Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson

A couple of years ago I climbed aboard a big DFW airliner. I was on my way to a photography gig in California. I came aboard, greeted the stewardess, turned to go down the aisle, I looked at the upturned face in the aisle seat of the first row in business class. 

Smokey Robinson

That face was looking me directly in the eyes. He was locked in. But with those staring eyes came a smile that went from ear to ear. That face was so pleasant it momentarily brighten the drudgery of flying. I recognized the man as if he were a close friend. The man was none other than Smokey Robinson.

Smokey Robinson performing

As is my unfortunate habit, I spoke before thinking. First thing on my mind popped out. I felt I was greeting an old friend even though Smokey hadn't a clue who the hell I was. I said, " Smokey ! My man ! How are you ? Well, I would never have guessed it possible but that smile exploded even bigger. Now his whole face was one huge grin. Smokey Robinson was tickled to death he had been recognized. So unlike so many celebrities who think they are above the public. As I continued my march into first class, Smokey immediately reached up and grabbed my hand. We shook for a moment and the guy thanked me for speaking to him. 


Shazzam ! Folks that is a true star ! Smokey showed class when nobody was looking. That's when it really counts.

Smokey Robinson and part of the Miracles

I had to continue my walk to the rear of the plane and never had a chance to visit with the man. But it is a memory I will keep. A huge star, from a fan's point of view, with the humility of a farmer. You have to respect that.

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

There is a ton of information available on Smokey Robinson and his accomplishments. I will try to summarize and give you the links for a more in depth look at what I consider to be one of our generation's greatest entertainers. But, the memory of his acceptance of a stranger will always be the my highlight of his great career. His humility will always be appreciated above that stupendous talent. 

Smokey Robinson

Smokey received many awards, among them are:


The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Cleveland) ?


The Soul Train Music Award for Career Achievement


A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Smokey Robinson

The National Medal of the Arts.      


The Michigan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.


An Honorary Doctorate from Howard University.


An Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music.


He was a Kennedy Center Honoree.


He has done extensive television work including working as a judge and featured performer on American Idol.


As a member of the Miracles, he was honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Smokey's singing career came in three parts. The first as lead singer for the Miracles, the second was when the groups name was changed to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. The third was his solo career.  


In the Miracle phase they scored 25 Chart hits. 14 were in the Top 40 and 3 were in the Top 10.


In the Smokey Robinson and the Miracles phase, they had 19 hit the charts, 12 were Top 40, 2 were Top 10 and 1 went to #1.


As a single act, Smokey charted 32 hits, 8 were in the Top 40 and 3 made it to the Top 10.

Smokey Robinson

Totals look like this:    


76 charted, 34 Top 40's, 8 Top 10's, and 1 #1.


To be frank, I thought he had a lot more top 10's than that but it's what his discography shows. No matter. Click on the videos and enjoy a wonderful writer, producer, arranger and singer. If you never heard of the guy I can promise, you will be a fan before you've heard the second song.




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Connie Francis

Connie Francis Rock and Roll Records

Sometime around 1961, this young lady became everybody's sweet heart. We teens loved how she sounded and the things she sang about. We thought she was cool because she sang about things and places that were in the movies we saw. That was pretty cool. The song fit the movie and the movie fit the song. (cool marketing) We bought both products.


Our parents liked her because she could sing adult songs like a pro. Connie was a professional entertainer. We got it. This was no kid just off the turnip truck. She was born a star and it showed.

Connie Francis 

Connie was a Jersey girl.  Connie, the first Female International Rock and Roll Pop Star is not in the Cleveland Hall of Fame. Where's the credibility here ? 90 million records, in the U.S. alone, isn't enough????

Connie Francis

Here's the deal ! I am going to write a summation to this beautiful, brilliant, talented woman's life. I am going to ask you to go to the link below. The one that says info. There you will see what an accomplished show business person looks like.                  

Connie Francis Movie Star 

This lady was not only the late fifties and early sixties hottest female singer, she was a movie actress, an author of several books, she sang in 15 languages and her records were hits in even more markets. She was on Ed Sullivan more than twenty times. She hosted her own television variety show, she appeared on just about every big time television show at least once. 

Connie Francis trend maker

She wrote or performed music for several hit movies. Her song and the movie "Where the Boys Are" started what we now know as "Spring Break" tradition among college students. As an actress she was so hot the movie folks had to pay her 50% of the take to get her in the films. This happened four times. She did USO tours to Viet Nam. She's in the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. She played a Royal Command performance for Queen Elizabeth.

Connie Francis 

But she's not allowed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in Cleveland ?) 


What the hell !!!!


