When the old Victrola record players were first introduced, those turntables were some cutting-edge tech. Here’s a look at the history of the famous Victor Talking Machines!
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In the fifties, people wanted to know: What was rock ‘n’ roll music? Where did this wild dance noise come from – and was it safe for the kids? Should it be banned, or was it just a fad?
Just 18 years old, Aretha Franklin moves flawlessly in her vocals — from spiritual, to blues to jazz and to pop; and her ability as a pianist is something more to reckon with. Aretha is the girl to watch!
Here’s how to choose a turntable that will make your vintage vinyl records come alive, based on all the retro tips on what really made a difference back in the day.
While orchestra leader Glenn Miller himself disappeared, his music has done rather the opposite – reaching and speaking to generations well beyond his untimely death during WWII.
Take a look back at these vintage jewelry boxes that were so popular, including some with fold-out storage and – of course – spinning ballerinas.
Johnny Cash kicked off his country-music series, The Johnny Cash TV Show, with guests Bob Dylan, singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell and Doug Kershaw, and comedienne Fannie Flagg. Here, see a video performance with Roy Orbison.
Live Aid in 1985: Feed the world The goal of the Live Aid concerts was to raise money to help relieve the ongoing famine in
Priscilla Presley wasn’t just the former wife of mega-star Elvis Presley – she was a model and actress in her own right, and has the receipts to prove it.
Step back in time with Leonard Bernstein with a vintage profile and snapshots of the maestro’s melodious legacy!
Nothing stays the same for very long — not the world, not the blues, not love, not a petite young Texas girl named Janis Joplin, who had ‘such a pretty voice,’ according to her mother.
Here are vintage autographs of eleven lost music legends, many gone far too soon. How many of these signatures do you wish you had?
Beatlemania, a generally harmless form of madness for The Beatles, which deluged the United States in 1964, was nothing short of a phenomenon.
We’re taking a look back at the Beatles’ life & times. Revisit some vintage videos of Beatles songs and performances — and reminisce with us about the worldwide fan mania the Fab Four inspired.
The Andrews Sisters were three little girls from Minneapolis, who resolved when young that they were going to be the greatest girl singing trio ever. And they were.
Neil Diamond has had more than 38 hits on the Top 10 charts, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Here’s a look back to his life and career in the ’70s!
Unlike most rock groups, Creedence Clearwater Revival doesn’t have a booking agency or a manager, yet they were the most successful pop-rock group in the world – and the richest.
From Liverpool lad to Beatle & enduring icon – revisit the life of John Lennon. His legacy is more than songs; it’s a committed pursuit of peace & love.
Take a jump back in time to hear from Hall & Oates in their prime – the ’70s & ’80s, when the duo had a string of #1 singles and sold millions of albums.
During the 1978 Saturn Awards ceremony, William Shatner, as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, performed what can most accurately be described as a bizarre spoken-word rendition of ‘Rocket Man.’
Elvis Presley army photos from 1958: See the King’s shocking induction, infamous haircut & early days in uniform.
With his memorable voice and pro patter, DJ Jocko Henderson entertained the ears of millions – and advanced American culture at the same time.
Take a step back into the beauty of yesteryear, and see some pretty vintage & antique Christmas decorations that were both charming and affordable.
The Annie movie from 1982 was based on the award-winning Broadway play, and was a no-lose combination of sweet-faced orphans, a lovable dog, foot-tapping musical numbers, and an all-star cast.
Here’s a look back at the career of Stevie Wonder, the talented singer and musician who, despite being blind, has earned dozens of hit songs that millions know and love.
The Twist was one of the first big dance crazes, and dozens of artists recorded copycat songs. But there was a question: Is The Twist immoral? Religious leaders weighed in.
The Electric Company’s secret weapon for getting kids to read in the 1970s (hint: it was very funny)
The Electric Company ran on PBS from 1971-77 with Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno & Bill Cosby — and actually worked as a reading tool for millions of kids.
“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” became an unexpected – and unforgettable – classic. It combines the story of a boy who wins a lifetime supply of chocolate and a colorful musical with intricate sets and wild visual effects.
MTV, a ’round-the-clock television channel for viewers who grew up on rock ‘n’ roll, started with a library of 400 80s music videos, and went on to delight millions of viewers.
Walkmans and other portable cassette tape players – ‘personal stereos’ – were hugely popular in the ’70s and ’80s, and packed more sociological punch than a load of hula hoops.
Back in the ’70s, Broadway couldn’t miss with Annie – especially when starring actress Andrea McArdle, the spunky, talented 13-year-old who played the title role.
Elvis and Nixon actually met — and Elvis asked to be a federal agent. Read the wild original letter and White House memo.
Peek back into the musical past of vintage Wurlitzer organs as they were back in the ’60s, in all their woodtoned retro glory!
It would be hard to find anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 who didn’t watch Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a kid. And there’s a good reason for that.
