Liner Notes

Cole Porter Music

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
01:47 – In The Still Of The Night
04:24 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
06:20 – You’re The Top
08:29 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
12:04 – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
16:39 – Third Break: Artist Bio
20:01 – C’est Magnifique-Paris Night
22:54 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
25:46 – Begin The Beguine
28:19 – Fifth Break: Final Words
30:10 – Anything Goes
32:46 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Here is the Episode Script!

Liner Notes

Birth of the Sugar Blues

What? Yet another trumpet player in my dad’s collection I haven’t introduced you to yet? But of course.

Clyde McCoy is not nearly as well known as the myriad of other horn players I’ve shown off, but he recorded a lot of music from 1917 through 1985.

His 1931 version of a song written nine years earlier set off a mini craze within jazz and set his career on fire.

So get ready to hear a trumpet played in such a style that it inspired a popular electronic tool for guitar players used still to this day in Volume 234: Sugar Blues.

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
01:49 – Sugar Blues
04:52 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
05:52 – Honeysuckle Rose
08:33 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
11:54 – Beale Street Blues
14:35 – Third Break: What are the Sugar Blues?
17:12 – Swamp Fire
19:37 – Fourth Break: Artist Bio
22:17 – Farewell Blues
24:38 – Fifth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
27:07 – Deep In A Dream
29:40 – Sixth Break: Final Words
31:24 – Ridin’ To Glory On A Trumpet
33:45 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Clyde McCoy – The Golden Era Of The Sugar Blues
Label: Design Records – DLP 28
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1957
Genre: Jazz
Style: Big Band

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

Sugar Blues
written by Clarence Williams and Lucy Fletcher
Recorded in 1931

Honeysuckle Rose
written by Andy Razaf and Fats Waller
Recorded January 22, 1931

Beale Street Blues
written by W.C. Handy
Recorded 10/14/1935

Swamp Fire
written by Hal Mooney
Recorded sometime in 1936

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Paul Mares, and Leon Roppolo
Recorded 7/5/1935

Deep In A Dream
written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie DeLange
It was recorded maybe in 1938 or 1939.

Ridin’ To Glory On A Trumpet
written by Clyde McCoy
Recorded 3/24/1936

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.

#clydemccoy #sugarblues #dixielandmusic #trumpetsrule #musichistory #musicalmemories #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 234 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

What? Yet another trumpet player in my dad’s collection I haven’t introduced you to yet? But of course.

Clyde McCoy is not nearly as well known as the myriad of other horn players I’ve shown off, but he recorded a lot of music from 1917 through 1985.

His 1931 version of a song written nine years earlier set off a mini craze within jazz and set his career on fire.

So get ready to hear a trumpet played in such a style that it inspired a popular electronic tool for guitar players used still to this day in Volume 234: Sugar Blues.

[Music: Sugar Blues]

Clyde McCoy and his orchestra with
Sugar Blues
written by Clarence Williams and Lucy Fletcher
Recorded in 1931

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Well, it was one of those albums that just kept looking back at me. I’ll explain more when we get to describing the cover. So I thought it was time to give this record a spin to hear what was on it.

I immediately recognized many of the songs, but not the musician nor the style that has been dubbed sugar blues.

I’ll go more into that subject later.

Once again, it’s the happy go lucky fun music I was used to hearing around the house while growing up. Most of the songs were written by jazz legends, but the style belongs to McCoy.

Up next a song co-written by a legendary piano player.

[Music: Honeysuckle Rose]

Honeysuckle Rose
written by Andy Razaf and Fats Waller
January 22, 1931

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

Clyde McCoy – The Golden Era Of The Sugar Blues
Label: Design Records – DLP 28
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: 1957
Genre: Jazz
Style: Big Band

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

There are quite a few liner notes, so I’ll only read a few.

I’m not sure who wrote these, but they come from his perspective.

Here is another in Designs Great series of collectors albums. We are proud to present the greatest name in trumpet dumb, the absolute king, Clyde mccoy. no one song featuring The Trumpet has ever approached the popularity of Clyde’s great all-time favorite the sugar blues. It gives a fella a scare when he realizes that this number which is still popular today and still sounds as modern as a pop tune could have been written in the year of his birth.. but that’s when Lucy Fletcher and Clarence Williams sat down and wrote it. all the way back in 1923. Clyde, who was 20 years old at the time had no idea that this tune was to make him one of the most popular and sought after artists in america. one of the secrets of Clyde’s success in the music field is his determination to play completely danceable music. Like Guy Lombardo and Lawrence Welk, he always arranged to keep the melody out front where the dancers and listeners could hear it, understand it and enjoy it.

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

$4.99 High
$0.12 Low

$1.84 Average
$1.25 Median

Last sold on Mar 01, 2024 for that low of 10 pence.
My dad’s record is in fair condition. Not too much hiss or popping. It’s pretty clean between the tracks.

The surface is also in fair condition. Just some usual markings from the usual playing of the record.

The cover is in poor condition. It’s kind of dirty and there’s a large slit along the top. There’s a green magic marker streak and the word Posted stamped on the back.

This is really an old album that he just might have bought right when it was released because he has three address labels stacked on top of each other. I can’t see it, but from what I’ve seen on previous album covers, the bottom label is most likely from the house I was born in. We moved out of that house in 1964.

So I will value my dad’s vinyl at 75 cents.

Next up, Clyde really goes crazy with the sugar on this one.

[Music: Beale Street Blues]

Beale Street Blues
written by W.C. Handy
10/14/1935

So…how did this style of music come about?

Let’s take a trip back to the early days of jazz, where a tune called “Sugar Blues” became a sensation and even inspired a distinctive sound within the genre. Written in 1919 by Clarence Williams and Lucy Fletcher, “Sugar Blues” first gained attention through recordings by Leona Williams and her Dixie Band in the early 1920s, but it really hit its stride in 1931 when trumpeter Clyde McCoy adopted it as his theme song. What set this style apart was the signature “wah-wah” trumpet effect—a growling, voice-like sound created by manipulating a mute, which gave the music a sweet yet mournful character, much like the lyrics’ tale of love gone sour.

The term “Sugar Blues” perfectly captured this bittersweet vibe. The “sugar” referred to the sweetness of love, while the “blues” reflected the sadness when that love turned bad—a classic blues theme. The style was especially popular from the late 1920s through the 1940s, peaking in the swing era when big bands and jazz orchestras brought “Sugar Blues” to dance halls and radio broadcasts across America. Clyde McCoy’s performances at the Drake Hotel in Chicago and his best-selling recordings helped cement the song—and its sound—as a jazz standard, and the wah-wah trumpet became so iconic that it even inspired the invention of the famous Vox “wah-wah” pedal for electric guitar decades later.

