Vintage Musicians #5

I've mentioned this many times before, but it bears repeating: Back in the day, every Holiday Inn, Best Western, and Howard Johnson's had a lounge. And in each lounge would be some low-key musician on stage.  They became an easy target for ridicule in the eighties, but the lounge act during the sixties and seventies, was the f***ing bomb. These guys and gals took a page out of the Tony Orlando playbook and were there to entertain you while you sipped your Scotch. No high aspirations - just background music, perhaps, to your swingin' evening.

They say most lounges were converted to conference rooms for businesses. Maybe that was more lucrative for the hotel chains, but I say there will always be something lacking.

Have a look at some good old fashioned press photos of musicians who weren't exactly household names, but are forever preserved here on Retrospace.

Note: The black lines on some of these photos are where they were going to be cropped for promotional purposes (concert ads, etc.).

I guess Sandy Mason is the one in the throne?

I'm not sure who this is, but I dig the outfit

Mary Kaye Burr

Sorry, guys. Looks like you've been cut. (singer Mary Gutzi)

The Von Hiatt Trio

Rosalyn Kind (Streisand's half sister)

The Wu Tang Clan. (Just kidding. No idea.)

Sherri Wood

The Colows

The New Medium 

The date is 1969, but I don't know the name.  Definitely some folk music going on here.

Don't know her name, but she's got some nice gams