POPULARITY
3 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
3 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
2 episodes with billy gray
Sintonía: "Dancin´At The Rancho" - Tex Williams & His String Band"On a Slow Boat To China" y "Williams Rag" compuestas e interpretadas por Tex Williams & His String Band"Wooly Boogie", "Cornstalk Hop", "Slip In And Slip Out", "Oklahoma Hayseed", "My Window Faces The South", "Remember This", "Just Because" y "Pork Chop Stomp" compuestas e interpretadas por Grady Martin & His Winging Strings"Moonlight Cocktail", "Curtain Call", "Snow Deer", "Tippin´ In", "The Bandera Shuffle", "Tuxedo Junction", "Tennessee Stomp" y "Johnson Rag" compuestas e interpretadas por Billy Gray & His Western Okies"Todas las músicas extraídas de la colección (7x10") "Country & Western - Dance-O-Rama - The Complete Works" (Sleazy Records, 2022), una reedición de la serie de 7 vinilos de 10 pulgadas que publicó el sello discográfico Decca en 1955Relación de los dos programas anteriores de este tríptico coleccionable sobre el Western Dance (o Western Swing) estadounidense de la década de los 50:1- Emitido el 17/03/2025 con Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys y Milton Brown & His Brownies2- Emitido el 20/03/2025 con Adolph Hofner, Spade Cooley y Tex WilliamsEscuchar audio
On this episode of Your History Your Story, we are honored to have Billy Gray as our guest. Billy began his acting career at a young age, becoming widely recognized for his portrayal of Bud Anderson on the 1950s television classic “Father Knows Best.” He also made a significant impact with his role as Bobby Benson in the 1951 science fiction film “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” Beyond acting, Billy pursued diverse interests, becoming a skilled speedway motorcyclist, inventor and businessman. This April, Billy will make his inaugural appearance at the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, Missouri. Music: "With Loved Ones" Jay Man Photo(s): Courtesy of Billy GraySupport Your History Your Story: Please consider becoming a Patron or making a donation via PayPal. - THANK YOU!!! YHYS Patreon: CLICK HERE YHYS PayPal: CLICK HEREYHYS: Social Links: CLICK HERE YHYS: Join our mailing list: CLICK HERE #yhys #yourhistoryyourstory #history #storytelling #podcast #njpodcast #youhaveastorytoo #jamesgardner #historian #storytellerFor more information about Billy Gray:BillyGrayOfficial.comcherryblossomfest.comOther story of interest:S6 Ep18 Jim Thorpe: Legendary American Athletehttps://youtu.be/QTHxvTU1p1s
Join Eamonn Barclay and his team of Jeff Burnige, Debbie Julians and Ted Robinson as they host a Lion from the 59 Home Games period, Barry Rowan.Thoughts on the Millwall Community Trust Community Champions, our defeat against Bristol City, and the demonisation of Millwall.Watford v Millwall previewed and a look forward to Leeds United v Millwall. Barry Rowan discussed: · How he joined Millwall · The 59 Home Games without defeat · Billy Gray, his manager and his teammates · His most memorable game. · How he met his wife and Bobby Moore · Football then and nowWe were saddened to hear of the passing of David Exley and his brother Robert. David was a Fan in the Dugout. That episode is featured in memoriam as he discusses Millwall and the 1966 World Cup. RIP David and Robert.We also hear from Paul Loding as we catch up on all the news from the Millwall Romans & Pride. Myles Thornton reports for Maritime Radio. Phil Coleman brings more tales from his 'Brut' Room. Ted's prediction League is in full flow.Ted's Prediction league is ongoingIt's well worth a listen. Music and Audio credits:https://www.maritimeradio.co.ukhttps://www.FesliyanStudios.comBackground Music
Join Eamonn Barclay and his team of Jeff Burnige, Debbie Julians and Ted Robinson as they host a Lion from the 59 Home Games period, Barry Rowan.Thoughts on the Millwall Community Trust Community Champions, our defeat against Bristol City, and the demonisation of Millwall.Watford v Millwall previewed and a look forward to Leeds United v Millwall. Barry Rowan discussed: · How he joined Millwall · The 59 Home Games without defeat · Billy Gray, his manager and his teammates · His most memorable game. · How he met his wife and Bobby Moore · Football then and nowWe were saddened to hear of the passing of David Exley and his brother Robert. David was a Fan in the Dugout. That episode is featured in memoriam as he discusses Millwall and the 1966 World Cup. RIP David and Robert.We also hear from Paul Loding as we catch up on all the news from the Millwall Romans & Pride. Myles Thornton reports for Maritime Radio. Phil Coleman brings more tales from his 'Brut' Room. Ted's prediction League is in full flow.Ted's Prediction league is ongoingIt's well worth a listen. Music and Audio credits:https://www.maritimeradio.co.ukhttps://www.FesliyanStudios.comBackground Music
On this episode we are joined by our friend from Outdoor Dog Supply Mr. Billy Gray and introducing the new Alpha XL!!!!
The Donna Reed Show's Paul Petersen Returns to Continue His Fun And Personal Interview! Paul Petersen continues from the first episode of this interview and shares more highlights from his career, including working with a young Harrison Ford, working with James Caan on Journey to Shiloh, and Walt Disney on Disney's last film "The Happiest Millionaire. Paul reflects on his involvement in the film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, advocating for child actors, recounting stories of Dana Plato, Shirley Temple, and his work with A Minor Consideration. He also shares memories of Sophia Loren's talent and beauty in Houseboat and the influence of mothers on stars like Billy Gray and Tony Dow. Thanks so much Paul on so many levels! Paul Petersen's organization to protect child actors: www.aminorconsideration.org Become a That's Classic! PATREON member including the opportunity to see Exclusive Bonus Footage: patreon.com/thatsclassic That's Classic! Merchandise: http://tee.pub/lic/2R57OwHl2tE Subscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtpVKzLW389x6_nIVHpQcA?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictv Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cato/support
We are privileged to have former RH QB and current Saluki Coach Billy Gray on the show. Like us, Billy ran the streets of Bridgeport, wore the Red, White and Blue and is proud to call our little corner of the world “home.” Billy shares tales of his younger days, his time playing football at RHHS and in college and transitioning to the sidelines as the head Dawg. Enjoy listening in on our time with Billy Gray! Thanks to our sponsors: Andrews Insurance part of the Burkhart Insurance Agency, Peoples State Bank, & Griffins Pizza House. Please let them know you heard about them here on our podcast. Old School Red Hill pod is a production of Empulse Radio and written, directed and produced by Chip Jamerson, Gary Emmons, David King and Brian Emmons. Listen to Bryno's show, produced by Chip, “Fair Shake w/ Brian Emmons” every Saturday. You can stream on Razor945.com at 8 am eastern / 7 am central, On Memories 107.9 livestream at 9 am eastern / 8 central and on The General livestream at 10 am eastern / 9 central on WAMWamfm.com Listen to the other Empulse show The B3 Podcast wherever you get your pods. Twitter @B3Pod
Melanie and Ed love watching old movies and dishing on them. This week's movie is THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), starring Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier and Lock Martin. Send podcast comments and suggestions to Melanded@whothehellarewe.com Don't forget to subscribe to the show!
Actor and competitive motorcycle racer and inventor Billy Gray joins Frank Mackay on this episode of The Frank Mackay Show!
Actor and competitive motorcycle racer and inventor Billy Gray joins Frank Mackay on this episode of The Frank Mackay Show!
Exclusive Interview With Billy Gray From Father Knows Best Continues... Billy continues his chat from the previous That's Classic! episode with John about the film, The Day The Earth Stood Still, shooting On Moonlight Bay with Doris Day, Gordon MacRae's drinking problem, his admiration for Bob Hope and shooting The Seven Little Foys and the birthday party Barbara Stanwyck threw for him. Billy talks about his bust for marijuana and how it changed the course of his career into becoming a competitive motorcycle rider. Billy adds additional insight into the character he played on Father Knows Best, Bud and describes the special relationship he had with his Mom and helping her with her career later in life. Thanks Billy! Become a That's Classic! PATREON member including the opportunity to see Exclusive Bonus Footage: patreon.com/thatsclassic That's Classic! Merchandise: http://tee.pub/lic/2R57OwHl2tE Subscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtpVKzLW389x6_nIVHpQcA?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictv Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cato/support
A Personal and Intimate Interview With Billy Gray, Bud From Father Knows Best At His Home! Billy talks with John about how Father Knows Best started as a show, what Robert Young was like when the cameras weren't rolling, Robert Young gripping him hard in scenes, how he teased Elinor Donahue while she was filming takes and how the producers cheated him out of his agreed upon weekly salary. Billy discusses his very special relationship with Jane Wyatt, his relationship today with Elinor Donahue and Lauren Chapin, his childhood friendship with Robert Blake, Dean Stockwell Russ Tamblyn and how Bobby Driscoll changed his life. Billy talks about the financial issues around the reunion movies, filming Jim Thorpe All American and so much more. Also, be sure to watch the rest of the interview with Billy in the next That's Classic! episode. Enjoy! Appreciate you Billy! Become a That's Classic! PATREON member including the opportunity to see Exclusive Bonus Footage: patreon.com/thatsclassic That's Classic! Merchandise: http://tee.pub/lic/2R57OwHl2tE Subscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtpVKzLW389x6_nIVHpQcA?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictv Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-cato/support
Lux Radio Theatre - The day The Earth Stood Still 1954 Announcer-Ken Carpenter, Art Linkletter Producer-Irving Cummings, Narrator-Paul Frees Michael Rennie, Jean Peters, Lamont Johnston, Herb Butterfield, Tudor Owen, Billy Gray, Edith Evanson... An alien from space gives mankind a final chance to achieve world peace.
In this week's episode of Vintage Classic Radio's "Sunday Night Playhouse," we delve into the timeless world of radio drama with the broadcast of "The Day The Earth Stood Still." Originally penned by acclaimed author Harry Bates, this gripping tale takes us on a journey of extraterrestrial encounters and the profound impact they have on humanity. Lux Radio Theatre first brought this iconic story to the airwaves on January 4th, 1954, captivating audiences with its thought-provoking narrative. In this radio adaptation, the cast brought the story to life with their exceptional performances. Leading the ensemble was Richard Carlson in the role of Klaatu, the enigmatic visitor from another world. Joining him was Jean Hagen as Helen Benson, the unsuspecting Earthling who forms a deep connection with Klaatu. Billy Gray portrayed Bobby Benson, Helen's young son, while veteran actor Ralph Bellamy took on the role of Tom Stevens, a government official caught in the midst of the extraterrestrial intrigue. Together, they skillfully conveyed the suspense and wonder of this classic science fiction tale. Tune in to Vintage Classic Radio's "Sunday Night Playhouse" to experience the magic of "The Day The Earth Stood Still" once more, as we celebrate the enduring legacy of this radio masterpiece. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the golden age of radio drama, as we continue to bring you the finest in vintage entertainment.
As we approach the peak of their busiest season, one Kildare farm is bustling with preparation, readying turkeys for our Christmas dinners.Sean was joined by Billy Gray, the Owner of Feighcullen Farm, a haven for sustainable poultry farming of ducks, chickens, turkeys, and geese.
As we approach the peak of their busiest season, one Kildare farm is bustling with preparation, readying turkeys for our Christmas dinners.Sean was joined by Billy Gray, the Owner of Feighcullen Farm, a haven for sustainable poultry farming of ducks, chickens, turkeys, and geese.
Part 2 of our episode with Mr. Billy Gray and Outdoor Dog Supply. This episode we talk about Outdoor Dog Supply, how it got started and the direction it's going. We also talk about the new products he has for us houndmen out there. All this along with good ol fashioned shooting the bull. I hope yall enjoy this episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/houndstales/support
What can I say, Mr. Billy Gray ladies and gentleman. What a great episode with a houndsman that truly works for all of us and does a great job giving back to the hound hunting community. I hope you enjoy this part 1 half as much as I enjoyed recording it! We talk about the Hound dog study going on in Virginia and what we can do to preserve the sport! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/houndstales/support
Forget the remake, fire up your Fetch and put The Day the Earth Stood Still from 1951 on your Hisense TV because it's a legitimate classic. Stephen loves it - but will Trev? Will you? Directed by Robert Wise, starring Michael Rennie, Patricial Neal, Billy Gray and Hugh Marlow. A UFO visits earth - but why? The fear of a "space man" on the loose, paired with the mission he's on make this compelling viewing.
Forget the remake, fire up your Fetch and put The Day the Earth Stood Still from 1951 on your Hisense TV because it's a legitimate classic. Stephen loves it - but will Trev? Will you? Directed by Robert Wise, starring Michael Rennie, Patricial Neal, Billy Gray and Hugh Marlow. A UFO visits earth - but why? The fear of a "space man" on the loose, paired with the mission he's on make this compelling viewing.
