John Twang's articles

In 1972 Jerry Peters released the LP "Blueprint For Discovery" and the version of his "Going In Circles" (Jerry Peters - Anita Poree) that may force you to make a mixed drink and start smoking again. I urge you to listen to his take available on YouTube. The track has been edited for presentation on this post. The Friends Of Distinction (Floyd Butler, Jessica Cleaves, Harry Elston and Barbara Jean Love) debut album "Grazin'" includes "Going In Circles" was released in 1969 and peaked at numb…

Here is musician, songwriter, singer and record producer Ray Kennedy singing "Everytime I Think Of You" (Ray Kennedy - Jack Conrad) in a benefit concert with an attractive female trio and Malik Pointer, Ruth of the Pointer Sisters son. There was a time when Ray Kennedy was a regular dancer on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. As a saxophonist Ray appeared with Buddy Rich, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie and Gene Krupa! British group The Babys (lead vocalist John Waite, Tony Brock, Michael Cor…

The 1947 Broadway hit and Tony winning "Finian's Rainbow" introduced "Old Devil Moon" (Burton Lane - E. Y. Harnurg) sung by Ella Logan (Georgina Allan) and Donald Richards. There were a few revivals of the show along with a 1968 motion picture starring Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. Margaret Whiting with Frank DeVol And His Orchestra peaked at number eleven on the Billboard charts with "Old Devil Moon" that same year. This track is from the EP "Margaret Whiting Sings". Wikipedia: "In her chi…

The Billy Reid Orchestra with his wife Dorothy Squires as vocalist recorded "A Tree In The Meadow (I'll Love You Till I Die)" (Billy Reid) in January of 1948. Note the track is edited to include the vocal. During the thirties the Billy Reid Orchestra was one of the most famous in Britain and he was the first British songwriter to top the American charts. Margaret Whiting released "A Tree In The Meadow" with Frank DeVol's Orchestra in the summer of that year and topped the Billboard chart. Ma…

Rivers Cuomo sings "Buddy Holly" (Rivers Cuomo) from "Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo". Rivers was convinced by producer Ric Ocasek to include a studio version on his group's initial album. When Rivers was a child his father nicknamed him Weezer. Weezer's (lead vocalist Rivers Cuomo, Brian Bell, Matt Sharp and Patrick Wilson) first LP was the top twenty "The Blue Album" in 1994. The single "Buddy Holly" was released on what would have been Buddy's 58th birthday. The song peaked on…

A Christmas Day baby, Barbara Mandrell released "Years" (Kye Fleming - Dennis Morgan) from her 1979 album "Just For The Record". The single topped the Country chart and reached number thirty-eight on the Adult Contemporary chart. Barbara plays accordion, steel guitar, banjo and saxophone. The last top forty Billboard entry for Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton was "Years" in 1980. This peaked at number thirty-five on the Top One Hundred, number forty Adult Contemporary and higher of other American…

Producer Phil Spector and the composers were unhappy with The Crystals session on "Uptown" (Cynthia Wiell - Barry Mann). Phil brought in Eva Boyd as vocalist and after multiple takes she walked out. According to Cynthia: "Before Little Eva did 'The Loco-Motion,' we dragged her into a studio with Phil, and it was the first time she'd ever been on mic, and Phil was driving her crazy. And she didn't realize that when she was on the mic, even if we weren't recording you could hear what she was sayin…

In 1973 Bob Dylan recorded the chorus and melody of "Wagon Wheel" titled "Rock Me, Mama" as a demo for the movie "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid". To quote Mr. Zimmerman "I did record it, it’s on one of my old bootleg records. I recorded it with Roger McGuinn and Rita Coolidge and Booker T, at a movie studio in Hollywood." A quarter century later Ketch Secor wrote verses for his group "Old Crow Medicine Show" (Critter Fuqua, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahnig, Ketch Secor and Willie Watson). This was…

Ben Casey was an ABC television hit in the early to mid sixties. Vince Edwards (Zoine) was the star while Sam (Shalom) Jaffe co-starred and uttered the phrase "man, woman, birth, death, infinity" during the opening. The theme music for this Bing Crosby production was supplied by David Raksin the man responsible for the scores used in the movies "Carrie", "The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty", "A Big Hand For The Little Lady", "Separate Tables", "Forever Amber" and the unforgettable music from the fi…

