The King Of Cool. On a warm night in 1950s Las Vegas, neon lights shimmered across the desert sky as a man took the stage with effortless grace. Cigarette in hand, smile easy, voice smooth as velvet — Dean Martin sang as if the music were part of a conversation, as if every listener were an old friend. Born Dino Paul Crocetti in 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio, he was the son of Italian immigrants who dreamed beyond their steel-town life. He boxed under the name Kid Crochet, worked as a card...
The Art Of Crooning. On a cool evening in mid-century America, neon lights shimmered across the night, orchestras tuned their instruments, and a single voice rose beneath the spotlight — smooth, close, and unforced. This was the sound of the crooners: singers who turned intimacy into an art form. They didn’t command audiences with volume; they drew them in, as if every song were a private conversation between friends. Romance, polish, and elegance were their language, and their music became...
On The Road Again. In the mid-1960s, as folk and psychedelia were reshaping rock, a band from Los Angeles set out to revive the blues: Canned Heat. Founded by Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson and Bob “The Bear” Hite—both passionate collectors and scholars of old shellac records—the group stood for authenticity from the very beginning. Their name, borrowed from a 1928 song, hinted at the rawness from which they drew their power. Their breakthrough came in 1968 with the album Boogie with...
The Quiet Milestone. A summer day in June 1961, New York’s Village Vanguard: Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, and Paul Motian step onto the small stage – and create music that endures. From these concerts came two albums that shaped jazz history: Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby. The latter, named after Evans’s niece, is regarded as one of the most tender and moving recordings in the genre. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1929, Evans was a quiet revolutionary. Classically...
You Are My Candy Girl. In the late 1960s, when counterculture collided with commercial pop, a most unlikely band conquered the airwaves: The Archies. Born in Archie Comics and brought to life in the Saturday morning cartoon The Archie Show (1968), they were created as a marketing idea but soon became a genuine chart force. Under music supervisor Don Kirshner, who had shaped The Monkees, and with Brill Building songwriters Jeff Barry and Andy Kim, the project gained serious musical weight. The...
More Soul. At the beginning of the 1960s, soul music began to develop into a genre in its own right. The record labels Stax from Memphis and Motown from Detroit played an important role in this. Memphis and Detroit, the melting pots of a rich African-American musical tradition, released classics by Otis Redding, Booker T. & The MG's, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. After the great success of the first Soul Classics edition, Magic Of Vinyl presents more timeless soul treasures as limited...
Sweet Caroline, Oh Oh Oh. Neil Diamond, born in Brooklyn on January 24, 1941, is one of music’s most influential figures. Raised in a Jewish family, he discovered his passion for music early on, drawing inspiration from folk traditions. As a teenager, he received his first guitar and began composing. After a brief pre-med stint at NYU, he left college to pursue songwriting full-time—a decision that changed his life. In the 1960s, while working in the Brill Building, Neil honed his craft by...
From Elvis With Love. Elvis Loves You is more than just a collection of the King's love songs - it's a tribute to the legacy of the ultimate romantic. It is a reminder of Elvis Presley's unique ability to touch hearts, bring people together and provide countless moments of love and joy. From the tender strains of “Love Me Tender” to the timeless beauty of “Can't Help Falling in Love,” each song captures emotions that are both intimate and universal. Songs like “Are You Lonesome...
So Exited. The Pointer Sisters were founded in the late 1960s by the sisters June and Bonnie Pointer, later joined by Anita and Ruth. After Bonnie’s departure in 1977, the trio experienced the greatest success of their career. With their unique mix of R&B, soul, pop, funk, jazz, rock, and country, along with precise harmonies and a dynamic stage presence, they set new standards in American pop music. Raised in the gospel tradition, they broke through genre boundaries and achieved...
Walk On By . Dionne Warwick, born as Marie Dionne Warrick on December 12, 1940 in Orange, New Jersey, is one of the most significant voices in American pop music. With a career spanning over six decades, she enchants her audience with her warm, velvety voice and unmistakable phrasing. Raised in a family steeped in gospel music, she began her musical journey in church at an early age. Her major breakthrough came in the 1960s through her collaboration with Burt Bacharach and Hal David –...