Glenn Miller Concert, A Tag, and More Awards

I was invited to a Glenn Miller Concert this past Sunday evening, January 25, 2009, held at our new Chapman Cultural Center downtown. Stosh invited both my daughter and me to go with him. We had second row balcony seats, which were absolutely wonderful! I was worried if I would be able to walk that far with my bad knee and leg, but I made it! I love music and just couldn't miss this great opportunity. It was a truly delightful evening!

Upon entering the massive lobby, we were thrust back decades in time. In between the shows (after the 3 p.m. show and before the 7 p.m. show), the lobby of the David Reid Theatre was transformed into a classic USO Dance and Canteen. This was a free reception to all ticket holders with huge platters of sandwiches, bags of chips, candy bars and several different beverages. War time music was playing and people were dancing all the old dances. It was just so much fun to watch! The oldsters were having quite a fun time!

A second performance at 7 p.m. was added to this engagement. It was a special show for our military service men and women, both active and veterans. What I found so heartwarming was that some of the older veterans showed up in uniform. One little old guy even had his white Navy cap on. The band leader honored the veterans by asking them all to stand at one point during the show. I felt so proud of my ex when he stood, as he had served his country with a 3-year stint in our U.S. Army! As I looked around at them all standing, I felt a great sense of thankfulness and pride to these great people who fought to keep our country free!

The 19-member band continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements that keep exciting fans who have not heard them played for a while. Additionally, they are also playing more modern selections in the big-band style, carefully selecting only those newer tunes that lend themselves naturally to the Miller style and sound, carefully selected pieces that will stay around for a while. The entire repertoire, which now exceeds 1,700 compositions, keeps the band popular with both young and old. Most of the band’s shows are sell-outs. It has proven staying power, and its popularity has never seemed to wane. Indeed, the Glenn Miller Orchestra today is still the most sought after big-band in the world just as it was in Glenn’s day. If it ever comes to your area, please don't miss it. They had the audience clapping, and everyone really got into the mood and music!

Some of the songs they performed were Chattanooga Choo-Choo, A String of Pearls, Danny Boy, People Like You & Me, Too Little Time, Moonlight Serenade, Moonlight Cocktail, Sunrise Serenade, Little Brown Jug, Stardust, The American Patrol, Elmer's Tune, In the Mood, Bugle Call Rag, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Rhapsody in Blue, A Sentimental Journey, Everybody Loves My Baby, Too Little Time, St. Louis Blues March, At Last, Serenade in Blue, Tuxedo Junction, Anvil Chorus, Runnin' Wild, I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, Come Rain or Come Shine, Pavanne, Juke Box Saturday Night, Adios, For All We Know, Song of the Volga Boatmen, Perfidia, I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem, Begin the Beguine, I Know Why, Tangerine, Tail End Charlie, Caribbean Clipper, Sun Valley Jump, Here We Go Again, Skylark, The Nearness of You, Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, Body and Soul.

Glenn Miller was before my time, but I grew up listening to his music as my mom and dad loved his sounds. The following is mainly for all you younger bloggers, in case you never really knew who Glenn Miller was.

Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904–presumably December 15, 1944), was an American jazz musician, arranger, composer, and band leader in the swing era. His reign as the most popular bandleader in the U.S. came relatively late in his career and was relatively brief, lasting only about three and a half years, from the spring of 1939 to the fall of 1942 when he joined up to serve our country. But during that period he utterly dominated popular music, and over time he has proven the most enduring figure of the swing era, with re-issues of his recordings achieving gold record status 40 years after his death. He developed a distinctive sound in which a high-pitched clarinet carried the melody, doubled by a saxophone section playing an octave lower, and he used that sound to produce a series of hits that remain definitive examples of swing music. His approach is not much appreciated by jazz fans, who prefer bands that allow for greater improvisation than was found in his highly disciplined, rigorously rehearsed unit. But he brought the swing style of popular music to a level of sophistication and commercial acceptance it had not previously achieved and would not see again after his untimely passing.



