Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"Honey," she said, "just pick me a lady."






HERE SHE COMES, MISS AMERICA!

While femininity reigns supreme and long legged women sashay across the stage before millions of admirers, the air is abuzz with vibrant energy and zeal surging from both audience and participants!

This cachet of talented and beautiful women parade before our eyes!  They're the epitome of women with a dark and sultry air of seduction to the color and charm of the girl next door.

You'll find these women command the stage, not only as spirited and beautiful, but the picture of candor, and sweetness! They represent some of the best America has to offer!
Alongside the jagged edge of talent and brains they exude relaxation and warmth, sincerity and vulnerability and  are equally at ease with their presence.

They capture our hearts, again  and again as they've done for decades, through their wit, grace, poise, intelligence, beauty, vulnerability and charm...all a strong magnetic appeal for anyone!

Look as far and wide as ye may, anyone would be hard pressed to find a more superbly executed, finished, polished production-so wonderfully staged yet, filled with honest, and truthful moments alongside gleaming smiles and high hopes.

The show, this pageant, is intense, precise and connected of the white hot charms of these talented American women.

Tell you more?  Thank you for asking!

This two day beauty pageant originated on September 8, 1921 in a seaside resort town known as Atlantic City, New Jersey. Atlantic City hoteliers,through what was reportedly an attempt to take advantage of the women's newfound role in society, perfected this idea. What better way to inovate and sway vacationers to extend their Labor Day weekend than a bathing suit contest?!  Hooplah!  Why didn't I think of that?  Atlantic City, with her surf, sun and boardwalk would prove the most perfect location for this event! Why King Neptune himself greeted the beauties who competed!  (Yours truly would give her tap shoes away for that esteemable honor alone!)

Surprise of surprises! This beauty contest bloomed and gained more interest AND recognition through time! Over the next eight decades, it would become a national tradition dedicated to defining the ideal American woman.

HERE SHE COMES, MISS AMERICA!

And indeed they came! Beautiful bevies of womenhood traveled to the Atlantic City resort each year,  sometimes with nothing but a dream and the hope that the Pageant would further their career aspirations! Why, it was an opportunity to cash in on looks and talents for the promising average working woman! These Miss Americas, winning the title, were reported to make $100,000 and more during their reign! Holy Smokes, why that's more than....(I'll look that  up and get back to you, poste haste, gentle readers!)

Still and all, this wasn't the perfect stage for American values and women to be paraded, or so it was said. So many pre-conceived values, from standards such as beauty, money, and a women's freedom and objectification! From patriotism to motherhood and American values, this Pageant was fraught, at times,  with scorn from anxious Americans!

What you say?

This Institution, the Pageant had emerged as one of our country's sources of pride and most popular event! All this in spite of naysayers and critics of stringent religious groups to women's groups and women's rights movements who were aghast and against the display of female form
in public and labeled it beneath respectable behavior?  No!  Finally, the assault and criticism brought  closure to the Pageant event in 1928.

 In considering this closure and ensuing history of the Pageant, now would be a fine time to mention...
"If you look closely, you'll find much by way of
American history since the advent of this pageant and through the decades of it's history" . This Pageant alone, will regale and reveal much about America and it's acceptance of women. Too, it reveals an insight and changing evolving througout American history and the struggles and promises experienced through the decades. You'll see for yourself, an intense
change in American culture, if you choose to look closely! From the Depression, World War II, and the Jazz Age and Rosie The Rivetor,..history doth unfold!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Dahlings? Here Comes Miss America...




Chin Up, Shoulders Back and
flash those pearly whites,  Dahlings.




DO let us ponder the
 All-American Girl's Dream
 and the women who graced
the American Runways in
the 1930s and 1940s!

Prepare yourselves,...gentle readers...
for a bit of  entertainment, information, consternation,
a proffered revelation or two and
perhaps tads and scads of
hyperventilation.

Keep thine eyes on the talent cards, your hand atop your
foolish heart
...and ever ready to
trump your aces
as a bevy of beauties and a Queen of  the Sweet "Hearts"
 bound before your eyes....
Swimsuits Sublime to Chiffon Divine...

Here She Comes, Miss America!


"I'm rather looking forward to sharing".

Hubba, Hubba
and Hoopla




Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Help US Honor WWII HOMEFRONT to the FRONT!



HEADLINES TODAY and Just Weeks Away...

Help Us Pay HOMAGE And GRATEFUL TRIBUTE
to
WWII Veterans, GI Joes and Janes
from
Home Front to Front!

Dedication Ceremony
June 26, 2010
"God and Country"
Gettysburg Fringe Festival

Gettysburg, PA

CONSIDER JOINING OR SUPPORTING US?

OUR AMERICANS WERE SO GALLANT UNDER THE
MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS
KNOWN TO AMERICANS TODAY.

Contact:  gettysburg11@gettysburgsgreatestgeneration.org
or
866-550-0894


That's right, the  unveiling of a non-profit foundation "GETTYSBURG'S GREATEST GENERATION!"
Welcome and THANK World War II  Col. Glenn D. Frazier, Author of  Hell's Guest,
Gettysburg's Own John M. Sachs, WWII Veteran,  and other
distinguished Guests.