Many jazz greats put their own spin on “Sugar Blues,” including Count Basie, Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Each brought their own flavor, but the hallmark remained that expressive, almost vocal trumpet sound. So, the next time you hear a trumpet “talking” in a jazz tune, you might just be hearing the legacy of the Sugar Blues—a sweet and sorrowful slice of jazz history.

Interesting!

This next tune gives off a Cab Calloway vibe.

[Music: Swamp Fire]

Swamp Fire
written by Hal Mooney
Sometime in 1936

Let’s now shine a spotlight on a trumpeter whose career spanned an incredible seven decades.

Born on December 29, 1903, in Ashland, Kentucky, Clyde McCoy grew up in a region steeped in American folk and early jazz traditions. He picked up the trombone as a child in Portsmouth, Ohio, but soon found his true calling with the trumpet, developing a signature muted “wah-wah” sound that would become his musical trademark. His early gigs on riverboats and in dance halls exposed him to the lively rhythms of Dixieland and the blues, which became the backbone of his style.
McCoy’s musical influences were rooted in the jazz and Dixieland scenes, and he was inspired by the energy of the big band era and the improvisational spirit of early jazz musicians. He formed his first jazz band in 1920 and, by 1930, was leading his own orchestra at Chicago’s Drake Hotel, where he introduced his iconic theme song, “Sugar Blues.”

That tune, with its unmistakable trumpet “wah-wah,” became a massive hit, selling over a million copies in the depths of the Great Depression and ultimately moving more than fourteen million records worldwide. McCoy’s band, which often featured his brother Stanley on bass, toured the country and became known for lively performances and even pioneering the “battle of the bands” format—pitting two orchestras against each other on stage.

Beyond his recording successes, Clyde McCoy left an indelible mark on music history. He was a co-founder of Down Beat magazine in 1935, a publication that would become a cornerstone of jazz journalism. His influence extended into the world of rock and pop when the Vox Clyde McCoy Wah-wah pedal, inspired by his trumpet technique, became one of the most significant guitar effects of all time.

McCoy’s orchestra continued to perform into the 1970s, and he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a testament to his enduring impact on American music.

He died June 11, 1990 in Memphis, Tennessee. Clyde McCoy was 86 years old.

Up next is a song you’ve heard plenty of times on this show.

[Music: Farewell Blues]

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Paul Mares, and Leon Roppolo
7/5/1935

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the wah wah guitar pedal.

McCoy had been experimenting for nearly ten years with the “wah-wah” trumpet mute. He used it when performing the song “Sugar Blues” and many of the songs in his band’s library of arrangements. It was so popular that he licensed the King Instrument Company to manufacture and market the device.

McCoy developed the signature “wah-wah” sound in the late 1920s by fluttering a Harmon mute in the bell of his trumpet. In 1967, a similar effect was made for electric guitar with the introduction of the Vox Clyde McCoy Wah-Wah Pedal (Clyde’s name was only used for promotion and Clyde had nothing to do with the use or development of the pedal), the most significant guitar effect of its time. The Wah-wah pedal was invented by a young engineer named Brad Plunkett, who worked for the Thomas Organ Company, Vox/JMI’s U.S. counterpart. The wah circuit basically sprang from the 3-position midrange voicing function used on the Vox Super Beatle amplifier.

Vox cleverly packaged the circuit into an enclosure with a rocker pedal attached to the pot (which controlled the frequency of the resonant peak) and named the new device after Clyde McCoy. Early versions of the Clyde McCoy pedal featured an image of McCoy on the bottom panel, which soon gave way to his signature only before Thomas Organ changed the name of the pedal to Cry Baby. Thomas Organ’s failure to trademark the Cry Baby name soon led to the market being flooded with Cry Baby imitations from various parts of the world, including Italy, where the McCoy pedals were originally made.

I’ll have to ask some of my guitar playing buddies if they knew this. I’m sure they didn’t.

OK…off to something that seems to be eluding many I know these days.

[Music: Deep In A Dream]

Deep In A Dream
written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Eddie DeLange
It was recorded maybe in 1938 or 1939.

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

My dad loved this style of music. Not so much the Sugar Blues specifically, but this early jazz with a mostly Dixieland feel to it. And we most certainly heard a master at the craft in this episode.

I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

It’s a very distinctive photo of Clyde wearing a black and red checkered jacket. Looking everything like the country bumpkin he grew up as. He’s wearing a bow tie with blue and white dots on red material pinned to a mustard colored shirt. On his head is a straw hat with a blue and gold hat band. He’s got his elbow leaning on a material covered table where an NBC microphone is perched. In his hand is his trusty trumpet. He’s got a big smile on his face as he looks slightly off camera.

To the left in large all cap paint brush strokes is Clyde McCoy. On the other side is all caps Times new Roman font spelling out The Golden era of the Sugar Blues.

The back cover is typical for the time period. Simply divided in three. Liner notes on the left, song titles and a bit of information in the middle and an advertisement for Spectra-sonic sound from Design Records on the right.

Now to finish up, a heavenly song penned by our featured artist.

[Music: Ridin’ To Glory On A Trumpet]

Ridin’ To Glory On A Trumpet
written by Clyde McCoy
Recorded 3/24/1936

And there you have selections from the trumpet player who popularized a very specific style of jazz.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 234: Sugar Blues

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 235: Still Stanley

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Frank Sinatra That’s Life

Well, it’s Fathers Day.

For me, that means another trip to the cemetery rather than a trip to visit my dad for dinner. I’m not looking for sympathy. That’s just the way it is. I mean. That’s life!

And this episode’s featured artist certainly saw his share of ups and downs during his incredibly influential and talented life. He was also my dad’s favorite singer.

This is the last of five of his solo albums my dad had. But we have heard sing him with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras as well.

So, get ready to hear the man who went from pauper to king, a couple of times, in Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers 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
01:53 – That’s Life
04:58 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
06:25 – I Will Wait For You
08:39 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
11:57 – Somewhere My Love
14:11 – Third Break: Artist Bio
16:50 – Winchester Cathedral
19:24 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
22:39 – The Impossible Dream
25:08 – Fifth Break: Final Words
27:43 – What Now My Love
30:11 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Frank Sinatra – That’s Life
Label: Reprise Records – F 1020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Vocal, Swing

Supported by a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Ernie Freeman

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs from this album.

That’s Life
Written-By – Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon
number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966-67. It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.

I Will Wait For You
Composed By – Michel LeGrand and Norman Gimbel

Somewhere My Love
Composed By – Maurice Jarre and Paul Francis Webster

Winchester Cathedral
Written By – Geoff Stephens
The New Vaudeville Band/September 26, 1966/Hit song

The Impossible Dream
Composed By – Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion

What Now My Love
Composed By – Carl Sigman and Gilbert Bécaud

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.

#franksinatra #thatslife #musichistory #musicalmemories #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 233 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Well, it’s Fathers Day.

