Sam Waldron

Show 110, “Mr. New Year’s Eve,” presents 18 recordings by Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians, one of the most beloved dance bands of the 20 th century. Performances include “Auld Lang Syn,” “Christmas Island,” “The Unbirthday Song,” “The Chicken Song, “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” and “What’s the Reason I’m Not Pleasing You?” Show 110 Guy Lombardo Playlist 1 Cheek to Cheek Guy Lombardo and the Ro...

Show 109, “Midnight Blues Party,” presents 18 recordings, mostly from relatively obscure black performers, that explore many ways to get the blues and give the blues. Titles include “Lonesome Baby Blues,” “You Ain’t Nothin’ Daddy,” “Big Bug Blues,” “Finance Man,” “Gal, You Need a Whippin’,” “I’ve Got What it Takes,” and “A Woman Gets Tired of Just One Man all the Time.” Show 109 Rare 1940s Blues P...

Show 108, “New Life for Old Music,” contrasts 1940s hits with contemporary recordings. Comparisons include The Glenn Miller Orchestra with The Rolling Stones, Fred Astaire with Diana Krall, Al Jolson with Chet Atkins, Doris Day with Cliff Richard, and The Ink Spots with Patsy Cline. Show 59 New Life for Old Music Playlist 1 You Were Only Fooling While I Was Falling in Love The Ink Spots 2 You Were...

Show 107, “Johnny Mercer,” explores the music and life of one of the great songwriters of the era, including a discussion of his lifelong relationship with Judy Garland. Performers include Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Andy Williams, Linda Ronstadt, Louis Armstrong, and Johnny Mercer himself. Show 107 Johnny Mercer Playlist 1 Laura Matt Monro 2 Jeepers Creepers Louis...

Show 106, “Secrets of 78s,” plays 15 78RPM records found in the closet of Sam Waldron’s friend Bob. Performers include Bing Crosby, Johnny Mercer, Judy Garland, The Andrews Sisters, Carson Robison, Benny Goodman, and Glenn Miller. One of these recordings is virtually invisible on the internet, but an old-fashioned research technique finally revealed its story. Show 106 Secrets of 78s Playlist 1 Th...

Show 105, “Cliff Richard,” presents the life and very early music of legendary British rock star Cliff Richard, who sold more records in the U.K. than anyone except The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Songs include “Please Don’t Tease,” “Move It,” “I Got a Feeling,” “Theme for a Dream,” “Gee Whiz It’s You” and (from 1980) “A Little in Love.” Show 105 Cliff Richard Playlist 1 Schoolboy Crush Cliff Richa...

Show 104, “Songs with Stories,” explores interesting stories behind 10 mid-century recordings. Included are THREE contenders for the first important rock-and-roll hit, the folk song that thrust The Kingston Trio into the national scene, an unexpected smash hit for George Gershwin, Gene Autry’s theme song, and the best-selling jazz single of the entire 20 th century.  Show 104 Songs with Stories Pl...

Show 103, “B” Side Singles, explores 19 songs that record companies put on the back of their records, expecting them to flop. Some did, some didn’t. Titles include “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Who’s Sorry Now,” “Tequila,” “We Three,” “I’m Sorry,” “Don’t Dilly Dally, Sally,” “La Bamba,” and “Bernadine.” Show 103 “B” Side Singles Playlist 1 Earth Angel The Penguins 2 We Three The Ink Spots 3 Paper...

Show 102, “Doo Wop” explores this distinctive 1950s genre. The hour includes huge hits such as “Poison Ivy,” “Love Potion # Nine,” and “Blue Moon” along with a few more obscure recordings such as “Walking Along” by The Solitaires, “Foolish Me” by The Harptones, and “When You Dance” by The Turbans. Show 102 1940s Doo Wop Playlist 1 Whispering Bells The Del Vikings 2 Golden Teardrops The Flamingos 3...

Show 101, “1950s Christmas,” presents more than 20 Christmas songs from the ‘50s, some well-known and some obscure. Performers include Eddie Arnold, Betty Johnson, Johnny Mathis, Elvis Presley, The Singing Dogs, The Episodes, Mantovani, Jim Reeves, Pat Boone, and Patti Page. Show 101 Chrisrtmas in the 50s Playlist 1 Santa Claus is coming to town Patti Page 2 Mr. Santa Dorothy Collins 3 My Favorite...

Show 100, “Helen Forrest,” explores the music and career of arguably the most successful female big-band singer of the 1940s. Sixteen of her recordings include “They Say,” “I Had the Craziest Dream,” “I Concentrate on You,” “Deep Purple,” “All the Things You Are,” and two duets she recorded with crooner Dick Haymes. Show 100 Helen Forrest Playlist 1 I Concentrate on You Helen Forrest 2 Comes Love...

Show 99, “Big Bands,” features 18 recordings by 12 bands and orchestras, an hour perfect for dancing. Songs include “Song of India,” “In the Mood,” “Tea for Two,” and “Little Brown Jug.” Performers include Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, Al Hirt, Benny Goodman, Billy Vaughn, Lester Lanin, The BBC Big Band, and Lawrence Welk. Show 99 Big Bands Playlist 1 Tea for Two The Columbia Ballroom Orc...

Show 98, “1950s Wedding,” presents a suggested playlist for a wedding with a 1950s theme. We hear 19 songs performed by Elvis Presley, Lex Baxter, Jo Stafford, Perry Como, Eydie Gorme, Johnny Mathis, Audrey Hepburn, The Four Aces, Pat Boone, Julie London, The Fleetwoods, and eight others.   Show 98 1950s Wedding 1 When I Fall in Love Matt Monro 2 Wake the Town and Tell the People Les Baxter 3 Lovi...

