Liner Notes

78 RPM shellac record collecting

It’s a 78 RPM Sunday. These episodes should probably more appropriately be labelled spinning my dad’s dad’s shellac.

In the old days of records coming on 10” disks with one song per side, it made collections rather large. So in order to organize them, record stores would sell large books that you can put several records in. The same you would do with photos. They came with a generic front cover and several sleeves to slip the disks into. My dad has a couple of these albums.

I decided to pull out the ten record set inside a, now cream colored, album. But I only have time for ten songs.

So get ready to hear the first five records in a personalized collection of 78 RPM disks in Volume 229: White Album Front Half.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
02:01 – I Can’t Begin To Tell You – Harry James And His Orchestra
05:03 – Waitin’ For The Train To Come In – Harry James And His Orchestra
08:08 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
10:17 – A Sunday Kind of Love – Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra
13:44 – Sonata – Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra
16:34 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
19:06 – Anniversary Song – Dinah Shore
22:11 – Sadness And Tears – Dinah Shore With Spade Cooley And His Orchestra
24:59 – Third Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
28:03 – People Will Say We’re In Love – Frank Sinatra
31:27 – Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’ – Frank Sinatra
34:20 – Fifth Break: Final Words
36:25 – Oh Marie – Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks
39:17 – On The Beach – Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks
42:05 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

Harry James And His Orchestra – I Can’t Begin To Tell You / Waitin’ For The Train To Come In ($6.04)
Label: Columbia – 36867
Format: Shellac, 10″, 78 RPM
Released: Oct 22, 1945
Genre: Jazz, Pop, Stage & Screen
Style: Big Band, Swing, Vocal

Recorded in New York, NY, August 20, 1945.

I Can’t Begin To Tell You
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Ruth Haag
Written-By – James Monaco and Mack Gordon

Waitin’ For The Train To Come In
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Kitty Kallen
Written-By – Martin Block and Sunny Skylar

Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra – A Sunday Kind of Love / Sonata
Label: Columbia – 37219
Format: Shellac, 10″, 78 RPM, Bridgeport Pressing
Released: Jan 1947
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Big Band

Recorded New York, NY, November,11 1946.

A Sunday Kind of Love
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Fran Warren
Written-By – Anita Leonard, Barbara Belle, Louis Prima and Stan Rhodes

Sonata
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Buddy Hughes
Written-By – Alex Alstone, Ervin Drake, and Jimmy Shirl

Dinah Shore / Dinah Shore With Spade Cooley And His Orchestra – Anniversary Song / Heartaches, Sadness And Tears
Label: Columbia – 37234
Format: Shellac, 10″, 78 RPM
Released: Feb 1947
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Vocal, Country, Swing

Dinah Shore– Anniversary Song
Written By – Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin
from a theme by – Ion Ivanovici

Dinah Shore With Spade Cooley And His Orchestra– Heartaches, Sadness And Tears ($4.37)
Written-By – Ella May Evans and Spade Cooley

Frank Sinatra – People Will Say We’re In Love / Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’
Label: Columbia – 36682
Format: Shellac, 10″, 78 RPM
Released: Sep 1943
Genre: Pop
Style: Ballad, Vocal

Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers for the Broadway musical Oklahoma

Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks – Oh Marie / On The Beach
Label: Columbia – 12376-F
Format: Shellac, 10″, 78 RPM
Released: Oct 1948
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk

Written-By – Frank Yankovic

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#78RPM #oldmusic #musichistory #musicalmemories #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords #fyp

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 229 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

It’s a 78 RPM Sunday. These episodes should probably more appropriately be labelled spinning my dad’s dad’s shellac.

In the old days of records coming on 10” disks with one song per side, it made collections rather large. So in order to organize them, record stores would sell large books that you can put several records in. The same you would do with photos. They came with a generic front cover and several sleeves to slip the disks into. My dad has a couple of these albums.

I decided to pull out the ten record set inside a, now cream colored, album. But I only have time for ten songs.

So get ready to hear the first five records in a personalized collection of 78 RPM disks in Volume 229: White Album Front Half.

[Music: I Can’t Begin To Tell You – Harry James And His Orchestra]
[Music: Waitin’ For The Train To Come In – Harry James And His Orchestra]

Harry James And His Orchestra with Waitin’ For The Train To Come In
With Vocal Chorus by Kitty Kallen
Written By – Martin Block and Sunny Skylar

Before that was I Can’t Begin To Tell You from Harry James.
With Vocal Chorus by Ruth Haag
Written By – James Monaco and Mack Gordon

Sides A and B on this 78 RPM Shellac Disk

It’s on the Columbia Label number 36867
Released: Oct 22, 1945
Genre: Jazz, Pop, Stage & Screen
Style: Big Band, Swing, Vocal

Recorded in New York, NY, August 20, 1945.

It’s cool that discogs dot com has a listing for each of these records.

OK…why am I doing what I’m doing for this episode?

Because it was time to feature more 78s and I thought this album had an interesting collection of artists.

While my dad absolutely collected some of this music you’ll hear on 33 ⅓ vinyl LPs, these 10” disks were released about the time my dad was ten. Which leads me to believe these are my grandfather’s records.

And he seems to have had a pretty eclectic taste in music too. I like how that trait has been handed down to me.

This book of records has a pretty eclectic mix of artists in its own right. That’s why I decided to let the album tell me what order to play them in.

Next up is an orchestra leader I’ve mentioned before but we’ve actually not heard from him.

[Music: A Sunday Kind of Love – Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra]
[Music: Sonata – Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra]

Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra with Sonata, which was side B of this record.
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Buddy Hughes
Written-By – Alex Alstone, Ervin Drake, and Jimmy Shirl

Before that we heard side A a lovely version of a great song

A Sunday Kind of Love
Vocals [Vocal Chorus] – Fran Warren
Written-By – Anita Leonard, Barbara Belle, Louis Prima and Stan Rhodes

These were found on a record from Columbia labels number 37219
Bridgeport Pressing
Released: Jan 1947
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Big Band

Let me tell you quickly about the album cover for my grandfather’s shellac records I am spinning for this episode.

I’ll explain the history of this kind of album shortly, but I thought I would describe this one in more detail.

It’s a thick, hard cover with perfect binding. That’s the kind of binding you see on your typical hard back book.

Instead of pages, it holds ten sleeves designed to hold a 10 inch 78 RPM Shellac record in each. There are large holes in the center of each sleeve in order for you to see the labels. The top is also cut so it’s easy to slip your fingers inside the sleeve.

The cover is in good condition. The whiteness has definitely faded to a creamy color over the years. He had none of his markings or address label on it.

The inside of the cover has a label where you can list all of the music in the album and where each one is. It kind of reminds me of the list you’ll see on an old circuit breaker box.

My dad’s label is empty.

Most of these records were selling on discogs dot com in the 4 to 10 dollar range. So I’ll value each of my dad’s records you will hear at three dollars each.

Next up is a record that starts with one of my favorite melodies.

[Music: Anniversary Song – Dinah Shore]
[Music: Sonata – Sadness And Tears – Dinah Shore With Spade Cooley And His Orchestra]

Dinah Shore With Spade Cooley And His Orchestra performing Heartaches, Sadness And Tears
Written-By – Ella May Evans and Spade Cooley

Before that we heard a song that just lists Dinah Shore performing Anniversary Song
Written By – Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin
from a theme by – Ion Ivanovici

Those were found on Columbia label number 37234
Released: Feb 1947
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Vocal, Country, Swing

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with collecting shellac records in the album format.

Back in the early days of recorded music, 78 RPM shellac records were the norm—and each one only held a few minutes of sound per side. That meant if you loved music, you needed to store a lot of these fragile discs, and early collectors often kept them in plain paper sleeves or stacked them in boxes. The idea of bundling several records together in a single, bound package—what we now think of as a “record album”—actually came from the world of photo albums. Around the 1910s and 1920s, companies started offering blank record albums that looked like books, with individual sleeves bound inside. These were mostly generic at first, with a space for collectors to handwrite titles and artists, just like this one. They were more about organization than artistry.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that record companies really leaned into the album concept as a way to sell music in themed sets. Columbia Records played a major role in turning albums into a commercial product, releasing multi-disc collections with coordinated artwork and printed track listings. Sometimes albums were offered as promotional packaging for boxed sets—especially for classical music or Broadway scores—so buyers got the whole experience, not just a random stack of discs. These albums helped pave the way for the LP in the late ’40s, but even before that, they made 78 RPM collecting more elegant and manageable. While generic albums were still widely used, branded and illustrated ones were becoming part of the package, both literally and as a new form of music marketing.

