Friday, May 31, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
NEW FILES POSTED TO THE YAHOO GROUP for the week of may 26, 2013
Homepage by Allen Morris
Here is a rundown of the new audio files posted to
The Judy Garland Experience
for the week of May 26, 2013.
To access the files click HERE.
A JUDY MOMENT
Judy remembers and memorializes.
A MOMENT IN TIME
V-J Day, 1945
DUET OF THE WEEK
Bing Crosby and Liza Minnelli remember people and times passed.
ENCORE
Sassy wishes everyone a Happy Memorial Day!
JUDY BACKSTAGE 1955
Judy is interviewed backstage following her Seattle concert, and then is ambushed by the same reporter at the restaurant she went to after the show.
JUDY BACKSTAGE 1962
Judy Garland is interviewed by Bob and Betty after her late show at the Sahara.
JUDY GARLAND IN CONCERT
Here is another ultra rare and compelling performance from Judy's 1968-1969 month long run at London's Talk Of The Town. You may recognize The Man That Got Away and Judy's Movie Medley, as well as a few snippets of her comments, from the JUDY. LONDON. 1969. album, but the rest the performance should be new to most of you. Sorry it isn't complete, but the moments that survived are still worth a listen.
LIVE FROM NEW YORK!
It's an All Star jam at the Royal Roost.
Featuring Lester Young, Ella Fitzgerald, and others.
MAIL CALL #19
From January 9, 1943. Groucho Marx, Betty Grable, Judy Garland, Jose Iturbi, Bill Goodwin (announcer), Phil Silvers, Rags Ragland. Judy sings, "I Never Knew," then teaches Jose to swing. Betty appears as Groucho's mother!
SUNDAY MORNING SPECIAL
Bette Midler live in Raleigh, 1972. Featuring orchestra leader Barry Manilow on keyboards and back up vocals. Recorded at the Frog And Nightgown club on February 22, 1972.
WHERE JUDY PLAYED
Unreleased recording of the second incarnation of the Rat Pack as recorded at the Sands Hotel, January, 1960. No serious singing, but loads of politically incorrect racist, sexist, and homophobic humor. One truly funny moment...Eva Marie Saint.
Homepage by Robin D'Amato
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
SHAME ON THE ONE SHOW!
Yet another recording of Judy Garland performing at London's Talk Of The Town in 1969 has surfaced and will make it's public debut via The Judy Garland Experience Yahoo group this weekend. Fie on the BBC!!! Despite what they recently said on their One Show, Judy Garland was coherent, together, and performing well during this engagement, and this recording (and the 8 or 9 other nights of the run that were recorded) proves it!
Monday, May 20, 2013
NEW AUDIO FILES POSTED TO THE YAHOO GROUP for the week of may 19, 2013
Homepage by Allen Morris
Here is a rundown of the audio files posted to the Yahoo version of
for the week of May 19, 2013.
To access the files click HERE.
A JUDY MOMENT
Judy causes a sensation on her return visit to the Shell Chateau, November 16, 1935
A MOMENT IN TIME
Watergate, 1974.
DJ JUDY 1951
Judy spins her own records on this delightful promo program for her upcoming show at New York's Palace Theatre. Originally broadcast, October, 1951. This is a newly found version and is an aural upgrade to previous versions.
DUET OF THE WEEK
Sally Mayes and George Dvorsky are patriotic, andf then some!
ENCORE
Glorious recording of Judy singing, and putting her own stamp on, one of Sinatra's all time classics.
JUDY AND BING 1951
Judy Garland and Jack Pepper are the guests on this episode of the Bing Crosby show that was originally broadcast on March 14, 1951. This is the original and unedited version of the program.
JUDY AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE 1965
Judy Garland is in great form on this program that originally aired in November, 1965.
JUDY GARLAND IN CONCERT
Closing night of Judy's first, historic and record breaking, run at the Palace. February 24, 1952.
LIVE FROM NEW YORK!
It's Dakota Staton. Live broadcast performance, 1986.
SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL
Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee ooze chemistry and charisma on this episode of Frank's Old Gold show. Originally broadcast January 2, 1946.
WHERE JUDY PLAYED
Sammy Davis stops by one of Judy's old Vegas haunts, and performs a short, but swinging, set.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
NEW JOHN FRICKE BOOK DUE OUT THIS FALL (along with the WOZ in 3D)
Well, John Fricke certainly has a busy Fall ahead of him, as reported in our Facebook group by Kellen Lindblad.
"It’s the Ozzy compendium of the new millennium! In his new book, The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic, best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning producer John Fricke celebrates the 75th anniversary of MGM's The Wizard of Oz, along with all other aspects of L. Frank Baum's classic series of "American Fairy Tales." The deluxe pictorial chronologically travels through more than eleven decades of Oz books, productions, and memorabilia and will be published on October 1, 2013, by Down East Books.
Fricke is widely regarded as the preeminent Oz and Judy Garland historian, and his latest book makes its debut in conjunction with several major events in the greater Oz community. Foremost among these is the similarly-titled exhibition, The Wonderful World of Oz, opening on Saturday, October 12, 2013, and running through spring 2014 at The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, ME. The art for the book and the items for the Farnsworth show have been drawn from the holdings of Willard Carroll and Tom Wilhite, which comprise the most comprehensive Oz collection in the world.