The Boys Are Back!! For the first time since 1993 all four of the hosts are in the old gym at the same time and this time we have microphones. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we broadcast from up in the southwest corner of the greatest gym in southern Illinois. Guests include, 6-Gun Billy Hughes, Justin Scherer, Super fan Kerry Hill and featuring lost archived tapes of the great Robert Climer bands (sort of). I'd list what all was discussed but that would be impossible. What it was….a lot of fun. Thanks to Greg Mckinney and Bryan Havill for being such great hosts and Billy Gray for grabbing our football banner out of storage. Enjoy! Thanks to our sponsors, Gray's Restaurant, Andrews Insurance, Peoples State Bank, & Griffins Pizza House. Please let them know you heard about them here on our podcast. Old School Red Hill pod is a production of Empulse Radio and written, directed and produced by Chip Jamerson, Gary Emmons, David King and Brian Emmons. Listen to the other Empulse show The B3 Podcast wherever you get your pods. Twitter @B3Pod
Special Guest, Leah Weisman, joins your hosts Lizzy Hanynes and Chad Robinson for the Retro Movie Roundtable as they revisit Shrek (2001) [G] Genre: Animated, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Adventure Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Nehemiah Persoff, Joan Shawlee, Billy Gray, George E. Stone, Dave Barry, Mike Mazurki, Harry Wilson Director: Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson Recorded on 2022-11-10
Excited to bring this episode to you as I sit down with the one and only David “Vegas” Shuman! WE sit down and get to know David a little better. He is a fellow podcast host, with his podcast “Because Bikers Matter Podcast” (can find it on Heroes Media Group or where you listen to podcasts), He is the CMO (Chief Motorcycle Officer) of the Motorcycle Safety Lawyers® (MSL) which is a division of the personal injury law practice, Shuman Legal®. We sit down to hear his story and hear all of the amazing things this man does for the human race. We learn about the biker community, we discuss a class that MSL teaches and sponsors called Accident Scene Management classes and we talk about the podcast and the latest episode with USMC veteran and Country music singer, Mr. Billy Gray. We wrap up with an emotional story as to how they helped raise money for Curing Kids Cancer with Kirsch Helmets. David is a man of action. It's amazing to hear all the things he is doing with the biker community and how it spreads positive things into other communities around the nation. For more information go to: https://motorcyclesafetylawyers.com/ And be sure to follow the podcast on social media https://www.facebook.com/becausebikersmatterpodcast https://www.instagram.com/becausebikersmatter_podcast/
Special Guest, DJ Bryant, joins your hosts Dustin Melbardis and Russell Guest for the Retro Movie Roundtable as they revisit Some Like It Hot (1959) [PG] Genre: Comedy, Romance, Adventure, Crime, Music Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Nehemiah Persoff, Joan Shawlee, Billy Gray, George E. Stone, Dave Barry, Mike Mazurki, Harry Wilson Director: Billy Wilder Recorded on 2022-11-19
The Department of Agriculture confirmed yesterday that a turkey flock in Monaghan has tested positive for avian flu. The Department confirmed that they will be putting in place a restriction zone to protect other flocks. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Billy Gray, Owner of Feighcullen Farm, Producers of Ducks, Chickens, Turkeys and Geese, and Eoghan De Barra, Infectious Diseases Consultant Working in Beaumont Hospital and Secretary of the Infectious Disease Society of Ireland.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed yesterday that a turkey flock in Monaghan has tested positive for avian flu. The Department confirmed that they will be putting in place a restriction zone to protect other flocks. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast was Billy Gray, Owner of Feighcullen Farm, Producers of Ducks, Chickens, Turkeys and Geese, and Eoghan De Barra, Infectious Diseases Consultant Working in Beaumont Hospital and Secretary of the Infectious Disease Society of Ireland.
En 1955 la casa Decca lanzó la caja Dance-O-Rama, Country & Western Dance-O-Rama, dedicada a 7 de las figuras más relevantes del género de los 20 años anteriores. El sello malagueño Sleazy Records reedita el box-set de siete vinilos en una lujosa y mimada edición que nos sumerge de lleno en aquel subgénero del country conocido como western swing. Playlist; MILTON BROWN and HIS BROWNIES “Texas hambone blues” MILTON BROWN and HIS BROWNIES “Right or wrong” MILTON BROWN and HIS BROWNIES “St Louis Blues” BOB WILLS and HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS “Don’t let your deal go down” BOB WILLS and HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS “San Antonio Rose” BOB WILLS and HIS TEXAS PLAYBOYS “Four or five times” SPADE COOLEY and HIS BUCKLE-BUSTERS “Sparkling silver bells” SPADE COOLEY and HIS BUCKLE-BUSTERS “Y ready” TEX WILLIAMS and HIS STRING BAND “Air mail special” TEX WILLIAMS and HIS STRING BAND “Rancho boogie” ADOLPH HOFNER and HIS SAN ANTONIANS “South Texas swing” ADOLPH HOFNER and HIS SAN ANTONIANS “Tickle toe song” GRADY MARTIN and HIS WINGING STRINGS “Slip in and slip out” GRADY MARTIN and HIS WINGING STRINGS “My window faces the South” GRADY MARTIN and HIS WINGING STRINGS “Pork chop stomp” BILLY GRAY and HIS WESTERN OKIES “Trippin’ in” BILLY GRAY and HIS WESTERN OKIES “Moonlight cocktail” Escuchar audio
Bud joins the carnival, and he learns that a sucker is born every minute.Original Air Date: 10/03/1952Starring:Robert Young as Jim Anderson, Jane Wyatt as Margaret Anderson, Elinor Donahue as Betty Anderson, Billy Gray as Bud Anderson, Lauren Chapin as Kathy Anderson.
In this episode of Personally Speaking, Msgr. Jim Lisante is joined by actor Billy Gray. Billy's film and television career spans over 40 years. He starred as “Bud” in the television series “Father Knows Best” earning him an Emmy nomination and he acted in more than 200 movies opposite stars including, Humprey Bogart, Bob Hope, Patricia Neal and Barbara Stanwyck. From 1970 to 1995 Billy was a Class A motorcycle speedway racer and race promoter. He then turned to inventing and entrepreneurship. Billy talks about his life his career, family, and the values that matter most to him.Support the show
From the depths of space comes a message of peace...or else. Matthew and Ian discuss the 1951 movie THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL.
This week we're discussing the 1951 Sci-Fi classic The Day The Earth Stood Still, including its place in American history, how little we've changed in 70 years, 5G microchip vaccines, the Red Scare, the theremin, space Jesus, American exceptionalism, and we try to figure out where heaven is. The Day The Earth Stood Still full movie: https://archive.org/details/The.Day.The.Earth.Stood.Still1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still (a.k.a. Farewell to the Master and Journey to the World) is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. The film stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier and Lock Martin. The screenplay was written by Edmund H. North, based on the 1940 science fiction short story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, and the film score was composed by Bernard Herrmann.[4] Set in the Cold War during the early stages of the nuclear arms race, the film's storyline involves a humanoid alien visitor who comes to Earth, accompanied by a powerful robot, to deliver an important message that will affect the entire human race. In 1995, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." A Trip to the Moon by George Méliès (1902): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFtR9bQupak&ab_channel=UnitedGlobalPictures
Billy Gray/Gray Contracting Gray Contracting is an owner-operated company that has been in business for over two decades. When Billy Gray started the company, he was a one-man team passing out flyers door to door. Since he opened the doors, he has grown Gray Contracting to over 250 full time employees with multiple divisions and […]
Billy Gray/Gray Contracting Gray Contracting is an owner-operated company that has been in business for over two decades. When Billy Gray started the company, he was a one-man team passing out flyers door to door. Since he opened the doors, he has grown Gray Contracting to over 250 full time employees with multiple divisions and […] The post SIMON SAYS, LET’S TALK BUSINESS: Billy Gray with Gray Contracting appeared first on Business RadioX ®.
On this episode, Steve interviews TV and film veteran Billy Gray about his involvement in the classic science fiction film “The Day the Earth Stood Still”
This meticulously researched book explores the concept of fame in all its fleeting glory and confounding inconsistency. Why do so many entertainers do so much better financially than peers who have comparable resumes? Author Donald Jeffries also examines a subject he is quite familiar with; the myriad of unnatural deaths which have plagued the entertainment industry since the dawn of Hollywood. The deaths of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and many others are scrutinized in exacting detail. Jeffries communicated with many older entertainers during the course of researching the book, and their perspectives are included here. On Borrowed Fame will be of great interest to fans, celebrities, and anyone with even a cursory affinity for the world of show business. If you're anything like me, and have a hard time not looking at the car crash as you drive by: You will love this book. I'm dyslexic and have difficulty reading but found it even more difficult stopping. The book showed me how very lucky I've been, pursuing my passions; Acting, Class A Speedway Racing and Inventing. - Billy Gray, Father Knows Best, The Day the Earth Stood Still Donald Jeffries' On Borrowed Fame is indeed a revelatory and painful experience. It paints the big picture of the price of Fame in Hollywood. One that mercilessly illustrates through fact and story the real price paid by many of my colleagues and myself. Fame is not a blessing, it's a curse. This book is a witness to the carnage and horrible truth of the matter. Fame is not what it appears to be on the outside. Fame is a glamorous car wreck. Fame sucks. This is an important book that tells us all as fellow human beings that attention must be paid. I congratulate Mr. Jeffries for having had the courage to write it. - Nick Mancuso, Paris 2020 “It's possible to be a musician in the biggest band imaginable, and within a few years be forced to work a regular job.” That ominous statement is echoed throughout Donald Jeffries' whirlwind of woe in the world of entertainment, On Borrowed Time. Those household name actors in your favourite TV shows you assumed were well paid and would surely always have a firm foothold in show business? Not so much it turns out, as stated here: “A regular on a television series is at least as likely to have their acting career end when their show does.” The arbitrary payment structures that seem to have been made up on the spot, the blatant rip offs and the sheer number of early and often suspicious Hollywood deaths that were rarely investigated would make anyone think twice about being an actor. What an eye opener this book is! - Graham Parker, singer-songwriter If you've ever dreamed of being famous--and who hasn't--then Donald Jeffries offers a shocking literary vaccine--so you might avoid those pitfalls. Just maybe! “On Borrowed Fame,” his juicy and richly detailed fast moving dossier, catalogues the long and winding and perilous road trod by some of the most famous names in showbiz. Those talented celebs had one thing in common: They inevitably discovered that fame does not guarantee fortune-- but is often a prescription for bankruptcy and early death. I have reported on Hollywood for nearly half a century but can attest that Jeffries has entertainingly laid out the most detailed compendium of horror stories experienced by some of tinsel town's biggest names. No one is spared--from Stan Laurel to Marlon Brando to Michael Jackson. And so, so many more. His research is formidable. This is the most fascinating chronicle of show business malfeasance, mayhem and misery I have ever read. The Beatles sang “Can't Buy Me Love,” They should have added “happiness” as well! - Ivor Davis
This meticulously researched book explores the concept of fame in all its fleeting glory and confounding inconsistency. Why do so many entertainers do so much better financially than peers who have comparable resumes? Author Donald Jeffries also examines a subject he is quite familiar with; the myriad of unnatural deaths which have plagued the entertainment industry since the dawn of Hollywood. The deaths of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and many others are scrutinized in exacting detail. Jeffries communicated with many older entertainers during the course of researching the book, and their perspectives are included here. On Borrowed Fame will be of great interest to fans, celebrities, and anyone with even a cursory affinity for the world of show business. If you're anything like me, and have a hard time not looking at the car crash as you drive by: You will love this book. I'm dyslexic and have difficulty reading but found it even more difficult stopping. The book showed me how very lucky I've been, pursuing my passions; Acting, Class A Speedway Racing and Inventing. - Billy Gray, Father Knows Best, The Day the Earth Stood Still Donald Jeffries' On Borrowed Fame is indeed a revelatory and painful experience. It paints the big picture of the price of Fame in Hollywood. One that mercilessly illustrates through fact and story the real price paid by many of my colleagues and myself. Fame is not a blessing, it's a curse. This book is a witness to the carnage and horrible truth of the matter. Fame is not what it appears to be on the outside. Fame is a glamorous car wreck. Fame sucks. This is an important book that tells us all as fellow human beings that attention must be paid. I congratulate Mr. Jeffries for having had the courage to write it. - Nick Mancuso, Paris 2020 “It's possible to be a musician in the biggest band imaginable, and within a few years be forced to work a regular job.” That ominous statement is echoed throughout Donald Jeffries' whirlwind of woe in the world of entertainment, On Borrowed Time. Those household name actors in your favourite TV shows you assumed were well paid and would surely always have a firm foothold in show business? Not so much it turns out, as stated here: “A regular on a television series is at least as likely to have their acting career end when their show does.” The arbitrary payment structures that seem to have been made up on the spot, the blatant rip offs and the sheer number of early and often suspicious Hollywood deaths that were rarely investigated would make anyone think twice about being an actor. What an eye opener this book is! - Graham Parker, singer-songwriter If you've ever dreamed of being famous--and who hasn't--then Donald Jeffries offers a shocking literary vaccine--so you might avoid those pitfalls. Just maybe! “On Borrowed Fame,” his juicy and richly detailed fast moving dossier, catalogues the long and winding and perilous road trod by some of the most famous names in showbiz. Those talented celebs had one thing in common: They inevitably discovered that fame does not guarantee fortune-- but is often a prescription for bankruptcy and early death. I have reported on Hollywood for nearly half a century but can attest that Jeffries has entertainingly laid out the most detailed compendium of horror stories experienced by some of tinsel town's biggest names. No one is spared--from Stan Laurel to Marlon Brando to Michael Jackson. And so, so many more. His research is formidable. This is the most fascinating chronicle of show business malfeasance, mayhem and misery I have ever read. The Beatles sang “Can't Buy Me Love,” They should have added “happiness” as well! - Ivor Davis
