The Three Suns

Artist: The Three Suns

LP: The Sounds of Christmas

Song: "Jingle Bells"

[ listen ]

Song: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

[ listen ]

Song: "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
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Not only does this 1957 Christmas album from The Three Suns have a terrific old-timey cover and contain lovely old-timey instrumental holiday music that fills the soul with cheer or whatever, but the liner notes contain a rundown on the history of a host of popular carols, both secular and spiritual alike! According to Wikipedia, The Three Suns was First Lady Mamie Eisenhower's favorite band.

[ The Three Suns ]

Mel Tillis [1932-2017]

Artist: Mel Tillis

LP: Detroit City

Song: "Games People Play"
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Della Reese and Charles Manson weren't the only ones who died on November 19th, of course. In fact, county singer Mel Tillis died that same day too. To be honest, I'm not a huge (or even a small) Mel Tillis fan. I picked up this 1973 compilation LP mainly because I thought the cover was cool. But I'm sure Mel Tillis is someone's Doris Day out there, and to those people I'd like to say I'm sorry for your loss. (And to Mr. Tillis' friends and family too, of course.) But it really is a pretty neat album cover, you gotta' admit. You can find Mel's obituary here.

Mel Tillis

[ August 8, 1932 — November 19, 2017 ]

Someone will miss you, Mel.

Earl Grant

Artist: Earl Grant

LP: Earl After Dark

Song: "Get Out of Town"
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Song: "Robbin's Nest"
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Here's some more great organ music for early on a Monday morning—though according to my radio alarm clock it's somehow already Tuesday. Earl Grant would be 78 if he was alive today, but, sadly, he died in a car crash in New Mexico when he was only 39 years old. More info on the talented Earl Grant can be found here and here, and notes from the back of his 1961 "Earl After Dark" LP are included here:

A remarkably versatile musician and a dynamic showman,
Earl Grant can with equitable ease and facility perform at
the piano, at the organ, or as a vocalist.

This album showcases the instrumental side of Mr. Grant's
talents. We hear him, at the organ, performing a collection
of show tunes, movie themes, evergreens and new melodies...
a variety designed to suit many tastes and moods and to
give full rein to Earl's imaginative artistry.

Introducing each melody by playing it "straight," Earl
then goes into the colorfully inventive improvisation for
which he is so well known. you will hear a wistful interpretation
of Moonlight In Vermont, with a tonal effect suggestive of
strings and reeds; All the Way, the hit tune from "The Joker
Is Wild"; the bluesy Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You; Raymond
Scott's musically witty Mountain High, Valley Low; Duke
Ellington's classic Mood Indigo; Old Devil Moon, from "Finian's
Rainbow," played in a delightful beguine tempo; the "South
Pacific" show stopper, Bali Ha'i; Cole Porter's sophisticated Get
Out of Town; Then I'll Be Tired of You, played at a bright and
breezy pace; Victor Young's bouncy A Hundred Years From
Today; the "My Fair Lady" favorite, On the Street Where
You Live; and Illinois Jacquet's Robbin's Nest.

EARL AFTER DARK is a musical thriller. Soundwise it is a
presentation of startling depth and clarity.

[ Earl Grant: January 20, 1931 — June 11, 1970 ]