Feature: Retro Redux

In his continuing quest to prove that the music of the past has a lot to offer today's music lovers, Big Geez takes time off from his busy duties as a hammock tester to write RETRO REDUX. For those who remember the songs, it's a journey into musical nostalgia that will take you to places you haven't been for a while -- not only revisiting many of your favorite songs (even those you might have forgotten), but also telling the often surprising stories of the people who made the music. For those music lovers who might have come along a little too late to have actually experienced the music of the past, it's an opportunity to see what all the fuss was about.

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Big Geez

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• Retro Redux: Origins Of Rock And Roll - Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith

  He had no idea that his signature song would become an important - some say seminal - moment in the origins of rock and roll.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 24, 2007

• Retro Redux: Before Weird Al, Newhart And Sherman Tickled America's Funny-Bone

  In the 1950s and early 1960s, comedy albums went through a period of booming popularity.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 22, 2007

• Retro Redux: Woody Guthrie - The Okie Troubadour Who Became Dylan's Muse

  He grew up in Oklahoma, and for years traveled America on the hobo trail, listening to the people and their music.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 18, 2007

• Retro Redux: Benny Carter - Eight Decades Of Excellence

  His talents as a performer, arranger, and composer, on display through several generations of jazz, made him one of the greats.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 14, 2007

• Retro Redux: Beyond Doo-Wop - The Original Platters

  Their precision harmonizing was almost hypnotic, and they became one of the biggest successes of the 1950's.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 10, 2007

• Retro Redux: Buffalo Springfield - Two Short But Amazing Years

  Circumstances can create a situation where talented musicians get together for a relatively short time and create some great music...

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 08, 2007

• Retro Redux: Dinah Washington - Queen Of The Blues

  She was fiercely independent, intelligent and proud, and called herself the queen of the blues, or just — the queen.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 04, 2007

• Retro Redux: Songs That Tickle (Part II) - Rock & Roll Oldies

  An outstanding song title and artist name combination, "Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu" by Dicky Doo And The Don'ts.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on May 02, 2007

• Retro Redux: Song Titles That Might Tickle Your Fancy

  Song titles like those are a mystery inviting further investigation.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 28, 2007

• Retro Redux: Ridin' The Rails (Part II) - New Orleans

  Pre-Katrina New Orleans, a sprawling city with a deceptively shabby but exotic look, and an electrifying history in American music.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 24, 2007

• Retro Redux: Bad Boys Of Early Rock - Gene Vincent

  Sullen personas, well-oiled hair combed into a DA, clothes that seemed to gravitate to strange styles and black leather.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 20, 2007

• Retro Redux: Outdoor Concerts - From Early Americana To Streisand

  Folks rural America liked being entertained too, but haven't always had the same opportunities to enjoy it.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 18, 2007

• Retro Redux: Adventures In Highway Travel - From Yellowstone To Route 66

  It was good to see America and it was just plain fun to find every quirky roadside attraction for miles around.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 14, 2007

• Retro Redux: From Bob Wills To Big Ray - Swingin' Western Style

  One of the best things about music is how it constantly changes and evolves, with different types often fusing into something new and different.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 12, 2007

• Retro Redux: Ridin' The Rails To Detroit City

  It was a simpler time and people didn't worry quite as much about the bad things that could happen to kids alone.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 08, 2007

• Retro Redux: Teresa Brewer And Her B-Side Million-Seller

  Selling a million records was quite a feat in those days, but Teresa followed that up with a number of hits.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 04, 2007

• Retro Redux: Bix, Bing, And The King Of Jazz

  Speakeasies, flappers, and a booming post-war economy were all signs of the time, and the music soon began to reflect that.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Apr 02, 2007

• Retro Redux: The Monkees - More Than Just Beatles Wannabes

  But to be fair, you can make a case for the Monkees as pop icons of a different sort.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Mar 29, 2007

• Retro Redux: Charlie Barnet - The Millionaire Bandleader

  They became known as the the "blackest of the white bands", a high compliment from jazz lovers.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Mar 27, 2007

• Retro Redux: Rethinking The Musicality Of Liberace

  He wore his tailored tuxedo on every show, and his megawatt smile lit up the tiny black and white screen like a searchlight.

  Opinion by Big Geez — on Mar 23, 2007