Podcasts about Chattanooga Choo Choo

Totem cofounder and CEO Carter Fowler shares how he transformed a simple idea—a device that helps find friends at festivals without cell service—into a viral sensation and thriving brand. By focusing on founder-market fit, designing for organic sharing, and developing unique brand language, Totem created something people don't just buy, but buy into. Carter reveals how intentional branding from day one, customer conversations, and consistent storytelling through their newsletter ultimately attracted investors and unexpected market segments beyond their initial festival audience. Carter is cofounder and CEO at Totem, one of the fastest-growing consumer tech startups of 2024. His expertise in go-to-market, brand strategy, and product design has taken Totem's debut product from concept to global phenomenon in less than 12 months. In 2024 alone, Totem generated over 20 viral posts (1M+ views) and 130M+ organic views on social media while earning press coverage from NPR, Inc Magazine, and UNILAD under his marketing leadership. After only 5 months of shipping product, Totem has a broad international reach with customers in 60+ countries around the world. Carter is a firm believer in building brands with a "words-first" mentality. He is also an accomplished writer who had a selection of his work archived by the US Library of Congress as an "important cultural artifact" in 2018. He loves the coffee at Frothy Monkey in the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo in the Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee: https://frothymonkey.com/locations/southside-chattanooga-tn/ Connect with Carter Fowler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-fowler-8835739b/ If you have any questions about brands and marketing, connect with the host of this channel, Itir Eraslan, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itireraslan/

Andrew, Kevin and special guest co-host Punam Patel discuss cruises, competing in problem solving tournaments as kids and answer some listener questions! Call or text with your questions at 323-389-RACE and watch the video of this episode at suboptimalpods.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1942, Glen Miller and his Orchestra were awarded the first ever gold record. They sold 1,000,000 copies of "Chattanooga Choo Choo."

What do the Louisville Slugger, Chattanooga Choo Choo, and Allman Brothers Band all have in common? They're part of the rich fabric of the Southern United States that we'll explore in this episode of Traveling with AAA. Today, host Angie Orth welcomes Caroline Eubanks, author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. She is a seasoned travel writer who has covered the South (and beyond) for publications such as Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic, Southern Living, Westways, and AAA Explorer. You'll hear about the best places to visit and what to eat in Louisville, Kentucky; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Macon, Georgia. We'll explore Derby City's famed horse race track and its iconic tasting trail. You'll hear about the Scenic City's famous train depot and its most delicious dessert. You'll also discover where to find Civil War history and Southern rock ‘n' roll in the heart of Georgia.  What You'll Learn:(2:47) The Kentucky Derby experience (4:12) Basking in Bourbon in downtown Louisville (10:20) The quaint Tennessee city with something for everyone(15:27) A must-eat sweet treat in Chattanooga(15:59) Where music, nature, and culture meetConnect with Caroline Eubanks:https://carolineeubanks.com/InstagramXConnect with AAA:Book travel: https://aaa-text.co/travelingwithaaa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aaa-auto-club-enterprisesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/AAAAutoClubEnterprisesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AAAAutoClubEnterprises

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy an invigorating hour of jazz as the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra showcase the unforgettable musical legacy of one of the most iconic bandleaders of all time. Considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time, the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra continues to keep Miller's legendary jazzy sound alive onstage for old-time fans and new generations alike. Known for timeless classics like “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, and “Tuxedo Junction” the iconic bandleader's famous orchestra proves his unforgettable music is alive and well nearly 80 years after his passing. While the first Glenn Miller Orchestra was a total and absolute economic failure, Miller was dedicated to his dreams and relentlessly worked until he succeeded. He launched his second band in March of 1938, and The Glenn Miller Orchestra became the most sought-after big band in the world. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts and the drawing power at theaters, hotels and dance pavilion, built and sustained the momentum of popularity. After joining the army in 1942, the band was temporarily disbanded while Miller organized and led the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band which traveled through Europe to entertain servicemen. After disappearing on a flight mission in 1944, the army declared Miller dead in 1945. Following the release of the movie The Glenn Miller Story in 1954, there was growing and renewed interest in Miller's music legacy. Miller's estate authorized the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of drummer Ray McKinley, and since 1956, the band has been touring consistently, playing an average of 300 live shows around the world every year. Revered for its own unique and distinctive big band sound, The Glenn Miller Orchestra has always been very musical, disciplined, and visually entertaining. That sound is created by the clarinet holding the melodic line, doubled or coupled with the tenor sax playing the same notes; and the harmonies produced by three other saxophones, while growling trombones and wailing trumpets add their oo-ahs. Led by tenor saxophonist Erik Stabnau, the 18-member ensemble continue to play many of Miller's original arrangements both from the civilian band and the AAFB libraries. The band also plays more modern selections arranged and performed in the Miller style and sound. Just as it was in Glenn's day, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is still the most sought-after big band in the world.       EPISODE CREDITSMichael Perry - Host Phillip Anich - Announcer Keenan McIntyre - Engineer Gina Nagro - Marketing Support FOLLOW BIG TOP CHAUTAUQUA https://www.facebook.com/bigtopchautauqua/ https://www.instagram.com/bigtopchautauqua/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bigtopchautauqua https://twitter.com/BigBlueTent FOLLOW HOST MICHAEL PERRYhttps://sneezingcow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sneezingcow https://www.instagram.com/sneezingcow/ https://twitter.com/sneezingcow/ 2024 TENT SHOW RADIO SPONSORSAshland Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.visitashland.com/   Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau - https://www.bayfield.org/   Bayfield County Tourism - https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/150/Tourism   The Bayfield Inn - https://bayfieldinn.com/   Cable Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cable4fun.com/   Kylmala Truss - https://www.kylmalatruss.com/  SPECIAL THANKSWisconsin Public Radio - https://www.wpr.org/  

On this week's show we have all the action and reaction from the first home game of the season with Birmingham City the visitors at Adams Park, plus Chairboys fan Miriam Payne joins us for Till Death Us Do Part.

Frank Murphy is joined by his friend Mitch Moore, who is a freelance writer.  Mitch likes to solve the Sunday and Monday crossword puzzles. Both he and Frank try to solve the Monday puzzle as fast as possible. Frank has broken the five-minute barrier but Mitch has yet to go “sub 5.”  Mitch and his wife went to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. They spent several days at Yellowstone. Frank and his wife would like to go back and spend more than a day at Yellowstone.  Frank and Jere visited Tom Kent, one of Frank's radio mentors, in Cleveland on the day after the eclipse in April. Tom died of cancer in June. On Tom's birthday in August, hundreds of his Facebook friends wished him a happy birthday, obviously unaware that he had died.  This episode is sponsored by BoneZones.com (don't forget the S). Buy books and other merchandise autographed by Body Farm founder Dr. Bill Bass at https://bonezones.com/ including Body Farm t-shirts. Contact BoneZones to hire Frank to give a presentation about Dr. Bass and the Body Farm.  Jere attempted to take two grandsons to McKay's used bookstore but it happened to be the same day as the store's anniversary. The store was overrun with fans trying to win prizes by driving to all five McKay's stores in North Carolina and Tennessee.  Mitch points out that the store used to be known as McKay Books and that in the South, people tend to add an S to store names like Kroger, Walmart, and others.  Mitch recently finished the first draft of a book. He set the book in rural Arkansas during the same time period that he was growing up there.  Frank had a poster printed using the image of an East Tennessee PBS monthly program guide that included him among some actual celebrities.  Every time Frank buys a package of 700 coffee filters, he wonders if he will be able to use them all.  The Tennessee Valley Fair asked Frank and Becca James to emcee the Fair Food Throwdown on Saturday, September 7 and the Sweet Goodness Doughnut Challenge on Thursday, September 12, 2024.  Frank used bonus points to get a free Frappuccino but rather than drink it, he saved it in the freezer. A couple of weeks later he bought a Frappuccino to earn 75 bonus points. He put it in the freezer to save it for another day and then realized the first one was still there.  Frank's grandson Artie chastised him for not saying “excuse me” after a gastrointestinal outburst. Frank started saying “Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo” every time it happened again. Frank explained the reference, which made Artie want to watch The Glenn Miller Story starring James Stewart.  Frank will be checking in the audience members at Marble City Opera's “Tenors, Tuxedos, and Stalactites” concert on Saturday, August 17, 2024. The gate opens at 4:00 p.m. and the one-hour concert starts at 5:00 p.m. Get tickets at https://www.marblecityopera.com/tickets before they sell out.  Mitch is the drummer in an ‘80s cover band called Vinyl Tap. The band will perform at Ale' Rae's, 937 N. Broadway, on Saturday, August 24, 2024 starting at 7:00 p.m. The Facebook event listing is https://www.facebook.com/events/326532536987376/  Support the Frank & Friends Show by purchasing some of our high-quality merchandise at https://frank-friends-show.creator-spring.com  Sign up for a 30-day trial of Audible Premium Plus and get a free premium selection that's yours to keep. Go to http://AudibleTrial.com/FrankAndFriendsShow  Find us online https://www.FrankAndFriendsShow.com/  Please subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://YouTube.com/FrankAndFriendsShow  and hit the bell for notifications.  Find the audio of the show on major podcast apps including Spotify, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, and Audible.  Thanks!

  In this episode, the FAQ is: How can I take a walking tour when I arrive in a city? . Today's Destination is: Chattanooga, Tennessee Today's Misstep- Getting stopped by TSA security Travel Advice: Plan for the unexpected   FAQ:  How can I get the walking tour when I get to a city?   Response: A guided walking tour of a city is a treat for a solo traveler, especially for a woman who is interested in its history.   The more popular ones are through platforms like Viator, TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and FreeWalkingtoursbylocals.com, but there are many ways to score a tour from someone who truly cares about the experience for you.  Be sure to read the reviews and book in advance during a busy season. Some are free, and suggest a tip at the end if you liked it. Your hotel could also gook you a tour. The Visitor Center or Tourism office can also give you guidance on this. You may also find a walking tour app for a self-guided tour, with maps and points of interest. You can GPS my city or check Detour. I found some walking tours on YouTube that were pretty fun to watch also.   https://freewalkingtoursbylocals.com/ Today's destination: Chattanooga, Tennessee My first visit here was in 1974, on a bus of young women heading to Florida. It was called Junior Trip. We were 80 women, two bus loads. I remember very little about Chattanooga from that visit. I returned to see it in 2024, which made a more significant impression. This time, I was visiting the future Dr. Travelbest, who lives there now. We are currently working on a Planner for travel guidance, so look for that in the future. It's a central travel hub, especially for the railroads. A bridge crosses the railroad tracks, which are dozens of tracks wide. It may be one of the largest railroad hubs that I have experienced. You can see the city and the Moccasin Bend from the infamous Lookout Mountain. Listen to the episode on Chickamauga to learn about President Abraham Lincoln's campaign to gain control of the South in the 1860s. It was a place of both Confederate and Union victories. https://www.visitchattanooga.com/things-to-do/ https://www.visitchattanooga.com/plan/transportation/   The Zoo was a highlight, with a giraffe named George gladly accepting lunch from my hands to his 18-inch tongue. It seems that George loves romaine lettuce. Who would have guessed that? That experience was a treat. Kids like it, too. An assortment of other animals makes for a few hours of seeing wildlife at the Chattanooga Zoo. Walk across the Pedestrian Bridge and the riverfront along the Tennessee River to get a flavor of the city. I walked the bridge at night, and it was a sparkling river with no watercraft because the weather was rainy and threatened winds. The Northshore District has trendy boutiques, galleries, and food choices; you can walk everywhere. You can also learn much about the Civil War from an organized guided walking tour of the area. I did get to see the historic train station, the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Parts of the terminal building were recently sold, so check the show notes for the latest. https://www.local3news.com/local-news/preserve-chattanooga-sells-part-of-chattanooga-choo-choo-complex/article_a8d7781e-dbe5-11ee-abba-0b98f22b8f70.html I also enjoyed Ruby Falls and will create a special episode about that destination soon. On my next visit, I plan to Explore the Tennessee Aquarium and dive into the fascinating world of marine life at one of the top-rated aquariums in the country. From river otters to penguins, the Tennessee Aquarium showcases various aquatic animals. I did a few hikes on this trip, but most of the days, it rained, so I will return and hike more. Chattanooga is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. You can go hiking on nearby trails like Stringers Ridge or Raccoon Mountain or try rock climbing at the Tennessee Wall, if you have that talent, or just go and watch the climbers. Next time I come, I may also Attend a Performance at the Tivoli Theatre: Catch a show at the beautifully restored Tivoli Theatre, which hosts concerts, Broadway shows, and ballets. My last item on the next time list is to Relax at Coolidge Park: Spend a leisurely afternoon at Coolidge Park, located along the riverfront. Picnic in the grass, ride the antique carousel, or simply enjoy the scenic views. Today's Misstep- Getting stopped by TSA security How did I know that carrying a squash in my bag would keep me from getting through security the first time? It took an extra five minutes to get my bag checked. And then I did it again. I brought a squash on a second trip, and TSA stopped me for a short while Next time, don't bring fresh squash on the trip in your carry on. Today's Travel Advice- Plan for the unexpected. There's no such thing as being fully prepared, so prepare for what could happen, and in your mind how you may deal with that. Connect with Dr. Travelbest 5 Steps to Solo Travel website Dr. Mary Travelbest X Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Page Dr. Mary Travelbest Facebook Group Dr. Mary Travelbest Instagram Dr. Mary Travelbest Podcast Dr. Travelbest on TikTok Dr.Travelbest onYouTube In the news  

GEORGIA RADIO - Grammy®, AMA, ACM, and CMA award-winning country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member Crystal Gayle has joined forces with The Glenn Miller Orchestra for a new rendition of the classic “Sentimental Journey,” which is the first single from the new album on Hindsight Records, The Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary Of The Army Air Force Band which contains fifteen hits newly recorded with strings. Initially recorded by Doris Day and Les Brown, “Sentimental Journey” became a massive hit during World War II and continues to stand the test of time. Premiered by People.com, “Sentimental Journey” features the timeless vocals of Crystal Gayle combined with the unforgettable arrangements of The Glenn Miller Orchestra. The Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary Of The Army Air Force Band is available for pre-order and will be released on April 5th."I am honored and excited to be invited to sing "Sentimental Journey" with The Glenn Miller Orchestra," smiles Crystal Gayle. "I am a longtime fan of Glenn Miller and the big band era.""We are excited and pleased to present alongside Hindsight Records our new recording celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band," shares Charles De Stefano, CEO of Glenn Miller Productions, Inc. "We are equally thrilled to have the wonderful Crystal Gayle join the Glenn Miller Orchestra on our recording of the great classic “Sentimental Journey.” We hope Glenn Miller Orchestra fans and Crystal's fans around the world enjoy this new dynamic recording."Between 1939 and 1942, Glenn Miller led The Glenn Miller Orchestra, which became one of the most recognized names globally during the “Swing” era. Boasting an unmatched series of chart-topping records, The Glenn Miller Orchestra surpassed the sales of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James combined. Throughout three and a half years, Miller produced 16 chart-toppers and 72 top-ten hits, including a remarkable 31 in 1940 alone and earning the first-ever gold record for “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Miller's music not only defined the era of World War II but has endured as a timeless soundtrack, with bands carrying his legacy performing to enthusiastic crowds over the 80 years since his passing. Today, under the direction of Erik Stabnau, the current Glenn Miller Orchestra maintains a rigorous schedule, standing as one of the few full-time big bands still thriving in the contemporary music scene."Crystal Gayle and The Glenn Miller Orchestra are a natural together on "Sentimental Journey" - a trip back in time to revisit the sounds of the 1940s and the perfect introduction to The Glenn Miller Orchestra: 80th Anniversary Of The Army Air Force Band." - Erik Stabnau - Music Director for The Glenn Miller OrchestraTo purchase/stream, visit CGayleGlennMillerOrch.lnk.to/SentimentalJourneySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/georgia-radio/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Between 1939 and 1942, Glenn Miller led The Glenn Miller Orchestra, which became one of the most recognized names globally during the “Swing” era. Boasting an unmatched series of chart-topping records, The Glenn Miller Orchestra surpassed the sales of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James combined. Throughout three and a half years, Miller produced 16 chart-toppers and 72 top-ten hits, including a remarkable 31 in 1940 alone and earning the first-ever gold record for “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Miller's music not only defined the era of World War II but has endured as a timeless soundtrack, with bands carrying his legacy performing to enthusiastic crowds over the 80 years since his passing. Today, under the musical direction of Erik Stabnau, the current Glenn Miller Orchestra maintains a rigorous schedule, standing as one of the few full-time big bands still thriving in the contemporary music scene. The Glenn Miller Orchestra is celebrating the 80th Anniversary Of The Army Air Force Band. #orchestra #bigband #bigbandmusic #swingband #swingbandmusic #swingmusic #glennmiller #glennmillerorchestra #royalalberthall 

Between 1939 and 1942, Glenn Miller led The Glenn Miller Orchestra, which became one of the most recognized names globally during the “Swing” era. Boasting an unmatched series of chart-topping records, The Glenn Miller Orchestra surpassed the sales of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James combined. Throughout three and a half years, Miller produced 16 chart-toppers and 72 top-ten hits, including a remarkable 31 in 1940 alone and earning the first-ever gold record for “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Miller's music not only defined the era of World War II but has endured as a timeless soundtrack, with bands carrying his legacy performing to enthusiastic crowds over the 80 years since his passing. Today, under the musical direction of Erik Stabnau, the current Glenn Miller Orchestra maintains a rigorous schedule, standing as one of the few full-time big bands still thriving in the contemporary music scene. The Glenn Miller Orchestra is celebrating the 80th Anniversary Of The Army Air Force Band. #orchestra #bigband #bigbandmusic #swingband #swingbandmusic #swingmusic #glennmiller #glennmillerorchestra #royalalberthall 

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy an invigorating hour of jazz as the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra showcase the unforgettable musical legacy of one of the most iconic bandleaders of all time. Considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time, the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra continues to keep Miller's legendary jazzy sound alive onstage for old-time fans and new generations alike. Known for timeless classics like “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, and “Tuxedo Junction” the iconic bandleader's famous orchestra proves his unforgettable music is alive and well nearly 80 years after his passing. While the first Glenn Miller Orchestra was a total and absolute economic failure, Miller was dedicated to his dreams and relentlessly worked until he succeeded. He launched his second band in March of 1938, and The Glenn Miller Orchestra became the most sought-after big band in the world. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts and the drawing power at theaters, hotels and dance pavilion, built and sustained the momentum of popularity. After joining the army in 1942, the band was temporarily disbanded while Miller organized and led the famous Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band which traveled through Europe to entertain servicemen. After disappearing on a flight mission in 1944, the army declared Miller dead in 1945. Following the release of the movie The Glenn Miller Story in 1954, there was growing and renewed interest in Miller's music legacy. Miller's estate authorized the formation of the present Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of drummer Ray McKinley, and since 1956, the band has been touring consistently, playing an average of 300 live shows around the world every year. Revered for its own unique and distinctive big band sound, The Glenn Miller Orchestra has always been very musical, disciplined, and visually entertaining. That sound is created by the clarinet holding the melodic line, doubled or coupled with the tenor sax playing the same notes; and the harmonies produced by three other saxophones, while growling trombones and wailing trumpets add their oo-ahs. Led by tenor saxophonist Erik Stabnau, the 18-member ensemble continue to play many of Miller's original arrangements both from the civilian band and the AAFB libraries. The band also plays more modern selections arranged and performed in the Miller style and sound. Just as it was in Glenn's day, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is still the most sought-after big band in the world.       EPISODE CREDITSMichael Perry - Host Phillip Anich - Announcer Keenan McIntyre - Engineer Gina Nagro - Marketing Support FOLLOW BIG TOP CHAUTAUQUA https://www.facebook.com/bigtopchautauqua/ https://www.instagram.com/bigtopchautauqua/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bigtopchautauqua https://twitter.com/BigBlueTent FOLLOW HOST MICHAEL PERRYhttps://sneezingcow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sneezingcow https://www.instagram.com/sneezingcow/ https://twitter.com/sneezingcow/ 2024 TENT SHOW RADIO SPONSORSAshland Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.visitashland.com/   Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau - https://www.bayfield.org/   Bayfield County Tourism - https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/150/Tourism   The Bayfield Inn - https://bayfieldinn.com/   Cable Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cable4fun.com/   Kylmala Truss - https://www.kylmalatruss.com/  SPECIAL THANKSWisconsin Public Radio - https://www.wpr.org/  