This meticulously researched book explores the concept of fame in all its fleeting glory and confounding inconsistency. Why do so many entertainers do so much better financially than peers who have comparable resumes? Author Donald Jeffries also examines a subject he is quite familiar with; the myriad of unnatural deaths which have plagued the entertainment industry since the dawn of Hollywood. The deaths of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and many others are scrutinized in exacting detail. Jeffries communicated with many older entertainers during the course of researching the book, and their perspectives are included here. On Borrowed Fame will be of great interest to fans, celebrities, and anyone with even a cursory affinity for the world of show business.If you're anything like me, and have a hard time not looking at the car crash as you drive by: You will love this book. I'm dyslexic and have difficulty reading but found it even more difficult stopping. The book showed me how very lucky I've been, pursuing my passions; Acting, Class A Speedway Racing and Inventing.- Billy Gray, Father Knows Best, The Day the Earth Stood StillDonald Jeffries' On Borrowed Fame is indeed a revelatory and painful experience. It paints the big picture of the price of Fame in Hollywood. One that mercilessly illustrates through fact and story the real price paid by many of my colleagues and myself. Fame is not a blessing, it's a curse. This book is a witness to the carnage and horrible truth of the matter. Fame is not what it appears to be on the outside. Fame is a glamorous car wreck. Fame sucks. This is an important book that tells us all as fellow human beings that attention must be paid.I congratulate Mr. Jeffries for having had the courage to write it.- Nick Mancuso, Paris 2020“It's possible to be a musician in the biggest band imaginable, and within a few years be forced to work a regular job.” That ominous statement is echoed throughout Donald Jeffries' whirlwind of woe in the world of entertainment, On Borrowed Time. Those household name actors in your favourite TV shows you assumed were well paid and would surely always have a firm foothold in show business? Not so much it turns out, as stated here: “A regular on a television series is at least as likely to have their acting career end when their show does.” The arbitrary payment structures that seem to have been made up on the spot, the blatant rip offs and the sheer number of early and often suspicious Hollywood deaths that were rarely investigated would make anyone think twice about being an actor. What an eye opener this book is!- Graham Parker, singer-songwriterIf you've ever dreamed of being famous--and who hasn't--then Donald Jeffries offers a shocking literary vaccine--so you might avoid those pitfalls. Just maybe! “On Borrowed Fame,” his juicy and richly detailed fast moving dossier, catalogues the long and winding and perilous road trod by some of the most famous names in showbiz. Those talented celebs had one thing in common: They inevitably discovered that fame does not guarantee fortune-- but is often a prescription for bankruptcy and early death. I have reported on Hollywood for nearly half a century but can attest that Jeffries has entertainingly laid out the most detailed compendium of horror stories experienced by some of tinsel town's biggest names. No one is spared--from Stan Laurel to Marlon Brando to Michael Jackson. And so, so many more. His research is formidable. This is the most fascinating chronicle of show business malfeasance, mayhem and misery I have ever read. The Beatles sang “Can't Buy Me Love,” They should have added “happiness” as well!- Ivor Davis
This episode we are overjoyed to have both Hunter Carson and Billy Gray rejoining us to discuss the film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, life as child actors, communism, and diving into art expression and how film makers play a crucial role in freedom of speech. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gwendolyn-black/support
On this episode we have the privilege of interviewing child actor Billy Gray. We discuss his best known role in Father Knows Best all the way through The Day The Earth Stood Still! Talking about the 1950's and the period of fear tying into religion and hell possibly being the ultimate fear enforcer. All this and more on 10x the Terror! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gwendolyn-black/support
On this week’s show, we turn our attention to songs highlighting the exploits of bandits and outlaws … a subject mined by folk music since the beginning of singing. We'll hear songs from Norman Blake, Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves, Addie Graham, Ry Cooder, Tim Hardin, Tom Russell and many more. A focus on anti-heroes and legends … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine. Episode #21-25:Bandits and Outlaws Host: Tom Druckenmiller Artist/”Song”/CD/Label Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / SmithsonianFolkways Butch Thompson & Pat Donohue / “A Minor Fantasy” / Vicksburg Blues / Red House Norman Blake / “Billy Gray” / Blind Dog / Rounder Greg Hooven String Band / “Darling Corey” / The Harry Smith Connection / Smithsonian-Folkways Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves / “Red Haired Becky” / I Have Known Women / Strictly Country The Byrds / “Pretty Boy Floyd” / Sweetheart of the Rodeo / Columbia Guy Clark / “The Last Gunfighter Ballad” / Texas Cookin' / Sugar Hill The MacAbre Brothers / “Otto Wood” / Traditional Murder Ballads / Roane Addie Graham / “Omie Wise” / Been a Long Time Traveling / June Appal Tim Hardin / “Lady Came from Baltimore” / Live in Concert / Polydor Paul Siebel / “Jack-Knife Gypsy” / Jack-Knife Gypsy / Elektra Butch Thompson & Pat Donohue / “Yancey Blues” / Vicksburg Blues / Red House Ry Cooder / “Jesse James” / The Long Riders / Warner Brothers Ry Cooder / “Jesse James” / The Long Riders / Warner Brothers Tom Russell / “Tonight We Ride” / Old Songs Yet to Sing / Frontera Susan Pepper / “Tom Dooley” / Hollerin' Girl / Ballad Hamper McBee / “John Hardy” / Cumberland Moonshiner / Spring Fed The Red Clay Ramblers / “Run Sister Run” / A Lie of the Mind / Sugar Hill Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / SmithsonianFolkways
George Jacks, who came through the East London schoolboy ranks with Harry Redknapp, reminisces with Neil about playing for the #Millwall in the swinging sixties and the early 1970s. A member of the squad that won promotion from Division Three in 1966 under Billy Gray and the side that went 59 home games unbeaten, he talks about big-name stars from that era like Alex Stepney, Harry Cripps, Barry Kitchener, Eamon Dunphy, among others. George was a fan favourite for his unhurried style who came into his own as a man marker digs deep into a huge treasure trove of stories from a golden period in the club's history.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/that-millwall-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
This week, we conclude our 2-part celebration of Rounder Records with a collection of their great old-time recordings. We'll hear Norman & Nancy Blake, Benton Flippen, John Hartford, Mike Seeger, The Highwoods String Band and many more. A golden anniversary celebration for Rounder Records … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine. Episode #20-46: Happy 50th Rounder Records, Pt.2 Host: Tom Druckenmiller Artist/”Song”/CD/Label Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways James Bryan / “Flandery's Dream” / The First of May / Rounder Norman & Nancy Blake / “Billy Gray” / Blind Dog / Rounder J.P & Annadeene Fraley / “Maysville” / Maysville / Rounder Trapezoid / “Medley” / Now & Then / Flying Fish The Red Clay Ramblers / “Fourth of July at a Country Fair” / Chuckin' the Frizz / Flying Fish The Volo Bogtrotters / “Quit That Ticklin' Me” / Old-Time Music on the Air Volume 1 / Rounder Friendly Four Quartet / “Way Down in my Soul” / WPAQ The Voice of the Blue Ridge Mountais / Rounder Benton Flippen / “Sally in the Turnip Patch” / Old Time, New Times / Rounder The Critten Hollow String Band / “Crow Creek” / Old-Time Music on the Air Volume 2 / Rounder James Bryan / “Willow Creek” / The Fist of May / Rounder John Hartford / “Lost Indian” / The Speed of the Old Long Bow / Rounder Ed Haley / “Wild Horse” / Grey Eagle / Rounder Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin / “Alabama Waltz-Wolves Howling” / A Song That Will Linger / Rounder Highwoods Stringband / “Ways of the World” / Fire On the Mountain / Rounder Mike Seeger / “Boatman” / Fresh Old-Time String Band Music / Rounder Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown / “Rocky Mountains” / Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown / Rounder Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways
Another randomiser episode, this edition takes back to the early 60s and a friendly away match at Ramsgate - includes a rumination on Millwall manager Billy Grayhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Gray_(footballer)Arrivederci MillwallNick Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Another randomiser episode, this edition takes back to the early 60s and a friendly away match at Ramsgate - includes a rumination on Millwall manager Billy Grayhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Gray_(footballer)Arrivederci MillwallNick See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
En esta ocasión hablamos sobre "Ultimátum a la tierra" (1951) de Robert Wise con Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin... Con la participación de: Cristian Martínez - @crmahe Francisco G. Rodriguez - @elNarmer Ramón Orts - @ramon_orts Nos puedes escuchar en iVoox https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-cine-mas-cine_sq_f1770779_1.html Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ApuRUPSB8eavyQ7CBuXQN Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaXZvb3guY29tL3BvZGNhc3QtY2luZS1tYXMtY2luZV9mZ19mMTc3MDc3OV9maWx0cm9fMS54bWw y Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/cine-más-cine/id1481721006 y nos puedes seguir en Twitter @mascine_podcast y en nuestra web diletantes.es
En esta ocasión hablamos sobre "Ultimátum a la tierra" (1951) de Robert Wise con Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin... Con la participación de: Cristian Martínez - @crmahe Francisco G. Rodriguez - @elNarmer Ramón Orts - @ramon_orts Nos puedes escuchar en iVoox https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-cine-mas-cine_sq_f1770779_1.html Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ApuRUPSB8eavyQ7CBuXQN Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaXZvb3guY29tL3BvZGNhc3QtY2luZS1tYXMtY2luZV9mZ19mMTc3MDc3OV9maWx0cm9fMS54bWw y Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/cine-más-cine/id1481721006 y nos puedes seguir en Twitter @mascine_podcast y en nuestra web diletantes.es
This radio series began on August 25, 1949 on NBC Radio. It starred Robert Young as Jim Anderson... a General Insurance agent. His wife, Margaret was first played by June Whitley and later Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Willams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nilson). The show was heard on Thursday evening until March 1954. Many of you will be more familiar with the TV version which began on May 27, 1954. Margaret Anderson was now played by Jane Wyatt, Betty "Princess" Anderson was Elinor Donahue, James "Bud" Anderson Jr. was Billy Gray and Kathy "Kitten" Anderson was Lauren Chapin. The show ran until 1960 when Young left the series for other projects, but reruns continued to air on CBS and ABC from 1960-63... that indicated how popular the show was with viewing audiences. This show can be found in the "Comedy" Playlist
Wanda Jackson was only halfway through high school when, in 1954, country singer Hank Thompson heard her on an Oklahoma City radio show and asked her to record with his band, the Brazos Valley Boys. By the end of the decade, Jackson had become one of America’s first major female country and rockabilly singers.Jackson was born in Maud, Oklahoma, but her father Tom – himself a country singer who quit because of the Depression – moved the family to California in 1941. He bought Wanda her first guitar two years later, gave her lessons and encouraged her to play piano as well. In addition, he took her to see such acts as Tex Williams, Spade Cooley and Bob Wills, which left a lasting impression on her young mind. Tom moved the family back to Oklahoma City when his daughter was 12 years old. In 1952, she won a local talent contest and was given a 15-minute daily show on KLPR. The program, soon upped to 30 minutes, lasted throughout Jackson’s high-school years. It’s here that Thompson heard her sing. Jackson recorded several songs with the Brazos Valley Boys, including “You Can’t Have My Love,” a duet with Thompson’s bandleader, Billy Gray. The song, on the Decca label, became a national hit, and Jackson’s career was off and running.When Jackson first toured in 1955 and 1956, she was placed on a bill with none other than Elvis Presley. The two hit it off almost immediately. Jackson said it was Presley, along with her father, who encouraged her to sing rockabilly.Jackson cut the rockabilly hit “Fujiyama Mama” in 1958, which became a major success in Japan. Her version of “Let’s Have a Party,” which Elvis had cut earlier, was a U.S. Top 40 pop hit for her in 1960, after which she began calling her band the Party Timers. A year later, she was back in the country Top Ten with “Right or Wrong” and “In the Middle of a Heartache.” In 1965, she topped the German charts with “Santa Domingo,” sung in German. In 1966, she hit the U.S. Top 20 with “The Box It Came In” and “Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine.” Jackson’s popularity continued through the end of the decade.Jackson toured regularly, was twice nominated for a Grammy, and was a big attraction in Las Vegas from the mid-’50s into the ’70s. She married IBM programmer Wendell Goodman in 1961, and instead of quitting the business – as many women singers had done at the time – Goodman gave up his job in order to manage his wife’s career. In 1971, Jackson and her husband became Christians, which she says saved their marriage. She released one gospel album on Capitol in 1972, “Praise the Lord”, before shifting to the Myrrh label for three more gospel albums. In 1977, she switched again, this time to Word Records, and released another two.In the early 1980s, Jackson was invited to Europe to play rockabilly and country festivals and to record. More recently, American country artists Pam Tillis, Jann Browne, and Rosie Flores have acknowledged Jackson as a major influence. Jackson embarked on a major U.S. tour with Flores in 1995. Jackson returned to the studio in 2010 to begin work on a new album. “The Party Ain’t Over” arrived in early 2011 and while in her seventies she was still touring in 2012.
