It’s Local 518 Thursday on WEXT, February 10th

It’s Local 518 Thursday! Click on the artist/band and song featured on the WEXT Radio Local 518 Show to find out more about them, and support by listening to & purchasing the songs. Miss the show? Listen to it and previous ones on the WEXT Radio Local 518 Show webpage. Have music you want us to hear? Submission guidelines can be found at the webpage link too. Send us stuff!

Love comes in many forms. Tonight at 11:00 pm on WEXT Radio, the Local 518 Show playlist features songs that, if not strictly love songs, are certainly heartfelt. Hear all the feels with…
Erin Harkes – “New Years Day“
Sawyer Fredericks – “What a Wonderful World“
Jimi W. – “The Voicemail“
Jes Hudak – “Problematic“
Girl Blue – “Falling Star“
Belle-Skinner – “Love Witch“
Annie Scherer – “Elevate“

The Attic Classic: Of two brothers from Mechanicville that were singers during the big band era, for this Attic Classic I’m featuring Ray Eberle – the younger of the two. Ray joined The Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1938 on the recommendation of his older brother Bob.

For a previous Attic Classic, I featured Bob Eberly, who had a successful career singing with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, scoring a string of Billboard hits.

Ray was hired by Glenn Miller despite his lack of professional experience as a vocalist and was featured on many Miller recordings. He also appeared in several movies during this time. Miller ran a tight ship regarding his band – Ray was let go in 1942 after turning up late for a rehearsal. Ray briefly joined drummer Gene Krupa’s band before starting a solo career, appearing on TV variety shows along with leading his own orchestra until his passing in 1979.

The Attic Classic “At Last” was a Top 10 hit single in 1942 for Ray with Miller’s Orchestra. In fact, recordings of the song were sent to American soldiers overseas during World War II in 1943 as a U.S. Army V-Disc (or Victory Disc). It’s become a jazz standard, versions of which have been performed by Etta James, Celine Dion, and Beyoncé.

The song version you get to hear is from the remastered CD ‘Candlelight Miller,’ a 1996 compilation of ballads by the bandmaster.
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