Rock Deaths in 2014: "Mexican Hat Rock"

DAVE APPELL, 92  Died Nov. 18, 2014.

Leader of the instrumental group Applejacks who had top 40 hits with "Mexican hat Rock (#16 in 1958) and Rocka-Conga" (#38 in 1959).  I just listened to them on You Tube.  Now you can Hat dance and Conga while your rock and roll.

Later, he became the leader of the house band on the Cameo and Parkway labels and backed Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and the Dovells.

He also co-wrote many of the labels' hits including "Let's Twist Again, "Mashed Potato Time" and "South Street."

After that, he co-produced Tony Orlando & dawns hits "Knock Three Times" and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon."

And, I had never heard of him before.

Music Deaths in 2014: Sixteen Candles, Jethro Tull, Happy Man

TALMADGE "TOMMY" GOUGH, 74.  Died August 24, 2014.  Original tenor singer with the Crests on "Sixteen Candles" (#2 1959), "Step By Step" (#14 1960) and "The Angels Listened In" #22 in 1959).

GLENN CORNICK, 67:  Died August 29, 2014.  Played on Jethro Tull's first three albums before leaving in 1970.

BEATRICE BEST, died September 15, 2015.  Sang baritone with the Jive Five starting in 1962 until he retired in 2012.  Sang on "I'm a Happy Man" (#26 in 1965) and "What Time Is It" (#67 in 1962).

--Songs I remember.  --RoadDog

Gone But Not Forgotten in 2014-- Part 2

Rock musicians who died last year.

Raphael Ravenscrogt--  Played sax on "Baker Street"

Bob Krewe--  Four Seasons songwriter and producer.  Also Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

Jo Jo Benson--  "Lover's Holiday"

Paul Goddard--  bassist with the Atlanta Rhythm Section

Ed Gagliardi--  bassist with Foreigner

Jimmy Ruffin--  Motown singer "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted"

--RoadDog


GOLDEN YEARS BUMPER STICKERS:  We'll be friends until we are old and senile.  Then, we'll be new friends.

Gone But Not Forgotten in 2014-- Part 1

From the January 4, 2015, Rock and Roll Roots.  Bob Stroud did his annual salute to those musicians who passed on in the past year.  Some I knew about, others I didn't.  he played one or two songs from each one.

Phil Everly
Larry Ramos of the Association
Bob Montgomery--  songwriter

Tommy Ramone--  Ramones drummer, last member living
Jimmy Jamison of Survivor
Jerry LaCroix of Edgar Winter's White Trash

Johnny Winter
Rick Rosas--  Played with Neil Young, CSNY and Joe Walsh
Joe Lala drummer with Blues Image and Manassas

--RoadDog

Banish These Words from Your Vocabulary: Selfie, Twerk

From the Jan. 1, 2014, Chicago Tribune  "Selfie, twerk in your vocab?-- BANISHED" by Scott Kleinberg.

The Lake Superior State University 2014 List of Banished Words features 13 words that range from popular in the mainstream to ones that might be new to you.  Evidently, words have to be nominated and voted on to make the list.  The most nominated word was SELFIE.  I am so tired of hearing that word.

Another word finishing high on the list was TWERK or TWERKING, evidently something to do with Miley Cyrus.

Other words:
**  Hashtag
**  Twittersphere
**  Mister Mom

**  T-bone, not as in steak, but as in the automobile accident
**  ____ on steroids  (always fun when you get to insert your own word like hamster.
**  Anything ending in -ageddon and -pocalypse.

**  Intellectually/morally bankrupt
**  Obamacare
**  Adversity (a football term)
**  Fan base

2013s nominated words included fiscal cliff, double down, YOLO and spoiler alert.

The banishment list began as a publicity ploy for the  little-known Lake Superior State located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan at a New year's Eve party in 1975.  The list they came up with was released the next day and the tradition began.

The school accepts submissions all year long.  I'll have to look up the 2015 list.

Words You Sure Get Tired of Hearing.  --RoadDog


YOU  THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  You ship by truck and send cargo by ship.

Take a Listen to Rock and Roll Musicians Who Died in 2014 This Sunday

Bob Stroud will feature the musicians we lost during 2014 on his Rock and Roll Roots program airing this Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, on WDRV 97.1 FM in Chicago.  Time is from 7-10 a.m., CST.

It streams at www.wdrv.com.

Worth a listen.

Tonight, his Ten at Ten at 10 p.m. will feature songs from 1968.  Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., he will feature 1979 and 1983.

--RoadDog


YOU THINK ENGLISH IS EASY?  Why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groc and hammers don't ham?

Every Blooming THing-- Late May

The yard is a brilliant purple and white right now.  The purple coming from creeping phlox, wild phlox and irises.  The white from the daisies.  I have to have at least a hundred of each.

Plus, I have some little pink perennials blooming.

The tulips, hyacinths and jonquils are gone, as are the lilacs.

The eponeous, azeleas, rose of sharon , golden privets, boxwoods, some of the yews and other evergreen bushes are still struggling to get going after that horrible winter.

Last day to burn yard waste, so I'll have to go out in a bit and do that.

Always Something Bloomin' in the Yard.  --RoadDog