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.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Chicago's Bob Stroud Is a Nominee for the Radio Hall of Fame!

Bob Stroud, affable midday host on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive, has been nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame.   Host of the long-running "Rock and Roll Roots" show which recently celebrated its 40th year and has been running in Chicago for forty years as well as the M-F's Ten at Ten and his "One 45 At 1:45."   His knowledge of rock and roll is extensive.

I always learn something listening to one of these shows.  He knows so much I  sometimes think he must look some of it up.

You often see his playlists right here in this blog.  As a matter of fact, his annual Root Salute to a Bygone Summer will be my next post.  This year, we're going back fifty years to the summer of 1970.  Bob remembers that hairy year.

Bob is one of 24 nominees in six categories.

We're all pulling for you Bob.  But don't let it go to your head.  Look what happened to your hair the last time.

Proud Member of the Stroud Crowd.  --RoadStroud

EATING IN THE FIFTIES  (From FaceBook):  Pasta had not been invented.  You ate macaroni or spaghetti and liked it.

Music Deaths: Bobby Comstock, Early Rock and Roller

BOBBY COMSTOCK, 78

Died January 9, 2020

Singer with Rock and Roll band Bobby Comstock  and the Counts.

Had four Top 100s from 1959 to 1963.

His biggest hits were his version of "Tennessee Waltz" and "Let's Stomp."

If you like that old RnR give him a listen on You Tube.

Music of 1968-- Part 3: "Thank You For Letting Us Be Ourselves"

"Rock groups captured the feelings and thoughts of young and old around the globe.  The songs were defiant; they were joyous.  They were earsplitting and tenderly sweet.

"Some vented against Vietnam and injustice, but other rued love gone wrong and hoped for a better tomorrow.  When Sly Stone appeared on 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' he opened by telling the audience, 'Don't hate the black, don't hate the white.  If you get bitten, simply hate the bite,' and concluded with a simple 'Thank you for letting us be ourselves.'

"Rock 'n' roll helped change the  conversation in 1968.  It also changed the world."

--Road68

A PLETHORA OF TIDBITS:  (from "10 Things You Might Not Know About Nearly Everything" by Mark Jacob and Stephan Benzkiofer)

**The folks who brought us Reddi-wip whipped cream had another brainstorm in the 1960s:  Reddi-Bacon.

Music of 1968-- Part 2: Jimi, Janis and CSNY

Continued from October 26, 2018.

While Jimi Hendrix was torching guitars and putting the polishing touches on "Electric Ladyland,"  Janis Joplin was shedding Big Brother and the Holding Company and starting a band of her own.

Out in Los Angeles's Laurel Canyon, Joni Mitchell's boyfriend casually walked into an impromptu jam session.  There he found two other like-minded musicians -- an encounter that led to Crosby,Stills, Nash and Young, probably the most famous supergroup ever.

--RoadDog

Music of 1968-- Part 1: "Rock and Roll's Greatest Year"

From the Time Life magazine.

It was a great year, but I am not sure about Rock and Roll's Greatest Year.  This was sold at newstands where they almost unbelievably still sell magazines  in this digital age.  Personally, I'm sure glad they do.  Picture of the Beatles on the front cover.

"1968  A YEAR TO REMEMBER:  Mich Jagger summed it up best: "But what can a poor boy do, except to sing for a rock 'n' roll band?"

For the rock 'n' roll lovers, 1968 hit the mother lode.  Psychedelia ruled and so did protest, Motown and Johnny Cash's twang.  The Rolling Stones blasted back onto the airwaves with "Beggars Banquet.  Heavy metal was ascendant.  The Beatles, in spite of personal resentments and professional differences, followed "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" with an LP that since has been embraced as the even more iconic:  "The Beatles,"  a.k.a. the White Album.

It Was a Great Year (When I Was 17, and I really was).  --RoadDog

The Day the Music Died and the Day the Beatles Arrive: Death and Rebirth of Rock and Roll?

In case you're wondering why so many of my blog entries of late have dealt with things that happened on specific days, we have been in Panama City Beach, Florida for a couple weeks and the local Panama City News Herald has a Today in History column.

On FEBRUARY 3, 1959, rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a small plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.

ON FEBRUARY 9, 1964, the Beatles made their first live American television appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," broadcast from New York on CBS.

The Beatles Sure Had a Huge Impact On Me.  --RoadDog

SOME OBSERVATIONS:  If poison expires, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous?

Seven Bands That Changed Rock and Roll Music Forever

From the August 21, 2017, Cheat Sheet by Jeff Rindskopf.

1.  Elvis Presley

2.  Beatles

3.  Jimi Hendrix Experience

4.  Led Zeppelin

5.  Pink Floyd

6.  Clash

7.  Sonic Youth

He has his reasons.  Check them out at his site.

--RoadDog

MORE COFFEE SIGNS:   Your nervous twitch registers on the Richter Scale.