Ian and Amy sift through this week's red tops to find you the best stories from up north. Top stories this week include a man who travels to Yorkshire all the way from Chattanooga USA to watch his new favourite football team, and a woman in Hull who is not impressed with a local mural. Featuring guest correspondent comedian Dan Tiernan.Dan is on tour with his Edinburgh Award nominated stand-up comedy show 'Going Under'. For Tickets and information head to showandtellpresents.com.Want Extra! Extra! content? Join our Patreon or Apple Subscription for weekly bonus content.Got a juicy story from t'North? Email it to northernnewspod@gmail.com.Follow Northern News on Twitter @NorthernNewsPod and Instagram @NorthernNewsPodcastAnd follow Dan on Twitter and Instagram @tiernancomedianRecorded and edited by Aniya Das for Plosive.Artwork by Welcome Studio.Photography by Jonathan Birch. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SHOW NOTES It's like she's in the room with us! Enjoy the incomparable Christine Pedi…or, perhaps, the real Liza Minnelli answering “Vogue's” 73 questions. Tommy's never seen it, have you? Enjoy The Simpsons musical Springfield Springfield. Come along with Jay Armstrong Johnson as he takes us on a tour of the newly re-renovated Lyric Theatre for the 2014 production. Did he mention the pit? It's for the big orchestra. It's really big. And they have it. In this show. And they really want you to know about it. The Boettcher Concert Hall (home of the Colorado Symphony) is truly a magnificent space. Next time you're in Denver, see if you can grab some tickets! Or if you end up in Glasgow instead, come and enjoy one of Acquire's musical theatre sing-throughs! Maybe you'll spy a familiar (single!) podcaster in the company… We owe a good chunk of research for this episode to Dr. Katherine Baber and her article "Manhattan Women": Jazz, Blues, and Gender in On the Town and Wonderful Town. If you're doing work in this area, this is a publication worth a read. And then here's something for our boys on the front lines! Chattanooga CHOO CHOO! Or maybe this is why you're in the show notes: enjoy a baby-faced Lea DeLaria and an even babier-faced Jessee Tyler Ferguson on the Rosie O'Donnell show. Can't get enough of Lea DeLaria? Here she is at the Newport Jazz Festival with a swingin' take on The Ballad of Sweeney Todd. And, if you want to join Tommy on his whirlwind cab tour of places-that-don't-exist-anymore in NYC, here's our itinerary. Buckle up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1029, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Fair Fare 1: This carnival treat is threads of spun sugar, often pink. cotton candy. 2: This fried treat is named for the cone-shaped utensil through which the batter is poured. a funnel cake. 3: These cheese semi-solids are supposed to squeak when you bite into them. curds. 4: Dusted with sugar and cinnamon, these slender pastries have a Spanish name that may refer to their place of origin. churros. 5: Roll a caramel apple in marshmallows, nuts and chocolate and you have this variation, also an ice cream flavor. rocky road. Round 2. Category: Transportation In Song 1: In "The Christmas Song, "They know that Santa's on his way, he's loaded lots of toys and goodies on" this. his sleigh. 2: A hotel party inspired Steven Tyler to write, "Love In" one of these, "livin' it up when I'm goin' down". an elevator. 3: Day-o! This Harry Belafonte calypso favorite was featured in a raucous dinner scene in the film "Beetlejuice". the "Banana Boat" (song). 4: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis buy these vehicles that can be pedaled or driven with a gas engine and head "Downtown". mopeds. 5: On this, "You leave the Pennsylvania station 'bout a quarter to four, read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore". the "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Round 3. Category: Rock E. With E in quotes 1: Earth joined Wind and Fire and he joined Lake and Palmer. Keith Emerson. 2: In titles it preceded Eddie Money's "Nights" and Richard Marx's "Summer Nights". Endless. 3: This botanical tune grew up to No. 1 in 1988. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" (by Poison). 4: Though this Art Alexakis band was formed in Portland, its first hit was about Santa Monica. Everclear. 5: The Eurythmics were on the bill in 2000 at the grand opening celebration of this Seattle rock museum. Experience Music Project. Round 4. Category: Great Expectations. With Great in quotation marks 1: In the newspaper, Marmaduke is a funny one. Great Dane. 2: Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in this Appalachian range. Great Smoky Mountains. 3: As it's the nickname of Greg Norman, you're gonna need a bigger -- golf cart. "Great White Shark". 4: A Montana city is named for these on the Missouri, which Meriwether Lewis called the grandest sight he'd ever beheld. Great Falls. 5: Now extinct, we know what these look like from ones mounted in museums and drawings like this by Audubon. great auk. Round 5. Category: Words Containing Silent Letters 1: A land mass surrounded on all sides by water. an island. 2: It follows "Ash" in the name of the first day of Lent. Wednesday. 3: From the Greek for "soul", it's someone who can foresee the future or read minds. a psychic. 4: February 2013 has 672 of these units. hours. 5: A Bowie one is long and dangerous. a knife. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia! Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used

This week, we go back to the 1984 summer movie season, with one of the most forgotten movies of the decade, for good reason: Chattanooga Choo Choo, starring Barbara Eden, George Kennedy, Melissa Sue Anderson, Christopher McDonald, Joe Namath, and Joe Namath's 1969 Super Bowl III championship ring.

This week, we go back to the 1984 summer movie season, with one of the most forgotten movies of the decade, for good reason: Chattanooga Choo Choo, starring Barbara Eden, George Kennedy, Melissa Sue Anderson, Christopher McDonald, Joe Namath, and Joe Namath's 1969 Super Bowl III championship ring.

Expressions welcomes the Blue Velvet Big Band to the Director's Cut Podcast! This swing band has kept the Southern Tier dancing for over 25 years with an extensive setlist that will take you back in time! Setlist: 1) Blue Velvet Theme 2) Chattanooga Choo Choo 3) Woodchopper's Ball 4) Frenesi 5) What Kind Of Fool Am 6) Kansas City 7) Sway 8) Tuxedo Junction 9) I Got You (I Feel Good) 10) Over The Rainbow 11) Stray Cat Strut 12) In The Mood 13) Don't Get Around Much Anymore 14) Moon River 15) Tangerine 16) Liechtensteiner Polka 17) My Way 18) American Patrol 19) Arrivederci Roma 20) Bandstand Boogie Audio Engineer: Mike Micha | Please visit yourpublicradio.org for more information about this and all the other podcast and music streams available through WSKG.

"Chattanooga Choo Choo" machte richtig Dampf - und Glenn Miller bekam dafür die Goldene Schallplatte. So spannend können musikalische Geschichten rund um die Eisenbahn sein!

