Sunday Sep 15, 2024
Volume 194: Ray's Honey
Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl
Extensive and Eclectic and we hear them as is with skips, scratches, and pops. Being a radio and mobile DJ for a decade and a half, I collected several hundred albums. I had nothing on my dad who owned more than 500 (33 1/3) LPs and over 100 78 RPMs at the time of his death in December 2019. I had no idea he had so many. We found them spread all over the house when we prepared for the estate sale. I went through every one and categorized them on an app called Discogs. I thought so many were unique, I decided to start a podcast called Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl. Each episode will feature an album. I’ll tell stories about the family listening to these albums and I’ll give other info about the album and the time it was released.
Listen on:
Episodes
Episodes
Sunday Sep 08, 2024
Sunday Sep 08, 2024
We slide now quite nicely into the second record of a two album set of popular New York City Jazz musicians taking their music around the U.S. In fact, according to the album back cover, they performed in front of 200 thousand fans during 37 concerts in 25 cities. This is one of those concerts.
So get ready to hear the East-West Coast All Stars with music refined at a famed jazz club named after one of the best saxophonists that ever lived in Volume 193: Birdland Stars Tour 2.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
The Birdland Stars – The Birdland Stars On Tour Vol. 2Label: RCA Victor – LPM-1328Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, MonoReleased: 1956Genre: JazzStyle: Hard Bop
Recorded February 27, 1956, Webster Hall, New York
We will hear 4 of 6 songs from this record.
Hip Boots!Written-By – Ernie Wilkins
Ah Funky New BabyWritten-By – Manny Albam
PlayboyWritten-By – Ernie Wilkins
Birdland FantasyWritten-By – Ernie Wilkins
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Sep 01, 2024
Sunday Sep 01, 2024
Here is the first of two from Doris my dad had. And it's just some downright pretty music. She's got a soft, delicate voice. I can see why Colonel Potter fell in love with her. But that's a story for later in the episode.
A car accident cut her budding dancing career short, but she showed off her voice on radio in Cincinnati and ended up attaining fame in both music and movies.
So get ready to hear one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century in Volume 192: Day Dreaming.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
Doris Day – Day DreamsLabel: Columbia – CL 624Format: Vinyl, LP, AlbumReleased: Jun 13, 1955Genre: PopStyle: Vocal
We will hear 6 of the 12 songs from this album.
BewitchedWritten-By – Rodgers & Hart
Sometimes I'm HappyMusic By – Vincent YoumansWords By – Irving Caesar
I Didn't Know What Time It Was (GREAT lyrics)Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
I've Only Myself To BlameWritten-By – David Mann, Redd Evans
Darn That Dream (such language Doris)Written-By – Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
ImaginationMusic By – Jimmy Van HeusenWords By – Johnny Burke
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 25, 2024
Sunday Aug 25, 2024
This album is the epitome of extended music.
These melodies had been recorded before, but the technology of the 78 RPM kept them limited in length. Once the opportunity to put more music on one disk became available with the new Long Playing technology of the 1950s, most musicians were adding more songs to put together an album.
Not this episode’s featured artist. He kept adding to the songs on this album. Just when you think the tune is getting ready to conclude, it heads off in a different direction. In doing so Duke has created absolute masterpieces.
And because of the length of these recordings, we’ll only hear three songs on this episode.
So, get ready to hear uncut concert arrangements by one of the most prolific composers in history in Volume 191: Master Ellington.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
Duke Ellington And His Orchestra – Masterpieces By EllingtonLabel: Columbia Special Products – JCL 825Series: Collectors' SeriesFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Mono (originally released in 1951)Released: 1973Genre: JazzStyle: Swing, Big Band
Recorded December 19, 1950
These are uncut concert arrangements.
All music written by Duke Ellington, arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
Sophisticated LadySolitudeThe Tattooed Bride
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Here’s an artist dwelling in my father’s collection we haven’t heard from yet. We’ll be hearing selections from the first of three Billy Vaughn records he had.
This record isn't just filled with the pop hits Vaughn would arrange and record for orchestra to be played on those easy listening radio stations. These are standards. In fact, the hit recordings of these songs sold a lot of records.
So, get ready to hear 7 tunes that were recorded over 1,200 times combined over the years in Volume 190: Billy's Million Sellers.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
Billy Vaughn – Billy Vaughn Plays The Million SellersLabel: Dot Records – DLP 3119Format: Vinyl, LP, AlbumReleased: 1958Genre: Jazz, Folk, World, & CountryStyle: Easy Listening
We will hear 7 of the 12 songs on this album.
