Happy Birthday, Becki Manning Dannelly: A Taurus, a Diamond and a Lifetime of Memories!

Today is a day unlike any other—it’s a celebration of my sister, one of my childhood heroes, my partner in countless adventures. Becki Manning Dannelly turns 55 today and I can’t let this milestone pass without honoring the incredible person she is.

Let’s start with the obvious: Becki doesn’t look a day over 35. Maybe 36. Our youthful appearance must be genetic—though I think it also comes from the way we live our lives. We embrace what we love, refuse to stress over the uncontrollable and share plenty of laughs along the way.
Her birthstone, the diamond, is a perfect metaphor for Becki: a symbol of love, strength and timeless beauty. And as a Taurus, she’s every bit as loyal, determined and yes, stubborn as you might expect, just like our daddy. She cherishes security, stability and her connection to the physical world—qualities that ground and inspire everyone around her.

Becki’s impact on my life goes far beyond her stellar horoscope. Growing up, she was my protector, my teacher and my co-conspirator. When I was just a little boy, she stood up to a bully who was stealing my lunch money on the bus. The school gave her a choice—three days of bus suspension or paddling. Ever practical, my parents made the call (no way were they driving her to school for three days) and Becki bravely took the paddling in my defense.

And then there’s the time she gave four-year-old me my first taste of Jack Daniels. Realizing the smell might give her away, she had me mask it with Lemon Joy dish soap. Naturally, this led to me foaming at the mouth with an attempt at covering the effects of giving me milk to absorb the dishwashing liquid after a frantic call to poison control. Becki’s quick thinking may not have been foolproof, but it certainly made for a story we’ll never forget.

Becki also taught me to ride a bike after my first attempt ended in me crashing into a tree when Dad “let go” of the seat. She patiently held onto my bike until I was ready to ride on my own—though that newfound freedom was short-lived after Becki convinced me to break Mama’s rules and ride around the block. I came home to a very upset Mama and while I got a beating for breaking the rules, Becki got one too for putting me up to it.

Our sibling adventures were as unpredictable as they were unforgettable. When my mom went into labor with me, Becki’s legendary Taurus stubbornness showed up in full force—she refused to leave the house until her Mickey Mouse Club episode ended. Upon meeting me for the first time, she declared she would’ve preferred a goat. To be fair, I did develop some unusual habits as a child—like chewing on glass, Lincoln Logs and the Tupperware tumblers I was given after the family realized I could not be trusted with glassware. But Becki took it all in stride, balancing her role as a sibling with patience, humor and the occasional tattling session.

Becki has literally saved my life more than once. My overly enthusiastic approach to water often led to risky situations, but Becki was always there to pull me out. Her swimming skills were unmatched—unlike mine, which to this day leave much to be desired.

When our parents split up, Becki stepped up in a big way and took me in. Despite my rebellious streak at the time, she showed me love, strength and stability when I needed it most. Even now, though we live 300 miles apart, I still see her as my rock and my guardian.

Becki, you’re so much more than a sister. You’ve shaped my life in immeasurable ways, from teaching me how to navigate life (and carnival thrill rides) to sharing laughs, lessons and love along the way.
On this special day, I hope you feel celebrated for the amazing person you are. To everyone reading, I’d love to hear your comments, stories and favorite memories of Becki, if you know her. And if you’d like to join in her celebration with kind words and fond recollections, your thoughtfulness would mean the world to her (and to me).

Here’s to 55 wonderful years of Becki Manning Dannelly—the rough and tough diamond of our family—and many more adventures ahead. Cheers to you, Becki!

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Remember These? Nostalgic TV Commercials That Tried to Sell Us Music We Didn’t Know We Needed

Ah, the good old days when late-night TV wasn’t dominated by binge-worthy series but by commercials—glorious, cheesy, over-the-top commercials. You know the ones I’m talking about: ads for music collections that promised us “not available in stores” greatness, delivered straight to our doorsteps (if we were willing to wait six to eight agonizing weeks). These weren’t your K-Tel collections (more on those in a future blog); no, these were the commercials and later infomercials that seemed tailor-made for anyone over the age of 40—or sometimes as it turns out, curious kids like me.
From Sessions Records to Time Life Music, these ads weren’t just selling albums—they were selling vibes, emotions and occasional hilarity. Join me on a trip down memory lane as we explore the best (and funniest) moments from the commercials that defined late-night GenX television. Grab your tape recorder, dust off your old records or CDs and let’s dive in.