Join the Interactive NING Group and share your memories:
America's Greatest Generation


Join The American Front to Homefront WWII Interactive Group!



(American States Join In!)

More DETAILS Arriving From the Front Daily!:
Gettysburg Fringe Festival






Honoring our American History, through the events, education, memories and hearts of the GI Joes and Janes of WWII "The Greatest Generation"...both on The FRONT and The HOMEFRONT!

Experience WWII History like never before!
STAY TUNED DAHLINGS?

Hubba, Hubba from Jolene




And, now we'll return our focus to the Glenn Miller Band!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

I'M IN THE MOOD! HOW'S ABOUT YOU?


Born March 1, 1904 in Clarinda, Iowa, his name was Alton Glenn Miller.  Americans knew and may yet remember him as an American jazz musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era.

The tumultuous years from 1939 to 1943 found Glenn Miller to be one of the best-selling recording artists in America!  He nosed-out other great bands of the era!  Miller's signature recordings include the sounds of  Chattanooga Choo Choo, In The Mood,  America Patrol, Tuxedo Junction, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug and Pennsylvania 6-5000. 

Tragically, stories surrounding his demise reveal, that apparently, whilst traveling to entertain U.S. troops in France during World War II, Miller's plane disappeared in fog and horrid weather somewhere over the English Channel. Glenn Miller's body has never been found.

(March 1, 1904- missing December 15, 1944)


Born to parents, Elmer and Mattie Lou Miller, the family moved from Iowa to Nebraska, then to Missouri, and finally, to Fort Morgan, Colorado. Through each move and with passage of time, Glenn Miller's musical talents took an irresistible step forward.  From his first mandolin to the high school band, Miller sought ways to nourish his musical gifts of remarkable talent.

Upon High School Graduation in 1921, Glenn Miller further pursued his love of music, theory and composition while continuing his College education. From Los Angeles, California to New York City, NY... Glenn could be found working with bands, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, Ray Noble,  as a trombonist and as a musical arranger. In 1928, Miller married Helen Burger married his College sweetheart!

1934 found Miller first recording under his own name, while still working with the Noble orchestra. After an initial, less than successful attempt in 1937 forming a band, the first real engagement with an all new Glenn Miller Orchestra was in 1938, Glen Island Casino!

1939 and 1942 found, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra enjoying the music of amazing popularity and commercial success!  Hoopla!   The Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded 17 Top 10 Hits in 1939!  More successes followed in the years ahead for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra.   Songs such as the classic swing sensations "In the Mood," "Little Brown Jug", "A String of Pearls" and "Moonlight Serenade." Miller's success included movies and a radio series entitled "Moonlight Serenade."   This series could be found airing on CBS three times each week.

Glenn Miller's Orchestra's distinguished popularity could be attributed to the band's exceptional sound, personality and style!  Miller was known to have stated emphatically that "A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality." The combination of saxophone and clarinet was appealing to the listeners and added a resonance and swing! 

In the wake of WWII's beginning, Glenn Miller unselfishly abandoned his civilian musical success to serve his country!  What a guy!  In 1942, he enlisted in the US Army Air Force (AAF Band)  An important note or two...at the great old age of 38, Miller was considered too old to be drafted.  Miller wrote to the then Army Brigadier General Charles Young in attempts to persuade the United States Army to accept him, and YES in his own words, "be placed in charge of a modernized Army band."  

And, well...dreams do come true and Big Band Leaders could influence the Army as well! 

Meaning,...we'll find it not such a surprise that Miller was persuasive in his appeal and the Army Air Force Band was ahem...a huge success too!  Through a maddening pace of over 800 performances, among them 300 personal appearances, and 500 broadcasts, Miller served as the host of  "I Sustain the Wings",...a weekly radio show!  Glenn played trombone with the Rhythmaires, a 15-piece dance band,  and could be found jazzing and swinging (and winging) in service clubs.  Here's a particularly lovely morsel...Glenn Miller  promoted the activities of civil service women aircraft mechanics employed at Maxwell, AFB! And, the recordings of the Glenn Miller AAF band were used as propaganda broadcasts for the Office of War Information. How about that?

Did Jolene say "What A Guy", yet?

The Disappearance that stopped the Music...

As in the beginning of this tome and Blog, or Blong, and where we began,...It is recorded, on December 15, 1944, as Glenn Miller, aged 40,  began embarkation on a tour of Europe, the flight/transport, (a single-engined UC-64 Norseman, USAAF serial 44-70285) on which he was aboard departed from RAF Twinwood Farm in Clapham, Bedfordshire and disappeared while flying over the English Channel.  The plane was never recovered.

Miller's status is missing in action. 

When Glenn Miller went missing, he left behind his wife... Helen, and two children, Steven and Jonnie.

Glenn Miller is remembered today as a great man, musician and for an unwavering patriotic devotion for his country! Aside from the music, he also influenced the evolution and commercial success of swing! 




The Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band's long term legacy has carried on with the Airmen of Note, a band within the United States Air Force Band. This band was created in 1950 from smaller groups within the Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. and continues to play jazz music for the Air Force community and the general public.

Things Are BETTER With The Big Band Swing,...I'm here to say!




Hubba, Hubba to you Glenn Dahling...never before and never again.