1920s-1950s
Tin Pan Alley pop
Tin Pan Alley refers to the pop music of the early 20th century. Often
piano players and vocalists, these artists wrote many of the greatest songs
of the century. George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter certainly
belong to this group. Charlie's 1993 Warm and Tender album, as well
as his 1996 Long Ago and Far Away album, gave jazz treatments to
many of the classics of this era.
Born in Indiana, pianist and vocalist Hoagy Carmichael acquired fame in the 1920s, composing and writing soft jazz classics that were the cream of Tin Pan Alley Pop. His classics like Georgia On My Mind and Stardust have been covered by countless artists in countless genres of music. He retired in the 1950s.
A lot of rockers have nursed an affection for Hoagy Carmichael's songs and craft, George Harrison among them. Keith is another. He's made private recordings of his ballad The Nearness of You and sang it at his and Patti's wedding in 1983.
I've got all KINDS of stuff (that I've recorded on my own), I enjoy playing everything. Some of it is stuff that you couldn't possibly do with the Stones, even on tour. I mean, Bobby Keys and I recorded an old Hoagy Carmichael tune once. Then about a year later I was in Barbados and there was a phone call. It was Hoagy Carmichael, 86 (sic) years old, 6 months before he died. He'd somehow heard the tape and called me up to tell me how much he liked it. Things like that are the highlights of my life...
Charlie covered Carmichael's I Get Along
Without You Very Well on his 1996 album.
Wisconsin-born Les Paul was a terrific and innovative jazz guitarist who also brought in pop and country influences as well into his playing in the 1930s and '40s. He was someone who experimented with guitar playing effects and recording techniques. In the late '40s and '50s, he teamed up with his wife Mary Ford and enjoyed a number of pop hits as a duo. Bill has often mentioned that Les Paul was one of the artists who peaked his interest in music.
From the guitar point of view I also like Les Paul, which'll shake some people, I suppose.