DJ Personality

Establishing a good rapport with your DJ is very important. Initial contact via e-mail can go only so far at conveying what your needs are and most importantly, in establishing a confidence level that you are looking at a viable candidate.

So, if you like what you see on a web site, make that call to hear if what you’ve seen matches up. If so, set up a meeting with the DJ in person. If all parties are local, this should be easy. If not, then a telephone or Skype conference should occur.

Either way, get to know your prospective DJ – it’s the one part of the process that if missed, could truly make or break your wedding reception.

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com • 781-337-8187

Wedding Reception DJ Planning

As I’m sure you’re finding out, planning a wedding reception is time consuming and expensive. And with the economy still having an impact on us all, the old adage that you get what you pay for is truer now more than ever. This is especially the case when you look to find a DJ for your big day.  

DJs continue to be your most economical entertainment choice but you should do your research carefully and approach this process with an open mind before an open wallet.

Think about this for a minute: The reception is the centerpiece of your wedding day! You’ve sought out the nicest setting and the best caterer, so why not hire the best DJ? After all, you’re inviting everyone you know to celebrate this milestone in your life and ultimately, it’s your DJ who makes this happen for you! Throughout the years to come, you and your guests will probably best remember your reception based upon how much fun all had dancing the day away. 

Soundtrack For Today:  djChrisPickett.com

All-American Girl(s)

Patty Andrews, the sole surviving member of the WWII era group, The Andrews Sisters turns 91 today. 

The Andrews Sisters originated from Minnesota and were a unique harmonizing group due to their ability to vocalize their singing at volume levels that could compete with big band brass sections and not be drowned out by them. 

This was an extremely challenging thing to do and because they did it so well (not to mention they sounded great regardless) they became just as popular an act as the instrument-driven big bands. So much so that they were viewed as competition by some big band leaders of the era but became so popular that they eventually performed with virtually all of them.

Along with older sisters Laverne and Maxine, Patty Andrews, who was only 7 years old when they started, became lead singer.  Before their career as a group ended in the late 1960s,  the Andrews Sisters secured numerous records yet unbroken in the annals of pop music.

Inclusive are:

• Sales at or potentially exceeding 100 million records (out of only 600 songs)
• 113 charted singles of which 46 reached the top 10
• 47 songs recorded with Bing Crosby (making them #2 behind Bing by 1949)
• First female group to sell 1 million records (1937) earning them a gold record
• Appearances in 17 Hollywood films
• Sales exceeding chart stats of Elvis Presley and The Beatles 

In 1937, their first million-selling record Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (To Me, You Are Beautiful) had even gained popularity with the Nazis who managed to smuggle their records into Germany during World War II.

As if that wasn’t enough, these “Sweethearts of the Armed Forces Radio Service” helped many a GI get through the turbulence of World War II by constantly performing on-air and live at bases, in war zones and at ‘stage door canteens’ around the world. Through their singing in radio commercials, they also encouraged America to buy bonds to help fund the war effort.

Their biggest hits include:

• Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
• I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time
• Shoo-Shoo Baby
• Don’t Fence Me In (w/ Bing Crosby)
• South America, Take It Away (w/ Bing Crosby)
• Here Comes The Navy (Beer Barrel Polka) (w/ Bing Crosby)
• Pistol Packin’ Mama (w/ Bing Crosby)
• I Can Dream, Can’t I?
• Take Me Out To The Ballgame
• Rum And Coca-Cola

The Andrews Sisters left a lasting impact on generations of imitators and singers to come, including The McGuire Sisters, The Pointer Sisters, Bette Midler (who made Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy her own in 1972) and most recently, inspiring Christina Aguilera’s 2007 hit Candyman, which she performed in WWII fashion live in New York’s Times Square on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year’s Eve.   


Soundtrack For Today: Rum & Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters 

(either/or both song & drink and #1 on this date in 1945 – cheers, Patty!)

