From our archives post (91) THE RAY CHARLES SINGERS
from Saturday, December 15, 2007
I had a connection with Perry Como. He worked with the Ray Charles Singers as his background singers. They worked on most everything he recorded and on television.
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers. I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.
Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.
UPDATE! Linking to the RAY CHARLES SINGERS SITE (Yes they are still working!)
PS. "He is sometimes known humorously as "The Other Ray Charles" to distinguish him from the great soul musician of the same name."
NEW VIDEO The Ray Charles Singers had a top ten hit in 1964 with this recording of a song that was so popular it was recorded by at least a half a dozen other artists, Love Me With All Of Your Heart.
Showing posts with label Perry Como. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perry Como. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sunday, January 24, 2010
(291) PAT BOONE records I FEEL LIKE CRYING
When I was first in New York there had been a comparison of my voice with Pat Boone's. Then, while in Los Angeles, I was recruited by Pat to work for his company as a demo maker and songwriter. Pat recording this song (and "Wishing Again") which was written by Red West and me. (Today I Feel Like Crying is on Pat's album "The Fifties - Complete.")
So I was working for Pat's publishing company, Cooga Mooga, and Pat was not only recording, but producing, and interested in presenting songs to other singers. Guess who I wanted to record this song? Perry Como!
As you may know from reading my blog, when it came to the crooners Perry Como was one of my favorites. And while working for Pat, I was introduced to Perry through Jack Spena.
So I was working for Pat's publishing company, Cooga Mooga, and Pat was not only recording, but producing, and interested in presenting songs to other singers. Guess who I wanted to record this song? Perry Como!
As you may know from reading my blog, when it came to the crooners Perry Como was one of my favorites. And while working for Pat, I was introduced to Perry through Jack Spena.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
(219) PERRY COMO - THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Perry Como was always one of my favorites. He put out a few successful Christmas albums ...PERRY COMO CHRISTMAS ALBUM link
NEW VIDEO as of APRIL 2014
NEW VIDEO as of APRIL 2014
Monday, December 17, 2007
(92) NAT KING COLE - CROSSING OVER
NAT KING COLE was also an exceptional singer, in that crooner category, who we could not help but notice, talk about, and enjoy. By the late 1950's Nat had made his way from his Southern roots, to Chicago, through the jazz scene, and had hits of "Nature Boy" in 1948, "Mona Lisa," in 1950, and "Unforgettable" in 1951. He was an artist who had commercial success, had fought prejudice, and had somehow made it.
By the fall of 1956 he, like Perry Como, had his own television show on NBC, and like other shows in the early days of television, his had gone from fifteen minutes, to a half hour. His show lasted about a year. No one took television for granted back then. It was an event - a gathering - to sit in front of a set - and I think as a result we gave shows and performers on them our attention.
Now, though I don't think Nat was lifelong partial to one political party or another, in 1960 he got behind our soon to be President, John F. Kennedy, and sang at the Democratic National Convention. Elvis and I and our friends watched what was happening with Kennedy and civil rights with great interest. We had grown up with segregation. We had met, worked with, and liked Black musicians and singers, people in the business.
Looking back I can't say exactly when the 1950's ended or the 1960's began, or our nation would begin to dramatically change in character. But it was small things first, small things like a black man having his own television show that other black performers could go on. The late great Frank Sinatra was known to insist on black performers being treated as equals. He did that for Sammy Davis Junior and he did it for Nat King Cole, when in 1961 he had Nat perform at the Kennedy Inaugural party. That was only fair.
By the fall of 1956 he, like Perry Como, had his own television show on NBC, and like other shows in the early days of television, his had gone from fifteen minutes, to a half hour. His show lasted about a year. No one took television for granted back then. It was an event - a gathering - to sit in front of a set - and I think as a result we gave shows and performers on them our attention.
Now, though I don't think Nat was lifelong partial to one political party or another, in 1960 he got behind our soon to be President, John F. Kennedy, and sang at the Democratic National Convention. Elvis and I and our friends watched what was happening with Kennedy and civil rights with great interest. We had grown up with segregation. We had met, worked with, and liked Black musicians and singers, people in the business.
Looking back I can't say exactly when the 1950's ended or the 1960's began, or our nation would begin to dramatically change in character. But it was small things first, small things like a black man having his own television show that other black performers could go on. The late great Frank Sinatra was known to insist on black performers being treated as equals. He did that for Sammy Davis Junior and he did it for Nat King Cole, when in 1961 he had Nat perform at the Kennedy Inaugural party. That was only fair.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : Nat King Cole
http://rockhall.com/inductees/nat-king-cole/
Official Site of the Nat King Cole Society
NEW! LINK ABOVE TO THE ULTIMATE NAT KING COLE!
