Golden Gems: Recent Episodes
Golden Gems
Gloria Maria Milagrosa Estefan is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman, and an eight-time Grammy Award winner.
Ray Charles Singers were an easy-listening vocal group popular diring the 1950's and 60s's.
Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim, also known as Tom Jobim was a Brazilian composer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger and singer, and considered as one of the great exponents of Brazilian music.
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host.
The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in the 1960's. Their unique sound made them one of the most influential acts of the rock era.
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is often referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop".
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group popular in the late 1950's.
The Sandpipers were an American easy-listening trio who carved a niche in 1960's folk rock with their vocals and innovative arrangements of international ballads and pop standards.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress and film producer and one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
The Manhattan Transfer was an American vocal group popular in the 1970's who performed music in a variety of genres.
Bread was an American soft rock band from Los Angeles who were popular during the 1970's.
The King Sisters were an American big-band era vocal group who became one of the most dynamic and swinginist of all the vocal groups of the swing era.
Glenn Gray, known professionally s Glen Gray, was an American jazz Saxophonist and leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra.
John Russell Mann was an American arranger, composer and best known as the conductor of The Johnny Mann Singers which recorded 42 albums from the 1950's to the 1970's.
"Pal Joey" is a 1940 Broadway musical with music and lyrics by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart.
Michel Jean LeGrand was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, jazz pianist, and singer.
Roger Miller was an American singer-songwriter, widely known for his honky-tonk influenced novelty songs.
The Village Stompers were an American Dixieland jazz group during the 1950's and '60s, popular for their folk-dixie style.
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and power voice,complex song structure, and dark, emotional ballads.
The Osmond Brothers were a quartet (or quintet) of siblings from a musical family from Ogden, Utah, who were very popular in the 1960's and beyond.
Olive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, television personality, author and businesswoman.
Donald Clark Osmond is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host and former teen idol.
David Carroll, born Rodell Walter Schreier, was an American studio arranger, conductor and musical director during the 1950's.
Lucy Thomas is a new and rising British voice destined for stardom. She first appeared on the UK show "The Voice Kids" in 2018 and her musical career has been on a meteoric rise since.
Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg, known professionally as Gogi Grant was a jazz/pop singer with a string of hits in the 1950's.
Antoine Dominique Domino was an American singer-songwriter and pianist and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music.
The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular Music during the Golden Days of Radio.
Brigadoon is a musical featuring two American tourists who stumble upon a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years.
John Gary Strader, born November 29, 1932, was an American singer, recording artist, television host, and performer on the musical stage.
America is a Britih-American rock band formed in London in 1970 by a trio of sons of U S Air Force personnel stationed there.
"Les Mis" is a sung-through musical based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.
The 4th episode of Christmas favorite carols for 2024. We wish you a very merry Christmas and hope that we have added an extra bit of happiness to your Christmas season.
This year's first episode of Christmas favorites featuring Christmas carols and hymns by favorite artists as well as new artists.
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist with a decades long career in country music.
Benjamin David Goodman was an American clarinetist and bandleader knows as the "King of Swing".
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on the 1910 French novel of the same name.
John Herbert Gleason, known as Jackie Gleason, was an American actor, comedian, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One".
Al Martino, born Jasper Cini, was an American traditional pop and Jazz singer popular on the early 1950s to the 1970s.
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick, known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer.
"On a Clear Day You Can See Forever " is an award winning musical concerning a reincarnated woman with ESP.
June Christy, born Shirley Luster, was an American singer known for her work in the cool Jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals.
Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress, referred to in the Guinness World Records as the"Songbird Supreme".
Grease is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey regarding the 1950's youth subcultures.
Eilleen Regina Twain Edwards is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is one of the best selling female artists in country music history.
Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and bsdebsll team owner.
Charles Allan Rich was an American country singer whose style combined rockabilly, jazz, blues, soul and gospel.
George Robert Newhart was an American comedian and actor, known for his deadpan and stammering style. H passed away on July 18, 2024, and we pay tribute to him.
Meet Me in St Louis is a 1944 American Christmas music film relating the story of a year in the life of the Smith family leading up to the opening of the Worlds Fair in 1904.
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan. They recorded a series of very successful singles and albums through Motown Records during the 1960's and '70's.
Michael Patrick Smith, known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian, and singer.
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye, nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and rodeo performer.
The Oakridge Boys is an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oakridge, Tennessee during the Golden Days of Radio.
Roy Linwood Clark was an American singer, musician, and television presenter best known for having hosted "Hee/Haw".
Linda Marie Ronstadt is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres.
Francis Thomas Avallone, better known as Frankie Avalon is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.
Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 American musical comedy film based on the Doctor Dolittle novel series.
Mac Davis was an American songwriter, singer, performer, and actor during the Golden Days of Radio.
Alois Maxwell Hirt was an American trumpeter and bandleader from the Golden Days of Radio.
Carole King is a prolific songwriter, having written over 400 songs recorded by more than 1000 artists, and is a popular singer as well.
Camelot is a musical based on the legend of King Arthur as adapted from the 1958 novel by T. H. White.
Trinidad Lopez III was an American singer, Guitarist and actor in the Golden Days of Radio.
Mario Lanza ( Alfredo Arnold Cocozza) was an American tenor and actor popular in the late 1940's and the 1950's.
Toby Keith Covel was an American country music singer, songwriter and actor during the Golden Days of Radio.
West Side Story is a 1961 American musical romantic drama film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same title. The music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
Ernest Aaron Freeman was an American pianist, organist, bandleader and arranger during the Golden Days of Radio.
Erroll Lewis Garner was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads.
Julius LaRosa was an American traditional popular music singer from the Golden Days of Radio.
The origin and history of the Christmas carols and hymns that were played in the 3rd Christmas episode in 1023.
"Fiddler on the Roof" is a Musical based on "Tevye and his Daughters and other tales by Sholem Aleichem".
Johnny Desmond, born Giovanni Alfredo De Simone was an American singer who was popular in the 1940's, 50's, and 60"s.
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer and actress known for her highly distinctive singing style.
Floyd Cramer was an American pianist who became famous for his use of melodic "half step" attacks.
Les and Larry Elgart led one of the more popular swing orchestras on the "50"s. Their smooth, tightly arranged sound helped keep the declining big-band style alive on the charts.
Hello Dolly, the theater production debued at the Fisher Theater in Detroit in November, 1963. The film version of the same name was produced in 1969. Both were based on Thorton Wilder's play "The Matchmaker".
Celine Marie Claudette Dion is a Canadian singer often referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads".
Christopher Charles Geppert is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from San Antonio, Texas.
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey is a Welsh singer who is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists in Britain and a great entertainer in the Golden Days of Radio.
The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Wilson, based on a story by Willson and Frank Kacey.
The mamas and the papas were a folk-rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968.
Lester Raymond Brown was an American jazz musician who led the big band Les Brown and His Band of Renown for nearly seven decades.
Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney.
Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer and singer whose innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano.
Lennon sisters are an American vocal group that was popular during the Golden Days of Radio.
Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, known professionally as Kate Smith was an American contralto and known as "The First Lady of Radio.
Catherine Lavern Starks, born on July 21, 1922, known professionally as Kay Starr, was an American singer who enjoyed considerable success in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Raymond Antonini, better known as Ray Anthony, is an American bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter, and actor. He is the last surviving member of the Glenn Miller orchestra.
Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era.
Petula Sally Olwen Clark is a British singer, actress and composer whose career spanned more than seven decades.
Ann-Margret Olsson Is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer. Her career spans 6 decades.
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot is a Canadian singer, popular during the Golden Days of Radio
Gladys Knight and the pips were an American R & B, soul and funk family musical group for 3 decades beginning in the '50s.
Willie Hugh Nelson was born on April 29, 1933. He is an American country musician. He was one of the most recognized artists in the Golden Days of Radio.
Albert Gordon MacRae was an American actor, singer and radio/Television host during the Golden Days of Radio.
Two more great and unforgettable Broadway shows from Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein.
We have been gone for a few months due to an extended hospitalization, but are very glad to be back to our weekly podcast. This week we will continue to share the brilliance of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals with The Sound of Music and The King and I.
During the Golden Dayr of Radio, Rogers and Hammerstein collaborated on several beloved Broadway shows that swept the American audience off it's feet. During the next 3 episodes we will highlight those shows. Today we begin with Oklahoma and Carousel
Ernest Jennings Ford was an American singer and TV host who enjoyed success in the country and wester, pop and gospel genres.
Burt Bacharach was one of the most prolific song writers of the Golden Days of Radio. He was born on May 12, 1928 and passed away earlier this month on February 8, 2023.
Andre Kostelanetz was a Russian-born American popular orchestral music conductor and arranger.
David Rose was am American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader during the
Golden Days of Radio.
101 Strings was a popular and beloved stringed Orchestra from the Golden Days of Radio.
Dorothy Jacqueline Keely , better known as Keely Smith, was an American jazz and pop singer in the 1950's.
Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis is an American pop singer who is best known for his work as part of Tony Orlando and Dawn.
Henri Rene was born on December 29, 1906. He was an American-born German producer, conductor and arranger.