Episode 166 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Crossroads", Cream, the myth of Robert Johnson, and whether white men can sing the blues. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-eight-minute bonus episode available, on “Tip-Toe Thru' the Tulips" by Tiny Tim. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Errata I talk about an interview with Clapton from 1967, I meant 1968. I mention a Graham Bond live recording from 1953, and of course meant 1963. I say Paul Jones was on vocals in the Powerhouse sessions. Steve Winwood was on vocals, and Jones was on harmonica. Resources As I say at the end, the main resource you need to get if you enjoyed this episode is Brother Robert by Annye Anderson, Robert Johnson's stepsister. There are three Mixcloud mixes this time. As there are so many songs by Cream, Robert Johnson, John Mayall, and Graham Bond excerpted, and Mixcloud won't allow more than four songs by the same artist in any mix, I've had to post the songs not in quite the same order in which they appear in the podcast. But the mixes are here -- one, two, three. This article on Mack McCormick gives a fuller explanation of the problems with his research and behaviour. The other books I used for the Robert Johnson sections were McCormick's Biography of a Phantom; Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson, by Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow; Searching for Robert Johnson by Peter Guralnick; and Escaping the Delta by Elijah Wald. I can recommend all of these subject to the caveats at the end of the episode. The information on the history and prehistory of the Delta blues mostly comes from Before Elvis by Larry Birnbaum, with some coming from Charley Patton by John Fahey. The information on Cream comes mostly from Cream: How Eric Clapton Took the World by Storm by Dave Thompson. I also used Ginger Baker: Hellraiser by Ginger Baker and Ginette Baker, Mr Showbiz by Stephen Dando-Collins, Motherless Child by Paul Scott, and  Alexis Korner: The Biography by Harry Shapiro. The best collection of Cream's work is the four-CD set Those Were the Days, which contains every track the group ever released while they were together (though only the stereo mixes of the albums, and a couple of tracks are in slightly different edits from the originals). You can get Johnson's music on many budget compilation records, as it's in the public domain in the EU, but the double CD collection produced by Steve LaVere for Sony in 2011 is, despite the problems that come from it being associated with LaVere, far and away the best option -- the remasters have a clarity that's worlds ahead of even the 1990s CD version it replaced. And for a good single-CD introduction to the Delta blues musicians and songsters who were Johnson's peers and inspirations, Back to the Crossroads: The Roots of Robert Johnson, compiled by Elijah Wald as a companion to his book on Johnson, can't be beaten, and contains many of the tracks excerpted in this episode. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Before we start, a quick note that this episode contains discussion of racism, drug addiction, and early death. There's also a brief mention of death in childbirth and infant mortality. It's been a while since we looked at the British blues movement, and at the blues in general, so some of you may find some of what follows familiar, as we're going to look at some things we've talked about previously, but from a different angle. In 1968, the Bonzo Dog Band, a comedy musical band that have been described as the missing link between the Beatles and the Monty Python team, released a track called "Can Blue Men Sing the Whites?": [Excerpt: The Bonzo Dog Band, "Can Blue Men Sing the Whites?"] That track was mocking a discussion that was very prominent in Britain's music magazines around that time. 1968 saw the rise of a *lot* of British bands who started out as blues bands, though many of them went on to different styles of music -- Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Chicken Shack and others were all becoming popular among the kind of people who read the music magazines, and so the question was being asked -- can white men sing the blues? Of course, the answer to that question was obvious. After all, white men *invented* the blues. Before we get any further at all, I have to make clear that I do *not* mean that white people created blues music. But "the blues" as a category, and particularly the idea of it as a music made largely by solo male performers playing guitar... that was created and shaped by the actions of white male record executives. There is no consensus as to when or how the blues as a genre started -- as we often say in this podcast "there is no first anything", but like every genre it seems to have come from multiple sources. In the case of the blues, there's probably some influence from African music by way of field chants sung by enslaved people, possibly some influence from Arabic music as well, definitely some influence from the Irish and British folk songs that by the late nineteenth century were developing into what we now call country music, a lot from ragtime, and a lot of influence from vaudeville and minstrel songs -- which in turn themselves were all very influenced by all those other things. Probably the first published composition to show any real influence of the blues is from 1904, a ragtime piano piece by James Chapman and Leroy Smith, "One O' Them Things": [Excerpt: "One O' Them Things"] That's not very recognisable as a blues piece yet, but it is more-or-less a twelve-bar blues. But the blues developed, and it developed as a result of a series of commercial waves. The first of these came in 1914, with the success of W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues", which when it was recorded by the Victor Military Band for a phonograph cylinder became what is generally considered the first blues record proper: [Excerpt: The Victor Military Band, "Memphis Blues"] The famous dancers Vernon and Irene Castle came up with a dance, the foxtrot -- which Vernon Castle later admitted was largely inspired by Black dancers -- to be danced to the "Memphis Blues", and the foxtrot soon overtook the tango, which the Castles had introduced to the US the previous year, to become the most popular dance in America for the best part of three decades. And with that came an explosion in blues in the Handy style, cranked out by every music publisher. While the blues was a style largely created by Black performers and writers, the segregated nature of the American music industry at the time meant that most vocal performances of these early blues that were captured on record were by white performers, Black vocalists at this time only rarely getting the chance to record. The first blues record with a Black vocalist is also technically the first British blues record. A group of Black musicians, apparently mostly American but led by a Jamaican pianist, played at Ciro's Club in London, and recorded many tracks in Britain, under a name which I'm not going to say in full -- it started with Ciro's Club, and continued alliteratively with another word starting with C, a slur for Black people. In 1917 they recorded a vocal version of "St. Louis Blues", another W.C. Handy composition: [Excerpt: Ciro's Club C**n Orchestra, "St. Louis Blues"] The first American Black blues vocal didn't come until two years later, when Bert Williams, a Black minstrel-show performer who like many Black performers of his era performed in blackface even though he was Black, recorded “I'm Sorry I Ain't Got It You Could Have It If I Had It Blues,” [Excerpt: Bert Williams, "I'm Sorry I Ain't Got It You Could Have It If I Had It Blues,”] But it wasn't until 1920 that the second, bigger, wave of popularity started for the blues, and this time it started with the first record of a Black *woman* singing the blues -- Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues": [Excerpt: Mamie Smith, "Crazy Blues"] You can hear the difference between that and anything we've heard up to that point -- that's the first record that anyone from our perspective, a hundred and three years later, would listen to and say that it bore any resemblance to what we think of as the blues -- so much so that many places still credit it as the first ever blues record. And there's a reason for that. "Crazy Blues" was one of those records that separates the music industry into before and after, like "Rock Around the Clock", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", Sgt Pepper, or "Rapper's Delight". It sold seventy-five thousand copies in its first month -- a massive number by the standards of 1920 -- and purportedly went on to sell over a million copies. Sales figures and market analysis weren't really a thing in the same way in 1920, but even so it became very obvious that "Crazy Blues" was a big hit, and that unlike pretty much any other previous records, it was a big hit among Black listeners, which meant that there was a market for music aimed at Black people that was going untapped. Soon all the major record labels were setting up subsidiaries devoted to what they called "race music", music made by and for Black people. And this sees the birth of what is now known as "classic blues", but at the time (and for decades after) was just what people thought of when they thought of "the blues" as a genre. This was music primarily sung by female vaudeville artists backed by jazz bands, people like Ma Rainey (whose earliest recordings featured Louis Armstrong in her backing band): [Excerpt: Ma Rainey, "See See Rider Blues"] And Bessie Smith, the "Empress of the Blues", who had a massive career in the 1920s before the Great Depression caused many of these "race record" labels to fold, but who carried on performing well into the 1930s -- her last recording was in 1933, produced by John Hammond, with a backing band including Benny Goodman and Jack Teagarden: [Excerpt: Bessie Smith, "Give Me a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer"] It wouldn't be until several years after the boom started by Mamie Smith that any record companies turned to recording Black men singing the blues accompanied by guitar or banjo. The first record of this type is probably "Norfolk Blues" by Reese DuPree from 1924: [Excerpt: Reese DuPree, "Norfolk Blues"] And there were occasional other records of this type, like "Airy Man Blues" by Papa Charlie Jackson, who was advertised as the “only man living who sings, self-accompanied, for Blues records.” [Excerpt: Papa Charlie Jackson, "Airy Man Blues"] But contrary to the way these are seen today, at the time they weren't seen as being in some way "authentic", or "folk music". Indeed, there are many quotes from folk-music collectors of the time (sadly all of them using so many slurs that it's impossible for me to accurately quote them) saying that when people sang the blues, that wasn't authentic Black folk music at all but an adulteration from commercial music -- they'd clearly, according to these folk-music scholars, learned the blues style from records and sheet music rather than as part of an oral tradition. Most of these performers were people who recorded blues as part of a wider range of material, like Blind Blake, who recorded some blues music but whose best work was his ragtime guitar instrumentals: [Excerpt: Blind Blake, "Southern Rag"] But it was when Blind Lemon Jefferson started recording for Paramount records in 1926 that the image of the blues as we now think of it took shape. His first record, "Got the Blues", was a massive success: [Excerpt: Blind Lemon Jefferson, "Got the Blues"] And this resulted in many labels, especially Paramount, signing up pretty much every Black man with a guitar they could find in the hopes of finding another Blind Lemon Jefferson. But the thing is, this generation of people making blues records, and the generation that followed them, didn't think of themselves as "blues singers" or "bluesmen". They were songsters. Songsters were entertainers, and their job was to sing and play whatever the audiences would want to hear. That included the blues, of course, but it also included... well, every song anyone would want to hear.  They'd perform old folk songs, vaudeville songs, songs that they'd heard on the radio or the jukebox -- whatever the audience wanted. Robert Johnson, for example, was known to particularly love playing polka music, and also adored the records of Jimmie Rodgers, the first country music superstar. In 1941, when Alan Lomax first recorded Muddy Waters, he asked Waters what kind of songs he normally played in performances, and he was given a list that included "Home on the Range", Gene Autry's "I've Got Spurs That Jingle Jangle Jingle", and Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". We have few recordings of these people performing this kind of song though. One of the few we have is Big Bill Broonzy, who was just about the only artist of this type not to get pigeonholed as just a blues singer, even though blues is what made him famous, and who later in his career managed to record songs like the Tin Pan Alley standard "The Glory of Love": [Excerpt: Big Bill Broonzy, "The Glory of Love"] But for the most part, the image we have of the blues comes down to one man, Arthur Laibley, a sales manager for the Wisconsin Chair Company. The Wisconsin Chair Company was, as the name would suggest, a company that started out making wooden chairs, but it had branched out into other forms of wooden furniture -- including, for a brief time, large wooden phonographs. And, like several other manufacturers, like the Radio Corporation of America -- RCA -- and the Gramophone Company, which became EMI, they realised that if they were going to sell the hardware it made sense to sell the software as well, and had started up Paramount Records, which bought up a small label, Black Swan, and soon became the biggest manufacturer of records for the Black market, putting out roughly a quarter of all "race records" released between 1922 and 1932. At first, most of these were produced by a Black talent scout, J. Mayo Williams, who had been the first person to record Ma Rainey, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, but in 1927 Williams left Paramount, and the job of supervising sessions went to Arthur Laibley, though according to some sources a lot of the actual production work was done by Aletha Dickerson, Williams' former assistant, who was almost certainly the first Black woman to be what we would now think of as a record producer. Williams had been interested in recording all kinds of music by Black performers, but when Laibley got a solo Black man into the studio, what he wanted more than anything was for him to record the blues, ideally in a style as close as possible to that of Blind Lemon Jefferson. Laibley didn't have a very hands-on approach to recording -- indeed Paramount had very little concern about the quality of their product anyway, and Paramount's records are notorious for having been put out on poor-quality shellac and recorded badly -- and he only occasionally made actual suggestions as to what kind of songs his performers should write -- for example he asked Son House to write something that sounded like Blind Lemon Jefferson, which led to House writing and recording "Mississippi County Farm Blues", which steals the tune of Jefferson's "See That My Grave is Kept Clean": [Excerpt: Son House, "Mississippi County Farm Blues"] When Skip James wanted to record a cover of James Wiggins' "Forty-Four Blues", Laibley suggested that instead he should do a song about a different gun, and so James recorded "Twenty-Two Twenty Blues": [Excerpt: Skip James, "Twenty-Two Twenty Blues"] And Laibley also suggested that James write a song about the Depression, which led to one of the greatest blues records ever, "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues": [Excerpt: Skip James, "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues"] These musicians knew that they were getting paid only for issued sides, and that Laibley wanted only blues from them, and so that's what they gave him. Even when it was a performer like Charlie Patton. (Incidentally, for those reading this as a transcript rather than listening to it, Patton's name is more usually spelled ending in ey, but as far as I can tell ie was his preferred spelling and that's what I'm using). Charlie Patton was best known as an entertainer, first and foremost -- someone who would do song-and-dance routines, joke around, play guitar behind his head. He was a clown on stage, so much so that when Son House finally heard some of Patton's records, in the mid-sixties, decades after the fact, he was astonished that Patton could actually play well. Even though House had been in the room when some of the records were made, his memory of Patton was of someone who acted the fool on stage. That's definitely not the impression you get from the Charlie Patton on record: [Excerpt: Charlie Patton, "Poor Me"] Patton is, as far as can be discerned, the person who was most influential in creating the music that became called the "Delta blues". Not a lot is known about Patton's life, but he was almost certainly the half-brother of the Chatmon brothers, who made hundreds of records, most notably as members of the Mississippi Sheiks: [Excerpt: The Mississippi Sheiks, "Sitting on Top of the World"] In the 1890s, Patton's family moved to Sunflower County, Mississippi, and he lived in and around that county until his death in 1934. Patton learned to play guitar from a musician called Henry Sloan, and then Patton became a mentor figure to a *lot* of other musicians in and around the plantation on which his family lived. Some of the musicians who grew up in the immediate area around Patton included Tommy Johnson: [Excerpt: Tommy Johnson, "Big Road Blues"] Pops Staples: [Excerpt: The Staple Singers, "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"] Robert Johnson: [Excerpt: Robert Johnson, "Crossroads"] Willie Brown, a musician who didn't record much, but who played a lot with Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson and who we just heard Johnson sing about: [Excerpt: Willie Brown, "M&O Blues"] And Chester Burnett, who went on to become known as Howlin' Wolf, and whose vocal style was equally inspired by Patton and by the country star Jimmie Rodgers: [Excerpt: Howlin' Wolf, "Smokestack Lightnin'"] Once Patton started his own recording career for Paramount, he also started working as a talent scout for them, and it was him who brought Son House to Paramount. Soon after the Depression hit, Paramount stopped recording, and so from 1930 through 1934 Patton didn't make any records. He was tracked down by an A&R man in January 1934 and recorded one final session: [Excerpt, Charlie Patton, "34 Blues"] But he died of heart failure two months later. But his influence spread through his proteges, and they themselves influenced other musicians from the area who came along a little after, like Robert Lockwood and Muddy Waters. This music -- or that portion of it that was considered worth recording by white record producers, only a tiny, unrepresentative, portion of their vast performing repertoires -- became known as the Delta Blues, and when some of these musicians moved to Chicago and started performing with electric instruments, it became Chicago Blues. And as far as people like John Mayall in Britain were concerned, Delta and Chicago Blues *were* the blues: [Excerpt: John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, "It Ain't Right"] John Mayall was one of the first of the British blues obsessives, and for a long time thought of himself as the only one. While we've looked before at the growth of the London blues scene, Mayall wasn't from London -- he was born in Macclesfield and grew up in Cheadle Hulme, both relatively well-off suburbs of Manchester, and after being conscripted and doing two years in the Army, he had become an art student at Manchester College of Art, what is now Manchester Metropolitan University. Mayall had been a blues fan from the late 1940s, writing off to the US to order records that hadn't been released in the UK, and by most accounts by the late fifties he'd put together the biggest blues collection in Britain by quite some way. Not only that, but he had one of the earliest home tape recorders, and every night he would record radio stations from Continental Europe which were broadcasting for American service personnel, so he'd amassed mountains of recordings, often unlabelled, of obscure blues records that nobody else in the UK knew about. He was also an accomplished pianist and guitar player, and in 1956 he and his drummer friend Peter Ward had put together a band called the Powerhouse Four (the other two members rotated on a regular basis) mostly to play lunchtime jazz sessions at the art college. Mayall also started putting on jam sessions at a youth club in Wythenshawe, where he met another drummer named Hughie Flint. Over the late fifties and into the early sixties, Mayall more or less by himself built up a small blues scene in Manchester. The Manchester blues scene was so enthusiastic, in fact, that when the American Folk Blues Festival, an annual European tour which initially featured Willie Dixon, Memhis Slim, T-Bone Walker, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and John Lee Hooker, first toured Europe, the only UK date it played was at the Manchester Free Trade Hall, and people like Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones and Jimmy Page had to travel up from London to see it. But still, the number of blues fans in Manchester, while proportionally large, was objectively small enough that Mayall was captivated by an article in Melody Maker which talked about Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies' new band Blues Incorporated and how it was playing electric blues, the same music he was making in Manchester. He later talked about how the article had made him think that maybe now people would know what he was talking about. He started travelling down to London to play gigs for the London blues scene, and inviting Korner up to Manchester to play shows there. Soon Mayall had moved down to London. Korner introduced Mayall to Davey Graham, the great folk guitarist, with whom Korner had recently recorded as a duo: [Excerpt: Alexis Korner and Davey Graham, "3/4 AD"] Mayall and Graham performed together as a duo for a while, but Graham was a natural solo artist if ever there was one. Slowly Mayall put a band together in London. On drums was his old friend Peter Ward, who'd moved down from Manchester with him. On bass was John McVie, who at the time knew nothing about blues -- he'd been playing in a Shadows-style instrumental group -- but Mayall gave him a stack of blues records to listen to to get the feeling. And on guitar was Bernie Watson, who had previously played with Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages. In late 1963, Mike Vernon, a blues fan who had previously published a Yardbirds fanzine, got a job working for Decca records, and immediately started signing his favourite acts from the London blues circuit. The first act he signed was John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, and they recorded a single, "Crawling up a Hill": [Excerpt: John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, "Crawling up a Hill (45 version)"] Mayall later called that a "clumsy, half-witted attempt at autobiographical comment", and it sold only five hundred copies. It would be the only record the Bluesbreakers would make with Watson, who soon left the band to be replaced by Roger Dean (not the same Roger Dean who later went on to design prog rock album covers). The second group to be signed by Mike Vernon to Decca was the Graham Bond Organisation. We've talked about the Graham Bond Organisation in passing several times, but not for a while and not in any great detail, so it's worth pulling everything we've said about them so far together and going through it in a little more detail. The Graham Bond Organisation, like the Rolling Stones, grew out of Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated. As we heard in the episode on "I Wanna Be Your Man" a couple of years ago, Blues Incorporated had been started by Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies, and at the time we're joining them in 1962 featured a drummer called Charlie Watts, a pianist called Dave Stevens, and saxophone player Dick Heckstall-Smith, as well as frequent guest performers like a singer who called himself Mike Jagger, and another one, Roderick Stewart. That group finally found themselves the perfect bass player when Dick Heckstall-Smith put together a one-off group of jazz players to play an event at Cambridge University. At the gig, a little Scottish man came up to the group and told them he played bass and asked if he could sit in. They told him to bring along his instrument to their second set, that night, and he did actually bring along a double bass. Their bluff having been called, they decided to play the most complicated, difficult, piece they knew in order to throw the kid off -- the drummer, a trad jazz player named Ginger Baker, didn't like performing with random sit-in guests -- but astonishingly he turned out to be really good. Heckstall-Smith took down the bass player's name and phone number and invited him to a jam session with Blues Incorporated. After that jam session, Jack Bruce quickly became the group's full-time bass player. Bruce had started out as a classical cellist, but had switched to the double bass inspired by Bach, who he referred to as "the guv'nor of all bass players". His playing up to this point had mostly been in trad jazz bands, and he knew nothing of the blues, but he quickly got the hang of the genre. Bruce's first show with Blues Incorporated was a BBC recording: [Excerpt: Blues Incorporated, "Hoochie Coochie Man (BBC session)"] According to at least one source it was not being asked to take part in that session that made young Mike Jagger decide there was no future for him with Blues Incorporated and to spend more time with his other group, the Rollin' Stones. Soon after, Charlie Watts would join him, for almost the opposite reason -- Watts didn't want to be in a band that was getting as big as Blues Incorporated were. They were starting to do more BBC sessions and get more gigs, and having to join the Musicians' Union. That seemed like a lot of work. Far better to join a band like the Rollin' Stones that wasn't going anywhere. Because of Watts' decision to give up on potential stardom to become a Rollin' Stone, they needed a new drummer, and luckily the best drummer on the scene was available. But then the best drummer on the scene was *always* available. Ginger Baker had first played with Dick Heckstall-Smith several years earlier, in a trad group called the Storyville Jazzmen. There Baker had become obsessed with the New Orleans jazz drummer Baby Dodds, who had played with Louis Armstrong in the 1920s. Sadly because of 1920s recording technology, he hadn't been able to play a full kit on the recordings with Armstrong, being limited to percussion on just a woodblock, but you can hear his drumming style much better in this version of "At the Jazz Band Ball" from 1947, with Mugsy Spanier, Jack Teagarden, Cyrus St. Clair and Hank Duncan: [Excerpt: "At the Jazz Band Ball"] Baker had taken Dobbs' style and run with it, and had quickly become known as the single best player, bar none, on the London jazz scene -- he'd become an accomplished player in multiple styles, and was also fluent in reading music and arranging. He'd also, though, become known as the single person on the entire scene who was most difficult to get along with. He resigned from his first band onstage, shouting "You can stick your band up your arse", after the band's leader had had enough of him incorporating bebop influences into their trad style. Another time, when touring with Diz Disley's band, he was dumped in Germany with no money and no way to get home, because the band were so sick of him. Sometimes this was because of his temper and his unwillingness to suffer fools -- and he saw everyone else he ever met as a fool -- and sometimes it was because of his own rigorous musical ideas. He wanted to play music *his* way, and wouldn't listen to anyone who told him different. Both of these things got worse after he fell under the influence of a man named Phil Seaman, one of the only drummers that Baker respected at all. Seaman introduced Baker to African drumming, and Baker started incorporating complex polyrhythms into his playing as a result. Seaman also though introduced Baker to heroin, and while being a heroin addict in the UK in the 1960s was not as difficult as it later became -- both heroin and cocaine were available on prescription to registered addicts, and Baker got both, which meant that many of the problems that come from criminalisation of these drugs didn't affect addicts in the same way -- but it still did not, by all accounts, make him an easier person to get along with. But he *was* a fantastic drummer. As Dick Heckstall-Smith said "With the advent of Ginger, the classic Blues Incorporated line-up, one which I think could not be bettered, was set" But Alexis Korner decided that the group could be bettered, and he had some backers within the band. One of the other bands on the scene was the Don Rendell Quintet, a group that played soul jazz -- that style of jazz that bridged modern jazz and R&B, the kind of music that Ray Charles and Herbie Hancock played: [Excerpt: The Don Rendell Quintet, "Manumission"] The Don Rendell Quintet included a fantastic multi-instrumentalist, Graham Bond, who doubled on keyboards and saxophone, and Bond had been playing occasional experimental gigs with the Johnny Burch Octet -- a group led by another member of the Rendell Quartet featuring Heckstall-Smith, Bruce, Baker, and a few other musicians, doing wholly-improvised music. Heckstall-Smith, Bruce, and Baker all enjoyed playing with Bond, and when Korner decided to bring him into the band, they were all very keen. But Cyril Davies, the co-leader of the band with Korner, was furious at the idea. Davies wanted to play strict Chicago and Delta blues, and had no truck with other forms of music like R&B and jazz. To his mind it was bad enough that they had a sax player. But the idea that they would bring in Bond, who played sax and... *Hammond* organ? Well, that was practically blasphemy. Davies quit the group at the mere suggestion. Bond was soon in the band, and he, Bruce, and Baker were playing together a *lot*. As well as performing with Blues Incorporated, they continued playing in the Johnny Burch Octet, and they also started performing as the Graham Bond Trio. Sometimes the Graham Bond Trio would be Blues Incorporated's opening act, and on more than one occasion the Graham Bond Trio, Blues Incorporated, and the Johnny Burch Octet all had gigs in different parts of London on the same night and they'd have to frantically get from one to the other. The Graham Bond Trio also had fans in Manchester, thanks to the local blues scene there and their connection with Blues Incorporated, and one night in February 1963 the trio played a gig there. They realised afterwards that by playing as a trio they'd made £70, when they were lucky to make £20 from a gig with Blues Incorporated or the Octet, because there were so many members in those bands. Bond wanted to make real money, and at the next rehearsal of Blues Incorporated he announced to Korner that he, Bruce, and Baker were quitting the band -- which was news to Bruce and Baker, who he hadn't bothered consulting. Baker, indeed, was in the toilet when the announcement was made and came out to find it a done deal. He was going to kick up a fuss and say he hadn't been consulted, but Korner's reaction sealed the deal. As Baker later said "‘he said “it's really good you're doing this thing with Graham, and I wish you the best of luck” and all that. And it was a bit difficult to turn round and say, “Well, I don't really want to leave the band, you know.”'" The Graham Bond Trio struggled at first to get the gigs they were expecting, but that started to change when in April 1963 they became the Graham Bond Quartet, with the addition of virtuoso guitarist John McLaughlin. The Quartet soon became one of the hottest bands on the London R&B scene, and when Duffy Power, a Larry Parnes teen idol who wanted to move into R&B, asked his record label to get him a good R&B band to back him on a Beatles cover, it was the Graham Bond Quartet who obliged: [Excerpt: Duffy Power, "I Saw Her Standing There"] The Quartet also backed Power on a package tour with other Parnes acts, but they were also still performing their own blend of hard jazz and blues, as can be heard in this recording of the group live in June 1953: [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Quartet, "Ho Ho Country Kicking Blues (Live at Klooks Kleek)"] But that lineup of the group didn't last very long. According to the way Baker told the story, he fired McLaughlin from the group, after being irritated by McLaughlin complaining about something on a day when Baker was out of cocaine and in no mood to hear anyone else's complaints. As Baker said "We lost a great guitar player and I lost a good friend." But the Trio soon became a Quartet again, as Dick Heckstall-Smith, who Baker had wanted in the band from the start, joined on saxophone to replace McLaughlin's guitar. But they were no longer called the Graham Bond Quartet. Partly because Heckstall-Smith joining allowed Bond to concentrate just on his keyboard playing, but one suspects partly to protect against any future lineup changes, the group were now The Graham Bond ORGANisation -- emphasis on the organ. The new lineup of the group got signed to Decca by Vernon, and were soon recording their first single, "Long Tall Shorty": [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Organisation, "Long Tall Shorty"] They recorded a few other songs which made their way onto an EP and an R&B compilation, and toured intensively in early 1964, as well as backing up Power on his follow-up to "I Saw Her Standing There", his version of "Parchman Farm": [Excerpt: Duffy Power, "Parchman Farm"] They also appeared in a film, just like the Beatles, though it was possibly not quite as artistically successful as "A Hard Day's Night": [Excerpt: Gonks Go Beat trailer] Gonks Go Beat is one of the most bizarre films of the sixties. It's a far-future remake of Romeo and Juliet. where the two star-crossed lovers are from opposing countries -- Beatland and Ballad Isle -- who only communicate once a year in an annual song contest which acts as their version of a war, and is overseen by "Mr. A&R", played by Frank Thornton, who would later star in Are You Being Served? Carry On star Kenneth Connor is sent by aliens to try to bring peace to the two warring countries, on pain of exile to Planet Gonk, a planet inhabited solely by Gonks (a kind of novelty toy for which there was a short-lived craze then). Along the way Connor encounters such luminaries of British light entertainment as Terry Scott and Arthur Mullard, as well as musical performances by Lulu, the Nashville Teens, and of course the Graham Bond Organisation, whose performance gets them a telling-off from a teacher: [Excerpt: Gonks Go Beat!] The group as a group only performed one song in this cinematic masterpiece, but Baker also made an appearance in a "drum battle" sequence where eight drummers played together: [Excerpt: Gonks Go Beat drum battle] The other drummers in that scene included, as well as some lesser-known players, Andy White who had played on the single version of "Love Me Do", Bobby Graham, who played on hits by the Kinks and the Dave Clark Five, and Ronnie Verrell, who did the drumming for Animal in the Muppet Show. Also in summer 1964, the group performed at the Fourth National Jazz & Blues Festival in Richmond -- the festival co-founded by Chris Barber that would evolve into the Reading Festival. The Yardbirds were on the bill, and at the end of their set they invited Bond, Baker, Bruce, Georgie Fame, and Mike Vernon onto the stage with them, making that the first time that Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce were all on stage together. Soon after that, the Graham Bond Organisation got a new manager, Robert Stigwood. Things hadn't been working out for them at Decca, and Stigwood soon got the group signed to EMI, and became their producer as well. Their first single under Stigwood's management was a cover version of the theme tune to the Debbie Reynolds film "Tammy". While that film had given Tamla records its name, the song was hardly an R&B classic: [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Organisation, "Tammy"] That record didn't chart, but Stigwood put the group out on the road as part of the disastrous Chuck Berry tour we heard about in the episode on "All You Need is Love", which led to the bankruptcy of  Robert Stigwood Associates. The Organisation moved over to Stigwood's new company, the Robert Stigwood Organisation, and Stigwood continued to be the credited producer of their records, though after the "Tammy" disaster they decided they were going to take charge themselves of the actual music. Their first album, The Sound of 65, was recorded in a single three-hour session, and they mostly ran through their standard set -- a mixture of the same songs everyone else on the circuit was playing, like "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Got My Mojo Working", and "Wade in the Water", and originals like Bruce's "Train Time": [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Organisation, "Train Time"] Through 1965 they kept working. They released a non-album single, "Lease on Love", which is generally considered to be the first pop record to feature a Mellotron: [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Organisation, "Lease on Love"] and Bond and Baker also backed another Stigwood act, Winston G, on his debut single: [Excerpt: Winston G, "Please Don't Say"] But the group were developing severe tensions. Bruce and Baker had started out friendly, but by this time they hated each other. Bruce said he couldn't hear his own playing over Baker's loud drumming, Baker thought that Bruce was far too fussy a player and should try to play simpler lines. They'd both try to throw each other during performances, altering arrangements on the fly and playing things that would trip the other player up. And *neither* of them were particularly keen on Bond's new love of the Mellotron, which was all over their second album, giving it a distinctly proto-prog feel at times: [Excerpt: The Graham Bond Organisation, "Baby Can it Be True?"] Eventually at a gig in Golders Green, Baker started throwing drumsticks at Bruce's head while Bruce was trying to play a bass solo. Bruce retaliated by throwing his bass at Baker, and then jumping on him and starting a fistfight which had to be broken up by the venue security. Baker fired Bruce from the band, but Bruce kept turning up to gigs anyway, arguing that Baker had no right to sack him as it was a democracy. Baker always claimed that in fact Bond had wanted to sack Bruce but hadn't wanted to get his hands dirty, and insisted that Baker do it, but neither Bond nor Heckstall-Smith objected when Bruce turned up for the next couple of gigs. So Baker took matters into his own hands, He pulled out a knife and told Bruce "If you show up at one more gig, this is going in you." Within days, Bruce was playing with John Mayall, whose Bluesbreakers had gone through some lineup changes by this point. Roger Dean had only played with the Bluesbreakers for a short time before Mayall had replaced him. Mayall had not been impressed with Eric Clapton's playing with the Yardbirds at first -- even though graffiti saying "Clapton is God" was already starting to appear around London -- but he had been *very* impressed with Clapton's playing on "Got to Hurry", the B-side to "For Your Love": [Excerpt: The Yardbirds, "Got to Hurry"] When he discovered that Clapton had quit the band, he sprang into action and quickly recruited him to replace Dean. Clapton knew he had made the right choice when a month after he'd joined, the group got the word that Bob Dylan had been so impressed with Mayall's single "Crawling up a Hill" -- the one that nobody liked, not even Mayall himself -- that he wanted to jam with Mayall and his band in the studio. Clapton of course went along: [Excerpt: Bob Dylan and the Bluesbreakers, "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"] That was, of course, the session we've talked about in the Velvet Underground episode and elsewhere of which little other than that survives, and which Nico attended. At this point, Mayall didn't have a record contract, his experience recording with Mike Vernon having been no more successful than the Bond group's had been. But soon he got a one-off deal -- as a solo artist, not with the Bluesbreakers -- with Immediate Records. Clapton was the only member of the group to play on the single, which was produced by Immediate's house producer Jimmy Page: [Excerpt: John Mayall, "I'm Your Witchdoctor"] Page was impressed enough with Clapton's playing that he invited him round to Page's house to jam together. But what Clapton didn't know was that Page was taping their jam sessions, and that he handed those tapes over to Immediate Records -- whether he was forced to by his contract with the label or whether that had been his plan all along depends on whose story you believe, but Clapton never truly forgave him. Page and Clapton's guitar-only jams had overdubs by Bill Wyman, Ian Stewart, and drummer Chris Winter, and have been endlessly repackaged on blues compilations ever since: [Excerpt: Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, "Draggin' My Tail"] But Mayall was having problems with John McVie, who had started to drink too much, and as soon as he found out that Jack Bruce was sacked by the Graham Bond Organisation, Mayall got in touch with Bruce and got him to join the band in McVie's place. Everyone was agreed that this lineup of the band -- Mayall, Clapton, Bruce, and Hughie Flint -- was going places: [Excerpt: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Jack Bruce, "Hoochie Coochie Man"] Unfortunately, it wasn't going to last long. Clapton, while he thought that Bruce was the greatest bass player he'd ever worked with, had other plans. He was going to leave the country and travel the world as a peripatetic busker. He was off on his travels, never to return. Luckily, Mayall had someone even better waiting in the wings. A young man had, according to Mayall, "kept coming down to all the gigs and saying, “Hey, what are you doing with him?” – referring to whichever guitarist was onstage that night – “I'm much better than he is. Why don't you let me play guitar for you?” He got really quite nasty about it, so finally, I let him sit in. And he was brilliant." Peter Green was probably the best blues guitarist in London at that time, but this lineup of the Bluesbreakers only lasted a handful of gigs -- Clapton discovered that busking in Greece wasn't as much fun as being called God in London, and came back very soon after he'd left. Mayall had told him that he could have his old job back when he got back, and so Green was out and Clapton was back in. And soon the Bluesbreakers' revolving door revolved again. Manfred Mann had just had a big hit with "If You Gotta Go, Go Now", the same song we heard Dylan playing earlier: [Excerpt: Manfred Mann, "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"] But their guitarist, Mike Vickers, had quit. Tom McGuinness, their bass player, had taken the opportunity to switch back to guitar -- the instrument he'd played in his first band with his friend Eric Clapton -- but that left them short a bass player. Manfred Mann were essentially the same kind of band as the Graham Bond Organisation -- a Hammond-led group of virtuoso multi-instrumentalists who played everything from hardcore Delta blues to complex modern jazz -- but unlike the Bond group they also had a string of massive pop hits, and so made a lot more money. The combination was irresistible to Bruce, and he joined the band just before they recorded an EP of jazz instrumental versions of recent hits: [Excerpt: Manfred Mann, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"] Bruce had also been encouraged by Robert Stigwood to do a solo project, and so at the same time as he joined Manfred Mann, he also put out a solo single, "Drinkin' and Gamblin'" [Excerpt: Jack Bruce, "Drinkin' and Gamblin'"] But of course, the reason Bruce had joined Manfred Mann was that they were having pop hits as well as playing jazz, and soon they did just that, with Bruce playing on their number one hit "Pretty Flamingo": [Excerpt: Manfred Mann, "Pretty Flamingo"] So John McVie was back in the Bluesbreakers, promising to keep his drinking under control. Mike Vernon still thought that Mayall had potential, but the people at Decca didn't agree, so Vernon got Mayall and Clapton -- but not the other band members -- to record a single for a small indie label he ran as a side project: [Excerpt: John Mayall and Eric Clapton, "Bernard Jenkins"] That label normally only released records in print runs of ninety-nine copies, because once you hit a hundred copies you had to pay tax on them, but there was so much demand for that single that they ended up pressing up five hundred copies, making it the label's biggest seller ever. Vernon eventually convinced the heads at Decca that the Bluesbreakers could be truly big, and so he got the OK to record the album that would generally be considered the greatest British blues album of all time -- Blues Breakers, also known as the Beano album because of Clapton reading a copy of the British kids' comic The Beano in the group photo on the front. [Excerpt: John Mayall with Eric Clapton, "Ramblin' On My Mind"] The album was a mixture of originals by Mayall and the standard repertoire of every blues or R&B band on the circuit -- songs like "Parchman Farm" and "What'd I Say" -- but what made the album unique was Clapton's guitar tone. Much to the chagrin of Vernon, and of engineer Gus Dudgeon, Clapton insisted on playing at the same volume that he would on stage. Vernon later said of Dudgeon "I can remember seeing his face the very first time Clapton plugged into the Marshall stack and turned it up and started playing at the sort of volume he was going to play. You could almost see Gus's eyes meet over the middle of his nose, and it was almost like he was just going to fall over from the sheer power of it all. But after an enormous amount of fiddling around and moving amps around, we got a sound that worked." [Excerpt: John Mayall with Eric Clapton, "Hideaway"] But by the time the album cane out. Clapton was no longer with the Bluesbreakers. The Graham Bond Organisation had struggled on for a while after Bruce's departure. They brought in a trumpet player, Mike Falana, and even had a hit record -- or at least, the B-side of a hit record. The Who had just put out a hit single, "Substitute", on Robert Stigwood's record label, Reaction: [Excerpt: The Who, "Substitute"] But, as you'll hear in episode 183, they had moved to Reaction Records after a falling out with their previous label, and with Shel Talmy their previous producer. The problem was, when "Substitute" was released, it had as its B-side a song called "Circles" (also known as "Instant Party -- it's been released under both names). They'd recorded an earlier version of the song for Talmy, and just as "Substitute" was starting to chart, Talmy got an injunction against the record and it had to be pulled. Reaction couldn't afford to lose the big hit record they'd spent money promoting, so they needed to put it out with a new B-side. But the Who hadn't got any unreleased recordings. But the Graham Bond Organisation had, and indeed they had an unreleased *instrumental*. So "Waltz For a Pig" became the B-side to a top-five single, credited to The Who Orchestra: [Excerpt: The Who Orchestra, "Waltz For a Pig"] That record provided the catalyst for the formation of Cream, because Ginger Baker had written the song, and got £1,350 for it, which he used to buy a new car. Baker had, for some time, been wanting to get out of the Graham Bond Organisation. He was trying to get off heroin -- though he would make many efforts to get clean over the decades, with little success -- while Bond was starting to use it far more heavily, and was also using acid and getting heavily into mysticism, which Baker despised. Baker may have had the idea for what he did next from an article in one of the music papers. John Entwistle of the Who would often tell a story about an article in Melody Maker -- though I've not been able to track down the article itself to get the full details -- in which musicians were asked to name which of their peers they'd put into a "super-group". He didn't remember the full details, but he did remember that the consensus choice had had Eric Clapton on lead guitar, himself on bass, and Ginger Baker on drums. As he said later "I don't remember who else was voted in, but a few months later, the Cream came along, and I did wonder if somebody was maybe believing too much of their own press". Incidentally, like The Buffalo Springfield and The Pink Floyd, Cream, the band we are about to meet, had releases both with and without the definite article, and Eric Clapton at least seems always to talk about them as "the Cream" even decades later, but they're primarily known as just Cream these days. Baker, having had enough of the Bond group, decided to drive up to Oxford to see Clapton playing with the Bluesbreakers. Clapton invited him to sit in for a couple of songs, and by all accounts the band sounded far better than they had previously. Clapton and Baker could obviously play well together, and Baker offered Clapton a lift back to London in his new car, and on the drive back asked Clapton if he wanted to form a new band. Clapton was as impressed by Baker's financial skills as he was by his musicianship. He said later "Musicians didn't have cars. You all got in a van." Clearly a musician who was *actually driving a new car he owned* was going places. He agreed to Baker's plan. But of course they needed a bass player, and Clapton thought he had the perfect solution -- "What about Jack?" Clapton knew that Bruce had been a member of the Graham Bond Organisation, but didn't know why he'd left the band -- he wasn't particularly clued in to what the wider music scene was doing, and all he knew was that Bruce had played with both him and Baker, and that he was the best bass player he'd ever played with. And Bruce *was* arguably the best bass player in London at that point, and he was starting to pick up session work as well as his work with Manfred Mann. For example it's him playing on the theme tune to "After The Fox" with Peter Sellers, the Hollies, and the song's composer Burt Bacharach: [Excerpt: The Hollies with Peter Sellers, "After the Fox"] Clapton was insistent. Baker's idea was that the band should be the best musicians around. That meant they needed the *best* musicians around, not the second best. If Jack Bruce wasn't joining, Eric Clapton wasn't joining either. Baker very reluctantly agreed, and went round to see Bruce the next day -- according to Baker it was in a spirit of generosity and giving Bruce one more chance, while according to Bruce he came round to eat humble pie and beg for forgiveness. Either way, Bruce agreed to join the band. The three met up for a rehearsal at Baker's home, and immediately Bruce and Baker started fighting, but also immediately they realised that they were great at playing together -- so great that they named themselves the Cream, as they were the cream of musicians on the scene. They knew they had something, but they didn't know what. At first they considered making their performances into Dada projects, inspired by the early-twentieth-century art movement. They liked a band that had just started to make waves, the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band -- who had originally been called the Bonzo Dog Dada Band -- and they bought some props with the vague idea of using them on stage in the same way the Bonzos did. But as they played together they realised that they needed to do something different from that. At first, they thought they needed a fourth member -- a keyboard player. Graham Bond's name was brought up, but Clapton vetoed him. Clapton wanted Steve Winwood, the keyboard player and vocalist with the Spencer Davis Group. Indeed, Winwood was present at what was originally intended to be the first recording session the trio would play. Joe Boyd had asked Eric Clapton to round up a bunch of players to record some filler tracks for an Elektra blues compilation, and Clapton had asked Bruce and Baker to join him, Paul Jones on vocals, Winwood on Hammond and Clapton's friend Ben Palmer on piano for the session. Indeed, given that none of the original trio were keen on singing, that Paul Jones was just about to leave Manfred Mann, and that we know Clapton wanted Winwood in the band, one has to wonder if Clapton at least half-intended for this to be the eventual lineup of the band. If he did, that plan was foiled by Baker's refusal to take part in the session. Instead, this one-off band, named The Powerhouse, featured Pete York, the drummer from the Spencer Davis Group, on the session, which produced the first recording of Clapton playing on the Robert Johnson song originally titled "Cross Road Blues" but now generally better known just as "Crossroads": [Excerpt: The Powerhouse, "Crossroads"] We talked about Robert Johnson a little back in episode ninety-seven, but other than Bob Dylan, who was inspired by his lyrics, we had seen very little influence from Johnson up to this point, but he's going to be a major influence on rock guitar for the next few years, so we should talk about him a little here. It's often said that nobody knew anything about Robert Johnson, that he was almost a phantom other than his records which existed outside of any context as artefacts of their own. That's... not really the case. Johnson had died a little less than thirty years earlier, at only twenty-seven years old. Most of his half-siblings and step-siblings were alive, as were his son, his stepson, and dozens of musicians he'd played with over the years, women he'd had affairs with, and other assorted friends and relatives. What people mean is that information about Johnson's life was not yet known by people they consider important -- which is to say white blues scholars and musicians. Indeed, almost everything people like that -- people like *me* -- know of the facts of Johnson's life has only become known to us in the last four years. If, as some people had expected, I'd started this series with an episode on Johnson, I'd have had to redo the whole thing because of the information that's made its way to the public since then. But here's what was known -- or thought -- by white blues scholars in 1966. Johnson was, according to them, a field hand from somewhere in Mississippi, who played the guitar in between working on the cotton fields. He had done two recording sessions, in 1936 and 1937. One song from his first session, "Terraplane Blues", had been a very minor hit by blues standards: [Excerpt: Robert Johnson, "Terraplane Blues"] That had sold well -- nobody knows how well, but maybe as many as ten thousand copies, and it was certainly a record people knew in 1937 if they liked the Delta blues, but ten thousand copies total is nowhere near the sales of really successful records, and none of the follow-ups had sold anything like that much -- many of them had sold in the hundreds rather than the thousands. As Elijah Wald, one of Johnson's biographers put it "knowing about Johnson and Muddy Waters but not about Leroy Carr or Dinah Washington was like knowing about, say, the Sir Douglas Quintet but not knowing about the Beatles" -- though *I* would add that the Sir Douglas Quintet were much bigger during the sixties than Johnson was during his lifetime. One of the few white people who had noticed Johnson's existence at all was John Hammond, and he'd written a brief review of Johnson's first two singles under a pseudonym in a Communist newspaper. I'm going to quote it here, but the word he used to talk about Black people was considered correct then but isn't now, so I'll substitute Black for that word: "Before closing we cannot help but call your attention to the greatest [Black] blues singer who has cropped up in recent years, Robert Johnson. Recording them in deepest Mississippi, Vocalion has certainly done right by us and by the tunes "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" and "Terraplane Blues", to name only two of the four sides already released, sung to his own guitar accompaniment. Johnson makes Leadbelly sound like an accomplished poseur" Hammond had tried to get Johnson to perform at the Spirituals to Swing concerts we talked about in the very first episodes of the podcast, but he'd discovered that he'd died shortly before. He got Big Bill Broonzy instead, and played a couple of Johnson's records from a record player on the stage. Hammond introduced those recordings with a speech: "It is tragic that an American audience could not have been found seven or eight years ago for a concert of this kind. Bessie Smith was still at the height of her career and Joe Smith, probably the greatest trumpet player America ever knew, would still have been around to play obbligatos for her...dozens of other artists could have been there in the flesh. But that audience as well as this one would not have been able to hear Robert Johnson sing and play the blues on his guitar, for at that time Johnson was just an unknown hand on a Robinsonville, Mississippi plantation. Robert Johnson was going to be the big surprise of the evening for this audience at Carnegie Hall. I know him only from his Vocalion blues records and from the tall, exciting tales the recording engineers and supervisors used to bring about him from the improvised studios in Dallas and San Antonio. I don't believe Johnson had ever worked as a professional musician anywhere, and it still knocks me over when I think of how lucky it is that a talent like his ever found its way onto phonograph records. We will have to be content with playing two of his records, the old "Walkin' Blues" and the new, unreleased, "Preachin' Blues", because Robert Johnson died last week at the precise moment when Vocalion scouts finally reached him and told him that he was booked to appear at Carnegie Hall on December 23. He was in his middle twenties and nobody seems to know what caused his death." And that was, for the most part, the end of Robert Johnson's impact on the culture for a generation. The Lomaxes went down to Clarksdale, Mississippi a couple of years later -- reports vary as to whether this was to see if they could find Johnson, who they were unaware was dead, or to find information out about him, and they did end up recording a young singer named Muddy Waters for the Library of Congress, including Waters' rendition of "32-20 Blues", Johnson's reworking of Skip James' "Twenty-Two Twenty Blues": [Excerpt: Muddy Waters, "32-20 Blues"] But Johnson's records remained unavailable after their initial release until 1959, when the blues scholar Samuel Charters published the book The Country Blues, which was the first book-length treatment ever of Delta blues. Sixteen years later Charters said "I shouldn't have written The Country Blues when I did; since I really didn't know enough, but I felt I couldn't afford to wait. So The Country Blues was two things. It was a romanticization of certain aspects of black life in an effort to force the white society to reconsider some of its racial attitudes, and on the other hand it was a cry for help. I wanted hundreds of people to go out and interview the surviving blues artists. I wanted people to record them and document their lives, their environment, and their music, not only so that their story would be preserved but also so they'd get a little money and a little recognition in their last years." Charters talked about Johnson in the book, as one of the performers who played "minor roles in the story of the blues", and said that almost nothing was known about his life. He talked about how he had been poisoned by his common-law wife, about how his records were recorded in a pool hall, and said "The finest of Robert Johnson's blues have a brooding sense of torment and despair. The blues has become a personified figure of despondency." Along with Charters' book came a compilation album of the same name, and that included the first ever reissue of one of Johnson's tracks, "Preaching Blues": [Excerpt: Robert Johnson, "Preaching Blues"] Two years later, John Hammond, who had remained an ardent fan of Johnson, had Columbia put out the King of the Delta Blues Singers album. At the time no white blues scholars knew what Johnson looked like and they had no photos of him, so a generic painting of a poor-looking Black man with a guitar was used for the cover. The liner note to King of the Delta Blues Singers talked about how Johnson was seventeen or eighteen when he made his recordings, how he was "dead before he reached his twenty-first birthday, poisoned by a jealous girlfriend", how he had "seldom, if ever, been away from the plantation in Robinsville, Mississippi, where he was born and raised", and how he had had such stage fright that when he was asked to play in front of other musicians, he'd turned to face a wall so he couldn't see them. And that would be all that any of the members of the Powerhouse would know about Johnson. Maybe they'd also heard the rumours that were starting to spread that Johnson had got his guitar-playing skills by selling his soul to the devil at a crossroads at midnight, but that would have been all they knew when they recorded their filler track for Elektra: [Excerpt: The Powerhouse, "Crossroads"] Either way, the Powerhouse lineup only lasted for that one session -- the group eventually decided that a simple trio would be best for the music they wanted to play. Clapton had seen Buddy Guy touring with just a bass player and drummer a year earlier, and had liked the idea of the freedom that gave him as a guitarist. The group soon took on Robert Stigwood as a manager, which caused more arguments between Bruce and Baker. Bruce was convinced that if they were doing an all-for-one one-for-all thing they should also manage themselves, but Baker pointed out that that was a daft idea when they could get one of the biggest managers in the country to look after them. A bigger argument, which almost killed the group before it started, happened when Baker told journalist Chris Welch of the Melody Maker about their plans. In an echo of the way that he and Bruce had been resigned from Blues Incorporated without being consulted, now with no discussion Manfred Mann and John Mayall were reading in the papers that their band members were quitting before those members had bothered to mention it. Mayall was furious, especially since the album Clapton had played on hadn't yet come out. Clapton was supposed to work a month's notice while Mayall found another guitarist, but Mayall spent two weeks begging Peter Green to rejoin the band. Green was less than eager -- after all, he'd been fired pretty much straight away earlier -- but Mayall eventually persuaded him. The second he did, Mayall turned round to Clapton and told him he didn't have to work the rest of his notice -- he'd found another guitar player and Clapton was fired: [Excerpt: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, "Dust My Blues"] Manfred Mann meanwhile took on the Beatles' friend Klaus Voorman to replace Bruce. Voorman would remain with the band until the end, and like Green was for Mayall, Voorman was in some ways a better fit for Manfred Mann than Bruce was. In particular he could double on flute, as he did for example on their hit version of Bob Dylan's "The Mighty Quinn": [Excerpt: Manfred Mann "The Mighty Quinn"] The new group, The Cream, were of course signed in the UK to Stigwood's Reaction label. Other than the Who, who only stuck around for one album, Reaction was not a very successful label. Its biggest signing was a former keyboard player for Screaming Lord Sutch, who recorded for them under the names Paul Dean and Oscar, but who later became known as Paul Nicholas and had a successful career in musical theatre and sitcom. Nicholas never had any hits for Reaction, but he did release one interesting record, in 1967: [Excerpt: Oscar, "Over the Wall We Go"] That was one of the earliest songwriting attempts by a young man who had recently named himself David Bowie. Now the group were public, they started inviting journalists to their rehearsals, which were mostly spent trying to combine their disparate musical influences --

