Part 2...The 1940 Music Project......EVERYTHING, not just the hits... :)

Part 2....the REAL 1940 music project.........

A handful of stars- Glenn Miller v=Ray Eberle

Anything that's part of you -Village Boys

Bogo Jo -Lionel Hampton

Concerto for Cootie (Do Nothin' til You Hear) -Duke Ellington

Crying the blues again -Ted Daffin's Texans

Elegie -Art Tatum

Everything depends on you -Earl Hines

Ferryboat Serenade -Andrews Sisters

Five O'Clock Whistle -Erskine Hawkins

Flining A Whing-Ding -Horace Henderson

Fools rush in -Glenn Miller v=Ray Eberle

Frenesi -Artie Shaw

Friendship -Kay Kyser 

Gone with the gin -Hot Lips Page

Good old New York -Jelly Roll Morton's Seven

Goody Goodbye -Ted Weems

He's My Uncle -Abe Lyman's California Orch.

Herman at The Sherman (Byfield stomp) -Woody Herman

Hit that jive Jack -Skeets Tolbert and His Gentlemen Swing

Hot dogs -The Three Peppers

House Of Morgan -Lionel Hampton

How 'bout that mess -Sam Price's Texas Bluesicians

How can I ever be alone -Mildred Bailey

How High The Moon -Benny Goodman

I don't stand a ghost of a chance -Frankie Trumbauer

I Don't Worry -Bar X Cowboys

I never knew -Teddy Wilson

I'll never smile again -Tommy Dorsey v=Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers

i'm falling for you -Earl Hines

I'm nobody's baby -Benny Goodman v= Helen Forrest 

I've Got My Eyes On You -Tommy Dorsey v=Alan DeWitt

If I had you -Una Mae Carlisle

If it's you-Artie Shaw

Imagination -Glenn Miller v=Ray Eberle

In The Mood  -Glenn Miller

Indian Summer -Tommy Dorsey

It's A Blue World -Glenn Miller v=Ray Eberle

It's A Hap, Hap, Happy Day -Eddie Duchin w/ The Three Earbenders

It's the Same Old Shillelagh -Harry's Tavern Band v=Billy Murray

https://rapidshare.com/files/1265072018/1940-2.zip

And, meanwhile....while we were driving Susie and Johnny to Grandma and Grandpa's farm in our 1940 Chevrolet.........Paris fell to the Nazi's.....



Just a reality check, being that a fair number of Americans were still pretty anti-intervention at the time. We weren't exactly convinced that anything happening "over there" would ever have anything to do with us........

My 1940 music project: PART ONE....Soooo NOT a "Billboard-type" list. But, then..Y'all pretty much know how I roll by now ;)

1940 wasn't just Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, so as usual this won't just be a feel good "In the Mood" list.......

There was a lot more released in all genres of music....a LOT more.


I believe in covering the music that EVERYONE listened to.....not just what we're TOLD that real people were hearing in 1940.....


So, doing things the way we do around here.......firing on all cylinders and forward we go......here's MY 1940 music list.....Part One:





Aberdeen Mississippi Blues-Bukka White
Abi gezunt -Ozzie Nelson v=Rose Ann Stevens (from radio)
About Rip Van Winkle -Don Redman
AC-DC Current -Charlie Christian with Benny Goodman
Adios, Mariquita Linda -Artie Shaw
All Star Strut -Charlie Christian/Goodman
All the things you ain't-Tommy Dorsey
All The Things You Are -Tommy Dorsey
All The Things You Are -Ozzie Nelson
And So Do I -Jimmy Dorsey v=Bob Eberle
Andiology -Charlie Shavers/John Kirby Orch.
Baby Won't You Please Come Home -Ella Fitzgerald
Ballad For Americans -Paul Robeson
Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar -Andrews Sisters
Beer And Skittles -Louise Massey and The Westerners
Blue Afterglow -Jimmie Lunceford
Blueberry Hill -Gene Autry
Boogie Woogie -Django Reinhardt w/ Philippe Brun and his Jam Band
Bugle call rag -Glenn Miller
Bugs Parade -Jimmie Lunceford
Cabbage greens -Champion Jack Dupree
Cabin In The Sky -Ella FItzgerald
Can't get Indiana off my mind -Bing Crosby
Cant We Be Friends -Buster Bailey/John Kirby
Careless -Glenn Miller
Chop chop Charlie Chan -Gene Krupa
Cocoanut Grove -Teddy Wilson
Cottontail -Ben Webster
Darn That Dream -Benny Goodman v=Mildred Bailey
Deed I do- (v Mary Ann McCall) -Charlie Barnet
Did your mother come from Ireland -Bing Crosby/King's Men
Dinah Part 2 -Jimmie Lunceford
Do You Care -Bob Crosby v=Johnny Desmond
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Never No Lament) -Duke Ellington
Down Argentina Way -Gene Krupa
The Breeze and I -Jimmy Dorsey


