Between the Big Band years of the ‘30s and ‘40s and the onslaught of Rock ‘n Roll was a “Golden Age” of beautiful recorded music. It was a period when the great vocalists – Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Doris Day, Dinah Shore, Tony Bennett, Nat “King” Cole, and many more – sang the timeless standards of the American Songbook, accompanied by full orchestras and glorious arrangements by masters like Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins.
Join Frank King for a musical lecture where you’ll get to hear the standout songs of this Golden Era – including rare, seldom-heard recordings - and also learn some fascinating secrets about the singers and the songs.
This lecture will focus on the legendary JOHNNY MATHIS, including “Chances Are” and many other Mathis hits from his long career. You’ll learn about his life story, including the difficult career choice he faced as a teenager. Also included: the story behind three hit songs from the great music year of 1948; a rare duet by Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland; plus a few surprises.
Mr. King holds a Masters in Broadcasting from Boston University and a BA from Princeton. A lifelong devotee of recorded music, he formerly hosted music programs on WBUR radio, was a News Producer at WCVB TV, Channel 5, and an Assistant Professor at B.U. His lectures draw from the music and art from his personal collection of over 2500 record albums. He has presented several hundred highly acclaimed music lectures around Greater Boston and Cape Cod since 2014.
Call the office at 617-795-2560 to register, with any questions and/or if you would like to request a ride to the SLC. Member rides requests accepted until May 10. At the Scandinavian Cultural Center in the Nordic Hall. All members and volunteers are welcome to attend; free.