Music Deaths: Gene Summers: 1950s Rockabilly, Rock and Roll

GENE SUMMERS, 82

Died 17 February 2021

Rockabilly, Rock and Roll Singer.

Texas Rock & Roll pioneer  Called "The Texas Rebel."  His sons played with him.  Best-known for his late50s singles with his group, the Rebels.

None of his songs made the Billboard Hot 100 though.

But some of his popular ones were :

"School of Rock & Roll"

"Nervous"

"Straight Skirt"   Ooowie, ooowie, ooowie  Yes She Does!!

"Alabama Shake"

Give them a listen on You Tube.

Music Deaths: Mac Davis 'It's Hard to Be Humble'

MAC DAVIS, 78

Died 29 September 2020

Country singer/songwriter/actor

Native of Lubbock, Texas, and successful crossover artist.  Also, early in his career, wrote songs "In the Ghetto,"  and "A Little Less Conversation" for Elvis Presley.

Also wrote songs for many other artists.

Primarily a country singer, but crossed over to pop charts with:

"Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me"  (#1-1972)

"One Hell of a Woman"  (#11-1974)

"Stop and Smell the Roses"  (#9-1974)

"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"  (#15-1975)

And, then there was one of my all-time good time songs that he did, "Oh Lord, It's Hard to be Humble."

When You're Perfect in Every Way.

Richard Cole, Last WW II Doolittle Raider Dies at 103

From the April 9, 2019, Chicago Tribune.

Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, the last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, who carried out the daring U.S. attack on Japan during World War II, has died at a military hospital in Texas.  He was 103.

A spokesman says Cole died Tuesday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, but gave no additional details.

The Greatest of the Greatest Generation.

Oldies Music News: Jimmy Dean Museum, Paul Revere

1.   Groundbreaking for the new Jimmy Dean museum was held June 14th in Plainview, Texas, at Wayland Baptist College.  Plainview is his hometown and he and his wife once gave the school a $1 million donation.

His biggest hit was "Big Bad John" which went to #1 in 1961.  A few days ago, I mentioned that the song was recorded on August 18, 1961.  Another big hit was "P.T. 109" which peaked at #8 in 1962.  It was about President Kennedy's World War II service.

And then, he got into the sausage and breakfast biz.

2.  On August 8th, Paul Revere, 76, announced that he would no longer perform on the road anymore with his group, now called Paul Revere's Raiders.  His son, Jamie, will rejoin the band.  The family business, you know.

--RoadDog


SIGNS OF OLD AGE:  Neighbors borrow YOUR tools.

Ten Great Great Places to Live in 2013

From the July 25, 2013, Yahoo! Finance, Cost of Living.

These are cities based on affordability, good jobs and quality of schools.

10. DUBUQUE, IOWA, (We'll be there next week)
9. Anchorage, Alaska
8. ITHACA, NEW YORK

7. Morgantown, West Virginia
6. BILLINGS, MONTANA
5. Columbia, SC
4. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

3. Bryan/College Station, Tx
2. BURLINGTON, VERMONT
1. Little Rock, Arkansas

--RoadDog

It Was Deja Vu All Over Again: K.C.'s and Stabbings in Texas

Went over to pick up our taxes yesterday and then drove to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and played some NTN.  On the way home, we stopped at K.C.'s Cabin in Spring Grove (corner of 173 and Wilmot) and enjoyed their sandwich special.  Buy one, get one free.  And, all their food is outstanding, especially their burgers.

I got a half pound cheddar, bacon, bbq burger and fries for $7.95.

We hadn't been there since a little over five years ago.  The last time there, we were watching TV when they started showing video taken at Northern Illinois University, our old college.  This is when that unmentionable murdered five students and wounded twenty others.

Tonight on the TV, we saw where another unmentionable had stabbed 14 students at Lone Star College CyFair in Cypress, Texas.  That sent shivers down our spines.

It seemed strange that this happened the next time we went there.

Too Close to Home.

Asleep At the Wheel: One of My Favorites

From Reuters.

Like they say, "Western Swing Ain't Dead, It's Asleep At the Wheel."

And I have about ten of their CDs to show I'm a fan and have seen them once in a great show at Woodstock, Illinois' Opera House.  Now that was some big fun.

And, they've been singing those great Western Swing songs for 42 years ever since front man, 6'7" tall Ray Benson, started the group in 1970 in, get this, Paw Paw, West Virginia.  Back  then, he had no idea the group would still be around, though I believe he is the only original member and it has had a bit of a revolving door for other members.

In the process, they have wracked up nine Grammy Awards, released more than 25 albums, recently performed with Willie Nelson, and even released an album with him.

Two years ago, the band celebrated its 40th anniversary and Benson's 59th birthday, at an invitation-only party March 16th in Austin.  I was NOT invited.

In 1970, the band opened for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna.

In 1973, Asleep At the Wheel moved to Austin, Texas, at the invitation of Doug Sahm and Willie Nelson.

Of course, featuring Western Swing as they do, they play a lot of Bob Wills music.

Bob Would Be So Proud.  --RoadDog

Answers for yesterday's WHICH CAME FIRST:

Pressure Cooker (1690), Zipper (1893),  Pop-Up Toaster (1930), Electric Blender (1963)

Happy Thanksgiving

On this 386th anniversary of the "first" one back in Plymouth, New England, I'd like to wish everyone a happy.

Actually, there was a day of thanks in Virginia two years earlier, and who knows if the Lost Colony might ever had had one? The only difference was that the one by Jamestown , at the Bereley Plantation was a religious one, where a group of new-comers knealt in a prayer of thanks.

Also, this must be a great time for the three US towns named after the turkey. The most populous one is good ol' Turkey, Texas, with a bustling population of 429. I wonder if it has a high school. What would its name be: The Turkey Turkeys, The Turkey Gobblers, The Turkey, The Turkey National Birds?

By the way, when the search was on for a national bird, Benjamin Franklin suggested it be the turkey. Glad he didn't get his way on that one even if some of our politicians would appear....

More on Thanksgiving at http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com

Gonna Get My Turkey, How About You? --RoadDog