For me, that means another trip to the cemetery rather than a trip to visit my dad for dinner. I’m not looking for sympathy. That’s just the way it is. I mean. That’s life!

And this episode’s featured artist certainly saw his share of ups and downs during his incredibly influential and talented life. He was also my dad’s favorite singer.

This is the last of five of his solo albums my dad had. But we have heard sing him with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras as well.

So, get ready to hear the man who went from pauper to king, a couple of times, in Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers Day.

[Music: That’s Life]

Frank Sinatra backed by a studio orchestra singing one of his biggest hits and title track of this album, That’s Life
Written-By – Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon
That song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966-67. It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

As I said in the open, Sinatra was my dad’s favorite singer. My parents saw the Chairman of the board at least two, maybe three times. I had the opportunity to join them in 1988 at the Richfield Coliseum where Frank was joined on stage by Sammy Davis Junior. That was a night to remember.

This album was part of Sinatra’s comeback years of 1965 and 66. I played the album that reached number one earlier in 1966, Strangers in the Night, during Volume 171: Sinatra is No Stranger.

This album also has some smooth standards that Sinatra swings extra hard. I really enjoyed listening to it several times.

So, I hope you enjoy my selection for this fathers day. I mean, you can’t go wrong with Sinatra.

[Music: I Will Wait For You]

I Will Wait For You
Composed By – Michel LeGrand and Norman Gimbel

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

Frank Sinatra – That’s Life
Label: Reprise Records – F 1020
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo, Mono
Released: 1966
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Vocal, Swing

Supported by a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Ernie Freeman

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs from this album.

The lighter notes are pretty long and an interesting story written by Stan Cornyn. so I’ll just read the first few lines.

Mr Sinatra has been up to bat a goodly share of times. He copped the most valuable cup lots. He’s performed more songs than your average home phonograph. recorded more. starred at more record sessions than most medium-sized record companies ever get around to sponsoring.

Most everything Mr Sinatra does plops into the more column.

Mr more.

He’s been up to bat and bat and bat and bat. He’s recorded enough albums so you get confused now about what songs are in which. And about how many swinging LPs can be got out. It gets difficult to tell his works apart. Like wars, they’re best remembered not by the issues, not by the countries, but by the havoc they create and the ingenuity of their arms makers.

Quite an odd analogy.

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

$25.00 High
$7.99 Low

$12.80 Average
$8.00 Median

Last sold on Jan 07, 2023 for that $25 high.
My dad’s record is in poor condition. Lots of skips scratches and pops on this album.

You’re going to hear a bad pop later that eventually goes away, but it’s one of my favorite songs and I really wanted to play it. Hey, that’s all part of this collection and show.

The surface has markings all over it, which means it was probably played a lot. Especially on the automatic turntable spindle.

The cover is in surprisingly good condition however. No wear or tear. There isn’t even any real record outline you see on many old albums. I think because Reprise labels had such solid covers, Real quality.

The word posted is stamped on the back next to a pencilled in checkmark. And he has his address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at 2 bucks.

Next up…Leave it to Frank to turn this one completely inside out with his phrasing.

[Music: Somewhere My Love]

Somewhere My Love
Composed By – Maurice Jarre and Paul Francis Webster

What can we say about old blue eyes that we haven’t said before on this show when I featured the first four albums. So, I will do a very quick summary that will in no way do him, his music or his life justice.

Frank Sinatra wasn’t just a singer—he was *the* voice. Born in Hoboken on December 12, 1915, he crooned his way from small-town kid to national heartthrob, first singing with big bands like Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. Before long, “The Voice” was packing theaters and sending bobby-soxers into a frenzy. He had style, swagger, and that velvet tone that made every lyric feel personal.

Things cooled off in the early ‘50s, but Frank wasn’t done—not by a long shot. He bounced back with an Oscar for *From Here to Eternity*, then hit a new stride with albums that turned heartache into high art. With songs like “One for My Baby” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” he made swing sound effortless and sadness sound classy. He even started his own label, Reprise, just to do things his way.

By the time he took that final bow in 1998, Sinatra had become more than a musician—he was a legend. The Rat Pack, the tux, the finger-snapping charm—it was all pure Sinatra. And through it all, that voice kept ringing out: smooth, bold, and unforgettable. Like he always said, he did it *his* way.
He died May 14, 1998. Frank Sinatra was 82 years old.

And yes, we played Sinatra’s My Way at my dad’s funeral as we wheeled his casket out of the church. We thought we were going to have to blackmail the priest in order to get permission to do so. And actually had a backup plan ready to go in case someone chickened out.

Next up is a song that was a number one hit for the original artist, The New Vaudeville Band just a few weeks before this version was released.

[Music: Winchester Cathedral]

Winchester Cathedral
Written By – Geoff Stephens

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with repeated ups and downs of this great star’s life.

Frank Sinatra’s career was a true rollercoaster, marked by dizzying highs and some dramatic financial lows. Early on, after his divorce and a dip in popularity in the early 1950s, Sinatra faced real financial trouble—even being forced to borrow money to pay bills and relying on friends for support. Later, his investments in casinos like the Cal-Neva Lodge and the Sands in Nevada became a double-edged sword: while they offered prestige, they also brought regulatory headaches and big tax bills, at one point leaving him owing over $200,000 to the IRS—no small sum for the time. His casino ventures were further complicated by associations with controversial figures and the scrutiny of Nevada gaming authorities, which eventually forced him to give up his gaming licenses and sell his interests, sometimes at a loss.

Sinatra’s comeback was fueled by a mix of talent, timing, and determination. He reinvented himself musically, won an Oscar for “From Here to Eternity,” and then, frustrated by lack of creative control at Capitol Records, founded his own label, Reprise Records, in 1960. This bold move wasn’t just about business; it was about artistic freedom. Reprise struggled at first because Capitol flooded the market with his old recordings, making it tough for the new label to gain traction. But Sinatra’s persistence paid off when Warner Bros. bought the label, giving him both financial security and a seat at the table as a major industry player. Along the way, he relied on a tight circle of friends and business partners—his manager Hank Sanicola, casino investors, and industry insiders—who helped him weather storms and seize new opportunities.

His ups and downs gave his voice new depth, and fans could feel the pain, swagger, and survival in every note. The setbacks seemed to deepen his artistry, fueling the emotional depth of his classic recordings from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Yet, the stress and battles also made him more guarded and, at times, combative—especially during the Reprise years when personal and professional vendettas sometimes bled into his work. Still, Sinatra’s resilience and willingness to reinvent himself not only saved his career but cemented his legacy as one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century.

A legend and an icon.

Next up…sorry about the pops for the first few moments. It does clear up.

[Music: The Impossible Dream ]

The Impossible Dream
Composed By – Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion

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

The title song of this album expresses clearly the kind of life the great Frank Sinatra had. I’m sure his bigger than life presence within the music, film and popular scene when my dad was growing up had a lot to do with why my dad loved him so much. I’m sure Frank’s Italian heritage had just a little to do with it too.