https://rapidshare.com/files/1360356030/1940-1.zip


Much, much much more to come..................much more :)

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The 1940 U.S. Census images are now released!

The 1940 U.S. Census images are now released!

https://the1940census.com/

On April 2, 2012, NARA released the digital images of the 1940 United States Federal Census after a 72 year embargo. These census images are uploaded and have been made available on:




http://www.archives.com/1940census


http://www.findmypast.com/


https://www.familysearch.org/1940census/




Additionally, the entire 1940 census will be indexed by a community of volunteers and made available for free. The free index of the census records and corresponding images will be available to the public for perpetuity.




The "Greatest Generation"


The 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the largest, most comprehensive, and most recent record set available that records the names of this who were living in the United States at the time the census was taken.


132 million people were living in the 48 Continental United States in 1940.


Tens of millions of people livening in the United States in 1940 are still living today, making this a record set that connects people with recent family records.


Many of these individuals are a part of what has been called the Greatest Generation.


These are people who:


-Survived the Great Depression
-Fought in the Second World War
-Innovated technology (TV, Microwave)
-Sacrificed in the name of freedom
-Practiced thrift and compassion
-Understood hard work and industry


The people in the 1940 census deserve to have their records preserved and made available online.


Rich and unique information


The 1940 census included several standard questions, such as: name, age, race, gender, education, and place of birth. But the census also introduced some new questions. One example is that the enumerator was instructed to mark (with a circled X) who in the household responded to the census questions. Other questions included whether the person worked for the CCC, WPA, or NYA the week of March 24-30, 1940, and the income for the 12 months ending December 31, 1939.


New, interesting questions were asked:


-Where people lived 5 years before
-Highest educational grade achieved
-Detailed income and occupation


As part of the census, 5% of respondents (two names per page) were asked supplemental questions. which included the birth place of the person's father and mother, the respondent's usual occupation (not just for the week of March 24-30), and questions related to marriage for all women who were or had been married. The enumerators asked women if they had been married more than once, the age at first marriage, and the total number of children to whom they had ever given birth.

Now you can go and find your family information. More importantly, you have the opportunity to be part of history by volunteering some of your time to help assist in the endeavor of indexing information to make even more of the census available to everyone.




I spent several hours yesterday looking through records and locating information about my immediate and extended family. The release of this census is a significant occasion for any genealogist, both professional and amateur. A fair amount of the information was quite familiar to me, but a number of interesting bits of until now unknown information were also revealed that provided for some great conversation with a few family members. I urge you to check it out.....either just for personal information on your family, or possibly even to volunteer your time. You'll be making history by participating at any level.

Roy Hamilton.....The Golden Boy of Song, Mr. Rock 'N Soul, The Gentle Giant...Regardless of the nickname, He was THE voice....And he should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....Jest sayin'

 

 

 

 

Roy Hamilton


Roy Hamilton (April 16, 1929 – July 20, 1969) was an American  singer , who achieved major success in the US  R&B  andpop  charts in the 1950s. He is best known for his recordings  of "You'll Never Walk Alone ", "Unchained Melody " and "You Can Have Her".

Born in Leesburg , Georgia , Hamilton moved to Jersey City  in 1943, studied commercial art , had operatic  and classical  voice training, and was a heavyweight Golden Gloves  boxer, before joining the gospel  quartet, The Searchlight Singers. In 1947, he entered and won an amateur talent show at the Apollo Theater  with his rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone ". However, he did not record commercially until 1953, when he was discovered singing in a New Jersey  club by a local DJ  Bill Cook, who became his manager. Columbia Records  saw him as a possible "crossover" singer with a foothold in both pop and R&B, and signed him to their subsidiary label  Epic . His first single, "You'll Never Walk Alone", became an R&B number 1 for eight weeks, and a national US Top 30 hit in 1954, and shot Hamilton to fame.

He followed up with a string of singles that reached both R&B and pop audiences, many of which were popular show tunes of the day. These included "If I Loved You So" (#4 R&B), "Ebb Tide " (#5 R&B), "Hurt" (#8 R&B), "Unchained Melody " (#1 R&B, #6 pop), and "Don’t Let Go" (#2 R&B, #13 pop). His style and sound directly influenced later artists such as Elvis Presley, Jackie Wilson  and the Righteous Brothers .

In mid-1956, Hamilton announced his retirement due to illness and exhaustion, but returned the following year. When he came back, he adopted the harder gospel  sound of his youth, to compete with rock and roll  and the emerging soul  sound. Hamilton appeared in the film , Let's Rock , in 1958. His last hit record , "You Can Have Her" (#6 R&B, #12 pop), came in 1961, and was followed by the album Mr. Rock And Soul (1962). The Epic label treated Hamilton as a major star and issued sixteen albums by him. However, by the mid 1960s, his career declined while recording with MGM  and then RCA .

His final recordings were made in Memphis , Tennessee , at record producer  Chips Moman 's American Group Productions studio , at the same time that Elvis Presley recorded there in early 1969. Songs released from those sessions were versions of James Carr 's "The Dark End of the Street ", Conway Twitty 's "It's Only Make Believe ", and "Angelica", a Barry Mann  and Cynthia Weil  song that had been submitted to Presley, but which he then turned over to Hamilton.

Hamilton died later in 1969, not long after suffering a stroke , at age 40, in New Rochelle, New York . Hamilton's "You'll Never Walk Alone" disc  was brought in from the US by a sailor friend of Gerry Marsden . As a result, Gerry & the Pacemakers  recorded the track to further success.

Hamilton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2010.


Another bio from online:

Roy Hamilton, during his illustrious 15-year singing career, was known by many nicknames: Mr. Rock and Soul, The Gentle Giant, and, most notably, The Golden Boy of Song. But few of these nicknames fully encompass the majesty of his voice, the influence he had on the artists of his generation, or the legacy his music has left behind. He was idolized by Elvis Presley, emulated by Jackie Wilson and Brook Benton, and covered by the Righteous Brothers. And his voice and legacy have earned him a place in the annals of history for years to come.

Born on April 16, 1929 in Leesburg, Georgia, Roy began his journey into music history singing in his local church choir at the tender age of six. He continued molding his voice within church when his family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey when Roy was 14, becoming a feature soloist in the Central Baptist Church Choir. In high school, believing his destiny set for singing, he soon turned his path towards the performing arts. He also became a boxer, and attained six victories as an amateur heavyweight before becoming put off by the violence of the sport.

In 1948, Roy continued to perfect his signature baritone as a member of a gospel quartet called The Searchlight Singers. Soon, however, he yearned for the solo spotlight, and began performing in clubs throughout New Jersey and New York. It was there that he met his future manager, Bill Cook, a DJ who hosted a live radio program at the Caravan Club in Newark, NJ in 1953. Roy tore down the house with the song that would become his first hit, "You'll Never Walk Alone". From there, Bill took Roy under his wing as his manager, and Roy was signed to Columbia Records, his first major label, in December of that year.

During his career, Roy spawned over 50 singles, eight of which crossed over to the pop charts. His bevy of hits included the aforementioned "Walk", released in 1954, which went to number one on the R&B chart and was a pop hit, "Unchained Melody", another number one R&B hit as well as a top ten pop hit the following year, and the up-tempo hits "Don't Let Go" in 1958 and "You Can Have Her", in 1961, both top ten hits. He also berthed a great deal of minor hits, such as his version of "Ebb Tide", "Hurt", "If I Loved You", "Forgive This Fool", and "Without a Song". He rigorously toured and performed all over the world, his rich voice and prolific repertoire fitting in at the supper-clubs and cocktail lounges just as easily as on the Chitlin' Circuit. His bona fide status as a Rock and Roll, star, however, got him a featured spot in the 1958 Columbia Pictures movie "Let's Rock".

Unfortunately, Roy's star was tragically extinguished when he suffered a stroke in New Rochelle, New York. Despite surgery, he died soon after on July 20, 1969, leaving behind his wife Myrna, and two sons, Roy Hamilton Jr. and Ray Hamilton. However, Roy's memory is left alive by the countless volumes of work he left in his stead, his influence on the countless artists he inspired and the ones who followed in their footsteps, and his family, who tirelessly work to ensure that the legend of The Golden Boy will never be forgotten. As of January,2009, Roy Hamilton has been Inducted into, "The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame", "Reflections In Black Museum Hall Of Fame" and "The Georgia Music Hall Of Fame". He has also been granted a Honorary Laureate Degree at Morris Brown University, Atlanta, GA.


A great article on the influence that Hamilton had on Elvis Presley:


http://www.elvisinfonet.com/presley_hamilton_spotlight.html 

 

Roy with Elvis, shortly before his death

 

 

Roy with Jackie Wilson

A truly underrated singer. Listening to this you hear just how much of an influence he had on so many singers, from Elvis to Jackie Wilson, and more. Roy Hamilton is one of those rare voices that ranks up there with Walter Jackson..right up at the very top.....it doesn't get much better than that.

He NEEDS to be in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...........

Some tunage:

My  Prayer
(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings 
A Great Romance 
Ain't it the truth 
And I Love Her 
Angelica 
At the end of the rainbow 
Blue Prelude 
Cheek To Cheek 
Crackin' Up Over You 
Crazy Feelin' 
Cuban Love Song 
Deep River 
Don't come cryin'
Don't Let Go 
Earthbound 
Earthquake 
Ebb tide 
Forgive This Fool 
Go Down, Moses 
Hang ups 
Heartache
Hurt 
I believe 
I Get The Blues When It Rains
I need your loving 
I'm Gonna Lock You In My Heart (and lose the key) 
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry Over You 
If I Loved You  
It's Only Make Believe 
let go 
Let The Music Play 
Lips 
Midnight Town, Daybreak City 
Mona Lisa 
My Chickadee (Here Comes Love) 
My One And Only Love 
My Peaceful Forest
One hundred years 
Only You 
Please Louise 
Pledging My Love 
Reach out for me 
She make me wanna dance 
She's Got A Heart 
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child 
Star Spangled Banner 
Stormy Weather 
Take it easy Joe 
The Aisle 
The Dark End of the Street 
The Golden Boy 
The impossible dream 
The panic is on 
The Secret Path Of Love 
The Sinner 
There She Is 
Time marches on 
To The One I Love 
Too Young 
Tore up over you
Unchained Melody 
Walk along with kings
Walk hand in hand 
You Can Count On Me 
You Can Have Her 
You shook me up 
You'll Never Walk Alone 

https://rapidshare.com/files/1615352185/royhamilton.zip

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Eureka! Antiques and Collectibles | Chicago Tonight | WTTW

If you're in the neighborhood...go!! You won't be disappointed!  Bindy has the best taste, the best items....a wonderfully knowledgable woman, warm, and welcoming. 


I consider her a friend and an inexhaustible font of knowledge on antiques and collectibles.....very highly recommended!!


http://www.eurekaevanston.com/


a great video from WTTW-Chicago-from the "Chicago Tonight" show:


Eureka! Antiques and Collectibles | Chicago Tonight | WTTW

Tuesday Pictorial: "Our Bess"-Miss America 1945-Bess Myerson

Bess Myerson

Bess Myerson (born July 16, 1924 in the Bronx, New York) became the first Jewish woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1945. She appeared on various television shows in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, she was involved in New York City politics.

While competing in beauty pageants, Myerson refused, despite entreaties, to use a pseudonym that "sounded less Jewish." She faced prejudice even after winning the Miss America title, with many sponsors and events long associated with the pageant refusing to deal with her. She later campaigned for civil rights, in particular, working with the Anti-Defamation League.

In 1954, Myerson was a panelist on The Name's the Same, a television game show. From 1958 through 1967, she was a panelist on I've Got a Secret. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Myerson enjoyed a successful television career as a TV personality, actress and commercial pitchwoman for a myriad of popular products.

She survived ovarian cancer after being diagnosed with the disease in 1973. She also suffered a stroke many years later.

She married Allen Wayne, a doll company executive, in October 1946.  They had one daughter, Barbara, before divorcing. Her second marriage was to Arnold Grant, a tax lawyer, in 1962. That marriage ended in divorce in 1967, but Myerson and Grant remarried in 1968, before divorcing again in 1971. 

Myerson was New York City's first Commissioner of Consumer Affairs (under Mayor John Lindsay), later serving as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs under Mayor Ed Koch. Throughout the late 1970s and the beginning of his mayoral ambitions, Myerson was a frequent public companion of Ed Koch.

In 1980, Myerson ran for the Democratic nomination for New York's U.S. Senate seat against Congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman, Queens District Attorney John J. Santucci, and former NYC mayor John Lindsay. Myerson lost to Holtzman by a slim margin.

In the 1980s, Myerson's life was darkened by a legal controversy (colloquially known as "the Bess Mess"). Her lover, sewer contractor Carl Andrew Capasso, who had been convicted of tax fraud, was accused of bribing Judge Hortense Gabel by arranging for a job for Gabel's daughter in Myerson's department. Myerson was also indicted and resigned her positions with the City of New York. She was ultimately acquitted. 

On May 27, 1988, Myerson was arrested for shoplifting in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, after she left the Hills Department Store with multiple items for which she had not paid. On July 15, 1988, she pleaded guilty to retail theft and was fined. The arrest occurred while she was believed to be visiting Mr. Capasso at the Allenwood Detention Camp.

Myerson has promoted social causes and engaged in philanthropy. She has recorded public service announcements about ovarian cancer awareness for broadcast in the area of her home in South Florida. 

An interesting 1995 article from EMILY D. SOLOFF, Chicago Jewish News: 

  

http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/1739/bess-myerson-reflects-on-fame-miss-america-and-judaism/

I imagine that it must be a bit difficult in 2012 to understand the significance of Bess Myerson winning the title of Miss America 1945. Bess Myerson was the first (and ONLY, mind you) Jewish Miss America. Bess was the daughter of immigrants. She spoke only Yiddish until she started public school.  Her talent in the pageant was classical piano. It was 1945....the very year that WWII ended. An America just learning of the horrors of the Holocaust.....an America still incredibly Anti-Semitic and Racist at every level of society. The war didn't change the horrible prejudices of a significant percentage of Americans, not by a long shot. Remember that it took Pearl Harbor to even get us to help join the effort to defeat Fascism, we had a lot of citizens who were very Nationalist and very much against intervention in the conflict at all.

Bess Myerson...an intellectual, college graduate, classical pianist, a proud Jew.....not your typical Miss America by any means. 

It is NOT hard, however, to imagine the significance of her win to the Jewish community, even in this day and age. She remains one of the only memorable Miss America winners, with the exception of only a few other women. She faced both subtle and incredibly blatant Anti-Semitism during her reign, yet managed to transcend both that AND the ridiculously sexist nature of the pageant. She did not just fade back into domestic life, unlike many other winners of the title. She built a career in the public life in music, television, and later in politics. Highs and lows followed, as is the nature of life. 

She has always fascinated me, because she didn't follow the "Party Line" of pageant winners. Sponsors didn't want her for the most part, because of her being Jewish, she didn't play into the "cheesecake" angle of the title, either. She was too serious, too intelligent, too aware of her "significance", if you will......she was proud of her heritage, and wasn't planning to let anyone down or change in any way to play the games expected of her upon winning the title. When the sponsors abandoned her, she took her newfound fame and channeled it into the battle against intolerance and racism, joining with the Anti-Defamation League, and using her fame and popularity with youth as an educational tool during a very tense time in our country. Very Impressive, indeed.


Enough already......pictures......pictures.... :)

The official 1945 Program

Bess is on the far right in the below pic 

 a Fitch endorsement

a few later pics

Dreadful music, but brief footage of Bess being crowned





A link to an audio story on: http://www.spokenword.org/program/1127254