Christmas Album”– a childhood favorite….

I’ll stop there…for now.

Here are a few other very special single recordings that are priceless.

Original songs by the original performers…

These  stars truly own these songs…

 

Judy Garland:  “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

 

Eartha Kitt:  “Santa Baby”

 

Bing Crosby:  “White Christmas”

 

Nat King Cole: “The Christmas Song”

 

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Sting: If On a Winter’s Night

I love this CD….

We have been playing it constantly since Thanksgiving…

Not really a Christmas Album, it’s a Winter Album….

We both really love this…

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Happy Birthday, Bette Midler

Bette is 65 today…

My God, I feel old…

But she obviously doesn’t!

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