Peckerwood Manor

Are you freaking out about the election tomorrow? Me, too. Or maybe you're having a more generalized "It's Monday, oh-my-fucking-gawd" freak out? In either case, please allow Peckerwood Manor's esteemed DJ Li'l Scratch to take you away. Many of you already know about Li'l Scratch, as he regularly lays tracks at "Heavy D's," the Manor's exclusive after-hours club.  Today he's spinning Teri Thornton, a vibrant, husky-voiced jazz singer and piano player who hailed from Detroit. In 1961, she exploded onto the scene with her debut LP, "Devil May Care," demonstrating show-stopping vocal prowess. The reviews were through the roof and so was the public reception, yet just as suddenly - poof - she vanished after a few more LPs, her career thwarted by market changes given the rise of rock 'n' roll. And that was that. She was all but forgotten, reduced to driving a taxi to make ends meet.  But in a jaw-dropping comeback, she re...

  Tony Bennett, American singer and civil rights activist, has passed away at the age of 96. During his career, Mr. Bennett racked up 20 Grammys, 2 Prime Time Emmys, a Lifetime Achievement award, and a Kennedy Center honor. He sold over 50 million records. Mr. Bennett was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto in NYC to Italian immigrants. He grew up listening to the greats - Judy Garland, Louie Armstrong, and Al Jolson. He enrolled at New York's School of Industrial Arts to pursue his passion for music and painting. He didn't graduate as he dropped out to help his family financially. Mr. Bennett took on a numerous odd jobs but his love for music never left.  His career in entertainment began when he started covering songs that were popular at the time. He continued to sing renditions until his big break came in 1962 when he recorded, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" which was originally an opera song. It became a huge hit and synonymous with him. The 1970's - 1980...