R.I.P. Doug Fieger

Just over 30 years ago, the song My Sharona pounded the summer airwaves and charts to become a #1 song for 6 weeks and subsequently, the #1 song of the year 1979. A poll of the class of ’79 for a high school reunion I did also named it their #1 song. The tune, written about an intense relationship with an ex-girlfriend, briefly re-charted in 1994 after appearing in the movie Reality Bites.

Yesterday, Doug Fieger, the composer of My Sharona and lead vocalist of the L.A. – based band The Knack, became the second founding member of that group to pass away, after drummer Bruce Gary in 2006. Both succumbed to cancer and Fieger, whose brother is attorney Geoffrey Fieger (defender of Dr. Jack Kevorkian) was only 57.

Soundtrack For Today: Get The Knack (Again)

Love Songs

Being it is Valentine’s Day, here are some love songs that were #1 on this date throughout the years:

• 2005: Let Me Love You – Mario  
• 2000: Thank God I Found You – Mariah Carey w/ Joe & 98 Degrees 
• 1996: One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men 
• 1994: The Power Of Love – Celine Dion 
• 1993: I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston 
• 1983: Baby, Come To Me – Patti Austin & James Ingram
• 1980: Do That To Me One More Time – The Captain & Tennille 
• 1972: Without You – Nilsson 
• 1964: I Want To Hold Your Hand – Beatles 
• 1963: Hey Paula – Paul & Paula 
• 1955: Sincerely – McGuire Sisters 
• 1953: Til I Waltz Again With You – Teresa Brewer 
• 1947: (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons – The (Nat) King Cole Trio 
• 1946: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Vaughn Monroe 
• 1943: I Had The Craziest Dream – Harry James 
• 1940: In The Mood – Glenn Miller 

Stretching the concept a bit are:  

• 2009: My Life Would Suck Without You – Kelly Clarkson  
• 1992: I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred 
• 1979: Do Ya Think I’m Sexy – Rod Stewart 

And for the opposing view, here are 2 from the cynical 70s:  

• 1976: 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon  
• 1975: You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt

Soundtrack For Today: Happy Valentine’s Day!

As Your Wedding DJ

As a professional DJ since 1979, I have invested well over 30 years of my time, money & skill doing something that I have truly enjoyed ever since I relentlessly bothered famed radio DJ Joe Martelle for a chance to talk on the radio when he did a remote broadcast from a resort I vacationed at. That eventually led to my entry into the broadcast world and of course, the business I have today.

My role as your DJ on your wedding day goes beyond just showing up at the appointed hour. I make sure that we get to know each other long beforehand and during the interim, I provide the necessary tools and access that helps you to advance-plan all the scheduled formalities and music to your satisfaction. Venues and companies that provide you with a DJ not of your choosing and who meet you only on or just before your wedding day won’t provide this type of personal service that all couples should have on this, the most important day of your lives.

The way I look at it is that when I am your DJ/MC, I am not only your entertainment; I am also speaking on your behalf to your guests. With an eye on detail and a focus on fun – all you need to do is have the time of your life!  

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Your Wedding Ceremony

Lately, a popular service I offer is providing music and microphones for the wedding ceremony as many couples are choosing to get married at the reception venue or at a nearby locale.

Quite often, this takes place outside. But I’ve even set up shop behind the altar at a church, providing microphone amplification for officiates, soloists & combos, customized music selections for prelude music, the seating of the mothers, bride’s processional, ceremonial themes such as the candle-lighting and of course, the grand recessional!

This service is very affordable and best of all you get to pick the music you want! It’s really special to be able to do this in a very unobtrusive manner and where extreme attention is paid to detail and appropriately regulated volume levels.

It gives me an opportunity to go that extra mile at being the Soundtrack To Your Wedding Day!  