After an early penalty putting the Lions ahead, a toothless Millwall made heavy weather of a Hull side who will feel like they should have taken all three points from a quiet Den yesterday, rather than a drab draw ...This week's show includes an interview with rising star super-bantamweight boxer Chris Bourke at 15:08 - Chris fights the experienced Jose Hernandez of Nicaragua at the York Hall on 14.09.19 - for tickets priced £60-£50-£40 please contact Chris via instagram@c.bourkey - or on Twitter @C_Bourke94Post match cud chewing this week is with News Shopper and Southwark News journalist Frankie Christou @FrankiechristouAlso back is the Lucas Ball report - @LucasBall2211And finally the show closes with the return of an old favourite in the Randy-O-mizer section - this week featuring Notts County 1-2 Millwall 29.04.65 and the Billy Gray story.Arrivederci MillwallNick@CBL_Magazine Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After an early penalty putting the Lions ahead, a toothless Millwall made heavy weather of a Hull side who will feel like they should have taken all three points from a quiet Den yesterday, rather than a drab draw ...This week's show includes an interview with rising star super-bantamweight boxer Chris Bourke at 15:08 - Chris fights the experienced Jose Hernandez of Nicaragua at the York Hall on 14.09.19 - for tickets priced £60-£50-£40 please contact Chris via instagram@c.bourkey - or on Twitter @C_Bourke94Post match cud chewing this week is with News Shopper and Southwark News journalist Frankie Christou @FrankiechristouAlso back is the Lucas Ball report - @LucasBall2211And finally the show closes with the return of an old favourite in the Randy-O-mizer section - this week featuring Notts County 1-2 Millwall 29.04.65 and the Billy Gray story.Arrivederci MillwallNick@CBL_Magazine See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Episode forty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "I Gotta Know" by Wanda Jackson, and the links between rockabilly and the Bakersfield Sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on "Bacon Fat" by Andre Williams. ----more---- Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode. My main source for this episode is Wanda Jackson's autobiography, Every Night is Saturday Night. I also made reference to the website Women in Rock & Roll's First Wave, and I am very likely to reference that again in future episodes on Wanda Jackson and others. I mentioned the podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones, and its episode on "Okie From Muskogee". Several other episodes of that podcast touch tangentially on people mentioned in this episode too -- the two-parter on Buck Owens and Don Rich, the episode on Ralph Mooney, and the episodes on Ralph Mooney and the Louvin Brothers all either deal with musicians who played on Wanda's records, with Ken Nelson, or both. Generally I think most people who enjoy this podcast will enjoy that one as well. And this compilation collects most of Jackson's important early work. Errata I say Jackson's career spans more than the time this podcast covers. I meant in length of time – this podcast covers sixty-two years, and Jackson's career so far has lasted seventy-one – but the ambiguity could suggest that this podcast doesn't cover anything prior to 1948. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Today we're going to talk about someone whose career as a live performer spans more than the time that this podcast covers. Wanda Jackson started performing in 1948, and she finally retired from live performance in March 2019, though she has an album coming out later this year. She is only the second performer we've dealt with who is still alive and working, and she has the longest career of any of them. Wanda Jackson is, simply, the queen of rockabilly, and she's a towering figure in the genre. Jackson was born in Oklahoma, but as this was the tail-end of the great depression, she and her family migrated to California when she was small, as stragglers in the great migration that permanently changed California. The migration of the Okies in the 1930s is a huge topic, and one that I don't have the space to explain in this podcast -- if you're interested in it, I'd recommend as a starting point listening to the episode of the great country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones on "Okie From Muskogee", which I'll link in the show notes. The very, very, shortened version is that bad advice as to best farming practices created an environmental disaster on an almost apocalyptic scale across the whole middle of America, right at the point that the country was also going through the worst economic disaster in its history. As entire states became almost uninhabitable, three and a half million people moved from the Great Plains to elsewhere in the US, and a large number of them moved to California, where no matter what state they actually came from they became known as "Okies". But the thing to understand about the Okies for this purpose is that they were a despised underclass -- and as we've seen throughout this series, members of despised underclasses often created the most exciting and innovative music. The music the Okies who moved to California made was far more raucous than the country music that was popular in the Eastern states, and it had a huge admixture of blues and boogie woogie in it. Records like Jack Guthrie's "Oakie Boogie", for example, a clear precursor of rockabilly: [Excerpt: Jack Guthrie, "Oakie Boogie"] We talked way back in episode three about Western Swing and the distinction in the thirties and forties between country music and western music. The "Western" in that music came from the wild west, but it also referred to the west coast and the migrants from the Dust Bowl. Of the two biggest names in Western Swing, one, Bob Wills, was from Texas but moved to Oklahoma, while the other, Spade Cooley, was from Oklahoma but moved to California. It was the Western Swing that was being made by Dust Bowl migrants in California in the 1940s that, when it made its way eastwards to Tennessee, transmuted itself into rockabilly. And that is the music that young Wanda Jackson was listening to when she was tiny. Her father, who she absolutely adored, was a fan of Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, and Tex Williams, as well as of Jimmie Rodgers' hillbilly music and the blues. They lived in Greenfield, a town a few miles away from Bakersfield, where her father worked, and if any of you know anything at all about country music that will tell you a lot in itself. Bakersfield would become, in the 1950s, the place where musicians like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart, most of them from Dust Bowl migrant families themselves, developed a tough form of honky-tonk country and western that was influenced by hillbilly boogie and Western Swing. Wanda Jackson spent the formative years of her childhood in the same musical and social environment as those musicians, and while she and her family moved back to Oklahoma a few years later, she had already been exposed to that style of music. At the time, when anyone went out to dance, it was to live music, and since her parents couldn't afford babysitters, when they went out, as they did most weekends, they took Wanda with them, so between the ages of five and ten she seems to have seen almost every great Western band of the forties. Her first favourite as a kid was Spade Cooley, who was, along with Bob Wills, considered the greatest Western Swing bandleader of all. However, this podcast has a policy of not playing Cooley's records (the balance of musical importance to outright evil is tipped too far in his case, and I advise you not to look for details as to why), so I won't play an excerpt of him here, as I normally would. The other artist she loved though was a sibling group called The Maddox Brothers and Rose, who were a group that bridged the gap between Western Swing and the newer Bakersfield Sound: [Excerpt: The Maddox Brothers and Rose, "George's Playhouse Boogie"] The Maddox Brothers and Rose were also poor migrants who'd moved to California, though in their case they'd travelled just *before* the inrush of Okies rather than at the tail end of it. They're another of those groups who are often given the credit for having made the first rock and roll record, although as we've often discussed that's a largely meaningless claim. They were, however, one of the big influences both on the Bakersfield Sound and on the music that became rockabilly. Wanda loved the Maddox Brothers and Rose, and in particular she loved their stage presence -- the shiny costumes they wore, and the feistiness of Rose, in particular. She decided before she was even in school that she wanted to be "a girl singer", as she put it, just like Rose Maddox. When she was six, her father bought her a guitar from the Sears Roebuck catalogue and started teaching her chords. He played a little guitar and fiddle, and the two of them would play together every night. They'd sit together and try to work out the chords for songs they knew from the radio or records, and Wanda's mother would write down the chords in a notebook for them. She also taught herself to yodel, since that was something that all the country and western singers at the time would do, and had done ever since the days of Jimmie Rodgers in the late twenties and early thirties. The record she copied to learn to yodel was "Chime Bells" by Elton Britt, "Country Music's Yodelling Cowboy Crooner": [Excerpt: Elton Britt, "Chime Bells"] By the time she was in her early teens, she was regularly performing for her friends at parties, and her friends dared her to audition for a local radio show that played country music and had a local talent section. Her friends all went with her to the station, and she played Jimmie Rodgers' "Blue Yodel #6" for the DJ who ran the show. [Excerpt: Jimmie Rodgers, "Blue Yodel #6"] To her shock, but not the shock of her friends, the DJ loved her sound, and gave her a regular spot on the local talent section of his show, which in turn led to her getting her own fifteen-minute radio show, in which she would sing popular country hits of the time period. One of the people whose songs she would perform on a regular basis was Hank Thompson. Thompson was a honky-tonk singer who performed a pared-down version of the Bob Wills style of Western Swing. Thompson's music was using the same rhythms and instrumentation as Wills, but with much more focus on the vocals and the song than on instrumental solos. Thonpson's music was one of several precursors to the music that became rockabilly, though he was most successful with mid-tempo ballads like "The Wild Side of Life": [Excerpt: Hank Thompson, "The Wild Side of Life"] Thompson, like Wanda, lived in Oklahoma, and he happened to be driving one day and hear her show on the radio. He phoned her up at the station and asked her if she would come and perform with his band that Saturday night. When she told him she'd have to ask her mother, he laughed at first -- he hadn't realised she was only fourteen, because her voice made her sound so much older. At this time, it was normal for bands that toured to have multiple featured singers and to perform in a revue style, rather than to have a single lead vocalist -- there were basically two types of tour that happened: package tours featuring multiple different acts doing their own things, and revues, where one main act would introduce several featured guests to join them on stage. Johnny Otis and James Brown, for example, both ran revue shows at various points, and Hank Thompson's show seems also to have been in this style. Jackson had never played with a band before, and by her own account she wasn't very good when she guested with Thompson's band for the first time. But Thompson had faith in her. He couldn't take her on the road, because she was still so young she had to go to school, but every time he played Oklahoma he'd invite her to do a few numbers with his band, mentoring her and teaching her on stage how to perform with other musicians. Thompson also invited Jackson to appear on his local TV show, which led to her getting a TV show of her own in the Oklahoma area, and she became part of a loose group of locally-popular musicians, including the future homophobic campaigner against human rights Anita Bryant. While she was still in high school, Thompson recorded demos of her singing and took them to his producer, Ken Nelson, at Capitol Records. Nelson liked her voice, but when he found out she was under eighteen he decided to pass on recording her, just due to the legal complications and the fact that she'd not yet finished school. Instead, Jackson was signed to Decca Records, where she cut her first recordings with members of Thompson's band. Her first single was a duet with another featured singer from Thompson's band, Billy Gray. Thompson, who was running the session, basically forced Jackson to sing it against her objections. She didn't have a problem with the song itself, but she didn't want to make her name from a duet, rather than as a solo artist. [Excerpt: Billy Gray and Wanda Jackson, "You Can't Have My Love"] She might not have been happy with the recording at first, but she was feeling better about it by the time she started her senior year in High School with a top ten country single. Her followups were less successful, and she became unhappy with the way her career was going. In particular she was horrified when she first played the Grand Ole Opry. She was told she couldn't go onstage in the dress she was wearing, because her shoulders were uncovered and that was obscene -- at this time, Jackson was basically the only country singer in the business who was trying to look glamorous rather than like a farmgirl -- and then, when she did get on stage, wearing a jacket, she was mocked by a couple of the comedy acts, who stood behind her making fun of her throughout her entire set. Clearly the country establishment wasn't going to get along with her at all. But then she left school, and became a full-time musician, and she made a decision which would have an enormous effect on her. Her father was her manager, but if she was going to get more gigs and perform as a solo artist rather than just doing the occasional show with Hank Thompson, she needed a booking agent, and neither she nor her father had an idea how to get one. So they did what seemed like the most obvious thing to them, and bought a copy of Billboard and started looking through the ads. They eventually found an ad from a booking agent named Bob Neal, in Memphis, and phoned him up, explaining that Wanda was a recording artist for Decca records. Neal had heard her records, which had been locally popular in Memphis, and was particularly looking for a girl singer to fill out the bill on a tour he was promoting with a new young singer he managed, named Elvis Presley. Backstage after her support slot on the first show of the tour, she and her father heard a terrible screaming coming from the auditorium. They thought at first that there must have been a fire, and Wanda's father went out to investigate, telling her not to come with him. He came back a minute later telling her, "You've got to come see this". The screaming was, of course, at Elvis, and immediately Wanda knew that he was not any ordinary country singer. The two of them started dating, and Elvis even gave Wanda his ring, which is still in her possession, and while they eventually drifted apart, he had a profound influence on her. Her father was not impressed with Elvis' performance, saying "That boy's got to get his show in order... He's all over the stage messin' around. And he's got to stop slurrin' his words, too." Wanda, on the other hand, was incredibly impressed with him, and as the two of them toured -- on a bill which also included Bob Neal's other big act of the time, Johnny Cash -- he would teach her how to be more of a rock and roller like him. In particular, he taught her to strum the acoustic guitar with a single strum, rather than to hit each string individually, which was the style of country players at the time. Meanwhile, her recording career was flagging -- she hadn't had another hit with any of her solo recordings, and she was starting to wonder if Decca was the right place for her. She did, though, have a hit as a songwriter, with a song called "Without Your Love", which she'd written for Bobby Lord, a singer who appeared with her on the radio show Ozark Jubilee. [Excerpt: Bobby Lord, "Without Your Love"] That song had gone to the top ten in the country charts, and turned out to be Lord's only hit single. But while she could come up with a hit for him, she wasn't having hits herself, and she decided that she wanted to leave Decca. Her contract was up, and while they did have the option to extend it for another year and were initially interested in exercising the option, Decca agreed to let her go. Meanwhile, Wanda was also thinking about what kind of music she wanted to make in the future. Elvis had convinced her that she should move into rockabilly, but she didn't know how to do it. She talked about this to Thelma Blackmon, the mother of one of her schoolfriends, who had written a couple of songs for her previously, and Blackmon came back with a song called "I Gotta Know", which Jackson decided would be perfect to restart her career. At this point Hank Thompson went to Ken Nelson, and told him that that underage singer he'd liked was no longer underage, and would he be interested in signing her? He definitely was interested, and he took her into the Capitol tower to record with a group of session musicians who he employed for as many of his West Coast sessions as possible, and who were at that point just beginning to create what later became the Bakersfield Sound. The musicians on that session were some of the best in the country music field -- Jelly Sanders on fiddle, Joe Maphis on guitar, and the legendary Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, and they were perfect for recording what would become a big country hit. But "I Gotta Know" was both country and rock and roll. While the choruses are definitely country: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, "I Gotta Know"] the verses are firmly in the rock and roll genre: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, "I Gotta Know"] Now, I'm indebted to the website "Women in Rock & Roll's First Wave", which I'll link in the shownotes, for this observation, but this kind of genre-mixing was very common particularly with women, and particularly with women who had previously had careers outside rock and roll and were trying to transition into it. While male performers in that situation would generally jump in head first and come up with an embarrassment like Perry Como's version of "Ko Ko Mo", female performers would do something rather different. They would, in fact, tend to do what Jackson did here, and combine the two genres, either by having a verse in one style and a chorus in the other, as Wanda does, or in other ways, as in for example Kay Starr's "Rock and Roll Waltz": [Excerpt: Kay Starr, "Rock and Roll Waltz"] Starr is a particularly good example here, because she's doing what a lot of female performers were doing at the time, which is trying to lace the recording with enough irony and humour that it could be taken as either a record in the young persons' style parodying the old persons' music, or a record in the older style mocking the new styles. By sitting on the fence in this way and being ambiguous enough, the established stars could back down if this rock and roll music turned out to be just another temporary fad. Jackson isn't quite doing that, but with her Elvis-style hiccups on the line "I gotta know, I gotta know", she comes very close to parody, in a way that could easily be written off if the experiment had failed. The experiment didn't fail, however, and "I Gotta Know" became Jackson's biggest hit of the fifties, making its way to number fifteen on the country charts -- rather oddly, given that she was clearly repositioning herself for the rockabilly market, it seemed to sell almost solely to the country market, and didn't cross over the way that Carl Perkins or Gene Vincent did. Her next single could have been the one that cemented her reputation as the greatest female rockabilly star of all, had it not been for one simple mistake. The song "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!" had been a favourite in her stage act for years, and she would let out a tremendous growl on the title line when she got to it, which would always get audiences worked up. Unfortunately, she horrified Ken Nelson in the studio by taking a big drink of milk while all the session musicians were on a coffee break. She hadn't realised what milk does to a singer's throat, and when they came to record the song she couldn't get her voice to do the growl that had always worked on stage. The result was still a good record, but it wasn't the massive success it would otherwise have been: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!"] After that failed, Ken Nelson floundered around for quite a while trying to find something else that could work for Jackson. She kept cutting rockabilly tracks, but they never quite had the power of her stage performances, and meanwhile Nelson was making mistakes in what material he brought in, just as he was doing at the same time with Gene Vincent. Just like with Vincent, whenever Wanda brought in her own material, or material she'd picked to cover by other people, it worked fine, but when Nelson brought in something it would go down like a lead balloon. Probably the worst example was a terrible attempt to capitalise on the current calypso craze, a song called "Don'a Wanna", which was written by Boudleaux Bryant, one of the great songwriters of the fifties, but which wouldn't have been his best effort even before it was given a racist accent at Nelson's suggestion (and which Jackson cringed at doing even at the time, let alone sixty years later): [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, "Don'a Wanna"] Much better was "Cool Love", which Jackson co-wrote herself, with her friend Vicki Countryman, Thelma Blackmon's daughter: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, "Cool Love"] That one is possibly too closely modelled after Elvis' recent hits, right down to the backing vocals, but it features a great Buck Owens guitar solo, it's fun, and Jackson is clearly engaged with the material. But just like all the other records since "I Wanna Know", "Cool Love" did nothing on the charts -- and indeed it wouldn't be until 1960 that Jackson would reach the charts again in the USA. But when she did, it would be with recordings she'd made years earlier, during the time period we're talking about now. And before she did, she would have her biggest success of all, and become the first rock and roll star about whom the cliche really was true -- even though she was having no success in her home country, she was big in Japan. But that's a story for a few weeks' time...
