Lilyan (“Lill”) Lipson was one of the last silent movie pianists in Rhode Island. Lill was one of eight children and grew up on the East Side of Providence. She and her two sisters learned piano on the old beaten upright spinet that took up space in the family second floor. Her skills elevated her […]
Bochek is a PVD-based jazz-rock band that has been working its way up the scene — this year, they received the number one title from Battle of the Bands, hosted by Rhode Island College’s Student Radio, 90.7 WXIN FM. The band consists of four members: Nevin, John, Noah and Dante; past member and founder of […]
Three words: Ernie Boch Junior. Did you just sing them in your mind? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Although the Providence-born businessman sold most of his family’s third-generational car dealerships a few years ago, we can still quickly recall their radio commercials — and for good reasons. They proliferated local airwaves for quite a […]
Nobel laureate, 78-year-old Minnesotan Bob Dylan, graced the stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center on November 20. The theater was packed to the gills as Dylan delivered quite possibly his best performance in decades. There was no hat, no mumbling and no bullshit. The show began with pre-recorded, instrumental Vaudevillian jaunt (the standard fare […]
On December 7, 1949, a New York Times column characterized the struggles of those in need: “The children who do not laugh; the youths whose lives are twisted; the men and women struck down by accident or disease or sudden poverty; the aged who know no peace… They are in every city and in every […]
You may not know that one of the era’s premier industrial noise rock bands has its origins right here in PVD. Daughters formed in 2002 in the wake of grindcore band As the Sun Sets, becoming known for their unhinged live performances and aggressive touring schedule. After some band infighting, their well-received album Daughters was released […]
“And I am going to try to love / And I am going to rise above” For four decades, Daniel Johnston crafted raw, lo-fi, searingly honest music that simultaneously achieved wide popularity and remained below the radar. His songs set scenes on “My So-Called Life,” “The OC,” “Scrubs,” “Friday Night Lights” and Girls, and the […]
Lucy’s Hearth opened as a small overnight shelter in Middletown in 1984. They grew with the needs of the community, expanding and becoming a 24-hour shelter, affiliated with Family Service of Rhode Island and accredited by the Council on Accreditation. They are now in a 9,300 square foot facility to better support families in need. […]
Okee dokee folks… This is one of those times where I type the intro to my column and then delete the whole thing a few times. It seems that I cannot properly express what I really would like to say. Let me correct that, I CAN express it but not in a way that can […]
Robert (Bobby) Leo Hackett became one of the world’s finest cornet players.Born in Providence in 1915, he created a soft, easy-listening and romantic sound that became unequaled, even today. Early in his long career, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra and was hired by Benny Goodman to perform in his famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert.Later, […]