NICK LUCAS: Painting The Clouds

Nick Lucas

Painting The Clouds

© 2001 Soundies (673477413422)

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Jazz / Pop "The Nick Lucas Sound" fresh and welcome as ever; Lucas' recordings heard here are some of the finest of his career.

tracks

1 Painting The Clouds With Sunshine
2 Tangerine
3 Gay Ranchero
4 Minnie The Mermaid
5 Sleepy Time Gal
6 I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover
7 In A Little Spanish Town
8 Three Little Words
9 Oh, How I Miss You Tonight
10 Always
11 It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane
12 I'll Get By
13 The Song Is Ended
14 Mexicali Rose
15 Tiptoe Through The Tulips
16 Painting The Clouds With Sunshine (reprise)

notes

NICK LUCAS, "PAINTING THE CLOUDS" Soundies SCD 4134 (THE UNITED TRANSCRIPTIONS)----------This previously unreleased collection of early 1940's Nick Lucas recordings is a true testament to the talent of jazz and pop music's very first "guitar star." Even today Lucas remains legendary as one of the finest acoustic guitar legends ever - right down to his own line of Gibson guitars, and picks, bearing his name. Nick's unparalleled guitar playing, (joined by an unknown bass player) and his exceptionally smooth vocals make this collection of vintage recordings a sentimental classic. (the exact dates & locations of these recordings are unknown. Best knowledge is 1947. The United Transcription service was a Canadian company that made recordings to service to radio stations in Canada and the USA.) Also Featured is a grand finale of two live recordings from "talkie musicals" of Lucas performing his famous songs, "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" and "Painting The Clouds With Sunshine."------ Born in Belleville, New Jersey, Nick started his career as a guitarist, earning spending money for high school, playing mandolin and banjorine, as well as guitar, with small pick-up groups. It wasn't too long after high school Nick formed his own "Kentucky Five" with Ted Fio Rito playing piano. Playing the night clubs for less than three months, they were booked for eighteen months of vaudeville. After the tour, Nick went to New York to join the Vernon Country Club band as guitarist. It's interesting to note that Nick was one of the first musicians to replace the banjo with the guitar in many of America's big name dance bands. While appearing in Europe, playing the famous Kit Kat Klub in London and The Café De Paris, he started singing with the band - a then unheard of stunt- nevertheless he received a rousing welcome for many, many months and was launched on a successful singing career accompanying himself with the guitar. As a singer and guitarist, Nick broke many attendance records and continued to be in popular demand. While playing Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel, Nick made his debut in the radio and recording field. Shortly thereafter, he arrived in Los Angeles where he was hired by Warner Brothers Studio, to sing in the "Gold Diggers Of Broadway," performing such hit songs as "Tip Toe Through The Tulips With Me" and "Painting The Clouds With Sunshine." Other films to his credit are Ziegfeld's "Show Girl" and "Sweetheart Time." Making his home in California, he was signed in later years by Ken Murray for his famous "Blackouts" and for one hundred consecutive weeks was the featured performer while appearing at Hollywood's El Capitan Theater. Nick was also the star attraction at such well-known spots as "The Shamrock Hotel" in Houston: "The Last Frontier" and "El Rancho" hotels in Las Vegas: the "Mapes" and "Golden" hotels in Reno: the "Olympia" in Miami: the "Palace" in Chicago and New York, and many, many others. Nick's casual personality and singing-style carried with it an aura of nostalgia and the songs in this album capture the listener at all times and prove the artist to have been one of the nation's perennial favorites, singing some of his most popular hit songs. He continued to make appearances in person and on television for the rest of his life and provided recordings of his voice for several film soundtracks, including, The Great Gatsby and Hearts of the West. Nick Lucas died on the 28th of July 1982 at the age of eighty-four.------http://www.nicklucas.com

reviews

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  • Slick guitar work and the singing is very strong.
    author: Ray T. Winters

    Slick guitar work and the singing is very strong. Nice rare material. Liner notes have lots of information. I'm just learning more about Nick Lucas,(new fan)and I never realized he did so many firsts. Now I'm looking for more cds of Nick Lucas.

  • Great music with powerful vocals and amazing guitar playing
    author: Robert Perkins

    This CD captures Nick Lucas in his prime. With heart-felt powerful vocals and amazing guitar picking. The guitar break on "Four-Leaf Colver" is awesome! This man deserves more credit than he gets for pioneering flatpicking guitar. If you buy this CD, you WON'T regreat it!

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