Dolly Parton – Stairway to Heaven

An evening pause: Parton often likes to invoke the dumb blonde in her stage presence, but this is one thing she definitely is not. This performance demonstrates that she knows music, and how to do it, with great skill, talent, and intelligence.

The music will at times appear to be out of sync, because the visuals come from one live performance but the sound from another. They match remarkably well however. Ignore this minor issue, and instead watch the talent perform.

Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.

Kukla, Fran and Ollie – Here We Are Again

A evening pause: Hat tip Jim Mallamace, who writes, “Before there was Shari Lewis; before there were the Muppets, there was Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. An American television staple from 1947 – 1957, Kukla, Fran, and Ollie demonstrated there would be as large an adult audience for puppetry as there was a child audience. Burr Tillstrom voiced all the puppets. Fran Allison was the host. In this video, they sing their theme song ‘Here We Are Again.'”

Do a quick search on youtube and you can find clips of them singing songs from things like The Mikado and doing satire on television advertising. As primitive as it might seem when compared to modern television, this was a children’s show with a whiff of sophistication.

Katie Mullins – A Disney Love Song Medley (on the ukulele)

An evening pause: In order, “Kiss the Girl” (The Little Mermaid), “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (The Lion King), “A Whole New World” (Aladdin), “I See the Light” (Tangled), and “You’ll Be in My Heart” (Tarzan), and then finishing with a reprise of “A Whole New World.” All good songs, but to my ear, it is very clear that “A Whole New World” stands out.

And the singer is really joyous.

Hat tip Jim Mallamace.

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