Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Welcome to Glenn Robison’s Rapidly Rotating Records, bringing you vintage music to which you can’t *not* tap your toes, from rapidly rotating 78 RPM records of the 1920s and ’30s.

On this evening’s show, we’ve got a number of birthdays to celebrate, including Benny Goodman and John Florence Sullivan. Who’s John Florence Sullivan, you ask? Well, stay tuned, and you’ll find out.

Enjoy the show!

Here’s the complete playlist:

Segment 1: Mel Blanc
May 30, marked the birth in 1908 of Mel Blanc. He co-starred with his wife in a weekly program in Portland, Oregon entitled “Cobwebs and Nuts.” The show was largely ad-libbed, but didn’t have a large budget, so Blanc provided most of the character voices himself, honing the skill that would earn him the title “The Man of a Thousand Voices.” Amoungst others he created the voice of Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, the laugh for Woody Woodpecker, Barney Rubble and Cosmo Spacely. Normally, we try to stick with music of the 20s and 30s, but to commemorate Mel Blanc’s birthday, here are some rapidly rotating records from a little later.

K-K-K-Katy
Ten Little Bottles in the Sink
Big Bear Lake
Who the Hell is Mel Blanc

Segment 2: Alley’s
May 31 marked the birth in 1894 in Cambridge, Mass., of comedian and radio star John Florence Sullivan, better known as Fred Allen. Allen’s funniest and most popular sketch, “Allen’s Alley,” debuted on December 13, 1942. The Fred Allen show from May 26, 1946. Now to commemorate Fred Allen’s birthday, we’ve got some songs about alleys.

Dew Drop Alley Stomp – Sugar Underwood (Piano)
Down in Our Alley Blues – The Washingtonoians
In the Alley Blues – Lovie Austin’s Serenaders

Segment 3: Benny Goodman
Clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman was born, on May 30, 1909. We’re going to devote the rest of the show to Benny Goodman

He’s the Last Word – Ben Pollack AHO
Avalon – Goodman Quartet
Hooray for Love – Goodman AHO / Helen Ward, v.
Vibraphone Blues – The Benny Goodman Quartet

Segment 4: More Benny Goodman
Continuing our tribute to Benny Goodman. Throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s, he led highly successful big bands and small groups on national and international tours. In the 70s and 80s he chose to play more classical music.

Alice Blue Gown – Red Nichols and His Five Pennies
Sing Sing Sing (Louis Prima) – Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
Help Yourself to Sunshine – Benny Goodman and His Orchestra / Smith Ballew , v.

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

 If you enjoy the show, please let us know by leaving a comment on the website or the Facebook page or sending an email to Glenn@RapidlyRotatingRecords.com And remember, your requests and topic segments are always welcome.

RRR is also available as a podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and Google Play Music. Simply enter Rapidly Rotating Records in the search box in any of those apps and a link to the show will appear. If you listen to the podcast, please subscribe and leave a rating and comment. THANK YOU!

We are proud and happy that Rapidly Rotating Records is also part of Global Community Radio, supplying campus and community radio stations worldwide with hosted music and spoken word programming from sources including public broadcasters, other community radio stations, and independent producers from around the globe.

The Rapidly Rotating Records telephone request line is now OPEN! In addition to sending cards or letters, sending email, or posting to the the show’s website or Facebook page, you can now call in to request a particular artist, song or topic segment, leave feedback about the show, or ask questions or comment about the music. Of course, I’d be happy if you just call in to say “Hi!” and let me know you’re out there listening. The easy-to-remember number is 234-PLAY 78s or 234-752-9787.

If you’re a member of Facebook, but haven’t “liked” the show, won’t you please consider doing so? Just go to http://www.facebook.com/rapidlyrotatingrecords

And finally, please consider becoming a member of KISL. A basic membership is just $20 and a premium membership is $50. While most of you are not on Catalina Island and can’t take advantage of the merchant discounts and offers that go with membership, you’ll be supporting community radio on Catalina Island and beyond. I am not paid for the show, nor is it underwritten. I do the show because I love the music and the people, stories and culture behind it. Visit http://www.kislavalon.com/membership. Thanks!