1941 music video by the Andrews Sisters

 

Singing about the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Company B, of course!

Navy Times article about 8 million V-Disc records

Check out the article here!

 

 

1953 Film about the War in the Pacific

 

 

After V.E, day, when the war in Europe was over, Americans were still fighting fiercely against the Japanese in the Pacific. Here's Jeff Clandler in "Away All Boats."

 

 

Kay's early life on the farm, remembered -- separating milk from cream

 Kay's family had a very small farm, only 12 acres total and 9 of them tillable. They kept a small flock of chickens and two milk cows. When Kay was about 13 or 14, her mother became ill for several months and Kay took on the job of hand-cranking a cream separator similar to this one. 

Laura Leslie, who sang with Sammy Kaye's orchestra, from theoriginal cast album of "Gypsy"

Demo track from near the end of the original cast album of "Gypsy," with Laura Leslie singing "Momma's Talkin' Soft."

 

 

 

 

 

Films of Kay's era: "Topper" -- you can watch it on YouTube!

 

The Ongoing Tale of the Old Gray Mare

 When Kay sang with a little group of friend and relatives on a radio program sponsored by Ma-Flow syrup, the girls sang a medley of tunes about the old gray mare:  

The Old Gray Mare:

 

 

 

The Old Gray Mare Is Back: 

Jogging Along Behind the Old Gray Mare:  

"Have Mercy Baby" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes -- 1951

 

Two musical star biopics about facing adversity with bravery

Above: Susan Hayward as Jane Froman in "With A Song in My Heart"

Below: Eleanor Parker as Marjorie Lawrence in "Interrupted Melody"

The Nissen Hut, known to Americans as the Quonset Hut

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissen_hut

The song Kate Smith was famous for

Recently-posted "GI version" of one patriotic song made me think of this classic and the woman who was famous for singing it!