Saturday, February 19, 2011

A Quick History of Mary O'Brien

Dusty Springfield certainly was a much loved and respected performer – from a time that the word “performer” meant something. Born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien, she formed a singing trio with her brother, Dion in 1960. The name of that group was the Springfields.



While Mary O’Brien added the first name of Dusty to the name of the group to become Dusty Springfield, Dion added the first name of Tom to become Tom Springfield.

Dusty wanted to move into other areas than the folk sound of the Springfields. One day, while standing outside a record store in New York, she heard the sound of a new record coming from inside the store. That record was Tell Him by the Exciters.



Dusty then knew the sound she wanted. She took the basics of the style and made it her own, making music that sounds as good today as it did almost fifty years ago.

Meanwhile, Tom Springfield did not fade into oblivion, either. He later became one of the driving forces behind an Australian group called the Seekers, and was one of the co-writers of their hit record Georgie Girl from 1967

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8 comments:

  1. Cool! After lewy's comments, I did read her Wiki bio.

    Nice Irish name, that :-)

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  2. Dang ...can I be that old? Yep. I remember the Exciters, the Supremes, Dusty Springfield, and a plethora of others from the 60's & early 70's as if it were earlier this morning. I saw the movie "Georgy Girl" as soon as it was released in the USA (in "art theaters").

    I also remember clearly "record stores" where you could browse and listen to music, even hear it as you walked past it.

    You could say my musical bent is stuck on a mixed genre of 60's pop, rock, Soul, R&B, as well as Jazz and Classical....but I'd guess Jazz is my favorite of all.

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  3. I guess I should add that, in my mind, "Pop" includes Country-Western and R&B blends in to Rock-a-billy. Blame it on my 50's youth, Elvis, Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis. :)

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  4. Ahmad Jamal and Poinciana always settles my mind. There are dozens of versions and covers. It just exemplifies how Jazz can move you or settle you.

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  5. Think "Country" and "Jazz" cant' mix? Try Dave Brubeck and "Unsquare Dance."

    Think Jazz Scat Singing can't blend with J S bach? Try the Fuge in G Minor

    Music reflects the soul, such as it is.

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  6. "Music reflects the soul, such as it is."

    Indeed it does, sir.

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  7. Try the Fuge in G Minor

    Loved that, very happy.

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  8. I think the core influence for music appreciation in me comes from the music of my very young childhood (we had Victrolas & radios, no TV ... and "live venues" were fairly small).

    It was WWII time and "Swing" had carried forward in like this (can anyone name the lead trumpet player next to Krupa?) and this dance carry forward to the 60's. (You might recognize the later :D ) I became a die hard Gene Krupa fan by age 5. If it's boogie, drums, and jazz, even today, I'm hooked. The "other" constant 40's influence on radio was Boogie Woogie ...and also carries on today ... that piece was done in 2010 in rockin' Switzerland :D

    An good example of the evolution of old New Orleans Jazz in to Swing and Boogie is this piece: A modern Swanee River Improvisation

    Music that moves you will always last.

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