O.K., so I got a little ticked off and told you more than I intended. But please go to the info site and read what they say about this great talent. After that maybe you will understand the problem I have with this bunch of sanctimonious, holier than thou, hypocrites in Cleveland. 

Beautiful Connie Francis

To prove my point. Go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and look at the very first group. They are listed alphabetically. Abba ! Abba ? What the hell ?  How did they even get into something called Rock and Roll much less before all of these people who founded it, wrote the songs and entertained us so well. No credibility whatsoever. I'm a rocker and I turned them off or switched channels when they came on. They were elevator music for goodness sakes.

Connie Francis 

Miss Connie Francis..I love ya honey ! You're now in the only Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that counts ! You're in the 










        "Fan's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". 


We like what Neil Diamond said. We don't care what the "other" hall thinks. Atta boy Neil, you told them.

Connie Francis, The girl next door.

Sorry folks, I just won't tolerate their sanctimonious, purist, rude behavior !  Here is another great artist snubbed because she was just too damned nice !




   




  Int. Fan Club Web site         Hit Parade         Videos


                                                            

The Shirelles

The Shirelles Big Hit Album Baby It's You 

By 1962, we thought the Shirelles were as solid a part of our lives as the buttons on our car radios. For the past two years, and we know how long two years is in the life of a teenager, we had heard them broadcast several times a day. 


In 1962, they had a number one hit with "Soldier Boy", just like the number one they'd had in 1960 with "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow". In 61 there was no #1 but they were everywhere with 7 charted hits for the year. Two of those were numbers 3 and 4. Repeat play was the name of the radio game back then. If an artist had a hit, it would be heard several times a day on each station. If the radio was on 1960 to 64, I promise, you would have known the words to just about every Shirelles song. 

The Shirrels

They were good enough to listen to over and over. We, the teenagers at the time, loved to sing along with them. Their music was always about the things in a teenager's life. Judging by the record sales number, we obviously identified with them and their lyrics. Why wouldn't we ? They were just kids about our own age. 

The Shirelles

They were a group of teenage friends from a high school in Passiac, New Jersey. There's that New Jersey connection again. They found someone to listen and make them into a marketable product. They had hit after hit until the Beatles. They had a modicum of success in 64 but nothing big. After that the hits quit coming. 


The Shirelles music left a huge impression on us. We had lived the five years of hits with them. As a result, later, much later they would receive all kinds of honors.

The Shirelles

The Shirelles are now in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Rolling Stone Magazine named them #76 out of the top 100 rock artists of all time. Rolling Stone also recognized "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" was named #125  and "Tonights the Night" was named #401 of the Top 500 best songs of all time.


That pretty darned good for a handful of high school girls who liked to sing together. They set out to see if anyone would think enough of them to put them on a record. They found help and the rest is history. The Shirelles were the first of the rock and roll "girl groups" to have a number one hit. They broke that glass ceiling not once but twice.

The Shirelles

They recorded hits from 1958 to 67. In that time they had 34 hits with 14 in the Top 50, and 6 in the Top 10. The Shirelles had two Number 1's. Pretty darned good for those teenage gals from New Jersey. 

The Shirelles

Here are a few links. Go ahead. Punch that video link and put your self back about 50 years. Let the memories sweep over you like the waves of a cranked up car radio. You'll be glad you did, I promise !








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Mar-Keys

The Mar-Keys

The Mar-Keys were not a phenomenal hit making machine. They had a few hits and were well known in the Mid-South part of the U.S.


Normally, I wouldn't do a story on a group like the Mar-Keys. It's just that...well, hell I liked them. I liked what they became. I liked the sound they made as individuals and as a group. I liked the spin off individual acts, the spin off groups and the spin off folks who copied their sound. 

The Mar-Keys in action.

What I am talking about is the basis group for what became known as the "Soul music" or "the Memphis" sound. Just like the ribs from Charlie Vergos, it just don't get any better than the sweet soul music of Memphis, Tennessee.


I was in high school in the mid South when they had the first hits. Then at Memphis State during the rest of their record run. Sure I was influenced by all that great music. It was everywhere you went. But that was back when Memphis was so innocent. Times change, so do cities. Music and memories are the constant.

The Mar-Keys

There were the spin off groups. Groups are still being influenced by these fellows. It's not what they did as young men, rather it's who they became and what they collectively did with their talents.  


The Mar-Key's.......Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Booker T. Washington, Al Jackson, Jr., Packy Axton, Don Nix, James Terry Johnson, Wayne Jackson, Smoochie Smith, and Isaac Hayes.