Next up. I don’t even know how to describe listening to these. There is no way that one of the most famous voices in music history ever sounded this young.

[Music: People Will Say We’re In Love – Frank Sinatra]
[Music: Sonata – Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’ – Frank Sinatra]

Frank Sinatra with Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’

Before that we heard People Will Say We’re In Love

Both of those songs were Written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers for the Broadway musical Oklahoma.

Found on Columbia number 36682
Released: Sep 1943
Genre: Pop
Style: Ballad, Vocal

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

This was some great musical history. I still can’t believe how young Frank Sinatra sounded.

And it’s cool to think that these were probably my grandfathers’ records.

I think I remember this album of 78s from my growing up days in the house.

My dad did keep many of his shellac records in the living room cupboard collection. I’ve already played several that I remember playing when I was young in previous episodes of this show.

I’m not sure I played any of these, probably because of its generic book-like cover.

The slightly textured material used for the front and back cover are similar to a hardback book. The once white front is engraved with two lined bars near the top and bottom. Flowing from the upper left to lower right is a music staff with notes.

Overlayed inthe upper left is a record complete with grooves. The lower right has gold engraved letters that simply read Record Album.

Running across the spine rather than down are the words Record Album with a decorative bar above and below.

Now to close us out is someone I featured a while ago. Here’s Cleveland’s own Polka King.

[Music: Oh Marie – Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks]
[Music: Sonata – On The Beach – Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks]

There was Frankie Yankovic And His Yanks performing On The Beach. Kind of reminiscent of In Heaven there is no beer.

Before that we hear Frankie with Oh Marie. Not exactly the version my dad used to whistle around the house.

Both written-By – Frank Yankovic

Those were found on Columbia label number 12376-F
Released: Oct 1948
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk

And there you have, the first five records in a ten record 78 RPM Shellac book of disks.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 229: White Album Front Half

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 230: Golden Memories of Radio Record 6

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Teen Idol Bobby Sherman

Happy mothers day. This one’s for my mother who we lost ten years ago this month.

As we go through this large record collection, I can tell which records my mom might have picked out. This is one of them.

It’s a self-titled debut album from a singer who already had a hit single and a starring role in a popular TV show. He was just a bit of a heartthrob.

So get ready to hear a singer and actor who gave up that life to save lives in Volume 228: A Bobby Happy Mothers Day.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
01:44 – Little Woman
04:07 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
06:00 – Rainy Day Thought
08:33 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
12:54 – This Guy’s In Love With You
15:56 – Third Break: Artist Bio
18:47 – Bluechip
21:27 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
23:15 – Time
25:26 – Fifth Break: Final Words
27:27 – Seattle
30:47 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Bobby Sherman – Bobby Sherman
Label: Metromedia Records – MD 1014
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Stereo
Released: 1969
Genre: Pop

We’ll hear 6 of the 11 songs on this album.

Little Woman
Written-By – Danny Janssen

Rainy Day Thought
Written-By – Danny Janssen, Gary Young, Myrna Janssen, and Wally Keske

This Guy’s In Love With You
Written-By – Burt Bacharach, Hal David

Bluechip
Written-By – Paul MacNeil

Time
Written-By – Bobby Sherman

Seattle
Written-By – Ernie Sheldon, Hugo Montenegro, and Jack Keller

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#bobbysherman #mothersday #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 228 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Happy mothers day. This one’s for my mother who we lost ten years ago this month.

As we go through this large record collection, I can tell which records my mom might have picked out. This is one of them.

It’s a self-titled debut album from a singer who already had a hit single and a starring role in a popular TV show. He was just a bit of a heartthrob.

So get ready to hear a singer and actor who gave up that life to save lives in Volume 228: A Bobby Happy Mothers Day.

[Music: Little Woman]

Bobby Sherman with “Little Woman”
This song was released as a single before it was released as the first cut on this album.

Bobby Sherman’s hit song “Little Woman” reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969. It also achieved gold certification and peaked at number 1 on the Cashbox chart. Additionally, it reached number 2 in the Canadian RPM charts and number 5 in New Zealand
Written-By – Danny Janssen

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because it’s a mothers day episode. And I often found myself changing records on the living room stereo for my mom, especially when I was setting the table for those Sunday dinners she was preparing in the kitchen.

It’s not like my mother didn’t have control over what was played on the record player at other times. I remember one of her high school class get-togethers she hosted at our house in the early 1970s being the first time I ever heard Chuck Berry sing My Ding a ling. I’m pretty sure my mom was in charge of the music for that party.

I’m sure there are reasons other than the music on the album. The cover photo does have a dreamy looking Sherman staring back. But this is the kind of music my mom was listening to at the time.

Next up is not only what I came to think of as one of the prettiest pieces on the LP, but I love this line at the end:
Don’t you know that yesterday was tomorrow once before
And yesterday’s tomorrow isn’t any more
People listen, hear what I say
Tomorrow isn’t far away

[Music: Rainy Day Thought]

Rainy Day Thought
Written-By – Danny Janssen, Gary Young, Myrna Janssen, and Wally Keske

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Bobby Sherman – Bobby Sherman
Label: Metromedia Records – MD 1014
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Stereo
Released: 1969
Genre: Pop

We’ll hear 6 of the 11 songs on this album.

The liner notes are not very long and I will read almost all of them although some of this info will be duplicated in the bio segment of this episode.

Robert Cabot Sherman jr, better known to his countless fans as Bobby Sherman or Jeremy on TV’s Here Come the Brides is fast becoming one of today’s hottest new recording stars. not since the early days of The Beatles has any recording artist received such widespread enthusiasm. Little woman, his first single for Metro media records, was a Smash Hit in all parts of the country. At recent personal appearances, Bobby was besieged by his eager and loyal fans. In the inimitable pop style of a few years back, Bobby lost his jacket and many strands of hair while trying to make his exit.

Only 4 years ago, Bobby was a high school football star and Engineering student who spent his spare time composing songs, producing records, experimenting with different recording techniques and performing at parties. Bobby is not only a most capable singer, but also plays 16 different musical instruments. At one of the parties, Bobby was discovered. A television audition followed and a few weeks later Bobby was signed to do a show called shindig. For 2 years Bobby was the star of this weekly musical show and it was at that time that he started to develop his large following of fans. his fan mail out numbered that of any other performer on the entire ABC network.

Now Bobby leads a multifaceted life, enjoying phenomenal success as both the television actor and recording star. His first album, simply titled Bobby Sherman shows just why his recording career is skyrocketing.

Born under Leo, the sign of entertainment, Bobby Sherman’s planets must be in just the right place these days, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs.com.

It’s only been sold three times
$14.99 High
$3.00 Low

$9.33 Average
$9.99 Median is what the other sold for

Last sold on Aug 04, 2024 for that $14.99 high

My dad’s record is really good to excellent condition. Just some needle drop noise and very quiet between the tracks.

The surface is extremely clean. Maybe it didn’t get played much. Maybe because it still has the internal paper sleeve.

The cover is in really good condition except the bottom seam is a little crushed, and that put a tiny tear in the corner and along the bottom. This is also a cutout, meaning it was in a promotional bin somewhere.

There are none of my dad’s usual markings on the back and no address label on the front. Maybe my mom said, “hands off” to my dad for this record.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at two bucks.

Next up is a song you’ve heard sung a couple of times on this show by its original artist, Herb Alpert.

Bobby takes it just a touch faster and I don’t think he gives the music room to breath. Hey, I’m not a professional. But I like the tune too much not to include it here.

[Music: This Guy’s In Love With You]

This Guy’s In Love With You
Written-By – Burt Bacharach, Hal David

OK, let’s learn a little about our featured artist.

Robert Cabot Sherman Jr., born July 22, 1943, is an American singer and actor who was a teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He had a series of successful singles, notably the million-seller “Little Woman” (1969). Sherman left show business in the 1970s for a career as a paramedic and a deputy sheriff, but performed occasionally into the 1990s.

Sherman released 107 songs, 23 singles and 10 albums between 1962 and 1976; seven of his songs were top 40 hits. He earned seven gold singles, one platinum single, and five gold albums. In 1969, he signed with Metromedia Records and released the single “Little Woman”, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (#2 in Canada) and spent nine weeks in the Top 20. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in October 1969.

In early 1968, he was selected for the role of Jeremy Bolt, a bashful, stammering logger, in the ABC television series Here Come the Brides (1968–1970). As of 1970, Sherman had received more fan mail than any other performer on the ABC-TV network.

