Something Wonderful: Exploring the Great American Songbook
This series takes listeners on a song-by-song journey through the Great American Songbook. In each episode, they delve into a particular song or collection of standards, offering historical context, musical commentary, and reflections on how the piece fits into the broader canon of American popular music. Through insightful analysis and storytelling, John and Adam explore the lives of the songwriters, the cultural and social backdrop of the era, the song’s evolution in recordings and performances, and what gives it enduring appeal. The podcast aims both to educate lovers of classic American music and to revive deeper appreciation for these timeless songs.
Episodes
In this episode, John and Adam explore the extraordinary career of Barbra Streisand, the Brooklyn girl who wanted to be an actress, took only one singing lesson, and became one of the defining voices of the 20th century.
The hosts trace Streisand’s rise from her childhood moviegoing days at Loew’s Kings Theatre to her early nightclub triumphs at The Lion and the Bon Soir, where her unmistakable voice quickly made her impossible to ...
In this episode, John and Adam explore one of the most consequential—and unlikely—relationships in the history of the American musical: the mentorship and friendship between Oscar Hammerstein II and Stephen Sondheim. What began as a chance family connection grew into a formative bond that bridged two eras of musical theater and reshaped the Great American Songbook.
The hosts trace how Hammerstein became a surrogate father to a youn...
In this episode, John and Adam explore the timeless appeal of Perry Como, the unflappable crooner whose calm presence and smooth baritone made him one of America’s most cherished entertainers. From his beginnings as a small-town barber to his rise as a recording and television icon, Como embodied a gentler, more effortless kind of stardom—earning him the nickname “Mr. Relaxation.”
The hosts trace his career from big-band vocalist t...
In this episode, John and Adam celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of Ella Fitzgerald, whose voice helped define—and in many ways create—what we now call the Great American Songbook. From her humble beginnings in Yonkers to her breakout performance at the Apollo Theater, the hosts trace Ella’s rise from a shy teenager to one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.
Through stories, musical excerpts, and lively...
In this second episode, John and Adam turn their attention to Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, the dynamic duo who became two of the most devoted champions of the Great American Songbook. With warmth, wit, and a deep appreciation for musical craft, the hosts trace the couple’s journey from television stardom in the 1950s to their enduring role as torchbearers for the standards that defined American popular music.
Through performance...
In this inaugural episode, John and Adam kick off Something Wonderful by revisiting the golden age of American musical theater through the legacy of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Blending scholarship, humor, and music history, they trace how the duo revolutionized Broadway by integrating story and song—transforming “musical comedy” into true “musical theater.”
From Oklahoma! and Carousel to South Pacific, the hosts explore how early hit...
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