The Mar-Keys

They backed individually or collectively just about everyone who recorded any sort of music in Memphis. That's a lot of sessions and a heck of a lot of records.


These are some of the Stax related artists. 

The Mar-Keys

Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Isaac Hayes, Johnnie Taylor, Elvis Presley, Sam and Dave, Booker T. and the M.G.'s, Wilson Pickett, Albert King, The Staple Singers, Little Milton, O.B. McClinton, Luther Ingram and many more.


   


    Info      Mo Info      Videos       Lotsa Info


                      


Please remember I am a fan. An outsider. I have no way of verifying who played with who on what sessions. So I am going to qualify this information by saying I have adhered strictly to the WAG theory and hoped for the best. If any of the Mar-Key or Stax folks reads this I would appreciate corrections. 

The Mar-Keys

Ike and Tina Turner

The Sensational Ike and Tina Turner

If there was ever an act that could make it into this blog without a ton of hits it's this one. Ike and Tina Turner put on a hell of a show. Big name performers as well as Television executives liked to have them along for their entertainment value. If truth be known that was probably 90% Tina and 10% Ike. 


Ike did have one claim to fame all of his own. He was part of the group that just might have recorded the very first "rock and roll" song. The Kings of Rhythm's, 1952, "Rocket 88" was a fine boogie song. Originally it was attributed to another group but supposedly it was his. They were a St. Louis group.

Ike and Tina Turner

Their's is a strange and sad story. Ike's abuse of Tina is legendary. His drugging is almost as well known. His overdose death and prison sentence somewhat less infamous. Where Ike the abuser spiraled downward once Tina escaped, she gathered herself together and soared.


I'm not going to tell a long story here. There is a much better story waiting once we get to Tina's solitary career. This is one of those stories where a fan is better off not knowing what goes on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, I am afraid there are too many of those situations in the music business. I really liked Ike and Tina. I enjoyed Ike's music and Tina's act. Then I learned about the way Ike operated and that was it for this fan. I left them quicker than I did the Dixie Chicks. Let that be a lesson to the newcomers in the industry. Live your life as a good person and citizen or risk the loss of everything you've worked for at the drop of a hat.

Ike and Tina Turner

Together they received accolades such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Awards. They had 31 chart hits, 2o in the Top 100, Only 6 in the Top 20 and just one in the Top 10. 

The Ike and Tina Turner Review

But, as mentioned above, they were probably the most famous duo never to have a number one or lots of top 10's.






   
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Pat Boone

Pat Boone

Why is an old rocker including Pat Boone in his rock and roll  blog ? That's simple. Pat Boone was a major player in rock and roll. Not only did he sell a gillion records but he was accepted by the adults. His "squeaky clean" persona made it o.k. for the white teenagers to participate in this new music, "rock and roll". 

Pat Boone

Without Pat Boone's involvement I don't know how the genre would have developed in such a short period. Here's an example. Elvis was frowned on and apparently didn't give a damn. Kids were under pressure from parent's not to buy his kind of music. We certainly were not supposed to be buying what was called, "race" records. That's where Pat comes in.


Pat was a good looking preppie kid from Nashville.  No ducks ass hair cut. No hoodlum looking clothes. No Marlon Brando "Wild One" images. Just a good looking kid with a really great voice. That's plus one.

Pat Boone

Plus two was the Nashville thing. Nashville to southerners meant one thing, the Grand Ole Opry. And that was about as American as mom and apple pie.


Three, Pat was religious and didn't hide it. This made him acceptable to preachers and parents alike. 


Pat Boone recorded songs we weren't supposed to hear. He was covering black (race) music and making it palatable for all listeners. To the parents and even grand parents Pat Boone was the young Eddy Arnold. The anti-Elvis. 

Pat Boone

My mother's family is from Middle Tennessee. And if you know anything about Tennesseans you know they stick together. My grandmother was from Lawrenceburg. At one point she was a house mother for a sorority at Vanderbilt University. She saw Pat on Television and liked him. She bought his 1958 book "Twixt Twelve and Twenty" and sent it to me for my 13th birthday. I read it. It helped explain what was going on with that raging hormone thing. Can you think of any other teen idols who were writing self help books for teenagers ?

Pat Boone on the cover of Rolling Stone

So, whether you or I think of Pat as a rocker doesn't matter. He was a very important part of rock and roll history. He was exactly the image we needed. He fit the concept of the ideal teen. He became the good face for rock and roll. He and Ricky Nelson were important figures in the making rock and roll acceptable. They opened markets for the genre. A lot of new buyers came into the market because of these two young men.


Now from the other angle. Did he sell records angle. Hell yeah !!! Check out these numbers.