A Tribute to Chuck Berry on "Roots" and "Breakfast" Yesterday-- Part 1

Yesterday, March 26, Sunday, Bob Stroud had a Root Salute to Chuck Berry on his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV.  He would play a Chuck Berry song followed up by a cover of a Chuck Berry song done by someone else.  I'll list the songs played in the next blog entry after this.

Meanwhile, across town, Terri Hemmert at WXRT played a Chuck Berry song at the top of her Breakfast With the Beatles show.  She said that in the 15+ years she has been doing the show, she has never started her show with any song other than one by the Beatles, but this was special.  Chuck Berry had a huge impact on the Beatles.  She played Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven."  She also said that Professor Moptop was going to do his part of the show on Chuck Berry's impact on the Beatles.

I haven't yet heard Terri Hemmert's entire show as I record it on cassette tape to listen to during the week as her show is on opposite Rock and Roll Roots.  I'll be looking forward to hearing what else Terri Hemmert plays and what the Professor has to say.

Roll Over Chuck Berry.  --RoadDog

Music Deaths: Chuck Berry

CHUCK BERRY, 90

Died March 18, 2017.

Despite his problems, he was a big reason we got Rock and Roll.  I really liked his "Johnny B. Goode" and "No particular Place to Go."

When i was a deejay, I sure played his only #1 hit, "My Ding-A-Ling" a whole lot and always got a lot of audience participation.

Rocked On out Of Here!!  --RoadDog

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2017

December 20, 2014.

These performers will be entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Joan Baez
Electric Light Orchestra
Yes
Journey--  Finally
Tupac Shakur
Pearl Jam

Induction will be April 7, 2017, in New York City.

Tupac Shakur ... Rock and Roll?  --RoadDog

Seven Bands That Changed Rock and Roll Music Forever

From the June 27, 2016, Cheat Sheet.

They had the reasons on the site.

1.  Elvis Presley
2.  Beatles
3.  Jimi Hendrix Experience
4.  Led Zeppelin
5.  Pink Floyd
6.  The Clash
7.  Sonic Youth

--RoadDog

Alan Freed's "Big Beat Show" April 6, 1958: Dickie Doo & the Don'ts

From "The Olde Disk Jockey's Almanac" by Bob Dearborn (former Chicago DJ).

On this date in 1958, Alan Freed held his "Big Beat Show concert at the Public Hall.  It featured quite a lineup of rollers:  Buddy Holly & the crickets, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Danny & the Juniors, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, Diamonds, Billy & Lillie, Chantels,  Dickie Doo & the Don'ts, Jo Ann Campbell, Larry Williams, Ed Townsend, Pastels and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

Talk about getting more bang for your buck.

However, there were several of these performers that I did not know about, so had to do some more research on them.

I started with Dickie Doo & the Don'ts.  There was just something about their name that demanded further research.

Dickie Doo, But Who Don't?   --RoadDon't

THE JAPANESE ECONOMY IS SO BAD THAT:  The Karaoke Bank is up for sale, and it's (you guessed it) going for a song.

Boomer Radio-- Vintage Rock-- Part 2

KIND WOMAN-- Buffalo Springfield // SWALBR-- Cream // COWGIRL IN THE SAND-- Neil Young // OYE COMO VA-- Santana // CAREY-- Joni Mitchell // BABY YOU'RE A RICH MAN-- Beatles // LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND-- Yes //// CODY CODY-- Flying Burrito Brothers // PAPER SUN-- Traffic // MIND OF FATE-- Rolling Stones // CASEY JONES--Grateful Dead //// A WHITE SHADE OF PALE-- Procul Harum // HOUSE FOUR DOORS--PART 1-- Moody Blues // GUNGA DIN-- Byrds //// HUSH-- Deep Purple // MORE AND MORE-- Blood, Sweat & Tears // I WALK ON GUILDED SPLINTERS-- Dr. John // ROCK ME BABY-- Steppenwolf // GROOVING IS EASY-- Electric Flag // MANIC DEPRESSION-- Jimi Hendrix // CARRY ON-- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. And, they're asking folks to spread the word about them to others. Done. And, they have several different venues at the site. //// I'll Be Listening to a Lot of This Station. --RoadDog

Beatlemania Quiz-- Part 2

These questions by Carol Kaufmann. //// 5. HOW MUCH DID A FRONT-ROW TICKET TO THEIR FIRST CONCERT IN AMERICA COST? A. $4, B. $6, C. $8.50, D. $12.50. //// 6. WHAT ITEM WAS STOLEN FROM RINGO WHILE IN NEW YORK FOR THEIR FIRST CONCERT THERE IN AUGUST? A. His passport, B. His St. Christopher medal, C. His drumsticks, D. His autographed photo of Ed Sullivan. //// 7. THE BEATLES PERFORMED A REGULAR SET OF SONGS (GIVE OR TAKE A FEW) WHILE ON THEIR NORTHJ AMERICAN TOUR IN THE SUMMER OF 1964. WHICH OF THE FOLLWING WAS NOT ON THE SET? A. "A Hard Day's Night," B. "Roll Over Beethoven," C. "Yesterday," D. "If I Fell." //// 8. THEIR NORTH AMERICAN TOUR SET A RECORD AS THEY ZIGZAGGED 22,621 MILES ACROSS THE CONTINENT IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH. ROUGHLY HOW MANY PEOPLE SAW THE BEATLES ON THIS TOUR? A. 25,000, B. 59,000, C. 209,000 D. 454,000. //// How'd You Do? Look At the Next Post for Answers. --RoadDog

