Blues records sold well in the 1920s, and the most prominent blues singers were women.
In the 1930s, teenaged Judy Garland became a film star, most memorably in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz.
- Listen now:
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening War Theme
“St. Louis Blues.”
Composed in 1914 by W.C. Handy. Public domain.
“You Made Me Love You (I Didn’t Want to Do It.)”
Composed in 1913 by James V. Monaco, lyrics by Joseph McCarthy. Public domain.
Closing War Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.
The transcript link points to episode 415.
Fixed!
One more, one more thing. You would think the film “The Wizard of Oz” would have premiered in Hollywood, or New York, but you would be wrong. It premiered August 12, 1939 at the Strand Theatre in the small Midwestern city of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, 3 days before its Hollywood premiere. While the theatre no longer stands, the City of Oconomowoc created Oz Plaza in an unused alley next to City Hall, near the location of the Strand Theatre. The plaza opened in time for the 80th anniversary of the first showing in 2019. It was refreshed in 2024 for the 85th anniversary with additions such as a swirling yellow brick road.
More information on Oz Plaza can be found here: https://www.visitoconomowoc.com/192/Oz-Plaza