It's tempting to wonder what would have become of Johnny Burnette if he hadn't gone fishing that night in 1964. After all, by the time that speedboat came along, he was at a point in his career where he'd managed to pull off the transition from raw rockabilly singer to genuine teen idol, hitting the … Continue reading Johnny Burnette Mirrored Elvis
Category: Oldies
Dem Bones Are Still Hangin’ Around
The title of a news article from the Indonesian island of Bali triggered my musical memories recently. The story is all about how the efforts of bone smugglers have been foiled for the second time in as many weeks. It seems that there is a lot of money to be made on ancient artifacts -- … Continue reading Dem Bones Are Still Hangin’ Around
Glenn Yarbrough – Still In Strong Voice
Glenn Robertson Yarbrough (January 12, 1930 – August 11, 2016) I've always enjoyed writing about musical artists who have managed long, successful careers that have continued even into their 'senior' years. A good example is Glenn Yarbrough, who has had many years of success, both as a member of the Limeliters and as a solo … Continue reading Glenn Yarbrough – Still In Strong Voice
Hurt So Bad
I have to confess that I found this picture of a sand sculpture so fascinating that I had to build a post around it. I can only imagine the artist's frame of mind during its creation, but -- like any piece of art -- it will stir up a lot of different feelings in those … Continue reading Hurt So Bad
Early Phil Spector Project – Curtis Lee
I thought I'd cash a mental check I wrote to myself a while back, when I told the story of early pop star Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her"). At that time I mentioned that Ray eventually moved into producing, working with the then-young (and presumably trouble-free) Phil Spector to promote other performers. One … Continue reading Early Phil Spector Project – Curtis Lee
Rex Allen – Best Of The Singing Cowboys?
Rex Allen the best singing cowboy? It's certainly a startling thought, especially when you figure that most people would vote for Gene Autry or Roy Rogers. But here's the thing -- Autry himself called Allen the best cowboy among them, and Rogers said he was the best singer by far. So if you add up … Continue reading Rex Allen – Best Of The Singing Cowboys?
Remembering Dee Clark
One of the realities of the music world is that some stars are less remembered than others, even when their level of talent is head and shoulders over that of many of the bigger names. A good example might be Dee Clark, who was one of the best R&B singers of the Fifties and Sixties … Continue reading Remembering Dee Clark
The Sixth Passenger – Hawkshaw Hawkins
I've written before about the 1959 plane crash at Clear Lake, which claimed the lives of three rock and roll stars -- Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. I've also written about an eerily-similar accident that occurred a few years later, one involving country music headliners Cowboy Copas and Patsy Cline. But there … Continue reading The Sixth Passenger – Hawkshaw Hawkins
Connections – The Castells And Beyond
It doesn't take a pronouncement from Mr. Obvious to recognize that the decade of the Sixties was a volatile time in pop music. It was an era that saw a lot of strange combinations and connections -- not only in the music itself, which included everything from folk music to R&B -- but also in … Continue reading Connections – The Castells And Beyond
Putting All Your Cards On The Table
Thinking about the holidays while going through some old pictures caused me to recall a common and typical event from those days. Big family holiday dinners always included card games -- both before and after the dinner. These were typically male-only affairs -- not because the ladies didn't know how to play, but simply because … Continue reading Putting All Your Cards On The Table
Geezer Music Club 