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••• Where Baby Boomers Can Enjoy Music, Memories and More! •••

Enjoy Our Special Holiday Music Mix

At this festive time of year, we’ve added some holiday trimmings to the BOOMTOWN RADIO music mix!

Now through the New Year, you’ll find our usual blend of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Greatest Hits as well as some special Sounds of the Season!

Enjoy!


 

 
 

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Category: Music

1975: Bruce Springsteen performs his first concert in the UK at London's Hammersmith Odeon. Springsteen is so upset at the hype arranged by his label (Columbia) that he rips down posters in the lobby that proclaim: "Finally, the world is ready for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.” Critics also resent the hype and pan the show.

Fast forward to 2006 when the concert is finally released as both a CD and a DVD. The release quickly wipes away the common misperception that the show had been a flop (the band performs 3 encores) and remains the only official release of a complete concert from the Boss’ early days.

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Category: Health And Wellness

You used to be able to wolf down hot wings and tequila after midnight. Now you even pass on a chili dog after 6 pm. Why?

Doctors say that over time the enzymes that aid digestion decease over time making it harder to break down food. In addition, taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen for joint pain. These substances made the stomach lining more sensitive.

To minimize the problem, experts recommend eating smaller portions and eating more slowly. (Also, try not to eat anything too late in the evening.)

Now, where did we put that habnero sauce?

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Category: Music

Love it or hate, you can’t escape it. Every year at Christmas time, you’re going to hear “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms. It is unquestionably the most popular of all the rock-inspired holiday flavorings.

Here are some fun facts about this timeless little ditty:

The song was NOT written by Helms. It was actually composed by two marketing guys - Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe. They were not young guys either. Beal was in his 50s and Boothe was 40.

Helms has recorded the song on multiple occasions. The original was released on Decca Records in 1957. But Bobby also re-recorded other versions for Kapp, Little Darlin’, Certron, Gusto, Ashley Records and Black Rose Records.

The song has hit the Billboard Hot 100 many times, the most recent was 2016 when it reached #26.

Despite its title, the song has actually been just as popular on country stations. In 1957, it actually received its first airplay on country stations before crossing over to the Top 40 stations. It has also hit the country charts with versions by George Strait, Aaron Tippin, Rascal Flatts, and Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert.

The most successful cover by a rock artist was Hall & Oates whose version hit #30 in 2005.

We guess once the Jingle Hop had begun, it just never ended!

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Category: Movie & TV

Before A Christmas Story, before the Grinch and Charlie Brown, most Baby Boomers’ holiday tradition was watching the movie White Christmas, the 1954 musical starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. We saw it so often, we probably knew almost every line by heart.

But here are a few things you probably didn’t know about the movie:

1. The Danny Kaye part was intended for Fred Astaire. The movie began as a quasi-remake of Holiday Inn, the black & white film that first teamed Bing Crosby and Astaire and the movie debut of the Irving Berlin song, “White Christmas.” But Astaire had announced his retirement (it wouldn’t stick) and turned the part down. It was then offered to Donald O’Connor, who accepted. Then he became ill and had to bow out. So, Kaye was the producers' third choice.

2. The musical number “Sisters” wasn’t in the original script. Crosby and Kaye were horsing around with the girls’ costume on the set. It cracked up director Michael Curtiz so much that he had the number worked up and included in the film.

3. Try and see Vera Ellen’s neck. Throughout the film, Vera is always wearing a turtleneck, scarf or other covering around her neck. No one knows why. Some theorize that there was some flaw in her neck that she was covering up. Others think it was Vera Ellen’s attempt to create a trademark look for herself.

4. While Rosemary Clooney plays Vera Ellen’s older sister, she was actually 7 years younger than her co-star. Also, Bing Crosby was a bit older than Dean Jagger, who plays “the old general” in the film. By the way, Bing was nearly twice Clooney’s age (51 to her 26!).

5. If you look closely, you’ll see future West Side Story star George Chakiris as a chorus boy in the production numbers.

6. The photo of “Benny the Dog-Faced Boy” who was brother to Rosemary & Vera is a photo of a grown-up Alfalfa Switzer of Little Rascals fame.

7. Bob Fosse worked on the film as an uncredited choreographer. It was early in the legendary dancer/choreographer/director’s career and Vera Ellen brought him on to choreograph her numbers, but without screen credit.

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Category: Financial

With all the emphasis on identity theft, the theft that’s 3 times more common is the theft of a wallet or purse. Here are 2 tips that can help minimize the damage should yours fall victim to a thief:

Remove the riskiest items – These are things that shouldn’t be in your wallet or purse to begin with including your Social Security Card, copies of your online passwords or your bank PIN number.

Make photocopies – Scan or photocopy the important things that remain in your wallet or purse. That includes your driver’s license, bank and credit cards, insurance cards, and even your library card. Make sure you copy both the front and back!

Besides Diana Ross, what other two girls made up the original Supremes?

Flo Ballard and Mary Wilson
O'RyanCordes Marketing