Several years ago I began to receive letters, then phone calls from Andrew Fielding searching for information about his mother Sue Bennett, one of the original stars of the NBC television show "Your Hit Parade". As author of Your Hit Parade and American Top 10 Hits, Popular Culture 1994 4th edition I was able to provide Andrew with what material I could offer and I'm glad I did. The Lucky Strike Papers is a must read for anyone wanting the insights of early American television. He details with precision and detail the everyday details of his mothers career in early TV beginning in 1949. Chock full of pictures and scripts and comments from the stars of that era. How many of today’s generation remember the Dumont Network? Five Stars
JDH    

A genuine Country Music History lesson that took the Nashville Sidekick seven long years to put together and it is written with pure perfection. It showcases the dark and bright sides of Nashville and the personalities of three particular individuals, Faron Young, Willie Nelson and NASCAR driver Buck Baker. Frank Oakley was these guys sidekick for most of his life, now he and Willie are partners in different business ventures.

The beginning of the book begins with the tragic suicide of Faron Young. This was a hard read for me because, even though I did'nt know Faron that well, I Only had one business deal with him, he was a legend and it was a tragedy that touched everyone in the music business. As you emerce yourself in the other chapters it begins to lighten up with all the stories of a much younger Faron Young and Willie Nelson and the two year stint with NASCAR legend Buck Baker. The travels, tall tales and adventure make this a great read. There are hundreds of classic photos. This book should be on the shelve of every music collector. It delves into a time tunnell when the industry was run much differently than it is today when you had to earn your reputation as a singer and songwriter, hard times made you tough. These were the glory days of Nashville with a little classic NASCAR thrown in too. You can order a copy of this book by contacting the Willie Nelson General Store and Museum

2613A McGavock Pike
Nashville, Tn. 7216
615-855-1515

JDH    

For decades in the United States, Hazen Schumacher hosted Jazz Revisited on National Public Radio; John Stevens, who died before A Golden Age of Jazz Revisited was published, was professor of journalism at the University of Michigan, where Schumacher served as director of broadcasting. In their book, the men focus on fifty-five recordings to document what they characterize as a jazz golden age, one that lasted from mid 1939 to mid 1942; it concluded because of war realities and a recording ban. They state their criteria for selecting the recordings: they “are not offered as the 55 best records, but rather to show the styles and repertoires of key jazz groups and artists” (x).

Because the authors discuss only releases issued commercially soon after they were recorded, they omit airchecks, remotes, alternate takes, and other music released significantly after it was performed. The selections range chronologically from Charlie Barnet’s “Cherokee” (17 July 1939) to Benny Goodman’s “Why Don’t You Do Right” (27 July 1942). Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, and Artie Shaw are each represented by two selections; all other leaders, by one recording.

So what do Schumacher and Stevens say about the recordings in approximately 250-300 words per selection? Consider Duke Ellington’s “Ko-Ko,” recorded on 6 March 1940. They comment on its low pitch, Tricky Sam Nanton’s “wah-wah” trombone, and the sound of Jimmy Blanton’s unamplified bass. After noting that the composition was originally titled “Kaline,” they place the performance in the context of Ellington’s career by stating that it was recorded at Ellington’s first session for RCA and just after Irving Mills ceased representing Ellington. They also aver that the session “marked the beginning of the Duke’s greatest creative surge” (56).

Also consider Jay McShann’s recording of “Hootie Blues” (30 April 1941). The authors focus on Charlie Parker, who co-composed the tune (with McShann), arranged it, and solos on it. They state that “Parker’s alto saxophone already sounds assured and powerful and he shows a great feeling for the blues which is the hallmark of all of the great jazz soloists” (105).

Commentary on the individual musical selections constitutes only one part of the book. In the introduction, the authors place the recordings in historical context: World War II and events leading to it, the 1939 World’s Fair, movies, sports, radio, and dance, as well as issues relating more specifically to the music business. They introduce each of the years similarly.

The text is enhanced by photographs, including one of each 78-r.p.m. recording discussed. Along the way, the authors offer what amounts to instruction on how to read a record label. They explain the words “Sepia SERIES” on the label of the Decca recording of “Hootie’s Blues,” for example, while noting that “Blues Dance,” used to characterize the music, is a rarity. They observe that the name of Count Basie is mentioned prominently on the early Columbia issues of Benny Goodman’s “I Found a New Baby” (15 January 1941), but that it is less conspicuous on later ones. They state that Goodman is “Shoeless John Jackson,” the clarinetist on Mel Powell’s Commodore recording of “The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise” (4 February 1942). Elsewhere, they discuss the significance of A and B sides of a record, realities that led to the inclusion of “not licensed for radio broadcast” on labels, the meaning of numerical sequences on labels, and so forth.

