– Subject: MUSICIANS, BANDS or ALBUMS
What are your favorite musicians, bands or albums?
by Jim Stamp on January 13, 2022.My parents and grandparents all loved music. When I was young we listened to music on
the radio and to the traditional hymns at church. We had one of those huge radios with
tubes. At church we all sang from the hymnal: How Great Thou Art, On a Hill Far Away,Amazing Grace, Holy, Holy, Holy, All Things Bright and Beautiful, The Old Rugged Cross -and Christmas Carols. I loved the Christmas Carols. Except for The Twelve Days ofChristmas: I never liked that one. And Little Drummer Boy. I really don’t like that song.Picture this: Mary. New Mother. Exhausted!! Not enjoying 5 Star accommodations. Noroom service. And, with the help of a purring kitten, Mary FINALLY gets baby Jesus tosleep. And here comes some kid beating a drum! Stupid Song!!
Over the radio came the voices of Kate Smith, Vaughn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby,
Dick Haymes, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Burl Ives, the Andrews Sisters, and the Mills
Brothers. Big bands like Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Sammy Kaye and Spike Jones.
After we got a TV, Dad bought a stereo for our music room – I call it the music room because
that is where the stereo and the 78 rpm records were kept and the piano was in that room.
I remember the Spike Jones album – he was hilarious.
“Dinner Music for People who Aren’t Hungry”
In my teens a new style of music was introduced and it was called “Rock and Roll”. It
pretty much drove my Mom and Dad crazy. But, it was our sound! I listened to Brenda
Lee, the Everly Brothers, Marty Robbins, Connie Francis, Jimmie Rodgers, Bobby Rydell,
Pat Boone, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and lots of groups – I recognize
many of the songs performed by groups but I can’t name most of them. But, the leaders
of the pack were ELVIS and Ricky Nelson.
Then we moved into the 60s. Many of the singers from the 50s carried over: Pat Boone,
Ricky Nelson, ELVIS, Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins, Frank Sinatra and many more. Then
came the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Frankie Valli and Bobby
Vinton. Somewhere in there was Boz Scaggs.
There were the crooners that I can listen to anytime: Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy
Williams, Steve Lawrence, Matt Monro, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr.,
Nat King Cole, Michael Buble
There were great instrumentals that I have on CDs in my car(s): Shadows (Apache), Duane
Eddy (Rebel Rouser), The Champs (Tequila), Chet Atkins (Orange Blossom Special), Glenn
Campbell and Roy Clark (Ghost Riders in the Sky). On the piano: Roger Williams, Jerry Lee
Lewis, Liberace, Marvin Hamlisch, Anthony Burger…
I don’t care for rap ( my Dad said it was Crap with a silent “c”), or much of the current popular
music. Saying I don’t care for “Rap” is polite! My Grandma wouldn’t like me to say how I
really feel about it. She would say JAMES ALLEN! So, I listen to Classic Country – Johnny
Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Gene Watson, Kris
Kristofferson, Porter Wagoner, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins and Jim Reeves.
Almost every day I listen to something from the Statler Brothers and the Gaither Vocal Band.
Jimmy Fortune joined the Statler Brothers after Lew DeWitt had to quit due to health reasons.
Jimmy Fortune is a great tenor and Carolyn and I have heard him in concert and look forward
to doing it again. I recently received an email from Jimmy’s wife so I am going to ask her to
see if he will add “The Great Pretender” to his concert.
Bill Gaither has discovered and featured some incredible talent with his Gaither Vocal Band.
The Gaither Vocal Band is Gospel music with many of the songs written by Bill and Gloria
Gaither. Members of the entourage have also contributed their own songs. For many years
Mark Lowry toured with the Gaithers. Mark was not only a great singer, but he was a
Christian Comedian and most of all, Mark was a teacher. The harmony of the Gaither
quartets can’t be beat… My favorite solo singer with Gaither is David Phelps – maybe the
best Tenor in the world today. So, I have to work at least one David Phelps song into my
daily routine.
I’m sure I have missed a lot because I can’t remember the names of the great groups from
the 50s and 60s. But, I believe that all of the “favorites” keep compounding and building.
It is like having a juke box in my mind.
Gimme E – 6
ELVIS
Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love (Official Audio)
Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love (Official Audio)
RICKY NELSON
Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson
Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson- Poor Little Fool
Ricky Nelson- Poor Little Fool
BOZ SCAGGS
Boz Scaggs – Look What You’ve Done To Me (Official Audio)
Boz Scaggs – Look What You’ve Done To Me (Official Audio)
You Make So Hard (Live)
You Make So Hard (Live)
SHADOWS
The Shadows – Apache {HQ}
The Shadows – Apache {HQ}
ROY ORBISON
Roy Orbison – “Only the Lonely” from Black and White Night
Roy Orbison – “Only the Lonely” from Black and White Night
Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman (from Black & White Night)
Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman (from Black & White Night)
ANTHONY BURGER
Bill & Gloria Gaither – Hallelujah Chorus [Live]
Bill & Gloria Gaither – Hallelujah Chorus [Live]
Celine Dion
Celine Dion & Josh Groban Live “The Prayer” (HD 720p)
Celine Dion & Josh Groban Live “The Prayer” (HD 720p)
STATLER BROTHERS
The Statler Brothers: Flowers on the Wall
The Statler Brothers: Flowers on the Wall
JIMMY FORTUNE
The Statler Brothers – – – The Great Pretender
The Statler Brothers – – – The Great Pretender
My Only Love
My Only Love
David Phelps
Bill & Gloria Gaither – O Holy Night (Live) ft. David Phelps
Bill & Gloria Gaither – O Holy Night (Live) ft. David Phelps