By the way, if I’ve never mentioned this, my dad’s name is Frank as well. In fact, he was a junior because my grandpa’s name was Frank. Yes, I’m technically the third.
I think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

Most of the Sinatra albums were usually in the play often pile my dad had near the living room Magnavox.

It’s what appears to be a chalk on canvas drawing of a smiling Sinatra, wearing a purple shirt under his dark blue suit jacket. His tie is a royal blue. He’s wearing a fedora with a striped hat band. It’s purple with narrow blue lines that match the color of this shirt and tie.

On the right side of the album cover the Words Frank Sinatra That’s Life are in large puffy serif font. In smaller text is Arranged and Conducted by Ernie Freeman. There the titles of five songs with a dot dot dot and others.

The back side is a simple box divided in thirds. The left third has these words at the top, My my, That’s Life, An assemblage of songs which say much and to many by Frank Sinatra. The list of songs are under that.

The middle and right panels are filled with the liner notes.

Well dad, It’s been another year between Fathers days and I want to pick up the phone every day to ask you a stupid question or borrow a tool. Sometimes asking to borrow a tool WAS a stupid question.

So to all of you who still have your dad’s around. Make sure you show them some extra love today. My daughter has already taken me out to lunch.

Now to finish up…Another hard swinging version of a song that’s usually played a lot smoother.

[Music: The Impossible Dream ]

What Now My Love
Composed By – Carl Sigman and Gilbert Bécaud

And there you have selections from another hit album by the chairman of the board.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers 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 234: Sugar Blues

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Breaking out of his big band bonds

Time to take a road trip around this great country we call the US of A. And who better to be our tour guide than the incredible Ray Charles.

He had over 1,700 listings in discogs, the website I use to catalog my vinyl collections. And it’s not easy to catalog just what genre this genius belongs to.

Well, he belongs to them all: pop, blues, jazz, gospel, country, and rock.

So get ready to hear a guy who once tried to sell an electric piano to Jake and Elwood Blues, “2,000 bucks and it’s yours. You can take it home with you. As a matter of fact, I’ll throw in the black keys for free!” In Volume 232: Ray on the Road.

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
01:49 – Alabamy Bound
03:40 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
05:25 – Georgia On My Mind
09:06 – Moonlight In Vermont
12:05 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
16:35 – Mississippi Mud
19:58 – Third Break: Artist Bio
22:25 – Deep In The Heart Of Texas
24:48 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
28:21 – California, Here I Come
30:24 – Fifth Break: Final Words
32:20 – Chattanooga Choo-Choo
35:21 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Ray Charles – The Genius Hits The Road
Label: ABC-Paramount – ABC 335
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: Sep 1960
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues

We will hear 7 of the 12 tunes on this album.

Alabamy Bound
Written-By – Bud Green, Buddy DeSylva, and Ray Henderson

Georgia On My Mind
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell

Moonlight In Vermont
Written-By – John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf

Mississippi Mud
Written-By – Harry Barris and James Cavanaugh

Deep In The Heart Of Texas
Written-By – Don Swander and June Hershey

California, Here I Come
Written-By – Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer

Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Written-By – Harry Warren and Mack Gordon

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.

#raycharles #georgiaonmymind #earlysoul #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords #fyp

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 232 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Time to take a road trip around this great country we call the US of A. And who better to be our tour guide than the incredible Ray Charles.

He had over 1700 listings in discogs, the website I use to catalog my vinyl collections. And it’s not easy to catalog just what genre this genius belongs to.

Well, he belongs to them all: pop, blues, jazz, gospel, country, and rock.

So get ready to hear a guy who once tried to sell an electric piano to Jake and Elwood Blues, “2,000 bucks and it’s yours. You can take it home with you. As a matter of fact, I’ll throw in the black keys for free! In Volume 232: Ray on the Road.

[Music: Alabamy Bound]

Ray Charles and his Orchestra with
Alabamy Bound
Written-By – Bud Green, Buddy DeSylva, and Ray Henderson

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

I love Ray Charles. He has had so many memorable songs over the years like the one you’ll hear next. He appeared in one of my all time favorite movies, The Blues Brothers. And we’ll chat about that a little later.

I really fear I am not going to do this episode justice. There is just too much to talk about with this great artist and we only have one album in which to do so. I know I will miss a lot.

So I hope you enjoy this road trip nevertheless.

Now, we just heard this next song sung a few episodes ago by Willie Nelson. Yes, a popular version. But nothing tops the version you are about to hear.

In 1960, Ray Charles, a native of Georgia, recorded a version of the 1930 Hoagie Carmichael song that went to No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot 100. Charles’ hit rendition would become the most widely-known version of the tune from this time on. In musical parlances, the definitive version. It would also be the song most associated with his musical career. In April 1979, his version of “Georgia on My Mind” was proclaimed the state song of Georgia, and an emotional Charles performed the song on the floor of the state legislature.

[Music: Georgia On My Mind]
[Music: Moonlight In Vermont]

Another song we heard Willie sing a few episodes ago.
Moonlight In Vermont
Written-By – John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf

And before that we heard the definitive version of one of the most popular songs in history, It WAS recorded 1139 times according to second hand songs dot com.
Georgia On My Mind
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell

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

Ray Charles – The Genius Hits The Road
Label: ABC-Paramount – ABC 335
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono
Released: Sep 1960
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues

The music was arranged and orchestra conducted by Ralph Burns

We will hear 7 of the 12 tunes on this album.

There are a ton of liner notes, so I’ll read just the first two paragraphs.

Discovery of the genius of Ray Charles gives the same effect as winning the daily double, making a hole in one, or scoring a touchdown. his performance creates a feeling of exhilaration and warmth and a deeply personal identification with a true artist. his honest singing, with complete immodesty and abandon, makes a familiar standard song an entirely new experience. Ray gives himself wholeheartedly to a song, and his ability to express himself whimsically is a quality envied by persons with less creative talent.

When Ray Charles sings, you know there’s nothing in this world he’d rather do. He lives a song, and does far more for it than it does for him. Whether you consider Ray a pop singer, Blues singer, jazz singer, or gospel singer and he has been declared by experts to be each of these, he has more to offer than perhaps any other artist on today’s record scene. categorizing Ray’s style is much less important than simply enjoying the wealth of talent he brings to your own musical environment. to paraphrase, genius By Any Other Name remains the same.

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

$9.99 High
$2.00 Low

$5.65 Average
$5.78 Median

Last sold on April 26, 2025 for $8.50

My dad’s record is in poor condition. There is lots of crackling and popping. It includes a couple of big skips. The last song of this episode had to be rerecorded in order for me to get some nasty skips out.

The surface does have several blemishes including two large scratches which are obviously causing the skipping I just mentioned.

