Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl

Here’s an interesting combination from my dad’s shellac disks from RCA Victor Records. He had several albums made FOR children and several that seem like they were made BY children. Four sides you’ll hear is a familiar story of encouragement, determination and pride. The other four sides are pure musical comedy by the master of the art. So get ready to put these eight sides together in one show wi...

They were television shows filled with suspense, intrigue, and excitement, and their theme songs had to represent that feeling. Some of those tunes became top 40 radio hits, which meant we heard them more than once a week. So get ready for music that may have had you sit up and pay closer attention with Volume 131: The TV Detectives. Credits and copyrights The Johnny Gregory Orchestra – TV's Great...

This crooner is the most successful charting music artist in history. He was in films and on TV and radio. He helped finance the development of videotape, bought television stations, bred racehorses, and co-owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, during which time they won two World Series. But, boy could he sing. So get ready for a billion selling voice in Volume 130: Bing's Hit Parade. Credi...

My dad had 10 different Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass records, several with duplicates. After this episode, we’ll have featured half of them. I guess you could say he was crazy about TJB. He played them enough that I became crazy about TJB. So, get ready for one of the bands my dad and I shared a love of in Volume 129: Brass' Beat for Father's Day. Credits and copyrights Herb Alpert & The Tijuana...

Even though both my dad and I played trumpet in our respective high school bands, we had way more percussionists in the family. My brother Mike was a drummer as were all three of his sons. My sister Michelle’s son minors in percussion at Baldwin Wallace University and we’ve gone to see his ensemble perform. Which just all means, we all grew up in loud households. So get ready to hear music led by...

This June 6th would have been my parents’ 64th wedding anniversary. I’ve often said my family had its own D-day. And as I’ve mentioned before on this show, even though none of us spoke a lick of Italian, that didn’t mean we didn’t listen to the music from that country. So get ready to hear several short musical pieces that we don’t have to worry about singing since they’re all instrumentals in Vol...

Here’s a trumpeter we heard before on this show back in the first season. He’s a lesser known musician from that era, mostly because of some of the big names he played around. But he still had what’s considered a very successful career. So get ready to hear music listed as recorded at a New York City restaurant and nightclub, yet we hear no applause in Volume 126: Live Jonah. Credits and copyright...

We actually heard this band leader’s orchestra in the last episode. I guess I wasn’t paying attention when I scheduled them. But this time, there is no famous lead singer fronting these musicians. It’s all instrumental, and it’s from a popular movie musical. So get ready for Cole Porter broadway music rearranged for the big screen then rearranged for this album in Volume 125: Riddle Can Can. Promi...

This is the third of five albums in my dad’s collection from one of the greatest and most recognizable voices of all time. While this is my dad’s collection, Sinatra was often heard in the house while my mom was in control of the stereo. So, get ready for music only the way old blue eyes can sing it with Volume 124: Frank's All for Mother's Day. Credits and copyrights Frank Sinatra – All The Way L...

We pull out the first of five albums my dad has of this popular pianist. His first hit is still the greatest selling piano instrumental recording of all time. He played for presidents and performed an annual marathon of requests. So get ready to hear plenty of arpeggio flourishes from the guy they called Mr. Piano in Volume 123: Roger by Request. Credits and copyrights Roger Williams – By Special...

Back to the distinct album from my dad’s collection that sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s slightly broader than normal LP records and the cover is a soft padding that holds a small booklet and five records in a spiral binding, inside a perfect binding. So get ready for two more sides filled with the music from a band leader who lost his life in the service of this country with Volume 122: Glenn...

Here’s an interesting album in my dad’s collection. It is filled with stars of the jazz era. It’s from a special recording session for a TV show that went live a couple days later. As we’ll find out, that show was groundbreaking. So get ready to hear an all-star list of who’s who of jazz in the late 1950s with Volume 121: Jazz Sounds. Credits and copyrights Various – The Sound Of Jazz Label: Colum...

Of all the musicians in the Franklin Mint Greatest Jazz Recordings of All Time multi-box collection, only one has his own box all to himself. Composer, pianist, influencer, band leader and legend, Ellington composed thousands of scores over his 50-year career. So get ready to hear an originator of big-band music in Volume 120: Duke, A Jazz Classic Part 2. Credits and copyrights Duke Ellington – Gr...