In 1998, after an absence of 25 years, Sherman appeared in “The Teen Idol Tour” with Peter Noone and Davy Jones. (Micky Dolenz replaced Davy Jones on the tour in 1999.) Sherman performed his last concert as a solo performer in Lincoln, Rhode Island on August 25, 2001. Although retired from public life, he still appeared at corporate and charity events. He was ranked No. 8 in TV Guide’s list of “TV’s 25 Greatest Teen Idols” (January 23, 2005, issue).

In March 2025, it was announced that Sherman has stage 4 cancer. According to posts from his wife, he is resting comfortably and is not accepting visitors.

Bobby Sherman is 81 years old

Our next song has more of a blues feel rather than a pop feel.

[Music: Bluechip]

Bluechip
Written-By – Paul MacNeil

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with what Bobby did when he decided to stop entertaining.

Sherman retreated from his show business career in the 1970s for a career as an Emergency Medical Technician and a deputy sheriff, though he occasionally performed into the 1990s.

When Sherman guest-starred on an episode of the Jack Webb television series Emergency! (“Fools”, season 3, episode 17, aired January 19, 1974), he found a new calling. Eventually, he left the public spotlight and became an EMT.

He volunteered with the Los Angeles Police Department, working with paramedics and giving classes. He officially became a technical Reserve Police Officer with the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1990s, a position he still held as of 2017.

For more than a decade he served as a medical training officer at the Los Angeles Police Academy, instructing thousands of police officers in first aid and CPR. He was named LAPD’s Reserve Officer of the Year in 1999.

Sherman also became a reserve deputy sheriff in 1999 with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, continuing his CPR/emergency training of new deputy hires. Sherman retired from the sheriff’s department in 2010.

So there’s a case of life imitating art.

Next up, a very poignant song.

[Music: Time]

Time
Written-By – Bobby Sherman

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Definitely some different music than you’re used to hearing on this show because the album most likely belonged to my mom.

I don’t think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

It’s a full-color close-up photo of Bobby’s face. His entire head barely fits within the confines of the cover. You can tell he’s shirtless, but his shoulders are blurred and you can’t see much past those. His steel blue eyes seem to be staring through your soul.

The only words on the cover are Bobby Sherman since that’s the name of the album and the artist. It’s in a light blue artistic fluffy font. There’s an RIAA Gold Record award sticker on the front cover to the right and a Metromedia Records logo on the left.

The back cover is divided in thirds. The left column includes the list of songs on the record, with the composer, publishing company, and licensing organization.

The right column includes the liner notes I read earlier.

The middle column is what amounts to a Hollywood headshot in black and white.

Overall, an album I’m sure my mother enjoyed.

Mom. Not a day goes by that I don’t want to pick up the phone to call you. You always had just the right advice. We all miss you dearly.

And finally. In an earlier episode, I played Perry Como singing his hit version of what was the theme song for the TV show Bobby Sherman starred on, Here Come the Brides. Here is Bobby’s version of that hit song from that hit show.

[Music: Seattle]

Seattle
Written-By – Ernie Sheldon, Hugo Montenegro, and Jack Keller

And there you have selections from the debut album of a singer who was already a TV star.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 228: A Bobby Happy Mothers Day

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 229: White Album Front Half

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Beethoven’s Biggest Hit

We now pull out the third record from this seven disk box set. A record that features a relatively unknown work AND probably one of the most famous works in music history. Talk about a dichotomy.

This is music from the immortal Ludwig Van Beethoven. His symphonies live on in performances to this very day.

Plus I decided to play three movements from each symphony. I thought this joint needed some classing up.

So, settle in and get ready to hear the man who is said to have set music free in Volume 227: Beethoven’s 4th & 5th.

Here is the promised Leonard Bernstein video.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
01:54 – Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/First Movement – Adagio; Allegro Vivace
10:27 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
13:08 – Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/Second Movement – Adagio
22:15 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
26:19 – Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/Fourth Movement – Allegro Ma Non Troppo
32:42 – Third Break: Artist Bio
35:55 – Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/First Movement – Allegro Con Brio
42:41 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
47:31 – Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/Third Movement – Allegro
51:33 – Fifth Break: Final Words
54:13 – Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/Fourth Movement – Allegro
01:02:05 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 227 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We now pull out the third record from this seven disk box set. A record that features a relatively unknown work AND probably one of the most famous works in music history. Talk about a dichotomy.

This is music from the immortal Ludwig Van Beethoven. His symphonies live on in performances to this very day.

Plus I decided to play three movements from each symphony. I thought this joint needed some classing up.

So, settle in and get ready to hear the man who is said to have set music free in Volume 227: Beethoven’s 4th & 5th.

[Music: Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/First Movement – Adagio; Allegro Vivace]

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Beecham Choral Society under the direction of René Leibowitz performing Ludwig Van Beethoven’s First Movement – Adagio; Allegro Vivace
Of his Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Opus 60.

This is the fourth-published symphony by Beethoven. It was composed in 1806 and premiered in March 1807 at a private concert in Vienna at the town house of Prince Lobkowitz. The first public performance was at the Burgtheater in Vienna in April 1808.

The symphony is in four movements. It is predominantly genial in tone, and has tended to be overshadowed by the weightier Beethoven symphonies that preceded and followed it – the Third Symphony (Eroica) and the Fifth. Although later composers including Berlioz, Mendelssohn and Schumann greatly admired the work, it has not become as widely known among the music-loving public as the Eroica, the Fifth and other Beethoven symphonies.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

This is one of those box sets I kept passing over during the first three seasons, and I have no real excuse other than I was enjoying the jazz and other types of music my dad collected. Plus it’s tough to play some of these classical recordings and break them up into anything that makes sense. I had almost forgotten about this set.

I’m glad I stumbled upon it. Because we are now on to record three. These are great recordings. And I’ve been enjoying listening to them as I continue to digitize them.

Since I have thrown all show formatting aside lately, I will play most of the music on this very long playing record.

Now, I did want to read to you what the internal booklet says about the fourth symphony.

The 4th is not nearly so popular as the symphony that precedes or that which follows it. Deservedly so. It is a pleasant work, but in spite of its many felicities it never approaches the power of the Eroica or the intensity of the fifth. It’s most beautiful movement is the second in which two apparently opposite ideas are interwoven to form a tapestry of muted and gentle colors.

OK…Let’s hear that long second movement now.

[Music: Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/Second Movement – Adagio]

Second Movement of Beethoven’s fourth symphony – Adagio

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Beethoven, René Leibowitz, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Beecham Choral Society – The Nine Symphonies Of Beethoven
Label: Reader’s Digest – RD 4-6
Format: 7 x Vinyl, LP Box Set
Released: 1966
Genre: Classical
Style: Romantic, Choral

This is record 3 of a 6 record set. We will hear three movements from the 4th Symphony and three from the fifth.

There are extensive liner notes inside the front cover of the box set. There is a very extensive 20-page booklet included with the set.

I want to read a few lines from that booklet.

What is it that sets these Symphonies apart?

The reason, in my opinion, is this: Beethoven took music off the pedestal of a formal beauty and immersed it in the whirlpool of life. He roughened it up, so to speak. He shook it and he pulled it until it began to do what he expected it to do, that is, to express the problems that you and I have, to evoke emotions that you and I feel, to make it move and struggle exuberantly, as we ourselves do. In these Symphonies he set to music everybody’s heartache – and everybody’s smile. He made music more human. If in this process music lost some of its aristocratic reserve, it gained an immediacy. That is why more people can respond at once to a Beethoven symphony than can respond to Mozart or Hayden.

Maybe, I’ll eventually publish the full liner notes from this box set. They are really enjoyable and educational.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$59.99 High
$10.00 Low

$29.84 Average
$25.00 Median

Last sold on Feb 05, 2025 for $20.

My dads’ records in this set are in fair condition. Not as much crackle and pop as I expected. It does get in the way of some of the quiet bits, but it’s not too bad.

The surface is really clean and for the most part scratch free. The records are protected in a quality thick paper sleeve.

The box is in fair to poor condition. Quite a lot of severe wear along the wide edge of the box set. Beethoven’s head shot is in blue and it looks as if it was lifted off a 20 dollar bill. There is also a scrape in it that looks like tape had been applied and then lifted. The back is still pretty white.

The internal booklet is in good condition and contains so much information that.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at 10 bucks.

Next up. Yes we are skipping the third movement. This is intentional. I rarely ever play an entire album. I’m just telling you because I was attacked for not including the third movement the last time I featured this box set.