A very patriotic Pat Boone

Between 1955 and 1962, he was hot ! After that it was pretty much over for the rocking and rolling. He went on to be big in the gospel and country markets. He did television, movies, commercials and wrote lots of books. He did the corporate spokesman gig for Chevrolet and many other companies. He gave motivational speeches, did political commentary and lots and lots of church work. Pat Boone never looked over his shoulder when his rock and roll deal slowed down. He's 77 now and from what I understand, he's still busy as ever.


He's recorded 69 regular albums, 68 compilation albums and 63 singles.


1955 to 62    (7 years) 


He had  56 Top 100 Hits  (that's charting 8 per year)


He had 38 Top 40 Hits


He had  16 Top 10 Hits 


He had 12 Top 5's


He had 6 Number One Hits      (Three #1's in 1957 alone)


What did I tell you ? Pat Boone sold a ton of records. They say he out sold everybody but Elvis during those years.


Here are some links for his music and information. Enjoy !




    Web site         Info             Videos           Gospel





Pat Boone is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nor is he in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Why ?

Pat Boone with nine gold records.

Elvis opened for him, for goodness sakes. Oh, let me guess, he's a little too religious ? Or maybe too nice ? Maybe it's because he speaks his mind on politics and doesn't fit the left wing mold ? Maybe if he had died of a drug overdose or alcohol poisoning he would have fit. 


Nice payback folks ! The guy was the best salesman the genre ever had and now he's given the cold shoulder.  Good enough for the cover of Rolling Stone but not for the precious Hall (in Cleveland of all places) !


Hey Pat Boone, Tennessee boy ! Guess what  ???  You are now officially in the one Hall of Fame that counts. The Fan's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located in the fan's state of "mind".


Thanks for what you did for our generation !       John Boykin

Bobby Rydell

Bobby Rydell

1960, all in all, was a good year for music. Rock and Roll was growing not only in popularity but in depth and texture as well. Up until 60' the music had been primarily rockabilly mixed with blues. In late 59 and 60 we began to hear more New York, Philly and L.A. studio mixed with it. 


Now we were starting to hear additions like doo wop, jazz and pop. That pop is what leads us to Bobby Rydell. He seemed to combine all the previous influences and make his own version of the music. It worked. His record sales proves it.

Bobby Rydell

Here is another Philadelphia claim for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bobby Rydell, Grease's Rydell High, was named after him, even sang a song about the community of Wildwood. Maybe there was something to that fellow's suggestion that the Hall should be located there.


Speaking of record sales I should comment on another change which would help rock and rollers sell records. No longer were they being kicked off the Opry and having a hard time getting records played on radio, just the opposite. Radio and a ready base of fans were eager to hear new artists. But perhaps more importantly Television welcomed the rock and rollers as full fledged members of the entertainment content product. Now the formerly shunned music was booked on shows developed around the genre. Examples were Pat Boone and Dick Clark's nationally syndicated shows. It seemed every city with a television station had some local host with his own dance show. Things were right for quick exposure.

Bobby Rydell

The one thing no one in any part of show business expected to happen, happened. A second Elvis like revolution hit rock and roll just about ten years after it started. Everything changed. Established  hitmakers couldn't sell records. People who were running on a string of top 10's couldn't chart better than a top 50. The Beatles and the British Invasion stopped Bobby Rydell's promising career just four years into his highly popular series of hits.


It wasn't just Bobby's career. It was the last of the American dominance of rock and roll. That might not be a bad thing but it sure felt like a death knell to a lot of studio's and established rockers in this country. Bobby Joe Tucker, a great American philosopher, once told me that 1964 was the year the music died. He said it tongue in cheek so I expect he was talking about his own music business not the industry in general. 

Bobby Rydell

Bobby Rydell is a great example of how the numbers went south. In 1959 he had four hits in the Top 50
1960 he had 6 in the Top 20
1961 he had 7 hits with 4 in the Top 25
1962 he had Three in the Top 20 and two more on the charts.
1963 he had Two in the Top 25 and two more on the charts
1964 he had a #4 then it started dropping with three more above 40.
1965 he had one #98
From that point on his charting career was over.


I have looked at many careers since I started blogging this music subject. Invariably it's the same. There is pre 1964 and then there is post 1964.


No wonder all these "teen idols" felt like they went from hero to zero over night. They did.

Bobby Rydell

As high school kids we enjoyed Bobby Rydell. As college freshmen, we enjoyed the Beatles. Nobody realized what we were losing. It's just the way it was. Bobby is still performing regularly. If you go to the web site link below it will tell you when and where he will be performing. He is still very popular and draws great crowds.




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