Remember Always - Margaret Schneider

It is another important date

on the Shady Dell calendar.

Today we remember and

honor Margaret Schneider,

precious child of the Dell.

Blessed with longevity,

Margaret earned the

nickname The Oldest

Living Dell Rat as she

approached and then

passed the century mark.

Margaret died three years ago

at the age of 105. Last month

as we celebrated Margaret's

108th birthday, I posted three

old songs that Margaret might

have known during her years

as a young adult. Today, as

we remember Margaret on

the date of her death, I'll
play three more songs I

think she would enjoy.

 JOHNNY MATHIS 

It's hard for many of us to believe that easy listening balladeer Johnny Mathis

will be 85 later this year. Time marches on. Johnny built a career on singing

romantic pop standards. In 1958 Johnny had a top 20 hit with "A Certain

Smile," the title song from the 1958 dramatic film that stars

Rossano Brazzi and Joan Fontaine.

As Johnny sings the song and we remember

Margaret, seen here on the right at age 16,

let's enjoy this video montage containing

portraits of the past - reminders of how

women and girls presented themselves

in the first half of the 20th century

when Margaret was young.

"A Certain Smile" - Johnny Mathis
(July 1958, highest chart pos.
#14 Hot 100/#15 Cash Box,
from July 1958 film
A Certain Smile)

 THE BOSWELL SISTERS 

In last month's birthday tribute I introduced The Boswell Sisters,

a popular jazz vocal harmony trio of the 1920s and 30s.

The Boswells are back today to perform another

song that reminds me of Margaret.

"The blues" is derived from the blue devils. If you are beset by a fit

of the blue devils you are despondent, depressed and feeling hopeless.

That, I believe, is the correct interpretation of the word Devil in the

song "Shout, Sister, Shout!," the B side of a Boswell Sisters single

released in 1931. The singing sibs remind us how to beat the Devil

and put the blues on the run, and it's a lesson Margaret Schneider

also taught: Don't dwell on your problems, betrayals and losses.

Shout Hallelujah, come on get happy. Rise up. Celebrate life.

Keep your spirit way up high,

Look up to the sky

Stand up and shout "Hallelujah

If that old Devil should grab your hand

Here's one thing that he can't stand

Shout sister, shout sister, shout!

"Shout, Sister, Shout!" - The Boswell Sisters

(1931, B side of "Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On")

 THE BOSWELL PROJECT 

To end this tribute to Margaret on another happy note, I present The Boswell Project,

a vocal trio from Adelaide, Australia. Inspired by the music and style of the original

Boswell Sisters, this fine group features vocalists Louise Messenger, Kylie Ferreira

and Valeska Laity. In the following video The Boswell Project covers "I'm Gonna

Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter," a standard first popularized in 1935

by Fats Waller and a top 3 hit the following year for The Boswell Sisters.

"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"

 - Boswell Sisters cover by The Boswell Project,

Aug. 2017 (Boswell Sisters version

reached #3 in 1936)

I hope you enjoyed this musical tribute to

Margaret Schneider... and I can't help

hoping that she did, too.

Yours was a long life and a life well lived, Margaret.

We love you, miss you

and will remember you always.