I guess most of us probably remember the Tokens' big hit song from 1962, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," but what you might not remember is that it wasn't the last time this particular lion made an appearance on the charts. It was also a Top Ten hit a number of years later for singer Robert … Continue reading The Lion Sleeps More Than Once
Tag: Music History
Van McCoy — Disco And More
Dig out your white three-piece suit and get ready to hit the dance floor -- it's disco time! But in spite of the image that might have popped into your head, I'm not going to write about John Travolta or the Bee Gees. Instead, I thought I'd feature another performer from the era, and his … Continue reading Van McCoy — Disco And More
The Talents Of Horace Heidt
Unlike most of the entertainers I've written about, swing-era bandleader Horace Heidt's talents didn't depend on his own musical abilities. Although he could play piano, he usually left the keyboard to others. And he was never really known as a composer or arranger, like so many of his contemporaries. But he did have two things … Continue reading The Talents Of Horace Heidt
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
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
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
Minnie Riperton – A Voice Stilled Too Early
I've written many times about musical performers who died before they could enjoy the kind of long career that their talent deserved. In a lot of cases their own self-destructive behavior led to a tragic end, but some were brought down by fate. The incredible voice of Minnie Riperton was stilled at just age 31 … Continue reading Minnie Riperton – A Voice Stilled Too Early
Don Stover’s Banjo Spoke To Miners
At one time or another I've mentioned coal miners; not only recognizing the part they've played in American history but also writing about how many families (including mine) have had connections to miners at some point. I've also written about the music of coal miners, and that leads us to one of the best instrumentalists … Continue reading Don Stover’s Banjo Spoke To Miners
Geezer Music Club 