An Austrian carol has an astonishing cultural history. It was first sung 200 years ago on Christmas Eve 1818. Bing Crosby’s version is one of the top selling singles ever. Initially published in a collection of Four Genuine...
Category - General
Blind Willie Johnson, an influential early blues singer was born just before the 20th century began. His thirty recordings were cut in just three years. They display a powerful combination of ‘chest’ singing, ...
A question for you… Who sang the first song on planet earth? When? Where? and Why did humans start singing? Profound questions. I do not know who but I do know where? An African sang the first song. And an African made...
Roll Over Beethoven will surely return to the charts soon. The hit was written by Chuck Berry, covered by the Beatles, ELO and many others. It reveals the desire for rhythm and blues to replace classical music. Allegedly, it...
What gives songwriters the motivation to put pen to paper? A Musketeer: This autumn Barbra Streisand recorded her first new music since 2005, ‘Don’t Lie to Me’. The 76-year-old said: “After the [presidential]...
What is your favourite Elvis song? What colourful outfit did he wear while singing it? How did he move to the rhythms? Presley appeared like a bright shooting star in the early 1950’s. His winning act included dance with...
At our High School, music was a bit of a joke, though not in the Mozart sense. I can’t remember any pupils being offered tuition on any musical instrument. The school was 1960s monochrome. Extracurricular activity meant...
Do you have an interest in music? A monthly blog will invite readers to learn something fresh concerning the story – breadth and depth of the world of music. The aim is to be fun, stimulating and informative. Why not try a...