Search Manic Mark's Blog

Saturday, July 24, 2021

2 Sides Of Winterhalter

 

Really O'Reilly

2 Sides Of Winterhalter
Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra
RCA Victor LPM-1905 & LSP-1905
1959

From the back cover: Winterhalter's experience dips back into the heart of the Swing Era. He studied violin and the reed instruments at St. Mary's High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and continued his musical ambitions while a student at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He later became a big band musician but after several years left active playing to devote full energies to arranging. His work was played by bands such as those of Tommy Dorsey, Vaughn Monroe, Larry Clinton, Count Basie, Raymond Scott, Claude Thornhill, Will Bradley and Jimmy Dorsey. The singers for whom he has written orchestral settings include Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Dinah Shore, Tony Martin and Perry Como. – Ferris Benda

Warsaw Concerto
Gigi
Invitation
Laura
Intermezzo
Spellbound
All Of You
A Chap From Chappaqua
The Brothers Go To Mother's 
Really O'Reilly
I Still Get A Thrill (Thinking Of You)
One O'Clock Jump

Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard

 

Keeper Of The Key

Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard
Produced by Ken Nelson
Capitol Records STEREO ST 1482
1961

From the back cover: I first met Buck when he came to Nashville in 1957. At the time he was virtually unknown as a singer, although he had considerable reputation as a guitar player with Tommy Collins. (Buck had played on most of Tommy's hit Capitol records and had also appeared with him on the "Grand Ole Opry" in 1954.) But in 1959 Capitol released a record called "Under Your Spell Again," and this tune (written, incidentally, by Buck himself) became the first of many hits which have helped to establish Buck Owens as a full-fledged singing star in his own right. He was named by the music industry as the "Most Promising Country and Western Male Artist of the Year" for 1960, in addition to winning many other coveted awards.

One of Buck's greatest hits in 1961 was a tune called Foolin' Around, written by Buck and a brand new songwriting talent named Harlan Howard, whom Buck had met several years before in California. This young Kentuckian also crashed the big-time in 1959, the year in which his ballad Heartaches By The Number was chosen as the number one country song of the year. That fine tune was followed by such hits as I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today, Pick Me Up On Your Way Down and another Owens-Howard collaboration titled Let's Agree To Disagree.

And while their respective careers flourished, the friendship between Buck Owens and Harlan Howard (both of whom were born in 1929) continued to grow over the years.  – Notes by Ralph Emery, WSM Radio, Nashville, Tennessee

Foolin' Around
Heartaches For A Dime
Heartaches By The Number
Let's Agree To Disagree
Keeper Of The Key
I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today
Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
I'll Catch You When You Fall
Lyin' Again
The One You Slip Around With
Think It Over
Keys In The Mailbox

The Many Faces Of Sammy Davis Jr.

Azure

The Many Faces Of Sammy Davis Jr.
Pickwick / 33 PC 3002

Inka Dinka Doo
Smile, Darn Ya Smile
Wagon Wheels
Laura
Here Lies Love
I Ain't Got Nobody
Can't You See I've Got The Blues
You Are My Lucky Star
Dedicated To You
Azure

My Town, My Guy & Me - Lesley Gore

 

No Matter What You Do

My Town, My Guy & Me
Lesley Gore
Produced by Quincy Jones
Cover Photo: RAMA
Mercury Records MG 21042
1965

From Billboard - October 2,  1965: Built upon the hot sales appeal of her current hit single, "My Town, My Guy and Me," the dynamic teen favorite offers a package of strong pop material. Listening and dancing material is all here with a standout vocal performance on the pulsating "No Matter What You do" which rocks from start to finish. Single possibilities on that one.

My Town, My Guy And Me
What's A Girl Supposed To Do
What Am I Gonna Do With You
You Didn't Look 'Round
I Don't Care
No Matter What You Do
The Things We Did Last Summer
A Girl In Love
Baby That's Me
Just Another Fool
Let Me Dream
Before And After

Friday, July 23, 2021

Connie Francis Sings Modern Italian Hits

 

Il Cielo In Una Stanza

Connie Francis Sings Modern Italian Hits
MGM SE-4102
1962

From the back cover: In this album I am thrilled and happy to be able to present it to you. Many of these songs have been prize winners at the annual popular San Remo Festival. All of them have been smash hit songs in the past few years - hummed and whistled by every Italian from Torino to Sicily, and in almost every corner of Europe.