[Music: Symphony No. 4 In B-Flat Major, Op. 60/Fourth Movement – Allegro Ma Non Troppo]

Bringing the fourth symphony to a conclusion with the
Fourth Movement – Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Since we have talked about Beethoven before, I am just going to do a quick summary of his life.
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in December 1770 in Bonn, Germany. From a young age, he showed remarkable talent for music, which his father, Johann, eagerly encouraged. His early lessons were strict, but his passion for music blossomed, and by the time he was a teenager, Beethoven was already performing for nobility and studying with famous musicians.
As he grew older, Beethoven moved to Vienna, Austria, where he became a well-known composer and pianist. He created some of his greatest works during this time, including symphonies, sonatas, and string quartets. Despite his success, Beethoven faced many hardships, including losing his hearing. By his late twenties, he began to notice signs of deafness, but this did not stop him from composing extraordinary music that is still celebrated today

Beethoven’s later years were marked by both triumph and struggle. He created pieces that are now considered masterpieces, such as his Ninth Symphony, which includes the famous “Ode to Joy.” However, he lived a lonely life and faced ongoing health problems. Beethoven passed away in 1827 at the age of 56, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest composers in history.
OK…Let’s get ready to hear the four most famous notes in music history.
From the internal booklet.

Here is the potent and concentrated and ultimate distillation of the genius that was beethoven. that was said by Charles O’Connell in the Victor book of the symphony. This symphony is perhaps the most famous single piece of music there is. Within our time it has become even more famous, the First theme having assumed an extra musical meaning and serving as a theme song for victory. of this theme Beethoven is supposed to have said, quote thus fate knocks at the door. unquote I am slightly suspicious of the remark: it doesn’t sound like beethoven. but true or not true, the four notes which, without any introduction, I heard at the outset and which act as a germinal theme of the music material of the first movement are now and will forever be known as the Fate motif. from this theme, which is as non-committal as any you are likely to encounter, Beethoven builds a movement in which, as in the third symphony, we meet the spirit victorious. Once more we are confronted by Beethoven’s belief that fate, whether knocking at the door or breaking in without a warning, can be mastered.

[Music: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/First Movement – Allegro Con Brio]

Once again, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Beecham Choral Society under the direction of René Leibowitz performing Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67 First Movement – Allegro Con Brio.

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with alternate endings for that first movement.

I found a great video of the great conductor and music educator Leonard Bernstein discussing Beethoven’s fifth for a TV show. A small part of the video demonstrates notations he found in original manuscripts.

[PLAY VIDEO]

I’ll drop the link to that video in the episode’s liner notes.

Now, onto the third movement, which has a quirk of its own.

One of the most astonishing moments of the symphony occurs at the end of the third movement, when it flows into the fourth without a pause. the music seems to die down completely, the drum carrying the Rhythm forward while the strings spin a web in some subterranean cave.

[Music: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/Third Movement – Allegro]

That was the Third Movement – the first Allegro

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I know this one is a bit longer than usual, but I thought it was worth it to share this great recording.

I did just recently see the Cleveland Orchestra perform Beethoven’s Fifth. It was actually a dream come true. It was my first trip to the Orchestra’s home Severance Music Center in February of 2024.

It was the second piece of the concert. The first was Schubert’s 6th symphony. Then after intermission and the orchestra adding more chairs, Conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste wasted no time after barely letting the patrons settle into their seats.

We heard those first four notes and we were off. I barely noticed that more than 25 minutes had passed when the audience started applauding. I happened to be lucky enough to be sitting next to a former orchestra violinist and had tears in his eyes.

Not only was it a dream come true but it was everything I expected. I am so glad I took that opportunity to see this brilliant and famous piece of music performed by some of the best musicians in the world.

I’m not sure I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

My dad usually had mostly his jazz and rat pack albums out near the record player in the living room. I know he collected more classical music later in life as he switched over to CDs.

It is kind of a recognizable cover. Like I said when I covered the condition the box set is in, I mentioned that it basically looks like Beethoven was put on some denomination of US currency, but in blue.

Other than the Reader’s Digest logo in the top left corner, the long title of the artist and then the album are listed in various sized serif font. Some of it italicized and some of it not.

The back is just white box.

The White spine has gold lettering of the box set title.

Before we rejoin the low tympani already in progress, I’ll read the last line of the paragraph I started this break with.

Suddenly the web is torn, the walls of the cave split and almost at once the whole Orchestra bursts into a surging crescendo.

[Music: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67/Fourth Movement – Allegro]

Fourth Movement – the continuation of the Allegro from Beethoven’s fifth symphony.

And there you have selections from record three of this great box set.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 227: Beethoven’s 4th & 5th

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 228: A Bobby Happy Mothers Day

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

King of Bourbon Street

Here’s a trumpet player we’ve heard from before. He was a favorite of my dad’s. He’s also a favorite of mine. He’s loud and powerful. He plays at just below a blatting level, but keeps in control with some of the most intricate music.

He performed at halftime of the first Super Bowl and owned his own New Orleans jazz club.

So get ready to hear a musician who could shift gears to play many styles of music, even being critiqued for that skill, in Volume 226: Hirt’s Dixieland Horn.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
01:41 – Darktown Strutters Ball
04:46 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
05:39 – Stumblin’
08:39 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
11:40 – Wang Wang Blues
15:52 – Third Break: Artist Bio
18:43 – I Can’t Get Started With You
22:25 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
24:46 – Just A Closer Walk With Thee
29:46 – Fifth Break: Final Words
31:50 – Chicago
35:17 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Al Hirt – The Best Of Dixieland Jazz
Label: Longines Symphonette Society – LWCP 1, Longines Symphonette Society – LWS 332
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Promo
Released: 1968
Genre: Jazz
Style: Dixieland

We’ll hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

Darktown Strutters Ball
Written by Shelton Brooks

Stumblin’
Written by Zez Confrey

Wang Wang Blues
Written by Henry Busse

I Can’t Get Started With You
Written by Vernon Duke

Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Traditional

Chicago
Written by Fred Fisher

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#alhirt #dixielandmusic #trumpetsrule #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 226 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Here’s a trumpet player we’ve heard from before. He was a favorite of my dad’s. He’s also a favorite of mine. He’s loud and powerful. He plays at just below a blatting level, but keeps in control with some of the most intricate music.

He performed at halftime of the first superbowl and owned his own New Orleans jazz club.

So get ready to hear a musician who could shift gears to play many styles of music, even being critiqued for that skill, in Volume 226: Hirt’s Dixieland Horn.

[Music: Darktown Strutters Ball]

Al Hirt with Darktown Strutters Ball
Written by Shelton Brooks

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

This is the fourth of four albums that my dad owned featuring this great trumpet player.

Hirt was one of my favorite musicians to listen to many years ago in our basement, where my dad had kept a majority of his 45 RPM singles. He had several with Al’s music: Alley Cat, Fancy Pants, and others.

As I grew older, I found his music to be uplifting and representative of good times from my youth. I’ve really enjoyed diving deeper into the music from this super star as I’ve grown older.
Honest, I didn’t just come “STUMBLING” along his music.

[Music: Stumblin’]

Stumblin’
Written by Zez Confrey

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Al Hirt – The Best Of Dixieland Jazz
Label: Longines Symphonette Society – LWCP 1,
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Promo
Released: 1968
Genre: Jazz
Style: Dixieland

We’ll hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

The liner notes are interesting. They have nothing to do with the songs or the musician on the album. It’s sort of a self-serving promotion for the Longines Symphonette. Hey, it’s Longines. We’re lucky we know who any of the musicians are on this recording.

I’ll pick out a couple of paragraphs.

Beautiful music is the common language of Brotherly love. and when the virtuoso musicians of the Longines symphonette blend their many musical voices there arises a magnificent chorus of understanding that transcends National boundaries.

Only the finest recordings, pressed from the purest virgin vinyl, can capture the sheer exaltation of the world’s most beautiful music…can pass along to a listener the inner message every fine composer expresses through the language of Melody.

The Longines symphonette society, and Educational Service of the Longines Wittnauer watch company, famed for quality for almost a century, is unlike any other organization in the world! devoted totally to service and quality on one hand, with honest value the criteria on the other, the Longines symphonette is proud to number you among its thousands of friends.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$4.99 High
$0.57 Low

$1.90 Average
$1.84 Median

Last sold on Mar 12, 2025 for one pound 19 or $1.35 US.

