Music of the Big Band Era And Beyond

Back in the day, my parents listened to Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and other swing bands from the 1930's and 40's. We still have the old 78's that Dad played on a turn table. Dad and Mom would dance for hours to the romantic music of the times.

The big band era ranged from 1935 to the late 1940's and held the country captive with the jazz and swing arrangements. That time was called the Romantic Era, and took the country by storm.

Later, in the 1950's, I remember watching Your Hit Parade with my mother. The show ran from 1950 to 1959 and featured the top seven hits from the previous week. I still remember listening to Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson and Dorothy Collins.

And who can forget the long running "How Much Is That Doggy In the Window?"

Very seldom are the names of past greats mentioned. Now days the "old days" are the sixties, but recently I've run into several blogs and websites that talk about the good old musical days of the 1980's and 90's.

What? Now I know I'm getting old.

What happened to big band music and the syrupy ballads of the 30's , 40's and 50's?

Why, a young man by the name of Elvis Presley came along and everything changed. Now that was the REAL good old days!

What was your favorite era of music? What songs did your parents have reverberating through the house? What do you remember from your good ole days?