May 3, 2011

1939 - This was the day when superstar sisters, The Andrew Sisters, recorded Beer Barrel Polka. The sister trio burst into the music scene in the late-1930s, and shook it to its very foundation. The sisters produced a slick harmonic blend, singing at the top of their lungs, successfully emulating the blare of harmonizing trumpets, with a full big band racing behind them. Some bandleaders of the day - and the Andrew sisters performed with most of them - resented the trio for taking the focus away from the band, emphasizing vocal harmonies instead. There were times when the Andrew sisters were in as much demand as the big band and band leaders, many of whom just did not want to share the spotlight and play back-up to a girl trio. In spite of this, The Andrew Sisters found instant appeal with teenagers and young adults who were engrossed in the swing and jazz idioms, especially with the sisters out front. The Andrews Sisters became one of the best-selling female vocal groups in the history of popular music, some setting records that remain unsurpassed to this day. For instance:
* between 75-100 million records sold from a little over 600 recorded tunes.
* 113 charted Billboard hits, 46 reaching Top 10 status (more than Elvis Presley or the Beatles)
* 17 Hollywood films (more than any other singing group in motion picture history)
* record-breaking theater and cabaret runs all across America and Europe;
* countless appearances on radio shows from 1935 to 1960 (including their own)
* guest spots on every major television show of the 1950s and 1960s, including those hosted by Ed Sullivan, Milton Berle, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Johnny Carson, Joey Bishop, Art Linkletter, and Jimmy Dean. OK dear reader, these girls were as cool as, howzabout this one, Steppin' Out Tonight.

1956 - Most Happy Fella, a musical by Frank Loesser, opened at the Imperial Theatre, today in New York City, and four years later, on the same day, The Fantasticks opened. The show became the longest-running musical in theater history on May 13, 1984 with performance number 10,000.

1964 - It's 47 years to the very day that Gerry & the Pacemakers made their U.S. TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. They performed Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying. OK, for some reason they won't let us have this video from the Ed Sullivan Show, so fuck 'em. Instead here are two other vids, one for Sun, the other Gerry's second hit, How Do You Do It...both are live.

1967 - It was during the sixties and seventies that American pop vocal trio The Walker Brothers moved their base to London, Engand. Comprising Scott Engel (eventually known professionally as Scott Walker), John Walker (born John Maus, but using the name Walker since his teens), and Gary Leeds (eventually known as Gary Walker), the trio weren't actually brothers. After moving to Britain they had a number of UK top ten albums and singles, including the #1 chart hits Make It Easy on Yourself and "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore), both of which also made the US top twenty.
Formed in 1964, the three unrelated musicians adopted the Walker Brothers name as a show business touch - "simply because we liked it". They provided a juxtaposition to the British Invasion because they were a group from the United States that achieved more substantial success in the United Kingdom than in their home country, during the period when the popularity of British bands such as The Beatles dominated the US music scene. This is a great song, great vocals...not bad lookers, either, eh, girls?...guys?

1976 - Paul McCartney made his first American stage appearance in 10 years, today, when The Wings Over America tour began in Ft. Worth, Texas. But it also went to Seattle, which is where this bootleg was shot. This is one of McCartney's best ever bands. Sadly, the young guitarist who speaks at the beginning and plays the fabo solo, Jimmy McCulloch, is now departed from this planet. He died from drug and booze a year after this video. By the way he also played lead guitar on the Thunderclap Newman classic, Something In The Air. Following that is another performance of Wings from the same show, same night, with Jimmy singing one of his songs. Finally, we look at Thunderclap Newman's song with Jimmy on lead guitar.

1986 - This is the day, a quarter century ago, that Dolly Parton's theme park, Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This was the concert held on opeing night, it was in six parts but we've only posted one here.

2000 - Rapper DMX was sentenced to 15 days in jail after he pled guilty to drug possession charges, driving without a license and outstanding parking tickets. DMX was also fined $350. An habitual crim, even when he's a millionaire, this is a must see interview from Arizona jail with DMX.