Beatlemania Quiz-- Part 1

From the Jan-Feb 2014 AARP Bulletin. //// A quiz for you Beatlemaniacs. Eight questions and I missed four, but had to do a real lot of guessing. //// Answers will be in Part 3. //// 1. WHAT DID THE BEATLES RECEIVE FOR THEIR THREE TIMES ON THE "ED SULLIVAN SHOW?" A. $100,000, B. $50,000, C. $10,000, D. $5,000. //// WHAT WAS THE NO. 1 SONG ON BILLBOARD'S CHARTS ON FEB. 1, 1964, A WEEK BEFORE THEIR APPEARANCE? A. "I Want to Hold Tour Hand," B. "She Loves You," C. "Love Me Do," D. "I Get Around." //// WHAT WAS THE FIRST SONG THEY PLAYED ON THE "ED SULLIVAN SHOW?" A. "I Want to Hold Your Hand," B. "All My Loving," C. "Help!," D. "Can't Buy me Love." //// 4. WHO SENT A CONGRATULATORY TELEGRAM TO THE BEATLES BEFORE THEIR FIRST PERFORMANCE? A. President Lyndon Johnson, B. Queen Elizabeth II, C. Bob Dylan, D. Elvis Presley. //// Four More to Come. --RoadDog

JSS: Still Cold-- No More PATS-- "Avatar" Blue-- Rod's Model Trains

JSS-0- Just Some Stuff. //// 1. STILL COLD-- Temps yesterday got to 2 degrees. Today's forecast 14 degrees, 1.9 degrees right now) and chance of one inch. Thursday high at 6. Friday and Saturday, a heat wave at 21 and 22 degrees. Getting real tired of shoveling/snowblowing snow. And that garage door keeps coming up as snow gets at the base. ///// 2. NO MORE PATS-- I see the NFL is thinking about doing away with PATS, Points After Touchdown, as it is a foregone conclusion at that level. Out of 1,183 attempts this year, only five were missed. I say keep it in, though. Gives a chance for double cheering, you know. //// 3. "AVATAR" BLUE-- I see that three more sequels are planned. I saw the movie twice, once in 3D. It is the highest-grossing films of all time even though I kept waiting for the Indians to circle the wagon train. //// ROD'S MODEL TRAINS-- Rocker. Standards Rod Stweart builds model trains in his downtime and has a train room in his mansion that is featured in the February issue of Model Railroader magazine. He says, "For three or four hours a day I'm in heaven." //// Rod's Mods Tras. --RoadDog

Rock Deaths in 2013-- Part 2: "Mr. Custer"-- Climax Blues Band

LARRY VERNE, 77. Died October 8, 2013. Had the hit song "Mr. Custer" which went to #1 in 1960. "Please Mr. Custer, I don't want to go." And what did Custer say? And, what was the Indian word for friend? Just a tad politically incorrect, though, but funny. //// PETE HAYCOCK, 62. Died October 30, 2013. Guitarist and vocalist for Climax Blues Band from England. Had "Couldn't Get It Right" #3 in 1977 and "I Love You" #12 in 1981. -- RoadDog

Rock and Roll Class of 2014 Announced

From the Dec. 18th, 2013, Northwest Herald. //// On December 17th, the next class inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced and include Nirvana, KISS, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens. //// Just this past New Year's Eve at the early celebration at the Legion in Fox Lake, the lady sitting next to me was playing a whole bunch of Cat Stevens tunes on the jukebox before karaoke began. //// More than 700 Rock Hall voters determined the 2014 class. The 29th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is open to the public and tickets go on sale this month and will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn April 10th. //// I won't be there...again. //// Congrats to Some Worthy Inductees. --RoadDog

Unluckiest Band Still Around 35 Years Later: Lynyrd Skynyrd

"Y" Music "35 Years After Definitive Tragedy" by Wendy Geller.

The October 20, 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd was on a headliner tour for their sixth album when their plane crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi.  Three of the members died and others were injured.  The group's drummer staggered for help and was allegedly shot by a local farmer.

The record company scrambled to replace the new album cover which showed the group engulfed in flames.

The group, known for their hard partying offstage has had many other bad things happen to them.  Even so, they play on, even with just one original member.  I was glad to see they changed their mind about displaying the Confederate flag on stage.  It was so much a part of their "'tude."

See What Happens When You Make Fun of Your Teacher.  --RoadDog