Dave "Baby" Cortez

Dave"Baby" Cortez

Dave "Baby" Cortez

Here we go again. A 1959 instrumental #1 hit. This time we find an organ in the lead. A first for that instrument. This was also the first time a black musician had scored a top hit as an instrumentalist.


The "Happy Organ" was indeed happy. As was his hit "Rinky Dink". I thoroughly enjoyed his music and to the best of my memory he may have been my first introductions to a rock and roll organ.


Enjoy the music !


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Sandy Nelson

Sandy Nelson

Here it is 1959 and we have yet another top 10 hit from an instrumental. This time a drummer leads the charge. Sandy Nelson was a great session drummer as well as solo artist for many, many years. 


I believe, he is the only artist to have three Top 10 hits which were  instrumentals. 

Sandy Nelson

If you don't know his music, I suggest you
listen to "Teen Beat" and "Let There Be Drums". I think you'll like them. I know I still do.










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Martin Denny

Martin Denny's major work 

Here was another of the instrumentals that conquered the charts in 1958. I'm not sure but I don't think there was another year when the instrumentals were so prevalent.

Martin Denny's Work

Martin Denny

My friends and I  loved the quiet beauty of this man's work. Although he will never make it into the Cleveland Hall I think his music worthy of preserving.

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Preston Epps

Preston Epps

Here's another great instrumental from 1958. Click on the red links and enjoy your day. 

Preston Epps big hit.

There is one thing I would like to say about Preston Epps. I almost drove my parents crazy with the set of Bongo drums I just had to have after hearing this album. It was probably the one gift they wished they had never purchased. Nuff said.




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Cozy Cole

Cozy Cole

1958 was a great year for instrumentals. Most didn't have a long string of hits so I thought I would offer their videos as a group. I played Cozy Cole this after noon while sitting at my desk. Here's a list of descriptions I jotted while listening.

Great drum record, heels tapping, jazzy with latin flavor, thumbs doing bongo on table top, back bone gettin' limber, body's now going into full tilt boogie motion, juking, can't sit still, air drums flailing, thigh slapping boogie, eyes closed, volume up, headphones screwed to head.

Whew...it's been awhile....any better and I'd have to smoke a cigarette afterward. 

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Bill Justis

Bill Justis knew how to pick album covers

Bill Justis is one of my favorite musicians. I won't write much about the great instrumentalist of the late fifties.










 I want them to have a place in this project. I want Bill's music and arrangements to live on through those who might see this someday.

Bill Justis Raunchy Cover

Bill Justis

Go to his videos. The music is great.


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Jan and Dean

I owned this Jan and Dean Album, once upon a time.

The first of the California influences. They were fun. I admit it. I was a big Jan and Dean fan. I liked the Beach Boys when they came along but Jan and Dean were the first to bring that fun crazy surfin' sound into our provincial world.


For several years they were mainstays on the airwaves. Even when the more polished Beach Boys came along, we still hung onto Jan and Dean as the California standard bearers. 


OK Hall of Fame in Cleveland(?) what gives here ?  Brian Wilson learned from and collaborated with Jan Berry. The Beach Boys make the Hall of Fame by using the sound and techniques they learned from Jan and Dean. Why are Jan and Dean are left out of the Cleveland (?) Hall of Fame ?  What the hell ?

Jan and Dean's " Surf City"

I know the Beach Boys had more top 40's. But when put into perspective, Jan and Dean broke new musical ground. They had to soften the marketplace for all the other Surf acts to follow. That's the heavy lifting part. They did all that and still broke through with 24 Top 100 from 1959 till Jan's awful accident in 66. That's almost four Top 100's per year for seven years straight.  Within those 24 there was a #1 and 13 within the Top 30. In 63 and 64, they owned the charts with 10 in the top 30 in just two years. 

Jan and Dean

They were innovators. Jan was known to be one of the best producers in the country. They were loved by teenagers everywhere. They even had hits after the Beatles arrived. Every time I stumble across one of these great pioneering groups who have been left out, I have less respect for the Hall. 


Jan and Dean not only sold a ton of records, they did it while working part time. They were actually college students. Music was their after school job. Jan had a near genius IQ and had finished his second year of Medical School in 66 when he had his terrible wreck. How many of the Rock and Roll Hall Inductees can say they were attending Med school full time while pursuing their music careers. None, Nada.

Jan and Dean's Great Album

So here it is Dean, you and your old partner are now officially in "The Fan's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". The only one that matters.






  


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