Al Di La
Il Cielo In Una Stanza
Quando Quando Quando
Addio Addio
Arrivederci
Come Sinfornia
Come Prima
Nessuno Al Mondo
24 Mila Bacci
Romantica
Nun E Peccato
Tango Italiano

Dance To Duke! - Duke Ellington

 

Satan Takes A Holiday

Dance To Duke!
His Piano And Orchestra At The Bol Masque
Columbia Special Products
Special Archives Series
CSRP 8098

From the back cover: A couple of seasons ago the Ellington band was encamped at the American Hotel in Miami Beach, playing nightly, except Sunday, in the hotel's own beautiful supper club, the Bol Masque. Duke, always adaptable to his environment, played for dancers in the best dance-band tradition and began referring to himself and his fifteen jazz-poll winners as "Duke Ellington, his piano and his orchestra." And, playing this new role to the utmost, he introduced new arrangements featuring himself at the piano, playing of all things, other people's songs.

And, inspired by the room's masquerade decor, Duke fashioned his own musical masquerade of twelve couples. Alice and the wolf, an angel and Satan, a butterfly and a peanut vendor, a satin doll and a donkey, the lady in red with her Indian and a gypsy and a clown all paraded by, while Duke, dressed like Carmen Cavallaro , sat at the piano and hosted the party. This is the recording of that famous affair, featuring the full Ellington band and soloists in a program of dozen danceable standards, all in costume, never dressed quite like this before.

Alice Blue Gown
Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf?
Got A Date With An Angel
Poor Butterfly
Satan Takes A Holiday
The Peanut Vendor
Satin Doll
Lady In Red
Indian Love Call
The Donkey Serenade
Gypsy Love Song
Laugh, Clown, Laugh

Soul Of A Convict - Porter Wagoner

 

Folsom Prison

Soul Of A Convict
And Other Great Prison Songs
Porter Wangoner
Recording Engineers: Jim Malloy & Chuck Seitz
Recorded in RCA Victor's "Nashville Should" Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
RCA Victor STEREO LPS-3683
1967

Boston Jail
The Convict And The Rose
I Relived My Life Today
I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail
Let Me In
The Big River Train
The Snakes Crawl At Night
They're All Going Home But One
Folsom Prison
Soul Of A Convict
Green, Green Grass Of Home
(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle

The Adventures Of GI Joe - Book And Record

 

The Adventures Of GI Joe

The Adventures Of GI Joe
The Secret Of The Mummy's Tomb
The Secret Of Spy Island 
The Rescue From Adventure Team Headquarters
Book And Record - At The Signal Turn The Page And Follow Along
Peter Pan Records BR 510
1975

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Johnny Tillotson Sings

 

I Never Loved You Anyway

Johnny Tillotson Sings
Produced by Paul Tanner
Director of Engineering: Val Valentin
Cover Design: Acy Lehman
Cover Photo: John Engsted
A Tanridge Production
MGM Records E-4328
1965

One's Yours, One's Mine
One Red Rose
Just As Long
I Never Loved You Anyway
Strange Things Happen
Our World
(Wait 'Til You See) My Gidget
You Forget To Say I Love You
I'll Be Seeing You
Angel
How High The Moon
Red Roses For A Blue Lady

Black Magic - Kostelanetz

 

The Old Black Magic

Black Magic
Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra
Columbia CL 712 (two cover variations)
Photo Credit on the second cover image: Jerry Placer / Graham Associates

That Old Black Magic (from "Star Spangled Rhythm")
Our Of This World (from "Out Of This World")
Our Waltz (Nat Burton – David Rose)
Little Girl Blue (from "Jumbo")
Limehouse Blues
Mad About The Boy (from "Words and Music")
Easy To Love (from "Born To Dance")
Some Day (from "The Vagabond King")

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

LeRoy Van Dykes At The Trade Winds

 

The Last Letter

LeRoy Van Dyke At The Trade Winds
LeRoy Van Dkye Recorded During An Actual Performance At The Showboat Lounge,
Trade Winds Hotel, On The Beach In Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Produced by Shelby S. Singleton, Jr.
Mercury Records STEREO SR 60950
1964

From the back cover: LeRoy Van Dyke opened a two week engagement at the Trade Winds Hotel in Fr. Lauderdale, Florida on June 18, 1964. Billboard magazine reported that the Van Dyke show in the Trade Wind was "another giant step forward in Country Music." A new chapter in show business history was written in those two weeks, and in the years to follow it's destined to be a long one.

Ft. Lauderdale has become known as the city "where the boys are" and where the girls are plentiful. Beginning at Easter time and continuing throughout the spring and summer, young people by the thousands migrate there to soak up the sun and enjoy the night life. At that time and throughout the year the Trade Wind's Showboat room headlines the big name in show business. Now LeRoy – and in essence – Country Music has joined that list. Mercury records has captured "live" the highlights of the Van Dyke show, so that you may sit back and enjoy all the excitement of being there in the audience at a 'swinging' floor show! 

