We have lost another of the "Greats" . . . . .

This is probably only entertaining to me personally, but certain things make one's ears perk up:

Thirty-or-so years ago, I attended an Andy Williams CHRISTMAS CONCERT in upstate NY. Theatre-in-the-Round was popular back then, and the stage was set up in the middle of the concert hall, with audience seating 360º around it. I arrived a little early (for once), and my seat was about 180º away from the "orchestra", where I could only hear, but could not see any of the musicians.

The group was doing a typical before-the-show cacaphony combination of woodshedding particularly tricky passages, tuning up, playing long tones, playing scales.

Now, I knew well the union contractor who hired local musicians for pick-up groups, and assembled studio bands for this locale; and I knew what to expect them to sound like.

The tune-up din subsided, the lights dimmed, and the show started. That "invisable orchestra" played the first one-and-one-hald chords of introduction, and I fairly fell out of my seat! I could not believe my ears. It was only after the second or third number that Mr. Williams introduced his "accompaniment" -- The Louie Bellson Big Band!

We typically think of Mr. Williams as a crooner, or a ballad singer. He DROVE that big band! It was spine-tingling stuff.

I was privilaged enough to hear Andy Williams live a couple of times since then, but NEVER LIKE THAT!