Episode forty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Gotta Know” by Wanda Jackson, and the links between rockabilly and the Bakersfield Sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Bacon Fat” by Andre Williams. —-more—- Resources As always, I’ve created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode. My main source for this episode is Wanda Jackson’s autobiography, Every Night is Saturday Night. I also made reference to the website Women in Rock & Roll’s First Wave, and I am very likely to reference that again in future episodes on Wanda Jackson and others. I mentioned the podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones, and its episode on “Okie From Muskogee”. Several other episodes of that podcast touch tangentially on people mentioned in this episode too — the two-parter on Buck Owens and Don Rich, the episode on Ralph Mooney, and the episodes on Ralph Mooney and the Louvin Brothers all either deal with musicians who played on Wanda’s records, with Ken Nelson, or both. Generally I think most people who enjoy this podcast will enjoy that one as well. And this compilation collects most of Jackson’s important early work. Errata I say Jackson’s career spans more than the time this podcast covers. I meant in length of time – this podcast covers sixty-two years, and Jackson’s career so far has lasted seventy-one – but the ambiguity could suggest that this podcast doesn’t cover anything prior to 1948. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Today we’re going to talk about someone whose career as a live performer spans more than the time that this podcast covers. Wanda Jackson started performing in 1948, and she finally retired from live performance in March 2019, though she has an album coming out later this year. She is only the second performer we’ve dealt with who is still alive and working, and she has the longest career of any of them. Wanda Jackson is, simply, the queen of rockabilly, and she’s a towering figure in the genre. Jackson was born in Oklahoma, but as this was the tail-end of the great depression, she and her family migrated to California when she was small, as stragglers in the great migration that permanently changed California. The migration of the Okies in the 1930s is a huge topic, and one that I don’t have the space to explain in this podcast — if you’re interested in it, I’d recommend as a starting point listening to the episode of the great country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones on “Okie From Muskogee”, which I’ll link in the show notes. The very, very, shortened version is that bad advice as to best farming practices created an environmental disaster on an almost apocalyptic scale across the whole middle of America, right at the point that the country was also going through the worst economic disaster in its history. As entire states became almost uninhabitable, three and a half million people moved from the Great Plains to elsewhere in the US, and a large number of them moved to California, where no matter what state they actually came from they became known as “Okies”. But the thing to understand about the Okies for this purpose is that they were a despised underclass — and as we’ve seen throughout this series, members of despised underclasses often created the most exciting and innovative music. The music the Okies who moved to California made was far more raucous than the country music that was popular in the Eastern states, and it had a huge admixture of blues and boogie woogie in it. Records like Jack Guthrie’s “Oakie Boogie”, for example, a clear precursor of rockabilly: [Excerpt: Jack Guthrie, “Oakie Boogie”] We talked way back in episode three about Western Swing and the distinction in the thirties and forties between country music and western music. The “Western” in that music came from the wild west, but it also referred to the west coast and the migrants from the Dust Bowl. Of the two biggest names in Western Swing, one, Bob Wills, was from Texas but moved to Oklahoma, while the other, Spade Cooley, was from Oklahoma but moved to California. It was the Western Swing that was being made by Dust Bowl migrants in California in the 1940s that, when it made its way eastwards to Tennessee, transmuted itself into rockabilly. And that is the music that young Wanda Jackson was listening to when she was tiny. Her father, who she absolutely adored, was a fan of Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, and Tex Williams, as well as of Jimmie Rodgers’ hillbilly music and the blues. They lived in Greenfield, a town a few miles away from Bakersfield, where her father worked, and if any of you know anything at all about country music that will tell you a lot in itself. Bakersfield would become, in the 1950s, the place where musicians like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart, most of them from Dust Bowl migrant families themselves, developed a tough form of honky-tonk country and western that was influenced by hillbilly boogie and Western Swing. Wanda Jackson spent the formative years of her childhood in the same musical and social environment as those musicians, and while she and her family moved back to Oklahoma a few years later, she had already been exposed to that style of music. At the time, when anyone went out to dance, it was to live music, and since her parents couldn’t afford babysitters, when they went out, as they did most weekends, they took Wanda with them, so between the ages of five and ten she seems to have seen almost every great Western band of the forties. Her first favourite as a kid was Spade Cooley, who was, along with Bob Wills, considered the greatest Western Swing bandleader of all. However, this podcast has a policy of not playing Cooley’s records (the balance of musical importance to outright evil is tipped too far in his case, and I advise you not to look for details as to why), so I won’t play an excerpt of him here, as I normally would. The other artist she loved though was a sibling group called The Maddox Brothers and Rose, who were a group that bridged the gap between Western Swing and the newer Bakersfield Sound: [Excerpt: The Maddox Brothers and Rose, “George’s Playhouse Boogie”] The Maddox Brothers and Rose were also poor migrants who’d moved to California, though in their case they’d travelled just *before* the inrush of Okies rather than at the tail end of it. They’re another of those groups who are often given the credit for having made the first rock and roll record, although as we’ve often discussed that’s a largely meaningless claim. They were, however, one of the big influences both on the Bakersfield Sound and on the music that became rockabilly. Wanda loved the Maddox Brothers and Rose, and in particular she loved their stage presence — the shiny costumes they wore, and the feistiness of Rose, in particular. She decided before she was even in school that she wanted to be “a girl singer”, as she put it, just like Rose Maddox. When she was six, her father bought her a guitar from the Sears Roebuck catalogue and started teaching her chords. He played a little guitar and fiddle, and the two of them would play together every night. They’d sit together and try to work out the chords for songs they knew from the radio or records, and Wanda’s mother would write down the chords in a notebook for them. She also taught herself to yodel, since that was something that all the country and western singers at the time would do, and had done ever since the days of Jimmie Rodgers in the late twenties and early thirties. The record she copied to learn to yodel was “Chime Bells” by Elton Britt, “Country Music’s Yodelling Cowboy Crooner”: [Excerpt: Elton Britt, “Chime Bells”] By the time she was in her early teens, she was regularly performing for her friends at parties, and her friends dared her to audition for a local radio show that played country music and had a local talent section. Her friends all went with her to the station, and she played Jimmie Rodgers’ “Blue Yodel #6” for the DJ who ran the show. [Excerpt: Jimmie Rodgers, “Blue Yodel #6”] To her shock, but not the shock of her friends, the DJ loved her sound, and gave her a regular spot on the local talent section of his show, which in turn led to her getting her own fifteen-minute radio show, in which she would sing popular country hits of the time period. One of the people whose songs she would perform on a regular basis was Hank Thompson. Thompson was a honky-tonk singer who performed a pared-down version of the Bob Wills style of Western Swing. Thompson’s music was using the same rhythms and instrumentation as Wills, but with much more focus on the vocals and the song than on instrumental solos. Thonpson’s music was one of several precursors to the music that became rockabilly, though he was most successful with mid-tempo ballads like “The Wild Side of Life”: [Excerpt: Hank Thompson, “The Wild Side of Life”] Thompson, like Wanda, lived in Oklahoma, and he happened to be driving one day and hear her show on the radio. He phoned her up at the station and asked her if she would come and perform with his band that Saturday night. When she told him she’d have to ask her mother, he laughed at first — he hadn’t realised she was only fourteen, because her voice made her sound so much older. At this time, it was normal for bands that toured to have multiple featured singers and to perform in a revue style, rather than to have a single lead vocalist — there were basically two types of tour that happened: package tours featuring multiple different acts doing their own things, and revues, where one main act would introduce several featured guests to join them on stage. Johnny Otis and James Brown, for example, both ran revue shows at various points, and Hank Thompson’s show seems also to have been in this style. Jackson had never played with a band before, and by her own account she wasn’t very good when she guested with Thompson’s band for the first time. But Thompson had faith in her. He couldn’t take her on the road, because she was still so young she had to go to school, but every time he played Oklahoma he’d invite her to do a few numbers with his band, mentoring her and teaching her on stage how to perform with other musicians. Thompson also invited Jackson to appear on his local TV show, which led to her getting a TV show of her own in the Oklahoma area, and she became part of a loose group of locally-popular musicians, including the future homophobic campaigner against human rights Anita Bryant. While she was still in high school, Thompson recorded demos of her singing and took them to his producer, Ken Nelson, at Capitol Records. Nelson liked her voice, but when he found out she was under eighteen he decided to pass on recording her, just due to the legal complications and the fact that she’d not yet finished school. Instead, Jackson was signed to Decca Records, where she cut her first recordings with members of Thompson’s band. Her first single was a duet with another featured singer from Thompson’s band, Billy Gray. Thompson, who was running the session, basically forced Jackson to sing it against her objections. She didn’t have a problem with the song itself, but she didn’t want to make her name from a duet, rather than as a solo artist. [Excerpt: Billy Gray and Wanda Jackson, “You Can’t Have My Love”] She might not have been happy with the recording at first, but she was feeling better about it by the time she started her senior year in High School with a top ten country single. Her followups were less successful, and she became unhappy with the way her career was going. In particular she was horrified when she first played the Grand Ole Opry. She was told she couldn’t go onstage in the dress she was wearing, because her shoulders were uncovered and that was obscene — at this time, Jackson was basically the only country singer in the business who was trying to look glamorous rather than like a farmgirl — and then, when she did get on stage, wearing a jacket, she was mocked by a couple of the comedy acts, who stood behind her making fun of her throughout her entire set. Clearly the country establishment wasn’t going to get along with her at all. But then she left school, and became a full-time musician, and she made a decision which would have an enormous effect on her. Her father was her manager, but if she was going to get more gigs and perform as a solo artist rather than just doing the occasional show with Hank Thompson, she needed a booking agent, and neither she nor her father had an idea how to get one. So they did what seemed like the most obvious thing to them, and bought a copy of Billboard and started looking through the ads. They eventually found an ad from a booking agent named Bob Neal, in Memphis, and phoned him up, explaining that Wanda was a recording artist for Decca records. Neal had heard her records, which had been locally popular in Memphis, and was particularly looking for a girl singer to fill out the bill on a tour he was promoting with a new young singer he managed, named Elvis Presley. Backstage after her support slot on the first show of the tour, she and her father heard a terrible screaming coming from the auditorium. They thought at first that there must have been a fire, and Wanda’s father went out to investigate, telling her not to come with him. He came back a minute later telling her, “You’ve got to come see this”. The screaming was, of course, at Elvis, and immediately Wanda knew that he was not any ordinary country singer. The two of them started dating, and Elvis even gave Wanda his ring, which is still in her possession, and while they eventually drifted apart, he had a profound influence on her. Her father was not impressed with Elvis’ performance, saying “That boy’s got to get his show in order… He’s all over the stage messin’ around. And he’s got to stop slurrin’ his words, too.” Wanda, on the other hand, was incredibly impressed with him, and as the two of them toured — on a bill which also included Bob Neal’s other big act of the time, Johnny Cash — he would teach her how to be more of a rock and roller like him. In particular, he taught her to strum the acoustic guitar with a single strum, rather than to hit each string individually, which was the style of country players at the time. Meanwhile, her recording career was flagging — she hadn’t had another hit with any of her solo recordings, and she was starting to wonder if Decca was the right place for her. She did, though, have a hit as a songwriter, with a song called “Without Your Love”, which she’d written for Bobby Lord, a singer who appeared with her on the radio show Ozark Jubilee. [Excerpt: Bobby Lord, “Without Your Love”] That song had gone to the top ten in the country charts, and turned out to be Lord’s only hit single. But while she could come up with a hit for him, she wasn’t having hits herself, and she decided that she wanted to leave Decca. Her contract was up, and while they did have the option to extend it for another year and were initially interested in exercising the option, Decca agreed to let her go. Meanwhile, Wanda was also thinking about what kind of music she wanted to make in the future. Elvis had convinced her that she should move into rockabilly, but she didn’t know how to do it. She talked about this to Thelma Blackmon, the mother of one of her schoolfriends, who had written a couple of songs for her previously, and Blackmon came back with a song called “I Gotta Know”, which Jackson decided would be perfect to restart her career. At this point Hank Thompson went to Ken Nelson, and told him that that underage singer he’d liked was no longer underage, and would he be interested in signing her? He definitely was interested, and he took her