Though best-known because of the Glenn Miller hit Chattanooga Choo-Choo, the city is nestled on the banks of the Tennessee River and surrounded by Lookout and Signal Mountains, among others. Summer outdoor activities range from mountain climbing and mountain biking to whitewater rafting, kayaking, and exploring rivberside parks and athletic facilities. Hear more on Thursday, June 8, when Sean Phipps of Chattanooga Tourism joins TRAVEL ITCH RADIO. Listen live on iTunes or BlogTalkRadio at 8p EDT as Dan Schlossberg and Maryellen Nugent Lee host the 507th episode in the 12-year history of the show. Or check out the archived show anytime on Facebook.  

Tayler rambles about Nashville, Chattanooga, and other nonsense. 

Die Maus zum Hören - Lach- und Sachgeschichten. Heute: mit der Geschichte von Chattanooga Choo Choo, Klanglupe, einem Verkehrthinweis, mit Verena und natürlich mit der Maus und dem Elefanten Von Verena Specks-Ludwig.

怪物房大喇叭提示：Here comes a new challenger。上届怪物房存活选手包括：SonicMemory SM2，Widing 锃，以及已经外壳带伤的水月雨KATO。如果你喜欢「声波飞行员」，请在「爱发电」平台为我们打赏，增加它继续飞行下去的动力，谢谢。时间轴： [00:00:03] BGM#1. 細野晴臣 - Chattanooga Choo Choo.mp3 [00:00:25] 节目开始；新阵容feat. King Tsui @RKTALLK；继续这个系列的原因； [00:02:51] 怪物房的新情况；旧选手近况； [00:04:48] 阿思翠am850mk2 和它的正确打开方式； [00:12:46] W+G T2pro 调音剑走偏锋的优势与代价； [00:29:54] 千元定位动圈耳塞的调音取向，给NF Audio 品牌和老羊的Respect； [00:34:11] SuperTFZ Force 5 / Force King [00:41:02] 威泽 Whizzer HE03d 的补充； [00:46:23] 兴歌 Simgot EA2000 引出的「怪物房+」概念；以及Simgot EN1000； [00:50:56] 奥斯特锐 OSTRY KC10 以及该品牌的其他产品； [00:59:14] BGM#2. Sufjan Stevens - Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! [01:00:52] 试图为老产品进入怪物房的补票提名（剧透：最后没提出来）； [01:11:45] 「未来的达音科」的某个争议产品；争议可以去补听2月份的新年节目； [01:14:11] 三个主播怪物房产品喜好分级； [01:22:08] 为什么是动圈； [01:25:35] 不想得罪人的包雪龙被迫补充自己的排名；水月雨KATO 的新近况； [01:35:41] BGM#3. Youssou N'Dour - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Beatles cover [01:36:22] 2022年新品基本结束；看看明年怎么卷；祝大家身体健康往期节目相关： #202. 千元动圈怪物房 #耳塞演义s2e01 参与录音： 飞行员：包雪龙 / vineland 嘉宾：King Tsui @RKTALLK

10:04:56 – Frank and his wife Denice in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, plus the Other Side. Topics include: Landed in Atlanta, Die Hard (1988), car rental issues, Center for Puppetry Arts, vegan restaurant, Buc-ee’s, arrived in Chattanooga, cool hotel, music in the park, confusing mall, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, walk to a bar, meaningless dumplings, walk back to the […]

10:04:56 – Frank and his wife Denice in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, plus the Other Side. Topics include: Landed in Atlanta, Die Hard (1988), car rental issues, Center for Puppetry Arts, vegan restaurant, Buc-ee’s, arrived in Chattanooga, cool hotel, music in the park, confusing mall, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, walk to a bar, meaningless dumplings, walk back to the […]

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 537, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: The '40s 1: The women for whom Walter Annenberg founded this magazine in 1944 are now on Social Security. Seventeen. 2: In 1942 RCA plated a master copy of Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" this color to honor a million sold. Gold. 3: In his first speech as prime minister May 13, 1940 he delivered the blood, toil, tears and sweat line. Winston Churchill. 4: In 1942 an "A" ration card allowed you 3 gallons of this a week. Gasoline. 5: In June 1947 this general accepted Columbia University's offer to become its president. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Round 2. Category: Decades 1: Last time a man walked on the moon. 1970s (1972). 2: Hurricane Andrew hits Florida. 1990s. 3: "I Love Lucy" premieres. 1950s. 4: Ferdinand Marcos leaves the Philippines for the last time. 1980s. 5: Chinese Nationalist government flees to Taiwan. 1940s. Round 3. Category: Ancient Greece 1: Aristotle's prescription for women in this condition was to avoid too much salt and wine. Pregnant. 2: In 399 B.C. this philosopher was convicted by a jury of 500 men on a vote of 280 to 220. Socrates. 3: Hesiod said this group of nine goddesses met him on Mt. Helicon and breathed the gift of song into him. the muses. 4: Originally 6 obols equaled one of these coins. Drachma. 5: These federations included Achaean, Delian and Amphictyonic--no National or American. leagues. Round 4. Category: Who's The Boss 1: The Kansas City political machine of Boss Tom Pendergast launched the career of this future president. Truman. 2: Kelly Garrett, Jill Munroe and Sabrina Duncan all went undercover for this mysterious boss. Charlie Townsend. 3: Tattoo labored for this man on "Fantasy Island". Mr. Roarke. 4: In 1931 Salvatore Maranzano took this Mafia title, Capo di Tutti Capi in Italian; 4 months later, it was so long, Sal. Boss of Bosses. 5: Named for founder Carlo, it's the crime family of which John Gotti was boss. Gambino. Round 5. Category: Tournament 1: Tournament, as well as this 5-letter word, can be used to describe mounted combat between medieval knights. joust. 2: Geoffroi de Purelli wrote the first knights' tournament guidelines in this Norman Invasion year. 1066. 3: Sir Lionel is killed during a tournament in this musical but is later miraculously revived. Camelot. 4: From Old French for "to mix", this no-holds-barred medieval group combat contest was basically mob against mob. a mêlée. 5: Celebrated until the 17th c., the last knights' tournaments to survive involved "running at" these to spear them. rings. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!

This week we have two call in guests and we got to listen to the stories they had to share with us. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.  send us your stories @ thecodebrownpodcast@gmail.comfind us on Facebooklisten to us on: Spotify, iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Podchaser.

