bring your records

I really dug a recent show by a guest dj on WMBR's Lost and Found who spun his childhood 45s from the 50s and 60s. Still in their original cases, the records were a fantastic musical glimpse into his life and I loved his anecdotes. I put many of the songs in the "I would've bought that 45" category. Here are some of my favorites....


Three Cool Cats, The Coasters, 1959 (Beatles' version)


The Honeydripper, The Kirby Stone Four, 1960
This tune reminds me of the early 60s Hanna-Barbera
cartoon themes composed by this guy.


The Honeydripper, Joe Liggins, 1945


Stop, Baby, The Four Preps, 1958


Sebastian, The Big Sound of Don Balke, 1959

Click Clack, Dickey Doo and the Don'ts, 1958
I love their name. This is the type of song the whole family sang along with while driving on vacation in the car. Whoooooaaaaahhh!

Ken Burns' Country Music

I love learning through documentaries. The combination of the narration, visuals, film footage, music, and interviews make it so easy for concepts to sink in. The recent documentary on PBS has been one of my favorites to date. Even if you don't dig country music, it's a fascinating lesson in 20th century American history. My dad would often break out into tunes I had never heard before, at times with a strange, yodelly twang. Those songs make so much sense to me now after seeing the segments from the 1930s and 40s. The sections of the documentary from the 1950s and 60s made me the most tingly. This music always makes my ears prick up. The backstories are so interesting to me – how one's life progressed from being dirt poor, troubled or doubted by others to becoming world-famous and influencing so many. Yippee-ki-yay!

I love the talent that came out of 1950s and 60s country music:

• Johnny Cash    • Patsy Cline     • The Everly Brothers
• Elvis Presley    • Kris Kristofferson    • Dolly Parton
• Faron Young    • George Jones    • Tammy Wynette
• Jeannie C. Riley   • Bobbie Gentry   • Loretta Lynn 
• Glen Campbell    • Don Gibson    • Marty Robbins
• Brenda Lee   • Hank Snow   • Hank Williams

If you have any interest in music, it'll behoove you to catch this series.
I challenge you not to tap your feet and want to sing along.

Above are photos of my parents in the 1930s during the Great Depression when they were hearing folks like Gene Autry and Jimmie Rodgers while gathered around the radio like the Walton family.

The Wrecking Crew

If you enjoy rock and roll history, especially 1960s music, you'll love this film. Just as the Funk Brothers were the backbone of Motown, The Wrecking Crew were the studio musicians behind many hit records coming out of 60s LA. It's a blast to watch. Check it out.

The Larry Kane Show, 1962

Many 1950s and 60s teen dance shows are no longer with us because the tv studio tapes were erased. Here's rare footage of the Larry Kane Show from Houston, Texas. It ran from 1959–1972. A guy in this 1962 clip mentioned in order to be on the show, you had to take dancing lessons at the dance school next door then pass a series of dance tests.

Palm Springs, California

If you're a mid-century-modern nut like me, you'll love this city. The Kaufmann House from 1946, pictured above, was commissioned by Edgar Kaufmann. He also commissioned Fallingwater in 1935.

I've never seen such a collection of 50s/60s homes. I smell meatloaf.

Palm Springs has a terrific modern art museum and oodles of mid-century furniture stores containing objects to drool over.

A gigantic sculpture of Marilyn Monroe overlooks the main drag.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you to the top of the San Jacinto Mountains for the most incredible view of the desert. Scroll through this scene for movie footage of the tram from 1967.

Sonny Bono was mayor of Palm Springs from 1988-92.

Palm Springs is a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and San Diego.

The Leaves

Enjoy mid-60s garage? You might dig The Leaves. They were the first band to record Hey Joe in 1965 and appeared as themselves in this.


Dr. Stone, The Leaves, 1966

The Human Beinz

Hey Stardust, should we go to the BE-IN or the LOVE-IN? Check out this footage of a LOVE-IN on Boston Common from the late 60s.

let's go-go

I've always been fascinated with rock and roll history, popular culture, and how people dressed, groomed themselves and danced during different eras. The fad dances of the 60s crack me up the most. Seems like people really needed to let go. Yeah baby, yeah!

Record shops had listening booths to preview the latest hits.

Head down to the discotheque and Watusi the night away.

Herb Alpert

I experienced my most inspiring concert Saturday night at the Cabot with Herb Alpert and his wife, singer Lani Hall. Behind the five-piece ensemble were screens displaying photographs and films from both of their careers and images of his paintings acting as backdrops.

I've known his music all of my life but seeing this segment opened my eyes to the wonderful world he's created as a musical artist, trumpeter, painter, sculptor, composer, record-company businessman and philanthropist while remaining kind, humble and generous. 100% of the tours' proceeds go to the Louis Armstrong Foundation.

