Music Monday…A few of my favorite things.. British…

Music Monday…A few of my favorite things.. British…
With the announcement of Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber’s illness I pondered about a few of my favorite things British. Well first I have to tell you that “Jesus Christ Superstar” is probably one of my favs by Weber. Mostly because it was the first LP I ever bought and being a catholic school girl, it was almost scandalous in 1971. Now don’t get me wrong there a lot of musicals by ALW that I love, but you always have a special place for your first.
Britain has a great history of entertainment. I will only list a few more of my British favs, the new “Dr Who” with David Tennent. Can’t wait till we get to see the newest Dr Who here is the USA. When you mention British comedy, Monty Python is the first that comes to mind, but there are others. Comedian Eddie Izzard always makes me laugh out loud. Just the phrase “Cake or death? Ah Cake please.” From the HBO special “Dress to Kill”. And who else but Eddie would run 43 marathons in 51 days to raise money for Sport Relief!
British music explores all music genres from pop to classical. My favorite vocalist who I discovered quite by accident is ‘The Voice’ Russell Watson. Russell’s amazing story is one of trials and tribulations. Love his versatility with any music genre and he does them all so well. But to finish out I think I’ll share Russell Watson’s version of “Music of the Night” from Phantom from YouTube.

Music Monday: Rosemary Clooney

Growing up my mom always made a point of telling us the famous people who started out or have ties to Cincinnati, Ohio. To me it seemed like every big star came from my hometown. My parents are from the WWII generation and big band was the sound. We heard the Andrew Sisters, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and the like long before we got to listen to anything we wanted. My mom made sure we knew about Rosemary Clooney, I think Rosemary was my mom's favorite. Rosemary is from Mayville, Ky, on the Ohio River. And yes her brother, Nick Clooney is George Clooney's father, making George Rosie's nephew. According to Rosemary Clooney own bio: The singer noted for her decades-long mastery of American popular song started life amid the poverty of small-town Maysville. Her childhood was a difficult one; Clooney and younger siblings Betty and Nick were shuttled among their alcoholic father, Andy, their mother, Frances—who traveled constantly for her work with a chain of dress shops—and relatives, who would take turns raising the children. When Clooney was 13 her mother moved to California to marry a sailor, taking Nick with her but leaving the girls behind. Her father tried to care for Rosemary and Betty, working steadily at a defense plant, but he left one night to celebrate the end of World War II—taking the household money with him—and never returned. As Clooney described in her autobiography, This for Remembrance, she and Betty were left to fend for themselves. They collected soda bottles and bought meals at school with the refund money. The phone had been disconnected, the utilities were about to be turned off, and the rent was overdue when Rosemary and Betty won an open singing audition at a Cincinnati radio station. The girls were so impressive, in fact, that they were hired for a regular late-night spot at $20 a week each. "The Clooney Sisters," as they became known, began their singing career in 1945 on WLW in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati connection WLW radio…1945, was a beginning of a long and illustrious career. Her first #1 recording "Come On-A My House" (psst.. this link will take you to a 1981 live recording of this song) was a silly song she really didn't want to do but Mitch Miller insisted so it is said. My sister and I grew up watching "White Christmas" every holiday season. We were not a "Wonderful Life" family. .Nope, musicals was first at our house. Her part in "White Christmas" was the first of many performances with Bing Crosby. But my favorite song from that movie is "Sisters", which my sister thinks we should learn and sing it someplace, probably in a car.

Side Bar: WLW TV and Radio WLWT was a pioneer in LIVE TV. Before there was Oprah, there was Ruth Lyons and her 50/50 Club, and The Paul Dixon Show. These shows we only got to watch when we were home sick from school. Ruth Lyon was certainly a very visible pioneer at WLW-TV and Radio.

Rosemary's music, Ruth Lyons's and her white gloves, Paul Dixon and his rubber chicken jokes in Cincinnati: priceless.