into the Capitol tower to record with a group of session musicians who he employed for as many of his West Coast sessions as possible, and who were at that point just beginning to create what later became the Bakersfield Sound. The musicians on that session were some of the best in the country music field — Jelly Sanders on fiddle, Joe Maphis on guitar, and the legendary Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, and they were perfect for recording what would become a big country hit. But “I Gotta Know” was both country and rock and roll. While the choruses are definitely country: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “I Gotta Know”] the verses are firmly in the rock and roll genre: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “I Gotta Know”] Now, I’m indebted to the website “Women in Rock & Roll’s First Wave”, which I’ll link in the shownotes, for this observation, but this kind of genre-mixing was very common particularly with women, and particularly with women who had previously had careers outside rock and roll and were trying to transition into it. While male performers in that situation would generally jump in head first and come up with an embarrassment like Perry Como’s version of “Ko Ko Mo”, female performers would do something rather different. They would, in fact, tend to do what Jackson did here, and combine the two genres, either by having a verse in one style and a chorus in the other, as Wanda does, or in other ways, as in for example Kay Starr’s “Rock and Roll Waltz”: [Excerpt: Kay Starr, “Rock and Roll Waltz”] Starr is a particularly good example here, because she’s doing what a lot of female performers were doing at the time, which is trying to lace the recording with enough irony and humour that it could be taken as either a record in the young persons’ style parodying the old persons’ music, or a record in the older style mocking the new styles. By sitting on the fence in this way and being ambiguous enough, the established stars could back down if this rock and roll music turned out to be just another temporary fad. Jackson isn’t quite doing that, but with her Elvis-style hiccups on the line “I gotta know, I gotta know”, she comes very close to parody, in a way that could easily be written off if the experiment had failed. The experiment didn’t fail, however, and “I Gotta Know” became Jackson’s biggest hit of the fifties, making its way to number fifteen on the country charts — rather oddly, given that she was clearly repositioning herself for the rockabilly market, it seemed to sell almost solely to the country market, and didn’t cross over the way that Carl Perkins or Gene Vincent did. Her next single could have been the one that cemented her reputation as the greatest female rockabilly star of all, had it not been for one simple mistake. The song “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!” had been a favourite in her stage act for years, and she would let out a tremendous growl on the title line when she got to it, which would always get audiences worked up. Unfortunately, she horrified Ken Nelson in the studio by taking a big drink of milk while all the session musicians were on a coffee break. She hadn’t realised what milk does to a singer’s throat, and when they came to record the song she couldn’t get her voice to do the growl that had always worked on stage. The result was still a good record, but it wasn’t the massive success it would otherwise have been: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!”] After that failed, Ken Nelson floundered around for quite a while trying to find something else that could work for Jackson. She kept cutting rockabilly tracks, but they never quite had the power of her stage performances, and meanwhile Nelson was making mistakes in what material he brought in, just as he was doing at the same time with Gene Vincent. Just like with Vincent, whenever Wanda brought in her own material, or material she’d picked to cover by other people, it worked fine, but when Nelson brought in something it would go down like a lead balloon. Probably the worst example was a terrible attempt to capitalise on the current calypso craze, a song called “Don’a Wanna”, which was written by Boudleaux Bryant, one of the great songwriters of the fifties, but which wouldn’t have been his best effort even before it was given a racist accent at Nelson’s suggestion (and which Jackson cringed at doing even at the time, let alone sixty years later): [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Don’a Wanna”] Much better was “Cool Love”, which Jackson co-wrote herself, with her friend Vicki Countryman, Thelma Blackmon’s daughter: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Cool Love”] That one is possibly too closely modelled after Elvis’ recent hits, right down to the backing vocals, but it features a great Buck Owens guitar solo, it’s fun, and Jackson is clearly engaged with the material. But just like all the other records since “I Wanna Know”, “Cool Love” did nothing on the charts — and indeed it wouldn’t be until 1960 that Jackson would reach the charts again in the USA. But when she did, it would be with recordings she’d made years earlier, during the time period we’re talking about now. And before she did, she would have her biggest success of all, and become the first rock and roll star about whom the cliche really was true — even though she was having no success in her home country, she was big in Japan. But that’s a story for a few weeks’ time…
Episode forty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Gotta Know” by Wanda Jackson, and the links between rockabilly and the Bakersfield Sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Bacon Fat” by Andre Williams. —-more—- Resources As always, I’ve created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode. My main source for this episode is Wanda Jackson’s autobiography, Every Night is Saturday Night. I also made reference to the website Women in Rock & Roll’s First Wave, and I am very likely to reference that again in future episodes on Wanda Jackson and others. I mentioned the podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones, and its episode on “Okie From Muskogee”. Several other episodes of that podcast touch tangentially on people mentioned in this episode too — the two-parter on Buck Owens and Don Rich, the episode on Ralph Mooney, and the episodes on Ralph Mooney and the Louvin Brothers all either deal with musicians who played on Wanda’s records, with Ken Nelson, or both. Generally I think most people who enjoy this podcast will enjoy that one as well. And this compilation collects most of Jackson’s important early work. Errata I say Jackson’s career spans more than the time this podcast covers. I meant in length of time – this podcast covers sixty-two years, and Jackson’s career so far has lasted seventy-one – but the ambiguity could suggest that this podcast doesn’t cover anything prior to 1948. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Today we’re going to talk about someone whose career as a live performer spans more than the time that this podcast covers. Wanda Jackson started performing in 1948, and she finally retired from live performance in March 2019, though she has an album coming out later this year. She is only the second performer we’ve dealt with who is still alive and working, and she has the longest career of any of them. Wanda Jackson is, simply, the queen of rockabilly, and she’s a towering figure in the genre. Jackson was born in Oklahoma, but as this was the tail-end of the great depression, she and her family migrated to California when she was small, as stragglers in the great migration that permanently changed California. The migration of the Okies in the 1930s is a huge topic, and one that I don’t have the space to explain in this podcast — if you’re interested in it, I’d recommend as a starting point listening to the episode of the great country music podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones on “Okie From Muskogee”, which I’ll link in the show notes. The very, very, shortened version is that bad advice as to best farming practices created an environmental disaster on an almost apocalyptic scale across the whole middle of America, right at the point that the country was also going through the worst economic disaster in its history. As entire states became almost uninhabitable, three and a half million people moved from the Great Plains to elsewhere in the US, and a large number of them moved to California, where no matter what state they actually came from they became known as “Okies”. But the thing to understand about the Okies for this purpose is that they were a despised underclass — and as we’ve seen throughout this series, members of despised underclasses often created the most exciting and innovative music. The music the Okies who moved to California made was far more raucous than the country music that was popular in the Eastern states, and it had a huge admixture of blues and boogie woogie in it. Records like Jack Guthrie’s “Oakie Boogie”, for example, a clear precursor of rockabilly: [Excerpt: Jack Guthrie, “Oakie Boogie”] We talked way back in episode three about Western Swing and the distinction in the thirties and forties between country music and western music. The “Western” in that music came from the wild west, but it also referred to the west coast and the migrants from the Dust Bowl. Of the two biggest names in Western Swing, one, Bob Wills, was from Texas but moved to Oklahoma, while the other, Spade Cooley, was from Oklahoma but moved to California. It was the Western Swing that was being made by Dust Bowl migrants in California in the 1940s that, when it made its way eastwards to Tennessee, transmuted itself into rockabilly. And that is the music that young Wanda Jackson was listening to when she was tiny. Her father, who she absolutely adored, was a fan of Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, and Tex Williams, as well as of Jimmie Rodgers’ hillbilly music and the blues. They lived in Greenfield, a town a few miles away from Bakersfield, where her father worked, and if any of you know anything at all about country music that will tell you a lot in itself. Bakersfield would become, in the 1950s, the place where musicians like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart, most of them from Dust Bowl migrant families themselves, developed a tough form of honky-tonk country and western that was influenced by hillbilly boogie and Western Swing. Wanda Jackson spent the formative years of her childhood in the same musical and social environment as those musicians, and while she and her family moved back to Oklahoma a few years later, she had already been exposed to that style of music. At the time, when anyone went out to dance, it was to live music, and since her parents couldn’t afford babysitters, when they went out, as they did most weekends, they took Wanda with them, so between the ages of five and ten she seems to have seen almost every great Western band of the forties. Her first favourite as a kid was Spade Cooley, who was, along with Bob Wills, considered the greatest Western Swing bandleader of all. However, this podcast has a policy of not playing Cooley’s records (the balance of musical importance to outright evil is tipped too far in his case, and I advise you not to look for details as to why), so I won’t play an excerpt of him here, as I normally would. The other artist she loved though was a sibling group called The Maddox Brothers and Rose, who were a group that bridged the gap between Western Swing and the newer Bakersfield Sound: [Excerpt: The Maddox Brothers and Rose, “George’s Playhouse Boogie”] The Maddox Brothers and Rose were also poor migrants who’d moved to California, though in their case they’d travelled just *before* the inrush of Okies rather than at the tail end of it. They’re another of those groups who are often given the credit for having made the first rock and roll record, although as we’ve often discussed that’s a largely meaningless claim. They were, however, one of the big influences both on the Bakersfield Sound and on the music that became rockabilly. Wanda loved the Maddox Brothers and Rose, and in particular she loved their stage presence — the shiny costumes they wore, and the feistiness of Rose, in particular. She decided before she was even in school that she wanted to be “a girl singer”, as she put it, just like Rose Maddox. When she was six, her father bought her a guitar from the Sears Roebuck catalogue and started teaching her chords. He played a little guitar and fiddle, and the two of them would play together every night. They’d sit together and try to work out the chords for songs they knew from the radio or records, and Wanda’s mother would write down the chords in a notebook for them. She also taught herself to yodel, since that was something that all the country and western singers at the time would do, and had done ever since the days of Jimmie Rodgers in the late twenties and early thirties. The record she copied to learn to yodel was “Chime Bells” by Elton Britt, “Country Music’s Yodelling Cowboy Crooner”: [Excerpt: Elton Britt, “Chime Bells”] By the time she was in her early teens, she was regularly performing for her friends at parties, and her friends dared her to audition for a local radio show that played country music and had a local talent section. Her friends all went with her to the station, and she played Jimmie Rodgers’ “Blue Yodel #6” for the DJ who ran the show. [Excerpt: Jimmie Rodgers, “Blue Yodel #6”] To her shock, but not the shock of her friends, the DJ loved her sound, and gave her a regular spot on the local talent section of his show, which in turn led to her getting her own fifteen-minute radio show, in which she would sing popular country hits of the time period. One of the people whose songs she would perform on a regular basis was Hank Thompson. Thompson was a honky-tonk singer who performed a pared-down version of the Bob Wills style of Western Swing. Thompson’s music was using the same rhythms and instrumentation as Wills, but with much more focus on the vocals and the song than on instrumental solos. Thonpson’s music was one of several precursors to the music that became rockabilly, though he was most successful with mid-tempo ballads like “The Wild Side of Life”: [Excerpt: Hank Thompson, “The Wild Side of Life”] Thompson, like Wanda, lived in Oklahoma, and he happened to be driving one day and hear her show on the radio. He phoned her up at the station and asked her if she would come and perform with his band that Saturday night. When she told him she’d have to ask her mother, he laughed at first — he hadn’t realised she was only fourteen, because her voice made her sound so much older. At this time, it was normal for bands that toured to have multiple featured singers and to perform in a revue style, rather than to have a single lead vocalist — there were basically two types of tour that happened: package tours featuring multiple different acts doing their own things, and revues, where one main act would introduce several featured guests to join them on stage. Johnny Otis and James Brown, for example, both ran revue shows at various points, and Hank Thompson’s show seems also to have been in this style. Jackson had never played with a band before, and by her own account she wasn’t very good when she guested with Thompson’s band for the first time. But Thompson had faith in her. He couldn’t take her on the road, because she was still so young she had to go to school, but every time he played Oklahoma he’d invite her to do a few numbers with his band, mentoring her and teaching her on stage how to perform with other