The cover is in poor condition. Lots of wear and tear. The bottom seam is almost completely separated. I’ll probably put some of my dad’s electrical tape on this one after I record this episode.

Oddly there is none of my dad’s usual accouterments. No green magic marker streak or the stamped word posted on the back cover. There is no address label on the front, although there is a sticker that looks like it might have been a price tag.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at a buck because of its historical importance.

Next up is a MASH connection. It’s the song that Harry Morgan sang at the end of Season three episode one titled, the General Flipped at Dawn. This was one year before Morgan joined the cast for the next eight seasons. The performance of this song got the general booked into the looney bin. The performance got Harry Morgan the role as Colonel Potter.

[Music: Mississippi Mud]

Mississippi Mud
Written-By – Harry Barris and James Cavanaugh

OK…let me try to quickly summarize the life of this great musician. There is no way I will do him justice.

He has one of the longest pages on Wikipedia I’ve ever seen.

Ray Charles Robinson was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist who became one of the most important musicians in history. Born September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia, he lost his sight as a child but learned to play many instruments at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. He would read the braille with his right hand and play with his left, then switch to learn the whole song. As a teenager, Ray started performing in jazz bands around Florida and later joined a group called The Florida Playboys. He moved to Seattle in 1948, where he formed his first trio and recorded his first hit, “Confession Blues,” which reached number two on the R&B charts.

Ray Charles was known for blending different types of music, like jazz, blues, gospel, country, and pop, to create a brand new sound called soul music. In the 1950s and 1960s, he recorded famous songs like “I Got a Woman,” “What’d I Say,” and “Georgia on My Mind.” His music broke down barriers between genres and helped bring together audiences of all backgrounds. Ray was also one of the first Black musicians to have creative control over his music with a major record label, which was a big deal at the time.

Ray Charles inspired many other musicians and changed the way people thought about music. He showed that music could cross boundaries and connect people, no matter their race or background. His unique voice and piano playing made him a legend, and his songs are still loved today. Ray Charles will always be remembered as the “Genius” who helped shape American music for over fifty years.

He died June 10, 2004. Ray Charles was 73 years old.

Next up…not only does he perform this song with the slowest tempo I think I’ve ever heard it performed at, but I also like the other voice asking all the stupid questions.

[Music: Deep In The Heart Of Texas]

Deep In The Heart Of Texas
Written-By – Don Swander and June Hershey

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with Ray’s Music Exchange in Chicago.

I asked ChatGPT to write about Ray’s participation in one of the greatest movies of all time in my opinion, especially in the music genre. I had it write in the style of Elwood Blues. I will, however, not try to imitate Elwood’s style.

(VIDEO: “Pardon me, but we have a strict policy concerning the handling of the instruments. An employee of Ray’s Music Exchange must be present. Now, may I help you?”)

Let me tell you, folks, about the time Ray Charles strolled into the world of The Blues Brothers. Now, you gotta picture this: Dan Aykroyd—Elwood himself—insisted that if they were gonna make a real tribute to the blues, they needed the legends not just to sing, but to speak, to live in the story. So there was Ray, the Genius, playing the owner of Ray’s Music Exchange. He wasn’t just a cameo; he was a force. When a young punk tried to swipe a guitar, Ray—blind as a bat but sharp as a hawk—pulled out a pistol and let loose a couple of warning shots, showing everyone he didn’t need eyes to see what was going on in his shop. Then, to prove his wares, he launched into “Shake a Tail Feather,” and suddenly the whole street outside was a dance floor, the city itself caught up in his groove.

Ray’s number wasn’t just a musical interlude—it was a jolt of electricity that lit up the film. Universal execs, can you believe it, wanted to cut his scene, calling him a has-been, but Aykroyd and Belushi fought tooth and nail to keep him in, because they knew what he meant to the music and to the story. The film became a love letter to the greats—Aretha, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and of course Ray—giving them the spotlight when the world had started to forget. And Ray’s performance, both acting and singing, helped re-energize his career and became one of the movie’s most beloved moments, with critics and fans alike calling his number one of the hottest dance scenes in movie history. The impact? It turned The Blues Brothers into a living museum of American music, a place where legends walked and sang among mortals.

As for Ray, well, he was humble about the whole thing. In interviews, he’d say he was out of his league, that he didn’t know a thing about movies, and it was Dan and John who made him feel at home. But the truth is, on set, Ray was the one coaching the boys, stopping takes, giving notes, and getting the best out of everyone. Dan Aykroyd himself remembered Ray’s musical direction—“No, no, no, that’s wrong, you’re off this… hold the take… good, good, good”—and credited Ray with producing the track and shaping their performances. The cast was in awe, grateful to share the screen and the studio with a legend who, even as he claimed to be learning, was teaching everyone around him what it meant to really play the blues.

(VIDEO: “As usual, I’llhave to accept an IOU.”)

OK…let’s head out west.

[Music: California, Here I Come]

California, Here I Come
Written-By – Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer

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

This record was kinda odd to see in my dad’s collection because he really wasn’t into rock and roll. Although Ray was a jazz pianist to start his career, he shows those roots off in the music on this album. Again, maybe it was my mom’s.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house. Which leads me to believe that he probably bought this at a used record place well after I left the house.

I love the cover. It’s Ray, wearing a red shirt and his trademark sunglasses, sitting behind an open piano. You can see some of the hammers and strings. To the left is a very MASH-like sign post pointing in the different directions all the locations he sings about are…uh…located. Each pointed board has the name of a song typed in it.

The words Ray Charles are in a fluffy red font. The Genius Hits the Road is in a slightly smaller white fluffy font with either red or black stroke. It also has a sticker that says, This album contains the hit tune Georgia on my Mind.

The back cover includes Ray’s name and album title in squared off font. The liner notes are on the left and the songs list is on the right. Nothing elaborate at all.

So…let’s hop on board that train for one last trip.

[Music: Chattanooga Choo-Choo]

Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Written-By – Harry Warren and Mack Gordon

And there you have selections from the genius who mashed genres and gave us his soul.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 232: Ray on the Road

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 233: Frank’s Life for Fathers Day

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

The King of Calypso

When I featured this artist the first time on this show, he was still with us.

Unfortunately, Harry Belafonte passed away just a few weeks later.

This is the second record we will hear of the two my dad had from this singer. This was Harry’s second LP in his illustrious career. While his first did hit number three on the Billboard charts. This was his first of two number one albums.

So, get ready to hear one of the purest singing voices ever recorded in Volume 231: Simply Belafonte.

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
01:45 – Waterboy
05:24 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
07:22 – Troubles
10:59 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
14:44 – Matilda
18:17 – Third Break: Artist Bio
21:44 – Noah
26:32 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
28:30 – Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
31:48 – Unchained Melody
35:05 – Fifth Break: Final Words
37:36 – Jump Down, Spin Around
39:30 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Harry Belafonte – Belafonte
Label: RCA Victor – LPM 1150, RCA Victor – LPM-1150
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Rockaway Pressing
Released: 1956
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Calypso, Vocal, Folk

We will hear 7 of the 11 songs from this album.

