Little Anthony - Last of Oldies on Fair Circuit, Car Show Entertain at ORIGINAL 1950 Fairground

Little Anthony - Old  School Songs, Car Show,  Nostalgia at ORIGINAL Solano County Fair,  Vallejo, CA

Hardly spoiled by the ravages of time,   the Solano County Fair, Vallejo, CA welcomes  you for another year of music and thrills in all its original 1950s glory .  The fair sits on onoe of the few remaining grounds untouched in over 50 years and just like it was during theFAbulous 50s .But, a move is underway to renovate the old beauty, so, enjoy this Great Ediface while you can.Fair runs to August 5.  

Legendary Little Anthony and the Imperials take the stage as twilight  takes hold and the crowd readies in excitement.

LITTLE ANTHONY (right)  and IMPERIALS, twilight time at Solano County Fair, Vallejo, CA 7-31-14

Little Anthony, Oldies Songs Live on at Classic County Fair  in Vallejo, CA


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Little Anthony performs his favorite song, the classic 'Hurt So Bad'  under emerald twilight skies at the Solano County Fair, 7-31-14








Harkening back fondly to another place and time, not so long ago, before cell phones and soundbites when the only distraction might be a concert like at the county fair, seeing Little Anthony and imperials -  if one could called that a distraction. Actually, it could have been 50 years ago and it could've been last night at the solano County fair. And it was lastnight. For less than two short hours which went by too fast it was like being transported back to a  simpler time and place, Vallejo California. Every now and again you'll find a moment where  time stands still. so let's go back and you can live that special night right now.Enjoy Little Anthony and Solano county Fair, Vallejo CA 7-31-14 but first the car show earlier in the day...

Classic Cars from the 50s and Sixties Fit  Right in at Classic County Fair, Solano County, Vallejo, CA  

Time to drag, 'er,  cruise the main....

THIS YEAR'S FAIR FEATURES HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN COUNTY FAIR

The first year for the Solano County Fair was 1950 on this very site along Fairgrounds Drive. This year's Solano County Fair, running from August 3-7, will feature new attractions and returning favorites in an exciting themed area in Exposition Hall designed to show off the bounty of Solano County as well as take a look through time at the history of fairs in America, including the Solano County Fair.  

Dubbed "Main Street Solano", fair guests can stroll through informative displays from the county, its seven cities and Travis Air Force Base; discover the history of the modern agricultural fair and the Solano County Fair; and sample a variety of local wines from the Suisun Valley.
“When you think about a place that represents the heart of your hometown, 'Main Street’ is often one of the first places to come to mind,” comments Fair General Manager Mike Paluszak.  “We wanted to create that same feeling of community and nostalgia by designing Main Street Solano as an experience of the heart of our county, our cities, and of the Fair.”  

Centrally located on Main Street Solano, Made in America: the Story of the Modern Fair, is a special exhibit celebrating the 200th anniversary of the modern agricultural fair.  

This exhibit unveils the history of the first modern fair and shares the traditions of our farms and ranchers through the years from past to present.  Through the use of story boards, artifacts, personal quotes and colorful photos, Made In America will take fairgoers back to the first fair in America held in 1811, through the evolution and growth of fairs across the country during the last 200 years, to the modern fair of today.  

Made In America will give guests a chance to discover the history of interesting fair foods, the expansion of entertainment and livestock, and what it takes to create the magical fun and educational experience of fairs everywhere.  The unique history of the Solano County Fair will also be explored through images and stories dating back to the fair’s first year in 1950.

Original bandstand where Little Anthony will be performing tonight, one of the many intact  relics from the '50s at Vallejo

With night descending on the fair, Little Anthony and the Imperials take the stage of the vintage bandstand
at Solano County Fair, Vallejo,CA 7-31-14

Anthony 'You can callme Little' Gourdaine and Imperials perform another of their many hits, 'Take MeBack

.'Darkness descends on Vallejo,CA as the Imiperials continue to sing their classics, 'Shimmy shimmy KoKo biop, 'Tears On My Pillow,' I'm On The Outside Looking In and 'Going Out Of M y Head.'

Little Anthony Closes the show with his biggest hit, 'Going Out of My Head' (partial here) 

DION (DiMucci) Celebrates Birthday, New Book- Excellent Interview Covers An Extroardinary Life

But for a coin flip, this interview could have been with Richie Valens and not Dion DiMucci. You see, Dion LOST the coin flip in February 1959 for a seat in the ill-fated plane that cost the lives of Valens, Buddy Holly and Big Bopper. Actually, Dion WON the coin flip, he relates, along with Big Bopper, but didn't want to spend the $36 and deferred to   Valens.

Dion is one of the true pioneers of rock and roll, maybe not from the VERY beginning, but definitely the first wave of the Fifties. Over 50 years later Dion has been to hell and back - and he talks in detail about this all this including stories about 'old soul' Buddy Holly and his friends as if it were yesterday - and his many career phases, from the social comment song of 'Abraham , Martin and John' to religious songs.


Today, Dion has found answers to many of his and life's questions - 'We're all wanderers' he says - as he relates in his book 'The Wanderer Talks Truth'.  He talks about his relationship with fellow New Yorker, John Lennon and others. SEE   Dion Store  - scroll down to bottom for book

Dion, with many seminal songs in rock and roll , including 'I Wonder Why,' ' Runaround Sue' and 'The Wanderer' , has to be considered among the Top 10 true rock and rollers and certainly one of the top doowop acts.  He was one of the few early artists to write and record many of his own songs and he talks about the real life inspiratons for these.

Though he's in the rock Hall of Fame, Dion has sometimes been left out  of rock's historical perspective  as he's never quite fit one category and spanned them all, so this is a important interview - and book that will, hopefully,  bring him more cred- if that even matters to Dion. We look forward to viewing both. Enjoy!

PS One story we love about Dion, certainly covered in the book, is where he, a Christian, talks of walking by the Jewish Synagogue in New York and loving the minor, meloncholy melodies of the Cantor, which would inspire much of his sound and songs, such as 'Diane.'