What are your favorite musicians, bands or albums?

by Jim Stamp on January 13, 2022.

I think my taste in music has evolved or maybe built. Some may
think it has devolved. One of the greatest gifts God has given us
is great music and great singers…

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 of Christmas:
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. No room service. And,
with the help of a purring kitten, Mary FINALLY gets baby Jesus
to sleep. And here comes some kid beating a drum! Stupid Song!!

From the time I was very young I attended Vacation Bible School
(VBS) when the children from the three Winona Churches came
together for singing, fun, and Bible stories. “Deep and Wide”.
“Do Lord OH Do Lord”. “I’m in the Lord’s Army”. “If you’re
happy and you know it…”. I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in
My Heart…” Nothing illustrates the VBS singing time better than
this video: 

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, Brothers Four, 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, Mickey Newberry…

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.

In the 70s there was Soft Rock presented by Bread, James Taylor,
Jim Croce, John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel, Olivia Newton John, Dionne Warwick, Debbie Boone…

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 – 

RICKY NELSON –  – 
BOZ SCAGGS –  – 

BROTHERS FOUR – 

ANDY WILLIAMS – 

MICKEY NEWBURY –

SHADOWS – 

ROY ORBISON –  – 

ANTHONY BURGER – 

Celine Dion – 

STATLER BROTHERS – 

JIMMY FORTUNE –  –