Showing results by author "Wink Martindale" in All Categories

When Kenny Rogers started singing in high school, he went through numerous gimmicks and phases trying to find a way to make his voice identifiable. Audiences didn't respond to what he was doing, and on the advice of a friend, he dropped the gimmicks and started to embrace his own sound. Many awards, hit songs, and decades later, and there is no doubt of his gift for storytelling and distinctive sound.

Natalie Cole, the second of five children, said her parents raised her to work hard for what she wanted. The award-winning artist sat down with Wink Martindale to discuss what it was like growing up in a house filled with music. In this intimate conversation from the 1970s, she also reflects on her good friend Stevie Wonder, the similarities between her and her famous father's voices, and being compared to Aretha Franklin.

Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot helped to define the folk-pop sound of the '60s and early '70s. With a focus on crafting quality albums, not hit singles, Lightfoot found great success and provided a soundtrack for a tumultuous time.

In a conversation with host Wink Martindale, Lightfoot discusses working his way up throughout his career and how it shaped the way he views success.

Brenda Lee's astoundingly successful career began at the early age of three, when she won a singing contest. At the age of 15, her career was well underway, drawing comparisons to the legendary Judy Garland and accumulating fans all over the world. She is perhaps best known for her 1960s single, "I'm Sorry", which she recorded at the age of just 14. Lee sat down with host Wink Martindale to discuss her captivating musical career. She speaks about her roots in gospel music, her many hit singles, and her deep love of music.

We continue our exploration of the career of Elvis Presley with the second installment of this three part series. Presley would face both happy times and challenging moments as his popularity continued to grow. He went Hollywood and added "movie star" to his resume, but he also got drafted in 1958, and that same year faced the death of his beloved mother.

Despite his first orchestra being a complete failure, Glenn Miller grew to become arguably one of the most famous big band leaders. Following this early stumble, Miller launched his second band in March of 1938 and went on to achieve great success before his tragic disappearance in 1944. George T. Simon, big band expert, critic, author, and a close friend to Glenn Miller, provides listeners with on an overview of Miller's career. In his conversation with Wink Martindale, Simon provides an expert look at Miller's music, career, and personal life.

Ray Charles lived his life with no regrets, no matter the ups or the downs. After losing his sight at seven years old, and his parents passing away while he was a teenager, he went on to experience phenomenal success as a singer, songwriter, and musician. Charles didn't often agree to interviews, but in this rare and lengthy conversation he had with Wink Martindale in 1970 he offered an introspective look at his personal life and storied career.

Roberta Flack gained national recognition with her song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". The singer, songwriter, and musician performed a wide variety of music including jazz, classical, folk, soul, pop and R&B. She was the first to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years. Wink Martindale speaks with Flack and provides a comprehensive overview of Flack's numerous accomplishments and successful career.

It's a testament to Johnny Mathis' talent and legacy that in 1958, just two years after signing with Columbia Records, the label released Johnny's Greatest Hits, the first album of its kind. It remained on the charts for the next nine and a half years. Wink Martindale sat down with Mathis for a conversation in 1971. He discussed the diverse audience his music attracted, what he attributed his success to, and his profound love of singing.

Bobby Goldsboro describes the first song he ever wrote with a laugh as "one of the worst you've ever heard". Though those first attempts at songwriting weren't exactly successful, he went on to enjoy a wildly successful career, including the chart-topping hit "Honey", which sold more than a million copies in the United States. At the height of his popularity in 1973, Goldsboro sat down with Wink Martindale to discuss his wildly successful career, that included 16 top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Our third and final installment of a three-part exploration of the career of Elvis Presley takes a look at the final years for the legendary singer who we first became aware of in 1954 when he released his first single "That's Alright Mama" on Sun Records. That first single marked the beginning of an astonishing career during which he rose to become the most famous rock and roll star in the world.

Vic Damone quit school as a teenager to work at the Paramount Theater to help support his family after his father was injured. During this time he was exposed to a host of accomplished singers, both on the stage and behind the scenes. While operating the backstage elevator for Perry Como, Damone asked if he could sing for him to see if he had any talent. He stopped the elevator between floors and after he finished, Como told him he should keep it up.

Andy Williams got his start doing anonymous voice tracks for movies in the 1940s. He got his start singing at teas with his brother and then made a move to singing on radio in Des Moines, Iowa, and Chicago. Finally Williams found his way to New York, where he started to really focus on his singing career. Television played an instrumental role in Williams' success. His big breakthrough came as a singer on The Tonight Show starring Steve Allen.

From 1934 to 1951, The Andrews Sisters recorded more than 400 songs, including hits such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Rum and Coca Cola", and sold almost 100 million records. Wink Martindale sat down with sisters Patty and Maxine to discuss how they got started and why breaking up was the best thing to happen to them. In this interview from 1972, the sisters share captivating stories about what it was like traveling as a trio, working with Bing Crosby, and what they would have done differently.

Sammy Davis Jr. was, quite literally, born into show business. As part of a well-known vaudeville family, he began performing when he was just four years old and never seemed to slow down. From stage to studio to screen the singer, dancer, musician, and actor travelled all over the world entertaining millions. Wink Martindale spoke with the charming Davis at his Beverly Hills home in 1976.

The story of The Mills Brothers is much like that of many entertainers, featuring humble beginnings, big dreams, success, tragedy, and ultimately a happy ending. In 1973, host Wink Martindale sat down with two of the original Mills Brothers, Harry and Donald, to recount their tale.

An in-depth examination of the career of Wayne Newton featuring extensive interviews with Newton.

Lou Rawls got his start as a church choir boy. He performed a wide variety of musical styles, including gospel; soul; R&B; and jazz and blues for movies, TV shows, commercials, and numerous successful albums. In an interview with host Wink Martindale, Rawls discusses the many changes in the way music was created and performed throughout his career, his plentiful awards and accolades, and his early life growing up in Chicago.

From Joe DiMaggio to Humphrey Bogart and from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra was close to legends. He inspired and worked with the greats of popular music for well over 50 years. The first installment of our four-part Hall of Fame spotlight on Frank Sinatra's legendary career takes a look at the early years as he began to make a name for himself and presents a fascinating look at the development of Frank Sinatra as an artist.

Tony Bennett took his place at the forefront of pop music when he recorded "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in 1962. Despite being trained in art, Bennett made the decision to pursue a career in music that included a stint as a singing waiter. Bennett spoke with Wink Martindale in August of 1972 about his accomplished career that included numerous awards, honors, and hit singles. He discussed his numerous hit songs throughout the 1950s and beyond.