Gotta get my old tuxedo pressed, gotta sew a button on my vest,'cause tonight I've gotta look my best, Lulu's back in town!Okay, you probably never heard of a songwriter named Harry Warren. But we bet that you know —and can even hum — many of his tunes. Warren was nominated 11 times for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and he won three of those Oscars, for “Lullaby of Broadway” in 1935, for “You'll Never Know” in 1943 and for “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe” in 1946.In a career spanning six decades, Warren wrote more than 800 songs. Besides those Oscar biggies, Warren's better known pieces include novelty tunes like “Jeepers Creepers,” “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo” (which was the first gold record in history). And ballads like “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “There Will Never Be Another You.” He also penned signature tunes like “That's Amore,” which Dean Martin claimed as his own, and — best of all! — “At Last,” which simply belonged to the great Etta James.At the MoviesDespite his million-dollar portfolio, Warren remains “the invisible man,” observed journalist William Zinsser, “his career a prime example of the oblivion that cloaked so many writers who cranked out good songs for bad movies."Uh, LOTS of bad (and, well, some good) movies. Harry Warren songs have been featured in more than 300 films over the years. He wrote the music for the first blockbuster film musical, 1933's “42nd Street,” choreographed by Busby Berkeley, with whom Warren often would collaborate. But perhaps an even greater claim to fame for our generation is that fact that Warren songs starred in no fewer than 112 Warner Bros., Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons.Welcome Home, Lulu!In 1932, Harry went to work for Warner Brothers studio, where he was paired with an old friend, lyricist Al Dubin. Over the next six years, the two would churn out five dozen songs for 33 musicals, including a long-time favorite of ours.“Lulu's Back in Town” was first performed by the Mills Brothers in the 1935 musical “Broadway Gondolier.” While the film was a highly forgettable Dick Powell-Joan Blondell vehicle, the song itself had legs, especially when it was recorded that same spring by Flood hero Fats Waller, who charted with “Lulu.”Subsequently, the song charmed everyone from Mel Tormé and Wingy Manone to Art Tatum to Oscar Peterson. In the Floodisphere, an especially influential rendition of the song was Leon Redbone's performance on his 1975 “On the Track” debut album. Our first recording of it was 20 years ago on our 2nd album. And Lulu has has come back to visit us with each new configurations of the band.Our Take on the TuneWe'll be returning next week to one of our all-time favorite local venues, playing for the good folks up the hill at Woodlands Retirement Community. It's a wonderful place where we've played regularly for the past 20 years or more. And this time, our old buddy, Floodster Emeritus Paul Martin, is back to sit in with us. Here's something we're dusting off for the evening … you know, just in case Lulu is in the audience. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 1937flood.substack.com

My guest on this episode is the defending Chattanooga Choo Choo Invitational Champion, Tyler Johnson.  When the tournament is held at Council Fire Golf Club next week, you won't find anyone that has had more success there than Tyler.  Last summer, he won the Tennessee State Amateur AND the Choo Choo on that course and set some records along the way.  Tyler Johnson - University of TennesseeChattanooga Choo Choo Invitational - Official WebsiteSubscribe to The Back of the Range Subscribe in Apple Podcasts and SPOTIFY!Also Subscribe in YouTube,   Google Play , Overcast, Stitcher  Follow on Social Media! Email us:   ben@thebackoftherange.comWebsite: www.thebackoftherange.com  Voice Work by Mitch Phillips 

This week wraps of the set from Time Life records set The Swing Era 1941-1942 Part 2. There is some fantastic music in this set and some of the songs we'll be hearing include Blue Flame, Benny Rides Again, Chattanooga Choo Choo, The Mole, Well Git It and many others. These were some of the most popular songs from those two years. As usual I tried to play the original version rather than the recreations. I you you enjoy these great songs from Time Life The Swing Era 1941-1942 Part 2. I hope you enjoy this program that I originally produced in 2015. Please visit this podcast at http://bigbandbashfm.blogspot.com

The Ed and Bob Show episode #164! What's the best thing to teach your children? What country has the most coal? Was the Chattanooga Choo-Choo a real train? Happy birthday America! Easily listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Alexa with TuneIn, ChicagoTalks.com, NashvillePodcasts.com, KnoxvillePodcast.com, OrlandoPodcasts.com and at KnoxCounty.info! Contact the hosts at EdandBob@yahoo.com

Enjoy a lively hour of the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra on this episode of Tent Show Radio.  After the legendary composer's death in 1944, the band re-formed and continued performing Miller's classic pieces including In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, and Tuxedo Junction. Now regarded as the most sought-after big band in the world, the Glenn Miller orchestra has played an average of 300 shows a year since 1956. This episode revisits the group's 2021 performance under the tent.

It's episode 36 of Muppetsational! with our special guest star Scott Hanson, co-founder of Muppet Wiki! This week, George Burns finds his key on The Muppet Show! And on the podcast, Jade's boarding the Chattanooga Choo Choo, Emma's dancing at the discotheque and Lewis has inspired the deviant artists! Find out more about the podcast at muppetspodcast.com Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! Follow Scott on Twitter @MuppetWiki And read all about us in The Guardian! Editor: Jade Turner Theme Music: Peppy Pepe by Kevin MacLeod Peppy Pepe License Artwork: Charlotte Rudge (Instagram: @Charlie_r_rudge)

Welcome to this second podcast post, featuring Command Performance and their first episode starring and hosted by Eddie Cantor. This episode aired March 8, 1942. Command Performance aired from 1942 to 1949, on the Armed Forces Radio Network (AFRS) and transmitted by shortwave to the troops overseas — with few exceptions, it was not broadcast over domestic U.S. radio stations. The episode starts with Beatrice "Bea" Wain singing "Chattanooga Choo Choo." The program also features clips from the Joe Louis vs. Buddy Baer fight from January 9, 1941. Louis knocked out Baer in the first round and joined the U.S. Army the next day. Also starring: Danny Kaye, Dinah Shore, and actress Merle Oberon. My other podcast channels include: MYSTERY x SUSPENSE -- DRAMA X THEATER -- SCI FI x HORROR -- COMEDY x FUNNY HA HA -- THE COMPLETE ORSON WELLES. You can subscribe to my channels to receive new post notifications, it's 100% free to join. If inclined, please leave a positive rating or review on your podcast service. Instagram @duane.otr Thank you for your support. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

It would take weeks to see everything Tennessee has to offer: from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Dollywood to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo and Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, America's Music City. Join TRAVEL ITCH RADIO on Thursday, May 5, as Roger Noriega (pinch-hitting for traveling host Dan Schlossberg) and Maryellen Nugent Lee interview Mary Katelyn Price about her great state. Listen live at 8p EDT on iTunes or BlogTalkRadio.com or check out the archived show after airing on Facebook.

Is this the most fun transformation Urkel has done? Did you ever believe that one guy would come back? And do we miss Step by Step now? Hell no. We're back to watching Season 6, Episode 17 of Family Matters.Alex Diamond, David Kenny, and John McDaniel heard that the long-running network sitcom Family Matters ends with side character Steve Urkel going to space. And the best way to figure out how that happened - obviously - is to watch the last episode first and make our way backwards through nearly ten years of television.Join our countdown to number one (and our slow descent into madness) in all the places you expect internet people to be:Website: jumpingtheshuttle.spaceEmail: jumpingtheshuttle@gmail.comInstagram: @JumpingTheShuttle / @ThatAlexD / @dak577Twitter: @JumpingShuttle / @ThatAlexD / @dak577TikTok: @JumpingTheShuttle / @dak577Brought to you by Smooth My Balls

This episode of Tent Show Radio features the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. After the legendary composer's death in 1944, the band re-formed and continued performing Miller's classic pieces including In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, and Tuxedo Junction. Now regarded as the most sought-after big band in the world, the Glenn Miller orchestra has played an average of 300 shows a year since 1956. This episode revisits the groups 2021 performance under the tent.   First broadcast in 1994, Tent Show Radio is a one-hour public radio program hosted by author & humorist Michael Perry, and  created from the best live recordings from acclaimed musical acts who grace the Big Top Chautauqua stage each summer in beautiful Bayfield, WI.  Running 52 weeks a year, Tent Show Radio is broadcast on 31 listener supported radio stations across 6 states and on most podcast streaming platforms.  Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua was founded in 1986. The first show under canvas was the Nelson-Ferris Concert Company Production Riding the Wind, the story of Bayfield and Madeline Island. Since then Big Top has welcomed over 700,000 patrons to the grounds for 3,000+ concerts and events. Our resident band, the Blue Canvas Orchestra, also tours to theaters and schools throughout the Upper Midwest. Over the course of 35 years we've touched millions of lives and created millions of memories with our eclectic blend of excellent musical offerings.

http://millermem.blogspot.com/ Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944 missing in action) was an American big band musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known Big Bands. Miller's notable recordings include "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade", "Pennsylvania 6-5000", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "A String of Pearls", "At Last", "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo", "American Patrol", "Tuxedo Junction", and "Little Brown Jug". While he was traveling to entertain U.S. troops in France during World War II, Glenn Miller disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel.

Saucemongers! Once again.....The return of the SPICIEST podcast in the game. This week.... Hoff & Pepper Smoken Ghost! https://hoffandpepper.com/collections/orderhoffsauce/products/hoffs-smoken-ghost-sauce This episode dedicated to the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

Matthew takes to the hosting chair and parades the gang through a military operation level of board game fun.  This Game is Broken is a comedy board game panel show with Matthew Jude, Dave Luza, Paula Deming, Nick Murphy and Mike Murphy. We play a lot of nonsense games full of role playing and trivia as well as other fun stuff which can be found at the links below. This Game is Broken is eternally thankful to our Sponsors Restoration Games Find them at https://restorationgames.com/ We are proud members of The Dice Tower Network! Find out more here - https://www.dicetower.com/dice-tower-network Twitter - https://twitter.com/TGiBpodcast iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-game-is-broken/id1282526804?mt=2 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/this_game_is_broken_podcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Thisgameisbrokenpodcast/ Email - Thisgameisbrokenpodcast@gmail.com And if you want to help us out financially... for some insane reason... PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/thisgameisbroken All our art was done by the fantastic Deadcatdreaming find him at deadcatdreaming.co.uk

Was brave Brittney a tad bit too fearless before encountering an evil ghost at the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo? Although we still believe in being fearless, Ouija boards and low vibrational spirits are a helllllll no (in our Maya Denise Wilkes voice). Again, never focus on fear; but hear us out. We like to put fear in two categories as acronyms. In some situations we may say face everything and rise. In others, we may say forget everything and run. Listen to decide what you would have done in these situations.Happy Halloween! Brandon Wilkins is co-hosting our spooky Halloween marathon with yours truly. Tune in for some hilarious, scary, and controversial content. Disclaimer: this is for entertainment purposes only. Enjoy! www.brittneymack.comIf you liked this episode, you may enjoy learning about the empaths, star seeds (starseeds), light workers (lightworkers), earth angels, different dimensions, various levels of consciousness, spiritual ascension, and spiritual awakening. Moreover, you may find things like the laws of the universe, laws of nature, Acts 17:28, chakras, pineal gland, circle of life, seed of life, egg of life, flower of life, tree of life, and fruit of life interesting.

Die Sendung mit der Maus - Lach- und Sachgeschichten zum Hören. Heute: mit einem berühmten Song und seiner Geschichte, einem Spieletipp, mit Marie und natürlich mit der Maus und dem Elefanten.

Series 3, Episode 1 - Just How Much I Missed You. It's been away for the summer, but like a cold snap (did somebody say "cold snatch"?) it's back. With the same old jokes/characters/catchphrases and some new old ones. The team speculate on how the new Abba songs might sound and discuss the Chattanooga Choo Choo, bacon with nipples and pig faced sharks. Prince Andrew talks about his quiet summer. Right Bollock isn't quite sure which sinister figure he is emulating and the King of the Universe fills us in on where he's from and what he's the king of. Plus a fitting tribute to the victims of 9/11 and the five things you should never say to a child. Mama Mia.

История знаменитой компании Alpha Industries, а также Wynn Enterprises, слушания в Конгрессе и основные отличия контрактных курток от коммерческих. Что ты приобретаешь, покупая М-65? Завершение цикла о полевой куртке M-65.Для новых слушателей: объяснение того, что делает в названии подкаста Вечная мерзлота. В иллюстративных целях в этом эпизоде подкаста использованы фрагменты нескольких произведений, права на которые принадлежат их законным владельцам:Chattanooga Choo Choo, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, 1941Knoxville Girl, The Louvin Brothers, 1956Daddy's Gone to Knoxville, Mark Nopfler, 2002А также призыв к общению и ссылка на скачивание приложения Castbox в Google Play Market, в Apple AppStore, и просто их сайт.Помимо Apple и  Google подкастов, можно слушать на Яндекс.Музыке, в Castbox, и даже на YouTube.Пиши в Инстаграм  и Телеграм indigoandpermafrostили на почту indigoandpermafrost@gmail.com. 

Music can be therapeutic and evoke memories from the "good old days". But here's to Better Days. Come take a journey down memory lane. If you long to remember times gone by, listen to these memorable songs. Tap your feet, sing along, and smile. "Those were the days."  ***** Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 **** or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.comIn this episode you'll hear: 1)     In The Mood by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 2)     Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra (with Count Basie and his Orchestra) 3)     Rum And Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters 4)     Cab Driver by The Mills Brothers 5)     On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe by Johnny Mercer And The Pied Pipers 6)     Who's Sorry Now by Nat King Cole 7)     Opus No. 1 by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra 8)     Pretty Baby by Kay Starr 9)     New York, New York by Steve Lawrence 10) More by Perry Como 11) Old Cape Cod by Patti Page 12) Somewhere There's A Someone by Dean Martin 13) Only You (And You Alone) by The Hilltoppers 14) You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To by Nancy Wilson 15) Chattanooga Choo-Choo by Ray Anthony & His Orchestra 16) I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter by Billy Williams 17) I Left My Heart In San Francisco by Tony Bennett 18) Sidewalks Of Cuba by The Woody Herman Orchestra 19) Every Day I Have The Blues by Count Basie & His Orchestra (featuring Joe Williams, vocal) 20) I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair by Ella Fitzgerald 21) Till I Waltz Again With You by Teresa Brewer & Jack Pleis' Orchestra 22) Hot Toddy by Ted Heath's Orchestra 

The WPMT premiere of “Springtime in the Rockies” starring (from the 1942 film) Betty Grable and Carmen Miranda with Dick Powell and Verna Felton is now live on YouTube, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcast platforms! This audio broadcast, as first heard in 1944 on The Lux Radio Theatre features “Run, Little Raindrop, Run,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “I Had the Craziest Dream” and more! AND as a special treat the Radio Preview for the film version on “20th Century Fox is On the Air!”Edited by Remington CleveNew episodes every Tuesday at 1pm CT!

Here is the latest from The Year Was, which is that thing I do every week. We are up to episode 103. This time we examine the year 1942 as Glenn Miller is awarded the first ever gold record for the song “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”   Theme music by The Tim Kreitz Band    iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-year-was/id1458174084  Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/m/I3itppkgflgewupxhllk632qfpm?t=The_Year_Was Podbean: https://theyearwas.podbean.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Qdd00m2NWvrViVIfAh6kA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzWavt8mqXHsC_uRNpU3lQ   Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2aj0zhXlLA https://www.npr.org/2017/02/10/514522626/how-chattanooga-choo-choo-became-the-worlds-first-gold-record https://www.riaa.com/about-riaa/ https://www.songfacts.com/facts/glenn-miller/chattanooga-choo-choo https://www.glennmiller.com/biography/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034241/ https://vocal.media/serve/celebrities-that-served-in-wwii https://www.colorado.edu/coloradan/2017/12/01/origins-gold-record https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/01/21/glenn-miller/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ8ceJY0pks   Photo:  http://media.al.com/living/photo/glenn-miller-gold-recordjpg-ad769e42c9a36030.jpg

Eine Fahrt mit einer Dampflok von New York nach Tennessee als Big-Band-Swing. Glenn Millers Aufnahme des Chattanooga Choo Choo von 1941 gewann die erste offizielle goldene Schallplatte der Musikgeschichte.

Glenn Miller was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, leading one of the best-known big bands. Miller's recordings include "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade", "Pennsylvania 6-5000", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "A String of Pearls", "At Last", "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo", "American Patrol", "Tuxedo Junction", "Elmer's Tune", and "Little Brown Jug". In just four years Glenn Miller scored 16 number-one records and 69 top ten hits. In 1942, Miller volunteered to join the U.S. military to entertain troops during World War II, ending up with the U.S. Army Air Forces. On December 15, 1944, while flying to Paris, Miller's aircraft disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel. R.I.P. Join the conversation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008232395712 or by email at dannymemorylane@gmail.com You’ll hear: 1) American Patrol by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 2) Little Brown Jug by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 3) Elmer's Tune by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Ray Eberle & The Modernaires) 4) The Saint Louis Blues March by Captain Glenn Miller & The 418th Army Air Force Training Command Band" 5) People Like You And Me (from the 1943 film Orchestra Wives) by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with The Modernaires & Marion Hutton & Tex Beneke, vocals) 6) 7-0-5 by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra by The 418th Army Air Force Band under the direction of Sgt. Jerry Gray 7) When Johnny Comes Marching Home by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & The Modernaires, vocals) 8) Tuxedo Junction by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 9) Chattanooga Choo Choo (From the film "Sun Valley Serenade") by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly & The Modernaires, vocals) 10) Bugle Call Rag by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Ray McKinley, drums) 11) Jukebox Saturday Night by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & The Modernaires, vocals) 12) Ciribiribin by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Ray Eberle, vocal) 13) Boom Shot (from the 1943 film Orchestra Wives) by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 14) Make Believe Ballroom Time by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with The Modernaires, vocal) 15) A String Of Pearls by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Bobby Hackett, trumpet solo) 16) The G.I. Jive by Glenn Miller & The Army Air Force Band (with Ray McKinley & The Crew Chiefs, vocals) 17) Anchors Aweigh by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 18) Pennsylvania 6-5000 by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with vocals by the band) 19) Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra 20) I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo (From "Orchestra Wives") by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (with Marion Hutton, Tex Beneke & The Modernaires, vocals) 21) In The Mood [Reached #1 on February 10th 1940 & lasted 13 weeks at #1] by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra

Hear the history of our area's most storied landmark and song, as Dale Mitchell takes you down the sidetracks of The Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan takes us back down south for another installment of his 30-part mini-series on the wonders of Tennessee. Ryan deems Chattanooga the “find” of his recent road trip, with highlights including Lookout Mountain, an underground waterfall, a cult-run deli, and plenty of creepy fairy tales. Things we talked about in today’s podcast: Chattanooga overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattanooga,_Tennessee Chattanooga Choo Choo song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGBwmLRNLJ4  Chattanooga Choo Choo movie trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgmFbar83Vw  Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel https://www.choochoo.com/our-story  Tennessee Riverwalk https://www.visitchattanooga.com/blog/post/a-guide-to-chattanoogas-riverwalk/  Harrison Bay State Park https://tnstateparks.com/parks/harrison-bay  Yellow Deli and Twelve Tribes https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2018/may/19/yellow-delitwelve-tribes-back-spotlight-subje/471156/?bcsubid=cf4dcede-731f-4157-822e-1591f60c88ce&pbdialog=reg-wall-login-created-tfp The Funicular Ryan Ignored https://ridetheincline.com/  Ruby Falls https://www.rubyfalls.com/  Rock City https://www.seerockcity.com/ Lover’s Leap https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lover%27s_Leap Fairyland Caverns https://enchantedamerica.wordpress.com/2014/07/19/fairyland-caverns-rock-city-ga/ Hudson River Museum https://www.hrm.org/  Odeuropa https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/world/europe/europe-historic-smells.html 

Today's episode starts with Sigh having a car accident, Chid accusing him of only drinking Sierra Nevada and being an enormous dipshit, and things turn into a vibrant discussion of whether or not you should use your accelerator when driving in reverse. Rocco shows up and then the fellas talk about Stephen King for some reason and his famous erotica novel, Tommyknockers, about a man named Tommy who loves big boobs. Then, things quickly segue into a Happy Gilmore talk. Rocco then corrects me with wrong information that I FRICKEN go along with, like a gentleman. Happy Gilmore ends with “Tuesday’s Gone” and THEN “Magic” when the names come up, people!!Chid later reveals a million dollar idea for Netflix, Netflix, GET AT ME.A future episode will feature Rocco reviewing Chattanooga Choo-Choo with us. Remember, if you or someone you know has heard of The Honorary Title, tweet using hashtag, #iveheardofthehonorarytitleAnd hey, if you have $100, you can buy a Kilwin’s ice cream cone. So good—the best ice cream around! Read Rocco’s book, How to Write a Book and Make at Least $600 so you can afford 6 Kilwin’s ice creams!Follow us on Twitter: @CHIDSPIN / @SighFieri / @RoundingDownRate and review us on iTunes. Support the show (https://cash.app/$roundingdown)

May 7th is a legendary day in World History. Glen Miller's hit song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" came out, Germany Surrendered in WWII... oh yeah, and we were both born on the same day!Today Myles loses it over his love of Ocarina of Time, Sam's quarantine hair has him looking like a hentai protagonist, and the bois discuss just how low bad media can go.We love taking questions, so if you got any, follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikusCrackhouse

Chattanooga Choo Choo: nový podcast na Poutníku "Jak dlouho to tak trvá autem z Washingtonu do New Yorku?" Zeptal jsem se před nástupem do Ameriky kameramana Míry Plocka z České televize, který tam byl přede mnou čtyři roky s Petrou Flanderkovou. Zamyslel se a prohlásil: "Od tří do do osmi hodin." Nejdřív jsem nechápal, ale pak mi došlo, že se to prostě nedá odhadnout. Délka cesty je opravdu nevyzpytatelná, závisí na provozu a denní době, odkud z Washingtonu vyjíždíte a samozřejmě do které části New Yorku směřujete. Jestli Míra přeháněl, tak ne moc. Netrvalo dlouho a pochopil jsem, že zdaleka nejrozumější způsob, jak z americké metropole do New Yorku cestovat, je vlakem. Mnoho lidí si myslí, že osobní vlaková doprava je v Americe až na příměstská spojení prakticky mrtvá a ono to opravdu ve většině Ameriky platí. Ale jsou výjimky, jako například takzvaný Severovýchodní koridor, systém tratí z Bostonu přes New York, Filadelfii a Baltimore do Washingtonu, DC. Polostátní železniční společnost Amtrak tam denně provozuje přes dva tisíce místních i dálkových spojení, je to jedno z mála míst, kde osobní železniční doprava vydělává. Praktické je hlavně to, že nastoupíte například do expresu Acela na Union Station v centru Washingtonu a za dvě a půl hodiny jste na Pennsylvania Station přímo na Manhattanu můžete se na to spolehnout. V případě cesty autem nebo autobusem těžko odhadnete, jak dlouho to bude trvat. A lepší to není ani letadlem: na letiště musíte kvůli kontrolám dvě až tři hodiny předem a pak zas nevíte, jak dlouho Vám zabere cesta z letiště tam, kam potřebujete. Severovýchodní koridor je tak takovou skoro poslední výspou Spojených států, kde i dálková doprava vlakem drží krok s auty a letadly. Je mi to to trochu líto, protože mám vlaky rád. Pořád věřím, že si jednou splním svůj sen a projedu Státy vlakem od východu na západ a od jihu na sever. A jako takovou nostalgickou připomínku dob, kdy vlaky kralovaly Americe, jsem ted dal na podcast Poutník reportáž o jednom z míst, které se do historie amerických železnic zapsalo víc jiné: městě Chattanooga a legendárním vlakům Chattanooga Choo Choo.

