Shellac Stack No. 64 offers another diverse stack of 78s ranging from fleet-fingered Irish fiddling by Patrick J. Cawley to nimble-fingered piano playing by Frank Banta, Raie Da Costa and Paul Estabrook. We’ll listen to some birds, share a few laughs, dance to Bob Haring’s Orchestra, and hoot and holler with Red “Pepper” Sam (Billy Costello). … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 63 spans nearly 50 years, from Bert Williams in 1906 to George Girard in 1953. We salute the late Kitty Kallen and look forward to Valentine’s Day. Today’s stack includes discs by blues pianist Mike Jackson, bandleaders Bennie Moten, Paul Whiteman, Eddy Duchin, and others. With Iowa on the nation’s mind this past … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 62 brings you the voice of Betty Boop (Mae Questel), jazz from Chicago and Australia (Johnny Dodds and Dave Dallwitz, respectively), dance music from Freddy Martin, Russ Morgan, and George Olsen, and even some Bavarian yodeling, courtesy of George P. Watson. Pull up a chair, fix your favorite hot beverage, and let … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 61 rattles into action with Brother Bones and His Shadows. We compare two versions of “My Sweetie Turned Me Down,” listen to some old-time music from Ernest Stoneman and Fiddling Doc Roberts, enjoy dance music from the Al Katz and Fred Rich Orchestras, and salute a couple early Dixieland bands. And don’t miss Elsie … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 60 wishes you a Happy Holiday season with a selection of Christmas and winter-themed 78s. We begin with the delightful obscurity “Tap, Tap, Tapping Santa” sung by Pat Harrington and from there sample some well-loved favorites, in performances you might not have previously heard. From Harry E. Humphrey to Dick Robertson to Jimmy … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 59 pays homage to a favorite producer of films for children (and adults) with records by Freddie Rich, Charlie Spivak, Dinah Shore, Johnny Mercer, Kay Kyser, Ernie Rudy, and more.

Shellac Stack No. 58 wishes you a “relaxing” Labor Day weekend with the usual eclectic mix of 78s, from stride pianist Cliff Jackson to Fred Elizalde, Helen Ward, Rex Stewart, Patrick Conway’s Band, Henry Burr, and more.

Shellac Stack No. 57 invites you to pour a tall glass of iced tea (or your preferred beverage) and settle back for records by Lou Gold, Scrappy Lambert, Rose Murphy, Johnny Wittwer, Joe Haymes, Marty Grosz, Bix Beiderbecke, and more. We also celebrate the music of Mel B. Kaufman in honor of the new CD … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 56 casts an eye — and an ear — skyward with songs about the moon, the sun, stars, and space in general as we celebrate New Horizons’ flyby of Pluto this week. Dr. Hoffman gives us an “otherworldly” theremin treatment of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata; recording in Paris, Hubert Rostaing delivers an exquisite … Continue reading »

Shellac Stack No. 55 celebrates a hard-won legal victory. We’ve got songs about love and marriage from Benny Goodman, Nat Shilkret, and Fred Hall to Billie Holiday, Ralph Sutton, and Ted Weems. We’ve got jazz bands, dance bands, Irish pipers, cabaret performers, and a Jo Stafford record that defies classification. Enjoy!