Even knowledgeable jazz fans will learn from this book. The authors state that Mildred Bailey was the first female to sing regularly with a big band (Paul Whiteman’s) and that the first three black singers with white bands were June Richmond with Jimmy Dorsey, Billie Holiday with Artie Shaw, and Lena Horne with Charlie Barnet. They state that the records from Bunny Berigan’s last session were “offered as a premium by a tire maker” (144). They chart the evolution of the title of the tune now known as “Muskrat Ramble” and explain the titles of Slim Gaillard’s “Flat Foot Floogie,” Earle Warren’s “9:20 Special,” and Artie Shaw’s “Summit Ridge Drive.” They indicate why Shaw called his small group the Gramercy 5. I find the authors factually accurate, though Dooley Wilson was a drummer, not a pianist.

While most of Schumacher and Stevens’s characterizations will be readily accepted, some are probably unexpected. Would most agree, for example, that Muggsy Spanier is “in that exclusive circle of . . . the very best instrumentalists in jazz history” (61)? That in 1939 Jimmie Lunceford’s group was “arguably the best of all the big bands” (42)? That by 1942 Tommy Dorsey “had the best band and his recordings of the day show it” (134)? That the timbre of Billy Eckstine’s voice is “African” (135)? These and other judgments will, happily, generate endless discussions.

On the issue of race, the authors are direct throughout. Too frequently, they note, mediocre white musicians were admired more than superior black ones. This may be demonstrated by the election of Tex Beneke but not Ben Webster or Chu Berry to the Metronome All Stars, who recorded “One O’Clock Jump” on 16 January 1941, and Beneke’s election to the Down Beat All Stars over Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Webster.

Back matter includes a bibliography, recommended recordings, musicians on Billie Holiday’s recordings with Teddy Wilson, recordings based on classical compositions, future stars who initially recorded during this period, and noteworthy recordings. Two CDs accompany the books. They include all but six of the selections discussed, and these were omitted for reasons relating to space. The sound quality is generally excellent.

In sum, this handsome book presents a readable, dependable, and provocative discussion of jazz recorded during the period the authors identify, accurately, as a golden age.


Benjamin Franklin V    

This is a must read for anyone who is familiar with the music of the 50's and 60's.

I have always been a fan of the Browns and I always loved their music. They had 21 top Cashbox singles in their career as a group consisting of Jim Ed, Maxine and Bonnie. If you count the solo recordings it reaches closer to 55 Cashbox Hits.

This book chronicles their life from the 30's growing up in poverty in rural Arkansas to the Louisiana Hayride and superstardom for that era of music. "The Three Bells" ranks as one of the biggest hits of all time and brought them world wide stardom. In 1955 they became friends with Jim Reeves and later Elvis.

Maxine donates one full chapter to their travels with the King. It took Maxine 12 years to write this book and it is so good I hope someday it could be made into a movie. To all the young folks out there that think today's country is special, go buy Maxine's book and then find a Best of the Browns CD and see what you're missing. They were just that good!
JDH    

A great companion to Mr. Fielding's book, Russell one of the last survivors of the TV series "Your Hit Parade". Eileen Wilson, who starred on the Hit Parade between 1950 and 1952 is the other. Russell is a friend of mine.

Most folks know him for his six years on Your Hit Parade, but Russell has a long acting career as well as appearing in numerous early 60's TV shows like "Have Gun Will Travel". He also appeared at several dinner and summer theaters all over the country. This is a career book that not only covers his "famous years" but also fills in all the blanks with the rest of his career. It is a very entertaining look at our past and the beginnings of a medium today’s generation couldn't live without. This book with Mr. Fielding also contains many black and white classic photos from the age of American innocence and the beginning of music videos. Without the props and live TV from kinescopes, a mistake was a mistake, it couldn't be changed made early TV a fun thing to look at. I'm just glad I'm old enough to know what it was like when you had one or two channels in black and white, sometimes very snowy, but wonderfully entertaining and Russell was a big part of it singing the great songs of the 50's every Saturday night. A great book and one for the ages. Five Stars
JDH