Profile of a Performer: Burl Ives

If you watch the animated feature Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas time you will remember the narrator, Sam the Snowman.   This snowman is voiced by the powerful vocals of Burl Ives. Ives goes on to sing such hits as A Holly Jolly Christmas and Silver and Gold in the special. Burl Ives was one Read More

The Christmas Song

The song has it’s origins in the hot sweltering summer.  Mel Tormé arrived for a writing session in July 1945, at the lake house of his writing partner, Bob Wells.  He noticed the first four lines of the now famous song, written on a note pad on the top of the piano. When he asked Read More

The Bells of St. Mary’s

  The Bells of St. Mary’s is best known for the beautiful Bing Crosby rendition.  However, Crosby revived a once popular song. The music was written by A. Emmett Adams and the lyrics by Douglas Furber.   The lyrics were inspired by a visit Furber made to St. Mary’s Church in Southampton, England. The song was Read More

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a song that can bring tears to the eye, especially if one is away from home and family for the holiday season. The song was written for just that reason, to honor the soldiers overseas who longed to be home during World War II.  The song lyrics explain that Read More

Jingle Bells

Although we now sing Jingle Bells at Christmas time, the song was originally written for another holiday, Thanksgiving. Legend says that the author wrote the song for a children’s Sunday School Class at Thanksgiving. The poem was written by James Lord Pierpont and published in 1857 under the title One Horse Open Sleigh.  The song Read More

Frosty the Snowman

After Gene Autry found success with Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, he was looking for another seasonal hit.  He recorded the song with the Cass County Boys in 1950. The song was written by Walter Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson, who also wrote Peter Cottontail.  The men brainstormed for months before deciding the song should be Read More

Thanksgiving Prayer

We have many older Thanksgiving hymns, but not as many newer Thanksgiving songs. Johnny Cash sang this song on an episode in the third season of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.   This was a television show starring Jane Seymour and Joe Lando that aired during the 1990s.   However, the storyline occurred in the 19th Century. Cash Read More

The Blue Bells of Scotland

In honor of Scotland’s St. Andrews Day at the end of the month, I wanted to explore the history of one of Scotland’s popular folk songs. The 19th Century actress, Dorothea Jordan, introduced the song in the early 1800s at the Drury Lane Theatre in Edinburgh.  She claimed to perform the song to an “original Read More

To Know Him is to Love Him

One of the interesting things about the history of songs, is discovering what inspired the lyrics and/or melody of the song. For To Know Him is to Love Him, that inspiration was a tombstone.  Phil Spector was nine years old when his father died.  His family then moved from New York to Los Angeles.   As Read More

Profile of a Performer: Celtic Thunder

Celtic Thunder is an Irish singing group that is known for their theatrical shows. The show was created and is produced by Sharon Browne, who was a creator and producer for Celtic Woman in 2004. The group made their debut in August 2007 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland. Phil Coulter, was their musical director, Read More