First, let’s talk Sessions Records. If you were a fan of soft rock, adult contemporary or anything with vaguely dramatic undertones, these ads were your jam. The visuals often showcased emotionally charged moments: a guy and a girl talking about love songs, as the songs scroll down the screen, returning to the guy being pushed away by the girl. That scene became an endless source of entertainment for me and my friend Stig. Equipped with his Fisher-Price cassette tape video camera, we attempted to recreate the melodrama but mostly succeeded in creating unintentional comedy gold that was only ever seen by he and I. I still laugh about our failed attempts to nail the “push-away” scene.

Then there was Zamfir Plays the World’s Most Beautiful Melodies. I mean, come on—was there anything more unintentionally hilarious than this commercial? Zamfir, with his pan flute, was essentially the New Age version of a rock star. To my younger self, the pan flute sounded a lot like the recorders we’d learned to play in elementary school. My ex-boyfriend Ritchie and his sister Angie didn’t just laugh at the idea; we came up with a whole plan to become performance artists at the square in Pensacola, armed with karaoke tapes and recorders. Angie even wondered out loud about Zamfir’s touring schedule, whether colds could derail his career and the possibility of Zamfir groupies (if you’re out there, pan flute fans, Angie salutes you).

This one was iconic—a soothing collection of New Age hits marketed as “not available in stores,” though most of us eventually snagged copies locally in Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Camelot. I still have my original CD and even managed to collect the later volumes. Whether you were trying to relax after school or just loved the epic, ambient soundscape, Pure Moods was the soundtrack of dreamy GenX afternoons, or for some of us that were a bit too frisky at times, our weird soundtrack to get our freak on.

Speaking of getting our freak on, Time Life Music’s Ultimate Love Songs Collection played at the most bizarre times, like 1 a.m. when you’d already dozed off to WWF Superstars. Just when you thought your night couldn’t get weirder, Celine Dion would belt out something like The Power of Love to jolt you awake followed by Michael Bolton asking how he's supposed to live without you. These collections knew how to hit us with the drama—the love songs paired perfectly with the late-night haze. I can honestly say, I didn't buy it...I already had all the tunes on the full length albums because well, I'm an eclectic weirdo.

Living in Vegas brought its own brand of commercial magic: Michael Crawford Performs the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber ran on repeat even though the album had been out for years. Crawford’s role in EFX at the MGM Grand might’ve been old news by then, but these commercial kept his theatrical vibes alive in the city and totally monopolized on his Phantom fame among the tourists that came to Vegas hoping he would belt out The Music of the Night rather than Counting Up To Twenty. In related news, while I was living in Kentucky, the Sarah Brightman Surrender album commercial appeared on random cable networks and it was Phantom-fan bait, pure and simple—and yes, though it said not available in stores, I ordered it during the early days of AOL. Who else remembers painstakingly loading CDNow after connected to AOL with that dial-up sound buzzing in the background before hearing "Welcome! You've Got Mail?" Good times.

Looking back at these music commercials, I can’t help but laugh at their earnestness and unintentional comedy. They weren’t just selling albums—they were selling moments, ideas and for some, pure hilarity. Whether it was the enchanting allure of pan flutes, the melodrama of soft rock or songs that jolted us awake in the dead of night, these ads had a knack for sticking with us. Before I wrap this up, there’s one more I just have to mention. This particular Vegas personality left an impression—not so much for his music, but for his adoring fans, mostly elderly women, who entertained me far more than his performance did (I had comp tickets while in Vegas, who didn't?). Does anyone else remember this classic commercial from my elementary school days? Mr. Humperdinck, if you please…

What about you? Do any of these commercials strike a chord (pun intended)? Which ones do you remember most vividly? Share your nostalgia in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories, laughs or even see your failed video recreations. And hey, if these nostalgic musings made you smile, any small gesture of support would be a huge help in keeping the memory lane tour alive and well. 😉 Here’s to the days when TV sold us music we didn’t know we needed. Now, excuse me while I dust off my Pure Moods CD for a quick sound bath. 🎵✨

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