In addition to LeRoy you'll hear his band, "The Auctioneers." There's Jack Eubanks on electric guitar... X. Lincoln on bass guitar... Billy Rainsford on piano... Jim Stewart on drums and "The Auctioneers," a trio of lovely young ladies composed of Sally Harrison, Connie Landers and Barbara Voohries.

LeRoy leads off the show with "I'm Glad You Didn't Walk On By" written especially for him by his manager-choreographer Gene Nash. He moves next to "The Last Letter," a song that's become a tremendous standard from the country field, and really pours his heart into it. Then he and the band really rock the room with a driving arrangement of "Black Cloud" and Johnny Cash's "Frankie's Man, Johnny" which shows the great versatility of Mr. Van Dyke, and we think you'll like the real 'tongue in cheek' ending on this one.

He then turns the mike over to young Billy Rainsford. This lad has one of the most powerful deliveries we've come across in the a long time. He gets a great, fresh feel in "I Can't Stop Loving You."

Guitarist Jack Eubanks appears on this album thought he courtesy of Monument Records. When you hear, "Rush Hour" you'll known why he's one of their 'hot' properties and a hot contender in the new crop of guitar soloists. Incidentally, Jack wrote this song!

The 'unbelievable' X. Lincoln really has to be seen to be appreciated. He's a 6'4" funny, funny guy with 'pretzel' legs and a 'poor soul' expression. He's perfectly cast as the "Long Tall Texan"!

The show wouldn't be complete without LeRoy biggest hits, "Walk On By" and "The Auctioneer," which this 'live' performance gives him the chance to really do them up'. The finale is a standout arrangement of "On That Great Come And Get It Day" and the whole cast joins in to really drive this one home. – Ed Hamilton, WENO Radio - Music City, U.S.A., Nashville, Tennessee

I'm Glad You Didn't Walk On By
The Last Letter
Black Cloud
Frankie's Man Johnny
I Can't Stop Loving You
Instrumental - The Rush Hour
Long Tall Texan
Walk On By
Auctioneer
That Great Come And Get It Day
Good-Bye To Audience - The Time Has Just Slipped Away Too Fast

Monday, July 19, 2021

Hits Made Famous By Jim Reeves - Slim Boyd

 

Cow Poke

Hits Made Famous By Jim Reeves 
Sung By Slim Boyd
SPIN-O-RAMA M-138

From the back cover: Reeves was a former member of the Grand Ole Opry. He gave up a promising baseball career to follow his first love, music. Reeves big hits – including Mexican Joe (1953), Bimbo (1953), Billy Bayou (1958), Four Walls (1957), Adios Amigo (1962) and He'll Have To Go (1959). Reeves has scored in the international market too. He has had number one records in Denmark, England and Sweden. Reeves had just returned from a rousing world tour when disaster struck. Jim Reeves was killed in the crash of a single engine plane August, 1964. Disaster had struck him down in the same fashion that the country music world has lost Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins.

Bimbo
Adios Amigos
Mexican Joe
Promenade Back Home
Home On The Range
Ridin' Down The Canyon
Cow Poke
Bad Brahma Bull
Sweet Betsy From Pike
Red River Valley

Something New - The Glenn Miller Orchestra

 

What Now My Love

Something New
The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Under The Direction Of Buddy DeFranco
Translates The Tijuana Brass Hits
Produced by Manny Kellem & Bob Morgan
Arranged by Chico O'Farrill & Walt Stewart
Cover Art: Sandy Hoffman
Epic STEREO BN 26206
1966

A Taste Of Honey
What Now My Love
I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Whipped Cream
Tijuana Taxi
Theme From "Zorba The Greek"
The Lonely Bull
Mexican Shuffle
The Third Man Theme
Spanish Flea

Does Your Heart Beat For Me - Russ Morgan

 

Sweet Eloise

Does Your Heart Beat For Me?
Russ Morgan And His Orchestra
"Music In The Morgan Manner"
Decca Records DL 4503

From the back cover: Few careers reveal as great a set of contrasts as the career of Russ Morgan. Few people have lived between such extremes as playing music in white tie and tails at the swankest of hotels – and mining coal at the bottom of the darkest shaft in a Pennsylvania coal mine. But Russ Morgan somehow managed to span this incredible gap. His successful progress from miner to musician is almost fictional; it follows the line of every book by Horatio Alger, Jr., a traditional "Fame and Fortune" formula come true.