J & G go to Chattanooga this week and discuss their experiences. Wanna know what you need to check out and what you don't the next time you're in town? Then buckle up and come on!

About This Episode The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra is the most sought after big band in the world today. Their classics include In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, and Tuxedo Junction. After Miller’s death in 1944, the band was reformed in 1956 and has played an average of 300 shows a year ever since. About Michael Perry Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author, humorist and radio show host from New Auburn, Wisconsin. Perry's bestselling memoirs include Population 485, Truck: A Love Story, Coop, and Visiting Tom, and his latest, Montaigne in Barn Boots: An Amateur Ambles Through Philosophy. His first book for young readers, The Scavengers, was published in 2014 and first novel for adult readers, The Jesus Cow, was published in May of 2015. Raised on a small Midwestern dairy farm, Perry put himself through nursing school while working on a ranch in Wyoming, then wandered into writing. He lives with his wife and two daughters in rural Wisconsin, where he serves on the local volunteer fire and rescue service and is an intermittent pig farmer. He hosts the nationally-syndicated "Tent Show Radio," performs widely as a humorist, and tours with his band the Long Beds (currently recording their third album for Amble Down Records). He has recorded three live humor albums including Never Stand Behind A Sneezing Cow and The Clodhopper Monologues. Learn more about Michael and where to get his publications at www.sneezingcow.com. Follow Michael Perry www.sneezingcow.com Twitter Facebook Instagram Other Ways to Stream Public Radio Exchange: www.prx.org/tentshowradio Podcast: www.libsyn.com/tentshowradio iTunes: www.itunes/tentshowradio Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/tentshowradio Player.FM: www.player.FM/tentshowradio iHeart Radio: www.iheart.com  

Hello ModernJeepers, Matson with Metalcloak here and welcome to Episode Number 32 of The ModernJeeper Show… the show about Jeeps, Jeeping and Jeepers.This episode was originally recorded on Tuesday, August 27 just after the Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion and before the upcoming Sheriff’s Jeepfest. Then on Wednesday, August 28, the world learned of the death of Jessi Combs. As a friend of Jessi’s, Corey thought it would be a good idea to do a tribute episode to her which we recorded that afternoon as Episode number 31. You can hear Corey fighting back the waterworks while telling his stories about his amazing friend. Needless to say, that delayed the publishing of this episode until this week. So, while the timing of the conversation may be off, Corey & I still had a good time catching up on events, learning about the Chattanooga Choo Choo, how we expect Sheriff’s Jeep Fest to go, and sharing just how big the Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion has become with this week’s guest, Justin Murray, organizer of the event.Justin shares with us how they revised a dead club, how “open top” fits into their bylaws, what the very first “Invasion” was like, why it seems it has taken on a life of it’s own, what his first and current Jeep is, why he finally broke down and bought a JL, and what he does in real life with Victorian mansions. And of course we have our Tech Tip of the Week… all about LEDs.You can find helpful links to many of the things we talk about in this episode in the show notes at ModernJeeperShow.com and make sure to check out ModernJeeperAdventures.com for our growing list of upcoming adventures that you hear us talk about.As always, ModernJeeper is extremely grateful to our supporters including Warn Winches, Raceline Wheels, Bestop, Milestar Tires, Rugged Radios and, of course, Metalcloak.So, sit back, relax with a cold one, and enjoy Episode number 32 of The ModernJeeper Show…

Lee & Troy discuss the historic Choo Choo, Lookout Mtn and everything else this quaint city has to offer.

(06-20-2019) - Randy and "Hot Rod Bob" talk with "K.C." Jones....who operates "Team Steam", a racing team that rides Jet powered dragsters (that look like Trains) and Jet powered Peterbilts down the race track!     

About This Episode The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra is the most sought after big band in the world today. Their classics include In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, and Tuxedo Junction. After Miller’s death in 1944, the band was reformed in 1956 and has played an average of 300 shows a year ever since. About Michael Perry Michael Perry is a New York Times bestselling author, humorist and radio show host from New Auburn, Wisconsin. Perry's bestselling memoirs include Population 485, Truck: A Love Story, Coop, and Visiting Tom, and his latest, Montaigne in Barn Boots: An Amateur Ambles Through Philosophy. His first book for young readers, The Scavengers, was published in 2014 and first novel for adult readers, The Jesus Cow, was published in May of 2015. Raised on a small Midwestern dairy farm, Perry put himself through nursing school while working on a ranch in Wyoming, then wandered into writing. He lives with his wife and two daughters in rural Wisconsin, where he serves on the local volunteer fire and rescue service and is an intermittent pig farmer. He hosts the nationally-syndicated "Tent Show Radio," performs widely as a humorist, and tours with his band the Long Beds (currently recording their third album for Amble Down Records). He has recorded three live humor albums including Never Stand Behind A Sneezing Cow and The Clodhopper Monologues. Learn more about Michael and where to get his publications at www.sneezingcow.com. Follow Michael Perry www.sneezingcow.com Twitter Facebook Instagram Other Ways to Stream Public Radio Exchange: www.prx.org/tentshowradio Podcast: www.libsyn.com/tentshowradio iTunes: www.itunes/tentshowradio Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/tentshowradio Player.FM: www.player.FM/tentshowradio iHeart Radio: www.iheart.com

  Welcome to episode twenty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.  —-more—- Resources As always, I’ve created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode.   Unfortunately, there aren’t many good books about Bill Haley available. There are two biographies which are long out of print — one by John Swenson which I read as a very small child, and one from the nineties by one of Haley’s sons. Another of Haley’s sons has a biography due out in April, which might be worthwhile, but until then the only book available is a self-published biography by Otto Fuchs. I relied on volume one of Fuchs’ book for this post — it’s very good on the facts — but it suffers from being written by someone whose first language is not English, and it also *badly* needs an editor, so I can’t wholly recommend it. This box set, which is ridiculously cheap, contains almost every track anyone could want by Haley and the Comets, and it also includes the Jodimars track I excerpt here. Unfortunately it doesn’t contain his great late-fifties singles “Lean Jean” and “Skinny Minnie”, or the 1960s recordings I excerpt here (which are not in print anywhere that I know of) but it has everything else you could want.   Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript A quick content note for this one – it contains non-explicit mention of infant death, alcoholism, and brain tumours, as well as a quote which uses a word which, while not a slur, is now no longer accepted as a polite term for black people in the way that it was at the time of the quote. Sometimes, the very worst thing that can happen to a musician is for them to have a big hit. A musician who has been doing fine, getting moderate sized hits and making a decent living, suddenly finds themselves selling tens of millions of records. It’s what everyone wants, and it’s what they’ve been working up to for their whole career, but what happens then? Is it a fluke? Are they ever going to have another hit as big as the first? How do they top that? Those problems can be bad enough if your big hit is just a normal big hit. Now imagine that your big hit becomes a marker for a whole generation, that it inspires a musical trend that lasts decades, that it causes actual rioting. Imagine that it’s a record that literally everyone in the Western Hemisphere knows, that sixty-five years and counting after its release is still instantly recognisable. When your big hit is *that* big, where do you go from there? What *can* you do next? For a while, before leaving Essex Records, Bill Haley had wanted to record a song called “Rock Around the Clock”. It had been passed to him by Jimmy Myers, one of the song’s two credited writers, but for some reason Dave Miller, Haley’s producer, didn’t want Haley to record it — to the extent that Haley claimed that a couple of times he’d brought the sheet music into the studio and Miller had ripped it up rather than let him record the song. According to John Swenson’s biography of Haley, Miller and Myers knew each other and didn’t get on, which might be the case, but it might also just be as simple as “Rock Around the Clock” being very derivative. In particular, the lyrics owed more than a little to Wynonie Harris’ “Around the Clock Blues”. Indeed, even the title “Rock Around the Clock” had already been used, four years earlier, by Hal Singer: [excerpt “Rock Around the Clock”: Hal Singer and Orchestra] So, “Rock Around the Clock” was an absolutely generic song for its time, and whatever Dave Miller’s reasons for not allowing Haley to record it, it wasn’t like he was missing out on anything special, was it? After “Rock the Joint” and “Crazy Man Crazy”, Bill Haley was in a position to make a real breakthrough into massive commercial success, but… nothing happened. He released a bunch more singles on Essex, but for some reason they weren’t following up on the clear direction he’d set with those singles. Instead he seemed to be flailing around, recording cover versions of recent country hits, or remakes of older songs like “Chattanooga Choo Choo”. None of his follow-ups to “Crazy Man Crazy” did anything at all in the charts, and it looked for a while that he was going to be a one-hit wonder, and getting to number fifteen in the charts was going to be his highest achievement. But then, something happened — Bill Haley quit Essex Records, the label that had led him to become a rockabilly performer in the first place, and signed with Decca. And there his producer was Milt Gabler. Decca was in an interesting position in 1954, one which listeners to this podcast may not quite appreciate. You might remember that we’ve mentioned Decca quite a few times over the first few months of this podcast. That’s because in the 1940s, Decca was the only major label to sign any of the proto-rock artists we’ve talked about. In the late forties, Decca had Lucky Millinder, Lionel Hampton, Louis Jordan, the Ink Spots, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosetta Tharpe, Marie Knight, and the Mills Brothers on its roster. It also had a number of country artists who contributed a lot to the hillbilly boogie sound — people like Ernest Tubb, Red Foley, and more. But Decca was the *only* one of the major labels to sign up acts like this. The major labels were, as we’ve discussed, going mostly for a white middle-class market that wanted Doris Day and Tony Bennett — not that there’s anything wrong with Doris Day or Tony Bennett — and indeed Decca had plenty of its own acts like that too, and *mostly* dealt in that sort of music. But any artist that was working in those styles that *wasn’t* signed to Decca had to sign to tiny independent labels. And those independent labels set up their own distribution networks, which went to shops that specialised in the black or hillbilly markets. And so those speciality shops eventually just started buying from the indie distributors, and didn’t buy from the major labels at all — since Decca was the only one they’d been buying from anyway, before the indies came along. And this caused problems for a lot of Decca’s artists. The reason that Louis Jordan, say, was so big was that he’d been selling both to the R&B market — since he was, after all, an R&B artist, and one of the best — and to the pop market, because he was on a major label. You sell to both those markets, and you’d sell to a *lot* of people — the casual record buyer market was much larger than the market for speciality genres, while the speciality genre audience was loyal and would buy everything in the styles it liked. But if you were only selling to the Doris Day buyers, and not to the people who liked honking saxophones and went out of their way to buy them, then your honking-saxophone records were not going to do wonderfully in sales. This change in the distribution model of records is one of the two reasons that all the artists we talked about in the first few episodes had a catastrophic drop in their sales in the early fifties. We already talked about the other reason in the episode on “Crazy Man Crazy”, but as a reminder, when the radio stations switched to playing forty-fives, they threw out their old seventy-eights. That meant that if you were one of those Decca artists, you simultaneously lost all the radio play for your old singles — because the radio stations had chucked out their copies — and stopped having new hits because the distribution model had changed under your feet. And so pretty much all Decca’s roster of rhythm and blues or country hitmakers had lost their hit potential, all at the same time. But Decca still had Milt Gabler. We talked about Milt Gabler right back at the start of this series. He was the one who produced Lionel Hampton’s version of “Flying Home”, the one with the Ilinois Jacquet sax solo, and who produced “Strange Fruit” and most of Louis Jordan’s records and the Ink Spots’ hits. He’d been the one who put Sister Rosetta Tharpe together with pianist Sammy Price. He was largely — almost solely — responsible for the difference between Decca’s roster and that of the other major labels, and he still wanted to carry on making records in the styles he loved. But to do that, he had to find a way to sell them to the pop audience. And Bill Haley seemed like someone who could appeal to that audience. Indeed, Haley already *had* appealed to that audience once, with “Crazy Man Crazy”, and if he could do it once he could do it again. Bill Haley’s style was not very like most of the music Milt Gabler had been making — Gabler was, after all, a serious jazz fanatic — but over recent months Haley’s style had been drifting closer and closer to the sort of thing Gabler was doing. In fact, Gabler saw a way to make him even more successful, by pushing the similarity to Louis Jordan, which had already been apparent in some of Haley’s earlier records. And so the group were in the studio to record what was intended to be Bill Haley and the Comets’ latest hit, “Thirteen Women And Only One Man In Town”. [excerpt: Bill Haley “Thirteen Women”] We haven’t talked enough about how much nuclear paranoia was fuelling the popular culture of the early 1950s. Remember, when this record was made, the first atomic bombs had only been dropped eight and a half years earlier, and it had been five years since the Russians had revealed that they, too, had an atom bomb. At the time, everyone was absolutely convinced that a nuclear war between America and Russia was not only likely but inevitable — yet at the same time the development of nuclear weapons was also something to be proud of — a great American technological innovation, something that was out of a science fiction film. Both of these things were true, more or less, as far as the American popular imagination went, and this led to a very odd sort of cognitive dissonance. And while it’s not a good idea to put too much weight on the lyrics of “Thirteen Women”, which is, after all, just an attempt at having a novelty hit with a Louis Jordan-style song about having thirteen women to oneself, it is notable that it does reflect that ambiguity. The dream the singer has is that the hydrogen bomb has been dropped and left only fourteen people alive in the whole town — thirteen women plus himself. Now, one might normally think that that was a devastating, horrific, thought, and that it was a prelude to some sort of Threads-esque story of post-apocalyptic terror. In this case, however, it merely becomes an excuse for a bit of casual sexism, as the thirteen women become Haley’s harem and servants, each with their own specified task. Obviously, I’m being a little facetious here. For what it is — a comedy hillbilly boogie that plays on Haley’s genial likeability, “Thirteen Women” is perfectly pleasant, if a little “of its time”. It’s very obviously influenced by Louis Jordan, but that makes sense given that Gabler was Jordan’s producer. Indeed, Gabler was also the one who introduced the H-bomb theme — the original version of the song, by the blues guitarist Dickie Thompson, makes no mention of the bomb or the dream, just treats it as something that happened to him. And, frankly, Thompson’s version is much, much better than Haley’s, and has some truly great guitar playing: [excerpt: Dickie Thompson “Thirteen Women”]  But Thompson’s record is absolutely a blues record, in the same style as people like Guitar Slim or Johnny Guitar Watson. Haley’s record is very different, and while Thompson’s sounds better to modern ears — or at least to my ears — Haley’s was in a style that was massively popular for the time. But it would probably make an unlikely massive hit. And you certainly wouldn’t expect its B-side to become that massive hit. For the B-side, Haley decided to cut that “Rock Around the Clock” song that he’d been offered a year earlier. It might have come back into his mind because, two weeks earlier, another group had released their version of it. Sonny Dae and his Knights were a band from Virginia who had never made a record before — and who never would again — but who had a regular radio spot. “Rock Around the Clock” was their only recorded legacy, and it might have had a chance at being a hit by them with some proper promotion — or maybe not, given the… experimental… nature of the intro: [excerpt Sonny Dae and his Knights: “Rock Around the Clock”] So the single did very little, and now Sonny Dae and his Knights are a footnote. But their release may have reminded Haley of the song, and he recorded his new version in two takes. But the interesting thing is that Haley *didn’t* record the song as it was written, or as the Knights recorded it. Listen again to the melody that Sonny Dae is singing: [short excerpt] Now, let’s listen to Bill Haley singing the same bit [excerpt] That’s a totally different melody. What Haley has done there is change the melody on the original to a melody that is essentially the standard boogie bassline. But I think there’s a specific reason for that. Hank Williams’ very first big hit, remember, was a comedy Western swing song called “Move it on Over”. That song has almost exactly the same melody that Haley is singing for the verse of “Rock Around the Clock” [excerpt of Hank Williams: “Move it On Over”] We know that Haley knew the song, because he later cut his own version of it, so it’s reasonable to assume that this was a very deliberate decision. What Haley and the Comets have done is take the *utterly generic* song “Rock Around the Clock”, and they’ve used it as an excuse to hang every bit of every other song that they know could be a hit on — to create an arrangement that could encapsulate everything about successful music. They kept the basic arrangement and structure they’d worked out for “Rock the Joint” right down to Danny Cedrone playing the same solo note-for-note. Compare “Rock the Joint”‘s solo [excerpt] With “Rock Around the Clock”‘s [excerpt] For the beginning, they came up with a stop-start intro that emphasised the word “rock”: [excerpt] And then, at the end, they used a variant of the riff ending you’d often get in swing songs like “Flying Home”, which one strongly suspects was Gabler’s idea. The Knights did something similar, but only for a couple of bars, in their badly-thought-out solo section. With the Comets, it’s a far more prominent feature of the arrangement. Again, compare “Flying Home”: [riff from “Flying Home”, Benny Goodman] and “Rock Around the Clock”: [riff] This was *wildly* experimental. They were trying this stuff, not with any thought to listenability, but to see what worked. It didn’t matter, no-one was going to hear it. It was something they knocked out in two takes – and the finished version had to be edited together from both of them, because they didn’t have time in the studio to get a decent take down. This was not a record that was destined to have any great success. And, indeed, it didn’t. “Rock Around the Clock” made almost no impact on its original release. It charted, but only in the lower reaches of the chart, and didn’t really register on the public’s consciousness. But Haley and his band continued making records in that style, and their next one, a cover of Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”, did rather better, and started rising up the charts quite well. Their version of “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” — a song which we talked about a bit in episode two, if you want to go back and refresh your memory — was nowhere near as powerful as Turner’s had been. It cleaned up parts of the lyric — though notably not the filthiest lines, presumably because the innuendo in them completely passed both Haley and Gabler by — and imposed a much more conventional structure on it. But while it was a watered-down version of the original song, it was still potent enough that for those who hadn’t heard the original, it was working some sort of magic: [excerpt: “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” by Bill Haley and his Comets] Haley was a real fan of Turner, and indeed the two men became close friends in later years, and the Comets were Turner’s backing band on one sixties album. But he doesn’t have the power or gravitas in his vocals that Turner did, and the result is rather lightweight. Haley’s cover was recorded the same week that Turner’s version reached number one on the R&B charts, and it’s easy to think of this as another “Sh’Boom” situation, with a white man making a more radio-friendly version of a black musician’s hit. But Haley’s version is not just a straight copy — and not just because of the changes to remove some of the more obviously filthy lines. It’s structured differently, and has a whole different feel to it. This feels to me more like Haley recasting things into his own style than him trying to jump on someone else’s bandwagon, though it’s a more ambiguous case than some. “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” became Bill Haley’s biggest hit so far, going top ten in the pop charts, and both Haley’s version and Turner’s sold a million copies. It looked like Haley was on his way to a reasonable career — not, perhaps, a massive stardom, but selling a lot of records, and doing well in shows. But then everything changed, for Bill Haley and for the world. It was only when a film, “The Blackboard Jungle”, was being made nearly a year after “Rock Around the Clock” was recorded, that the track became important. “Blackboard Jungle” was absolutely not a rock and roll film. It was a film about teenagers and rebellion and so on, yes, but in a pivotal scene when a teacher brings his old jazz records in, in order to bond with the kids, and they smash them and play their own, it’s not rock and roll they’re playing but modern jazz. Stan Kenton is the soundtrack to their rebellion, not anything more rock. But in order to make the film up-to-the-minute, the producers of the film borrowed some records from the record collection of Peter Ford, the teenage son of the film’s star. They wanted to find out what kind of records teenagers were listening to, and he happened to have a copy of the Bill Haley single. They made the decision that this was to be the theme tune to the film, and all of a sudden, everything changed. Everything. Because “The Blackboard Jungle” was a sensation. Probably the best explanation of what it did, and of what “Rock Around the Clock” did as its theme song, is in this quote from Frank Zappa from 1971. “In my days of flaming youth I was extremely suspect of any rock music played by white people. The sincerity and emotional intensity of their performances, when they sang about boyfriends and girlfriends and breaking up et cetera, was nowhere when I compared it to my high school negro R&B heroes like Johnny Otis, Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Mae Thornton.” (Again, when Zappa said this, that word was the accepted polite term for black people. Language has evolved since. The quote continues.) “But then I remember going to see Blackboard Jungle. When the titles flashed up there on the screen, Bill Haley and his Comets started blurching ‘One, Two, Three O’Clock, Four O’Clock Rock…’ It was the loudest rock sound kids had ever heard at the time. I remember being inspired with awe. In cruddy little teen-age rooms, across America, kids had been huddling around old radios and cheap record players listening to the ‘dirty music’ of their lifestyle. (“Go in your room if you wanna listen to that crap…and turn the volume all the way down”.) But in the theatre watching Blackboard Jungle, they couldn’t tell you to turn it down. I didn’t care if Bill Haley was white or sincere…he was playing the Teen-Age National Anthem, and it was so LOUD I was jumping up and down.” There were reports of riots in the cinemas, with people slicing up seats with knives in a frenzy as the music played. “Rock Around the Clock” went to number one on the pop charts, but it did more than that. It sold, in total, well over twenty-five million copies as a vinyl single, becoming the best-selling vinyl single in history. When counting compilation albums on which it has appeared, the number of copies of the song that have sold must total in the hundreds of millions. Bill Haley and the Comets had become the biggest act in the world, and for the next couple of years, they would tour constantly, playing to hysterical crowds, and appearing in two films — “Rock Around the Clock” and “Don’t Knock the Rock”. They were worldwide superstars, famous at a level beyond anything imaginable before. But at the same time that everything was going right for “Rock Around the Clock”‘s sales, things were going horribly wrong for everything else in Haley’s life. Ten days after the session for “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”, at the end of June 1954, Danny Cedrone, the session guitarist who had played on all Haley’s records, and a close friend of Haley, fell down the stairs and broke his neck, dying instantly. At the end of July, Haley’s baby daughter died suddenly, of cot death. And… there was no follow-up to “Rock Around the Clock”. You *can’t* follow up anything that big — there’s nothing to follow it up with. And Haley’s normal attitude, of scientifically assessing what the kids liked, didn’t work any more either. The kids were screaming at *everything*, because he was the biggest star in the world. The next few records all hit the pop charts, and all got in the top twenty or thirty — they were big hits by most standards, but they weren’t “Rock Around the Clock” big. And then in 1955, the band’s bass player, saxophone player, and drummer quit the band, forming their own group, the Jodimars: [excerpt: the Jodimars: “Well Now Dig This”] Haley soldiered on, however, and the new lineup of the band had another top ten hit in December 1955 — their first in over a year — with “See You Later Alligator”: [excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets “See You Later, Alligator”] While that was no “Rock Around the Clock”, it did sell a million copies. But it was a false dawn. The singles after that made the lower reaches of the top thirty, and then the lower reaches of the top one hundred, and then stopped charting altogether. They had one final top thirty hit in 1958, with the rather fabulous “Skinny Minnie”: [excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets “Skinny Minnie”] That’s an obvious attempt to copy Larry Williams’ “Bony Moronie”, but also, it’s a really good record. But the follow-up, “Lean Jean”, only reached number sixty, and that was it for Bill Haley and the Comets on the US charts. And that’s usually where people leave the story, assuming Haley was a total failure after this, but that shows the America-centric nature of most rock criticism. In fact, Bill Haley moved to Mexico in 1960. The IRS were after Haley’s money, and he found that he could make money from a Mexican record label, and if it stayed in Mexico, he didn’t have to give his new income to them. He was going through a divorce, and he’d met a Mexican woman who was to become his third wife, and so it just made sense for him to move. And in Mexico, Bill Haley became king of the Twist: [excerpt: Bill Haley y sus Cometas, “Florida Twist”] “Florida Twist” went to number one in Mexico, as did the album of the same name. Indeed, “Florida Twist”, by Bill Haley y sus Cometas, became the biggest-selling single ever up to that point in Mexico. The Comets had their own TV show in Mexico, Orfeón a Go-Go, and made three Spanish-language films in the sixties. They had a string of hits there, and Mexico wasn’t the only place they were having hits. Their “Chick Safari” went to number one in India. A warning before this bit… it’s got a bit of the comedy racism that you would find at the time in too many records: [excerpt “Chick Safari”, Bill Haley and the Comets] And even after his success as a recording artist finally dried up — in the late sixties, not the late fifties like most articles on him assume, Haley and the Comets were still a huge live draw across the world. At a rock revival show in the late sixties at Madison Square Garden, Haley got an eight-and-a-half-minute standing ovation before playing a song. He played Wembley Stadium in 1972 and the Royal Variety Performance in 1979. Haley’s last few years weren’t happy ones — he started behaving erratically shortly after Rudy Pompili, his best friend and saxophone player for over twenty years, died in 1976. He gave up performing for a couple of years — he and Pompilli had always said that if one of them died the other one wouldn’t carry on — and when he came back, he seemed to be behaving oddly and people usually put this down to his alcoholism, and blame *that* on his resentment at his so-called lack of success — forgetting that he had a brain tumour, and that just perhaps that might have led to some of the erraticness. But people let that cast a shadow back over his career, and let his appearance — a bit fat, not in the first flush of youth — convince them that because he didn’t fit with later standards of cool, he was “forgotten” and “overlooked”. Bill Haley died in 1981, just over a year after touring Britain and playing the Royal Variety Performance — a televised event which would regularly get upwards of twenty million viewers. I haven’t been able to find the figures for the 1979 show, but the Royal Variety Performance regularly hit the top of the ratings for the *year* in the seventies and eighties. Bill Haley was gone, yes, but he hadn’t been forgotten. And as long as “Rock Around the Clock” is played, he won’t be. [excerpt: “See You Later Alligator” — “so long, that’s all goodbye”]

