Tuesday This And That

With all the attention being paid lately to Connie Francis' 1962 recording of "Pretty Little Baby," Neil Sedaka (another Deserving and Denied Artist worthy of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction) has come forward with a bit of congratulations ... and his own story to tell about working with Connie.

I got this from Tom Cuddy ...

'I did not know you wrote this,' many fans admitted of the 'brilliant' song from the late '50s.
(Source: Parade)
https://share.google/RTV0C9N0dBsrhlVYL

Here’s a fun poll from the folks at Me-TV-FM …

https://www.metv.com/quiz/musical-abcs-choose-your-favorite-bands-one-letter-at-a-time/

While the images from the e-paper about Wally (Walt) Kemp of NC6 are good, the webpage version is better, and does have all the photography from the article ... no paywall back-trap as far as I can tell ...

https://www.midfloridanewspapers.com/highlands_sun/tanglewood-seniors-break-sterotype-by-forming-local-garage-band/article_6f8cef00-f8b1-11ef-a21b-bbcf1a2e7040.html (link)

Bob Frable

It is a whole lot easier to read … but I only see the first photo here and not the others offered in what we posted to the FH Page.  Either way, I think it’s great that Walt (he’ll always be Wally to me!) is getting a little bit of press all these years later … and having fun playing music again!  (kk)

Very cool.  I hope it's well received by you audience.  It was just a "cheap thrill"  and I thought I'd share.  Gotta keep Ray and Ronnie on their toes.

Thanks much.

Walt

Also, just to clarify … that Cousin Brucie free event June 5th with Tony Orlando Kim is at (famous-Pittsburgh-based-bank-sponsored) Garden State Arts Center, off exit 116 of the Garden State Parkway.  Although there are other roads that might enable you to get there without paying tolls; I can't find anything about free shuttle buses from the nearby New Jersey Transit Aberdeen-Matawan railway station; and of course, given the limited number of tickets, you'll have to go to www.GSAFoundation.org to request tickets …

or here's a direct link:
https://crm.nonprofiteasy.com/12080/Pages/Events/#/Details/12038// (link)

Bob Frable

Thanks, Bob …

If you go, we want a full concert review!  (kk)

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

5/27/65 – Actor Todd Bridges is born  (Whutchew talkinbout Willis?)

A Monday Morning Quickie

And the hits just keep on comin’!!!

From Tom Cuddy …

EVERY BILLBOARD HOT 100 #1 HIT (1970 - 1979) WITH VIDEO

https://youtu.be/vn31QxV2yoo?si=escETswgrjFNO42v

Hi! There, Kent . . .

I hear from my buddy Ray that you’re making some noise for my favorite group of the Sixties, the New Colony Six. 

Except for Ray and Ronnie, I don’t think any of the other “original” members are still active in music and performing.  Although not on their level, I still do a bit of strumming down here in Sebring, FL.  In fact, a local tabloid recently did a very nice article on the group I’m currently working with.  I’ve attached the article in case you want to add it to the NC6 archives.

Also, I’ll be performing in a local theater version of the musical play “Buddy” … naturally, playing bass ... might even have to learn how to play a stand-up bass.

Anyway, keep up the good work . . . rock on . . . and, “Do Be Colony!”

Walt

Hey Walt!

Great to hear from you!  Glad you're doing well and still enjoying playing the music after all these years!  (I swear it's about the only thing that keeps us young!!!)

I have great new appreciation for the stand-up bass ... gotta be one of the most difficult things to play, going strictly be "feel" I imagine ... but boy, it sure played a vital part in the early sound of rock and roll.  (I've read that Bill Black, when given an electric bass to play for Elvis, never really could adapt ... and, on several of those later recordings, Elvis had to dub in the bass himself!  Hard to believe!)

Take care ... and again, thanks for taking the time to drop us a note!  (kk)

I sat next to Ringo the other night at a T-bone Burnett show at McCabe’s.

Ardas Khalsa 

Man, I have been trying to get a minute with Ringo for a couple of years now … but just can’t seem to make the connection.  (He is VERY well guarded in this area!)

I wanted to tell him about the Dick Biondi documentary … and see if I could get him to say just a few words about Dick being the first DJ in America to play a Beatles record.  (Actually, I would think he’d be happy to do so … even if it’s just a quick “Thank You, Dick” … but no luck.)

If ANYBODY out there can help to make this happen, please let me know … I would really appreciate the acknowledgement (and I think a comment like that would make the film!)  kk

Tom Cuddy reminds us that songwriter Roger Nichols passed away on May 17^th.  Nichols cowrote the 1970’s hits “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” (all hits for The Carpenters, written with Paul Williams) as well as “Out in the Country” by Three Dog Night and “Times of Your Life” by Paul Anka.  His other hits include “Someday Man” by The Monkees and “Talk It Over In The Morning” by Anne Murray.  (kk)

Happy Birthday 🎈🎂🎁🎉 to Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers!

Also remembering "Cheers" star George Wendt … and including a Donna Pescow, too. 

Jim Roup

 

More from Jim ... 

Hey Kent! Nice story on George Wendt!  

Wishing a Happy 80th Birthday 🎈🎂🎉🎊 to Priscilla Presley. Saw her around my neighborhood one day. 

Then you'll LOVE this one ...

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2021/06/from-archives-priscilla-presley.html

A snippet from the "Life of Buell ... "

And, from Timmy …

A pristine copy of a classic album.

Hey, who knows ...