The Farnsworth (www.farnsworthmuseum.org) is the only nationally-recognized art museum mounting a six-month Oz anniversary retrospective. Via Carroll and Wilhite, both the exhibition and Fricke's The Wonderful World of Oz will illustratively detail the entire 114 year arc of Oz-to-date: from the publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900 to the 2013 film, Oz The Great and Powerful, which has grossed a half-billion dollars world-wide since its premiere in March. Highlights include such MGM collectibles as one of "Dorothy's" test dresses and original blouse; the costume of a Munchkin member of the "Lollipop Guild"; and one of the hourglasses of the Wicked Witch of the West.
Concurrent with the book and exhibition, Warner Home Video will debut (on October 1) its latest deluxe DVD release of the legendary Garland motion picture, The Wizard of Oz. For the film's 75th anniversary, the studio has remastered the 1939 musical in 3D and will market it in a variety of lavish packagings with a host of additional features. Paramount among the latter is producer/director/writer Gary Leva's new "making of" Oz documentary, in which Fricke is featured. For Warner Bros.' use, Fricke has also prepared a one-hundred point "time line," tracing the history of the MGM Oz film from preproduction in autumn 1937 to the Academy Award ceremonies in February 1940.
Among other 2013 Oz-related appearances, Fricke will serve as host and lecturer at the annual OZ-Stravaganza! festival in Chittenango, NY (hometown of Oz author Baum) from Friday, May 31st through Sunday, June 2nd. He will fulfill similar duties as "master of ceremonies of special events" at the Oz Festival in Wamego, KS, from Friday, September 27th through Sunday, September 29th. (Additional appearance information, plus specifics of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book, are forthcoming."
Sunday, May 12, 2013
LIFE LESSONS WITH LORNA LUFT
Jared Kenwood and Lorna Luft
Lorna Luft’s Songs My Mother Taught Me
by Jared Kenwood
On March 19th, actress and singer Lorna Luft performed her solo concert for a sold out crowd at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. The show, Songs My Mother Taught Me is an autobiographical tribute, paying homage to Luft’s mother, the legendary Judy Garland. Garland whose career consisted of films, radio appearances, television shows, and numerous concerts, is most notably known for her role as Dorothy in the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of OZ. Nearly forty-five years following her death, Judy Garland is still known as one of the world’s most beloved entertainers.
“People often ask me, “What is it like to be Judy Garland’s daughter?” Lorna Luft writes in her memoir, Me and My Shadows, “How do you answer a question like that? It’s hard being legends child. She’s everywhere I turn, like a shadow. It’s been wonderful, and terrible, and everything in between.”
For years Lorna tried desperately to escape her past. But being Judy Garland’s daughter and the little sister of Liza Minnelli, it was very difficult.
“I tried to run away from it all,” Lorna admits to her audience, “I dyed my hair purple, I sang rock and roll, and I spent way too many nights at studio 54. I did not want to be in anyone’s shadow. However, the further I ran the shadow was always there. Until one day I sat down and decided it’s time to make friends with the ghost.”
The show is a celebration of song, dance, and personal anecdotes. Nearly twelve years ago, with the help of Barry Manilow and writers; Ken and Mitzie Welch, Songs My Mother Taught Me was created. Following the performance, Lorna brought me backstage for an interview and shared with me a little bit about the Preproduction of the act and how the songs she chose from her mother’s repertoire.
“We went through my mother’s entire library,” Lorna recalled, “And we picked and chose and talked. It took six months that we really, really went through the library and with Ken and Mitzie directing it and writing every single word. It was put together like a theater piece.”
Lorna gives it her all to keep her mother’s legacy alive, belting out the Garland standards. Using a fascinating technique of projecting onto a screen, film and pictures are presented to the audience. There are even some moments in the show where Luft duets with Garland. It was very moving to watch Lorna sing along side of her mother. The final song of the show brought audiences and me to tears when Lorna and Judy performed a duet. Lorna sang a song called Shining Star, and her mother sung her signature tune Over the Rainbow. The song that is most identified with Judy Garland.
“I want people to remember her musicianship,” Lorna tells me. “I want people to remember her as a performer and an actor and I want them to remember her work. I think that’s what gives people joy and that is what she wanted people to look at her for.”
Dedicated to theater arts and encouraging young performers she shares some of her advice for Broward College students, who plan on pursuing an acting and singing career.
“If you want to go into this business, you have to learn to do it all. Don’t learn how to be vocal aerobics and stand on a stage and not do anything else but that. There is something in between the songs called dialogue and you have to be an actor and learn how to be choreographed.”
Songs My Mother Taught Me will go on for several more performances this August. Unfortunately there are currently no plans for any future Florida engagements. Lorna joke with me, “Florida is a little hot down here.”
A week following her concert, Lorna began treatment and surgery for breast cancer. On her Facebook page, her wall was flooded with words of support from her fans.