Here's a YouTube video presentation of Nat King Cole singing "Nature Boy."
I call him "The Man With the Velvet Voice."
Saturday, December 15, 2007
(91) THE RAY CHARLES SINGERS
I had a connection with Perry Como. He worked with the Ray Charles Singers as his background singers. They worked on most everything he recorded and on television.
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers.
I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.
Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.
The Ray Charles Singers have been featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers.
I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.
Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.
The Ray Charles Singers have been featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
Link Replaced January 12, 2011 CT
Friday, December 14, 2007
(90) PERRY COMO - THE MAN IN THE CARDIGAN SWEATER
PERRY COMO OFFICIAL SITE updated April 2014
VIDEO REPLACED April 2014
Perry Como was a singer who recorded on the RCA Victor label starting in 1943 and one of the first television pioneers in the weekly variety show category that was very successful, starting in about 1948. In the 1950's company sponsored television shows (rather than just commercials) were huge, and Christine White and James Dean were just two of the actors in New York who worked in them.
Now, growing up in the Smokey Mountains we listened to a big stand up radio, and when it came to music, well those mountains were - and are - full of people who had musical talent. People taught each other or were self taught. Making music - going to square dances - singing gospel in church - was our way of making our own fun. We never did get a television set. And when we moved to Oregon, we still didn't have a television set. But when I got to New York in 1957, I knew who Perry Como was. By 1955 he had an hour long television show.
In a way, Perry was an inspiration to me as an upstart in the business, even though he was as far from Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll as you could get. He was a crooner, smooth like Bing Crosby, and when I got to New York I had to fashion myself as a performer. Before I got over my shyness and let myself loosen up and move, I wanted to perform natural like Perry, who simply sang, often wearing a cardigan sweater or a neat suit. I thought he was a master of his craft. His professionalism went beyond one's comprehension. Perry had annunciation that was perfect and his delivery was seamless.
Now when you see old videos of the late 1950's and early 1960's sometimes you see black and white and sometimes you see color. Color television was around by 1956 but the number of studios that had the equipment to film in color were few and the number of people who had a color television set to see broadcasts in color were fewer. In 1956 The Perry Como Show on NBC was filmed in color, and seeing a show in color - well, it seemed to be, as they say today, "cutting edge." By 1959, Perry had a Kraft sponsored Music Hall show.
I suspect that's the show here in this YouTube video that presents Perry singing the classic "White Christmas," in 1960, even though this is in black and white.
Perry's career spanned many years and it's said that he got so many Gold records that he stopped having them certified. It was too embarrassing. In 2002 he received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
VIDEO REPLACED April 2014
Perry Como was a singer who recorded on the RCA Victor label starting in 1943 and one of the first television pioneers in the weekly variety show category that was very successful, starting in about 1948. In the 1950's company sponsored television shows (rather than just commercials) were huge, and Christine White and James Dean were just two of the actors in New York who worked in them.
Now, growing up in the Smokey Mountains we listened to a big stand up radio, and when it came to music, well those mountains were - and are - full of people who had musical talent. People taught each other or were self taught. Making music - going to square dances - singing gospel in church - was our way of making our own fun. We never did get a television set. And when we moved to Oregon, we still didn't have a television set. But when I got to New York in 1957, I knew who Perry Como was. By 1955 he had an hour long television show.
In a way, Perry was an inspiration to me as an upstart in the business, even though he was as far from Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll as you could get. He was a crooner, smooth like Bing Crosby, and when I got to New York I had to fashion myself as a performer. Before I got over my shyness and let myself loosen up and move, I wanted to perform natural like Perry, who simply sang, often wearing a cardigan sweater or a neat suit. I thought he was a master of his craft. His professionalism went beyond one's comprehension. Perry had annunciation that was perfect and his delivery was seamless.
Now when you see old videos of the late 1950's and early 1960's sometimes you see black and white and sometimes you see color. Color television was around by 1956 but the number of studios that had the equipment to film in color were few and the number of people who had a color television set to see broadcasts in color were fewer. In 1956 The Perry Como Show on NBC was filmed in color, and seeing a show in color - well, it seemed to be, as they say today, "cutting edge." By 1959, Perry had a Kraft sponsored Music Hall show.
I suspect that's the show here in this YouTube video that presents Perry singing the classic "White Christmas," in 1960, even though this is in black and white.
Perry's career spanned many years and it's said that he got so many Gold records that he stopped having them certified. It was too embarrassing. In 2002 he received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
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