Holiday For Stringswritten by David Rose
Canadian Sunsetwritten by Eddie Heywood
Tonight We Lovewritten by Freddy Martin, Ray Austin
Fascinationwritten by Fermo Dante Marchetti
In The MoodWritten by Joe Garland, Jimmy Dale, Wingy Manone, Andy Razaf
Around The WorldMusic written by Victor Young
So Rarewritten by Jerry Herst, Jack Sharpe
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
The four letter album title in large yellow font along with the same color silhouette of a pair of hands playing a trumpet over a black background immediately sets the tone for this LP.
It’s familiar music played a little more sparsely than you are used to hearing it. But fear not, there are some great treatments of music you may know on this disk, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did listening to this unfamiliar trumpet player.
So get ready to hear a honeyed horn from a musician who actually was more popular in another profession in Volume 189: Jim's Java.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
Jim Collier – JavaLabel: Wyncote – W-9013Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, MonoReleased: 1964Genre: JazzStyle: Easy Listening
We will hear 7 of the 10 songs on this album.
Javawritten by Allen Toussaint, Murray Sporn, Alvin "Red" Tyler, and Danny Kessler
Miss Daisy De LiteWritten by Kal Mann and Dave Appell
Happiness Is A Thing Called FunCould not find any information on this song
Honey In The Horn (which according to the front cover is the featured song even though it's number one on side two.)written by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey, Al Alberts
Anymorewritten by Roy Drusky, Vic McAlpin, and Marie Wilson
Chillswritten by Jack Keller, and Gerry Goffin
Get It Movin'Could not find any information on this song
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
#jimcollier #trumpetsrule #jazzmusic
Sunday Aug 04, 2024
Sunday Aug 04, 2024
Let’s get back to some of the big band and early swing my dad listened to a lot. And this record is a real find because of the two main musicians.
One played a brass instrument, one played reeds. One ended up just a little more famous than the other. But they were brothers. And they had their famous beginnings in a band with the family name that recorded in the early to mid-1930s.
So get ready to hear a compilation of some of the last studio recordings for this sibling duo that began on 78 RPM Shellac and ended up on this 33 ⅓ RPM Vinyl in Volume 188: The Brothers Dorsey Shine.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
The Dorsey Brothers' Original Orchestra – Their Shining HourLabel: Design Records – DLP 20Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, MonoReleased: 1957Genre: Jazz
We will play 7 of the 11 songs from this album.
By Heckmusic by S. R. Henry
Solitudewritten by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Eddie DeLange
Rhythm Of The Rainwritten by Jack Meskill, Jack Stern
Night WindWritten-By – Bob Romberg, Dave Pollock and Harry Link
Eccentric is actually cut 3written by J. Russel Robinson
Sugar Foot Stompwritten by Louis Armstrong, King Oliver
The Weary Blueswritten by Artie Matthews
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Jul 28, 2024
Sunday Jul 28, 2024
Like I’ve mentioned before, my dad liked his cowboy music too. So, we’ll go back to a box set where we’ll pull out the fourth of its seven records.
The title of each of these sides is Deep in the Heart of Texas and Western Landscapes, hence the mashup title of this episode.
Four songs from side one were all big hits and reference our second biggest state. The selections from side two are lesser known but paint a beautiful picture of the old west.
So get ready to hear what is really Tumbling Tumbleweeds part 4 in Volume 187: Texas Landscapes.
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Credits and copyrights
Various – Tumbling TumbleweedsLabel: Reader's Digest – RDA-229 / AFormat: 7 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation Box SetReleased: 1982Genre: Folk, World, & CountryStyle: Country
We will be listening to record 4, sides 1 and 2. We will hear 7 of the 11 tunes from this disk.
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Deep In The Heart Of Texaswritten by Don Swander, June Hershey
George Hamilton IV - Abilenewritten by John D. Loudermilk, Bob Gibson and Lester Brown
Gene Autry - The Yellow Rose Of TexasIt's a traditional song with lyrics added by Don George
Jerry Reed - El Paso written by Marty Robbins
The Sons Of The Pioneers - Moonlight On The Coloradowritten by Billy Moll, Robert King
Jimmy Wakely - The Call Of The Canyonwritten by Billy Hill
Hank Snow - Cross The Brazos At Wacowritten by Kay Arnold
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
We're going to take a little side road along our musical journey for this episode. It's not something I often do, especially in my youth, but I'm going to make a big deal out of my birthday this year, since it actually falls on a day I publish my episodes.
