Happy Thanksgiving

Swing City Radio wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving!  We are so thankful for all of you that have been listening to the station for the last couple months.  If you like what you are hearing, then please let your friends and family know.

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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Christmas Music

Starting on Thanksgiving Day, Swing City Radio will be playing Christmas songs by your favorite Big Band and Swing artists along with some other Christmas standards.  We will be scattering them in throughout the day mixed in with our normal programming.  (About one or two songs per hour.)

We will also be featuring some Christmas songs from some new, unsigned Big Band artists that we are very excited about.  I plan on featuring some articles about them so you can learn more about the artists and their music.

I'll keep you posted about any plans we may have for Christmas Day and New Years Eve.

I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving and thanks for continuing to listen and supporting the station.  Maybe you can have the station playing in the background as you have your Thanksgiving dinner?  It's my understanding that Big Band and Swing music helps the body digest food better.  Just kidding! :)

Enjoy the holiday and be safe!

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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Earl Burtnett

Earl Burtnett (1896–1936) was a bandleader, songwriter and pianist.  Burtlett was popular in the 1920's and 1930's.

In 1918 he joined Art Hickman's band as lead arranger and writer for the orchestra.  He penned some successful songs for Hickman including "Sleep", "Leave Me With A Smile", "Mandalay", and "If I Should Lose You".

In 1929, he took over as band leader on Hickman's retirement. His band then had a residency at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, and recorded for Brunswick Records backing the Biltmore Trio. They played across the country in the early and mid 1930's, with periods at both the Rice Hotel in Houston, and later at the Drake Hotel and other venues in Chicago, where their concerts were often broadcast on WGN radio.

Burtnett recorded for Columbia from 1926 through 1928 when he signed with Brunswick again and recorded prolifically through mid-1931.

On Christmas Eve, 1935, Burtnett underwent an emergency appendectomy in Chicago. However, peritonitis set in after the operation, and he died on January 2, 1936 at the age of 39.  He unfortunately passed away right as swing music was starting to take hold in the United States.  One can only imagine the great music he would have created.

You can hear Earl Burtnett right here on Swing City Radio.

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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The Sunday Morning Swing

Swing City Radio has discontinued The Sunday Morning Swing.

So how do you spend your Sunday mornings?  Do lounge around in pajamas sipping a delicious cup of coffee?  Maybe it's the one time in the week where you can sit down and have a relaxing breakfast with your family or spend some peaceful moments before going to church.

We all spend our precious Sunday Mornings in different ways.  Consider making The Sunday Morning Swing a new part of your routine.  Ease through your morning with the relaxing, smooth sounds of the Big Bands.  The Sunday Morning Swing features the softer Big Band favorites from the 1930's and 40's.  Let's make Big Band Music on Sunday mornings a tradition.  The show is even better with a great cup of coffee.

By the way, I like my coffee strong and bold.  No cream or sugar for this guy.  :)

Listen every Sunday Morning from 8am EST to 11am EST.

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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Swing Street Box Set

I was out again this weekend searching the used record stores. As I was digging deep in a dusty ol' corner of one of the stores and I found this gem.  "Swing Street" is a 4 LP compilation of some great music.  The set was originally released in 1962.  I'm really looking forward to digitizing these LP's and getting them up on the station for your enjoyment.

You can look forward to hearing tracks from Eddie Condon And His Orchestra, Wingy Manone And His Orchestra, Red Allen, Louis Prima, John Kirby, Mildred Bailey and many, many more.

The artwork on the cover is fantastic and the booklet inside looks like it's filled with some great info.  (Haven't read it yet.  Just scanned through.)

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is considered a swing revival band from Southern California. Their biggest singles include "Go Daddy-O", "You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)", and "Mr. Pinstripe Suit".

After playing in punk and alternative rock bands during the 1980's, Scotty Morris founded Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Kurt Sodergren in Ventura, California.

So how did they pick the name Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?  Well, the story is that Scotty Morris met blues guitar legend Albert Collins after one of Collins' concerts. Scotty Morris, being a big Albert Collins fan asked Albert to sign a poster he had brought with him. "He signed my poster 'To Scotty, the big bad voodoo daddy'," Morris explains. "I thought it was the coolest name I ever heard on one of the coolest musical nights I ever had. So when it came time to name this band, I didn't really have a choice. I felt like it was handed down to me."

The band has concentrated on the swing of the 1940's and 1950's, playing clubs and lounges in their early years.

The band launched two CDs, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Watchu' Want for Christmas? under their own label before getting their big break when their songs "You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)", "I Wan'na Be Like You" and "Go Daddy-O" were featured in the soundtrack of the 1996 comedy-drama Swingers.

At that point, they were signed by Interscope Records. While with Interscope, the band released Americana Deluxe, This Beautiful Life, and Save My Soul. The band has continued their tours, performances and album releases.  Thanks for continuing to carry the torch of Swing guys!

You can hear Big Bad Voodoo Daddy right here on Swing City Radio.

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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Benny Goodman: The Golden Age of Swing

So as you can imagine, I spend a lot of time digging through the used record stores looking for great Big Band and Swing music to play on the station.  I found a great Benny Goodman collection during the summer entitled "The Golden Age of Swing."  I know, I know, it's November as I'm writing this and I just admitted I bought this in the summer.  Let's just say I was busy getting the radio station set up for all of you in radio land.

As I was working on the website today I decided to put this on the turntable and give it a spin, and WOW!, what a great recording.  This 5 record set was released in 1956 and claims to be a limited edition.  The collection captures Benny's career up until that date and features songs by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, his Trio and his Quartet.

I was lucky enough to find this in fantastic condition and if I remember correctly, spent only $2 for it.  The cover and booklet show very little wear and tear, the vinyl is clear and looks and sounds like it was barely played.  I'm sure I'll be digitizing many of these tracks soon so you all can get a listen.

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.

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