Music hasn't escaped my passion for vintage either.
If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I've recently started doing a series called Music break.
You can read those posts 'here', 'here', 'here' and 'here', along with me waxing poetic about music on blogs 'here'
I have no idea where my love of old music initially came from, but I have loved Big Band from the beginning of my life and even during my"rock phase" in the 80s and 90s, I still turned to it. In fact, I was the oddball in my group of friends. The only thing I can think of is that my grandparents listened to it and it must have entered my brain at a young age.
I can still picture my grandmother, Bonnie, wagging her finger along to music as it played and my grandfather, Ox, singing along to music that didn't have words on some AM station that I can't recall, or on k-earth101, which was an oldies station in L.A., back when they actually played "oldies".
Some of them were:
Tommy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
(yes, they were brothers)
Artie Shaw
Benny Goodman
Gene Krupa
and my personal favorite, Glenn Miller
Then there was the 50s and 60s that had me listening to...
Buddy Holly
The Big Bopper
Ritchie Valens
(they "belong together" if you know what I mean)
Elvis
Sam Cooke
The Ronettes
Dean Martin
Frank Sinatra
(I've since fallen in love with his older material)
The Beach Boys
And of course The Beatles
Quite eclectic huh?
Most of the latter music is because of my mom :)
Much later I discovered music from the 20s and 30s. I'm officially hooked and it's what I'm planning on sharing more of in upcoming posts, because I consider it forgotten music that needs to be brought into the light.
Be careful though, some of that music back then was quite racy and although it doesn't bother me, I know quite a few of you would blush.
'Shave me dry' Lucille Bogan is a good example, but there's much, much worse.
Rap music has nothing on the music from that era, trust me!
Nothing new under the sun, as the saying goes ;)
I seriously could go on and on with this post, but I don't want to bore you, so next I'll be going to another old love of mine.
To be continued...
xo
rue
My apologies if you watched some of the music that didn't match the name I listed. I was tired and selected some of the wrong ones. Oops! It's fixed now :)
ReplyDeletexo
Couldn't sleep, got up to check emails and then saw you had another vintage post. Of course music has to be a love of yours too! Glenn Miller was my favorite too but I love all the Big Bands.And yes the others here too, although I missed out on the Big Bopper!
ReplyDeleteNot clicking on them tonight as I don't want to wake the dogs and my husband but I'll be back to see what songs you chose for them.
Such fun posts, Rue! Love them.
Dewena
Being a teenager in the 50's, you hit on a few of my favorites, too. I saw a few in person...not many...Little Richard (he came riding down the aisle on a motorcycle and we screamed until we couldn't talk for days), Fats D. and he was a 1000 times better in person..just the cutest man, ever...Elvis (in 1956 just as he was getting started good and, again, couldn't talk for a week), several more...and then, last yr. I got to attend Sir Paul's concert and I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven. One of my greatest loves, Ray Charles...and so so so sorry I never had the chance to see him in person.
ReplyDeleteBuddy Holly was from our town and his museum here is really great.
xoxo
Yes, music from the 50's thru the 80's ...love it.
I love all this old music too! When my husband first met me he thought it was weird. It's just happier music and puts a little pep in your step. :)
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, yes, the good old bad old days. A number of these are my favorites, too. I also was hesvily influenced by grandparents. My parents liked Perry Como, Nat King Cole, and Tennessee Ernie Ford, among others, so I have a fondness for them as well.. Oddly enough, because they didn't like Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Dean Martin, I don't enjoy listening to them either. Weird. (i detest rap music so I suppose I'd really best stay away from that 20s and 30s music you mention. =D )
ReplyDeleteImagine some of the really older stuff being risque... I would've never! Love the name Ox... that's a cool one! :) ~Rhonda
ReplyDeleteFrom one Cali girl to another, I listened to k-earth101 all day, everyday back in the 80s and 90s! It is funny about music getting stuck in our heads at an early age! My grandparents listened more to the classic country with Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Glen Campbell, Patsy cline, and my father listened to the 50s and 60s, the Big Bopper was his favorite. Thank you for the fun memories, Rue! xo christine
ReplyDeleteI have always loved big band music and old 50's and 60's Broadway musical music. My parents played both. I had a HUGE crush on Dean Martin when I was 13. I was devastated when he married someone - I think her name was Catherine, maybe.
ReplyDeleteHi Rue! You know I love music too! Many years ago we had a radio station that just played big band music and I just loved it! Hope you're doing well.