musicians. Thompson also invited Jackson to appear on his local TV show, which led to her getting a TV show of her own in the Oklahoma area, and she became part of a loose group of locally-popular musicians, including the future homophobic campaigner against human rights Anita Bryant. While she was still in high school, Thompson recorded demos of her singing and took them to his producer, Ken Nelson, at Capitol Records. Nelson liked her voice, but when he found out she was under eighteen he decided to pass on recording her, just due to the legal complications and the fact that she’d not yet finished school. Instead, Jackson was signed to Decca Records, where she cut her first recordings with members of Thompson’s band. Her first single was a duet with another featured singer from Thompson’s band, Billy Gray. Thompson, who was running the session, basically forced Jackson to sing it against her objections. She didn’t have a problem with the song itself, but she didn’t want to make her name from a duet, rather than as a solo artist. [Excerpt: Billy Gray and Wanda Jackson, “You Can’t Have My Love”] She might not have been happy with the recording at first, but she was feeling better about it by the time she started her senior year in High School with a top ten country single. Her followups were less successful, and she became unhappy with the way her career was going. In particular she was horrified when she first played the Grand Ole Opry. She was told she couldn’t go onstage in the dress she was wearing, because her shoulders were uncovered and that was obscene — at this time, Jackson was basically the only country singer in the business who was trying to look glamorous rather than like a farmgirl — and then, when she did get on stage, wearing a jacket, she was mocked by a couple of the comedy acts, who stood behind her making fun of her throughout her entire set. Clearly the country establishment wasn’t going to get along with her at all. But then she left school, and became a full-time musician, and she made a decision which would have an enormous effect on her. Her father was her manager, but if she was going to get more gigs and perform as a solo artist rather than just doing the occasional show with Hank Thompson, she needed a booking agent, and neither she nor her father had an idea how to get one. So they did what seemed like the most obvious thing to them, and bought a copy of Billboard and started looking through the ads. They eventually found an ad from a booking agent named Bob Neal, in Memphis, and phoned him up, explaining that Wanda was a recording artist for Decca records. Neal had heard her records, which had been locally popular in Memphis, and was particularly looking for a girl singer to fill out the bill on a tour he was promoting with a new young singer he managed, named Elvis Presley. Backstage after her support slot on the first show of the tour, she and her father heard a terrible screaming coming from the auditorium. They thought at first that there must have been a fire, and Wanda’s father went out to investigate, telling her not to come with him. He came back a minute later telling her, “You’ve got to come see this”. The screaming was, of course, at Elvis, and immediately Wanda knew that he was not any ordinary country singer. The two of them started dating, and Elvis even gave Wanda his ring, which is still in her possession, and while they eventually drifted apart, he had a profound influence on her. Her father was not impressed with Elvis’ performance, saying “That boy’s got to get his show in order… He’s all over the stage messin’ around. And he’s got to stop slurrin’ his words, too.” Wanda, on the other hand, was incredibly impressed with him, and as the two of them toured — on a bill which also included Bob Neal’s other big act of the time, Johnny Cash — he would teach her how to be more of a rock and roller like him. In particular, he taught her to strum the acoustic guitar with a single strum, rather than to hit each string individually, which was the style of country players at the time. Meanwhile, her recording career was flagging — she hadn’t had another hit with any of her solo recordings, and she was starting to wonder if Decca was the right place for her. She did, though, have a hit as a songwriter, with a song called “Without Your Love”, which she’d written for Bobby Lord, a singer who appeared with her on the radio show Ozark Jubilee. [Excerpt: Bobby Lord, “Without Your Love”] That song had gone to the top ten in the country charts, and turned out to be Lord’s only hit single. But while she could come up with a hit for him, she wasn’t having hits herself, and she decided that she wanted to leave Decca. Her contract was up, and while they did have the option to extend it for another year and were initially interested in exercising the option, Decca agreed to let her go. Meanwhile, Wanda was also thinking about what kind of music she wanted to make in the future. Elvis had convinced her that she should move into rockabilly, but she didn’t know how to do it. She talked about this to Thelma Blackmon, the mother of one of her schoolfriends, who had written a couple of songs for her previously, and Blackmon came back with a song called “I Gotta Know”, which Jackson decided would be perfect to restart her career. At this point Hank Thompson went to Ken Nelson, and told him that that underage singer he’d liked was no longer underage, and would he be interested in signing her? He definitely was interested, and he took her into the Capitol tower to record with a group of session musicians who he employed for as many of his West Coast sessions as possible, and who were at that point just beginning to create what later became the Bakersfield Sound. The musicians on that session were some of the best in the country music field — Jelly Sanders on fiddle, Joe Maphis on guitar, and the legendary Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, and they were perfect for recording what would become a big country hit. But “I Gotta Know” was both country and rock and roll. While the choruses are definitely country: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “I Gotta Know”] the verses are firmly in the rock and roll genre: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “I Gotta Know”] Now, I’m indebted to the website “Women in Rock & Roll’s First Wave”, which I’ll link in the shownotes, for this observation, but this kind of genre-mixing was very common particularly with women, and particularly with women who had previously had careers outside rock and roll and were trying to transition into it. While male performers in that situation would generally jump in head first and come up with an embarrassment like Perry Como’s version of “Ko Ko Mo”, female performers would do something rather different. They would, in fact, tend to do what Jackson did here, and combine the two genres, either by having a verse in one style and a chorus in the other, as Wanda does, or in other ways, as in for example Kay Starr’s “Rock and Roll Waltz”: [Excerpt: Kay Starr, “Rock and Roll Waltz”] Starr is a particularly good example here, because she’s doing what a lot of female performers were doing at the time, which is trying to lace the recording with enough irony and humour that it could be taken as either a record in the young persons’ style parodying the old persons’ music, or a record in the older style mocking the new styles. By sitting on the fence in this way and being ambiguous enough, the established stars could back down if this rock and roll music turned out to be just another temporary fad. Jackson isn’t quite doing that, but with her Elvis-style hiccups on the line “I gotta know, I gotta know”, she comes very close to parody, in a way that could easily be written off if the experiment had failed. The experiment didn’t fail, however, and “I Gotta Know” became Jackson’s biggest hit of the fifties, making its way to number fifteen on the country charts — rather oddly, given that she was clearly repositioning herself for the rockabilly market, it seemed to sell almost solely to the country market, and didn’t cross over the way that Carl Perkins or Gene Vincent did. Her next single could have been the one that cemented her reputation as the greatest female rockabilly star of all, had it not been for one simple mistake. The song “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!” had been a favourite in her stage act for years, and she would let out a tremendous growl on the title line when she got to it, which would always get audiences worked up. Unfortunately, she horrified Ken Nelson in the studio by taking a big drink of milk while all the session musicians were on a coffee break. She hadn’t realised what milk does to a singer’s throat, and when they came to record the song she couldn’t get her voice to do the growl that had always worked on stage. The result was still a good record, but it wasn’t the massive success it would otherwise have been: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad!”] After that failed, Ken Nelson floundered around for quite a while trying to find something else that could work for Jackson. She kept cutting rockabilly tracks, but they never quite had the power of her stage performances, and meanwhile Nelson was making mistakes in what material he brought in, just as he was doing at the same time with Gene Vincent. Just like with Vincent, whenever Wanda brought in her own material, or material she’d picked to cover by other people, it worked fine, but when Nelson brought in something it would go down like a lead balloon. Probably the worst example was a terrible attempt to capitalise on the current calypso craze, a song called “Don’a Wanna”, which was written by Boudleaux Bryant, one of the great songwriters of the fifties, but which wouldn’t have been his best effort even before it was given a racist accent at Nelson’s suggestion (and which Jackson cringed at doing even at the time, let alone sixty years later): [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Don’a Wanna”] Much better was “Cool Love”, which Jackson co-wrote herself, with her friend Vicki Countryman, Thelma Blackmon’s daughter: [Excerpt: Wanda Jackson, “Cool Love”] That one is possibly too closely modelled after Elvis’ recent hits, right down to the backing vocals, but it features a great Buck Owens guitar solo, it’s fun, and Jackson is clearly engaged with the material. But just like all the other records since “I Wanna Know”, “Cool Love” did nothing on the charts — and indeed it wouldn’t be until 1960 that Jackson would reach the charts again in the USA. But when she did, it would be with recordings she’d made years earlier, during the time period we’re talking about now. And before she did, she would have her biggest success of all, and become the first rock and roll star about whom the cliche really was true — even though she was having no success in her home country, she was big in Japan. But that’s a story for a few weeks’ time…
“Klaatu barada nikto!” En 1951 el mundo convulsionaba en un contexto histórico con los Estados Unidos como epicentro. En plena guerra de Corea, con los primeros síntomas de la guerra fría, la carrera armamentística en la línea de salida y el Comunismo como máximo enemigo. Apenas cinco años después de Hiroshima y Nagasaki, las dos superpotencias se afanaban en construir más y más armas letales. El odioso Senador Joseph Raymond McCarthy empezaba su vergonzante caza de brujas contra la industria de Hollywood, hasta aquel momento, un oasis de talentos y mentes libres. La energía atómica era algo nuevo e inquietante en los 50. En ese caldo de cultivo la Ciencia Ficción de Serie B paría películas panfletarias con alienígenas invasores y destructivos. Robert Wise consigue que Ultimátum a la Tierra sea una película humanista, revistiendo a la Ciencia Ficción de honorabilidad, de respeto. La película capta exactamente qué tipo de sociedad había en los años 50, sentimos ese clima de paranoia y represión, pero con un mensaje conciliador, totalmente disonante. The Day the Earth Stood Still contiene un potente mensaje pacifista, de entendimiento; una crítica soterrada contra los ejércitos, contra el género humano, y sobre todo, contra sus dirigentes, sus gobiernos… Robert Wise desarrolla un gran guión de Edmund H. North, para contar la llegada a nuestro planeta de Klaatu y Gort, un humanoide que viene a dar la ultima oportunidad a la tierra y una autómata capaz de destruir todo ante la menor agresión… Ultimátum a la tierra se ha convertido en un test de Rorschach, contiene múltiples interpretaciones y visiones del mundo, todas reales, todas vigentes. Nuestros gobiernos actuales no distan mucho del retrato que nos plantea Wise, la humanidad tampoco, un clásico imprescindible de la ciencia ficción que ha influenciado todo el cine que ha venido después,. Un referente en múltiples aspectos, desde el estilo sosegado y reflexivo de Wise a esa extraordinaria banda sonora de Bernard Herman, una partitura pionera, usando ese curioso y extravagante instrumento musical electrónico llamado Theremin, bautizado originalmente como “Eterofono” que ya será para siempre el sonido y la atmósfera de la Ciencia Ficción. Un gran reparto con el desconocido Michael Rennie encarnando a Klaatu, una clara alegoría cristiana con este Sr. Carpenter que sufre las mismas penalidades que Jesucristo, con el cual comparte misión y enseñanzas. La protagonista femenina es la gran Helen Benson, perfecta como esa mujer fuerte y decidida que cría a su hijo sola, y comprende la importancia del mensaje de Klaatu. El chico, Billy Gray es otro gran acierto de la película, con momentos de inocencia e intimidad grandiosos con el hombre del espacio; o ese profesor con aires de Einstein , interpretado por Sam Jaffe. Para la historia del cine queda la figura de Gort, el imponente robot con el poder de decidir sobre la vida y la muerte. Una autentica obra maestra que nos obliga a reflexionar constantemente sobre la humanidad, capaz de lo mejor y lo terrible…..al tiempo. Esta noche hacemos señales lumínicas a Gort desde la Torre de Radiopolis, Jose Miguel Moreno, Raúl Gallego, Zacarías Cotán, Elio Cubiles y Gervi Navio. Gervasio Navío Flores
Jim examines a low-budget monster movie that has gained a large cult following the last several years with 1966's "The Navy vs The Night Monsters," starring Mamie Van Doren, Anthony Eisley, Billy Gray, Walter Sande, Edward Faulkner and Bobby Van. Foliage samples from "Operation Deep Freeze" in Antarctica create havoc on an isolated island serving as a military research station. It's Man against Nature on this week's episode of "Monster Attack!"
One of our favorite movies, “The Day The Earth Stood Still” tells a cautionary tale in a time of the Cold War and rapidly advancing technology. Expertly directed by Robert Wise and starring the perfectly cast Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlow, Sam Jaffe and Billy Gray, this is a film with multiple layers of meaning and nuance. It’s a straight-forward sci-fi tale with a flying saucer, a superior alien race, and an invulnerable all powerful robot. It’s also a tale of the possibility of humankind's redemption in the face of a higher power. Or is it a tale of the origin of the human race on Earth. Or is it… well, you’ll see. There’s so much to discuss in this film. And let’s not forget the music, in what may be Bernard Herrmann’s best score, but which certainly is one of his best, he utilizes two Theramins for the first time in film and the score sets a standard for sci-fi scores that will be followed for decades after. We’re considering a Bernard Herrmann festival. So keep your eye out for that soon. We truly love this film and hopefully that comes through in the show. Enjoy!
