In the 1920s, JR Stewart was one of many companies that manufactured banjo ukuleles during the first uke boom. Ukes became popular again in recent decades in part thanks to Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.
Category Archives: podcasts
You Know My Number is Changed
The life of a pastors wife in midcentury midwest involved missionary
work and potlucks but also social clubs to discuss books and hear
lectures about graphonalysis.
Piano Man
Billy Joel’s Piano Man was inspired by playing at a bar in Los Angeles. Two classic piano bars from that era, Nye’s Polonaise Room in Minneapolis and The Red Fox Room in San Diego continue to thrive after more than fifty years in business.
Red 34
In the 1990s, Chicago indy label bands like DragKing would sell their discs on consignment at Ajax Records, Dr. Wax, Wax Trax, Tower, and Reckless Records. The last of these is the only one still in business.
Comic Books
The first comic books were just collections of the cartoons from the Sunday funny pages. The 1930s saw the origins of superheroes and then crime, horror and romance that contained explicit sex and violence until the Comics Code forced a move to mostly kiddie comics in the 1950s.
Paul Mason Fotsch 