November 22, 2015

Ronnie Spector

I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Ronnie Spector a few nights ago in a very intimate setting at TCAN in Natick, Massachusetts. She looked gorgeous and sounded gorgeous. Her hair was bigger than huge, thank God, and her band and backup singers were the best.

I've never sat so close to a performer and could not make my smile go away. In between each song she sat and told stories about her career and the song she was about to sing. There was a slide show with video too. One of the top 5 shows I've ever seen. Thanks, Ronnie!

She ended the show with Frosty the Snowman. The Ronettes
were a huge part of Phil Spector's Christmas album from 1963.




• Kids Cha Cha to Be My Baby on American Bandstand
• Appearing on American Bandstand, September 1963
Say Goodbye to Hollywood, 1977

November 15, 2015

learning "The Hustle" to "Popcorn"

In the summer of 1975 when I was 10-years-old, my family went camping with some of our neighbors. One night at the campground rec hall there was a square dancing party. Besides do-si-doing, we learned The Hustle, the new dance of the day to the song Popcorn.
Just when the big, bad world is getting me down, I find this.
Thank you, Jesus. Whoooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Some references to "penquins" and "drying your nails" in the comments section for the video above – a European Community Auditions.

November 14, 2015

November 12, 2015

Black Is Black

Los Bravos perform then run from the fanatical chicks.

November 3, 2015

Hand Jive

Johnny Otis, Three Tons of Joy and Lionel Hampton perform Willie and the Hand Jive on The Johnny Otis Show in 1958.