Two Comics & a Crooner
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Frank's World
Chris Rojek / Frank Sinatra Final Proof 9.7.2004 10:22pm page 7 one FRANK’S WORLD Frank Sinatra was a World War One baby, born in 1915.1 He became a popular music phenomenon during the Second World War. By his own account, audiences adopted and idol- ized him then not merely as an innovative and accomplished vocalist – his first popular sobriquet was ‘‘the Voice’’ – but also as an appealing symbolic surrogate for American troops fighting abroad. In the late 1940s his career suffered a precipitous de- cline. There were four reasons for this. First, the public perception of Sinatra as a family man devoted to his wife, Nancy, and their children, Nancy, Frank Jr and Tina, was tarnished by his high-octane affair with the film star Ava Gardner. The public face of callow charm and steadfast moral virtue that Sinatra and his publicist George Evans concocted during his elevation to celebrity was damaged by his admitted adultery. Sinatra’s reputation for possessing a violent temper – he punched the gossip columnist Lee Mortimer at Ciro’s night- club2 and took to throwing tantrums and hurling abuse at other reporters when the line of questioning took a turn he disap- proved of – became a public issue at this time. Second, servicemen were understandably resentful of Sina- tra’s celebrity status. They regarded it as having been easily achieved while they fought, and their comrades died, overseas. Some members of the media stirred the pot by insinuating that Sinatra pulled strings to avoid the draft. During the war, like most entertainers, Sinatra made a virtue of his patriotism in his stage act and music/film output. -
Rock Around the Clock”: Rock ’N’ Roll, 1954–1959
CHAPTER EIGHT: “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK”: ROCK ’N’ ROLL, 1954–1959 Chapter Outline I. Rock ’n’ Roll, 1954–1959 A. The advent of rock ’n’ roll during the mid-1950s brought about enormous changes in American popular music. B. Styles previously considered on the margins of mainstream popular music were infiltrating the center and eventually came to dominate it. C. R&B and country music recordings were no longer geared toward a specialized market. 1. Began to be heard on mainstream pop radio 2. Could be purchased nationwide in music stores that catered to the general public D. Misconceptions 1. It is important to not mythologize or endorse common misconceptions about the emergence of rock ’n’ roll. a) Rock ’n’ roll was not a new style of music or even any single style of music. CHAPTER EIGHT: “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK”: ROCK ’N’ ROLL, 1954–1959 b) The era of rock ’n’ roll was not the first time music was written specifically to appeal to young people. c) Rock ’n’ roll was not the first American music to bring black and white pop styles into close interaction. d) “Rock ’n’ roll” was a designation that was introduced as a commercial and marketing term for the purpose of identifying a new target for music products. II. The Rise of Rhythm & Blues and the Teenage Market A. The target audience for rock ’n’ roll during the 1950s consisted of baby boomers, Americans born after World War II. 1. Relatively young target audience 2. An audience that shared some specific important characteristics of group cultural identity: a) Recovering from the trauma of World War II—return to normalcy b) Growing up in the relative economic stability and prosperity of the 1950s yet under the threat of atomic war between the United States and the USSR CHAPTER EIGHT: “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK”: ROCK ’N’ ROLL, 1954–1959 c) The first generation to grow up with television—a new outlet for instantaneous nationwide distribution of music d) The Cold War with the Soviet Union was in full swing and fostered the anticommunist movement in the United States. -
“The Stories Behind the Songs”
“The Stories Behind The Songs” John Henderson The Stories Behind The Songs A compilation of “inside stories” behind classic country hits and the artists associated with them John Debbie & John By John Henderson (Arrangement by Debbie Henderson) A fascinating and entertaining look at the life and recording efforts of some of country music’s most talented singers and songwriters 1 Author’s Note My background in country music started before I even reached grade school. I was four years old when my uncle, Jack Henderson, the program director of 50,000 watt KCUL-AM in Fort Worth/Dallas, came to visit my family in 1959. He brought me around one hundred and fifty 45 RPM records from his station (duplicate copies that they no longer needed) and a small record player that played only 45s (not albums). I played those records day and night, completely wore them out. From that point, I wanted to be a disc jockey. But instead of going for the usual “comedic” approach most DJs took, I tried to be more informative by dropping in tidbits of a song’s background, something that always fascinated me. Originally with my “Classic Country Music Stories” site on Facebook (which is still going strong), and now with this book, I can tell the whole story, something that time restraints on radio wouldn’t allow. I began deejaying as a career at the age of sixteen in 1971, most notably at Nashville’s WENO-AM and WKDA- AM, Lakeland, Florida’s WPCV-FM (past winner of the “Radio Station of the Year” award from the Country Music Association), and Springfield, Missouri’s KTTS AM & FM and KWTO-AM, but with syndication and automation which overwhelmed radio some twenty-five years ago, my final DJ position ended in 1992. -