Songs My Mother Taught Me is available on CD from First Night Records and Lorna’s Memoir, “Me and My Shadows” is available for purchase from Amazon.com. Special thanks to Lorna’s husband Colin Freeman for arranging this interview.
Editor's note: This was Ms. Luft's final interview before she withdrew from public life to deal with her medical issues. We are grateful to TJGE Yahoo group member Jared Kenwood for bringing this exclusive interview to us.
And on behalf of all the members, in all the outlets of TJGE,
we wish Lorna Luft a speedy recovery and a happy and healthy future.
NEW AUDIO FILES POSTED TO THE YAHOO GROUP for the week of may 12, 2013
Homepage by Robin D'Amato
Here is a rundown of the new files posted over at the Yahoo version of The Judy Garland Experience.
To access the files click HERE
A JUDY MOMENT
Judy sparkles in Las Vegas
DUET OF THE WEEK
For Mother's Day, a touching mother-daughter duet from Judy Garland and Lorna Luft.
ENCORE
In a rare live performance recording, Ruth Brown tells Mama all about it.
I REMEMBER MAMA
Joe Luft and Liza Minnelli share their memories of Judy Garland on Mike Wallace's At Large program, 1976.
JUDY BEING A MOM
Without batting an eye or missing a beat, Judy Garland shifts focus with ease when a young Lorna lift interrupts a radio broadcast. Nightline, April 30, 1957.
JUDY GARLAND IN CONCERT
World premiere of a newly found version of Judy's Back Bay concert, recorded in Boston on May 24, 1968. This is a much clearer recording than the commonly known version. Judy's voice seems to be more in the forefront as well. Sadly the batteries ran out and the last few songs were not recorded. But what a treat to hear what we can!
LADY ESTHER BLODGETT THEATER
Presents BETTE DAVIS, and members of the original cast, in the radio adaptation of
THE LITTLE FOXES.
MARCH 7, 1951
Here is the rarely heard original broadcast of Bing Crosby's radio show from this date, with extra special guest star, Judy Garland.
MAY 5, 1938
The Good News program starring Judy Garland, Clark Gable Fanny Brice, and many more. Judy's performance of How Deep Is The Ocean is dedicated to mothers everywhere.
SUNDAY MORNING SPECIAL
Aretha Franklin meets Johnny Mercer on early 60's television.
WHERE JUDY PLAYED
Abbey Lincoln at Lincoln Center, 2005.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
NEW FILES POSTED TO THE YAHOO GROUP for the week of May 5, 2013
Homepage by Allen Morris
Here is the rundown of the new audio files posted to the yahoo version of
The Judy Garland E#xperience.
To access the files click HERE.
Eh, even Ryan Lochte would be able to figure out that we are saluting the music of Anita O'Day this week. The rarities are coming fast and furious. And you know what, we haven't even cracked the top layer of O'Day gems that can be found in TJGE vault. Expect more pop up specials throughout the summer.
A JUDY MOMENT
This is a transfer from an acetate that had a very early test version of Mack The Black. Judy gives it her all in this spectacular performance.
A MOMENT IN TIME
Anita O'Day sits in quite comfortably with a bevy of musical giants, 1959.
DINNER AND A SHOW (AKA a cheap date)
DRIVE IN starring Judy Garland, as Mildred, a Hollywood carhop who claims she "isn't used to this sort of thing" when she hops into a strange man's car and is taken to Laurel Canyon! Refreshments provided by Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee, and others on behalf of our corporate sponsors.
DUET OF THE WEEK
Anita and Herb decide to simplify things.
ENCORE
One for the ages.
IN HER OWN WRITE
A trio of songs written and sung by Anita O'Day.
JUDY AND ANITA 1945-1969
First up, it's 1945 and before Anita O'Day sings she is presented with a War Bond by none other than Judy Garland. Jump ahead almost 25 years and you will find the two women jammin' and recording just a little over a week before Judy's passing in June 1969.
JUDY GARLAND IN CONCERT
Here's a new version of Judy's July 9, 1955 Long Beach concert. This copy sounds like it might be a bit scratchier than the one we normally post, but it also sounds like it might have more clarity as well! Also heard are Dean martin, Sammy Davis, and more stars than there are in the heavens.
JUDY SAVES THE DAY
When Bing Crosby had a family emergency on October 30, 1952 he called on his very pregnant pal, Judy Garland, to step ink and fill his radio spot for the evening. Judy agreed to and here is the sparkling result.
LIVE FROM NEW YORK
It's Anita O'Day at Carnegie Hall. Here's a recording that didn't make the cut for Anita's 1985 Carnegie Hall album.
SUNDAY MORNING SPECIAL
Let's just be honest, Martha Raye is three sheets to the wind on this recording. She hadn't expected to perform on this night in 1978 when she went out on the town and partied hearty with celebrity friends, but because she was a trouper, she obliged when Anita O'Day called her up to the stage at Studio One Backlot in Hollywood. Martha forgets some lyrics (and melodies) but what she does remember is how to be funny. Plus, you get to hear Martha and Anita O'Day sing together!
WHERE JUDY PLAYED
Anita O'Day at the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival.