PigzFromaGun

How do you go from a #1 hit for 13 straight weeks to being completely blacklisted within a couple years? Well, just ask The Weavers about that. They had some controversial political beliefs, yet were very musically knowledgable folkies. And they drew inspiration from a lot of places!

The original wild child of rock 'n roll is one Wynonie Harris. He started the rock revolution in 1948 with his tune "Good Rocking Tonight", which happens to be my intro song! But he was cooking up something even more spicy just a couple years later.

As they say in "A Boy Named Sue", Lefty Frizzell grew up quick and he grew up mean! He was performing in honky tonks around the South, drinking and partying, and even getting into trouble for being a creep. But his redemption arc came when as a 23-year old budding star, he had this #1 country hit.

While the start of my podcast is in the year 1950, The Ravens owe a lot to their vocal group forefathers. These include The Ink Spots, The Mills Brothers, and even the Orioles. With their powerful bass singer Jimmy Ricks leading the way, they had a great start to their career in the late 40s. But it's this pop song made into an early doo masterpiece that gets the spotlight in today's episode. 

Is she warm, is she real, or is she just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art? The "she" in question is the Mona Lisa. And the singer trying to figure that out is the legendary Nat King Cole. This episode tells the story of that song, as well as the early career of Cole throughout the 1940s.

We kick off the podcast in the year 1950 with country legend Hank Williams. He's got a lot to get off his chest when it comes to his wife Audrey. And as it relates to those sorts of songs, this one is at least more light-hearted and upbeat. Here's the story of how Hank got to this point in his career!