Ray Parker wrote "You Got The Love" when he was eighteen years. old. To this date I had no idea the man had such guitar skills. This is his instrumental version of the hit. Ray toured as guitarist with the Spinners, wrote with Marvin Gaye, was a studio musician with the Invictus/Hot Wax studio, played with Stevie Wonder worked as a sideman for Barry White and was a founder of the group Raydio. All this happened before his solo successes. It was Rufus (Dennis Belfield, Al Ciner, Andre Fischer…

Here is the demo of The Outfield's (lead vocalist Tony Lewis, Alan Jackman and John Spinks) "Since You've Been Gone" (J. Spinks) as once posted on the group's website. Composer John Spinks passed away in July, 2014. His partner said "The hardest day for John was when he put his guitar in its case announcing his hands could no longer play". When it first appeared on The Outfield's 1987 LP "Bangin'", the lead single "Since You've Been Gone" peaked at number thirty-one on the Top One Hundred an…

In 1950 Pat Boone's father-in-law Red (Clyde) Foley topped both the Country and pop charts with the Owen Bradley produced "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" (Harry Stone - Jack Stapp). Red was the first country performer to record in Nashville, Tennessee. Freddy Cannon (Picariello) covered "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy" in 1960 for his debut album "The Explosive Freddy Cannon". The single hit the Billboard top forty at number thirty-four and higher on Cash Box.

Red (Clyde) Foley and The Sunshine Boys Quartet (Fred Daniel, Ace Richman, JD Sumner and Fred Wallace) reached number five on the Country chart with "Peace In The Valley" (Thomas A. Dorsey) in 1951. It was composed for Mahalia Jackson but Red had the hit. This was one of few gospel recordings to sell a million at that time. Composer Thomas A. Dorsey was known as Blues Georgia Tom and also wrote "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". Elvis Presley issued "Peace In The Valley" with the Jordanaires on…

Band leader and trumpeter Ralph Marterie was first to record the beautiful "Pretend" (Dan Belloc - Lew Douglas - Cliff Parman - Frank Levere) in 1952. The instrumental peaked at number sixteen on Billboard. It was Nat King Cole who had the definitive hit with "Pretend" issued within a month of the instrumental version. The single reached number three on Billboard and number two in the U.K.

The Romantics (lead vocalist Jimmy Marinos, Rich Cole, Wally Palmar and Mike Skill) 1980 self-titled debut LP included "What I Like About You" (Jimmy Marinos - Wally Palmar - Mike Skill). The band played the song regularly in concert, prior to recording, with positive feedback from the audience. The single reached number forty-nine on Billboard. Your poster thinks this is a fun issue. San Antonio's Michael Morales covered "What I Like About You" in 1989 from his self-titled solo album and pe…

Valerie Simpson from the composing and producing team of Ashford and Simpson presented this as a demo to Diana Ross. "Remember Me" (Ashford - Simpson). It's said this was recorded in one take including the backing of Valerie, Nick, Joshie Armstead and The Funk Brothers. All Diana had to do from this point was add her vocals. In 1971 Diana Ross issued the LP "Surrender" and the lead single "Remember Me". The release peaked at number ten Soul, twenty Easy Listening and number sixteen on the To…

I had so much respect for this man's talent, his personality, humour and his diverse music. Roger Miller's 1966 LP "Words and Music" lead single "Husbands And Wives" reached number five Country, number two on the Adult Contemporary charts as well as getting to number twenty-six on the pop listing. The duo of (Kix) Brooks and (Ronnie) Dunn covered "Husbands And Wives" on the 1998 album "If You See Her". With a lead vocal by Ronnie Dunn the issue topped the Country chart and peaked at number t…

The 1946 Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour movie "Road To Utopia" was actually shot three years earlier. When it was released the motion picture introduced the Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke hit "Personality". The composing duo wrote all the tunes in the film but the one hit was "Personality" as sung by Dorothy Lamour (Slaton). Songwriter extraordinaire and Oscar winner Johnny Mercer covered "Personality" with the Paul Weston Orchestra and The Pied Pipers peaking at the top of the…