The Chapman Cultural Center is a three building campus arranged around a central plaza, the Zimmerli Plaza. It is just a gorgeous piece of architecture! The Chapman Cultural Center, owned and operated by The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg, is the community's pre-eminent common ground where the people of Spartanburg County and its visitors come together to discover, experience, and celebrate the performing and visual arts, science and history.

And now on to some other fun things...

Gramma Ann tagged me a week or so ago for a game of sharing six things about myself, and I am just now getting to post it and pass it on. If you already haven't done so, go check out her blog. She has more than one blog for you to enjoy. She is an avid reader and knows all the best books. I thank you so much, Gramma Ann, for including me to play along in this game!

Here are the rules of the game:

1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Share six random things about yourself.
3) Tag six people and let them know they are tagged on their own blog, but please feel free to play any way you want.

Six things about me:

1) I cannot stand clutter!
2) I LOVE cats and all animals for that matter.
3) I work from home and love both my jobs. Most days I work in my PJ's!
4) I love to watch old classic movies and musicals.
5) I love decorating my home.
6) I am a NY native, raised in the beautiful mountains of PA known as God's Country, and a Yankee and proud of it!!!

Now with all those enlightening (?) things about myself, I will tag everyone who visits and comments on my blog! Please let me know if you participate so I can check out your answers, too!

This above award is called the Honest Scrap Award, and was given to me by Merle from
Australia. I thank you so very much, Merle! Be sure to drop by and visit Merle as she has a great blog and features jokes quite often. So if you ever need a good chuckle, be sure to drop in
and say "Hi" to Merle. I promise you'll leave with a BIG smile on your face!

1) List 10 honest things about yourself.

2) Post the award on your post and also on your blog sidebar.

3) Put a link to the person who you received the award from.
4) Nominate at least 7 blogs which show "honest scrapness."
5) Be sure to link to your nominees in your post. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blogs.

My 10 honest things about myself :

1) I am a procrastinator. I never was until I got a little older. I think they call it 'lazy' these days. LOL

2) I have 2 wonderful children whom I love with all my heart!

3) I have no grandchildren......yet!

4) I am a true night owl...I love to watch TV all night or clean house late at night!
5) I play piano and was church pianist for many years.

6) I studied opera years ago, but since I had throat surgery 4.5 years ago, I cannot even carry a tune anymore. The nerves over vocal cords were damaged during the surgery.
7) I despise going into the city for supplies, as I am strictly a homebody. I have to psych myself out to get out the door!

8) I love to blog but wish I had more time to do it every day.

9) I love to knit and sew, but again not enough time to do either.

10) I love to do ceramics! And I also have to add that I LOVE my cats...all 33 of them!!!

I am not going to name just 7 people to pass this award on to, but I want everyone who reads and comments on this post to please accept this "Honest Scrap" award from me! Please copy it and take it to your sidebar.

And now another one from Merle! This award is called Your Blog is Fabulous.

Thank you so much, Merle! You are such a dear to share your awards with me! I consider you one of my dearest blogger friends!

I would like to pass this award to everyone who reads and comments on this post, so please accept this "Fabulous Blog" award from me! Feel free to copy it and take it to your sidebar.

And still another one from Merle! Again, I thank you, my dear friend! This one is called Friends award. And we all know that we have made so many new friends through blogging!

I would also like to pass this award to everyone who reads and comments on this post, so please accept this "Friends" award from me! Feel free to copy it and take it to your sidebar.

I saw on the news earlier today that some of our blogger friends in the Midwest have been hit by a BIG ice storm and are without power for possibly a week! Let's all pray that these friends are able to cook and keep warm and remain safe from falling trees. I blog with several gals from Arkansas, which was hit quite hard by this latest storm. Thinking of you all at this time.....and hoping that your power is restored really soon! Be safe, my friends!!!