On the Record, Oct. 29
By Casey Gillis on Oct. 29, 2008
By Bradford Brady and John Maron
Q: I watched the old musical High Society (Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly & Frank Sinatra) with my kids recently. I had forgotten that Louis Armstrong played himself in the film. At one point, Armstrong referred to himself as “Satchmo.” How did he get this nickname?
A: Born in a poor section of New Orleans on Aug. 4, 1901, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong ultimately became one of the greatest jazz musicians – if not one of the most influential American musicians of any genre of the 20th century. He first began playing the cornet at age 11, but it wasn’t until he was sent to reform school at age 12 that he really began studying the instrument under the tutelage of Professor Peter Davis. When he was released from reform school at age 14, he began playing with various brass bands around New Orleans. He was mentored by Joe “King” Oliver, himself a cornet player and bandleader, and began touring with Oliver. The nickname “Satchmo” is reputed to have been bestowed on him by Melody Maker editor, Percy Brooks, as an abbreviated version of the nickname, “Satchelmouth.” That name referred to Armstrong’s embouchure, or the way in which he adjusted his facial muscles to play his instrument. His other nicknames included “Dippermouth,” referring to his fondness of drinking sugar water from a dipper while on stage early in his career. He was also known as “Pops,” a term he used when greeting friends and other musicians.
Q: I just heard a song on the “Gospel Greats” radio show and was wondering about the title and who sings it? The song is about baseball, with lines like “Joy is up to bat,” and ends with Grace batting. Does any of this sound familiar?
A: Our best guess is that the song is “The Game of Life” by the Kingsmen. Formed in 1956, the Kingsmen have enjoyed a long career in gospel music. They have received Grammy nominations and have won four Dove Awards. Although information is limited, it appears that “The Game of Life” was released in 1984. If you intend to search for this song online, the band is sometimes referred to as the Kingsmen Quartet so that they are not confused with The Kingsmen of “Louie Louie” fame.
Q: Can you tell me the name of the artist who sings “Blow-Up Plastic Girl”? It was a popular song a few years back. Some of the words are “she’s my life-size wife-size full-grown blow-up plastic girl.”
A: The song is by the Randy Rogers Band. Based in Texas, they have been recording music since 2002. Slowly but surely their live shows have been creating some buzz about the band. Last year, Rolling Stone magazine picked them as one the top acts to see in concert. They have opened for the Eagles, Willie Nelson, and Dierks Bentley. “Blow-Up Plastic Girl” is a hidden track on their debut album, “Like It Used To Be.”
What’s the name of that song? Where are they now? What does that lyric mean? Send questions to or visit http://www.musicontherecord.com. Brady and Maron are music writers based in Raleigh, N.C.
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