Keeping Up With The Tymes

Sorry about the title of this piece, but I couldn't resist. For those who might have forgotten, the Philly-based R&B group known as the Tymes made a big splash in the early 1960s, hitting the top of the charts with "So Much In Love." Original members Donald Banks, Albert Berry, Norman Burnett, and George Hilliard … Continue reading Keeping Up With The Tymes

And The Winner Is….Me

At least I hope so. I'm sort of setting aside the music stuff today (although I've still included a good tune below) because I wanted to report something. Random visitors will have no idea what I'm talking about, but regulars will remember that a few days ago I wrote that I was on the horns … Continue reading And The Winner Is….Me

The Kendalls – An Unusual Duet

Both of my kids have many talents and I've always been very proud of them, but I don't remember either of them ever doing much singing. To take it a step further, I also don't remember ever singing a duet with either of them. But that's not true in all families, which helps explain how … Continue reading The Kendalls – An Unusual Duet

The Two Careers Of Len Barry

A relatively common occurrence in early rock and roll --and in most other types of music too, for that matter -- is when a key member of a successful musical group breaks off and goes solo. It sometimes proves to be a bad idea, but in many cases the newly-minted soloist does find some success, … Continue reading The Two Careers Of Len Barry

Decisions, Decisions – Kindle Or Nook?

For a long time I've been pretty lukewarm about ebook readers. They were awkward single-use gizmos that not only cost a lot initially, but also kept gigging your credit card every time you bought a new book. Nice for the bookstore, but since it's been well established that I'm so tight I squeak there was … Continue reading Decisions, Decisions – Kindle Or Nook?

Time Keeps Marching On

One of the ways we all mark the passage of time is by looking at pictures from many years ago. If those pictures are of ourselves we can only groan and wonder where the years went, but when they depict others we might have a variety of reactions. Whether we realize it or not, most … Continue reading Time Keeps Marching On

Getting To Know The Triplets

Movie music is an area I've ventured into from time to time, but I don't think I've ever written about a film that I saw a few years ago and loved in spite of the fact that it's in French and I do not speak the language. Of course, I should mention that it's a … Continue reading Getting To Know The Triplets

Dave Pell – The Real Thing

I've mentioned before that I sometimes regret dumping all my old vinyl LPs in favor of CDs (most recently in Bye-Bye To Brubeck Bossa Nova). Another of those missing albums came to mind today. It was an odd-looking one -- transparent gold instead of black -- recorded by a bandleader that I assumed at the … Continue reading Dave Pell – The Real Thing

Jimmy Ruffin’s Turning Point

A familiar name in the history of R&B music is that of the Temptations, a singing group with many years of success and countless adoring fans. But what you might not know is the story of Jimmy Ruffin, who turned down a chance to sing in the group and instead recommended his little brother, but … Continue reading Jimmy Ruffin’s Turning Point

Olds Convertibles – Then And Now

During my teen years, I often rode shotgun with a buddy of mine who had a snazzy sky-blue Oldsmobile convertible. My own car was an old Buick often described as the 'Kitchen Cabinet Special'. (The origin of that name is spelled out in an earlier piece, Rebel Without A Clue.) I have to admit that … Continue reading Olds Convertibles – Then And Now