Simon and Garfunkel were an American folk-rock duo who were one of the best-selling groups of the 1960'c.
Our 4th and final Christmas episode of background information of favorite carols and songs for this year.
Christmas favorites for 2022. Familiar carols with new voices and new carols with old voices on goldengems.net. Here in the podcast are descriptions of the hymns and carols.
Lawrence Welk was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television Impresario during the Golden Days of Radio.
Ted Heath was the top UK bandleader of the '40's, '50's, and '60's and a frequent visitor to the US.
Nancy Sue Wilson was an American singer and actress whose career spanned over five decades.
The Brothers Four is an American folk singing group founded in Seattle, Washington in 1957.
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist and one of the most popular performers of the 1970's.
Edwin Jack Fisher was an American singer and actor, and one of the most popular artists of the early 1950's.
Jerry Vale was an American singer and actor, and was considered one of the greatest balladeers of the Golden Days of Radio.
Charles Hardin Holley was an American singer and songwriter who was a central pioneering figure of mid-1950's Rock and Roll.
Billy Joe Thomas was an American singer widely known for his pop, country, and Christian hits during the Golden Days of Radio.
Andre Previn (born Andreas Ludwig Priwin) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor popular in three major genres; Hollywood, Jazz, and classical music.
William Clarence Eckstine was an American jazz and pop singer and a bandleader during the swing era.
Frankie Carle (Francis Nunzio Carlone) was an American pianist and bandleader during the 1940's and 50's.
David Warren Brubeck was an American jazz pianist and composer, considered one of the foremost exponents of "cool jazz".
Damaso Perez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger who popularized mambo in the 1950's.
Si Zentner was an American trombonist and jazz big-band leader during the Golden Days of Radio.
Sarah Lois Vaughan, nidknamed "Sassy", was a four Grammy Award winner and an American Jazz singer.
Florencia Bisenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona, known professionally as Vikki Carr, is a Mexican-American vocalist who has a singing career that spans more than four decades.
Concetta Rosa Marie Franconero, professionally known as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, former actress, and top charting female vocalist from the Golden Days of Radio.
Charles Edward Anderson (Chuck) Berry was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered "rock and roll".
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio, was an American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned neaerly 75 years.
Teresa Brewer was an American singer who was one of the most prolific and popular female singers of the 1950s.
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk grouped formed in 1961during the American folk music revival phenomenon.
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 50's and 60's.
Stevland Hardaway Morris, known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and record producer.
Robert (Bobby) Charles Goldsboro is an American pop and country songwriter, popular in the Golden Days of Radio.
Martin Denny was an American pianist and composer best known as the father of "exotica" during the Golden Days of Radio.
The New Christy Minstrels is an American large-ensemble folk music founded in 1961 and popular during the Golden Days of Radio.
Glen Campbell was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host who was very popular during the Golden Days of Radio.
The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group with a wide repertoire who were popular during the Golden Days of Radio.
Richard Smith Vaughn, known professionally as Billy Vaughn, was an American singer, multi-instrumentalist and orchestra leader in the Golden Days of Radio.
Percy Faith was a Canadian bandleader, orchestrator, composer, and conductor knows for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards.
The preeminent singing sister act of all time with well over 75 million records sold were the fabulous Andrew Sisters.
John Denver was an American singer-songwriter, activist and humanitarian in the Golden Days of Radio.
Neil Sedaka is an American pop singer, composer, pianist and record producer. His career began in 1957, and he was one of the great entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio.
Paul Mauriat was a French orchestra leader who specialized in the easy-listening genre during the Golden Days of Radio.
Paul Anka is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor popular in the Golden Days of Radio--when music was music.
The Hi-Lo's were a vocal quartet who achieved their greatest fame in the late 1950s and 1960s--The Golden Days of Radio.
The Four Aces are an American male traditional pop music quartet, popular since the '50s ( the Golden Days of Radio).
Bobby Darin was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, and actor.
Bill Haley and the Comets were an American rock and roll band, founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The group placed nine singles in the Top 20.
The Everly Brothers were an American country-influenced rock and roll duo known for steel-string acoustical guitar playing and close harmony singing.
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, musician, producer and actor, with a career that has spanned more than 50 years.
A continued compilation of favorite Christmas hymns and carols by artists from the Golden Days of Radio.
A collection of favorite Christmas carols and hymns presented by artists of the Golden Days of Radio.
George Benson is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter from the Golden Days of Radio.
Dionne Warwick (Warrick) is an American singer, actress, television host. She is one of the most charted female vocalists of all time.
Captain and Tennille were a husband and wife team of recording artists popular in the 1970s.
Conductor, composer, violinist and pianist, Mantovani was one of the most popular and prolific easy listening artists of all time.
Lou Rawls was an American record producer, singer, composer and actor popular during the Golden Days of Radio.
Mitch Miller was one of the greatest arranger, conductor and a midas of novelty entertaining music of the Golden Days of Radio.
Tom Jones was a Welsh-born singer with a "bluesy" soul music style popular during the golden days of radio.
Richard Edward Arnold, an American Country music singer whose performing career spanned six decades in the Golden Days of Radio.
Barbra Streisand is an American singer, actess and filmmaker whose career spans seven decades. She is one of the few entertainers who have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
Diana Ross is an American singer and actress. Born in Detroit, Michigan she rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes. They were Motown's most successful act during the 1960's.
Patsy Cline was an American singer. She was the first country music artist to successfully cross over into pop music.
Stephanie Natalie Maria Cole was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole.
A British group that began the "British Invasion" and helped change the music world forever.
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental sibling duo which became popular during the late 1960's and 1970's.
Founded in 1881 the Boston Pops have thrilled audiences with a "new" niche of popular symphonic music, playing concerts of a "lighter kind of classical music".
An American singer, actor and comedian, one of the best known entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio--The King of Cool.
An amazing singer from the Golden Days of Radio whose career and life were tragically ended in a plane crash when he was only 45.
An American traditional pop and big band singer, actor and entertainer from the Golden Days or Radio.
An American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter and actress from the Golden Days of Radio.
Olivia Newton-John is a British-Australian singer, songwriter, actress and entrepreneur and winner of 4 Grammy Awards. She has sold an estimated 120 Million records.
Jack Jones is an American Jazz and Pops singer, popular in the late 1950's and on into today.
An American composer, pianist and leader of a jazz orchestra which he led from 1923 until his death with a career spanning over 6 decades.
Stan Kenton was a popular music and jazz artist--a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader from the Golden Days of Radio.
Anne Murray is a Canadian singer whose albums were primarily Pop, Country, and Adult Contemporary. Sales amounted to over 55 million copies worldwide.
A singing quartet, consisting of 4 siblings from Malden, Massachusetts, famous for traditional 50's pop hits.
An American singer, songwriter, and actor; Neil Diamond sold over 100 million records worldwide and won the hearts of a generation during the Golden Days of Radio.
One of the most amazing and versatile musical and theatrical entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio-- and even well beyond.
A unique style of trumpeting and founder of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass brought Herb Alpert into prominence during the Golden Days of Radio.
An amazing singer and actor, from the "Yellow Brick Road" and into our hearts in the Golden Days of Radio.
One of the great "crooners" and most popular entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio - Bing Crosby.
One of the most famous icons of the Golden Days of Radio, Old "Blue Eyes"-Frank Sinatra.
Let's review the personal life and a little more of the career of one of the timeless entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio.
A review of the life and career of Lena Horne, one of the great entertainers of the Golden Days of Radio.
Our fourth week of the review of Christmas music of great artists from the Golden Days of Radio, which we have been playing on our webcast, Goldengems.net. We hope you have enjoyed the carols and hymns there, as well as a review of the history and background of those songs.
A discussion of more Christmas favorites to add an uplift to your Christmas. Be sure to listen to the carols on www.goldengems.net.
A description of the Christmas songs and hymns recorded by artists from the Golden Days of Radio which we have highlighted along with some we have yet to highlight. We will divert from our usual format to try to share with you at least a small taste of Christmas joy.
Looking at the life of one of the great trumpet soloists from the Golden Days of Radio.
A Tribute to an outstanding woman and incredible Singer who recently passed away on September 29, 2020. Helen Reddy will be long remembered and forever loved.
Review with Bill and Dave the career and life of Ella Fitzgerald, the Great Lady of Song.
Join Bill and Dave as we explore the lives of Steve and Eydie, an incredible duo from the Golden Days of Radio--when music was music. And if, by any chance you have not been on our website to hear their amazing music, we invite you to go there to review their career and music. www.goldengems.net.
Join Dave and Bill as we review the life and career of one of the greatest composers of the golden days of radio--when music was music.
Exploring the lives of the Mills Brothers, an amazing quartet fro the golden days of radio, when "Music was music".
Join Bill and Dave in a review of the career and life of a truly incredible and timeless entertainer, Johnny Mathis.
Join Dave and Bill as we take a look at the remarkable life and career of Louls "Satchmo" Armstrong.
Travel with Dave and Bill into the archives to learn about the life and career of Glenn Miller
A discussion with Dave and Bill of the life, career, and music of Patti Page during the Golden Days of Radio.