62 is not a milestone. There is no special celebration with my high school classmates, since next year we'll be celebrating at our 45-year reunion. In fact, I better get busy and call a meeting since I am currently the chair of the reunion committee.
In that vein, I am going to pull out an album filled with plenty of songs you've already heard on this show, but they all appear on this one disk.
I keep circling back to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Back to the music that made my household so much fun to grow up in. Back to an album that was permanently in the To Play pile next to the living room record player.
So, get ready to hear the entire album of music that always went along well with my mom's lasagna, a house full of friends, and bocce ball in the backyard and help me celebrate with some favorite memories in Volume 186: Best of TJB (Happy Birthday to Me).
More information about this album, see the Discogs webpage for it.
Include links to previous spinning My Dad's Vinyl episodes featuring the TJB:Volume 6: Herb Alpert Lonely BullVolume 33: Tijuana Brass Going PlacesVolume 54: Alpert's NinthVolume 98: Whipped AlpertVolume 129: Brass' Beat for Father's DayVolume 156: Christmas Herb
Credits and copyrights
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – Greatest HitsLabel: A&M Records – SP-4245Series: Greatest Hits (8)Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Stereo, Terre Haute PressingReleased: 1970Genre: Jazz, LatinStyle: Latin Jazz
Liner Notes – Charles ChamplinCover Photography – Jim McCraryProducer – Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss
Comes in a "UniPak" styled gatefold cover with a inner pocket to house LP.We will hear all 12 songs in the order they appear.
Lonely BullWritten-By – Sol LakeAppeared on The Lonely Bull Released in 1964
Spanish FleaWritten-By – Julius WechterAppeared on Going Places released in 1967
Getting Sentimental Over YouWritten-By – George BassmanAppeared on Going Places released in 1967
Love Potion #9 (first time I came across an actress by the name of Sandra Bullock...it's hilarious.)Written-By – Jerry Leiber and Mike StollerAppeared on Whipped Cream and other Delights Released in 1965
Never On SundayWritten-By – Billy Towne and Mano HadjidakisAppeared on The Lonely Bull Released in 1964
Mexican ShuffleWritten-By – Sol LakeAppeared on South of the Border Released in 1964
Taste Of HoneyWritten-By – Bobby Scott and Ric MarlowAppeared on Whipped Cream and other Delights Released in 1965
Tijuana TaxiWritten-By – Ervan ColemanAppeared on Going Places released in 1967
South Of The BorderWritten-By – Jimmy Kennedy and Michael CarrAppeared on South of the Border Released in 1964
AmericaWritten-By – Leonard Bernstein and Stephen SondheimAppeared on America Released in 1969
Whipped CreamWritten-By – Naomi NevilleAppeared on Whipped Cream and other Delights Released in 1965
Zorba The GreekWritten-By – Mikis TheodorakisAppeared on Going Places released in 1967
I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.
Former DJ Trying His Hand at a Podcast
Although I’m currently working in public relations and marketing, I spent 16 years in radio broadcasting. Some of that as a news and sports reporter, but mostly as a disk jockey.
My first two years in radio were spent learning from giants in the business at the nation’s number one nostalgia station, WBBG in Cleveland. That station is now long off the air.
From 1982 to 1984 I worked with and for my father’s favorite 1950s DJ Bill Randle, who helped put Elvis Presley on the musical map north of the Mason Dixon line. My dad was so excited when I told him I would be the intern writing his newscasts. Even after I took a full time position at the station, I relished the opportunities to have conversations with Bill about the radio business. He once told me a great Elvis story as I drove him to the bus station for one of his weekend trips.
I also can’t forget the influences of other on air legends like Carl Reece and Ted Alexander who now has his own internet show of oldies.
This collection isn’t made up of just a bunch of albums I found in my dad’s house after he died. I listened to these albums. Mostly at Sunday dinners. But I wore a few of these out on my own turntable. So I know this collection and I think you’re going to enjoy some of the unique selections.
My dad and I had very similar taste in a lot of music. I also have over 400 albums in my personal collection. Even after his death I found some of my albums in his collection and visa versa.
I consider myself a bit of an amateur music historian. I’ve always loved music that came way before I was born, although I’m still partial to Led Zeppelin.
Additionally, extra understanding and appreciation of much of what you will hear in my dad’s collection came from a great upper level class I had in college: The History of Jazz.
I do know one thing. It will be fun to get behind a microphone again and share some great recordings.