My dad’s record is in pretty good condition. Not much hissing or crackling between the tracks and only a little popping here and there.

The surface is really clean. Among the fewest blemishes on any of my dad’s records.

The cover is in pretty good condition too. Slight wear along the edges. Only the back shows any record outline. And the word posted is stamped there above a green magic marker streak. There is no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at a buck fifty.

Next up is a song that was first recorded in 1920 by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.

[Music: Wang Wang Blues]

Wang Wang Blues
Written by Henry Busse

We’ve already talked in great detail about this legendary performer, so I’ll try to summarize his life here.

Alois Maxwell “Al” Hirt was born on November 7, 1922, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of a local police officer. His father purchased his first trumpet from a pawnshop when Al was just six years old, setting him on a lifelong path in music. Hirt’s early musical experiences included playing in the Junior Police Band alongside childhood friend Roy Fernandez and performing at the local racetrack while still in high school. After studying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music under Dr. Frank Simon, who served with John Phillip Sousa, Hirt served as a bugler in the Army Air Corps during World War II, before joining the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and others.

Renowned for his technical virtuosity, powerful tone, and genial stage presence, Hirt became one of the most successful instrumental recording artists of the 1960s. His breakthrough came with the million-selling single “Java” and the album *Honey in the Horn* (1963), which earned him a Grammy Award in 1964. Hirt’s fame extended beyond the recording studio: he performed for six U.S. presidents, played at President Kennedy’s inaugural ball, and was the featured halftime performer at the first Super Bowl in 1967. He was also a frequent guest on television, even hosting his own show, “Fanfare,” in 1965.

Despite his national and international success, Al Hirt remained deeply committed to New Orleans jazz and its traditions. He opened his own nightclub on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter in 1961, where he performed regularly and helped foster the city’s jazz scene. Hirt’s club became a local institution, with pianist Ellis Marsalis serving as house pianist for six years and Hirt famously giving Wynton Marsalis his first trumpet. Known as the “King of Bourbon Street,” Hirt’s influence and larger-than-life personality helped keep New Orleans jazz vibrant and visible, ensuring its legacy for future generations.

He died April 27, 1999. Al Hirt was 76 years old.

The next song is one of those that trumpet players like to try to sing. Al does NOT do that here.

[Music: I Can’t Get Started With You]

I Can’t Get Started With You
Written by Vernon Duke

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the collaboration with another Dixieland musician that kept the music alive.

Al Hirt and Pete Fountain shared a deep professional friendship rooted in their mutual love for New Orleans jazz. Both musicians were born and raised in the vibrant musical culture of New Orleans, and their paths often crossed in the city’s bustling jazz scene. Despite their different instruments—Hirt on the trumpet and Fountain on the clarinet—their styles complemented each other beautifully, creating a harmonious blend of Dixieland jazz that resonated with audiences. Their camaraderie extended beyond the stage, as they shared a genuine respect for each other’s talent and a commitment to preserving the legacy of New Orleans jazz.

One of the most notable collaborations between Hirt and Fountain was their performance at the 1975 Super Bowl IX halftime show in New Orleans. This rare opportunity to showcase jazz on such a grand stage highlighted their ability to captivate audiences with their dynamic interplay and infectious energy. That same week, they recorded the double album *Super Jazz* at the Fairmont Hotel, which featured both individual performances and joint numbers. Tracks like “Perdido” and “Basin Street Blues” exemplified their synergy, with each musician pushing the other to new heights of creativity and expression.

Their partnership also extended to their roles as club owners in New Orleans, where they nurtured local talent and kept the spirit of Dixieland jazz alive. While their joint recordings were relatively few, their influence on the genre was profound. Hirt and Fountain’s collaborations not only celebrated the rich musical heritage of New Orleans but also introduced its unique sound to a broader audience, ensuring that the city’s jazz legacy would endure for generations to come.

Next up is one of Al’s most popular tunes.

[Music: Just A Closer Walk With Thee]

Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Traditional

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

This trumpet player brings back so many great memories of growing up and discovering music outside the top-40 I was being exposed to from CKLW out of Windsor Detroit. Since the 45 RPM singles were in the basement along with our own record player there, I would often pull Hirt out. As a young trumpet player I listened to what I was SUPPOSED to sound like. Never got there. That’s why I got into radio.

I don’t think I remember this album cover specifically from my growing up days in the house.
But there are several Al Hirt album covers with similar images, so I might not be able to distinguish them.

As usual with Longine Symphonette Society Album covers, it’s sparse. There’s a photo of Hirt on a white background leaning into playing his horn. He’s only taking up a small portion of the cover. There’s a narrow blue bar along the top with “The Longines Symphonette Society Presents” in italicized serif font.

Al Hirt appears in large red letters, with America’s Greatest Trumpet Artist in black, The best of Dixieland Jazz in green and some info about the label in the corner. All those colors must have been a design artists nightmare.

The back cover tells you nothing about what is inside it. There is more than what I read on the left side of the cover. In a box on the right is the Longines Symphonette Board of advisors with their headshots and quick bio.

There’s a line drawing image of their new national headquarters along the bottom. A subject for a future Interesting Side Note.

OK, let’s head off to a toddling town to finish this episode.

[Music: Chicago]

Chicago
Written by Fred Fisher

And there you have selections from a compilation album from one of the most popular Dixieland trumpet players to ever record.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 226: Hirt’s Dixieland Horn

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 227: Beethoven’s 4th & 5th

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Red Headed Stranger

We’re going to have a little extra fun with this episode. In fact, you might say I have high hopes for it.

One of my dad’s, and my, favorite artists is Willie Nelson. One of my favorite holidays is the day this episode drops, and I’m not talking about Easter.

Some of the most favorite songs-to-record in music history are on this album. So famous, just the songs you’ll hear have been recorded more than 63 hundred times. That’s what you call standards.

And the voice who sings them? A classic!

We definitely need to take a toke of Indica for this one as we get mellow.

So get ready to bake a mixture of melancholy and marijuana with one of the most recognizable voices in history singing some of history’s most recognizable vocals in Volume 225: The Standard Stoner.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Go Directly to Any Song or Break on YouTube:

00:00 – Season’s Show Intro
00:49 – Episode Introduction
02:07 – Georgia on My Mind
06:24 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
09:08 – All Of Me
12:58 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
15:39 – Blue Skies
19:09 – Third Break: Artist Bio
22:24 – Unchained Melody
26:10 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
29:20 – On The Sunny Side Of The Street
31:50 – Describe Willie’s Autobiography Roll me Up and Smoke Me when I Die
34:00 – Moonlight In Vermont
37:21 – Fifth Break: Final Words
39:22 – Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
41:51 – Special bonus song intro
42:32 – Someone To Watch Over Me
46:31 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Willie Nelson – Stardust
Label: Columbia – JC 35305
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Terre Haute
Released: 1978
Genre: Rock, Blues, Pop
Style: Country Blues

Georgia On My Mind
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930
A song record 1125 times

All Of Me
Written-By – Gerald Marks and Seymore Simons in 1931
Recorded 953 times

Blue Skies
Written-By – Irving Berlin in 1926
Recorded 637 times

Unchained Melody
Written-By – Alex North and Hy Zaret in 1955
Recorded 708 times

On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Written-By – Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh in 1930
Recorded 814 times

Moonlight In Vermont
Written-By – John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf in 1944
Recorded 545 times

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
Written-By – Bob Russell and Duke Ellington in 1940
Recorded 611 times

Someone To Watch Over Me
Written-By – George and Ira Gershwin in 1926
Recorded 928 times

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#willienelson #standards #stoners #stonerholiday #420 #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 225 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We’re going to have a little extra fun with this episode. In fact, you might say I have high hopes for it.

One of my dad’s, and my, favorite artists is Willie Nelson. One of my favorite holidays is the day this episode drops, and I’m not talking about Easter.

Some of the most favorite songs-to-record in music history are on this album. So famous, just the songs you’ll hear have been recorded more than 63 hundred times. That’s what you call standards.

And the voice who sings them? A classic!

We definitely need to take a toke of indica for this one as we get mellow.

So get ready to bake a mixture of melancholy and marijuana with one of the most recognizable voices in history singing some of history’s most recognizable vocals in Volume 225: The Standard Stoner.

[Music: Georgia on My Mind]

The incomparable voice of the one and only Willie Nelson singing a song that many people think he wrote, Georgia on My Mind
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930
A song record 1125 times according to second hand music dot com.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

To put it BLUNTLY, I HAD to take this opportunity for a show celebrating a famous stoner on this stoner holiday. In fact, maybe the patron saint of stoners since it’s customary to leave a plate of special cookies out for him on April 19 before you go to bed.