Valentine's Day Is for Crooners
A Letter from SNAP Etobicoke Inc. Publisher Peter Foy tel: 416-420-9582 office: 416-604-2666 SNAP Etobicoke [email protected] Editor Justin Harrington tel: 647-883-7226 office: 416-604-2666 [email protected] Ahhh, February: a month of snow, cold and more snow. A this fantastic skiing and snowboarding facility. Keep flipping to VP Operations month where nothing happens and everybody stays inside. see pictures of skaters, cross-country skiers, toboganners, snow- Kelly Kenny Although tempting, our family has decided to embrace the man builders, winter walkers and a whole lot more, all SNAP’d tel: 416-604-2666 [email protected] winter and all that it has to offer. There is nothing better than right here in the ‘hood. Account Manager bundling up and going for a skate at an outdoor rink like the Michael Orlando new one at Colonel Samuel Smith Park. What a joy to see the Make sure you have a peek at the key events section on page tel: 416-901-4201 office: 416-604-2666 rosy cheeks on the children as they race around the figure- 17 and the events calendar on pages 18 and 19 for even more [email protected] Creative Designer eight. Seeing couples holding hands as they skate reminds me ways to enjoy the month. Don’t forget that Family Day is com- Joel Maxwell that Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us. I’ve already started ing up – perhaps our calendar will give you some inspiration [email protected] to make plans for my wife and me. -
La Cultura Italiana
LA CULTURA ITALIANA PERRY COMO (1912-2001) This month’s essay looks at the life of another Italian-American popular music artist of the post-World War II era. Famous for his relaxed vocals, cardigan sweaters, and television Christ- mas specials, he was the charming Italian-American whose name became synonymous with “mellow” as he performed through seven decades, starting in the 1930s. His idol, Bing Crosby, once called him “the man who invented casual.” PIERINO RONALD “PERRY” COMO was born on May 12, 1912 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. (This month would have been his 107th birthday, and, coincidentally, the 18th anniversary of his death). He was the seventh of 13 children and the first Ameri- can-born child of Pietro Como and Lucia Travaglini, who had both immigrated to the United States in 1910 from Palena, a small town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. (He used to point out to people that he was the seventh son of a seventh son and that this was a good omen in Italian culture). Like many children of Italian immigrants (including my own father), Perry did not begin speaking English until he entered school, since the Comos spoke only Italian at home. Pietro had bought a second-hand organ for $3 soon after they had arrived in America. As soon as Perry was able to toddle, he would head to the instrument, pump the bellows, and play by ear music he had heard. Pietro worked in the Standard Tin Plate factory in Canonsburg, a small town in the coal-mining region that was located 18 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. -
Chapter 2: Pop-Rock of the 50S and 60S
The Development of Rock & Roll by Dr. Daniel Jacobson © 2016 All Rights Reserved CHAPTER 2 POP-ROCK OF THE 50S AND 60S INTRODUCTION Softer “pop” music styles have played important roles in the development of rock, especially from c1953 to 1966 and in the early 70s. Various pop-related styles in the 50s and early 60s include: • Doo-Wop (1950s and early ‘60s; combined Pop, Gospel and soft R & B elements) • Teen Idol “Crooners” (late ‘50s/early ‘60s; Dick Clark early rock era; soft R & B) • Surf Music (late ‘50s/early ‘60s) • Brill Building/Aldon Music (‘60s pop; extension of “Tin Pan Alley” tradition) • Early Motown (early 1960s; “Soul-pop” music) I. THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD IN 50s ROCK During the years 1957 to 1961, Rock & Roll lost the impact of at least ten of its most prominent trendsetters. • March 1956: While on his way to perform for The Perry Como Show in New York City, Carl Perkins was involved in a car crash in which he suffered a fractured shoulder and skull. Perkins lost his chance for major fame, and was soon overshadowed by the rise of Elvis Presley. • October 1957: Little Richard renounced Rock and Roll for the ministry of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. • November 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old third cousin (while “forgetting” to divorce his first wife.) The scandal that followed destroyed his career. • March 1958: Elvis Presley was drafted into the army, serving in Germany until 1960. • February 1959: a small-plane crash near Fargo, North Dakota killed Buddy Holly, J.P. -