When he was seven years old, Russ sat down at a piano in scranton, Pennsylvania, and began serious study. However, as soon as he was old enough, it was into the mines to earn a day's pay – Russ put on a miner's lamp and went to work. The dangerous and discouraging routine of a miner made him determine to try for a musical career and, at the age of 14, he began earning odd dollars as pianist in a Scranton theatre. This extra money paved the way for the acquisition of Russ' first trombone. He played with a local band, the "Scranton Sirens," for a while and when he was 18, headed for Broadway. His training in the "Sirens" had given him a fine background in the same school that produced the Dorsey Brothers and other headed-for-fame jazzmen.

Two years after Morgan arrived in New York, his talent as an arranger landed him jobs with John Philip Sousa and Victor Herbert. But the urge to play was stronger than the urge to arrange somebody else's music, and Russ joined Paul Specht for a trip touring Europe. On his return to America, Gene Goldkette invited Russ to organize, lead and do the arranging for the now famous all-star Goldkette orchestra. After the Goldkette band came a period as musical director for WXYZ, a Detroit station. Russ' music lured no less than nine sponsors a week at one time during his engagement at the station.

From then on, he became a sweet-swing power to be reckoned with. Getting together an outfit of musical specialists, Russ played at the New York Biltmore and other topnotch spots, landed several lush commercials selling soap and cigarettes, did film shorts for Paramount and Warner Brothers, and became one of Decca's most regular and consistently popular record-makers.

Does You Heart Beat For Me?
Somebody Else Is Taking My Place
Sweet Eloise
So Tired
Tell Me You Love Me
It Only Takes A Minute
You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
Please Think Of Me
Whisper
It's All Over But The Crying
Good Night Little Angel
So Long

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Lonesome Sad And Blue - Kitty Wells

 

Dear Heart

Lonesome Sad And Blue
Kitty Wells
With The Jordanaires (Courtesy of Columbia Records)
Vocal with Chorus and Instrumental Accompaniment
Cover Photo: Hal Buksbaum
Decca Records DL 4658
1965

From the back cover: You call her Kitty... I call her Mom. But we'll both agree on what to call this new album of hers – "Some of the most appealing heart songs she has ever recorded."

A prouder son never introduced his mother around the place he works than when, that day a year or so ago, Mom came to visit our television show's set here in Hollywood. And not long afterward, perhaps I made her a little bit proud in presenting her with a new granddaughter. (My wife, Brenda, and I might have considered naming our lovely Theresa LeAnn after Mom – except we felt that really there's only one Kitty Wells.)

My first recollection of seeing Mom perform dates back more than seventeen years, to a Saturday night in Shreveport at the "Louisiana Hayride," I was six and considered to be a very noisy, bothersome brother by Ruby, who thought of herself as quite a grown-up lady, at age nine; and the wee one who tagged along after us backstage was three-year old Carol Sue. We kids fidgeted excitedly in the wings, watching Mom and Dad and Hank Williams and a lot of others who were later to become country music legends.

I didn't know it at the time what it was that so impressed me with the way the audience received Mom, but I was impressed. As I grew older and as she gained in fame, I watched her performances more closely and came to understand that she didn't simply hold an audience "in the palm of her hand," as the expression goes; it was more as though she held them by the very heartstrings. And, amazing as it may sound to the kind of performers who feel they must come bounding on-stage and "give it their all," Mom has never been any different when singing before thousands than she is when singing to herself around the kitchen, back home.

If your memory is especially good, you may recall that  Kitty Wells and Johnny Wright's son, Bobby, made records for Decca some years ago. Well, that was me – before I came to Hollywood and discovered there were already so many Bob Wrights in movies and TV that I had to get used to being called John. And no sooner had I begun answering to that name than I became "Willy" on my present weekly television series. So, call me what you like, but please think of me as one who shares with you a great respect and admiration for that lady, the Queen of Country Music! – John Wright "McHale's Navy," Hollywood.

Oh, Lonesome Me
A Thing Called Sadness
Blues Are Sit-in' In
When Your Little High Horse Runs Down
You're The Only World I Know
Loving You Then Losing You
Leaving' Town Tonight
Dear Heart (from the Warner Brothers film "Dear Heart")
The Race Is On
Welcome To My World
Watch It Heart, Don't Fall
Cheatin' Is Catching

Today's Greatest Movie Hits - Andre Kostelanetz

 

Two For The Road

Today's Greatest Movie Hits
Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra
Produced by Teo Macero
Engineering: Frank Laico & Russ Payne
Picture of Andre Kostelanetz by Bob Cato
Background picture from Culver Pictures
Columbia STEREO CS 9556
1968

Two For The Road
Barefoot In The Park
Tara Theme
Thoroughly Modern Millie
What To Do?
(Carol's Theme) The Eyes Of Love
Doctor Dolittle
This Is My Song
Fabulous Places
Dreamsville
Happy Barefoot Boy