And the Willie Nelson autobiography I’m partially basing this episode off of was one my dad read before he loaned it to me.

Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die. I was kind of surprised when I saw the book in my dad’s library. But it’s a great read and I think it calmed some of the questions he had about MY smoking when he saw such a famous person embracing its goodness.

My dad only had one vinyl LP of Nelson’s music, but he owned several CDs and cassettes and I know he listened to Willie’s music a lot later in his life. I would often hear the Red-Headed Stranger’s voice on the back patio during the summer.

The songs on this episode were recorded 6,321 times. You can’t get more standard than that. And you can’t get more of a celebrated stoner than Willie Nelson.

Yes, I’m a smoker. Something that took both my mom and dad some time to get used to, once they found out.

If you’re still kind of lost on the connection, the number 420 is code for smoking weed. It’s the time of day people are said to have met back in the 1970s in order to get high after school or work. At my last job we referred to it as a safety meeting. The date, April 20, which is written 4/20 has turned into an annual celebration of everything cannabis.

That’s why I have chosen this artist for this episode on this date.

Next up, a song that became the title and theme song of a great Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin film.

[Music: All Of Me]

All Of Me
Written-By – Gerald Marks and Seymore Simons in 1931
Recorded 953 times

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Willie Nelson – Stardust
Label: Columbia – JC 35305
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Terre Haute
Released: 1978
Genre: Rock, Blues, Pop
Style: Country Blues

This is stamped Promo Copy

We will hear 7 of the 10 songs on this album

There are no liner notes for this record, but the back cover does list among other things the musicians on this recording.

Vocals, Guitar – Willie Nelson
Guitar – Jody Payne
Piano – Bobbie Nelson – Willie’s sister
Harmonica – Mickey Raphael
Bass – Bee Spears, Chris Ethridge
Drums – Paul English, Rex Ludwig
Conductor [String] – Jules Chaiken
Producer, Arranger who also played Organ and Piano – Booker T. Jones

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$69.95 High
$5.00 Low

$25.59 Average
$20.00 Median

Last sold on Apr 01, 2025 for $19.99

My dad’s copy is in good condition. Not much noise at all on the entire disk. The surface seems to be pretty clean, with no real markings.

The cover is in fair condition. Definite wear along the edges. There’s some tearing of the paper, but no slits that open up. There’s only a slight circular wear mark where the album sits inside.

There is a green magic marker streak on the back, but no other usual markings. He does not have the typical address label on the front cover.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at two bucks.

Next up is just one of those songs I play every chance I get.

[Music: Blue Skies]

How many times have you heard this song on this show?
Blue Skies
Written-By – Irving Berlin in 1926
Recorded 637 times

There is absolutely no time to do justice to any kind of biography for this mega super star. So I’ll try to pack one up and hit some high notes.

Willie Nelson, the red-headed troubadour of Texas, has blazed trails in country music and counterculture alike. Born April 28, 1933 in Abbott, Texas, Willie’s early days were steeped in honky-tonks and radio gigs before he hit Nashville to pen hits like “Crazy” for Patsy Cline. But it wasn’t until he ditched the turtle-necks and sports jackets for braids and bandanas in Austin that he truly found his groove. Albums like *Shotgun Willie* and *Red Headed Stranger* cemented his status as a leader of the outlaw country movement—a genre that broke free from Nashville’s cookie-cutter mold. With his jazz-inflected phrasing and gut-string guitar, Willie became a musical maverick, blending country, rock, and pop into a sound as smooth as a freshly rolled joint. His career boasts an evergreen playlist, including hits like “On the Road Again” and “Always On My Mind,” which have made him an icon.

Beyond the music, Willie has been a high-profile advocate for cannabis legalization, puffing his way into legend with stories like sparking up on the White House roof. His love affair with the herb began in the 1950s, though it took him a few tries to master the art of inhaling properly (rookie mistake!). By the ’70s, he was weaving sly references to weed into his songs and championing its medicinal and recreational benefits. Willie’s Reserve, his cannabis brand launched in 2016, is a nod to his lifelong commitment to “rolling one for the road.” Even after hanging up his smoking gear due to health concerns, Willie remains an edible enthusiast and a vocal supporter of marijuana reform—a true OG of the green scene.

But Willie’s legacy isn’t just about music or marijuana; it’s about community. His Fourth of July picnics and Farm Aid concerts have brought people together while raising awareness for family farmers. Whether he’s crooning classics like “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” or advocating for cannabis freedom with NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), Willie embodies a laid-back spirit that’s as enduring as the scent of a freshly lit joint wafting through Luckenbach, Texas.

He is “on the road again,” proving that life—and music—is better when you keep it mellow.

In just eight days from when this episode drops, Willie Nelson turns 92 years old.

OK…time for another big hit.

[Music: Unchained Melody]

Unchained Melody
Written-By – Alex North and Hy Zaret in 1955
Recorded 708 times

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with why Willie loves his weed.

Just to let you know, I let a mixture of chatbots write this for me, with a little fact-checking on my part.

Willie Nelson and marijuana go together like whiskey and a honky tonk heartbreak. The man didn’t just blaze trails in country music—he blazed everything. In Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, Willie doesn’t tiptoe around his fondness for the green goddess. He talks about weed like it’s a lifelong dance partner—always there, always swaying to the rhythm, never stepping on his boots. The title alone tells you he’s not shy about his preference for a proper puff, even after he’s shuffled off this mortal stage. He credits the sweet leaf with keeping him mellow and creative, claiming it’s helped him write some of his greatest hits. Willie’s even gone so far as to say that cannabis saved his life, keeping him from “wanting to kill people” and helping him kick harder habits.

He’s compared weed to medicine, meditation, and even mentioned it’s helped him swap out harsher vices like whiskey and cigarettes. “I don’t drink anymore,” he once said. “I only smoke my medicine.”

In fact, Willie’s relationship with Mary Jane is so legendary that he once lit up on the White House roof with President Carter’s son, proving that even the highest office in the land isn’t immune to getting a little higher.

Over the years, Willie has been a vocal advocate for cannabis legalization, calling it a plant of peace and healing. He’s likened it to a good friend who never lets you down, unlike, say, the IRS. His public persona is practically a walking, talking (and probably toking) billboard for the benefits of marijuana. Whether he’s crooning about heartbreak or strumming his way through a honky-tonk anthem, you can bet there’s a little herbal inspiration wafting through the air. Willie doesn’t just smoke reefer; he’s practically its poet laureate.

And let’s not forget his entrepreneurial spirit. Willie’s cannabis brand, Willie’s Reserve, is like the Whole Foods of weed—organic, high-quality, and unapologetically Willie. He’s turned his love for the plant into a business that’s as authentic as his music. So, whether you’re celebrating 4/20 with a joint, a brownie, or just a playlist of Willie’s greatest hits, remember: the man himself would probably say, “Stay high, stay happy, and keep on rollin’.”

I’ll smoke to that. (flick Bic)

Here’s to Willie. Always looking on the sunny side. (light one up?)

[Music: On The Sunny Side Of The Street]

On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Written-By – Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh in 1930
Recorded 814 times

Since I’m playing an extra song, I thought I would take a quick moment to introduce you to the book I was kind of surprised my dad had on his shelf. He really enjoyed it and made sure he passed it along to me when he was finished. He must have passed it on to someone else after I returned it because we couldn’t find it in his library after died.

I enjoyed it also. Willie has some great stories from the road. If you’re not familiar with it, here’s the Amazon description.

In Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, Willie Nelson muses about his greatest influences and the things that are most important to him, and celebrates the family, friends, and colleagues who have blessed his remarkable journey. Willie riffs on everything, from music to poker, Texas to Nashville, and more. He shares the outlaw wisdom he has acquired over the course of eight decades, along with favorite jokes and insights from family, bandmates, and close friends.

A road journal written in Willie Nelson’s inimitable, homespun voice and a fitting tribute to America’s greatest traveling bard, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, introduced by another favorite son of Texas, Kinky Friedman, is a deeply personal look into the heart and soul of a unique man and one of the greatest artists of our time, a songwriter and performer whose legacy will endure for generations to come.

The book was published in 2012.

Three years later he turned that title into a song with help from Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson and another famous stoner Snoop Dogg. Give it a listen if you get a chance.

Has that indica kicked in yet? This next one is as mellow as you get.