Woodstock was supposed to be ‘3 days of peace and music’ – but as these stories from right after the concert describe, it didn’t exactly end up that way.
Peter Frampton’s road to superstardom had lots of ups and downs before he finally scored big with the multi-platinum double album ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’
Disney’s magical Mary Poppins arrived in 1964. See classic movie clips, hear some of the songs, plus find out more about the film & its stars!
In animated segments between Saturday morning cartoon shows, Schoolhouse Rock was on TV from 1973-1985. Here’s a Grammar Rock classic, Verb: That’s What’s Happenin’!
Was this the earliest recorded instance of Rickrolling? You sign up for a magazine… and, whether you wanted it or not, you’d get a Rick
The Flintstones TV cartoon sitcom ran for 6 seasons in the ’60s. Find out how the story began, plus see the opening credits & the catchy theme song lyrics!
A Date with Jet Screamer was the second episode of The Jetsons, and portrayed the era’s affection for rock ‘n’ roll music, and introduced the earworm, Eep Opp Ork Ah Ah.
Here’s one of the most unforgettable songs from Schoolhouse Rock: Conjunction Junction. One of the first in the “Grammar Rock” series, it made its debut on televisions nationwide in 1973.
The Elvis Presley death in 1977 sent shockwaves through America. See rare original news coverage and tributes from the day the King died.
Motown Records wasn’t just a record label – it was a sound. Thanks to their success, we had stars like Michael Jackson, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye.
In a spangled vest and elbow-length gloves, black bikini, black opera hose and steep ankle-strap wedgies, Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter, makes his grand entrance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, an outrageous camp musical based on the stage hit.
This widely-beloved cartoon music video for ‘I’m Just A Bill’ came out in 1975 as part of Schoolhouse Rock, a memorable series of animated shorts that ran with the Saturday morning cartoons.
Maxell was long one of the leaders in the cassette tape world, and produced one of the most iconic ad campaigns of the era, featuring the man fondly (now) known as ‘blown away guy.’
Memo to June Graduates: Here are your choices under the draft You can take your chances, hoping you never will be called. Many are trying this.
Here’s a look back from 1984 at the career – and huge success – of Billy Joel, along with some insight into what makes his concerts so memorable.
The band Blondie was discovered one night by some wealthy people out slumming after the theatre, and hired to perform at a party in a posh apartment.
This story is about the father of rock ‘n’ roll music. In a decade of American history condemned for its small-mindedness, blandness and apathy, Chuck Berry set the spark. Chuck Berry kindled the flame.
The Jackson Five – explosive soul brothers from Indiana – were the hottest young group in entertainment history, and led to Michael Jackson’s stellar musical career.
An Elvis Presley biography from Tupelo to Graceland: his rise, his reinventions & the legacy that still draws millions every year.
Playing off the popularity of the traveling exhibit of the Treasures of Tutankhamen, actor and comedian Steve Martin debuted his parody song ‘King Tut’ on an episode of Saturday Night Live in the spring of 1978.
Young Elvis Presley grew up so far from the spotlight that his path to becoming the King of Rock & Roll reads more like a
Discover how Jerry Lee Lewis’s ‘Great Balls of Fire’ set the 1950s music scene ablaze and cemented his legacy in rock and roll history.
Roy Orbison without sunglasses? Do such photos exist?! Indeed they do, even though once his musical career got established, the multi-talented Orbison was rarely seen without his trademark dark shades. See his actual eyes here!
‘The Sound of Music,’ thanks to superior handling and affectionate care, has made the tricky transition from stage to screen with all its virtues intact. If anything, there is an extra glow of magic to this operetta in its movie offspring.
Sha Na Na: Carefree greasers By Mary Campbell – The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania) Jan 8, 1970 Sha Na Na is starting the 1970s performing
Here is a heartfelt — though dramatized and beautified (and sometimes somewhat inaccurate) — story of Judy Garland’s early life, originally published in 1942. Judy
Jazz has remarkable history as a fad (from 1919) Starting twenty years ago in New Orleans, it has swept from coast to coast and is
The King of the Swingers Louis Prima, a star since the 1930s, was known as “The King of the Swing” — so he was the
Dick Clark’s career — from American Bandstand to New Year’s Rockin’ Eve — helped shape American music and television. See his vintage This Is Your Life segment and his lasting impact.
“Thelonious,” a tune from his very first Blue Note session, had verses fashioned from a single ingeniously hammered note, with three horns playing shifting dissonances behind it. He developed the one-note motif in his solo and then abruptly broke into some pure, old-fashioned Harlem oompah stride.
Released in October of 1968, “What A Wonderful World” was recorded in the twilight of the great Louis Armstrong’s career. Though not initially a hit
Miss Shirley Temple taps with Mr Bojangles In this clip from 1935’s “The Little Colonel,” watch as 7-year-old child star Shirley Temple dances on the