Black Country Music(S) and The
Jost Hendrik Cornelius Burfeind Wilhelmplatz 6 24116 Kiel E-Mail: [email protected] Telefon: 01520–2667189 Matrikelnummer: 1014350 “THAT BLACK SPECK SOUND JUST LIKE A REDNECK”: BLACK COUNTRY MUSIC(S) AND THE (RE-)MAKING OF RACE AND GENRE MASTERARBEIT im Fach „English and American Literatures, Cultures, and Media” mit dem Abschlussziel Master of Arts der Philosophischen Fakultät der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel vorgelegt von Hendrik Burfeind Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Christian Huck Zweitgutachter: Dr. Dennis Büscher-Ulbrich Kiel im April 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1 2. Theoretical Framework 2.1 Race, Racialization, and Ideology 8 2.2 Genre and Crossover 10 2.3 Articulation and Genre 15 2.4 On Hijacks, Covers, and Versions 16 3. “Just Out of Reach”: Locating the Soul/Country Binary 3.1 The South and the Geography of Genre(s) 19 3.2 Richard Nixon, “Okie from Muskogee,” and the Politics of Country Music 22 3.3 The ‘Segregation of Sound’ and the ‘Common Stock’ 25 3.4 Charting Success; Or, the Segregation of Sound, Continued 28 4. Analysis, Pt. 1: Rhythm and Country 4.1 “I’ve Always Been Country”: The Making of an Alternative Tradition 31 4.2 Country Music and the Birth of Soul 35 4.3 The Impossibility of Black Country 37 4.4 Modern Sounds and the Same Old Song 39 4.5 Interlude: Race and Genre in the Early 1960s 44 4.6 Country-Soul Flourishes 46 5. Analysis, Pt. 2: Country-Soul 5.1 “Country Music Now Interracial” 48 5.2 Crossover at the Outskirts of Town 50 5.3 Introducing Soul Country 53 5.4 “The Chokin’ Kind” Explores New Territory 57 5.5 “Blacks Sing Country Music” 60 5.6 “Wherever You Go, It’s Simon Country” 64 6. -
"Ersatz As the Day Is Long": Japanese Popular
“ERSATZ AS THE DAY IS LONG”: JAPANESE POPULAR MUSIC, THE STRUGGLE FOR AUTHNETICITY, AND COLD WAR ORIENTALISM Robyn P. Perry A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2021 Committee: Walter Grunden, Advisor Jeremy Wallach © 2021 Robyn P. Perry All Rights Reserve iii ABSTRACT Walter Grunden, Advisor During the Allied Occupation of Japan, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) Douglas MacArthur set forth on a mission to Americanize Japan. One way SCAP decided this could be done was by utilizing forms of media that were already popular in Japan, particularly the radio. The Far East Network (FEN), a network of American military radio and television stations in Japan, Okinawa, Guam, and the Philippines, began to broadcast American country & western music. By the early 1950s, Japanese country & western ensembles would begin to form, which initiated the evolution toward modern J-pop. During the first two decades of the Cold War, performers of various postwar subgenres of early Japanese rock (or J-rock), including country & western, rockabilly, kayōkyoku, eleki, and Group Sounds, would attempt to break into markets in the West. While some of these performers floundered, others were able to walk side-by-side with several Western greats or even become stars in their own right, such as when Kyu Sakamoto produced a number one hit in the United States with his “Sukiyaki” in 1963. The way that these Japanese popular music performers were perceived in the West, primarily in the United States, was rooted in centuries of Orientalist preconceptions about Japanese people, Japanese culture, and Japan that had recently been recalibrated to reflect the ethos of the Cold War. -
American Popular Music
American Popular Music Larry Starr & Christopher Waterman Copyright © 2003, 2007 by Oxford University Press, Inc. This condensation of AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC: FROM MINSTRELSY TO MP3 is a condensation of the book originally published in English in 2006 and is offered in this condensation by arrangement with Oxford University Press, Inc. Larry Starr is Professor of Music at the University of Washington. His previous publications include Clockwise from top: The Dickinson Songs of Aaron Bob Dylan and Joan Copland (2002), A Union of Baez on the road; Diana Ross sings to Diversities: Style in the Music of thousands; Louis Charles Ives (1992), and articles Armstrong and his in American Music, Perspectives trumpet; DJ Jazzy Jeff of New Music, Musical Quarterly, spins records; ‘NSync and Journal of Popular Music in concert; Elvis Studies. Christopher Waterman Presley sings and acts. is Dean of the School of Arts and Architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles. His previous publications include Jùjú: A Social History and Ethnography of an African Popular Music (1990) and articles in Ethnomusicology and Music Educator’s Journal. American Popular Music Larry Starr & Christopher Waterman CONTENTS � Introduction .............................................................................................. 3 CHAPTER 1: Streams of Tradition: The Sources of Popular Music ......................... 6 CHAPTER 2: Popular Music: Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries .......... ... 1 2 An Early Pop Songwriter: Stephen Foster ........................................... 1 9 CHAPTER 3: Popular Jazz and Swing: America’s Original Art Form ...................... 2 0 CHAPTER 4: Tin Pan Alley: Creating “Musical Standards” ..................................... 2 6 CHAPTER 5: Early Music of the American South: “Race Records” and “Hillbilly Music” ....................................................................................... 3 0 CHAPTER 6: Rhythm & Blues: From Jump Blues to Doo-Wop ................................ -
