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Publication date  /  2018  /  May   -   29 articles

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  • Hearts

    - 01 May 2018
    Jesse Barish recorded "Hearts" for the CD "Father Sun" featuring acoustic guitar with his son A.J. It was John who backed Papa John Phillips on flute and percussion on the "Wolfking Of L.A." tour. Former Jefferson Starship and Jefferson Airplane

  • Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

    - 02 May 2018
    Singer, songwriter and actor Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five (Clarence Johnson, Lem Johnson, Charlie Drayton, Walter Martin and Courtney Williams) released "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" (Louis Jordan - Billy Austin) in 1943 as the B side to "G.I.

  • La La Peace Song

    - 03 May 2018
    From the LP "La La Peace Song" "O.C. (Ocie) Smith was first to record "La La Peace Song" (Johnny Bristol - Elizabeth Martin) in 1973. It was re-released months later and entered the Billboard chart stalling at number sixty-two pop and thirty-six Adult

  • Bennie And The Jets

    - 04 May 2018
    Just a drum beat and some double tracking on Elton John's demo of "Bennie And The Jets" (Elton John - Bernie Taupin) for the 1973 LP "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". Elton wasn't going to have the single issued until heavy airplay on CKLW Windsor/Detroit

  • Today

    - 05 May 2018
    Randy Sparks sings the original "Today". Randy founded The New Christy Minstrels and The Back Porch Majority. In 1961 Randy Sparks was the spark behind the ten member group The New Christy Minstrels who sang "Today" for the Glenn Ford film "Advance To

  • Hey Joe

    - 06 May 2018
    Discovered by Pat Boone, The Leaves (John Beck, Jim Pons, Tom Ray, Robert Lee Reiner and Bill Rinehart) 1965 effort "Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go" (Billy Roberts) has been rerecorded several times by the same band. A 1966 recording by the group as "Hey

  • Twelfth Street Rag

    - 07 May 2018
    The Earl Fuller's Rector Novelty Band recorded "The Twelfth Street Rag" (Euday L. Bowman) in 1917. Earl Fuller's Band played at Rector's Restaurant in New York City and included Teddy Brown on drums and xylophone, Bill Scotti on clarinet, alto sax and

  • Way Down

    - 08 May 2018
    Layng Martine, Jr. wrote "Way Down" and this track is from the two CD set "Writing For The King" and was the demo which included the J.D. Sumner bass part. Layng also authored "Rub It In" and "Should I Do It". Elvis Presley recorded the LP "Moody Blue"

  • Good Luck Charm

    - 08 May 2018
    "Writing For The King" was a 2 CD set and entertaining book issued in late 2006. Robert Moseley sang the demo for "Good Luck Charm" (Aaron Schroeder - Wally Gold). According to Wikipedia Kenny Dino (Diono) recorded the demo but I'll go with the published

  • Love Me Or Leave Me

    - 09 May 2018
    Ruth Etting's "Love Me Or Leave Me" (Walter Donaldson - Gus Kahn) was issued in 1929 and peaked at number two on the charts. Ruth sang the song in the 1928 Broadway production of "Whoopee!" starring Ruth and Eddie Cantor. The musical featured "Makin'

  • Dance Hall Days

    - 10 May 2018
    This is the original 1982 Huang Chung (Jack Hues aka Jeremy Ryder, Nick Feldman, Dave Burnand and Darren Costin) issue of this edited version of "Dance Hall Days" (Hues) to be found on their self titled album. Apparently Huang Chung is Mandarin for

  • Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)

    - 11 May 2018
    "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" (Morty Craft - Selma Craft) by The Shepherd Sisters (Gayle, Judith, Martha and Marylou Shepherd) peaked at number eighteen on Billboard in 1957. The composers owned the Lance record label it was released on at that time.

  • Put A Little Love In Your Heart

    - 12 May 2018
    Jackie DeShannon (Sharon Myers) recorded "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" (Jackie DeShannon - Randy Myers - Jimmy Holiday) in 1969 written with her brother Randy Myers and the late R&B singer Jimmy Holiday. The single peaked at number four pop and

  • Gidget

    - 13 May 2018
    The song "Gidget" (Fred Karger - Patti Washington) is from the 1959 Sandra Dee, James Darren movie of the same name. The first time it's sung in the film is at the start of the story when The Four Preps (lead vocalist Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, Marv Ingram

