Wednesday, October 5, 2022

The Loss Of A Country Music Legend ... And A Very Special Event That Happened 60 Years Ago Today ... (Plus A Quick Round of Congrats to Mama Cass!)


The big news yesterday, of course, was the passing of Loretta Lynn, one of the Queens Of Country Music ... The Coal Miner's Daughter ... and, without question, the most famous resident to ever make their way out of Butcher Holler, Kentucky.
 
While Lynn didn't have quite the cross-over appeal as some of her contemporaries ... just a little TOO much twang, I'm guessin' ... there is no denying the impact she made on The Country Music Charts. 
 
She scored her first country hit in 1960 with a little tune called "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl," which peaked at #14.  
 
Her first #1 Record came seven years later when "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)" ... and the hits just kept on comin' ... 79 Billboard Country Chart Hits in all thru 2010, including fifteen more #1 Records.  (Her list of Country Chart-Toppers includes five with frequent singing partner Conway Twitty.)
 
There is no shortage of press coverage for Loretta ... a true Country Music Icon.  She passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 90 on Tuesday Morning.  (Truth be told, I thought she was even older than that ... 
Didn't she perform at The White House for President Lincoln back in the day???)

Her sister Crystal Gayle proved it ran in the family by scoring a string of eighteen of her OWN #1 Hits on the Country Charts, actually besting her sister's tally!  (And several of Crystal's hits DID cross over to the pop charts, most notably "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" (#2, 1977), "Talking In Your Sleep" (#18, 1978), "Half The Way" (#15, 1979) and "You And I," a duet with Eddie Rabbitt, which went all the way to #7 in 1982.)  Incredibly, the two never recorded a hit single together.
 
Her statement upon hearing the news was brief but to the point ...
 
"The world lost a legend. We lost a sister. Love you Loretta,"

Read More: Crystal Gayle Makes Statement After Death of Loretta Lynn | https://tasteofcountry.com/crystal-gayle-statement-death-of-sister-loretta-lynn/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
"The world lost a legend.  We lost a sister.  Love you, Loretta." 
 
"The world lost a legend. We lost a sister. Love you Loretta,"

Read More: Crystal Gayle Makes Statement After Death of Loretta Lynn | https://tasteofcountry.com/crystal-gayle-statement-death-of-sister-loretta-lynn/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
 
Hi Kent,
 
I expect that you are aware of this, but just in case it has escaped you, today, 5th October, sees the 60th anniversary​‌ of the release of Love Me Do, the Beatles' debut single, in their home territory of Britain. 
 
Although not a major hit at the time it could be argued that the seed for the "Swinging Sixties" was planted on this day.
 
Please find attached a cutting from the New Musical Express (Britain's equivalent to Billboard) from a couple of weeks later when the song entered the charts.


Kindest regards,
Alan Mannings
Southern River
Western Australia
 
And finally, a tip of the cap to Mama Cass Elliot, who earned a Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame this past Monday (October 3rd.)  
 
Cass, of course, rose to fame with The Mamas and the Papas ... but also enjoyed a successful solo career after the break-up of the band, even moving on to television before she was taken from us much too soon.
 
Here's a photo of regular Forgotten Hits Contributor Harvey Kubernik with Cass' daughter Owen Elliot-Kugell at the ceremony ...