Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Music Fast Facts : The Star-Spangled Banner became the US national anthem in 1931. Prior to that, it was My Country 'Tis of Thee," which had the same melody as Britian's national anthem God Save the Queen, which is based on music written by John Bull in 1619. Bull's melody has been used more than any other song in national anthems. ▼▼▼
LENNY DEE
Lenny Dee, was a virtuoso organist who played many styles of music. His record albums were among the most popular of easy listening and space age pop organists of the 1950s through the early 1970s. His signature hit, Plantation Boogie, charted as a Top 20 hit in 1955. He also had a gold record with 1970's Spinning Wheel.
Dee played a variety of songs in numerous styles. He played original compositions, popular songs, and novelty tunes, and was a master of improvisation. Although his unique style was a pop/boogie-woogie blend, he also played ballads, country and western, jazz and rock.
As a teenager, he turned playing the accordion into a profession in his uncle's quartet, which he continued until he was drafted into the Navy during World War II in 1943.
Upon his return from service, Dee spent his Navy earnings on a Hammond Model A organ, one of the earliest of its kind. With money from the G.I. Bill, he received instruction in organ at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. Afterward, he began playing hotels and night clubs in the south in the late 1940s to some degree of success, but very little fame and no record contracts.
It was not until the early 1950s that Dee was signed up to Decca after country singer Red Foley heard him playing at the Plantation Inn in Nashville, Tennessee, and thought Dee's country flavor would be a good contrast to the label's then prominent organist, Ethel Smith.
Dee made good, and his original composition, Plantation Boogie charted at #18 in 1955. Dee re-recorded the hit on numerous albums, and was often imitated, even plagiarized, but never duplicated. Dee wrote 'Chicken in the Rough', and recorded the song as a duet with saxophonist, Boots Randolph. The uncanny similarity of 'Yakety Sax' to Dee's 'Chicken in the Rough" is often noted.
Dee ventured into recording albums for Decca starting in 1954 with his first LP, Dee-lightful. Part of Dee's charm was his albums' zany covers featuring Dee in various situations, and titles with puns that usually included his name, such as Dee-Lirious, Dee-Licious, and Dee-Most! His recording featured organ with other instruments. He was nearly always backed by percussion; depending on the song, he also recorded with guitar legends, Les Paul and Chet Atkins; bass; a backup chorus; strings; horns such as saxophones, trombones, trumpets; and even the banjo. Dee played various instruments, but was recognized for his contribution to the field of music by Time Life for what he noted as "bringing the organ out of the church and into main stream pop music."
DID YOU KNOW ?
His birthname being Leonard De Stoppelaire, indicates that Dee's ancestors must have come from Flanders, Belgium because it's a very typical and often frequented name in Flanders.
MHO
Fans of this channel may remark that this "certainly isn't the first post of this song" and ..... well, I have to plead "guilty" :) It's one of my all time favorite compositions and each time I encounter the song, I feel the urge to post it. (That's what you get when only one man picks the music for this channel ;-)) ......
What I like about Lenny Dee is his virtuozo playing, and the fact that the orchestral back-up is nicely added - meaning the arrangement also must be of good quality.
Other than that, ... I can only repeat I like the song because of it's great melody and (maybe more importantly) because it breathes - like no other - this feeling of loneliness and "longing for".....(feelings known to all of us I think .........)
Happy listenin' :-) !
Music Fast Facts : The Star-Spangled Banner became the US national anthem in 1931. Prior to that, it was My Country 'Tis of Thee," which had the same melody as Britian's national anthem God Save the Queen, which is based on music written by John Bull in 1619. Bull's melody has been used more than any other song in national anthems. ▼▼▼
LENNY DEE
Lenny Dee, was a virtuoso organist who played many styles of music. His record albums were among the most popular of easy listening and space age pop organists of the 1950s through the early 1970s. His signature hit, Plantation Boogie, charted as a Top 20 hit in 1955. He also had a gold record with 1970's Spinning Wheel.
Dee played a variety of songs in numerous styles. He played original compositions, popular songs, and novelty tunes, and was a master of improvisation. Although his unique style was a pop/boogie-woogie blend, he also played ballads, country and western, jazz and rock.
As a teenager, he turned playing the accordion into a profession in his uncle's quartet, which he continued until he was drafted into the Navy during World War II in 1943.
Upon his return from service, Dee spent his Navy earnings on a Hammond Model A organ, one of the earliest of its kind. With money from the G.I. Bill, he received instruction in organ at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. Afterward, he began playing hotels and night clubs in the south in the late 1940s to some degree of success, but very little fame and no record contracts.
It was not until the early 1950s that Dee was signed up to Decca after country singer Red Foley heard him playing at the Plantation Inn in Nashville, Tennessee, and thought Dee's country flavor would be a good contrast to the label's then prominent organist, Ethel Smith.
Dee made good, and his original composition, Plantation Boogie charted at #18 in 1955. Dee re-recorded the hit on numerous albums, and was often imitated, even plagiarized, but never duplicated. Dee wrote 'Chicken in the Rough', and recorded the song as a duet with saxophonist, Boots Randolph. The uncanny similarity of 'Yakety Sax' to Dee's 'Chicken in the Rough" is often noted.
Dee ventured into recording albums for Decca starting in 1954 with his first LP, Dee-lightful. Part of Dee's charm was his albums' zany covers featuring Dee in various situations, and titles with puns that usually included his name, such as Dee-Lirious, Dee-Licious, and Dee-Most! His recording featured organ with other instruments. He was nearly always backed by percussion; depending on the song, he also recorded with guitar legends, Les Paul and Chet Atkins; bass; a backup chorus; strings; horns such as saxophones, trombones, trumpets; and even the banjo. Dee played various instruments, but was recognized for his contribution to the field of music by Time Life for what he noted as "bringing the organ out of the church and into main stream pop music."
DID YOU KNOW ?
His birthname being Leonard De Stoppelaire, indicates that Dee's ancestors must have come from Flanders, Belgium because it's a very typical and often frequented name in Flanders.
MHO
Fans of this channel may remark that this "certainly isn't the first post of this song" and ..... well, I have to plead "guilty" :) It's one of my all time favorite compositions and each time I encounter the song, I feel the urge to post it. (That's what you get when only one man picks the music for this channel ;-)) ......
What I like about Lenny Dee is his virtuozo playing, and the fact that the orchestral back-up is nicely added - meaning the arrangement also must be of good quality.
Other than that, ... I can only repeat I like the song because of it's great melody and (maybe more importantly) because it breathes - like no other - this feeling of loneliness and "longing for".....(feelings known to all of us I think .........)
Happy listenin' :-) !
