March 31 was a big day in music history

[Rolltydr]

Turns out that March 31st saw a few big moments in music that we can celebrate today:

• Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer who revolutionized religious and secular music and inspired Mozart, was born in 1685.
• Today Is the 86th birthday of Herb Alpert. He had five No.1 albums, sold 72 million records. He is also the “A” in A&M Records, which he co-founded, and he has given away more than $54 million to arts programs and environmental campaigns. (This is one of my favorites:
• On this day in 1949, the RCA Victor company introduced the 45-rpm record, an advancement that had taken almost a decade to develop. The 7-inch single was designed to offer better fidelity and longer playing time than the 78-rpm record that was currently in use. Most importantly, using the new record players, listeners could stack the disks, and hear up to ten records in a row with “speedy, silent, hardly noticeable changes,” as the advertisements boasted. (“hardly noticeable changes”! Hmmm. I’m not so sure about that, but I sure spent a lot of time listening to them!)
• Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire for the first time, ascending to a new level with his stage persona, two months before Are You Experienced was released in 1967. For your listening and viewing pleasure:

 

[klpca]

I had forgotten about stacking records on top of each other then having them drop down one at a time. I can still visualize the mechanism that made that possible. I don't feel that old but then things like this pop up and it's kind of hard to deny, lol.

 

[moonstone]

A few years ago my dad asked me if I wanted my Mom's record collection since he doesn't listen to music. Mom had all the Herb Alpert records as well as a bunch more 'easy listening' style albums. When our kids (late 20's, early 30s at the time) were here one day I put a Herb Alpert album on for them. They all just stared at me, then our oldest son started laughing. He said put some real music on mom! I still play them and have transferred several to digital format!

~Diane

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

My parents owned some Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass albums and reading HA’s wiki I see he was the original Tijuana Brass.

One of the earliest 45’s I remember playing on a small GE player is Rock on by David Essex. That would have been 1973.

 

[Talent312]

-- Herb Albert has won eight Grammy's, most recently in 2013.
-- He has three recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
-- In 2007, he donated $30 million to endow the UCLA Herb Albert School of Music.
-- In 2016 his Foundation donated $10.1 million to Los Angeles City College
to provide all music majors at the school with a tuition-free education.

I saw him in concert with his wife, Lani Hall, a few years ago.
Not quite as youthful or spry, he could still hit the high notes.
We should all age quite so well...

 

[buzglyd]

I had forgotten about stacking records on top of each other then having them drop down one at a time. I can still visualize the mechanism that made that possible. I don't feel that old but then things like this pop up and it's kind of hard to deny, lol.

When my mom first started teaching aerobics classes way back when, she lugged a portable record player that opened up like a suitcase. She then stacked her 45s in order and taught her class complete with dead air while the next 45 dropped.

 

[Rolltydr]

I had forgotten about stacking records on top of each other then having them drop down one at a time. I can still visualize the mechanism that made that possible. I don't feel that old but then things like this pop up and it's kind of hard to deny, lol.

I know what you mean. When you think about it, not only are 45s history, so are cassette tapes, 8-track tapes and cds. Now, except for audiophiles and collectors, we don’t even get a physical recording. It’s just digits in the cloud.

 

[Rolltydr]

A few years ago my dad asked me if I wanted my Mom's record collection since he doesn't listen to music. Mom had all the Herb Alpert records as well as a bunch more 'easy listening' style albums. When our kids (late 20's, early 30s at the time) were here one day I put a Herb Alpert album on for them. They all just stared at me, then our oldest son started laughing. He said put some real music on mom! I still play them and have transferred several to digital format!

~Diane

I don’t believe I ever had a Herb Alpert recording. I always liked him but just never purchased anything. I may download some now. I enjoyed that video.

 

[Rolltydr]

My parents owned some Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass albums and reading HA’s wiki I see he was the original Tijuana Brass.

One of the earliest 45’s I remember playing on a small GE player is Rock on by David Essex. That would have been 1973.

You must be a young lad! I think I got my first record player in 1967. I don’t have any specific recollection of which records I bought but I would have gotten any Beatles I could find. Also, I remember having Glen Campbell, Elvis (Presley, not Costello), Nancy Sinatra, Monkees, and a few others early on. I remember David Essex and Rock On. That was one of my favorite songs my freshman year in college.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

You must be a young lad! I think I got my first record player in 1967. I don’t have any specific recollection of which records I bought but I would have gotten any Beatles I could find. Also, I remember having Glen Campbell, Elvis (Presley, not Costello), Nancy Sinatra, Monkees, and a few others early on. I remember David Essex and Rock On. That was one of my favorite songs my freshman year in college.

I was a young lad I would have been in 6th grade or so at the time. Sometimes I think musically I was born a decade too late, but enjoy a wide variety of artists. Watching the HA Rise video brings me an understanding why my ear favors the bass guitar and Hammond B3. Just wish I could play either one.

 

[pedro47]

Back in the old days we played music at home or at a house party that was either 45rpm or 33 1/3 vinyl with some beautiful art work on those album covers.

 

[Rolltydr]

I was a young lad I would have been in 6th grade or so at the time. Sometimes I think musically I was born a decade too late, but enjoy a wide variety of artists. Watching the HA Rise video brings me an understanding why my ear favors the bass guitar and Hammond B3. Just wish I could play either one.

Completely understand. I have always loved music but I never learned to play any instrument. I tried learning guitar when I was in my early 20s and a few of my friends played. I just couldn’t pick it up. It was so frustrating because a couple of my friends learned to play “by ear” and I couldn’t even learn in lessons. What is wrong with me?

 

[Rolltydr]

Back in the old days we played music at home or at a house party that was either 45rpm or 33 1/3 vinyl with some beautiful art work on those album covers.

Album cover art was the best! I miss it more than the actual vinyl. I always felt like I got a free bonus if the album cover was beautiful or carried a message I loved. And, if there were other freebies inside, poster, pictures, etc, I had hit the jackpot!

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

Completely understand. I have always loved music but I never learned to play any instrument. I tried learning guitar when I was in my early 20s and a few of my friends played. I just couldn’t pick it up. It was so frustrating because a couple of my friends learned to play “by ear” and I couldn’t even learn in lessons. What is wrong with me?

Here's another song from the early 70's that just came up in the music library on my phone. This is a strong candidate for my desert island song!

 

[Talent312]

Here's another song from the early 70's that just came up in the music library on my phone.

Needs more cowbell... inside joke.
.

 

[easyrider]

Needs more cowbell... inside joke.
.

Would that be Led Zeppelin's Moby Dick ?

My first little box portable record player was called a Hi Fi. It was red. Remember the spacer wheel to play single records ? My first record was Johny Cash Ring of Fire / Still be there on the 45 . First big record was Marty Robins with El Paso and other western tunes. Mom really liked Petula Clark's Downtown and it kind of grew on me too.

Bill

 

[LannyPC]

Back in the old days we played music at home or at a house party that was either 45rpm or 33 1/3 vinyl with some beautiful art work on those album covers.

I remember the 45s as having two songs --- one on each side. They were a cheap alternative for those who did not want to buy the full 33 1/3 (or cassette) album just for the sake of a couple of songs on that album.

 

[PrairieGirl]

Since I got my first 45 "record player" (looked like a little suitcase) for Christmas (later 60s), it came complete with Brenda Lee on Decca records (oh, the things we remember!) singing "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". That was my very first record!!