Why Does Country & Western Music
NEW ENGLAND COUNTRY & WESTERN MUSIC: SELF-RELIANCE, COMMUNITY EXPRESSION, AND REGIONAL RESISTANCE ON THE NEW ENGLAND FRONTIER BY CLIFFORD R. MURPHY B.A. GETTYSBURG COLLEGE, 1994 M.A. BROWN UNIVERSITY, 2005 SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE PROGRAM IN MUSIC: ETHNOMUSICOLOGY AT BROWN UNIVERSITY. PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND MAY 2008 © 2008 CLIFFORD R. MURPHY This dissertation by Clifford R. Murphy is accepted in its present form by the Department of Music as satisfying the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. (signed and dated copy on file at Brown University) Date_______________ _________________________ Jeff Todd Titon, Advisor Recommended to the Graduate Council Date_______________ __________________________ Jennifer Post, Reader Date_______________ __________________________ Paul Buhle, Reader Date_______________ __________________________ Rose Subotnik, Reader Approved by the Graduate Council Date_______________ __________________________ Sheila Bonde, Dean of the Graduate School iii CURRICULUM VITAE Clifford R. Murphy was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey in 1972 and was raised in New Hampshire in the towns of Durham and Newmarket. Cliff learned to play guitar at age 16, graduated from Newmarket High School in 1990, and attended Gettysburg College where he majored in History and English. Following graduation in 1994, Cliff returned to New Hampshire and spent the next nine years working as a singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist in the internationally -
The Essence of Country Music
University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2007 Fall and Redemption: The Essence of Country Music Patrick Jude Campbell The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Campbell, Patrick Jude, "Fall and Redemption: The Essence of Country Music" (2007). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1222. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1222 This Professional Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FALL AND REDEMPTION: THE ESSENCE OF COUNTRY MUSIC By Patrick Jude Campbell Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1992 presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Fine Arts, Integrated Arts and Education The University of Montana Missoula, MT Summer 2007 Approved by: Dr. David A. Strobel, Dean Graduate School Dorothy Morrison Department of Fine Arts Dr. Randy Bolton Department of Fine Arts Dr. James Kriley Department of Fine Arts Campbell, Patrick, M.A., July 2007 Integrated Arts and Education Fall and Redemption: The Essence of Country Music Chairperson: Dorothy Morrison My initial focus as a final project in the Creative Pulse was to begin to sing again. Singing fulfilled the three requirements of choice in a project: risk, rigor, and the requirement of ‘having to do it’. -
Queer Performativity and Grieving Through Music in the Work of Rufus Wainwright
TRUE LOVES, DARK NIGHTS: QUEER PERFORMATIVITY AND GRIEVING THROUGH MUSIC IN THE WORK OF RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Stephanie Salerno A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2016 Committee: Jeremy Wallach, Advisor Christian Coons Graduate Faculty Representative Kimberly Coates Katherine Meizel © 2016 Stephanie Salerno All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Jeremy Wallach, Advisor This dissertation studies the cultural significance of Canadian-American singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright’s (b. 1973) album All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu (Decca, 2010). Lulu was written, recorded, and toured in the years surrounding the illness and eventual death of his mother, beloved Québécoise singer/songwriter Kate McGarrigle. The album, performed as a classical song cycle, stands out amongst Wainwright’s musical catalogue as a hybrid composition that mixes classical and popular musical forms and styles. More than merely a collection of songs about death, loss, and personal suffering, Lulu is a vehicle that enabled him to grieve through music. I argue that Wainwright’s performativity, as well as the music itself, can be understood as queer, or as that which transgresses traditional or expected boundaries. In this sense, Wainwright’s artistic identity and musical trajectory resemble a rhizome, extending in multiple directions and continually expanding to create new paths and outcomes. Instances of queerness reveal themselves in the genre hybridity of the Lulu song cycle, the emotional vulnerability of Wainwright’s vocal performance, the deconstruction of gender norms in live performance, and the circulation of affect within the performance space.