[Music: Moonlight In Vermont]

Moonlight In Vermont
Written-By – John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf in 1944
Recorded 545 times

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

There was so much good music on this record, I didn’t even play the title track, Stardust.

I can always listen to Willie. And I often do especially when I’m in an Outlaw country mood, or just want to hear some good singing.

This musician was one of the other true music connections my dad and I had, other than the Tijuana Brass. And I’m sure that after he read Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, he realized why I was probably a smoker myself, and he seemed to be more relaxed about discussing that habit with me.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

I’m pretty sure this one was acquired after I left, but I can’t be sure.

I know I would have listened to it if I knew it was there. It has simple yet memorable cover art painted by Susanna Clark. It depicts a dark starry night with only a handful of bright stars. The words in a white serif font spell out Willie Nelson with Stardust underneath in equal size font. Clark’s signature is in the lower left.

The back has a great photo of Willie taken by Beverly Parker. He’s wearing a colorful cold weather jacket with a blue bandana around his neck. He’s wearing a top hat the kind we were used to seeing on Tom Petty. There’s a blurry small mountain range in the background.

I’m pretty sure I would have remembered this cover.

Well, I don’t think the title of this next song is true when talking about Willie.

[Music: Don’t Get Around Much Anymore]

That’s really misleading coming from Willie.
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
Written-By – Bob Russell and Duke Ellington in 1940
Recorded 611 times

So I kind of misled you here. I do have one more tune. After listening to this record several times, I realized there was one more song I should be playing. It’s like this song represents the entire collection that sits behind me along that back wall.

It’s as if my dad is still watching over me.

[Music: Someone To Watch Over Me]

Someone To Watch Over Me
Written-By – George and Ira Gershwin in 1926
Recorded 928 times

And there you have selections from an album featuring a leader in the cannabis revolution performing songs that had been recorded thousands of times before.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 225: The Standard Stoner

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 226: Hirt’s Dixieland Horn

Until then,
Stay baked my friends.

Liner Notes

Smooth Jazz Voices

We haven’t reached into the great Franklin Mint section of my dad’s collection for a while. Most of the episodes featuring the Greatest Jazz Recordings of All Time often get blocked by YouTube.

But I’ve really grown attached to this specific box set lately. It’s filled with some great and legendary jazz singers.

So get ready to hear a variety of voices with various styles in Volume 224: Big Band Bards Record 2.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Various – The Jazz Singers
Label: The Franklin Mint Record Society – JAZZ2
Series: Institute Of Jazz Studies Official Archive Collection, The Greatest Jazz Recordings Of All Time
Format: 4 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Red Vinyl Box Set
Released: 1982
Genre: Jazz

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this record.

George Thomas With McKinney’s Cotton Pickers – Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home?
Written by Charles Warfield, Clarence Williams
Recorded July 28, 1930
Released on Victor

Al Hibbler With Duke Ellington And His Orchestra – I’m Just A Lucky So And So
Written by Duke Ellington, Mack David
Recorded November 26, 1945
Released on Victor

Bing Crosby And The Mills Brothers – My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms
Written by Joseph Meyer, Herman Ruby
Recorded January 26, 1933
Released on Brunswick Records

Johnny Hartman With The John Coltrane Quartet – Dedicated To You
Written by Sammy Cahn, Hy Zaret, Saul Chaplin
Recorded March 7, 1963
Released on Impulse Records

Ray Charles – It Had To Be You
Written by Gus Kahn, Isham Jones
Recorded June 23, 1959
Released on Atlantic

Cab Calloway And His Orchestra – I Ain’t Got Nobody
Written by Spencer Williams, Roger Graham
Recorded July 2, 1935
Released on Brunswick Records

Metronome All Stars Featuring Billy Eckstine – How High The Moon
Written by Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
Recorded July 9, 1953
Released on MGM Records

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#jazzmusic #earlyjazz #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 224 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We haven’t reached into the great Franklin Mint section of my dad’s collection for a while. Most of the episodes featuring the Greatest Jazz Recordings of All Time often get blocked by YouTube.

But I’ve really grown attached to this specific box set lately. It’s filled with some great and legendary jazz singers.

So get ready to hear a variety of voices with various styles in Volume 224: Big Band Bards Record 2.

[Music: Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home?]

George Thomas With McKinney’s Cotton Pickers performing Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home?
Written by Charles Warfield and Clarence Williams
Recorded July 28, 1930
Released on Victor
Arranged and Directed By Clarinet, Alto Saxophone player, – Don Redman
Alto Saxophone – Jimmy Dudley
Banjo – Dave Wilborn
Brass Bass – Ralph Escudero
Drums – Cuba Austin
Piano – Todd Rhodes
Tenor Saxophone – Prince Robinson
Trombone – Ed Cuffee
Trumpet – Buddy Lee, Joe Smith, and Langston Curl
Vocals, Tenor Saxophone – George Thomas

George Fathead Thomas was a saxophonist and singer with McKinney’s Cotton Pickers from 1925 until his death following an automobile accident in 1930. originally he had sung Rhythm tunes and Novelty songs. But in 1929, after the Cotton Pickers had been playing opposite a band at the Greystone Ballroom in Detroit in which a now forgotten vocalist sang If I Could Be With You, Thomas copied the singer’s way of doing the song. The Innovation was a forced tenor projection that was novel then but became so popular that it was widely copied. On Baby won’t you please come Home, he moves into the forced tenor style in his last chorus. Don Redman, who wrote the arrangement, plays the sub tone clarinet.

This, of course, for regular listeners who are familiar with the Franklin Mint box set episodes, comes with a nice booklet that includes information about each of the songs. I Like reading from those.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Like I mentioned in the intro, there is something about the collection of music in this box set that completely eluded me when I first cracked it open several decades ago. I’ve mentioned it before, I wanted to hear lead trumpet, some saxophone, maybe a little piano, but leave the singers out.

How could I have been so wrong? I’ll admit. I was young and jazz musically naïve? And I hope you’ll agree with my new feelings about vocalists after hearing the talent and the recordings on this episode.

This is an all star vocal cast. And the backing bands ain’t too shabby either. Lots of talented musicians on the lists I’ll be reading to you.

Next up is a singer I actually took a liking to long ago when I was working for a big band station in the early 1980s.

Al Hibbler also has a deep, rich voice that can plumb resonant depths. But Hibbler is not as apt to exploit that aspect of his voice as Eckstine is, who I’ll be playing to finish this episode. He leans more toward odd affectations and decorations, he often uses a cockney like accent, for example. but as he shows on this song composed by Duke Ellington, he has a very effective, clean style when he wants to play it straight. Duke introduces the piece with a bluesy flourish on piano. Johnny Hodges sets the scene for Hibbler with a brief, soaring alto sax solo, and Lawrence Brown finishes up with one of his warm, floating passages.

[Music: I’m Just A Lucky So And So]
[Music: My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms]

Bing Crosby And The Mills Brothers – My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms
Written by Joseph Meyer and Herman Ruby
Recorded January 26, 1933
Released on Brunswick Records
Backing up Bing was
Clarinet – Benny Goodman
Piano – Fulton McGrath
Trumpet – Bunny Berigan
Violin – Harry Hoffman
Trombone – Tommy Dorsey
Guitar – Eddie Lang
String Bass – Artie Bernstien
Drums – Stan King

Before Bing Crosby became known as the groaner, he was basically a swinging Jazz singer, particularly during his four years with Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra as a member of the Rhythm boys, a trio that included Mildred Bailey’s brother Al Rinker. the groaner image was rising in 1933 when he made this record, but Bing shows his swinging, scatting side in the context of the Mills brothers, who did vocal imitations of instruments long before Ella Fitzgerald thought of it, with a lively Studio orchestra that includes Tommy Dorsey, who plays a trombone introduction, and Bunny Berigan, who’s trumpet winds it up.

Before Bing we heard
I’m Just A Lucky So And So from Al Hibbler With Duke Ellington And His Orchestra
Written by Duke Ellington and Mack David
Recorded November 26, 1945
Released on Victor
Alto Saxophone – Otto Hardwick
Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton
Double Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Tenor Saxophone – Al Sears
Bari Sax – Harry Carney
Trombone – Wilbur De Paris
Trumpet – Rex Stewart, Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan
Drums – Sonny Greer
Piano – Duke Ellington
Vocals – Al Hibbler

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Various – The Jazz Singers
Label: The Franklin Mint Record Society – JAZZ2
Series: Institute Of Jazz Studies Official Archive Collection, The Greatest Jazz Recordings Of All Time
Format: 4 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Red Vinyl Box Set
Released: 1982
Genre: Jazz

Even though the title of this episode is record 2, this is actually record one of this box set. I had decided to feature the third disk that included the female singers the first time I played this set. I confused myself. I promise not to do THAT again.