  • Three O'Clock Blues

    - 14 May 2018
    The original "Three O'clock Blues" was recorded by Lowell Fulson with his brother Martin in 1946. The single was released two years later and established his career. The same tune probably launched another career when B. B. King topped the R&B chart

  • Scarborough Fair

    - 15 May 2018
    The traditional British ballad "Scarborough Fair" is based on the song "The Elfin Knight" from the seventeenth century. The earliest recorded version of "Scarborough Fair" (Traditional) is on the 1955 album "Encores From The Abbaye" sung by Gordon Heath

  • We Got The Beat

    - 16 May 2018
    The Go-Go's (lead vocalist Belinda Carlisle, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock, Kathy Valentine and Jane Wiedlin) first recorded "We Got The Beat" (Charlotte Caffey) in 1980. It became a club scene hit. In 1981 The Go-Go's re-recorded "We Got The Beat" for

  • Vacation

    - 16 May 2018
    Textones (Kathy Valentine, Markus Cuff, Carla Olson and David Provost) featuring Austin's Kathy Valentine & Carla Olson were first to record "Vacation" (Kathy Valentine). When Kathy Valentine joined The Go-Go's (lead vocalist Belinda Carlisle,

  • What Now My Love (Et Maintenant)

    - 17 May 2018
    The immensely talented composer, performer Gilbert Becaud (Silly) topped the French chart with the bolero styled "Et Maitenant" (Gilbert Becaud - Pierre Delanoe) in 1961. The song was Gilbert's first taste of success and originally released as a B side.

  • The Hucklebuck (D'Natural Blues)

    - 18 May 2018
    "Lucky" Millinder's (Lucius Venable) "D'Natural Blues" (Millinder -Glover) must be heard throughout the 1948 recording to be appreciated. Lucky could not read music, didn't play an instrument and seldom tried to sing but he was a showman. Detroit

  • I Love Paris

    - 19 May 2018
    Cole Porter's "Can-Can" starred Lilo (Lilo Jourdan de la Passardiere) singing "I Love Paris" in the original Broadway musical production. The German born French actress did not speak English and learned the songs phonetically. The show ran for two years

  • Thank God I'm A Country Boy

    - 20 May 2018
    John Martin Sommers wrote "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" when he was a member of the John Denver Band. He is featured here on vocals and playing fiddle during a 2015 John Denver tribute concert at El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. John Martin Sommers

  • Tangerine

    - 21 May 2018
    "Tangerine" (Victor Schertzinger - Johnny Mercer) was introduced in the Victor Schertzinger directed film "The Fleet's In" starring Williams Holden, Dorothy Lamour and Betty Hutton' in her first movie role. The tune hit number one for the Jimmy Dorsey

  • Dreamin' (Vanessa Williams)

    - 24 May 2018
    This is from their1986 self-titled Motown LP. The family group Guinn (Bonnie, Earl, Lori, Marjorie, Michel, Randy and Skip Guinn) issued "Dreamin'" (L. Horton - G. Broomfield) as a not too successful single. Singer, actress, designer and once crowned

  • Whispering Hope (Loreley)

    - 24 May 2018
    Composer Robert Schumann's wife Heine wrote the poem Die Loreley in 1823 and composer Silcher wrote the music in 1838. Original title of the poem was "Ich weiss nicht was soll es bedeuten". Inventor of the gramophone Emile Berliner himself placed this as

  • Winning

    - 25 May 2018
    Once the lead vocalist and guitarist for Argent, Russ Ballard released the 1976 solo LP and single "Winning" featuring the song of the same name. The 1981 top ten album "Zebop!" by Santana (Carlos Santana, lead vocalist Alex Ligertwood, Alan Pasqua,

  • Game Of Love (The)

    - 25 May 2018
    (Carlos) Santana and Tina Turner teamed for "Game Of Love" (Gregg Alexander - Rick Nowels) but Tina decided she didn't want to be involved in the video. This had label boss Clive Davis look for a female replacement. Eventually the Tina Turner track was

  • Stormy Weather

    - 30 May 2018
    "Stormy Weather" was written specifically for Cab (Cabell) Calloway and the 1933 production "Cotton Club Parade". Cab had just left as Cotton Club bandleader in Harlem and the producers met with Ethel Waters who agreed to sing the song in the show. In her

  • Ramrod

    - 31 May 2018
    "Ramrod" (Al Casey) was originally released on the Ford label by Duane Eddy and His Rock-A-Billies in 1957. Al Casey is actually playing lead guitar! The more successful version of "Ramrod" came a year later when producer Lee Hazlewood added the