Treasured Music

The Quess Who

The Guess who was the first Canadian rock band to have a #1 hit in the U.S. The band started out as (Chad) “Allan and the Silvertones”, then morphed into “Chad Allen & the Expressions”. Later “in an attempt to build a mystique around the record, Quality Records credited the single only to “Guess Who?“.

In 1965, Burton Cummings joined the group to immediate success. Cummings and Randy Bachman became the band’s main writers and went on to many hits including:

• - These Eyes
• - American Woman
• - Wild One

In the early 1970’s, Randy Bachman left the band and formed a band with former Guess Who leader Chad Allen, that would later be known as Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Cummings left the band in 1975 to go solo. In 1978 Cummings released an album destined to become Canada’s biggest hit to date.

Most of the original band members toured (more…)

Tags: buron cummings, guess who, randy bachman

Frank Sinatra - Chairman of the Board

“The Chairman of the Board”, as Frank Sinatra was sometimes known, was born in 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey to first generation Italian immigrant parents.

He sang in different groups but was picked up by Harry James in 1939 for $75 a week. He soon joined Tommy Dorsey’s band. The 1940’s saw him acting in several movies and continuing to sing. In 1953 Frank Sinatra won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the movie, “From Here To Eternity” which helped turn his career around.

The 1960’s saw Frank Sinatra with the “Rat Pack” (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop), playing the Sands Casino in Las Vegas, and recording some of his most memorable work. He retired in the early 1970s then came out of (more…)

Tags: Frank Sinatra, frank sinatra biography, frank sinatra music, frank sinatra singer, frank sinatra songs

Edith Piaf - more than “La Vie En Rose”

Perhaps best known for her song in French cinema, La Vie En Rose, Edith Piaf was much more. In fact, a movie about her life recently won an Academy Award, “La Vie En Rose”.

There are others but the video below is my favorite. (more…)

Tags: actress, Edith Piaf, edith piaf cd, french song, La Vie En Rose, singer

Louis Armstrong - the best jazz musician

This video is a real treasure. Get the sense and feel for Louis Armstrong, the unique quality of his voice and presence.

He was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901 and went by nicknames like “Satchmo” and “Pops.” Louis Armstrong performed with the best of his time including “Jimmie Rodgers, Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Bessie Smith, and Ella Fitzgerald.” (ref)

“Shortly before his death he stated, ‘I think I had a beautiful life. I didn’t wish for anything that I couldn’t get and I got pretty near everything I wanted because I worked for it.’”(ref)

He was probably the best jazz musician. Lest we forget (more…)

Tags: armstrong wonderful world, hello dolly, jazz, Louis Armstrong, louis armstrong jazz, louis armstrong new orleans, louis armstrong songs, pops, Satchmo, trumpet, what a wonderful world