Showing results by author "Wink Martindale" in All Categories

Norma Deloris Egstrom grew up far away from the big city life where her future would take her. While still a teenager, she left her small town of Jamestown, North Dakota, to audition for WDAY in Fargo. An hour later she found herself on the air and with a brand-new name, courtesy of radio personality Ken Kennedy: Peggy Lee. The singer, songwriter and actress sat with Wink Martindale in her Hollywood Hills home in 1975 and reflected on the early days of her career, her musical influences, and her ability to adapt to new sounds and audiences.

In part two, we hear about Welk from his manager Sam Lutz and others that played an important part in his career. We also hear from Lawrence Welk in a conversation he had with Wink Martindale in 1973. Welk shares stories of numerous performances across the country, his time on tour, and interactions with his fans. He also discusses his television career and his eventual return to recording music with Dot Records.

An in-depth examination of the career of Wayne Newton featuring extensive interviews with Newton.

In this 1977 interview, Wink Martindale takes listeners on an extensive survey of the singer's long and successful career. From his first taste of fame with the single "Diana" to being one of the first pop singers to play in the Las Vegas casinos, Anka shares engaging stories of his career as an entertainer.

In February 1964, The Beatles made their TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, catching the attention of Bob Eubanks. Wink Martindale catches up with Eubanks in an interview from 1977 about The Beatles playing the Hollywood Bowl. He discusses having second thoughts about booking them for the concert and then selling out in three and a half hours.

Patti Page's music provided a soothing counterpoint to the revolutionary sound of rock n' roll in the 1950s, incorporating elements of country music into traditional pop songs. From 1948 through 1970 she had nearly 100 records on the Billboard Singles chart, including "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window", "Old Cape Cod", "Allegheny Moon", and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte". Page sat down with host Wink Martindale to discuss her personal life, the early days of her career, and her astounding popular success.

The third part of our Hall of Fame spotlight on Frank Sinatra's legendary career with host Wink Martindale continues the story of the artist who remains an internationally known icon. We dig deeper into the songs and soundtrack of Frank's career as told by friends and family, those who knew him best, including Nelson Riddle, Gordon McRae, and a large selection of songwriters who collaborated with Sinatra.

In 1973, Captain & Tennille wrote and cut a record completely at their own expense. The product of that recording session, "The Way I Want to Touch You", proved to be a regional hit and was the first step in their fascinating journey to major label success. The couple sat down with host Wink Martindale just as their first hit was climbing the charts. In this captivating interview, they discuss how they got started in music, the creation of their first album, and their love of performing.

Despite her phenomenal success as a singer, Joni James initially had dreams of dancing. While she continued to receive scholarships and praise for her vocal performances, dancing was what she wanted to pursue and she continued to pay for lessons. When faced with the decision of going to school or pursuing her career, on the advice of a producer that "youth was the most urgent thing in show business", she dove headfirst into singing.

Ella Fitzgerald's career began at various amateur nights around New York City, most famously at the Apollo Theater in 1934. From those early days, Fitzgerald grew to be an iconic jazz singer and the First Lady of Song. In the spring of 1983, Fitzgerald sat down for a conversation with Wink Martindale. She discusses how her career began and some of her first hits.

For Alan and Marilyn Bergman, being married and working together as songwriters had many perks. The two found that their relationship allowed them to be uninhibited in sharing ideas while crafting a song. In this interview recorded with Wink Martindale in the 1980s, they discussed their lives, lyrics, and careers as songwriters. The couple provides an intimate and detailed look at the songwriting process, along with sharing interesting stories about some of the songs they've written.

While some would contend that Carly Simon's wealthy background gave her a leg up, her talent and skill as a musician make it clear that she earned every bit of her current and future success on her own. Her first break came while she was on vacation. She and her sister, Lucy, took a trip to Cape Cod and tried to get a job performing in a summer resort. As luck would have it, the previous performer had left, so they started singing there with a repertoire of three songs.

When Kenny Rogers started singing in high school, he went through numerous gimmicks and phases trying to find a way to make his voice identifiable. Audiences didn't respond to what he was doing, and on the advice of a friend, he dropped the gimmicks and started to embrace his own sound. Many awards, hit songs, and decades later, and there is no doubt of his gift for storytelling and distinctive sound.

Al Martino's success began in 1952 with the single "Here in My Heart". The self-taught crooner went on to find his biggest success in an unlikely source in 1963 with a version of "I Love You Because", which was originally a country tune. In August of 1972, he sat down for an interview with host Wink Martindale to reflect on his storied career. Martino discusses his early life growing up, some of his musical influences, and the highs and lows of his musical journey.

Bobby Vinton says he never wanted to be a musician; he wanted to be a football player instead. In fact, his parents would bribe him 25 cents an hour just to get him to practice his clarinet. Vinton sat down with Wink Martindale in 1973 to discuss his success with "Blue on Blue" and the story behind "Roses are Red". He says writing songs is difficult, and he isn't sure who is buying his albums. Vinton also discusses putting together a pop music band in high school and how he began his acting career.

Roger Williams stood alone in the world of popular music. He was just three years old when he first sat in front of a piano and played a song. He went on to study piano at Drake University and Julliard and had his first success with the single "Autumn Leaves". Williams sat down for a conversation with Wink Martindale in 1972 to discuss his career and passion for playing music. He talks about his early life and musical journey, the importance of hard work and practice, and the toll life on the road takes.

Billy Eckstine didn't consider singing a potential profession until he earned $5 as second prize in an amateur competition. He was bitten by the showbiz bug after working as an MC and singer in his hometown of Pittsburgh while on summer break from college. He decided not to return to college and eventually began working in clubs throughout Buffalo, Detroit, and Chicago. Eckstine sat down with Wink Martindale for an interview in May of 1973.

Glen Campbell's career extended throughout song and screen as he worked in television, in film, and as a songwriter and performer. He achieved moderate success early on as a country artist and made history in 1967, winning four Grammys in both the pop and country categories.

The Beach Boys started in the Wilsons' garage with members Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and friend Al Jardine. Their first hit was in 1962 and was considered a "surf" song that had distinct vocal harmonies. History will show the progression of the Beach Boys songs that permeated the culture of the day. The harmonies, melodies, and arrangements provided a new soundtrack in the culture of the '60s, '70s, '80s and into the new millennium.

Jo Stafford and Paul Weston both had successful careers in their own rights, but also enjoyed success as a duo, even earning a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 1961. The pair sat down with host Wink Martindale to discuss their successful careers, musical work, and personal lives.