Post by zimmerman on Oct 9, 2012 13:49:15 GMT -8
one of my all-time favorite traditional pop singers pased away, one that I thought would live long enough to celebrate his 100th birthday. I am talking about Cyd Charisse's longtime better half, Tony Martin, born Alvin Morris on Christmas Day in 1913. He still was touring and performing well into his mid-'90's, including an appearance on a PBS pledge special in 2007.
In the mid-1950's, network news was not quite the multi-channel, 24-hour juggernaut that it is today in the 21st century. Most of the time the network news lasted 15 minutes, with the remainder of the half-hour given to various singers. Dinah Shore, Perry Como, and Eddie Fisher all had successful 15-minute shows in the '50's, as did Tony Martin, whose venture, "The Tony Martin Show", lasted for two seasons, from 1954 to 1956. The episode of said program that is on YouTube comes from the programs first year, when Hal Borne led the orchestra and was sponsered by the Bobbi Pin Co. and was written, produced, and directed by Bud Yorkin. This episode anticipated the concept theme of "The Lawrence Welk Show" by having a different theme in the program. In the case of the program uploaded by YouTube, it was a salute to New Orleans, originally aired on November 29, 1954. Tony flashes a huge grin as he sings the programs opener, "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", in a very swinging version. Tony is wearing a black shirt, gray suit, and white tie as he sings this. He sheds the suit and the great Big Band sound continues as he sides into a wonderful version of "Basin Street Blues", a refreshing musical change of pace for Mr. Martin, who normally did mid-tempo ballads.
After Tony sings the Bobbi Pin commercial ("For a softly feminine permanent way, give yourself a Bobbi the pincurl way. You'll go Bob-Bob-Bobbin' along with your Bobbi, your Bobbi, your Bobbi.")
He introduces the feature number from the vocal group The Interludes, three girls and five guys, "Blues in the Night": "My mama done told me that New Orleans is a wonderful place, and now the Interludes will reiterate what my Mama done told me." Their version of "Blues in the Night" is light and breezy, sounding like a combination of the vocal styles of The Song Spinners, The Merry Macs, and the Pied Pipers, yet sounding distinctly different.
In the final segment, Tony talks about Cole Porter's new show "Silk Stockings". which his "Good friend Don Ameche is appearing in." and gets the chance to sing one of his memorable songs from that show, "All of You", "Which (he) had the pleasure of recording". he sings the "Take a tour of you" version of the song instead of "The Sweet of you and the pure of you." The arrangement has an interesting string riff on it, which makes me believe that it is the work of Hugo Winterhalter.
Tony closes the show by saying that next week he would be doing a song from "Vera Cruz", starring Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper, as he waves goodbye and kisses to the camera while singing the shows theme song, "I'll See You In My Dreams", a big hit for him on Mercury Records in 1947-48. Ever a true gentlemen right till the end, heres to a long life and a wonderful career filled with several songs and wonderful movies for us to enjoy.
RIP Tony Martin
.
In the mid-1950's, network news was not quite the multi-channel, 24-hour juggernaut that it is today in the 21st century. Most of the time the network news lasted 15 minutes, with the remainder of the half-hour given to various singers. Dinah Shore, Perry Como, and Eddie Fisher all had successful 15-minute shows in the '50's, as did Tony Martin, whose venture, "The Tony Martin Show", lasted for two seasons, from 1954 to 1956. The episode of said program that is on YouTube comes from the programs first year, when Hal Borne led the orchestra and was sponsered by the Bobbi Pin Co. and was written, produced, and directed by Bud Yorkin. This episode anticipated the concept theme of "The Lawrence Welk Show" by having a different theme in the program. In the case of the program uploaded by YouTube, it was a salute to New Orleans, originally aired on November 29, 1954. Tony flashes a huge grin as he sings the programs opener, "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", in a very swinging version. Tony is wearing a black shirt, gray suit, and white tie as he sings this. He sheds the suit and the great Big Band sound continues as he sides into a wonderful version of "Basin Street Blues", a refreshing musical change of pace for Mr. Martin, who normally did mid-tempo ballads.
After Tony sings the Bobbi Pin commercial ("For a softly feminine permanent way, give yourself a Bobbi the pincurl way. You'll go Bob-Bob-Bobbin' along with your Bobbi, your Bobbi, your Bobbi.")
He introduces the feature number from the vocal group The Interludes, three girls and five guys, "Blues in the Night": "My mama done told me that New Orleans is a wonderful place, and now the Interludes will reiterate what my Mama done told me." Their version of "Blues in the Night" is light and breezy, sounding like a combination of the vocal styles of The Song Spinners, The Merry Macs, and the Pied Pipers, yet sounding distinctly different.
In the final segment, Tony talks about Cole Porter's new show "Silk Stockings". which his "Good friend Don Ameche is appearing in." and gets the chance to sing one of his memorable songs from that show, "All of You", "Which (he) had the pleasure of recording". he sings the "Take a tour of you" version of the song instead of "The Sweet of you and the pure of you." The arrangement has an interesting string riff on it, which makes me believe that it is the work of Hugo Winterhalter.
Tony closes the show by saying that next week he would be doing a song from "Vera Cruz", starring Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper, as he waves goodbye and kisses to the camera while singing the shows theme song, "I'll See You In My Dreams", a big hit for him on Mercury Records in 1947-48. Ever a true gentlemen right till the end, heres to a long life and a wonderful career filled with several songs and wonderful movies for us to enjoy.
RIP Tony Martin
.