One of the best stories from the early days of rock and roll might be that of the brother and sister rockabilly act known as the Collins Kids. When the Oklahoma-born siblings first joined radio's Town Hall Party in 1954, Larry (Lawrence) was just ten and Lorrie (Lawrencine) a couple of years older, but they wowed … Continue reading Ricky Nelson Loved The Collins Kids
Category: Oldies
The Return Of My Nemesis
Nothing too profound today (unlike normal days when my profundity is breathtaking to behold) but I did want to report that I'm starting to get that feeling of unease that occurs every year about this time. You know the one I mean -- fear of the rapidly growing grass and subsequent lawn care. Regular readers … Continue reading The Return Of My Nemesis
The Happenings Are Happening Again
Like so many other 'oldies' groups, the 1960s combo known as The Happenings has been reincarnated in recent years and seems to have found some success, judging from the video below. Some of the original guys are on board (literally, when playing on cruise ships) and are helping recreate the sounds of the past, including … Continue reading The Happenings Are Happening Again
The Voice Of Sue Thompson
I've always been intrigued by performers who managed to extend their careers by transitioning from one kind of music to another. Some those who succeeded are more remembered than others, but many long-time music fans might recall Sue Thompson, who rose to fame as an early 1960s pop star but later returned to her country … Continue reading The Voice Of Sue Thompson
The Bel Airs – Early California Surf Sound
I have to admit that the only Bel Air I remember from the early 1960s was the Chevrolet model carrying the name -- although I might have been vaguely aware of the affluent section of Los Angeles that the auto was presumably named for. But it turns out that one of the songs that was … Continue reading The Bel Airs – Early California Surf Sound
Even Elvis Loved Bumper Cars
A bunch of fascinating pictures from one of our regulars (thanks, M!) led to today's feature. Apparently a guy in San Diego has spent a lot of time and effort making fancy, customized, street-ready vehicles from old bumper cars that were salvaged from a defunct amusement park. Although there aren't many of the original bumper … Continue reading Even Elvis Loved Bumper Cars
The Enigma Of ‘?’ and the Mysterians
The problem that arises when writing about a rock star known as '?' is that the use of the question mark symbol in cyberspace can sometimes cause unexpected results. In some ways it's even trickier than Prince's strange former name (which I won't even try to reproduce) because it is a legitimate punctuation mark, even … Continue reading The Enigma Of ‘?’ and the Mysterians
Rediscovering The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
I have to confess that I wasn't really too attuned to the music of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils during the 1970s, when the country-rock sextet was hitting the charts with regularity. In fact, I can't say that I even remember the group in those days, but that was mostly because I wasn't really listening to … Continue reading Rediscovering The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
The Tale Of The Big Bird Dog
A mention of the Everly Brothers in a recent post reminded me of a memory from my high school football days, of a time when one of the duo's biggest hit songs became a dreaded sound for me. It was a song called "Bird Dog," which most fans of music from the era will remember … Continue reading The Tale Of The Big Bird Dog
Kalin Twins Reminiscent Of Everlys
Although the Kalin Twins were contemporaries of the early Everlys and might have had some things in common with the legendary duo, they came up short in most ways related to music. But Herbert and Harold Kalin -- who both died a few years back -- did enjoy a nice career, peaking with their 1958 … Continue reading Kalin Twins Reminiscent Of Everlys
Geezer Music Club 