Show 97, “Lost Memories,” presents 18 songs from the 1950s, most of them largely forgotten by now. Performers include Martin Denny, The Everly Brothers, Kathy Linden, Rusty Draper, LeRoy Anderson, Mel Blanc, Patti Page, Conway Twitty, and Johnny Preston. Show 97 Lost Memories Playlist 1 Blue Monday Fats Domino 2 Sunday Pat Boone 3 Let the Good Times Roll Shirley and Lee 4 Danny Boy Conway Twitty 5...

Show 96, “December Babies,” presents music performed by 15 artists who had birthdays in December. Performers include Matt Monro, Arthur Fiedler, Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Perez Prado, Joe Williams, Freddy Cannon, Little Richard, Brenda Lee, and Dave Brubeck. Show 91 The Moon Playlist 1 Moonlight Cocktail Thurston Harris 2 The Moon was Yellow Frank Sinatra 3 How High the Moon Les Paul & Ma...

Show 95, “The Kingston Trio,” presents 17 songs by arguably the most successful singing group of the late 1950s. Songs include “Reverend Mister Black,” “Tom Dooley,” “Four Strong Winds,” “Scotch and Soda,” “Sloop John B,” “Try to Remember,” “Tijuana Jail,” and “Greenback Dollar.” Show 95 The Kingston Trio Playlist 1 A Worried Man The Kingston Trio 2 Tijuana Jail The Kingston Trio 3 Sloop John B Th...

Show 94, “Latin Music,” presents 18 examples of Latin music by performers including Trini Lopez, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, The Andrews Sisters, Harry Belafonte, Richie Valens, Julie London, Eydie Gorme, a group known as Bossa Nova, and Pete Seeger with Arlo Guthrie. Show 94 Latin music Playlist 1 South of the Border Patsy Cline 2 Girl from Ipanema Joao and Astrud Gilberto 3 Guantanamera Arlo Gu...

Show 93, “It’s Jane!” is a musical biography of a girl who grew up in a small, isolated mountain town in the 1950s. Performers include Gene Autry, Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Johnny Mathis, Guy Lombardo, Gordon MacRae, Ricky Nelson, Sue Thompson, Billy Vaughn, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. Show 93 It’s Jane! Playlist 1 Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ Gordon MacRae 2 April Love Pat Bo...

Show 92, “The Oddball ‘40s,” recalls obscure news items and popular songs from every year, 1940 through 1949. Performers include Judy Garland, Al Jolson, Jimmy Dorsey, Peggy Lee, Jimmy Wakely, Helen Forrest, and Tex Williams. Show 92 Oddball 1940s Playlist 1 Where Was I? Charlie Barnett, Mary Ann McCall 2 Green Eyes Jimmy Dorsey, Bob Eberle, Helen O’Connell 3 Deep in the Heart of Texas Horac...

Show 91, “The Moon,” features 18 songs about the Moon, with performances by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, The Marcels, Louis Armstrong, The Drifters, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney & Bing Crosby, Steve Anderson, and Duke Ellington. Show 91 The Moon Playlist 1 Moonlight Cocktail Thurston Harris 2 The Moon was Yellow Frank Sinatra 3 How High the Moon Les Paul & Mary Ford 4 Moonl...

Show 90, “Nat King Cole,” is a musical tribute to one of the most familiar and distinctive voices of mid-century popular music. The show presents 15 recordings, including “When I Fall in Love,” “Mona Lisa,” “Too Young,” “Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer,” and “The Christmas Song” as well as duets with Bing Crosby and Natalie Cole. Show 90 Nat King Cole Playlist 1 Too Young Nat King Cole 2 Sw...

Show 89, “The Clarinet,” features 17 pieces of music that highlight the clarinet, including jazz, classical and easy-listening. Performers include David Bowie, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Sabine Meyer, the Budapest Clarinet Quintet, Acker Bilk, and Pete Fountain. Show 89 The Clarinet Playlist 1 Introduction David Bowie, Eugene Ormandy 2 La Mer (beyond the sea) James Turner 3 The Shiek of Araby Kenn...

Show 88, “Runaway Jukebox,” features 20 songs that would have been heard on jukeboxes in the mid and late 1950s. Performers include Sam Cooke, Dodie Stevens, Ivan, Elvis Presley, Jerry Wallace, Brenda Lee, and Brooke Benton. Show 88 Runaway 1950s Jukebox Playlist 1 You’re 16, You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine Johnny Burnette 2 Short Fat Fannie Larry Williams 3 It’s Just a Ma...

Show 87, “Music of 1948,” includes every Billboard #1 hit from 1948 plus several other popular songs from that year. Performers include Dinah Shore, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Margaret Whiting, The Ink Spots, Al Jolson, and Les Brown. 45 RPM, Music of the 40s and 50s Show 87 Top Hits of 1948 Playlist 1 Ballerina Vaughn Monroe 2 I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover Art Mooney and his Orches...

Show 86, “The Age of Jazz,” presents 16 vocal and instrumental jazz recordings, most from the 1940s. Performers include well-known names like Mildred Bailey, Dave Brubeck, and Jo Stafford as well as lesser-known talents like Annie Ross, The Tango Mafia, Joe Williams, and Ginnie Powell. Show 85 The Age of Jazz Playlist 1 Taint What You Do Trummy Young 2 Yes Indeed Tommy Dorsey, Jo Stafford, Sy Oliv...