We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this record.

There is actually only a short section in the great booklet that is always included in these box sets to introduce this quartet of disks. I’m only going to read one of the paragraphs.

The singers heard in this album indicate how varied the approaches to jazz singing can be. Like Instrumental jazz, the basic materials used by jazz singers can be whatever interests the singers. The sources may be the non Jazz worlds of classical music or Tin Pan Alley. But after talents such as hot lips page or Ray Charles, for example, have examined these sources from their points of view, the songs are no longer classical or pop. They have gone back to two of the root forms of jazz singing, blues and gospel.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$40.00 High
$9.99 Low

$19.42 Average
$15.50 Median

Last sold on Aug 31, 2024 for 25 pounds 25, or $32.37 US.

My dad’s record is really clean. Like I’ve said before, these box sets were well designed. The plastic sleeves each record is set in were meant to last for a long time. In fact, they’re plastic sleeves inside a glossy paper. So it’s doubly protected.

There is really no crackling or popping going on at all. The surface looks pristine even though I know this box set was pulled out many times.

The booklet where I get all sorts of great information about the artists and the tunes is still in great shape as well.

The box itself is still in great condition. This was a set my dad really took good care of.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl box set at 15 dollars.

Johnny Hartman is invariably listed as a jazz singer, although he denies it. He almost always sings ballads. He never does scat singing. He refuses to sing blues. He does not improvise on the melody. He cites Perry Como as one of his basic models. But he has sung with Earl Hines’ band and with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band. and he is the only singer who ever recorded with the great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. that recording date was specifically requested by Coltrane. With McCoy Tyner’s piano, Hartman does not adapt his style to suit Coltrane. if there is any adapting. it is done by Coltrane on his melodically very straight solo.

[Music: Dedicated To You]

What a pretty tune
Johnny Hartman With The John Coltrane Quartet – Dedicated To You
Written by Sammy Cahn, Hy Zaret, and Saul Chaplin
Recorded March 7, 1963
Released on Impulse Records
Double Bass – Jimmy Garrison
Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Vocals – Johnny Hartman

Since there is no featured artist, let’s just continue on with music. Although I’ll be featuring this next musician in his own upcoming episode, I thought he really belonged here.

Ray Charles brought some distinctively new colorations to the jazz singers art when he took a strong, straightforward Blues singing style, mixed it with the emotionalism of the gospel singer and then, with dramatic intensity, applied it successfully first to country and western songs and then, even more successfully, to such pop standards as Hoagie Carmichael’s Georgia on my mind. it had to be you was one of his first recordings of a popular standard, and the Charles style works just as well in pop country as it does in country country. he is backed by a swinging, Basie-styled big band, and there are glimpses of his own piano and Newman’s tenor sax.

[Music: It Had To Be You]

Ray Charles – It Had To Be You
Written by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones
Recorded June 23, 1959
Released on Atlantic
Trombone – Al Grey, Melba Liston, Quentin Jackson, and Tom Mitchell
Trumpets – Ernie Royal, Joe Newman, Marcus Belgrave, Clark Terry, and Snooky Young
Alto Sax – Marshall Royal and Frank West
Tenor sax – David Newman, Billy Mitchell and Paul Gonsalves
Baritone sax – Charlie Fowles
Guitar – Freddie Freene
String bass – Eddie Jones
Drums – Charlie Persip
Vocals, Piano – Ray Charles
Arranged by Quincy Jones

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the next song. A melody I’m quite sure you’ve heard before.

You’ve probably heard David Lee Roth use it in combination with another song. But it’s a medley HE covered.

David Lee Roth’s decision to combine “Just a Gigolo” and “I Ain’t Got Nobody” in his 1985 rendition was heavily influenced by Louis Prima’s 1956 medley, which had successfully merged the two songs into a seamless narrative. Prima’s version had become a signature piece of Prima’s Las Vegas stage acts and he linked the life of a gigolo to the outcome of ending up alone, creating a poignant story arc that resonated with audiences. Roth, known for his flamboyant stage presence and affinity for classic showmanship, found Prima’s energetic and charismatic performance style appealing. By adopting this medley, Roth paid homage to Prima’s legacy while infusing the songs with his own rock sensibility, thus bridging the gap between jazz and rock audiences. His version was not merely a cover but a reinterpretation that embraced Prima’s jive-and-jumping spirit while adding his own rock-and-roll flair.

The enduring popularity of these songs over the decades can be attributed to their universal themes of loneliness and fleeting romance, paired with their catchy melodies and vibrant arrangements. Louis Prima’s medley revitalized both songs by juxtaposing the melancholy of “I Ain’t Got Nobody” with the tongue-in-cheek narrative of “Just a Gigolo,” creating a dynamic performance that appealed to audiences across generations. Roth’s 1985 version further cemented their legacy by introducing them to a new audience through MTV-era music videos, blending humor, parody, and high-energy visuals that captured the the defining spirit of the 1980s. This combination of timeless themes and innovative presentation has kept these songs relevant for nearly a century.

So, if Prima merged the two songs in 1956, where did they come from? Well. One of them was recorded in 1935 by a popular band leader.

Cab Calloway’s hi-de-do singing and his frantic, hair tossing antics in front of his band initially obscured the band itself when cab had his first big success at the Cotton Club in Harlem in the early 1930s. But as the years went by, the sidemen became more important and Cab moved away from an emphasis on hi-de-do. On this Evergreen Jazz tune, he mixes straight scat singing with his habit of stretching out the words of a lyric. Doc Cheatham’s muted trumpet supports his first vocal chorus and solos peek through by Eddie Bearfield on alto sax, Irving Randolph on trumpet and Benny Payne, who has been Billy Daniels’ pianist since 1948.

[Music: I Ain’t Got Nobody]

Cab Calloway And His Orchestra – I Ain’t Got Nobody
Written by Spencer Williams, Roger Graham
Recorded July 2, 1935
Released on Brunswick Records
Double Bass – Al Morgan
Drums – Leroy Maxey
Guitar – Morris White
Piano – Bennie Payne
Reeds – Andrew Brown, Arville Harris, Eddie Barefield, Walter Thomas
Trombone – DePriest Wheeler, Claude Jone, and Keg Johnson
Trumpet – Doc Cheatham, Irving Randolph, Lammar Wright
Vocals, Leader – Cab Calloway

I played a version of gigolo in a previous show.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

Of course I remember this album cover because I’m the one who actually started this collection. And it was after I left the house. My dad took it over right after I started it because I lost my job and he wanted access to this music.

The boxes are all the same. Their maroon with gold lettering in different styles and font sizes.

Institute of Jazz Studies Official Archive Collection in small letters above the more grand looking
The Greatest Jazz Recordings of All Time.

With the Franklin Mint Record Society in small letters along the bottom.

The spine is where each box set differs. That’s where they spell out who is featured in the box and what record numbers they are in the entire collection.

OK…to finish it out, get ready for a powerful voice and a big Jam at the end.

Unlike many of the black big band balladeers of the 1930s, Billy Eckstine, who joined Earl Hines’ band in 1939, was also a strong Blues singer. but his huge, cavernous baritone was such a colorful ballad instrument that he was usually featured on ballads. In this two-part metronome All-Star session, he does the ballad side with Teddy Wilson on piano, and then Roy Eldridge picks up the tempo to start a series of jazz solos by Warren marsh on tenor sax, Terry Gibbs on vibes, John Laporta on clarinet, a duet by Billy Bauer and Ed Safranski On guitar and bass, Max Roach on drums, Kai Winding on trombone and then back to Roy.

[Music: I Ain’t Got Nobody]

Metronome All Stars Featuring Billy Eckstine with How High The Moon
Written by Morgan Lewis and Nancy Hamilton
Recorded July 9, 1953
Released on MGM Records
The intro included some of the band members’ names, so I’ll just read them all to you here.
Bass – Eddie Safranski
Clarinet – John La Porta
Guitar – Billy Bauer
Tenor Saxophone – Lester Young, Warne Marsh
Trombone – Kai Winding
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs
Piano – Teddy Wilson
Drums – Max Roach
Vocals – Billy Eckstine

And there you have selections from the Franklin Mint Greatest Jazz Recordings of all Time box set featuring some great vocalists.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 224: Big Band Bards Record 2

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 225: The Standard Stoner

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.