Waterboy
Written-By – Harry Belafonte

Troubles
Written-By – Harry Belafonte

Matilda (This one made me get my bongo drums out)
Written-By – Harry Thomas

Noah (Next up a song of biblical proportions)
Written-By – Harry Belafonte and William Attaway

Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
Written-By – Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal

Unchained Melody
Written-By – Alex North, Hy Zaret

Jump Down, Spin Around
Written-By – H. Belafonte, Norman Luboff, and William Attaway

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.

#harrybelfonte #calypsomusic #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords #fyp

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 231 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

When I featured this artist the first time on this show, he was still with us.

Unfortunately, Harry Belafonte passed away just a few weeks later.

This is the second record we will hear of the two my dad had from this singer. This was Harry’s second LP in his illustrious career. While his first did hit number three on the Billboard charts. This was his first of two number one albums.

So, get ready to hear one of the purest singing voices ever recorded in Volume 231: Simply Belafonte.

[Music: Waterboy]

There is Harry Belafonte accompanied on Guitar by Millard J. Thomas with Waterboy
Written-By – Harry Belafonte

Mr Belafonte’s Waterboy is an entirely new interpretation of this venerable hammer song. Here the sound of the Hammers gives way to the agonized Cry of one who craves for more than just water.

Those brief words are part of the liner notes. I’ll use those for all of the songs on this episode.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because I thought it was past time to pull out the only other record my dad had from this great artist. The first one we pulled out was that even more popular LP Calypso that I’ll mention a few times as we move through this episode. I featured it in Volume 109: Harry’s Day O.

This album, while considered the calypso style, is a little more laid back. Several of these songs were featured in a Broadway musical called 3 for Tonight starring a young Belafonte. That includes the song he eventually used as his theme song, which you’ll hear in a few.

And after listening to this record several times to prepare for this episode, I couldn’t get over how pure his voice is on it. I also appreciated the minimal instrumentation around him. That’s why I called it Simply Belafonte. Of course the title of the album helps too.

Next up, in Troubles we have a delightful transmigration, as an old New Orleans Street vendor’s song is raised to a more spiritual plane.

All I know is, this one has a really funky bass line.

[Music: Troubles]

Tony Scott And His Orchestra backing Belafonte on Troubles
Written-By – Harry Belafonte

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

Harry Belafonte – Belafonte
Label: RCA Victor – LPM 1150
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono,
A Rockaway Pressing
Released: 1956
Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Calypso, Vocal, Folk

We will hear 7 of the 11 songs from this album.

The text besides the notes I’m using to introduce songs is lengthy. But I did want to pick out a bit of it.

Once heard, Harry Belafonte will be remembered. He is a voice of fire with an almost Apostolic fervor. His burning need? To return to the people a sense of the magnificence of their own cultural heritage. He has been described as America’s foremost balladeer in folk singer, and has surely earned this distinction. while moving us through laughter and tears, he imparts a fresh sense of the reality and truth of our legends.

Most of the songs in this collection will be familiar to all, but that is as it should be, great folk themes are Immortal and timeless. However, great music demands equally great interpretation if it is to survive in our everyday lives as a living force. We think that Harry Belafonte has made this music live through his own vitality and love.

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

$14.76 High
$0.57 Low

$3.41 Average
$1.60 Median

Last sold on Nov 20, 2023 for that $14.76 high

My dad’s record is way cleaner than I expected. Especially if you remember the bad condition Calypso was in. There is very little hiss, which is important since so much of the music you’ll hear is just Belafonte’s voice.

That’s because my dad’s record is so clean. I don’t see many marks on the LPs surface. Just enough to know that it had been played.

The cover is in good condition. Harry’s photo is still bright and clear. There’s just a bit of a circular outline where the record rests beneath.

There’s a shorter than normal green magic marker streak on the back cover with no word stamped on the back.

He does have a unique address label on the front. I don’t think I remember seeing the little dog with the Uncle Sam hat before.

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

Back to music. In Matilda we are taken to Jamaica where, to a Calypso beat, we hear the sero-comic tale of a lover betrayed.

This one made me get my bongo drums out.

[Music: Matilda]

Once again Tony Scott And His Orchestra behind Harry performing Matilda
Written-By – Harry Thomas

I just wanted to give you a bit more information about that song.

Harry Belafonte’s first recording of the song was on April 27, 1953 and was released as a single. He re-recorded it for this album. The oft-repeated phrase in his rendition of the song is:
Hey! Ma-til-da; she take me money and run a-Venezuela.
Belafonte often performed the song in concert, and he would encourage the audience to sing that line. An example is heard on his 1959 live album Belafonte at Carnegie Hall, where the total playing time for “Matilda” is nearly 12 minutes.
Now, I looked back and really went into depth in the last episode featuring Belafonte, so I thought I would do a very quick and not at all thorough summary of his life.

Harry Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York, the son of Jamaican-born parents.

He was a famous singer who helped make calypso music popular in America during the 1950s. His album *Calypso*, released in 1956, was a huge success and became the first album ever to sell more than one million copies in a year. Some of his best-known songs are “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” “Jamaica Farewell,” and “Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)”.

Belafonte didn’t just sing calypso—he also performed blues, folk, gospel, and pop music. He won many awards, including three Grammys and he was the first Black American man to win an Emmy Award. Besides music, he acted in movies like *Carmen Jones* and *Island in the Sun*, and he helped introduce other artists to American audiences.

Throughout his career, Belafonte used his fame to help others. He worked for civil rights and supported important causes like fighting hunger and helping children. He was known as the “King of Calypso,” but he was also a leader who made a difference in music and in the world.

In 1996, Belafonte was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was treated for the disease. He suffered a stroke in 2004, which took away his inner-ear balance.

From 2019, his health began to decline, but he remained an active and prominent figure in the civil rights movement.

He died from congestive heart failure at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City, on April 25, 2023.

Harry Belafonte was 96 years old.

Next up is a song of biblical proportions.

Noah is the voice of Prophecy from the Old Testament, calling through the passion of a backwoods preacher.

[Music: Noah]

With a little help from the The Norman Luboff Choir, there is Noah
Written-By – Harry Belafonte and William Attaway

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with Cuban rap music.