Between songs and medleys, he spoke about his life and what it means to be an artist and finding your own voice and way in the world.

In the photo above, Lani Hall is singing Mais Que Nada by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 in which she was lead singer. In the background photo from the 60s, she is in the red dress. Click pics to make big.

• Tijuana Taxi, Hollywood Palace, 1966
• Spanish Flea, 1965
• A Taste of Honey, The Ed Sullivan Show, 1965
• BBC tv special, 1967
• Tremendous documentary
• Check out Alpert's Vibrato Jazz Club in LA

Clark's Gum used Mexican Shuffle in their series of commercials.


Mexican Shuffle, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, 1964



In the clip above, Alpert plays along to a video at The Cabot Theater.
And did I mention that he is 88 years old? Keep enjoying life, Herb.


The Lonely Bull, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, 1962


This Guy's In Love With You, Herb Alpert, 1968

just a little more 60s organ...

...with Cherry Wainer and Don Storer playing Green Onions.

I can't stop watching this

It's a Scopitone from the
early 60s by a group called
The Condors. Great version
of Ain't That Just Like Me.
Another by The Searchers.
Yet another by The Hollies.
Put on yer bikini and shake it!
Love the guys' entrances.
Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

A friend and I recently journeyed to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a rock and roll history junkie, I was in heaven. It felt like my life was flashing before my eyes, especially while viewing 1980s music videos at the MTV exhibit. Yahooooooooo!

Why is it in Cleveland you ask? Because Alan Freed, who coined the term "rock and roll" was a deejay there in the early 1950s.

Above, a mid-60s British Invasion exhibit featuring clothing, concert posters, instruments, video and drum covers. Groooooooooovy!

 Above, Ringo's drum set used during their 1964 world tour.

An hour from Cleveland in Sandusky, Ohio is Cedar Point. Being a roller coaster freak, we had to visit. Amusement parks sure have changed since I was a kid. Yikes. My voice is still hoarse from screaming with joy.

Super Bowl Sunday dose of pop culture

Here's a cool clip of teenagers in the 1950s and 60s.

My parents, above, were teenagers in the 1940s. They both graduated from high school in 1945. In the 1940s, most girls wore their hair parted on the side. My mom, however, preferred her hair parted in the middle like Hedy Lamarr. Underneath my mom's photo in her yearbook it reads Pretty as a picture and nice to know. She became a nurse. My dad was voted Most Athletic, Noisiest and Teacher's Pest.

In the photo above, he poses before a game sans face guard.

This is Hedy Lamarr. My mom copied her hairstyle as a teenager.
Check out THIS about Lamarr. Right on Hedy.

Typical teenagers during the 1940s. Swing was the thing. When my mom was a senior in high school, she was allowed to skip school to see a matinee performance by Frank Sinatra in Boston.

Above are common hairstyles from the 1940s. Va va va voom!

Sunday morning dose of surf music...

...with The Ventures performing Apache live from the early 60s.

Darlene Love

Great beach read if you like reading about the music industry, particularly 60s pop and soul. In Darlene Love's book My Name Is Love, her candor is so refreshing, I like her even more. Plus, juicy rock and roll tidbits, but not gross tidbits. Check out some of the characters: The Blossoms,  
Shindig!, The Righteous Brothers, Phil Spector, Sonny and Cher,  
Tom Jones, Nino Tempo, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Ike and Tina Turner. 

Sunday morning dose of late-60s pop

The Grass Roots complete with big-eyelashed, swooning chicks.

1958 dancing

In the late 1950s and throughout the 60s, many cities created their own "American Bandstand" at the tv studio with the weatherman as host. This video is like a car crash. I can't look away. Besides, I love the song (thanks Alex). It is so awkward, innocent and white-bread. Thank God footage like this exists when kids danced together pre-twist.

amusement parks

As a kid, my favorite thing about summer was visiting an amusement park. My folks would call me "Carnival Charlie" during the summer.
Here's a 1960s/70s commercial for Hunt's Pier in New Jersey.
Here's the Palisades Park commercial from the 60s. Weeeeee!

mid-60s chicks

Gonna Get Along Without You Now, Tracey Dey, 1964

I Found My Place, Reparata (without the Delrons), 1965

3(a+b)–2(c+d)=

As a teenager, my mom would ask me "why don't you know your math like you know your music?" I recently met Bob and Gary on vacation and we blabbed nonstop Beatles and 60s music and the fun lasted hours. Gee mom, I don't ever recall talking algebra with vacationers during my travels. But then again, I don't need calculus to paint pictures. Nevermind. Keep up with your math, kids. 😀