(Background Music: Hornets Nest by Los Straitjackets)
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Murder Hornets Threaten Podcast Host! (There's a new Big Enchilada...)
(Background Music: Hornets Nest by Los Straitjackets)
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
WACKY WEDNESDAY: Uncle Junior is 90!
Dominic Chianese, who played Corrado "Junior" Soprano in The Sopranos was born this day, February 24, 1931in New York City.
Happy birthday, Uncle Junior!
Though mostly known as an actor, serious Soprano fans know Chianese is a talented singer as well. Before his success in acting he also knocked around New York bars and coffee houses. He was master of ceremonies on open mike night at Gerdes Folk City in Greenwich Village.
In the below scene from The Sopranos, Uncle Junior showed off his vocal talent:
Here's a little song from Chianese that Mafia movie fans should recognize
Here's a duet with Raul Malo of The Mavericks
To conclude, here's Chianese singing an Elvis/Hank Snow song.
Buon Compleanno, Dominic!
Sunday, February 21, 2021
TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST
Sunday, February 21, 2021
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org
Here's my playlist :
OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Like the Terrell's Sound World Facebook page
Want to keep the party going after I sign off at midnight?
Go to The Big Enchilada Podcast which has hours and hours of music like this. CLICK HERE
Subscribe to The Big Enchilada Podcast CLICK HERE
Thursday, February 18, 2021
THROWBACK THURSDAY: The Greatest Polish-American Country Star
Pee Wee King performing in front of Wisconsin's largest cactus |
Not all country stars come from the South. Hell, Hank Snow, who was born and raised in Nova Scotia, knew a lot more about squid jigging than cotton picking, could have told you that.
Similarly Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski -- born 107 years ago today -- wasn't a native son of Old Dixie. He was a Polish kid from Wisconsin, the son of polka musician. His first musical gig was in his dad's polka band.
But he went on to fame and glory in country music under the name Pee Wee King. His best known song, written with his musical partner Redd Stewart, was that beautiful "Tennessee Waltz." (I can't help but wonder whether the song would have become as famous if he's called it "Wisconsin Waltz.")
From his biography on the Country Music Hall of Fame website:
He changed his name to King (after the then-popular polka performer Wayne King) and formed his own high school band, Frankie King & the King’s Jesters. In 1933 young Frankie King joined the Badger State Barn Dance and soon had his own radio show on WJRN in Racine.
King’s lucky break came in the spring of 1934, when he met promoter J. L. Frank. He moved with Frank to Louisville in 1934 to back up Gene Autry for a time, joined Frankie More’s Log Cabin Boys as accordionist on WHAS radio, and in 1936 married Frank’s stepdaughter Lydia.
In 1936 King was in Knoxville performing on WNOX. In 1937 he formed the Golden West Cowboys and moved to Nashville to begin a ten-year run on WSM’s Grand Ole Opry, with the exception of 1940, when he worked primarily out of Louisville. In 1941–42 he and his band were featured with the Camel Caravan, a WSM touring company that presented some 175 shows at military installations in the United States and Central America. At various times his band included Eddy Arnold, Redd Stewart, Ernest Tubb, Cowboy Copas, and Minnie Pearl.
After joining the Grand Ole Opry in June 1937, King helped introduce an array of new instruments and sounds to that program’s stage, including the trumpet, drums, and the electric guitar. In addition, he dressed his band members in spiffy western outfits designed by Hollywood tailor Nudie Cohn. His nattily attired Golden West Cowboys generally produced a smooth and danceable sound during their heyday in the 1940s; in the 1950s they even branched out briefly into mild rockabilly.
Here are a few of Pee Wee's performances, starting with his hit, "Slow Poke."
Here's his version of the country classic "Bonaparte's Retreat." (Click link for more on that song.)
Finally here are two of King's best known songs, "Tennessee Waltz" and "You Belong to Me" with Redd Stewart on vocals.
Pee Wee died in 2000 at the age of 86. The accordion fell out of favor in country music. But there was real power in his music.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Kuczynski!
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Webcasting!
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays Mountain Time
Substitute Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org
Here's my playlist :
THROWBACK THURSDAY: Come for the Shame, Stay for the Scandal
Earlier this week I saw Mississippi bluesman Cedrick Burnside play at the Tumbleroot here in Santa Fe. As I suspected, Burnsi...
-
A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican January 14, 2011 Junior Kimbrough is dead. R.L. Burnside is dead. Paul “Wi...
-
Remember these guys? I'm not sure how I missed this when it first was unleashed a few weeks ago, but Adult Swim — the irrevere...
-
Sunday, May 15, 2022 KSFR, Santa Fe, NM Webcasting! 10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM Em...