We once again have a musician claiming he's top trumpet. Or at least his recording label is saying that. I can see why my dad liked this album. This is a high-flying trumpet player surrounded by more than just the other five or six musicians he’s used to. So get ready to hear a wildly successful and talented trumpet player with Volume 119: World's Greatest Horn. Credits and copyrights Al Hirt – Th...

Gather around the radio, kids, it's story time. My first radio job was on a historical frequency in the Cleveland market, 1260 AM. I learned from some radio legends. During that time, the station put out an album of big band music from a local group. So get ready for lots of reminiscing while listening to Music of Your Life standards in Volume 118: Big Band Grandstand. Credits and copyrights Harry...

Welcome to a 78 RPM Sunday. Yes, I know 78 RPM records were made from shellac, not vinyl. But I wasn’t going to completely ignore the more than 100 of the original record format - disks in his collection. I even played them back for the digitizing process using a manual 1917 Victrola. So get ready to crank that handle up to get the disk spinning in Volume 117: 8 Sides From Victor. Credits and copy...

Back to one of my favorite voices in my dad’s collection. He was a singer I was supposed to see, however he got sick before the show, which included Sammy and Frank. He’s often referred to as the King of Cool. So get ready to hear the stereo copy of the two my dad had of this album with Volume 116: Dean Hits Again. Promised links: Copacobana: https://youtu.be/NLS1gPo0VFA MDA Telethon: https://yout...

My dad’s record collection is filled with plenty of albums of previously released music from various artists that were put into a set for various reasons. This record was released to sell toothpaste. So get ready to hear a cross section of hits from the late 1950s with Volume 115: Great and New Sounds. Credits and copyrights Various – Colgate Presents Great Sounds And New Sounds Label: Columbia –...

Here’s a beautiful voice we have not heard yet although we did hear a tune she wrote. And even better, this recording is in a live setting. She sings softly with feeling because of her nightclub experience. So get ready for the Queen of American pop music in Volume 114: Peggy at Basin Street East. Credits and copyrights Miss Peggy Lee – Basin Street East Proudly Presents Miss Peggy Lee Recorded At...

We return to a box set and a record filled with music from my dad’s favorite trumpet player, and we’re going to hear him sing every song. It comes from the first of 12 box sets in the Franklin Mint collection, the greatest jazz recordings of all time. And this musician has the first two records all to himself. So get ready to hear the man once billed as the world’s greatest trumpeter…by his wife…i...

OK…a few months since episode 24 has turned into almost two years. But we are finally going to finish the great story about how early recording devices became the music machines of the 1950s. So get ready to hear some great tunes while we learn about how we got the music you want when you want it with Volume 112: Music America Loves Part 2. Credits and copyrights Various – 60 Years Of "Music Ameri...

ou couldn’t help but feel the love in my parents’ house, especially when there was Italian music playing. My mom was very fond of this album. She often requested that I put this on the record player for her as she was preparing dinner. So, get ready to snuggle up with the one you love for record one of this two album set with Volume 111: Love Italian Style Part 2 Credits and copyrights Louis Prima...

Back out west we go. To a simpler time in this country. Before the technology that has invaded our daily lives. When cowboys gathered to play guitar and sing. So get ready to hear what is technically Tumbling Tumbleweeds Part 2 with Volume 110: Around the Campfire. Here's the promised link from the show , however, many of the videos I said were embedded have been taken down for ownership rights. ...

This was an episode I was looking forward to since I digitized the record. And one I knew I would have a tough time picking just 6 tunes. I couldn't stop chair dancing...I was working from home that day. This music just makes you move. So, get ready for the King of Calypso in Volume 109: Harry's Day O. Credits and copyrights Harry Belafonte – Calypso Label: RCA Victor – LPM-1248 Format: Vinyl, LP,...

This was an interesting find in my dad’s collection. When I saw the word Tango I think I immediately flashed back to one Bond film or another thinking about the precise movements and the long stemmed rose in the woman’s teeth. So get ready to learn that if you can walk you can do this dance in Volume 108: Tango King. Credits and copyrights Malando – King Of The Tango Label: Philips – PHS-600-315 F...