Who were the most-popular Celtic bands in 2017? We're ending the year with some of my favorite Celtic bands of the year with Celtic music from Black Market Haggis, The Gothard Sisters, Ed Miller, Ockham's Razor, We Banjo 3, Screaming Orphans, Jesse Ferguson, Battlelegs, Battlefield Band, The Elders, Poitin, Runa, Sons of Malarkey, Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, Screeched Inn, Jil Chambless, Ed Miller and Scooter Muse, Barleyjuice, Ciana, Coast, West of Mabou. http://celticmusicpodcast.com/ Listen and share this podcast. Download 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Subscribe to the Celtic Music Magazine. This is our free newsletter and your guide to the latest Celtic music and podcast news. Remember to support the artists who support this podcast: buy their CDs, download their MP3s, see their shows, and drop them an email to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast. TODAY'S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY... THE CELTIC INVASION OF THE ISLE OF SKYE You can join me in Scotland in June 2018. Imagine joining a small group of eight Celtic music fans, driving in a van as we explore the Isle of Skye. Some call it one of the most-beautiful islands in the world, with spectacular vistas, gorgeous castles and towns, fairy pools, and magic. We won't see everything. Instead, we will stay in one area, and get to know the region through its history, culture, and legends. Subscribe to the mailing list to join the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/ THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC 0:06 "Welcome Paddy Home" by Black Market Haggis from Better Than It Sounds 4:52 "Chaos in La Casa" by The Gothard Sisters from Mountain Rose 7:58 "Bonnie Bessie Logan" by Ed Miller from Come Awa' Wi' Me 11:29 "I'm Coming Home Northumberland" by Ockham's Razor from Wolves in the Walls 16:29 "Over the Waterfall/Liberty Polka" by We Banjo 3 from Roots of the Banjo Tree 18:59 "The Ballad of Spring Hill" by Screaming Orphans from Taproom 22:47 CELTIC PODCAST NEWS 24:15 "All For Me Grog" by Jesse Ferguson from Folk Favourites 27:18 "Greenland Whale Fisheries (acoustic version)" by Battlelegs from Facemelt Friday 29:47 "Leaving Friday Harbor" by Battlefield Band from The Producer's Choice 34:55 "Golden Ghost" by The Elders from TRUE 40:26 SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION TIP TO HELP CELTIC BANDS 41:15 "O'puss No. 7" by Poitin from Simple Pleasures 46:16 "Bedlam Boys" by Runa from Live 49:37 "Killarney Boys of Pleasure" by Sons of Malarkey from Gulls Lads 51:58 "The Proposal" by Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer from Red House 58:15 "Farewell to Nova Scotia" by Screeched Inn from Screeched Inn 1:02:30 CELTIC FEEDBACK 1:04:48 "Billy Gray" by Jil Chambless, Ed Miller and Scooter Muse from The Lang Awa' Ships 1:09:32 "Whiskey & Weed" by Barleyjuice from This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things 1:13:23 "King's House/The Maids of Selma/Abbey Reel" by Ciana from Rubicon 1:17:27 "Gordon's Reels" by West of Mabou from West of Mabou 1:23:29 "Windmills in the Sky" by Coast from Windmills in the Sky 1:29:32 "Silent Place" by Jiggy from Translate The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather. To subscribe, go to iTunes or to our website where you can become a Patron of the Podcast for as little as $1 per episode. Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/. THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST! Imagine a world with no Celtic music. Pretty crappy, right? All you have is boring music being shoved down your throats by big record labels. You wouldn't get to experience the incredible music shared each and every week in the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. These incredibly generous people bring you hours of great Celtic music. You can help celebrate Celtic music and culture and keep this show running every week. Become a Patron of the Podcast a http://patreon.com/celticpodcast CELTIC PODCAST NEWS * Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. My name is Marc Gunn. I am a Celtic and Geek musician and podcaster. This podcast is dedicated to the indie Celtic musicians. I want to ask you to support these artists. Share the show with your friends. And find more episodes at celticmusicpodcast.com. You can also support this podcast on Patreon. Every year, I compile a list of the most-played Celtic bands on the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. We're gonna end the year with some of my favorite bands played on the show in 2017. This is your last chance to vote for your favorite bands in the Celtic Top 20. Every year, I compile a list of the best tracks played on this podcast and I share it in an extra-long show like this one. I want to ask you to review the 2017 shows. Find your favorite tracks in each show. Then go vote at bestcelticmusic.net/vote/. In a few weeks, I will share your votes with the world. Celtfather Music & Travel podcast features an interview with Shannon Heaton of the Irish Music Stories. You may remember in show #314 Shannon Heaton was the the guest host of this podcast. I was really curious to learn about her history as an American playing traditional Irish music. She also published a video about Irish Session Etiquette. So I decided to ask her to share her insights into playing in Irish sessions in this podcast. Listen to episode #234 Demystifying Irish Sessions. If you're in a Celtic band, I want to invite you to submit your new album to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. It's easy to do. Complete the permission form at http://4celts.com/. Then follow the instructions to send a digital copy of your album. Band Social Media Promotion Tip. I've never been super fond of social media. Partially because of the negative nature of the beast. But partially because I've never been able to figure it out. I generally keep to myself. However, over the past year, I've made a dent in the social media monster and I wanted to share my best social media promotion tip which I beg you to use with your favorite Celtic artist. It's simple too--SHARE. Don't just laugh and like a post. If you support Celtic music, take an active role and share it. With one little click, you will not only proclaim your love of Celtic culture, but you will also immensely help these artists who are fighting to be heard. And of course, you can do the same with any posts from the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. Please SHARE your love of Celtic music. VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 It's easier than ever to do. Just list the show number, and the name of one or two bands. That's it. You can vote once for each episode help me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2017 episode. http://bestcelticmusic.net/vote/ I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Email a voicemail message to celticpodcast@gmail.com Seán Roy Mac Aodha emailed: "Hi Mark, First off, I want to say that I really enjoy listen to your Celtic music podcasts. You do an excellent job putting together selections, and listening to an hour of the ICM podcasts is one of my great pleasures and I'm happy to be a subscriber. Right now, I'm listening to the podcast #324, Celtic in Connemara, and I think it's great that you want to learn to speak the language a little better. While I'm not a native speaker, I am an Irish-American with exposure to the language, and my pronunciation is pretty good. I'm glad to answer any questions you may have. Although many words look intimidating, it's really not that hard once you learn the rules of Irish orthography. You should probably know that the correct name of the language spoken in the Gaeltacht regions of Ireland is properly referred to in English as "Irish," and not Gaelic, as many people think, as "Gaelic" can mean Scottish Gaelic or even Manx. In Irish, the word for the language of course is "Gaeilge." Good luck with your Duolingo lessons, and I'll look forward to your continuing podcasts. Thanks so much for all you do."
A message from visiting pastor, Rev. Billy Gray.
This episode of BACC TALK addresses the number one resolution people in the U.S. make each new year - eat healthier and lose weight. BACC TALK gathered a unique group of Buda experts to talk about how to get and stay healthy. You will hear from Laura Smith owner of Custom Fit, Noa Lynne Davis with Zoi Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, Jonas Jones and Billy Gray with Gray Gardens.
Greetings to all you AaA aficionados. Here's the latest installment of your Amps and Axes Podcast. In this adventure Mick starts out with a great review of a new addition to his acoustic guitar. Something called Power Pins Invented by a gentleman named Billy Gray. Next there's mention of a new upcoming release from Greg Marra and Plenty Heavy and then it's on to the guest of the week. A player who broke on to the scene in the '80's with a band called Danger Danger and now spends his time in the studio as well as with his own band, so enter your 'Cast listening environment and please welcome Mr Andy Timmons. Enjoy
Pioneering female artist and celebrated Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson, landed more than 30 songs on the Billboard charts between 1954 and 1974. These include the self-penned singles "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache," two Top 10 hits which proved to be Jackson’s most successful records as a solo artist. Beginning her career as a pure country singer, Wanda’s debut single was a duet with Billy Gray called “You Can’t Have My Love.” Released on Decca Records, the song hit #8 on the country chart in 1954. She later switched to the Capitol label where she was encouraged by then-boyfriend and tour mate Elvis Presley to embrace rockabilly. Facing a lack of female-oriented material in the genre, Wanda penned her own songs, including the rockabilly standards "Mean Mean Man," "Rock Your Baby," "Cool Love" and "Baby Loves Him," each of which was released as a single on Capitol Records and later appeared on her classic Rockin' with Wanda LP. Additionally, she penned Top 10 hits for other artists, including Bobby Lord's "Without Your Love" in 1956, Buck Owens's "Kickin' Our Hearts Around" in 1962, and Ronnie Dove's revival of "Right or Wrong" in 1964. Jackson is a BMI Performance Award winner, multiple Grammy nominee, and a member of the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. "I love her, she's so brilliant. I don't think 'Rollin' in the Deep' would exist if it wasn't for Wanda Jackson." - Adele "Wanda Jackson, an atomic fireball of a lady, could have a smash hit with just about anything." - Bob Dylan "Look around today and you can hear lots of rocking girl singers who owe an unconscious debt to the mere idea of a woman like Wanda. She was standing up on stage with a guitar in her hands and making a sound that was as wild and raw as any rocker, man or woman, while other gals were still asking, 'How much is that doggy in the window?'" - Elvis Costello "In his London office, [Paul] McCartney is surrounded by his roots and history - there is Beatles and Wings memorabilia, and a vintage jukebox loaded with 78s by Fats Domino, Wanda Jackson and Elvis Presley." - Rolling Stone magazine "There's an authenticity in her voice that conjures up a world and a very distinct and particular place in time." - Bruce Springsteen
Título original Some Like It Hot Año 1959 Duración 120 min. País Estados Unidos Director Billy Wilder Guión Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond (Historia: Robert Thoeren, Michael Logan) Música Adolph Deutsch Fotografía Charles Lang (B&W) Reparto Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Nehemiah Persoff, Joan Shawlee, Billy Gray, George E. Stone, Dave Barry, Mike Mazurki, Harry Wilson, Beverly Wills, Barbara Drew, Edward G. Robinson Jr. Productora United Artists / Ashton Productions / The Mirisch Corporation Género Comedia | Años 20. Mafia. Remake Sinopsis Época de la Ley Seca (1920-1933). Joe y Jerry son dos músicos del montón que se ven obligados a huir después de ser testigos de un ajuste de cuentas entre dos bandas rivales. Como no encuentran trabajo y la mafia los persigue, deciden vestirse de mujeres y tocar en una orquesta femenina. Joe (Curtis) para conquistar a Sugar Kane (Monroe), la cantante del grupo, finge ser un magnate impotente; mientras tanto, Jerry (Lemmon) es cortejado por un millonario que quiere casarse con él.
When a UFO lands in Washington, D.C., bearing a message for Earth's leaders, all of humanity stands still. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) has come on behalf of alien life who have been watching Cold War-era nuclear proliferation on Earth. But it is Klaatu's soft-spoken robot Gort that presents a more immediate threat to onlookers. A single mother (Patricia Neal) and her son teach the world about peace and tolerance in this moral fable, ousting the tanks and soldiers that greet the alien's arrival. Stream online: https://amzn.to/34V2FSA Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/mfrbooksandfilm?fan_landing=true
When a UFO lands in Washington, D.C., bearing a message for Earth's leaders, all of humanity stands still. Klaatu (Michael Rennie) has come on behalf of alien life who have been watching Cold War-era nuclear proliferation on Earth. But it is Klaatu's soft-spoken robot Gort that presents a more immediate threat to onlookers. A single mother (Patricia Neal) and her son teach the world about peace and tolerance in this moral fable, ousting the tanks and soldiers that greet the alien's arrival. Stream online: https://amzn.to/34V2FSA
The Eddie Cantor Show. December 20, 1944. NBC net. Sponsored by: Sal Hepatica, Trushay, Minit-Rub. Christmas show. Eddie and Harry shop for a Christmas tree for Harry's new baby. The Mad Russian as Santa Claus? Bert Gordon, Billy Gray, Eddie Cantor, Harry Von Zell, Leonard Sues and His Orchestra, Nora Martin. oldtimeradiodvd.com final sale
Episode #030 of On Screen & Beyond - Actor Billy Gray played "Bud Anderson" on "Father Knows Best", "Bobby" on the original Sci-Fi Classic "The Day The Earth Stood Still" and much more. He joins us on this episode to talk about all of those , his motorcycle racing and that's just for starters! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/on-screen-and-beyond/message
Father Knows Best, a family comedy of the 1950s, is perhaps more important for what it has come to represent than for what it actually was. In essence, the series was one of a slew of middle-class family sitcoms in which moms were moms, kids were kids, and fathers knew best. Today, many critics view it, at best, as high camp fun, and, at worst, as part of what critic David Marc once labeled the "Aryan melodramas" of the 1950s and 1960s. The brainchild of series star Robert Young, who played insurance salesman Jim Anderson, and producer Eugene B. Rodney, Father Knows Best first debuted as a radio sitcom in 1949. In the audio version the title of the show ended with a question mark, suggesting that father's role as family leader and arbiter was dubious. The partner's production company, Rodney-Young Enterprises, transplanted the series to television in 1954--without the questioning marker--where it ran until 1963, appearing at various times on each of the three networks. Young and Rodney, friends since 1935, based the series on experiences each had with wives and children; thus, to them, the show represented "reality." Indeed, careful viewing of each of the series' 203 episodes reveals that the title was actually more figurative than literal. Despite the lack of an actual question mark, father didn't always know best. Jim Anderson could not only lose his temper, but occasionally be wrong. Although wife Margaret Anderson, played by Jane Wyatt, was stuck in the drudgery of domestic servitude, she was nobody's fool, often besting her husband and son, Bud (played by Billy Gray). Daughter Betty Anderson (Elinor Donahue)--known affectionately to her father as Princess--could also take the male Andersons to task, as could the precocious Kathy (Lauren Chapin), the baby of the family.
Father Knows Best, a family comedy of the 1950s, is perhaps more important for what it has come to represent than for what it actually was. In essence, the series was one of a slew of middle-class family sitcoms in which moms were moms, kids were kids, and fathers knew best. Today, many critics view it, at best, as high camp fun, and, at worst, as part of what critic David Marc once labeled the "Aryan melodramas" of the 1950s and 1960s. The brainchild of series star Robert Young, who played insurance salesman Jim Anderson, and producer Eugene B. Rodney, Father Knows Best first debuted as a radio sitcom in 1949. In the audio version the title of the show ended with a question mark, suggesting that father's role as family leader and arbiter was dubious. The partner's production company, Rodney-Young Enterprises, transplanted the series to television in 1954--without the questioning marker--where it ran until 1963, appearing at various times on each of the three networks. Young and Rodney, friends since 1935, based the series on experiences each had with wives and children; thus, to them, the show represented "reality." Indeed, careful viewing of each of the series' 203 episodes reveals that the title was actually more figurative than literal. Despite the lack of an actual question mark, father didn't always know best. Jim Anderson could not only lose his temper, but occasionally be wrong. Although wife Margaret Anderson, played by Jane Wyatt, was stuck in the drudgery of domestic servitude, she was nobody's fool, often besting her husband and son, Bud (played by Billy Gray). Daughter Betty Anderson (Elinor Donahue)--known affectionately to her father as Princess--could also take the male Andersons to task, as could the precocious Kathy (Lauren Chapin), the baby of the family. TODAY'S SHOW: Time For A New Car (06-08-50) and The Skunk Must Go (10-12-50)
The Abbott and Costello Show- William (Bud) Abbott and Lou Costello (born Louis Francis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular teams in the history of comedy. Thanks to the endurance of their most popular and influential routine, "Who's on First?"---whose rapid-fire word play and comprehension confusion set the preponderant framework for most of their best-known routines---the team are also the only comedians known to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Abbott and Costello Show mixed comedy with musical interludes (usually, by singers such as Connie Haines, Marilyn Maxwell, the Delta Rhythm Boys, Skinnay Ennis, and the Les Baxter Singers). Regulars and semi-regulars on the show included Artie Auerbrook, Elvia Allman, Iris Adrian, Mel Blanc, Wally Brown, Sharon Douglas, Verna Felton, Sidney Fields, Frank Nelson, Martha Wentworth, and Benay Venuta. Ken Niles was the show's longtime announcer, doubling as an exasperated foil to Abbott & Costello's mishaps (and often fuming in character as Costello insulted his on-air wife routinely); he was succeeded by Michael Roy, with annoncing chores also handled over the years by Frank Bingman and Jim Doyle. THIS EPISODE: December 25, 1943. Red network, KFI, Los Angeles aircheck. Sponsored by: Camels. Abbott and Costello plan to kill Ingrid, Costello's pet turkey, for Thanksgiving. Guest Jane Wyman joins in a routine, "What is the wind?" Connie Haines sings, "Shoo, Shoo Baby." Mel Blanc appears as Bugs Bunny. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Freddie Rich and His Orchestra, Ken Niles (announcer), Jane Wyman, Connie Haines, Mel Blanc (triples), Don Prindle (writer), Leo Solomon (writer), Alan Woods (writer), Martin Gosch (director), Billy Gray, Elvia Allman, John Brown. 29:45.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
