And now a word from our sponsor

Normally I avoid commercials like the plague. However, there is one that I make a point of watching every time it comes on, be it on TV or YouTube.

There are three versions of this. I usually see the shortest. Recently I saw that there was a longer version. I just discovered this one that is even longer.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do

More fancy picking

Lady Red's post of Douglas Dillard made me think of this tune by the David Grisman Quintet.

This album was recorded in Berkeley 1976 and got heavy airplay on a non-traditional country station in Santa Rosa the following spring. I saw the quintet play at the 1977 Sonoma-Marin Fair.

The rest of the album, primarily written by Grisman, strikes me as more traditional mandolin style music, although aficionados of the genre say it was revolutionary. This track was written by the guitar player, Tony Rice.

I can't imagine how anybody would not get into the grove of this track. My favorite part of it is Rice's guitar playing. Not only is is the rhythm fantastic, his solo is just so smooth it puts silk to shame.

I don't know where the 51 comes from, but oh does it swing.

An American Treasure: Douglas Dillard

Douglas Dillard's style of banjo picking is unique. He was born in Missouri, not too far from where I live, was a founding member of the Ozark Mountain Boys, and also played for the Dixie Ramblers. You've probably heard Doug and his band play on the Andy Griffith Show; the jam sessions were a huge hit with fans. Doug died in Nashville in 2012, but will long be remembered for his music.

For your Christmas listening pleasure

Who would have thought that a little San Francisco boy in 1920 would make a contribution to American culture for many years to come.

This is the story of a poor little boy who prayed to the child Jesus for a wagon for Christmas. The boy promised that, if he were to receive a wagon, the statue of the baby Jesus from his church's nativity scene would receive the first ride. It is a story of love and faith.

In recent years this story has popped up on Facebook.

In 1953 Webb made this story an episode on Dragnet. It was first filmed as a TV episode, the only Dragnet episode from the 1950's that was filmed in color -- although there are no available color copies known today. It is one of two episode that was done on radio as well as both the 1950's and 1960's run of the TV show. It is also the only time when Jack Webb used a story from outside of Los Angeles but presented it as being in that city. Notice that instead of the usual "The story you just heard is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent," it says "The story you just heard is true. The names and locations were changed."

Another interesting thing about the 1950's version is that just about everyone with a speaking role reprised their role in the 1960's version. The only exceptions, beside Friday's partner (Frank Smith/Ben Alexander in the 1950's version, Bill Gannon/Harry Morgan in the 1960's), are the two boys, the Captain, and Claude Stroup.

The radio version of this episode is actually the soundtrack of the TV version with a few pieces of narration to fill in because there is no video to fill in the blanks. There is an old expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words." In the case, I think that a few words do a better job than the pictures do. Friday's comments after the statue is replaced in the radio version are more powerful than the video without narration on TV.

This episode also has one of the few times where Friday is effectively zinged. When Father Rojas says that the church is unlocked all night, Friday says, "You leave it wide open so any thief can walk in?" to which Father Rojas replies, "Especially thieves."

One more note. In 2012 I wrote an obituary post about a man I was lucky enough to meet. In that post I said I had gone to the event that evening to meet a radio actor I had enjoyed. That actor was Harry Bartell, who played Father Rojas. I enjoyed speaking with Mr. Bartell. I asked him about his skills in speaking Spanish. He said he didn't really know Spanish, he just knew how it was supposed to sound.

Be sure to listen to the scientific research explained in the Chesterfield commercial. The science is settled!!

I hope this adds to your enjoyment and appreciation of the Christmas season.

Friday Night Funny

I was looking for an old email today and came across a series of correspondence that some of the regulars at this blog had during election week in 2012.  On Friday of that week I posted this Carson clip.  I watched it again today and thought it worth reposting because it's so hilariously funny.  Like I said back then, I miss Johnny.

Enjoy!

Do you hear what I hear?

For as long as I remember my parents had a record of the original Broadway cast recording of Guy and Dolls on Decca Records. It was as thick as a dinner plate and twice as heavy. My parents did not get their first turntable until 1964. Before that the album would have been played on record players.

What is the difference between a turntable and a record player? Well, a turntable is a delicate piece of equipment, A record player takes a girder, attaches a railroad spike to it, and drags the spike through a record. Record players are not healthy to records or other living things.

Needless to say that Guy and Dolls was pretty worn out. By the early ‘70’s, my mother thought it was about time to replace it. Decca Records, at least in the US, had been absorbed by MCA. Since it was the 1970’s, the record company felt that the album just had to be in stereo. To achieve this, the left channel was the straight recording. The right channel was an horrendous reverb. “What’s what’s what’s play play play ing ing ing at at at the the the Rox Rox Rox y y y.”

Other record companies made “simulated” stereo by shifting the phase a little but between channels.

