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We conclude our four part Hall of Fame spotlight on Frank Sinatra's career with more little known details about the man and his music. In this installment, you'll hear about the post-Columbia Records days when he was no longer in demand. He had no hits and no record contract -- that is, until Capitol Records came calling and everything changed.
You'll learn what it meant for a songwriter to have one of their songs recorded by Frank and why Sinatra...
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Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot helped to define the folk-pop sound of the 60s and early 70s. With a focus on crafting quality albums, not hit singles, Lightfoot found great success and provided a soundtrack for a tumultuous time.
In a conversation with host Wink Martindale, Lightfoot discusses working his way up throughout his career and how it shaped the way he views success. Lightfoot continues to elaborate on his music including why...
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In Part 2 we hear about Welk from his manager Sam Lutz and others that played an important part in his career. We also hear from Lawrence Welk in a conversation he had with Wink Martindale in 1973. Welk shares stories of numerous performances across the country, his time on tour and interactions with his fans. He also discusses his television career and his eventual return to recording music with Dot Records.
4) Ray Charles
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Ray Charles lived his life with no regrets, no matter the ups or the downs. After losing his sight at 7 years old, and his parents passing away while he was a teenager, he went on to experience phenomenal success as a singer, songwriter and musician. Charles didn't often agree to interviews, but in this rare and lengthy conversation he had with Wink Martindale in 1970 he offered an introspective look at his personal life and storied career. He reflects...
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Ella Fitzgerald's career began at various amateur nights around New York City, most famously at the Apollo Theater in 1934. From those early days, Fitzgerald grew to be an iconic jazz singer and the First Lady of Song. In the spring of 1983, Fitzgerald sat down for a conversation with Wink Martindale. She discusses how her career began and some of her first hits including "A-Tistket, A-Tasket." We also hear about some artists she's a fan of and hear...
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Harry Belafonte didn't start out with a dream of being a singer. He wanted to be an actor, and studied theater for five years in New York. Unable to find work as an actor, he had to choose between abandoning dreams of being a performer entirely, or find a new area of entertainment to pursue. Opportunity struck when he was offered a chance to be an intermission singer at a local jazz club, and his singing talent began to catch on.
In a conversation...
7) Natalie Cole
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Before the daughter of Nat "King" Cole ever sang for an audience, she was lip-syncing in front of her bedroom mirror to the Supremes. Natalie Cole, the second of five children said her parents raised her to work hard for what she wanted. The award-winning artist sat down with Wink Martindale to discuss what it was like growing up in a house filled with music. In this intimate conversation from the 1970s, she also reflects on her good friend Stevie...
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Frankie Laine's far-reaching appeal made him a hit in the '40s and '50s. While his contemporaries found success early in life, Laine didn't see fame until his late 30s. Despite his late-blooming career, his excursion into the world of music began much earlier, during his years as a teenager performing at dance marathons.
Wink Martindale spoke with him in June 1973. Laine recounted what led up to his first hit with "That's My Desire." He also reflected...
9) Jerry Vale
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Jerry Vale always knew that he wanted to sing. His tremendous vocal talent and charismatic personality allowed the crooner to impress both in recording and in live performances as he toured all over the country and regularly topped the pop charts throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In this conversation with Wink Martindale, Vale discusses his career as a performer, some of his most popular recordings and the people that helped him in his professional...
10) Lou Rawls
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Lou Rawls got his start as a church choir boy. He performed a wide variety of musical styles including gospel, soul, R&B, jazz and blues for movies, TV shows, commercials and numerous successful albums. In an interview with host Wink Martindale, Rawls discusses the many changes in the way music was created and performed throughout his career, his plentiful awards and accolades and his early life growing up in Chicago.
11) Glenn Miller
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Despite his first orchestra being a complete failure, Glenn Miller grew to become arguably one of the most famous big band leaders. Following this early stumble, Miller launched his second band in March of 1938 and went on to achieve great success before his tragic disappearance in 1944. George T. Simon, big band expert, critic, author and a close friend to Glenn Miller, provides listeners with on an overview of Miller's career. In his conversation...
12) Sammy Davis Jr
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Sammy Davis Jr. was, quite literally, born into show business. As part of a well-known vaudeville family, he began performing when he was just four years old and never seemed to slow down. From stage to studio to screen the singer, dancer, musician and actor travelled all over the world entertaining millions. Wink Martindale spoke with the charming Davis at his Beverly Hills home in 1976. Davis reflects on his experiences as a performer, his success...
13) Ray Anthony
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For his fifth birthday, Ray Anthony's father bought him a trumpet. It wasn't until the age of 12 when his trumpet was hidden as a punishment that he realized he couldn't live without it.
Anthony opened up to Wink Martindale in this interview from 1978 about joining the Al Donahue Orchestra at the age of 17, getting fired from the Glenn Miller Band and the popularity of the Bunny Hop. He also talks about the sound of Glenn Miller and what makes it...
14) Bobby Goldsboro
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Bobby Goldsboro describes the first song he ever wrote with a laugh as "one of the worst you've ever heard." Though those first attempts at songwriting weren't exactly successful, he went on to enjoy a wildly successful career including the chart-topping hit "Honey," which sold more than a million copies in the United States. In the height of his popularity in 1973, Goldsboro sat down with Wink Martindale to discuss his wildly successful career that...
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"It's a Blue World" brought The Four Freshmen onto the charts and into the spotlight in 1952. In the years that followed, the band went through numerous lineup changes but never lost the sound that made them famous.
Wink Martindale spoke with original members Bob Flanigan and Ross Barbour in 1973 about their career and the lasting influence they had on musical acts that followed. The fascinating discussion includes colorful stories from the band's...
16) Dick Clark
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Dick Clark had taken over for a TV show that served as "filler" and showcased different musical acts. Young girls were invited to watch as the studio audience, but when they got bored they got up to dance and a camera man caught the moment. From that moment, American Bandstand was born. For teenagers, American Bandstand served as a replacement for hanging out at the local soda shop and listening to the jukebox with friends. Every episode showcased...
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In February 1964, The Beatles made their TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, catching the attention of Bob Eubanks. Wink Martindale catches up with Eubanks in an interview from 1977 about The Beatles playing the Hollywood Bowl.
He discusses having second thoughts about booking them for the concert and then selling out in 3.5 hours. He explains how increasingly more difficult it became over the years to sneak The Beatles out of the venue. Eubanks talks...
18) Ray Conniff
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Ray Conniff got his start arranging and conducting for other recording artists. His success working for others eventually led to Columbia allowing him to record an album under his own name which was released to great success and acclaim. Conniff was the first artist to use voices and vocal arrangements as part of the instrumentation. In a conversation with host Wink Martindale, Conniff discusses his unique sound, evolving his style and his passion...
19) Paul Anka
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Paul Anka recorded his first single at the age of just 14. In addition to his success as a performer, Anka was also an accomplished songwriter. His credits include the theme song for Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and one of Tom Jones' biggest hits, "She's A Lady."In this 1977 interview, Wink Martindale takes listeners on an extensive survey of the singer's long and successful career. From his first taste of fame with the single "Diana" to being...
20) Andy Williams
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Andy Williams got his start doing anonymous voice tracks for movies in the 1940s. He got his start singing at teas with his brother, and then made a move to singing on radio in Des Moines, Iowa and Chicago. Finally, Williams found his way to New York where he started to really focus on his singing career. Television played an instrumental role in Williams' success. His big breakthrough came as a singer on The Tonight Show starring Steve Allen. In...
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