Belafonte is also known for his visit to Cuba that helped ensure hip-hop’s place in Cuban society. According to Geoffrey Baker’s article “Hip hop, Revolucion! Nationalizing Rap in Cuba”, in 1999, Belafonte met with representatives of the rap community immediately before meeting with Castro. This meeting resulted in Castro’s personal approval of, and hence the government’s involvement in, the incorporation of rap into his country’s culture. In a 2003 interview, Belafonte reflected upon this meeting’s influence:

“When I went back to Havana a couple years later, the people in the hip-hop community came to see me and we hung out for a bit. They thanked me profusely and I said, ‘Why?’ and they said, ‘Because your little conversation with Fidel and the Minister of Culture on hip-hop led to there being a special division within the ministry and we’ve got our own studio.’.”

There’s an artist whose career spanned Calypso to Rap.

OK, I couldn’t decide between the next two old familiar melodies. So I’ll play them both.

First stop. Everyone who knows this singer loves the lyrical beauty of scarlet ribbons. Other singers have attempted this deceptively simple tune but it remains Mr Belafonte’s own.

[Music: Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)]
[Music: Unchained Melody]

Did that just become my favorite version of this song?
Unchained Melody
Written-By – Alex North, Hy Zaret

The fact that Mr Belafonte has chosen to include the Contemporary Unchained Melody in this album demonstrates that creation of songs with Integrity is an unending process. His sensitive rendition of this number is convincing proof that it belongs.

Before that we heard Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair), a hit for Doris Day.
Written-By – Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal

Both of those songs, Harry was accompanied on Guitar by Millard J. Thomas.

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

This voice. Especially on this album. Just so clear, so pure and so young. And the simple instrumentation for most of it. It was giving me goosebumps as I listened.

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

But it also could fall into the category of just not recognizing that I saw the cover.

It is a nice photograph of the young Belafonte wearing a salmon colored Cuban collared shirt. It’s an open front shirt with no buttons. He is sitting, although you can’t see what he is sitting on, with his left arm laid across his left leg. He must be wearing dark slacks.

His attention is not towards the camera but to his left off screen. This photo is on a light green background. Other than the RCA Victor Logo, the only words that appear are the white serif font that simply says Belafonte.

The back cover is a simple black text on a white background with the song listing and the liner notes.

Pretty plain cover.

And…last but not least is a song that you hear a snippet of in this season’s opening.

Jump down, spin around, a folk round from Slavery days, captures the spirit of rebellious gaiety which reaffirms the fact that man’s spirit is indeed indestructible.

[Music: Jump Down, Spin Around]

The Norman Luboff Choir Jump Down, Spin Around
Written-By – H. Belafonte, Norman Luboff, and William Attaway

And there you have selections from the man who put Calypso on the musical map.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 231: Simply Belafonte

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 232: Ray on the Road

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.

Liner Notes

Radio news broadcasts from history

We now pull out the final disk of this six record box set filled with memories of radio days past. Back in the days before television when you had to imagine what was being described. To the days of live happenings. Expected and extremely unexpected.

This last LP features many news recordings that were captured as they happened from 1920 through the early 1940s.

So get ready to hear history as it unfolded live to countless listeners around the globe during a time of financial turmoil and approaching world war in Volume 230: Golden Memories of Radio Record 6.

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 – KDKA Election Returns/Pres. Coolidge Presents Charles Lindberg To Congress
05:11 – First Break: Why I chose this record for this episode
07:19 – Eddie Cantor On 1929 Crash/Billy Sunday On Prohibition
08:49 – Second Break: More information about the record, its marketplace value and what condition my dad’s vinyl is in.
12:21 – FDR Is Inaugurated
14:54 – Third Break: Artist Bio
17:07 – The King George V Funeral/Edward VIII Abdicates/King George VI Coronation
21:27 – Fourth Break: this episode’s Interesting Side Note.
24:36 – Hitler Declares War On Poland/Chamberlain Announces War/FDR “America Hates War”/Winston Churchill “Give Us The Tools”
28:23 – Fifth Break: Final Words
30:36 – The Hindenburg Disaster
37:15 – Close

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Jack Benny – Golden Memories Of Radio
Label: Longines Symphonette Society – none
Format: 6 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Mono, Maroon Labels Box Set
Released: 1969
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Radioplay

We will hear 12 tracks from this album

KDKA Election Returns/Pres. Coolidge Presents Charles Lindberg To Congress (The music world then honored him by naming a dance after Lindy. Check out episode ??? for details on that dance.)

Eddie Cantor On 1929 Crash/Billy Sunday On Prohibition

FDR Is Inaugurated (include some of the most famous words in presidential speech history)

The King George V Funeral/Edward VIII Abdicates/King George VI Coronation

In this segment we will hear from four leaders of three countries from the late 1930s and early 40s. The lead up and declaration of war: Hitler, Chamberlain, FDR, Churchill
Hitler Declares War On Poland/Chamberlain Announces War/FDR “America Hates War”/Winston Churchill “Give Us The Tools”

The Hindenburg Disaster

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.

#radiohistory #oldtimeradio #musicalmemories #musichistory #vinylcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 230 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

We now pull out the final disk of this six record box set filled with memories of radio days past. Back in the days before television when you had to imagine what was being described. To the days of live happenings. Expected and extremely unexpected.

This last LP features many news recordings that were captured as they happened from 1920 through the early 1940s.

So get ready to hear history as it unfolded live to countless listeners around the globe during a time of financial turmoil and approaching world war in Volume 230: Golden Memories of Radio Record 6.

[Music: KDKA Election Returns/Pres. Coolidge Presents Charles Lindberg To Congress]

You just heard two segments from side one of this record. KDKA Election Returns/Pres. Coolidge Presents Charles Lindberg To Congress.

You remember Charles Lindberg. He of the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927? The music world then honored him by naming a dance after him. Check out Volume 99: Time To Dance for details on the Lindy.

Meanwhile KDKA is an historic radio station. But we’ll come back to that.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

If you’re a regular listener of this show, you know how much of a radio history geek I am. It will be sad to not have any more records to feature from this box set. But we have heard some great history in the six episodes we explored these great time-honored recordings.

This one is very different from the others in the box set. There is no comedy or theater. There are no sports. There are no variety show radio broadcasts.

These two sides DO include some very important recordings of live broadcasts during the early days of radio leading to the advent of TV.

Two of these cuts will include words that have lived in infamy.

I’ll try to set up any history surrounding the tracks, but for the most part, I’ll let the recordings speak for themselves.

Just remember, some of the music you will hear is part of the album presentation, not necessarily part of any of the broadcasts.

The next cuts are based on two events. The passage of the 18th amendment in 1919, starting the era of prohibition. And the stock market crash of 1929 leading to the great depression.

We’ll start with that one.

[Music: Eddie Cantor On 1929 Crash/Billy Sunday On Prohibition]

Billy Sunday speaking on why the 18th amendment should not be repealed. It of course was with the 21st amendment ratified in 1933. Before that was comedian Eddie Cantor On 1929 Stock Market Crash.

