Exactly six years ago today we spotlighted J.P. Richardson, better known as the Big Bopper, a DJ and songwriter-turned performer who had the misfortune to go down in the same 1959 plane crash that took the life of Buddy Holly. But just before that, he was instrumental in getting another rock and roller off to … Continue reading Johnny Preston Got A Boost From The Big Bopper
Category: Oldies
Five-Star Favs: It All Began On MTV
Yes folks, it's time for another edition of Five Star Favs, the GMC Special Feature that has a pretty simple premise: it spotlights one of my tip-top, all time favorites. And a few of those might surprise you. For example, my infatuation with today's featured song began about thirty years ago when I saw it … Continue reading Five-Star Favs: It All Began On MTV
What, Another Singing Actor?
We might seem to be in a bit of a rut by featuring yet another actor/singer, but the story of Bill Hayes is a lot different from that of a recent GMC subject, Eddie Albert. For one thing, in 1955 he charted a #1 hit record -- "Ballad Of Davy Crockett" -- and for another, … Continue reading What, Another Singing Actor?
The Tornadoes – Not The Tornados
If you're a fan of guitar instrumentals from the early 1960s, you might remember a group known as the Tornados, a British combo that had a #1 record with "Telstar" in 1962. But we're instead going to spotlight the Tornadoes, an American band that also had a couple of hits (although not as highly charted), … Continue reading The Tornadoes – Not The Tornados
Saluting Silly Songs – A Puzzle In Purple
I don't think there's any doubt that "Purple People Eater" is a song that qualifies for our Saluting Silly Songs feature. In case you don't remember, it was a huge #1 record for singer/songwriter Sheb Wooley in 1958. But it's also been sort of misunderstood through the years, because the question arose: was the alien … Continue reading Saluting Silly Songs – A Puzzle In Purple
Freddie And The Dreamers – Dancin’ The Freddie
In the early 1960s, the pop music flood that was the British Invasion included several bands that tried to present something a little different from what was being offered by the likes of the Beatles and Rolling Stones. One of the groups that seemed to be having a lot of fun was Freddy and the … Continue reading Freddie And The Dreamers – Dancin’ The Freddie
Everly Brothers Helped With Bob Luman’s Big Decision
One of the many rockabilly stars who later embraced country music, Bob Luman had a solid career that included several Top Ten records, including his biggest hits, "Let's Think About Living" and "Lonely Women Make Good Lovers." But he almost left music behind for another career -- as a professional baseball player -- before the Everly … Continue reading Everly Brothers Helped With Bob Luman’s Big Decision
The Honeys’ Connection To The Beach Boys
You might not remember a 1960s singing trio named the Honeys (or the Rovell Sisters, or even Ginger and the Snaps, depending on when you heard them). After all, the girls didn't have any Top Ten hits during their relatively short career even though they did make some good records. But they had a few … Continue reading The Honeys’ Connection To The Beach Boys
The Bobbettes And Mr. Lee Redux
In some ways, the girl group known as the Bobbettes was a typical one-hit wonder. (Although you might remember that I argued a while back that the term shouldn't be used so negatively.) The Bobbettes did qualify for the sobriquet, with 1957's "Mr. Lee" hitting #1 on R&B charts and even climbing into the Top … Continue reading The Bobbettes And Mr. Lee Redux
Baltimore’s Own Ronnie Dove
Over the course of Ronnie Dove's long career, which began well over a half-century ago, the talented singer has been a little hard to classify. In his later years he's often been called a country crooner, but he was also an important part of the early days of pop music. And even though he officially … Continue reading Baltimore’s Own Ronnie Dove
Geezer Music Club 