Popular Music

Van Alexander co-wrote “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” with Ella Fitzgerald while both worked in the Chick Webb Orchestra back in 1938. The success of that song led to a job as arranger for Webb as well as Benny Goodman and Paul Whiteman and super stardom for Ella. Van formed his own band during the wonderful swing era but gave it up to work in the movies when Bing Crosby offered him a job in 1948.

Ron Anthony can be heard playing his jazz guitar on several classic recordings of George Shearing as well as on the top selling CD, Frank Sinatra’s “Duets.” His love of music goes back to his childhood and has remained in full force ever since those early days. In addition to performing, Ron is a music teacher and a songwriter. His songs have been recorded by many artists including George Shearing. He co-wrote “It’s Always 4am” with legendary songwriter Sammy Cahn, which has been recorded by several artists over the years.

Billy Ashbaugh remembers with a smile his first drum kit as a kid and the desire to play professionally almost from the very beginning. He learned the ropes as a sub drummer and studio player before landing the gig as drummer for the boy super-group N’Sync. The explosive popularity of the group’s tours and recordings provided Billy with the opportunity to present clinics and classes to inspiring drummers around the world.
 

Mary Ellin Barrett is the oldest of Irving Berlin’s three daughters and the author of the 1994 book, Irving Berlin: A Daughters Memoir. During her NAMM interview she and her sister Linda Emmet spoke of their father’s business side including his publishing and role as a founder of ASCAP. Mrs. Barrett also provided some interesting insight into her father’s career as one of the most beloved songwriters in American popular music history. Part of the discussion within the interview covered her father’s humor and insight in his lyrics and his strong musical ability in such classic songs as “Let’s Face The Music and Dance” as well as “God Bless America.”

Allen Blasco began to smile during his NAMM Oral History interview when he spoke about how his mother and father met at Jenkins Music in Kansas City. His father was in charge of the music publishing department of Jenkins and his mother worked in the retail part of the company. Soon after they met Allen’s father noticed his future wife was a great writer and asked if she would write a song, he had a melody in mind and that song, in 1948, became the song of the year; “My Happiness.” The song has since been recorded by over 700 artists including Ella Fitzgerald and Connie Francis. The song also holds an important role in rock and roll history as it was the very first song Elvis Presley ever recorded to hear how he would sound on record.

Kevin Bowe, a native of Minnesota, began playing guitar and writing songs for the rock and punk talent coming out of the Midwest in the 1980s and 90s. Kevin wrote several songs for the teenage guitarist and singer Shannon Curfman's album Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions. Nashville NAMM Show attendees were treated to a Fender-sponsored concert in which Shannon sang songs from the album, including several written by Kevin, such as I Don't Make Promises. Kevin later wrote songs for Etta James, Renee Austin and the hit Soul Shaker for Tommy Castro, among others. Over the years Kevin has also worked for television and the movies, with songs written for HBO's hit series The Sopranos and for MTV.

Carol Buschmann grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin where she joined the all girls singing group the Chordettes just a year after it was formed in 1947. She stayed with the group until they disbanded in the early 1960s after having several top selling albums and two hit records in the 1950s including “Mr. Sandman” and the crossover hit “Lollipop.” While with the group she performed all across the country, on television and radio. She and the other girls decided to return home to raise their families, this after having played an important role in popular music. 

Lou Curtiss has been a long time supporter of American folk music and in fact, he helped coin the phrase “roots music.” For over 30 years he created, arranged and promoted the annual folk music festival in San Diego beginning in 1967. Lou has also hosted a jazz radio program as well as running his rare record shop in San Diego for over 40 years. His vast knowledge of the growth and development of American music is nothing short of amazing as are the many stories he tells of promoting music and the music makers he has worked with for over 50 years.
 

Hal David followed in the footsteps of his older brother Mack who penned several popular songs in the 1930s and 40s. Hal worked hard to learn the craft and spent many years in and around the Brill Building in New York, which was the hub of music publishing in America at the time. After a number of hit songs Hal teamed with Burt Bacharach and together the pair top the charts with a long list of hit songs, selling millions of recordings, earning Grammy awards and even an Oscar for “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head.” Hal served on the ASCAP Board for more than 30 years and is a past president and strong supporter of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, located in New York City. 

Milton DeLugg wrote many remarkable and popular songs such as "Orange Blossom Sky," recorded by Nat King Cole. He wrote TV theme songs and stacks of movie music. All the while, he was working with and becoming friends with the great American tunesmiths, being one of them himself. Luckily for our archives, Milton's interview includes several incredible stories from the all-but-forgotten days of Tin Pan Alley.