  Welcome to episode twenty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we're looking at "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.  ----more---- Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode.   Unfortunately, there aren't many good books about Bill Haley available. There are two biographies which are long out of print -- one by John Swenson which I read as a very small child, and one from the nineties by one of Haley's sons. Another of Haley's sons has a biography due out in April, which might be worthwhile, but until then the only book available is a self-published biography by Otto Fuchs. I relied on volume one of Fuchs' book for this post -- it's very good on the facts -- but it suffers from being written by someone whose first language is not English, and it also *badly* needs an editor, so I can't wholly recommend it. This box set, which is ridiculously cheap, contains almost every track anyone could want by Haley and the Comets, and it also includes the Jodimars track I excerpt here. Unfortunately it doesn't contain his great late-fifties singles "Lean Jean" and "Skinny Minnie", or the 1960s recordings I excerpt here (which are not in print anywhere that I know of) but it has everything else you could want.   Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript A quick content note for this one – it contains non-explicit mention of infant death, alcoholism, and brain tumours, as well as a quote which uses a word which, while not a slur, is now no longer accepted as a polite term for black people in the way that it was at the time of the quote. Sometimes, the very worst thing that can happen to a musician is for them to have a big hit. A musician who has been doing fine, getting moderate sized hits and making a decent living, suddenly finds themselves selling tens of millions of records. It's what everyone wants, and it's what they've been working up to for their whole career, but what happens then? Is it a fluke? Are they ever going to have another hit as big as the first? How do they top that? Those problems can be bad enough if your big hit is just a normal big hit. Now imagine that your big hit becomes a marker for a whole generation, that it inspires a musical trend that lasts decades, that it causes actual rioting. Imagine that it's a record that literally everyone in the Western Hemisphere knows, that sixty-five years and counting after its release is still instantly recognisable. When your big hit is *that* big, where do you go from there? What *can* you do next? For a while, before leaving Essex Records, Bill Haley had wanted to record a song called "Rock Around the Clock". It had been passed to him by Jimmy Myers, one of the song's two credited writers, but for some reason Dave Miller, Haley's producer, didn't want Haley to record it -- to the extent that Haley claimed that a couple of times he'd brought the sheet music into the studio and Miller had ripped it up rather than let him record the song. According to John Swenson's biography of Haley, Miller and Myers knew each other and didn't get on, which might be the case, but it might also just be as simple as "Rock Around the Clock" being very derivative. In particular, the lyrics owed more than a little to Wynonie Harris' "Around the Clock Blues". Indeed, even the title "Rock Around the Clock" had already been used, four years earlier, by Hal Singer: [excerpt "Rock Around the Clock": Hal Singer and Orchestra] So, "Rock Around the Clock" was an absolutely generic song for its time, and whatever Dave Miller's reasons for not allowing Haley to record it, it wasn't like he was missing out on anything special, was it? After "Rock the Joint" and "Crazy Man Crazy", Bill Haley was in a position to make a real breakthrough into massive commercial success, but... nothing happened. He released a bunch more singles on Essex, but for some reason they weren't following up on the clear direction he'd set with those singles. Instead he seemed to be flailing around, recording cover versions of recent country hits, or remakes of older songs like "Chattanooga Choo Choo". None of his follow-ups to "Crazy Man Crazy" did anything at all in the charts, and it looked for a while that he was going to be a one-hit wonder, and getting to number fifteen in the charts was going to be his highest achievement. But then, something happened -- Bill Haley quit Essex Records, the label that had led him to become a rockabilly performer in the first place, and signed with Decca. And there his producer was Milt Gabler. Decca was in an interesting position in 1954, one which listeners to this podcast may not quite appreciate. You might remember that we've mentioned Decca quite a few times over the first few months of this podcast. That's because in the 1940s, Decca was the only major label to sign any of the proto-rock artists we've talked about. In the late forties, Decca had Lucky Millinder, Lionel Hampton, Louis Jordan, the Ink Spots, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosetta Tharpe, Marie Knight, and the Mills Brothers on its roster. It also had a number of country artists who contributed a lot to the hillbilly boogie sound -- people like Ernest Tubb, Red Foley, and more. But Decca was the *only* one of the major labels to sign up acts like this. The major labels were, as we've discussed, going mostly for a white middle-class market that wanted Doris Day and Tony Bennett -- not that there's anything wrong with Doris Day or Tony Bennett -- and indeed Decca had plenty of its own acts like that too, and *mostly* dealt in that sort of music. But any artist that was working in those styles that *wasn't* signed to Decca had to sign to tiny independent labels. And those independent labels set up their own distribution networks, which went to shops that specialised in the black or hillbilly markets. And so those speciality shops eventually just started buying from the indie distributors, and didn't buy from the major labels at all -- since Decca was the only one they'd been buying from anyway, before the indies came along. And this caused problems for a lot of Decca's artists. The reason that Louis Jordan, say, was so big was that he'd been selling both to the R&B market -- since he was, after all, an R&B artist, and one of the best -- and to the pop market, because he was on a major label. You sell to both those markets, and you'd sell to a *lot* of people -- the casual record buyer market was much larger than the market for speciality genres, while the speciality genre audience was loyal and would buy everything in the styles it liked. But if you were only selling to the Doris Day buyers, and not to the people who liked honking saxophones and went out of their way to buy them, then your honking-saxophone records were not going to do wonderfully in sales. This change in the distribution model of records is one of the two reasons that all the artists we talked about in the first few episodes had a catastrophic drop in their sales in the early fifties. We already talked about the other reason in the episode on "Crazy Man Crazy", but as a reminder, when the radio stations switched to playing forty-fives, they threw out their old seventy-eights. That meant that if you were one of those Decca artists, you simultaneously lost all the radio play for your old singles -- because the radio stations had chucked out their copies -- and stopped having new hits because the distribution model had changed under your feet. And so pretty much all Decca's roster of rhythm and blues or country hitmakers had lost their hit potential, all at the same time. But Decca still had Milt Gabler. We talked about Milt Gabler right back at the start of this series. He was the one who produced Lionel Hampton's version of "Flying Home", the one with the Ilinois Jacquet sax solo, and who produced "Strange Fruit" and most of Louis Jordan's records and the Ink Spots' hits. He'd been the one who put Sister Rosetta Tharpe together with pianist Sammy Price. He was largely -- almost solely -- responsible for the difference between Decca's roster and that of the other major labels, and he still wanted to carry on making records in the styles he loved. But to do that, he had to find a way to sell them to the pop audience. And Bill Haley seemed like someone who could appeal to that audience. Indeed, Haley already *had* appealed to that audience once, with "Crazy Man Crazy", and if he could do it once he could do it again. Bill Haley's style was not very like most of the music Milt Gabler had been making -- Gabler was, after all, a serious jazz fanatic -- but over recent months Haley's style had been drifting closer and closer to the sort of thing Gabler was doing. In fact, Gabler saw a way to make him even more successful, by pushing the similarity to Louis Jordan, which had already been apparent in some of Haley's earlier records. And so the group were in the studio to record what was intended to be Bill Haley and the Comets' latest hit, "Thirteen Women And Only One Man In Town". [excerpt: Bill Haley "Thirteen Women"] We haven't talked enough about how much nuclear paranoia was fuelling the popular culture of the early 1950s. Remember, when this record was made, the first atomic bombs had only been dropped eight and a half years earlier, and it had been five years since the Russians had revealed that they, too, had an atom bomb. At the time, everyone was absolutely convinced that a nuclear war between America and Russia was not only likely but inevitable -- yet at the same time the development of nuclear weapons was also something to be proud of -- a great American technological innovation, something that was out of a science fiction film. Both of these things were true, more or less, as far as the American popular imagination went, and this led to a very odd sort of cognitive dissonance. And while it's not a good idea to put too much weight on the lyrics of "Thirteen Women", which is, after all, just an attempt at having a novelty hit with a Louis Jordan-style song about having thirteen women to oneself, it is notable that it does reflect that ambiguity. The dream the singer has is that the hydrogen bomb has been dropped and left only fourteen people alive in the whole town -- thirteen women plus himself. Now, one might normally think that that was a devastating, horrific, thought, and that it was a prelude to some sort of Threads-esque story of post-apocalyptic terror. In this case, however, it merely becomes an excuse for a bit of casual sexism, as the thirteen women become Haley's harem and servants, each with their own specified task. Obviously, I'm being a little facetious here. For what it is -- a comedy hillbilly boogie that plays on Haley's genial likeability, “Thirteen Women” is perfectly pleasant, if a little "of its time". It's very obviously influenced by Louis Jordan, but that makes sense given that Gabler was Jordan's producer. Indeed, Gabler was also the one who introduced the H-bomb theme -- the original version of the song, by the blues guitarist Dickie Thompson, makes no mention of the bomb or the dream, just treats it as something that happened to him. And, frankly, Thompson's version is much, much better than Haley's, and has some truly great guitar playing: [excerpt: Dickie Thompson "Thirteen Women"]  But Thompson's record is absolutely a blues record, in the same style as people like Guitar Slim or Johnny Guitar Watson. Haley's record is very different, and while Thompson's sounds better to modern ears -- or at least to my ears -- Haley's was in a style that was massively popular for the time. But it would probably make an unlikely massive hit. And you certainly wouldn't expect its B-side to become that massive hit. For the B-side, Haley decided to cut that "Rock Around the Clock" song that he'd been offered a year earlier. It might have come back into his mind because, two weeks earlier, another group had released their version of it. Sonny Dae and his Knights were a band from Virginia who had never made a record before -- and who never would again -- but who had a regular radio spot. "Rock Around the Clock" was their only recorded legacy, and it might have had a chance at being a hit by them with some proper promotion -- or maybe not, given the... experimental... nature of the intro: [excerpt Sonny Dae and his Knights: "Rock Around the Clock"] So the single did very little, and now Sonny Dae and his Knights are a footnote. But their release may have reminded Haley of the song, and he recorded his new version in two takes. But the interesting thing is that Haley *didn't* record the song as it was written, or as the Knights recorded it. Listen again to the melody that Sonny Dae is singing: [short excerpt] Now, let's listen to Bill Haley singing the same bit [excerpt] That's a totally different melody. What Haley has done there is change the melody on the original to a melody that is essentially the standard boogie bassline. But I think there's a specific reason for that. Hank Williams' very first big hit, remember, was a comedy Western swing song called "Move it on Over". That song has almost exactly the same melody that Haley is singing for the verse of "Rock Around the Clock" [excerpt of Hank Williams: "Move it On Over"] We know that Haley knew the song, because he later cut his own version of it, so it's reasonable to assume that this was a very deliberate decision. What Haley and the Comets have done is take the *utterly generic* song "Rock Around the Clock", and they've used it as an excuse to hang every bit of every other song that they know could be a hit on -- to create an arrangement that could encapsulate everything about successful music. They kept the basic arrangement and structure they'd worked out for "Rock the Joint" right down to Danny Cedrone playing the same solo note-for-note. Compare "Rock the Joint"'s solo [excerpt] With "Rock Around the Clock"'s [excerpt] For the beginning, they came up with a stop-start intro that emphasised the word "rock": [excerpt] And then, at the end, they used a variant of the riff ending you'd often get in swing songs like "Flying Home", which one strongly suspects was Gabler's idea. The Knights did something similar, but only for a couple of bars, in their badly-thought-out solo section. With the Comets, it's a far more prominent feature of the arrangement. Again, compare "Flying Home": [riff from "Flying Home", Benny Goodman] and "Rock Around the Clock": [riff] This was *wildly* experimental. They were trying this stuff, not with any thought to listenability, but to see what worked. It didn't matter, no-one was going to hear it. It was something they knocked out in two takes – and the finished version had to be edited together from both of them, because they didn't have time in the studio to get a decent take down. This was not a record that was destined to have any great success. And, indeed, it didn't. "Rock Around the Clock" made almost no impact on its original release. It charted, but only in the lower reaches of the chart, and didn't really register on the public's consciousness. But Haley and his band continued making records in that style, and their next one, a cover of Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle, and Roll", did rather better, and started rising up the charts quite well. Their version of "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" -- a song which we talked about a bit in episode two, if you want to go back and refresh your memory -- was nowhere near as powerful as Turner's had been. It cleaned up parts of the lyric -- though notably not the filthiest lines, presumably because the innuendo in them completely passed both Haley and Gabler by -- and imposed a much more conventional structure on it. But while it was a watered-down version of the original song, it was still potent enough that for those who hadn't heard the original, it was working some sort of magic: [excerpt: "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" by Bill Haley and his Comets] Haley was a real fan of Turner, and indeed the two men became close friends in later years, and the Comets were Turner's backing band on one sixties album. But he doesn't have the power or gravitas in his vocals that Turner did, and the result is rather lightweight. Haley's cover was recorded the same week that Turner's version reached number one on the R&B charts, and it's easy to think of this as another "Sh'Boom" situation, with a white man making a more radio-friendly version of a black musician's hit. But Haley's version is not just a straight copy -- and not just because of the changes to remove some of the more obviously filthy lines. It's structured differently, and has a whole different feel to it. This feels to me more like Haley recasting things into his own style than him trying to jump on someone else's bandwagon, though it's a more ambiguous case than some. "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" became Bill Haley's biggest hit so far, going top ten in the pop charts, and both Haley's version and Turner's sold a million copies. It looked like Haley was on his way to a reasonable career -- not, perhaps, a massive stardom, but selling a lot of records, and doing well in shows. But then everything changed, for Bill Haley and for the world. It was only when a film, "The Blackboard Jungle", was being made nearly a year after "Rock Around the Clock" was recorded, that the track became important. "Blackboard Jungle" was absolutely not a rock and roll film. It was a film about teenagers and rebellion and so on, yes, but in a pivotal scene when a teacher brings his old jazz records in, in order to bond with the kids, and they smash them and play their own, it's not rock and roll they're playing but modern jazz. Stan Kenton is the soundtrack to their rebellion, not anything more rock. But in order to make the film up-to-the-minute, the producers of the film borrowed some records from the record collection of Peter Ford, the teenage son of the film's star. They wanted to find out what kind of records teenagers were listening to, and he happened to have a copy of the Bill Haley single. They made the decision that this was to be the theme tune to the film, and all of a sudden, everything changed. Everything. Because "The Blackboard Jungle" was a sensation. Probably the best explanation of what it did, and of what "Rock Around the Clock" did as its theme song, is in this quote from Frank Zappa from 1971. "In my days of flaming youth I was extremely suspect of any rock music played by white people. The sincerity and emotional intensity of their performances, when they sang about boyfriends and girlfriends and breaking up et cetera, was nowhere when I compared it to my high school negro R&B heroes like Johnny Otis, Howlin' Wolf and Willie Mae Thornton.” (Again, when Zappa said this, that word was the accepted polite term for black people. Language has evolved since. The quote continues.) “But then I remember going to see Blackboard Jungle. When the titles flashed up there on the screen, Bill Haley and his Comets started blurching 'One, Two, Three O'Clock, Four O'Clock Rock…' It was the loudest rock sound kids had ever heard at the time. I remember being inspired with awe. In cruddy little teen-age rooms, across America, kids had been huddling around old radios and cheap record players listening to the 'dirty music' of their lifestyle. ("Go in your room if you wanna listen to that crap…and turn the volume all the way down".) But in the theatre watching Blackboard Jungle, they couldn't tell you to turn it down. I didn't care if Bill Haley was white or sincere…he was playing the Teen-Age National Anthem, and it was so LOUD I was jumping up and down." There were reports of riots in the cinemas, with people slicing up seats with knives in a frenzy as the music played. "Rock Around the Clock" went to number one on the pop charts, but it did more than that. It sold, in total, well over twenty-five million copies as a vinyl single, becoming the best-selling vinyl single in history. When counting compilation albums on which it has appeared, the number of copies of the song that have sold must total in the hundreds of millions. Bill Haley and the Comets had become the biggest act in the world, and for the next couple of years, they would tour constantly, playing to hysterical crowds, and appearing in two films -- "Rock Around the Clock" and "Don't Knock the Rock". They were worldwide superstars, famous at a level beyond anything imaginable before. But at the same time that everything was going right for "Rock Around the Clock"'s sales, things were going horribly wrong for everything else in Haley's life. Ten days after the session for "Shake, Rattle, and Roll", at the end of June 1954, Danny Cedrone, the session guitarist who had played on all Haley's records, and a close friend of Haley, fell down the stairs and broke his neck, dying instantly. At the end of July, Haley's baby daughter died suddenly, of cot death. And... there was no follow-up to "Rock Around the Clock". You *can't* follow up anything that big -- there's nothing to follow it up with. And Haley's normal attitude, of scientifically assessing what the kids liked, didn't work any more either. The kids were screaming at *everything*, because he was the biggest star in the world. The next few records all hit the pop charts, and all got in the top twenty or thirty -- they were big hits by most standards, but they weren't "Rock Around the Clock" big. And then in 1955, the band's bass player, saxophone player, and drummer quit the band, forming their own group, the Jodimars: [excerpt: the Jodimars: "Well Now Dig This"] Haley soldiered on, however, and the new lineup of the band had another top ten hit in December 1955 -- their first in over a year -- with "See You Later Alligator": [excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets "See You Later, Alligator"] While that was no "Rock Around the Clock", it did sell a million copies. But it was a false dawn. The singles after that made the lower reaches of the top thirty, and then the lower reaches of the top one hundred, and then stopped charting altogether. They had one final top thirty hit in 1958, with the rather fabulous "Skinny Minnie": [excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets "Skinny Minnie"] That's an obvious attempt to copy Larry Williams' "Bony Moronie", but also, it's a really good record. But the follow-up, "Lean Jean", only reached number sixty, and that was it for Bill Haley and the Comets on the US charts. And that's usually where people leave the story, assuming Haley was a total failure after this, but that shows the America-centric nature of most rock criticism. In fact, Bill Haley moved to Mexico in 1960. The IRS were after Haley's money, and he found that he could make money from a Mexican record label, and if it stayed in Mexico, he didn't have to give his new income to them. He was going through a divorce, and he'd met a Mexican woman who was to become his third wife, and so it just made sense for him to move. And in Mexico, Bill Haley became king of the Twist: [excerpt: Bill Haley y sus Cometas, "Florida Twist"] "Florida Twist" went to number one in Mexico, as did the album of the same name. Indeed, "Florida Twist", by Bill Haley y sus Cometas, became the biggest-selling single ever up to that point in Mexico. The Comets had their own TV show in Mexico, Orfeón a Go-Go, and made three Spanish-language films in the sixties. They had a string of hits there, and Mexico wasn't the only place they were having hits. Their "Chick Safari" went to number one in India. A warning before this bit... it's got a bit of the comedy racism that you would find at the time in too many records: [excerpt "Chick Safari", Bill Haley and the Comets] And even after his success as a recording artist finally dried up -- in the late sixties, not the late fifties like most articles on him assume, Haley and the Comets were still a huge live draw across the world. At a rock revival show in the late sixties at Madison Square Garden, Haley got an eight-and-a-half-minute standing ovation before playing a song. He played Wembley Stadium in 1972 and the Royal Variety Performance in 1979. Haley's last few years weren't happy ones -- he started behaving erratically shortly after Rudy Pompili, his best friend and saxophone player for over twenty years, died in 1976. He gave up performing for a couple of years -- he and Pompilli had always said that if one of them died the other one wouldn't carry on -- and when he came back, he seemed to be behaving oddly and people usually put this down to his alcoholism, and blame *that* on his resentment at his so-called lack of success -- forgetting that he had a brain tumour, and that just perhaps that might have led to some of the erraticness. But people let that cast a shadow back over his career, and let his appearance -- a bit fat, not in the first flush of youth -- convince them that because he didn't fit with later standards of cool, he was "forgotten" and "overlooked". Bill Haley died in 1981, just over a year after touring Britain and playing the Royal Variety Performance -- a televised event which would regularly get upwards of twenty million viewers. I haven't been able to find the figures for the 1979 show, but the Royal Variety Performance regularly hit the top of the ratings for the *year* in the seventies and eighties. Bill Haley was gone, yes, but he hadn't been forgotten. And as long as “Rock Around the Clock” is played, he won't be. [excerpt: "See You Later Alligator" -- "so long, that's all goodbye"]