Soundtrack For Today: djChrisPickett.com

Remind me to tell you about the time one couple chose the Star Wars throne room anthem as their recessional…

Mary Had A Little Lamb

Happy birthday to Thomas Alva Edison (1887-1931)

Nicknamed "The Wizard Of Menlo Park" which was where he lived in the now re-named Edison, New Jersey, Edison is one of the most celebrated and influential inventors of all time. With a total of 1093 patents awarded, here are some of the most important devices he is credited as inventing: 

• Electricity Distribution 
• X-Ray Machine 
• Motion Picture Camera 
• Kinetoscope (Viewer) 
• Quadruplex Telegraph 
• Two-Way Telegraph 
• Incandescent Light Bulb 
• Carbon Microphone 
• Phonograph

The phonograph, along with the microphone, are the very foundation of my profession and are just two of his many inventions that made life as we know it today, possible.

Soundtrack For Today: “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” – Thomas Alva Edison, Harper’s Monthly (Published Sept. 1932)

Words to live by and the blog entry title refers to the first words recorded by Edison on his first invention - the phonograph.

Nat & Natalie

Happy 60th to singer Natalie Cole.
 

Natalie has a long string of hits in her own right but one of her most unforgettable hits is the 1991 “duet” Unforgettable, which, with a bit of studio wizardry, she recorded both with and as a tribute to her late father, Nat “King” Cole.

Nat King Cole’s original version charted at #12 in 1952. It became one of many signature songs over a career that began when he was 17 and was still climbing when his unexpected and untimely death from lung cancer in 1965 at the age of 45, left a stunned nation with only echoes of those lazy, hazy, crazy days they were in the midst of at the time.

Natalie’s decision to record an album of her father’s standards was a departure from her R&B flight path. But it turned out to be a phenomenal success, showcasing that she not only had the chops to cover her father’s work, but that she made them her own as well.

The album itself, entitled Unforgettable: With Love went to the top of the charts, giving Natalie her first and only #1 album to date (for 5 weeks) and it also won her 2 Grammy Awards for traditional pop vocal and album of the year. 

As for the duet with her father, his vocal track originated from his 1961 version and the finished single climbed almost as high as the 1952 version, reaching #14 during the summer of 1991.

The seamless hand-off and mixing of verses rekindled the fond memories that 1960s America had for Nat King Cole and cemented a bridge between generations that still stands today every time Unforgettable fills a dance floor.  

Soundtrack For Today: Unforgettable: With Love by Natalie Cole 

Would You Believe 109 Years Ago?

How far back in time do songs we know go? I’m going to bet you know this one. You probably even have your own schoolyard lyrics to it.

Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom Der E was composed in 1891 by Missouri-born Henry Sayers and popularized by recording artist Len Spencer, who held the #1 spot on the charts with his recording on this date in 1892.

Now, just try and get this song out of your head over the next few days. 


Soundtrack For Today: Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom Der E   (however you remember it I say!)

Yesterday Once More

• Ticket To Ride
• (They Long To Be) Close To You
• We’ve Only Just Begun
• Superstar
• Rainy Days And Mondays
• For All We Know
• Bless The Beasts And The Children
• Goodbye To Love
• Hurting Each Other
• Sing
• Top Of The World
• I Won’t Last A Day Without You
• Only Yesterday
• Please, Mr. Postman
• I Need To Be In Love
• There’s A Kind Of Hush
• Calling Occupants
• Sweet, Sweet Smile
• Touch Me When We’re Dancing
• Make Believe It’s Your First Time
• Merry Christmas Darling
• Karen’s Theme

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are better known eating disorders today largely due to the unfortunate and untimely passing of Karen Carpenter, who succumbed to the former on this date in 1983 at the age of 32.  The subsequent formation of the Karen A. Carpenter Memorial Foundation (now called the Carpenter Family Foundation) has since raised money and awareness for treatment of this once misunderstood affliction.  

Karen, sister to Richard, who together formed the ‘70s group The Carpenters, had an unmistakable voice and a largely unknown passion and talent for drumming.  In a 13-year period, they left a legacy of 30 chart hits that include most of the above listed.  Karen’s Theme is a beautiful piano tribute from Richard’s 1997 self-titled album that includes many other instrumental versions of Carpenters hits. 

We’ve Only Just Begun continues to be a timeless wedding theme for either the ceremony or first dance.

Soundtrack For Today: Carpenters on shuffle

We Are The World 2

The best of the music biz and movie stars gathered 2 nights ago out in Hollywood to re-record the 1985 charity anthem "We Are The World" for a 25th anniversary celebration that is timely in both its meaning and purpose.

The accompanying video filmed that night stars many veterans and a new generation of participants including Natalie Cole, Jordin Sparks, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Lil' Wayne, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Hudson, Vince Vaughn, Rob Thomas and Janet Jackson (singing her brother Michael's original part.)  Behind the scenes are Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and the video will premiere in 3D during the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics,  Friday Feb. 12 on NBC.

 

According to Billboard.com: "Proceeds from the contemporary recording and the accompanying video will go directly to Haitian relief efforts through the We Are The World Foundation, a newly created not-for-profit organization comprised of board members Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean, Paul Haggis, AEG Live president/CEO Randy Phillips and Ambassador Louis Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank."

Soundtrack For Today:  www.redcross.org

Groundhog Day!

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today!  Keep your snow blower ready just in case.

In the 1993 Groundhog Day movie, it's estimated that Bill Murray's character Phil Connors stayed stuck in the same-day time loop for 8-10 years.

Soundtrack For Today:  I Got You, Babe by Sonny & Cher (just once!)

Grammy Awards

Tonight was the 52nd Grammy Awards broadcast on the 52nd Street network, CBS.

Good show, great performers. I especially enjoyed Dave Matthews' performance of You And Me. The appearance by Michael Jackson's children was genuine and must have been hard for them to accept a lifetime achievement award on his behalf, knowing he won't be around to see the rest of theirs. 

Beyonce won song of the year for Single Ladies but I thought it should have been Black-Eyed Peas I Gotta Feeling. 

Lady GaGa was all the 3D I could tolerate tonight (and that is with or without the glasses.)

• Be My Baby
• Da Doo Ron Ron
• Leader Of The Pack
• River Deep, Mountain High
• Do Wah Diddy Diddy
• Tell Laura I Love Her
• Baby, I Love You
• Then He Kissed Me
• Hanky Panky
• I Can Hear Music
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
• Neil Diamond

How many of the above do you recognize? Even ‘if you can’t recall the singer, you can still recall the tune.” And if you do recognize any or most, you probably had no idea that one person was entirely or largely responsible for creating these masterpieces of the American Popular Song.

Ellie Greenwich, a Tin-Pan Alley alum who died of a heart attack in August 2009 at the age of 69, was noted as passing during the tributes tonight. Greenwich either wrote or co-wrote them all and, in 1966 along with husband at the time Jeff Barry, discovered and launched the career of one Neil Diamond.

• Jimi Hendrix
• Eric Clapton
• Jimmy Page
• Slash
• Ace Frehley
• Billy Gibbons
• Jeff Beck

How many of the above do you recognize? None of the above would have careers and Rock & Roll as we know it would not exist if it weren’t for another American icon who also passed away in 2009 – Les Paul, the inventor of the electric guitar back in 1950. Several of the artists above also have the honor of special edition Les Paul guitars named after them. Les was also responsible for many technological advances in recording, including overdubbing and multi-track recording.

And finally, Taylor Swift won album of the year – a well-deserved award for a fearless artist who just had the best day ever.

Soundtrack For Today: Bridge Over Troubled Water – Andrea Bocelli & Mary J. Blige

The song was performed at tonight’s Grammy Awards. Download now available at iTunes where it is noted: “Apple, the label, and the artists are donating their proceeds to American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund.”