Frankie Carle

[Bill Edwards]

I'd like to take a little space to recognize Frankie Carle on his 96th
birthday.

He was never a big figure in ragtime, but in the 1940's and 1950's
stepping briefly out of his guise as a band leader, he did a few
recordings in the genre, and seemed to go back to it occasionally
throughout his active career. He also helped to push some arrangements
of rags, including one of the recently discussed 12th Street, back into
the marketplace.

He has some special meaning to me that is personal, but I want to share
since I was not involved in the discussion of "first rags" and the like.
When I was five years old, my parents went through what could be termed
an acrimonious divorce. Relations with my Father have been strained
since that time, and regrettably non-existent for the last decade - not
necessarily my choice (part of the reason I took my actor stepfather's
name). Anyhow, he left behind a handful of 10" records that helped
shaped my musical future. They were the original Paul Lingle GTJ,
Firehouse Five Volume 2 (with the awesome "Tiger Rag"), Honky Tonk Piano
(the original Capital ragtime LP), Bar Room Piano (Joe "Fingers" Carr),
and Franke Carle Plays Honky Tonk (RCA Victor). The latter included In A
Little Spanish Town, Crazy Bones Rag, Franke Carle Rag (based on Swanee
River), Frankie and Johnnie, The Prisoner's Song (in waltz and rag), and
the recently composed Old Piano Roll Blues. Even though the recording
included an Alvino Rey type of electric guitar accompaniment, it was
still pretty retro for its time.

I listened to these albums incessantly, finally killing (literally) the
Capital Honky Tonk Piano album. Many of the release have since found
their way to digital, but the Frankie Carle never did. He may have been
better known for Sunrise Serenade, My Birthday Comes on Christmas, Blue
Fantasy, and others, but I will always remember him from the perspective
of a withdrawn five year old escaping the surrounding trauma by
listening to "happy" music, and was able to emulate almost anything from
these albums within a couple of years. So hearing about his birthday on
Paul Harvey triggered mostly good memories, among the first memories
that I have not consciously repressed, about listening to and obtaining
comfort in this music.

I point this out largely because I may be sharing something that means
something to others that they can relate with. But I would like to add
to the importance of this in another way. There is a Ray Boltz song
called "Thank You" that tells the story of a Sunday School teacher who
spent much of his life trying to teach the right thing to his many
students, but unsure of the impact of what he has done. In the end, when
his life is over, he sees in some way everybody that he has had an
impact on and they all say "Thank you for giving to the Lord", which is
a statement similar to the ending of Mr. Holland's Opus (haven't seen it
- rent it NOW).

In short, this coincidental meeting of me and these 1950's artists gave
me something in my life that I am giving back to others now. How am I,
or any of you, to know what impact something we do on the web, in a
recording medium, or through a personal appearance may have on some
young musical mind. We need to be both cognizant of this impact, and
thankful that we have the opportunity to provide it.

Thank you, Mr. Carle, and the others mentioned, for helping a young boy
through an extremely hard time that has been known to crush many young
children and their spirit. I made it through pretty good, and I'm a
pretty damn good Dad to my children as a result of keeping positive.
Music has impact that reaches FAR beyond notes, performances, sales, or
the like. It helped me to remain a child at a time I should have been a
child. Thank you, Mr. Carle. Happy Birthday.

Thank you for your indulgence in my thoughts.

Respectfully, Bill Edwards

[Banjopikr1]

Bill:
Your e-mail about Frankie Carle brings back memories for me.When my wife and I
were "courtin"We had gone to see many big bands
in Carlisle Pa.,including Frankie Carle. I didn't know he was still with us.I
missed Paul Harvey's broadcast on that.
Also you mentioned Alvino Rey.I use to think
he used MAGIC to do what he did with a steel guitar.He was amazing.I think I
saw him the 1st time on an early Milton Berle Texaco TV show,in b&w on a 8"
screen.

Thanks for reminding us of some of the greats
in music.
Best wishes
Ken

[ISSchwartz]

I didn't know that Frankie Carle was so widely known and appreciated. I learned
of his music about two years ago (sheltered life, mine!), and was immediately
drawn to it. I've posted a "Frankie Carle Medley" on my website. The medley
comprises several of his piano arrangements of standard hits.

You can access my MIDI sequence at http://members.aol.com/midimusic (on the
Stride/Swing page).

Happy Birthday, Frankie!

Regards,
Irwin Schwartz
issch...@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/midimusic

[Brian or Ann Wood]

Bill,
Thanks for so eloquently sharing your fond memories of Frankie Carle's
music. Isn't it wonderful that so many of our fond memories are related
to some musical experience, and that the simple hearing of a single tune
can bring those memories flooding back to us?
As a side note, last Sunday I finally got to see Max Morath in concert.
It was at the Weidner center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. What a great
performer and showman he is. His were the first (modern) recordings of
classic ragtime that I ever heard, and I still think he is the best
interpreter of the classic rags, (not to mention tin-pan alley, etc.)I
tried to emulate his style when I became hooked on ragtime, just before
"The Sting" brought on the renewed interest in ragtime. Thanks again,
Bill. Your email brought tears to my wife's eyes. Brian Wood

[LeslieMRag]

Don't know if any of you are aware of it, but film collector Bob DeFlores was
involved in producing an excellent video celebrating Frankie Carle's career. I
don't know if it's still available, but I can check with Bob if anyone is
interested in purchasing it. Bob is a good friend of Frankie Carle's and got
some great interview footage with him. (Carle used to come to Minnesota on a
fairly regular basis, so Bob, who lives here, saw him pretty often.) Carle also
came out to the now-defunct Emporium of Jazz in Mendota, Minn. to see the Hall
Brothers Jazz Band.

Bob says Carle is one of the nicest men he's ever met in the entertainment
field. I saw the video several years ago, and it's a good one.

Leslie Johnson
edi...@mississippirag.com
OR lesli...@aol.com

[GCarras]

And on a elated not
I wish him happy B'day too.I have a greatest hits various artists(Columbia),and
his hit OH WHAT IT SEEMED TO BE is on it.His fuaghter,Morjorie is on vocal, but
to abvcoid nepotism,he changed her last name to Hughes,

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