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

Jack Benny – Golden Memories Of Radio
Label: Longines Symphonette Society – no number for this one
Format: 6 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Mono, Maroon Labels Box Set
Released: 1969
Genre: Non-Music
Style: Radioplay

We will hear the sixth record, which is side 6 and 7 of the box set. The only record that has consecutive numbers since this set was numbered for the automatic turntable spindle that I have talked about before.

There’s a nice booklet enclosed. I don’t think I can make any coherent use out of those notes and have them pertain to what we’re playing in this episode.

But I did want to read the last paragraph from the message of the Director of the Longine Symphonette Society, Mishel Piastro.

Original recordings of radio broadcasts used to be made on a fragile acetate material. Through the years, often as many as 45 years, the transcriptions deteriorated, were broken, damaged, destroyed, or just plain lost. That any survived as a miracle! And tracing them down was just one of the problems. thus we owe many thanks to many people – What follows as a partial list. I hope we have not overlooked anyone. for this project has been a labor of love for all involved!

Now, I will obviously not read the list of people he is thanking.

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

$14.99 High
$1.75 Low

$7.65 Average
$7.75 Median

Last sold on May 02, 2023 for that low of $1.75

My dad’s record is in really good condition. I don’t think he played this box set very much. It was certainly a set I did not know he had, otherwise, I know I would have listened to these records a lot.

The records are kept in good shape by the plastic lined paper sleeves. And the box is in great condition, except he has his famous address label attached to the front and the word posted stamped on the back.

The internal booklet is also in good condition.

I will value my dad’s collection at ten dollars.

Next is Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address delivered on March 4, 1933. It includes some of the most famous words in presidential speech history

[Music: FDR Is Inaugurated]

The name of that track? FDR Is Inaugurated

Here’s where I usually pause for an artist bio. But there is no artist to feature and we’ve already talked about Jack Benny in a previous episode featuring this box set. He really only lends his name to this set to help sales. He doesn’t talk much. The person who does most of the talking is Frank Knight.

This is from his New York Times obituary on October 19, 1973. And I’ll drop that link in this episode’s liner notes.

Frank Knight, who was a radio and television personality in the days of Graham McNamee, Ted Filming and Kate Smith, died yesterday at the Lenox Hill Hospital from burns sustained Oct. 10 in a fire that swept his apartment and was fatal to his wife, Mildred. His age was 79 and he lived at 170 East 77th Street.

Mr. Knight was widely known as the announcer of the Columbia Broadcasting System’s television program “Chronoscope,” sponsored by the Longine Watch Company, and its Longine radio programs “Symphonette” and “Choraliers.”

He had the kind of voice that bordered on the pompous but was very popular. In 1952, Jack Gould, the television editor of The New York Times, wrote that Mr. Knight’s commercials were delivered “with an almost cathedral formality. They tend to induce such a feeling of social inadequacy that a viewer might be forgiven if he found himself wondering whether he was really eligible to buy the product.”

Mr. Knight was born at St. John’s, Newfoundland, and studied at St. Bonaventure College, near Buffalo. After service with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during World War I, he went to McGill University intending to study medicine but gave it up after a year for an acting career.

Let’s move on to a series of cuts that had to do with England’s royal family in the mid 1930s. A monarch’s death, an abdication, and another ascension to the throne.

[Music: The King George V Funeral/Edward VIII Abdicates/King George VI Coronation]
We just heard in order, The King George V Funeral, Edward VIII Abdicates, and King George VI Coronation.

Of course, King George the VI was the husband of Queen Elizabeth who just recently passed away at 96. She was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, serving as Queen for 70 years.

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with radio station call letters featuring the aforementioned KDKA out of Pittsburgh.

In 1912 when the United States and other countries around the world were assigned special letters to help tell their radio stations apart, the government decided to use special codes called “call letters” to identify each station. The U.S. was given the letters K, W, N, and A for radio use: K and W were set aside for commercial stations, while N and A were for military stations. At first, the rules about which stations got K or W weren’t very strict.

On October 27, 1920, the Department of Commerce issued the first commercial radio station license under the call sign KDKA. On November 2, 1920, Leo Rosenberg broadcast the Harding-Cox presidential election returns, marking the first broadcast by a licensed radio station. KDKA got its call sign during a short period when land stations were being assigned K codes that had previously been used only for ships, and once the rules changed, KDKA was allowed to keep its unique call sign.

From 1921 until early 1923, the dividing line between “K” and “W” call letters for radio stations was not the Mississippi River. Instead, the original boundary ran northward from the Texas–New Mexico border. This meant that stations located west of this line received “K” call letters, while those to the east received “W” call letters

In early 1923, the government moved the boundary to the Mississippi River to better balance the number of stations and populations on each side. This change created the system we still use today, where most stations west of the Mississippi start with “K” and those east start with “W”. Some stations that already had their call letters before the switch, like WKY in Oklahoma and WOI in Iowa, kept their original “W” calls even though they were now west of the new boundary.

That’s why you might still find a few “K” stations in the east and a few “W” stations in the west, but most follow the K-west, W-east rule today.

Next

In this segment we will hear three world leaders from the late 1930s and early 40s. The lead up and declaration of war: Hitler, Chamberlain, and Churchill

[Music: Hitler Declares War On Poland/Chamberlain Announces War/FDR “America Hates War”/Winston Churchill “Give Us The Tools”]

There were supposed to be four cuts there, but I never heard the FDR cut. This is what the label listed here.

Hitler Declares War On Poland/Chamberlain Announces War/FDR “America Hates War”/Winston Churchill “Give Us The Tools”

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

These recordings are special and important moments in history. And not just the record I played for you on this episode, but all six of them in the box set. I’m so glad my dad had this collection and I’m glad I got to share it with you.

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

Because I know I would have listened to it often. The six records of this box set hold some special moments in radio broadcasting history.

The cover is mostly orange, reminiscent of a sunset, which happens to be setting on a small image of Jack Benny, dressed in a suit and tie, holding his violin in one hand and its bow in the other.

The words in several sizes and types of font read A Longines Symphonette Society Gold Medal Production.

Jack Benny presents the treasury of Golden Memories of Radio. Narrated by Jack Benny and Frank Knight. And from top to bottom of the right side of the cover is a golden old fashioned diaphragm microphone and stand, with a golden wire leading off the edge.

The rest of the box is kind of golden in color.

Well, we’ve heard the phrase “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Next we’ll hear some of the greatest on-the-spot reporting ever witnessed.

This report includes another famous phrase that, even though it was used to describe a disaster here, it was also used on one of the most memorable comedy TV episodes in history as well. Think the WKRP Turkey drop.

[Music: The Hindenburg Disaster]

The Hindenburg Disaster

Yes, that’s where Les Nesman came up with that line as turkeys fell into a Cincinnati shopping center parking lot. I know. An odd juxtaposition.

And there you have selections from this great box set filled with great broadcasting memories.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 230: Golden Memories of Radio Record 6

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 231: Simply Belafonte

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.