Thurl Ravenscroft Update (MP3's)

Having gotten such a great response last year to my 365 days project post about Thurl Ravenscroft, I thought I'd periodically post additional material, as my Thurl collection grows, as it has recently.

First up, a post-big band era track, nontheless in the big band style, from one of the great arrangers of that era, Jerry Gray, joined here by Thurl on "Pale Moon (An Indian Love Song)". Gotta love that last line.

1.) Jerry Gray and his Orchestra - Pale Moon (An Indian Love Song) (MP3)

Next up is an oddity - Thurl's group, "The Mellomen", occaisionally recorded under other names, and for one session, they recorded as "The Crackerjacks", supplying four tracks to an album of male quartet music, which they shared with another group, as well as two further tracks, issued as a single, both of which feature solo sections sung by Thurl.

2.) The Crackerjacks - Kiss Crazy Baby (MP3)

3.) The Crackerjacks - Paper Valentine (MP3)

Finally, a few segments from a collection I'd never heard of before finding it on eBay. From around 1970, Thurl reads the entire book of Psalms, on four 16 & 2/3 rpm records, intended for sale to and use by the blind. I've included the introduction and first three psalms, and two tracks from further into the first of these four records, including the well loved 23rd Psalm. Unfortunately, these are not the familiar King James versions, but a more modern, and far less poetic translation. However, I'm quite taken with the way that Thurl adapted his voice and all around performance to match the emotions being captured in the individual psalm.

4.) Thurl Ravenscroft - Introduction and Psalms 1-3 (MP3)

5.) Thurl Ravenscroft - Psalm 22 (MP3)

6.) Thurl Ravenscroft - Psalms 23-24 (MP3)

If anyone is interested in having or hearing a recording of Thurl reading a specific psalm or psalms, I would be glad to oblige in a future post. Enjoy!

Bob

Comments

[Aaron]

Wow, I know Thurl from the ton of stuff he did for Disney, but this is amazing stuff. Thanks!

[Ernie (Not Bert)]

Thanks for the Thurl. Always good to have more stuff from him. I think you should highlight all the Christmas goodies from him you've shared in the past, if you get the chance, since it is the season. I think I've got it all, but you never know...

[Mr Fab]

You want Christmas Thurl? Check track 13 of this mashup/sound collage/electro/weirdness various artist comp:
http://www.santastic4.com/

Just released today!

[Deke]

If you've got kids, you've probably sat through "The Brave Little Toaster" DVD a time or two. That's Thurl as Kirby the vacuum cleaner.

Bob, outstanding work on this. Psalm 142 please.

Thanks.

[Steve In Denver]

I am a HUGE fan of Thurl! I was thrilled when I wrote to him and received a personally autographed photo! He did so much more than Disney and Tony The Tiger, but is forever enshrined in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland as one of the 'Grim Grinning Ghost Busts' singing lead vocal on the 'Grim Grinning Ghosts' tune you hear in the cemetery at the end of the ride. I have that track if anybody wants it, plus I have made a 'remix' of sorts of the original tune that turned out well. He was very religious and did a lot of religious records as well as singing in the choir at Southern California's legendary Crystal Cathedral. He's also heard on records as a singer with 'The Johnny Mann Singers', too in the 1970's. His deep bass voice really stands out in any and all recordings he made, even as part of a large vocal group like 'The Johnny Mann Singers', who were on TV a lot when I was kid in the 1970's.
Up until his death his fan mail address was still Walt Disney Studios. He was still so closely associated with Disney that they happily accepted his fan mail and sent it on to him at the retirement home he lived in in So. Cal.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful stuff! I am always on the lookout for all things Thurl.

[Mark]

Ernie (and all the rest):

I actually posted a Christmas Thurl compilation on my own li'l music blog.

You can click on my name to go there, or just copy and paste the direct URL:
http://shellgrowback.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-christmas-from-thurl-ravenscroft.html

I've included all the tracks previously shared on this blog, plus a few other things I picked up here and there.

Bob, thanks so much for sharing your incredible collection: it's because of you that I'm such a huge fan of Thurl, and that he's the patron saint of my music blog.

Mark

[Mark]

And at the risk of monopolizing the comments section here, it's Thurl's birthday today, so I posted some more stuff, with covers of "Me and Bobby McGee" and Etta James and his glorious narration for the Pirates of the Carribean LP from 1968...

http://shellgrowback.blogspot.com/2009/02/happy-birthday-thurl-ravenscroft.html