Harry Lillis Crosby Jr. was the co-owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He owned and bred racehorses. He was a shareholder of Minute Maid orange juice. He revolutionized the recording industry with reel-to-reel tape recorders and magnetic tape. His early golf tournaments would later influence and popularize the PGA Tour. But all of these accomplishments were… Read more »

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington is one of the most influential figures in jazz. He composed over 3000 songs over his lifetime, some of which would go on to define the swing era. The “Duke Ellington Sound” is unmistakable, and that can largely be attributed to the diverse talents of his… Read more »

Joe VenutiEddie Lang Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang were both pioneers of their instruments. Often referred to as the “Father of Jazz Guitar” and the “Father of Jazz Violin,” Lang and Venuti were childhood friends and collaborators. Throughout their careers, they worked with countless jazz icons and entertainers, from Bing Crosby to Earl Hines, and… Read more »

“And then it happened—that queer sensation that this melody was bigger than me. Maybe I hadn’t written it at all. The recollection of how, when and where it all happened became vague as the lingering strains hung in the rafters of the studio. I wanted to shout back at it, ‘maybe I didn’t write you,… Read more »

Rudy Vallée, “The Fleischmann Hour,” rudyvallee.com When people hear the term “Crooner,” they often think of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Bing Crosby. Although these singers could be categorized as the crooning type, their music was largely influenced by the works of an even earlier set of singers who popularized “Crooning” as a genre…. Read more »