Funniest Facebook Burn Eeeeever!

Interview with Tony Horowitz Trumpet Player in Louis Prima's Last Band

Tony Horowitz begins talking about how Sam Butera and Louis Prima developed the modern lounge act.  He backed Prima in 1974-75 when the Vegas legend changed his sound with electric keyboards. Horowitz had come from playing with Ray Charles.  Tony also arranged most of Louis Prima's last LP.

Tony joined up with Butera and Prima when Prima's band members left to form The New Goofers high wire comedy act.  Hear what it was like to travel with Louis who refused to fly. And about the death of one of the greatest entertainers of all time. 

Towards the end Tony talks about working with Ray Charles.

Also: Do you know the story behind the John Denver song 'Leaving on a Jet Plane?'  It may surprise you! This interview took place in 2010. Sorry about the background noises, this was recorded for transcribing to text.

Guitarist Marty Walsh on Recording with Sinatra Arranger Don Costa

Guitarist Marty Walsh worked with renowned composer and arranger Don Costa including a session with Frank Sinatra. Costa arranged some of Sinatra's finest and best selling recordings including the seminal album 'Sinatra and Strings' and singles like 'My Way' and 'New York, New York.'

I had discovered a Costa session that Marty played on for Sinatra that he thought was lost forever. From Sinatrafamily.com: According to the session sheet for July 17, 1978, Sinatra and orchestra gathered at TBS Studios in Burbank, California, from 7.30 to 12 pm. The orchestra was conducted by Vincent Falcone jr. It included a large string and brass section (40 musicians incl. one harp, all listed by name) plus Tom Hensley and Bill Miller on piano, Tim May, Al Viola and Marty Walsh on guitar, Milton Kestenbaum, Milton Nadel and Gene Cherico on bass, Ronnie Tutt and Irving Cottler on drums, and Alan Ester and Larry Bunker on percussion. This team, according to the sheet, recorded three songs with vocals by Sinatra 'That’s What God Really Looks Like' (Reprise master #WCA 8129), 'Remember' (#WCA 8130) and 'You And Me' (#WCA 8131). No take numbers for the masters are indicated.

No take numbers? Frank rarely did more than one take!

Marty Walsh on the Death of Sinatra Arranger Don Costa who died in 1983.

History of Downtown Greensboro Hotels : Restauranteur Minas Dascalakis

Minas Dascalakis, owner of downtown Greensboro's Matthew's Grill at 223 North Elm Street near the original O'Henry Hotel, talks about what Downtown Greensboro was like in the 1950s and 60s. Matthew's was a hub for city leaders, the movers and shakers.

Also heard is Aleck Alexiou, his father owned the Princess Cafe on South Elm, located where Cheesecakes by Alex was before the expansion. Downtown Greensboro in the 1950s was Aleck's backyard growing up.

(This first installment dealt with Minas' childhood in a war ravaged Greece before immigrating to America.)

In this video Minas Dascalakis takes us on a virtual tour of Elm Street in the 1950s, explains how the O.Henry & King Cotton Hotel got their start and why the Guilford Building failed as a hotel. (The Guilford building was virtually identical to the King Cotton.)

What life was like in Hamburger Square and all the hotels in the vicinity. Then details about the demise of the O.Henry:

What It Was Like to Live in War Torn Greece in the 1930s & '40s.

Minas Dascalakis, owner of downtown
Greensboro's venerable Matthew's Grill at 223 North Elm Street near the original O'Henry Hotel. Matthew's was a hub for city  leaders, the movers and shakers.

In this portion of my interview Minas talks about childhood in a war torn Greece and immigrating to America. (The focus will be on Downtown Greensboro in its heyday in future videos.)

Also heard is Aleck Alexiou, his father owned the Princess Cafe on South Elm. Downtown Greensboro in the 1950s was his backyard growing up.