Lucky Strike's "Remember How Great...?": Various Artists

Released in 1960

as a promotional item

for Lucky Strike cigarettes,

this is a terrific compilation

of well-loved tunes

from some of the hottest

recording artists and performers

of their day.

Frank Sinatra: "Nice 'N' Easy"

Released in 1960,

this is a delicious collection of ballads

from The Voice.

(The TV show should have to pay royalties to the Sinatra family)

Honestly,

this album will carry you back to another time and place.

Almost enough to make you want to

light up a Chesterfield and pour yourself a glass of Jack Daniel's.





The Norman Luboff Choir: "Moments to Remember"

Released in 1960,

this collection of tunes piled on to

the growing library of Norman Luboff Choir

recordings, very popular among fans

of mood music/easy listening.

Read more about The Norman Luboff Choir HERE.

"...the excitement of today's music..."

Billy Vaughn: "Theme From The Sundowners"

Released in 1960,

this is one of dozens of Billy Vaughn's recordings.

Billy Vaughn was among the most popular of the "mood music" bandleaders.

His arrangements were lush and engaging.

Read more about Billy Vaughn HERE.

Percy Faith: "Jealousy"

Released in 1960,

this appears to be

Percy Faith's

thirty-first (31st)

studio LP.

Often credited with "inventing" the "easy listening" sound.

Read about Percy Faith HERE.

Al Caiola: "Percussion and Guitars"

Not specifically billed as an Al Caiola recording,

this LP nevertheless is all Al.

Great stuff!!

Released in 1960.

George Shearing: "The Shearing Touch"

Released in 1960.

Fabulous.

You don't have to take my word for it.

Go find these tracks and give 'em a listen.

Call it Lounge Music if you must,

but this would be a Lounge

in which everyone

was paying rapt attention

to the piano player.

Bing Crosby: "Singalong - 33 Great Songs"

Released in 1960,

this was a specialty LP,

meant to encourage, contribute to, and capitalize on the "singalong"

craze of the late '50s and early '60s.

This was the "karaoke" of that day.

Read more about Bing Crosby HERE.

There is a photo credit in the lower left corner of the back of this LP.

I cannot make it out, and I did not record it when I took the picture.

Frank DeVol: "The Old Sweet Songs"

Released in 1960,

this is a "mood music" compilation of orchestrated

tunes from the early 20th century.

Some details about Frank DeVol's varied career HERE.

Jackie Gleason: "Opiate d'Amour"

As long as I am confessing...

I grew up watching Jackie Gleason's comedic genius on the boob tube,

while I was listening to rock-n-roll on AM radio.

Not long ago, I stumbled on several of Jackie Gleason's musical recordings.

I was pleasantly surprised by his chops as a music director.

His many orchestral recordings are in the genre of "mood music" aka "easy listening,"

but he has a lusciously different take on how to coax an orchestra into producing beautiful music.

This is not schmaltz.

Trust me.

I know schmaltz.

This is imminently good to listen to.

This LP was released in 1960.

HERE is a review of Jackie Gleason's musical adventures.

Arthur Murray: "Music for Dancing"

Arthur Murray was a pop icon of the mid-20th century.

Born as Moses Teichman, he was brought to the United States by his mother in 1897.

During WWI, living in North Carolina, he changed his name to something less German.

Some great details of his story - the mail-order dancing courses, the chain of studios, and television - HERE.

This particular album was released in 1960.