“Blue Skies“ is a popular song, written by Irving Berlin in 1926…..as a last-minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical Betsy…..and although the show ran for only 39 performances….“Blue Skies” was an instant success….with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star Belle Baker…..when during the final repetition….Ms. Baker forgot her lyrics….which prompted Berlin to sing them from…
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain“ is a song written by songwriter Fred Rose….while being originally performed by Roy Acuff….as the song has been covered by many artists including Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Russell, and Charley Pride….and most notably, the song was recorded by Willie Nelson as part of his 1975 album Red Headed Stranger….when both the song and album became iconic in country…
“All of Me“ is a popular song and jazz standard written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931….. which has an ABAC structure….and is written in the key of B-flat major…..with a 20-bar introductory verse, but this is routinely omitted…..and it has often been said that the melody combines the contradictory possibilities of the song….with the downward thrusts of the opening phrases which…
“Over the Rainbow“ is a ballad composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg.….which was written for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz….and was sung by actress Judy Garland in her starring role as Dorothy Gale…..which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song….while becoming Garland’s signature song ….as the song has been covered by many artist over the years. In this video seen herewith….Willie Nelson and The…
“I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart“ is a 1938 composition by Duke Ellington….with lyrics added by Irving Mills, Henry Nemo and John Redmond….as this song became a # 1 hit for Ellington in 1938….while other hit versions the same year were by Benny Goodman with Martha Tilton singing, Connee Boswell, Hot Lips Page, and Mildred Bailey. In this video seen herewith….legendary jazz singer…
“Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’“ is the opening song from the musical Oklahoma!….which premiered on Broadway in 1943….after being written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II….man, Oscar and Hammerstein songs were played often by Bone Daddy on Granny Jean’s piano throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s….cuz he played them all, be it South Pacific, The Sound of Music,…
“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)“ is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington….whose lyrics were written by Irving Mills….which is now accepted as a jazz standard…..as jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as “now legendary” and “a prophetic piece and a prophetic title”. The music was composed and arranged by Ellington in August 1931 during…
Django Reinhardt (January 23, 1910 – May 13, 1953) was a Belgian-born Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was the first jazz talent to emerge from Europe and remains the most significant…..whose most popular compositions have become standards within gypsy jazz….which include “Minor Swing”, “Daphne”, “Belleville”, “Djangology”, “Nuages” and “Swing 42”….as played by Ray Benson & Alseep At The Wheel ….along with fiddle…
“Honky Tonkin’“ is a 1948 country music song, written and recorded by Hank Williams….as the song went to # 14 on the Billboard country music charts…..and in 1982 it became the sixth chart topping single for Williams’ son, Hank Williams Jr. Hank Williams released two versions of “Honky Tonkin’” ….with the first being cut at his second and final recording session for Sterling…