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VMAS Bulletin Board

BOSTON POST-GAZETTE

SERIES ON VAUGHN MONROE - BY EDWARD P. SHALLOW

May 9 2008

Part 1 March 28, 2008

Part 2 April 11, 2008

Part 3 April 25, 2008

MONTPELLIER RE-RELEASE

THE PLUS ONE MOON MAIDS - THEIR 'CINDERELLA' STORY

Mar 2 2008

Click image to order

Thanks to a tip from Chris Popa (Big Band Library), we were informed that Montpellier, a recording label in the UK, is re-releasing the Moon Maids Plus One CD. The link to the left is of the Worlds' Records listing of it. See also the Sep 16, 2005 posting below on this page to link to the Grogan's website

BACK FROM BOSTON

VAUGHN MONROE SOCIETY GATHERING

May 25 2007

The second gathering of the Vaughn Monroe Appreciation Society held in Boston, MA over the weekend (May 17-20, 2007) is now history. Six members and two spouses attended the event, with two guests joining in the activities the first evening. Despite the unusually cool and rainy weather, the event could be described as extraordinary--great hotel, wonderful people, superb food, exceptional collections, rare material and unparalleled site-seeing opportunities made for an unforgettable weekend. A full write-up is posted in the sustaining member section of the website.

GREENSBERG TRIBUNE-REVIEW NEWS ARTICLE

FEBRUARY 9, 2007

Feb 17 2007

Freelance reporter Marjorie Wertz penned a special interest piece on Vaughn Monroe entitled "Golden Touch" for the Tribune-Review, a Southwestern Pennsylvania newspaper. The article appeared in the Neighborhoods section of the newspaper for Friday February 9, 2007. The story reminds Jeannette, PA residents that a national talent once hailed from their small, Midwestern town. Marjorie interviewed a few of Vaughn's relatives and VMAS co-founder, Claire Schwartz.

Read article

Read comments received

VMAS GATHERING TO BE HELD IN BOSTON

MAY 17-20, 2007

Jan 18 2007

The second gathering planned for members of the Vaughn Monroe Appreciation Society and all fans of good music is scheduled to be held at the John Hancock Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts the weekend of May 17-20, 2007. "Still Racing with the Moon" II is planned to feature the sites and sounds (thanks to the New England Conservatory) associated with Mr. Monroe in and around the Boston area, which was his home base for many years. A registration package and more information can be found on the homepage (now removed).

NEW RELEASE FROM JASMINE

VAUGHN MONROE: THE MAIN EVENT

Sep 24 2006

click image to order

JASCD 444

Available: October 13, 2006

Vaughn Monroe is well remembered for his many achievements as a great singer, orchestra leader and Hollywood actor of western films. With one of the most distinctive voices of the 40’s, this great collection includes his major hits “Ballerina,” “Sound Off!” “That Lucky Old Sun” and the biggest selling record of his career “Riders In The Sky.” Many of these tracks have never been on CD before, along with some rare recordings from the 1950’s that any fan of Vaughn Monroe simply must have.

MEMBER REPORT

BUCKY PIZZARELLI & MOONMAIDS CONCERT

Apr 11 2006

Several of our members attended the April 5 and 6 performances of the Palm Beach Pops featuring Bucky Pizzarelli and his circle of friends, including Vaughn Monroe's original Moonmaids.

Read Claire's report on the April 5 concert.

Read Fran's report on the April 6 concert.

View Photos from the April 5 reception.

THE MOONMAIDS

STILL IN SYNC

Mar 21 2006

Read this newspaper article by John Austin, staff writer for the Arlington, Texas Star-Telegram: Still In Sync. See also the bulletin board post of March 4, 2006 for additional information on the Moonmaids' Palm Beach engagements.

VAUGHN MONROE: THE MAIN EVENT

NEW CD (in the works) BY JASMINE

Mar 13 2006

Robert Nickora updates us on the status of the CD he is working on for Jasmine Records of London, England: The CD set will have 58 tracks of singles from the 1950s, most of which will be debuting on CD and have never appeared on LP. Only five tracks are from Monroe's major hit records. This should provide for a really outstanding compilation of many of Mr. Monroe's lesser known recordings. Robert gives special thanks to James Stewart (AZ) and Graeme Freeland (Australia) for helping him with the most difficult-to-find tracks. Thanks also to Polly Attridge (MA) for sharing with us her autographed photo of Vaughn in his red RCA-Victor Jacket, which Mr. Nickora chose for the CD cover/collage. The CD set should be out later this year.

Also of interest is another project Mr. Nickora is working on with Jasmine called "Saluting the Stars." This CD will come out a little later this year and feature some selections from Vaughn Monroe, specifically "The Last Round Up" and the early recording of "The Moon was Yellow."

BUCKY PIZZARELLI AND THE PALM BEACH POPS

A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

Mar 4 2006

Bucky Pizzarelli will be celebrating his 80th birthday with "A Circle of Friends." Bucky has two upcoming concerts scheduled with the Palm Beach Pops at the Kravis Center in Palm Beach, Florida on April 5 and 6, 2006. Joining him for his birthday bash will be the Moonmaids--June Bratone, Tinker Rautenberg, Mary Jo Grogan and Carol Piper. They will be reprising some of the old favorites performed with Vaughn Monroe.

THE MOONMAIDS PLUS ONE

CURTAIN CALL II

Sep 16 2005

Click image to order

We'd like to recommend a wonderful CD produced in 2004 by Grogan Music. You might recognize the name as that of Moonmaid Mary Jo (Thomas) Grogan. In fact, Mary Jo's husband Harrold Grogan is the "plus one" in this re-release CD featuring Vaughn Monroe's lovely Moonmaids in recordings they re-united to produce in the 1980s. As it says in the CD liner notes: "Here, the superb musicianship of four families and two generations is augmented by four of Dallas' top studio musicians." The selections and arrangements hint of nostalgia, but are very fresh and up-to-date. The Moonmaid harmony is impeccable.

"STILL RACING WITH THE MOON"

GATHERING HELD JANUARY 21-23, 2005

Jan 26 2005

Twelve members of the Vaughn Monroe Appreciation Society attended the first organized gathering held at the Seminole Inn located in Indiantown, Florida. The weekend provided an opportunity for Society members to meet for the first time and discuss the music and radio & film work of Vaughn Monroe. Activities consisted of viewing numerous sites of interest regarding Mr. Monroe's life. The group was pleased to have in attendance Ms. Tinker (Cunningham) Rautenberg, one of Vaughn's female vocalists from the Moonmaids, and Ms. Susan Menke, niece of Vaughn Monroe Camel Caravan co-star, Shaye Cogan. A more detailed account can be found at The Big Band Library website by Christopher Popa and in the Sustaining Member Section of our website.

BUCKY PIZZARELLI & JERRY BRUNO

by Bob Lynn

Oct 10 2004

Bob sends a couple of photos from the Summit Jazz Foundation party at the Four Seasons Hotel in Denver, Colorado the weekend of September 25, 2004. (Both were musicians in the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra). Bob writes: Bucky and Jerry Bruno both played with the all star group. They were great!


Jerry on the bass, Bucky on the guitar	Bucky Pizzarelli and Jerry Bruno

LOU KOHNEN & JOHN PIZZARELLI

BACKSTAGE AFTER CONCERT

Nov 7 2003

Lou Kohnen and John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son) after John's November 7, 2003 concert in Rochester, New York.