Dawn Hjelseth of the Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club joins this week to tell us all about Brew Skies, a local beer festival taking place in April down at The Chattanooga Choo Choo. Tanner lays out an in depth fan theory on Ace Ventura, and they discuss this outrageous snow storm we recently recieved.If you’re a home-brewer who wants their beer in Brew Skies, be sure to sign up here.

It's the 30th episode of the White Belts in Life Podcast! While we were pressed for time on this one, we still managed to squeeze out a recap of the weekend of Bellator Grand Prix fights, which inevitably led us down a number of MMA and Non-MMA related tangents. Like, rate, subscribe, and someone leave us a god damned review! Godspeed. Intro/Outro Music - "Pink Glass" by Heavy Temple Subscribe on - iTunes / SoundCloud / Stitcher / Google Play / TuneIn / Spotify Website - whitebeltsinlife.com Email - whitebeltsinlife@gmail.com Facebook - facebook.com/whitebeltsinlife Twitter - @whitebeltinlife Instagram - @whitebeltsinlife YouTube - White Belts in Life

This is our third episode, so now you know it’s real (0:00 - 1:22)! Jesse and VaynerMedia creative director Chris Logsdon chat with Dakin Cranwell, owner/operator of American Draft, the country’s first pour-your-own-beer bar at the Chattanooga Choo Choo (1:23 - 22:12); and local community leader, festival creator and hip-hop artist Cameron Williams (23:58 - 38:20), a.k.a., C-Grimey (Music Performance 22:18 - 23:57 / 38:20 - 43:32).

After a rather funny train ride, where it appears American couples share the exact same argument to ones in Germany -- what is he doing everyday that the wife wants the husband to get him to stop. We have a pretty interesting discussion about what they might be discussing before we pull into the Transylvania Station. We are then introduced to a musical pun where we cannot help by end the episode singing just a little bit of the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. In addition, we got a special audio report filed from our German counterpart to The Wilder Ride, Malte Derks, who gave us his thoughts on the Germany couple, the train conductor's terrible German delivery, a misspelled sign and a comment on the decor and costuming. We were once again joined by Susan Delmonico of SJD Health and Fitness where she spends her day as a personal trainer and her night as a movie aficionado. 

Harry Warren – Chattanooga Choo Choo

On this week’s Open Mic Spotlight podcast, Chattanooga singer-songwriter Derick Anderson embraces the realities of his newfound fatherhood and brings his son, Jack, to spend time with Heather in the studio. Anderson had been living in Washington for some years before moving down to Chattanooga to attend Southern Adventist University for their music program. Having been raised in a very religious household, he decided that he needed to find some answers on his own, both in terms of his faith and secular life. He talks about almost getting caught listening to the “Mortal Kombat” soundtrack when he was a kid – this being while his father was out of the house. His original songs cover substantial emotional ground, including stories of personal religious struggles, the need for companionship and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Anderson also brings a first to Open Mic Spotlight: a cover of a song by The Foo Fighters, specifically “Times Like These.” And throughout all his performances, you can hear the coo and laughter of his son providing an innocent accompaniment. Discussing his influences, he counts artists like Ryan Adams, Jason Isbell and Andrew Duhon among those from whom he’s drawn particularly strong inspiration. He also talks a bit about his current project of forming a band called No Good Deeds with some local musicians and how they’re testing the waters a bit, writing and performing together to see how to best compliment one another’s styles. A discussion about the effects of red wine and sad songs is also broached. And with just an acoustic guitar and a voice filled with history, he conjures stories of love, ache and faith with a rare ease.

Bill Hughes joins George on High Noon, this week's essential song is "Glen Miller - Chattanooga Choo Choo"

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ Come and meet those dancing feet, we’re taking you to everyone’s favourite ‘avenue’: 42nd Street! Don your tap shoes and triple-time step your way into the Great Depression as Jimi and tommy (feat. a noisy cricket) discuss the tragic nature of the show’s opening night, debate the nature of dance breaks and the success of contemporary awakenings of classic musical comedies. 42nd Street (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES Turns out Pinky and Perky are British! For all you non-Brits out there here’s a taste of the singer-songwriter pigs’ TV show. If that sold you, you can get the VHS of the Chattanooga Choo Choo number here! If you fancy yourself some black and white realness, check out the Hollywood classic 42nd Street movie! Old Hollywood trailers are a beautiful thing, check out the (massively misogynistic) 42nd Street trailer from 1933. Did you know classic Hollywood actors made mistakes too? Just look and see! God damn! If you haven’t got one of the greatest musical theatre resources ever (Broadway: The American Musical by the way) then fix that right now! What do you think about the nature of dance breaks? Come tell us on Reddit! One of Jimi’s favourite Tony openings ever is 2001, with this fantastic turn from 42nd Street! If you want some more Tony opening fun have a look at the train wreck of 2009… Have a look at this xkcd comic as we tease apart the nature of reviving classic musicals. A CONFRONTATIONAL QUIZ QUESTION There are three musicals (that we know of) with songs in them titled “The Confrontation.” One of them is our musical next week.Which one?

On this date in 1942, the first gold record was awarded to Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. Here are some things you may not have known about certification of record sales. The record given to Miller was from his record company, RCA Victor, to celebrate the sales of 1.2 million copies of the single “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Other gold records awarded by companies were to Elvis Presley in 1956 after selling 1 million copies of his single “Don’t Be Cruel.” A year later RCA Victor game Harry Belafonte a gold record for selling 1 million copies of his album “Calypso.” These awards were not official, however. The Recording Industry of America introduced its gold record program for singles and albums in 1958. The official program required a record to sell at lease $1 million in retail sales. The sales numbers were restricted to U.S.-based labels and did not include exports. The first RIAA-certified gold single was “Catch a Falling Star” by Perry Como. The first album to hit gold was the soundtrack from “Oklahoma!” In 1976, the certification changed to add the platinum record for sales of 1 million or more copies. The gold record level was changed to 500,000 copies. The first platinum single was Johnnie Taylor’s “Disco Lady,” while the first album was “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly. In 1999, the Diamond certification was introduced for records that have sold more than 10 million copies. According to the RIAA, the first record to be certified Diamond was “Can’t Slow Down” by Lionel Richie. Our question: What is the second-best selling album in the United States behind “Thriller” by Michael Jackson? Today is unofficially Umbrella Day, National Cream Cheese Brownie Day, and National Flannel Day. It’s the birthday of actor Lon Chaney Jr., who was born in 1902; film director Alexander Payne, who is 56; and actress Elizabeth Banks, who is 43. Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1970, the top song in the U.S. was “Thank You (Fallettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)” by Sly and the Family Stone. The No. 1 movie was “MASH,” while the novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” by John Fowles topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.  Links Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website. Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here. Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9  Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m  Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_recording_sales_certification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_States https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=DA&col=certified_units https://www.checkiday.com/02/10/2017 http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-10 http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=9&y=1960&o= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1970_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1970

Gli Auguri di Natale con il Maestro Bracardi, Orosco, Pantera Rosa canta Edoardo Vianello, L'Angolo della Musica Vintage con i Gemelli Ceccarelli, Anticipazioni, Alti & Bassi cantano "Chattanooga Choo Choo", Come Eravamo e Come Siamo, Eddy Fatto suona "Sapore di Mare", Rubrica di Gossip, L'Intervista Doppia, La Critica Tv del Prof. Clementini, Un Massaggio per Padda

Jared Minor from Jax Wax (@JaxWaxCarCare) gives us a crash course on how to use some of their products, reminding Dan of the process his father used to wax cars. This leads to the gang laughing about old time car care methods and quick "fixes."

We know KC Jones loves speed (remember the jet-powered trains?), but when did that love affair start? KC Jones gives us a brief glimpse into his past.

What do you get when you strap a jet engine to a car-sized train? Magic, that's what. KC Jones is the owner of the Cannonball Express and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, each powered by a Westinghouse J34-48 engine. Listen in to hear more about these wild creations!

Looking for a quality wax manufactured in house by a reputable, family owned business? Then you need Jax Wax (@JaxWaxCarCare)! And according to Dan, it's so simple to use that a chicken could do it (though we want to know why a chicken would be waxing a car)!

Summer is car show season, and that makes Dan and Ryan happy. We've talked with the people who organize some amazing car shows in past episodes, but this week we're switching gears and talking quality waxing and drag races.

Have you ever seen a train with a jet engine strapped to it? Yes, it's just as amazing as it sounds. KC Jones is the owner of two such machines, and he can't wait to tell us more. We also get premium wax advice from the Vice President of Jax Wax, Jared Minor. Segment 1: Car Show Season Segment 2: Jet-Powered Locomotives Segment 3: Young Love Segment 4: Jax Wax Segment 5: Old Time Car Care Segment 6: Wax on, Wax off

Most people (including Dan) feel more comfortable applying layer after layer of wax, but Jared (@JaxWaxCarCare) says that is not always what's best. According to him, a couple of thin coats is better than one thick one. Take a listen for more advice!

with Lachlan Patterson and Andy Ruther We have a full house on Talkin Shit today, where Lachlan Patterson (@lachjaw) and Andy Ruther (@andyruther) join Eddie Ifft (@EddieIfft) and Jason Auer (@JasonAuer) to discuss all of the hot topics you want to hear about. The guys talk about everything from how they don't understand snapchat, to terrorism, and a guy with two dicks. Jason reviews shows and movies he's never seen and Lachlan tells the magical story of how he got a card that awarded him free Chipotle for life. If you were wondering what is worse, the r-word or the n-word, you're in luck, because that will definitely be addressed. Plus Andy talks about his gay ski week trips with Lance Bass and we have special guest appearances from Matt Devlin (@MattDevlin314) and Bronston Jones (@bronicus). Don't forget - rate and review Talkin' Shit (aka "Talkins Hit") on iTunes or your favorite podcasting service! Follow the show, get merch and listen to previous episodes on www.EddieIfft.com. Eddie Ifft - @EddieIfft | FacebookJason Auer - @JasonAuerLachlan Patterson - @lachjawAndy Ruther - @andyrutherMatt Devlin - @MattDevlin314Bronston Jones - @bronicusOfficial Talkin' Shit - @EddieTalkinShit | Facebook

A special tribute and salute to the Greatest Generation and the music of their era. In addition to the featured music, the story of the Stage Door Canteens is woven between the songs. Much of the music was used as the soundtracks of the Stage Door Canteen (1943) and The Hollywood Canteen (1944) movies. The songs included in this special episode are: (1) Bugle Call Rag by Benny Goodman & His Band (2) Keep' Em Flying by Gene Krupa & His Orchestra (w/ Johhny Desmond, vocal) (3) Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Andrews Sisters (w/ Vic Shoen & His Orchestra) (4) Daddy by Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra [vocals by The Kaye Choir] (5) Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition by Kay Kyser & His Orchestra (6) Kiss the Boys Goodbye by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (w/ Connie Haines, vocal) (7) I've Heard That Song Before by Harry James & His Orchestra (Helen Forrest, vocal) (8) Three Little Sisters by The Andrews Sisters (9) Dance With A Dolly (With A Hole In Her Stocking) by Russ Morgan & His Orchestra (w/ Al Jennings, vocal) (10) Deep In The Heart Of Texas by Bing Crosby (w/ Woody Herman's Band) (11) Chattanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (w/ Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly & The Modernaires) (12) My Heart Belongs to Daddy by Count Basie (w/ Ethel Waters, vocal) (13) Rum And Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters (w/ Vic Shoen & His Orchestra) (14) We'll Meet Again by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (w/ Peggy Lee) (15) Oh! What It Seemed To Be by Frankie Carle & His Orchestra (w/ Marjorie Hughes, vocal) (16) When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World) by Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra (17) Hollywood Canteen by The Andrews Sisters (18) Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra (w/ Sally Sweetland, vocal) (19) It's Been A Long, Long Time by Harry James & His Orchestra (Kitty Kallen, vocal) (20) I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen by Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra (Don Cornell, vocal) (21) V-Hop (V for Victory Hop) by Jerry Gray Orchestra

Mack Gordon's movie songs from the 1940s, including: I Had the Craziest Dream, Chattanooga Choo Choo, You'll Never Know, Down Argentine Way, At Last and You Make Me Feel So Young. Performers include: Glenn Miller, Harry James, Sammy Kaye, Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes.

Our guest this Wednesday will give you interesting insights into Chattanooga, TN’s 600-square mile gigabit network. James Ingraham, VP of Strategic Planning for EPB, which is Chattanooga’s public utility and the network operator, has been involved with the network since the beginning. We’ll discuss 1)    how EPB came to focus on smart grid as a main application of the fiber network, and what are the economic development implications of this decision; 2)    what are some of the cool uses and benefits of the network to date; and 3)    does the mesh network riding over the fiber have the potential to deliver on the dream of municipal wireless from several years ago? If you have additional questions for James, send them to craig@cjspeaks.com. The call-in feature won’t be available for a couple of weeks. We’ll archive this show shortly after broadcast, and you can access it from this page. See you Wednesday.

Liebe mündige europäische Bürger, ich habe mich zu einem Sponsorenwechsel hinreissen lassen. Bald tue ich was für die Bablik Reläschn der angeschlagenen Deutschen Bahn und nicht mehr für die Europäische Kommission. Mehr als die Deutsche Bahn liegt mir nur noch das SOS Kinderdorf am Herzen. Tag cloud:> Behaarte Hängebrüste, Mehdorn, Dante, Deutsche Bahn, Stasi, Europäische Kommision, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Klimawandel, SOS Kinderdorf, Sonderzug nach Pankow, Hörspiel, Sprachkurs Französisch, Italienisch

News, a Celebrity Interview with Jon O'Neil from Naiant.com, a Crosstalk segment, we tweak the Stupid Knob and Viewer Mail! News: Fabfilter Timeless, A Stereo Tape Delay Plug-In Toontrack Expansion Packs For EZdrummer Guitar Player Magazine Guitar Hero 2006 Finals Brian Stephens, Host Of The Music Pro Show And The Band Ocean Street. Here's their first video release: Jon O'NeilCelebrity Interview: Over the last couple of weeks we've been talking about the killer little mics mounted in Neutrik connectors available from Naiant.com. Well, we just had to know more so we got a hold of Jon O'Neil, the owner, chief inventor and product specialist at Naiant. Crosstalk:: 20" Corona Bubbler Light Pro Tools Accelerated Videos Viewer Mail: Mark Rufino - Reverence Reverb Ari Blum - Auralex T' Fusor Ceiling Mount Pics John Wayne - McDSP Drum Compression Tip Jim Farley - Trash Can Vocal Booth Update! Trevor Brooks - Lava Lamps Indoctrinating Our Children: Answer To Last Week's Trivia Question: Q: What was the first record to sell a million copies? A: There were a lot of really good guesses, but none that went back in time quite far enough. There may have been some confusion as noted by Tony Butterworth over at the Home Made Hit Show. His answer was Perry Como's Catch A Falling Star, which the RIAA's own web site says was the first Gold single that was...and here's the important part...."officially" certified by the RIAA, which was founded in 1952. The original "gold record" awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize the achievement of 1,000,000 sales. The first of these was awarded by RCA to Glenn Miller in February 1942, celebrating 1.2 million sales of Chattanooga Choo Choo. The 78-rpm commercial version of the song was recorded on May 7, 1941 for RCA Victor's Bluebird label and became the first to be certified a gold disc on February 10, 1942. The transcription of this award ceremony can be heard on the first of three volumes of RCA's "Legendary Performer" compilations released by RCA in the 1970s. Since Tony's answer was technically correct in the context of the RIAA, we're declaring him this week's winner and he takes home a copy of Guitar And Drum Trainer courtesy of Ryan Smith over at RenegadeMinds.com. Congratulations Tony! See you next week! Tags: music recording studio home studio project studio mixing protools plugin digidesign frappr creative commons digidesign guitar and drum trainer ssl solid state logic vst lava lamp perry como riaa glenn miller chatanooga choo choo catch a falling star home made hit show naiant brian stephens music pro shoiw ocean street toontrack ezdrummer guitar player magazine auralex the dumb bunnies

Big Band Serenade presents The Modernaires.  The songs played in this episode are in order of play; 1)"Make Believe Ballroom",2) "The Milkman's Matinee", 3) "It's Make Believe Ballroom Time" ,4) "Perfidia",5)"Elmer's Tune" w/ Ray Eberle ,6)"Chattanooga Choo Choo",7)"Juke Box Saturday Night"-1946, 8)"Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)" w/ Maron Hutton,9) "Serenade In Blue",with Ray Eberle,10)  I'v got a gal in "Kalamazoo" w/ Tex Beneke 1942,11)"Moonlight Cocktail" ,12)"That Old Black Magic"with Skip Nelsen,13)"I Know Why(And So Do You)", 14)"To Each His Own" w/ Ray Eberle

Bud shares his knowledge and expansive music collection to uncover the life and music of Glenn Miller. Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – disappeared December 15, 1944) was an American big-band trombonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, leading one of the best-known big bands. Miller's recordings include "In the Mood", "Moonlight Serenade", "Pennsylvania 6-5000", "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "A String of Pearls", "At Last", "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo", "American Patrol", "Tuxedo Junction", "Elmer's Tune", "Little Brown Jug" and "Anvil Chorus". In just four years Glenn Miller scored 16 number-one records and 69 top ten hits—more than Elvis Presley (38 top 10s) and the Beatles (33 top 10s) did in their careers. In 1942, Miller volunteered to join the U.S. military to entertain troops during World War II, ending up with the U.S. Army Air Forces. On December 15, 1944, while flying to Paris, Miller's aircraft disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal.