The musical theater in the 1920s was comparable to Vaudeville with comedic routines and sideshow attractions. However, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II had an idea for a revolutionary new approach. Now the daunting task of choosing their work. They decided on Edna Ferber’s novel, Showboat. This was a most unconventional topic and she was skeptical Read More
Behind the Song: Thriller
Michael Jackson was the top artists of the day when he released his pop song with a horror theme. Few songs had been written of such a theme, or were primarily for the holiday of Halloween. However, Thriller had lasting power beyond the theme of Halloween. The song was written by Rod Temperton. Jackson and Read More
Profile of a Composer: John Rutter
I was introduced to Rutter when I was in college. I grew to absolutely adore several of his choral arrangements and have both sung them in the choir and conducted them over the years. John Rutter was born in 1945 London, England. He studied at Clare College in Cambridge, England. He currently resides in Cambridgeshire, Read More
That’ll Be the Day
Buddy Holly longed to write a hit and make it big in the music industry. One evening he and his band mate, Jerry Allison, decided to see a John Wayne western, The Searchers. Wayne keeps repeating “That’ll be the day,” when he felt something was unlikely to happen. The phrase stuck and one evening while Read More
Till There Was You
Meredith Wilson wrote the song for his 1957 musical, The Music Man. In the musical, the librarian, Marion Paroo, sings the song to Professor Harold Hill near the end of Act II. The first release of the song appeared before the first cast album was release in November 1957. The Broadway production of The Music Read More
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! transformed the world of musical theater in more ways than one. Richard Rodgers was interested in adapting the 1931 play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs into a piece for musical theater. However, his writing partner Lorenz Hart had no interest in the project. Oscar Hammerstein II expressed interest, but his writing partner Read More
Down in the Valley
Down in the Valley is a popular request when I go to nursing facilities to perform. This folk song is believed to be an Appalachian Mountain song inspired by a British air. The song was later transported to the Ozark’s. The ballad is set to a sweet and serene tune, however upon really noticing the Read More
Behind the Song: I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You was a signature song for Whitney Houston, after she performed the song in her movie, The Bodyguard. However, the song was written by another big known star, Dolly Parton. This would become the biggest song of her career as both a performer and songwriter. The song was the second single Read More
Behind the Song: Oh My Darling Clementine
This was sung on an old movie I was recently watching and I wondered where the song originated. This song is believed to have been inspired by Down by the River Liv’d a Maiden by H. S. Thompson. It is considered an old western folk song. The song is believed to have been written by Read More
Behind the Song: Oh Where, oh Where Is Mine Little Dog Gone
Oh Where, oh Where Is Mine Little Dog Gone is a fun folk song we all learn as a child. The song was written by Septimus Winner, a teacher, musician, music publisher, critic, arranger and composer. He wrote the lyrics to a German folk tune, “In Lauterbach hab’ ich mein’ Strumpf verlor’n“. The German lyrics Read More