Every now and then we like to pay tribute exclusively to those artists no longer with us. We felt like this would be a good time, especially with the passings of Lewis Lymon and of Eydie Gorme. But first, enjoy a selection of rare Roy Orbison cuts from new box set often overlooked 'MGM' years (late 60s). Sending it out to Mary Anne and PW, big fans of the Big O, wherever they are.
Lewis Lymon, the last living member of a groundbreaking 1950s Harlem family of teen singers, died in his Las Vegas home on Tuesday at the age of 69. Lymon was a member of the group The Teenagers, which became popular in the ’50s for the classic “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” (embedded above). He had been suffering from prostate cancer, but continued to perform until earlier this year. Though Lewis never enjoyed the level of fame of his late brother Frankie, he cut successful records with his group The Teenchords containing tracks that are still cited as major works of the 1950s New York rhythm and blues culture. Some songs from Lewis’ catalog include “Please Tell the Angels,” an the uptempo tracks “Not Too Young To Fall In Love,” “Honey Honey,” “Tell Me Love,” “Lydia” and “I’m So Happy.” With The Teenchords, Lewis also performed in the 1957 film Jamboree, featuring Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. Lewis never bragged about his talents in interviews, and often downplayed himself in favor of his brother, Frankie. But original Teenagers member Jimmy Merchant said after Lewis’ death that he was too modest. “His singing and stage skills, as with Frankie, were a true gift from God,” Merchant opined. Still, Lewis never resented Frankie for his popularity. “I was proud of what Frankie did,” Lewis said. “He helped pave the way for a lot of the rest of us.” The oldest and youngest Lymon brothers, Howard and Timothy, dies several years ago. Frankie died in 1968 from a heroin overdose. Lewis Lymon lived in New York most of his life before settling in Las Vegas in recent years. He will be sorely missed.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/845048/lewis-lymon-dies/#ZML3LTBsqbtkxB5a.99
It may be difficult to think of Eydie Gorme as a rock and roll singer but that was the fun of music in the 50s and 60s when the Top 40 included a great variety. Perhaps 'pop' would be more appropriate when talking about the old Billboard or radio station surveys. But, I remember, well, when 'Blame it on the Bossa Nova' came out in 1963 and it was a fine tune. We didn't know you Eydie Gorme was, at the time, but knew we liked the beat and music. Rock and Roll had softened it's tune in the early 60s to what might be called 'pop' but it was still rock and roll to me. It was Gorme's biggest hit, selling over a million copies. Gorme was probably known more for her marriage to another unlikely rock and roller, Steve Lawrence, who had a number of charting hits, himself - and their chatty appearances on the Tonight Show as the 'first couple' of music. Gorme passed 8-10 at age 84 and is surived by Lawrence and son, David, Another son, Michael , died of an undiscovered heart problem years earlier at the age of 23.
It's been a melencholy week of loss so why not continue on that vein with a double play from , first, GENE PITNEY and then the original of 'Half Heaven Half Heartache, by RAL DONNER. Both are escellent versions but Pitney got the break and hit out of it, one of his best ballads. Sending this out to my sister, Joan, who had great taste in music and loved the Pitney version. Both versions are lush, orchestral renditions- Pitney's repleat with tympany drums. Just one of many beautiful songs Pitney and Donner left us. The song is a showcase for both great voices, Pitney's almost black sounding tenor and Donner's Elvis sound-alike. Note a slight lyric change in the two versions.
Let's do another twin spin, this time another Donner song, this one which was one of his big hits, 'You Don't Know What You've Got,' which was also covered by Del Shannon on his swan song album. Shannon had great taste in covering songs and certainly produced a fine, updated version of this under the supervision of Tom Petty in 1989, shortly before passing. The Donner version sounds like it is either in stereo or there is an overdub on part of the vocal track. Shannon's haunting, richly layered effort certainly makes enough changes to the song to call it his own.
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Sending it out to PW, wherever she is, remembering that awesome concert we saw Del perform on a cold summer night at Santa Cruz boardwalk (which we will talk about and play from another time).
Now for a real treat, one of the early, unintentional videos. Remember the Scopotones, which were like video jukeboxes? They were in bars in the mid Sixties but short lived. Sedaka had 'Caldendar Girl' which we've shown and here's 'Where Did the Good Times Go' by Dick St John and Mary Sperling (DeeDee) from 1963. St. John passed a decade ago after a tragic accident but DeeDee continues to perform with a new partner and has written a memoir, Vinyl Highway.
Here's another early video - not sure of it's origin- tribute to Jan Berry of Jan and Dean, 'There's a Girl,' one of the early hits you don't hear much as it didn't show up on many albums
And one of the underplayed gems from the late great BUDDY HOLLY, 'That's What They Say' . If you like overdubs, you'll like this... it's got the original Norman Petty early 60s added instruments plus additional background vocals added later to the original, raw, 'apartment tapes' vocal of Holly . Sending this one out to Bill Griggs, wherever HE is - Griggs who probably did more for in later years to perpetuate the Holly legacy than anyone.
And, we'll close our Rock and Roll Heaven tribute time with Elvis, on the eve of 'Elvis Week' in Memphis. Here's a beautiful duet/video with Ann Margaret, which neverc made the cut, inexplicably , for the movie, 'viva Las Vegas.' ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN IS GETTING PRETTY CROWDED NOW WITH MUCH OF THE BEST MUSIC ... SO WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER VISIT.
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