It could be worth a fortune with that custom, one-of-a-kind artwork!  (kk)

KENT …

Cousin Brucie Presents Tony Orlando & Andy Kim In Free Concert.

Thursday --- June 5 At 7:30 PM / Garden State Arts Foundation, New Jersey

Cousin Brucie Will Present Tony Orlando With The Prestigious Frances Albert Sinatra Tribute To The Performing Arts Award, An Honor Established In 1993 And Given to Those Who Enrich New Jersey's Cultural Life.

This Is The Second Time Tony Orlando Came Back Out Of Retirement For Cousin Brucie’s Show.

I Guess We Can Say That Tony Is Retired --- Except For Cousin Brucie Concerts.

FRANK B

Speaking of Cool Concerts, Ron Onesti’s got a GREAT show coming up at The Des Plaines Theatre on July 27^th …

New Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee Chubby Checker and Brian Hyland, both on a double bill … and great seats are still available.  (Man, I wanna go to THIS one!!!)

More information here:  https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/96854604/chubby-checker-with-brian-hyland-des-plaines-des-plaines-theatre?_gl=1*12eftt9*_ga*MTQ0NTA2NzM4Mi4xNzQ4MTQyNjkx*_ga_Y7YQZDVHC9*czE3NDgxNDI2OTEkbzEkZzEkdDE3NDgxNDI3MjEkajMwJGwwJGgwJGRJZ3VCY1o0N05jWmxOZWRBX2ItVy1lNWlFaGRNWDRzRi1R

Brand New Posting To The Ed Sullivan You Tube Station = 

The Crew Cuts Singing "SH-BOOM."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89bwImW95rY

I Like The Chords' Version Better.

FRANK B.

Hi Kent,

I thought your readers might be interested in knowing about our incredible warehouse full of mint 45 vinyl from the days when I ran a company that supplied oldie 45s to record stores all over the world.

This may be of special interested to those on your list who collect 45s or maintain jukeboxes filled with oldies.  These are all brand new, mint copies.

If you're looking for unplayed, hard-to-find 45rpm vinyl singles for your jukebox, this California warehouse has over 30,000 original hits in all categories on ALL labels from the 50s to the 90s . Everything in one place!

Just email your want list to info@ericrecords.com and include your phone number. A vinyl expert with 65 years of experience will contact you anywhere in the world.

More info and examples here: https://www.ericrecords.com/45rpmSale.html

Here's a picture of just one aisle in their warehouse:

Bill Buster
EricRecords.com
P.O. Box 2216
San Leandro, CA  94577
(510) 351-2122 (Direct Phone)

May 25th, 1965

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

5/25/65 – Now fighting as Muhammad Ali, Ali knocks out Sonny Liston at 2:12 of the first round of their rematch to retain his newly won heavyweight championship title.

The bout came fifteen months (to the day) after their original meeting when Ali (then fighting as Cassius Clay), an 8-1 underdog, scored his upset knock-out of then-champion Liston in the seventh round.

The second fight has been surrounded in controversy ever since it happened.  Liston went down on what was described at the time as Ali's "phantom punch" ... if you watch the clip, even Ali himself didn't realize the former champ was down ... he continued to swing into thin air until he realized there was nothing there left to hit!

Legendary Broadcaster Howard Cosell, who was there (as he always seemed to be) calling the fight later said, "I saw it ... it wouldn't have split a pea."

Rumors of a fix have prevailed ever since, often fueled by Liston himself who had fallen in with a group of Las Vegas gangsters.  It seems to be generally believed, however, that if, in fact, a fix WERE in place, Ali never knew about it and was none the wiser when Liston went down so easily just 2:12 into the first round.  (Ali would have been outraged, incensed and insulted to think that ANYBODY could believe he wouldn't have won the fight thru his own superior abilities!  He was, after all, The Greatest!)

The fact that Ali would give Liston a rematch that soon after their original bout showed that Ali wasn't ducking ANYBODY in the ring.  But it was ALSO highly motivated by a then record-breaking pay day ... Ali was paid $630,000 for the fight (that's about $6.3 million in 2025 money)  If, in fact, there WERE a fix in place, it is said that Liston could make more money by LOSING the fight than he would have made winning it.  (An excellent book depicting just how low Sonny Liston's career had sunk by 1965 is "The Murder Of Sonny Liston," which is another controversy unto itself!)   

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Sonny-Liston-Heroin-Heavyweights/

(For the record, their first fight was not without controversy ... it is believed that Liston's trainer put some type of ointment on Liston's glove that was transferred to Ali's eye, causing him minutes of blindness during the fifth round.)

The very idea that the ENTIRE fight can be shown here in one short YouTube clip says a lot about the Champion's domination at the time.  (Notice how the commentator continues to refer to Ali as "Clay" ... this would be a fairly common practice for the first couple of years after Ali changed his name when adopting the Nation Of Islam as his religion the year before.)

Read our coverage of the FIRST Ali / Liston fight here:

http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2024/02/february-25th-1964.html

Also on 5/25, Dave Davies of The Kinks falls and injures himself onstage during a Kinks concert being held at The Capital Theatre in Cardiff, Wales.  It forces the group to cancel the rest of their tour.  (Some say he was knocked unconscious by drummer Mick Avory in an on stage scuffle.  Regardless, all agree that Muhammad Ali had NOTHING to do with this incident, as he was busy knocking out Sonny Liston at the time in Lewiston, Maine.)

Also on 5/25, Blues Singer Sonny Boy Williamson dies in his sleep