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
This makes me want to get up and boogie LOL
ReplyDeleteI loved Rickie Valens and all the rock and roll guys from that era
I like big band music also and loved the movie about Glen Miller's life
I watched Dean Martin and Sinatra and all the rat pack with mt Grandparents
Rue, Jess just bought me 'Volare' by Dean Martin, and I love it. I also love 'Be My Baby.' Music has always been a big part of my life, and I like all different kinds as well. I tried coming over here last night, but it kept freezing on me, not sure why.
ReplyDeleteHere's to music, Rue!
~Sheri
Going down your list - ....i stopped at Glen Miller - always loved that song. I also love the oldies - my parents would put albums on the stereo after dinner and many times our dad would dance with us girls. My love of 40's music came from them. Then when my dad lived with us when my mother died back in the 80's...he would listen to music all the time - the one that he would listen to so much and I got so tired of was Englebert Humperdink. Still can't listen to it to this day. But I loved Willy Nelson which he was play a lot.
ReplyDeleteFrank Sinatra...*sign*
ReplyDeleteMy father was a big fan of Johnny Mathis, and it rubbed off on me. 'Chances are...if I wear a silly grin, the moment you come into viewwwwwwww...chances are you'll think that I'm in love with youuuuuu'. Smooth as silk. Of course, those lyrics pale in comparison to today's music. Especially Nicki Minaj. 'You a hoe, you da hoe, yeah you a hoe, you a hoe'. Now THAT'S music.
I listened to quite a lot of Big Band music...my dad played in a band, that toured the Midwest, before I was born. He never could understand my love of the Beatles...ha! There is a current Glen Miller Orchestra that tours...we took my parents to see them when they were in town....fantastic! They sounded just like the former orchestra! ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you, the music of today has nothing compared to the old music. I love big bands, Andrew Sister, etc. now, that is music!
ReplyDeleteHi Rue, Music is a huge part of my life and I love many of the same talents you share. Big Band, 50's & 60's with the 40's mixed in and then I love some old gospel too. Show tunes and solo piano are among my favorites too. Of course the Beatles are right at the top as well. Love Buddy Holly and when we lived in Lubbock, Tx there is a large statue of him in town with a museum. Loved the movie about his life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Have a nice evening and weekend ahead. cm
I have very eclectic taste in music as well and I listed to it all at once, jumbled up. So you may hear Fleetwood Mac, Mel Torme and The Doobie Brothers right in a row.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with my grandparents next door...so your music here is older. My grandfather ( AT THE TIME ) was in to polkas, jazz bands, and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass to my recollection...I am sure that they loved the older music as well but this is what they were listening to when I was a kid
ReplyDeleteAnd I remember being down there watching their Black / WhiteTV with Ed Sullivan coming on and then that guy with the Tiny Bubbles :)
Rue, love this post! I love Big Band music too-- probably because I grew up watching old movies from Hollywood's Golden Age, where everyone wore fabulous clothes with background music by Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey et al-- and, if it was a musical, they danced to wonderful music composed by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and other greats wearing fabulous clothes. My mom was a big fan of Frank Sinatra, so I grew up listening to a lot of ol' blue eyes, and actually have a couple compilations of his songs, as well as my favorite album of his, Come Fly With Me, that I listen to constantly in my car. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've so enjoyed this vintage series..and in so many ways I feel the same way...I am an old soul and love all vintage things as sacred. Love learning more about you history, childhood and everything in between. I love big bands too, and anytime movie is on tv about their lives I watch them. last week Glen Miller story was on. I loved Dean Martin, so sexy and what a voice...frank not so much! Can't wait for more.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with The Glenn Miller Band blaring out of my granny's big stereo, 'member those, they were as big as a dresser....... such sweet memories!
ReplyDeletethis post and all the comments are simply wonderful rue!
ReplyDeleteit brought back such memories for me too. my mother and daddy danced ALWAYS. in front of the marine and me.
whether in the living room or on the screened in back porch... and it was always to glen miller's orchestra... and other wonderful music of 'the war years.' I fell in love with that music. and I always related more to it than to my own 'swingin' sixties' sounds.
I loved johnny mathis... nat king cole... bing crosby... perry como... frank and dean of course. and I knew all the words.
I was always out of step with my own generation. although I absolutely ADORED ricky nelson!!! I think it was the eyes! LOLOL.
as I got older I discovered the paris bistro music of the 20's and 30's and I love those too. back when paris was THE place for all artists and writers. thank you for these WONDERFUL posts!!!! xoxo♥