The problem with both of these methods was that if you combined the channels, you would not have the original mono mix. In 1972, Robert Orban patented a new process by which a pseudo-stereo signal could be obtain from a mono source. In essence, the signal was put through a “comb”, spreading different information out over the two channels. Orban’s goal was to be able to recombine the two resulting signals together and obtain the original mono signal. He was successful.

But it still was not stereo. The ability to make something that sounded like true stereo would take until the digital age. DES, or “Digitally Extracted Stereo,” achieves some very amazing results.

I know that there are people who do not like stereo on early recordings, even if there was originally a stereo mix. I can understand that. I like stereo because it allows me to hear different things in the recording that get lost in mono. I have found that there are many subtle things that add to a recording, and I enjoy being able to pick them out.
While you can search for DES examples on You Tube, this site has quite a few without having to search for them. Listen to them, and remember that these were derived from mono recordings. I hope you enjoy them.

For Fay

Since da joos control the weather, could I put in a request for 75 degrees and sunny skies next weekend? Thank you. Thank you very much.

The Life of a Song

In August, 1985, the worst single-plane air disaster in history occurred when a Japan Air Lines 747 crashed after the failure of an improperly performed repair caused the tail section to break away from the plane in flight. The jet continued to fly about half an hour before it crashed, killing 520 of the 524 people on board. No one died until the plane crashed, so everyone on board knew what fate had in store for them.

Several people wrote notes of farewell to their loved ones. One man wrote a loving note to his wife and put it in his jacket pocket. That man was a beloved Japanese singer, best known for the song “Ue o Muite Arukō,” released on the Japanese label Toshiba in 1961. The song took a rather unusual journey after its release.

R.I.P to a Legend

One legend meets another. Well worth your time.

We will be lucky if the entertainment industry can bring us this type of event again.

Friday Night Dolly Duets

With Alison Krauss



With Kenny Rogers




With Patti LaBelle

At your indulgence, a repeat.

I posted this video several years ago. David Huddleston, who was seen in many Hollywood movies died Tuesday. He was also in this film.

If he never did anything else, he has a place in my heart for this film.

I Hate Politics

One of the things I have really enjoyed about my current job (that I am soon to retire from) is that I came to it, quite by accident, late in my career.  They need me (and still do) more than I need them.  This has afforded me the luxury of not having to "play" office politics.  Who ever comes and goes, whoever is promoted or packaged, affects me not.  I will get a package whenever they feel they don't need me anymore.  I'm ready to go.  I don't care the date.

I'm in such a different situation now that I was when I was building my career.  I do not miss having to play those games.

My current boss tells me that she has authorization to keep me on payroll until March 31, 2017.  My initial exit date was December 31, 2014.  I am now three bosses and eighteen months out from my initial exit date.  Great, more earnings plus more pension contributions plus more incentive payments plus more bonuses.  All sans politics.

I love my life. I hate politics.

Palate Cleanser

Zac Brown Band, smokin' HAWT.

Lord knows we need it after that Bon Jovi fiasco. Enjoy!

It's A Puppy Pinwheel!

This is so freaking adorable that I just had to share it with you all.

Land of the Mixed Breeds

A dog's paradise on earth...

‘Territorio de Zaguates’ (Land of the Mixed Breeds) is probably as close as it gets to a real-life doggy heaven. Located in a beautiful part of Costa Rica where the sun shines all year round and the average temperature is a pleasant 22 degrees C, this unique canine haven is home to 900-odd stray dogs with bizarre breed names like ‘Chubby-Tailed German Dobernauzer’ and ‘Fire-Tailed Border Cocker’.

The privately funded, volunteer-run organisation takes in strays from across the country, and and gives dog lovers a chance to spend time with them and hopefully give one of them a forever home. The dogs get to run around all day in a green, grassy, well-maintained outdoor space, but they also have access to a modern indoor facility with cozy bedding and designated feeding and bathing stations. To keep the dogs hydrated, troughs of fresh flowing water are installed at various points on the property.  

They all look so happy and healthy! What an awesome thing.

Mid Week Dance Break

Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the lord of the dance, said he
And I lead you all, wherever you may be
And I lead you all in the dance, said he

Enjoy!

The 10th

Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary husband!  The traditional gift is tin/aluminum, which I can live without :)  I'm allergic to tin and I have enough foil to last a year.

Ed the Weatherman once said it would be all over by the 5th!  His predictions were almost as accurate as the weather forecasters...not!

Our wedding dance song:

Shalom

By popular request (and if you didn't request it, you still get it!) Some fine photos taken by radiomattm during our trip to Israel! In the beginning, we arrived in Tel Aviv. This is what a middle eastern dessert looks like after you allow a bunch of Jews to ride roughshod over it for the last 68 years:

Ben Gurion Airport:

A view of the Mediterranean from our hotel:

The Kosher pizza joint where we dined with the wonderful Annie: