Vicki Young was born Wanda Cleo Stegall on June 26, 1925, in Vinson, Oklahoma, the first of four talented children born to Loda and Mintie Stegall. Descended from an early American family dating back to 1736, the Stegall family had a long history of birthing "Methodist preachers or musicians." In Vicki's case, her parents were musicians and had one of the first professionally performing family western style bands, "The Stegalls."
By the time she was four, little Wanda was singing and already playing the banjo, ukulele and drums. For seven years, the youngster and her family band could be heard live over station KASA (AM 1210) in Elk City, Oklahoma. Read more
Bobbie Warren Strontium 90 Ann & Marty Cleary, Candell Pub. (ASCAP) Pamco-1501 A
1960
Marti Cleary (University High School Yearbook, 1958)
"Strontium 90" was originally written by Ann and Marty Cleary. It expresses concern about the quantity of Strontium 90 , a highly poisonous element , released by exploding atomic bombs. Like the song on the flip, "Strontium 90" was a prize winner at a college contest (Stanford University).
Ann and Marty Cleary were the daughters of Ed Cleary, a law professor in Urbana, Illinois. It is not known if they recorded the song themselves but they performed it at musical reunions in colleges or universities around their hometown in 1960 and 1961.
The song was also recorded by Jerry Silverman, Ethel Ralm & Pete Seeger (Sing Out LP), Inman and Ira, Singing Spokesmen from the New Generation (Mercury LP) and The Johnson Boys (Bethlehem Records). These three songs plus the Pamco track can be found in this zipped file.
Lyrics
Last night I went to a party, Danced so I just about passed out; But just when the party was gayest Some crazy guy began to shout:
Chorus: Strontium, Strontium, Strontium Ninety fall-out Will get you even underground; Now if you want some Strontium, Strontium Ninety, There's plenty enough to go around.
What will we get from radiation? No necks, two necks or maybe three; Each one will have his own mutation; Nobody else will look like me! (chorus)
So drink to the course of evolution; The next one may very well be you; Clouding the air with pollution, And we'll see you next year at the zoo! (Chorus)
Native of Portland, Oregon via Coffeyville, Kansas, Chi Chi (Treece) started in the entertainement field as a calypso dancer, appearing in some of the better supper clubs in the U.S.A. and Canada. The Entree record seems to be her only single. She also sings one track on the Bill Beau Trio album "Live At The Blueport Lounge" which was produced by Andy Belvin and Louis Webb and issued by Misty Records in 1965. Her career (as Chee-Chee or Chi-Chi at least) seems to have been closely associated with Bill Beau. They were managed by Personality Productions (Buck Ram).
Bill Beau (real name William Chisholm) died of a heart attack in 1997. Bill returned to his native Canada in 1992 after living and working as a jazz musician keyboards across the United States, primarily in California, for over 35 years.
Both sides of her Entree 45, her track from the Misty LP, and an unissued cover of Lavern Baker hit are included in this zipped file.
Tracklist Chee Chee - Crazy Man (Entree) Chee Chee - Uncle Sam Ain't No Woman (Entree) Chi Chi - Jim Dandy (acetate) Chi Chi & Bill Beau Trio - Early in the Morning (Misty LP). Bonus track : Dee Allen : Crazy Man (Pip). (original recording of the song issued on another Buck Ram label named Pip).
Melveen Leed - born Melveen Ku'uleipuanani Leed, "Da Tida", was born and raised on the island of Molokai. She attended Kilohana Elementary & Intermediate School,Molokai, Radford High School, Honolulu (1961 grad.), Honolulu Business College,and Maui Technical School, Kahului, Maui (1963). As far back as her early childhood she liked the art of music and especially to sing. As she developed her talent for vocalizing, there were many avenues for her to follow. The music native to her people and the islands was foremost, but also she liked to delve into jazz, country, and mainstream pop music. During the mid nineteen sixties, Leed was honored as Miss Molokai and at about the same time began her "long and winding road" as one of Hawaii's premier performers.
Her last record, as far as I known, after few records on Derby (with Freddie Mitchell), Fortune (with Choker Campbell) and Club 51 (with the Lefty Bates Combo.
This is twenty years old Barbara Colson. Barbara also recorded singles for Voice Of Country, a label owned by her manager and songwriter Elizabeth Thorn (1956-2009).
You have certainly heard of The Great Molasses Flood that occured in January 1919 in Boston after a storage tank collapsed, sending more than two million gallons (eight million litres) of molasses flowing through the city’s North End. The deluge caused extensive damage and killed 21 people.
31 years later, the lesser knownSecond Molasses Floodflooded the airwaves and the record shops in the year 1950. The culprit was Larry Clinton who wrote words and music to "Molasses, Molasses (It's Icky Sticky Goo)" which was first released by Lenny Carson and the Whiz Kids on the Savoy subsidiary Discovery. Soon, the song made a loud splash in the disk business and a dozen artists recorded the song, among them Teresa Brewer, Ella Fitzgerald and Spike Jones.
The sonic deluge caused extensive damage to the most fragile ears but, fortunately, killed nobody.
Beatrice Kay - Molasses, Molasses Ed Wiley and His After Hours Band - Molasses, Molasses Ella Fitzgerald - Molasses, Molasses Lenny Carson And The Whiz Kids - Molasses, Molasses Roberta Quinlan - Molasses, Molasses Spike Jones and his City Slickers - Molasses, Molasses Teresa Brewer - Molasses, Molasses
Unfortunately Kenny Rogers (Coral), Judy Valentine (with Tommy Tucker orch., MGM) and The Galli Sisters (National) are still missing and have not yet been found.
Songwriter and performer, Claudia Nygaard has recorded several CDs, but only one 45, this one, in 1980, produced by Chris Gerold. Composer: Claudia Nygaard published by Swank Songs Music.
Andre Williams - Mean Jean Bill Haley - Skinny Minnie Bill Haley - Lean Jean Billy Lee Riley - Pearly Lee Bobby Boston - Lazy Daisy Bobby Darin - Plain Jane Chubby Checker - Lazy Elsie Molly Dale McBride - Prissy Missy Dave Bartholomew - Messy Bessie Dave Rich - Rosie Let's Cozy Del Shannon - Don't Gild The Lily, Lily Doug Sahm with The Pharoahs - Crazy Daisy Everly Brothers - My Gal Sal Freddy Cannon - Patty Baby Jack Scott - Mary Marry Me Jimmy Dee - You're Late Miss Kate Jo Ann Campbell - Crazy Daisy Johnny Bond - Sadie Was A Lady Larry Williams - Dizzy Miss Lizzy Lattie Moore - Skinnie Minnie Shimmy Lou Monte - You're So Bella Isabella Nino Tempo - Loonie 'Bout Junie Paul Peek - Sweet Skinny Jenny Red Sovine - Normally, Norma Loves Me Skip and Flip - Fancy Nancy The Fireflies - Stella Got A Fella The Kingsmen - Annie Fannie The Spades (Vocal Al Steele) - Fatty Patty The Swinging Blue Jeans - Good Golly Miss Molly Wilson Pickett - Mini Skirt Minnie
The daughter of literay agent Ethel Paige, Rosalind Paige known in New York as a cafe and supper club singer made records between 1949 and 1957 (on Spotlite, Admiral, Adam, Dubonnet, Essex, Decatur Maestro, New Disc and MGM). In 1957, she married her manager, Carlton Cole, who was 25 years her senior. Carlton Cole died in 1959.
After her musical career ended, she became the agent of many well-known authors, actors, artists and celebrities, including Andy Warhol, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, George Sanders and Sybil Leek. She was the author of books, including The Waldorf Astoria Cookbook. She also founded and produced the magazine Cookbook Digest, Rosalind Paige Cole lived for many years with her mother in the Algonquin Hotel, before moving into the Waldorf-Astoria in 1961. There she became the longest residing guest at 53 years.
She died of cancer on February 20, 2014 in New York City. She was 88 years old, owing nearly $1 million in rent and meal charges when she died, even though she was worth more than twice that.
Killer Joe Piro Kangaroo Cleopatra Records unissued
1963 or 1964?
Frank “ Killer Joe " Piro had it made . A Lindy Hopper in the thirties , teacher of Afro-Cuban dances at the Palladium in the forties and fifties , he became the favorite instructor of the jet set in the sixties.
In the early fifties, he opened his own studio on 54 West 55th Street in Manhattan, where many in New York's high society came to take dance lessons. Invariably keeping a step ahead of trends, over the decades he taught what would become the mainstays of the discothèque scene: the Mambo, the Cha-cha and the Merengue, then the Twist and later the Frug, the Frog, the Watusi, and the Hully Gully.
His students included the Duke of Windsor, Sita Devi Gaekwar - Maharani of Baroda, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Ray Bolger, Luci Baines Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and, by 1965, more than a million other Americans, according to an obituary in The New York Times.
Killer Joe Piro on "To Tell the Truth" (April 27, 1964)
Linda Lou Andrews (circa 1959) Photo credit : Jacksonville State College
Born in Alabama, Linda Lou Andrews, after graduating from Jacksonville High School, Alabama, entered Jacksonville
State College, where she again became a favorite of her classmates. She started singing at the age of 10 with a number of bands while in college, among them the C-Notes, a
well known local group.(above ad from 1962). Little Linda Lou joined the Frankie Brent Revue in the early part of 1963 and, with Frankie Brent, recorded just one single for Epic Records. The flip of Rip It Up is Summertime sung with Frankie.
Next, she worked in revues on the east coast and toured the country as a single for three years before joining forces with Lyle Thurman, an organ major from the University of Oklahoma and they began performing as a duo - mostly in night clubs in and around Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1971 they expanded their sound with Rick Cope, a drummer and a few short months later with Kenny Mills, a guitarist. In 1972, there was an album recorded at the Derrick Recording Studios. Linda Lou died shortly afterwards.
Linda Lou and The Three For All (1972)
Mrs. Linda Lou Andrews Kotzin, 31, of Tulsa, Okla., in Biloxi, Miss., after a short illness. At the time of her death, Mrs. Kotzin was manager and entertainer at the Tradewinds Motel in Biloxi.
Found this unsurpassed stupidity on YouTube. It's from the CD "People Meowing Christmas Classics" (all tracks available on YT for free, or if you prefer disburse some money, the album is also available at Amazon as well as is, from the same producers, a CD of one hour of people meowing.
The label gave writer's credits to Frankie George, owner of the Black Orchid.. According to King Alex, "He was just a club owner. He didn't write no songs and he didn't play no music. He helped me produce the record, but I wrote it."
Alex Littlejohn (1934-2008)
"King-Alex" (Alex Littlejohn) was born July 29, 1934 and passed away March 15, 2008. He performed at local venues, regional and national blues and jazz festivals. He performed with the late Tommy Soul, Lester "Wizard" King, Albert Collins, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lawrence Wright and the Outlets, Leon Estelle, "Little-Joe" Robinson and Claude "Fiddler" Williams - just to name a few. Williams and formal training at UMKC's Conservatory of Music helped Alex refine his ability to play the bass. He was the first African-American bassist to play an electric bass in Kansas City through the Conservatory. Provine "Little" Hatch, George Jackson and many others performed with King-Alex at area venues to include Club Paradox, Mack's Tavern, Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival, and the Epicurean. He has several recordings to his credit to include Hot as a Coffee Pot, Huchia-Cuthia Lovin' Man, Sweet Banana Pie, Little Girl from New Orleans, and Grinding Stone.
Littlejohn was inducted into the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City Jazz in 2002 along with former employer and life-long friend Richard "Dick" Berkley.
Central Records was a subsidiary of Shelter Music, which was a subsidiary of Midwestern Recorders. All three owned by Gene Smith, who was also manager of the World War II Memorial building;
Avonelle Productions AU-101 1978 Produced and composed by Donnie Sanders, song published by Magic Trolley Pub. Co. BMI
Vero Beach, Florida drummer Diane Marie Mohr, 31-year old in 1978, has been drumming and singing the previous year at Rick's Dugout Lounge with the Glenn Shell Trio.. She started playing drums at age 14. Three years later, she was, providing the.beat for such name acts as Bobby Vinton, Anita Bryant and the Tokens. "1 was In a band in Louisville and we played at a benefit concert with some big singers," Miss Mohr said., "The Tokens even, asked me to join' them because it would have been pretty unusual, for a chick to be in the band. But Mom and,. Dad said no way. l wasn't even out of high school, yet," Instead, she continued taking drum lessons throughout high school.
The record was financed by Avonelle Call, who acted as her sponsor. "We have an agreement that if I ever hit it big,
she'll get 10 per cent. Actually, she's just a close
friend. who doesn't know anything about music. She thinks I just deserve
a shot..."
Ball Records label launched by John Dolphin in 1957. John Dolphin was killed at his record company in 1958 by a disgruntled songwriter. His wife, Ruth Dolphin, took over Dolphin's of Hollywood after his death.
Billy Hines has recorded for Tin Pan Alley, Ball and his own Wa-Tusi label. I'm unable to find much details on him (euphemism), he came possibly from Jamaica to New York in the fifties before finding his way to California.
Hey hey hey, Mr. Wilson Picket Hey hey hey you Mr. James Brown Please tell me how you do Mr. Charles, Mr. King, Mr. Brown I do my best to sing like you But I can't do much, I can't do much I think it's the color, the color of my skin Who does not go And that's why I would like I would like to be black I would like to be black Hey hey hey tell me Monsieur Faubus Hey hey hey tell me how the whites Font to sell the niggers to Argus And to burn it from time to time And I do my best not to think about it And very often I feel very, very embarrassed By the color of my skin that demoralizes me A little bit And that's why I would like I would like to be black I would like to be black Hey hey hey you Saints, The Elects Hey hey hey you simple minds You who sing all dressed in white In the green pastures near Him Tell me if it's better to enter this realm Rather have black skin or rather yellow skin And if white is not a bad color Among you Anyway I would like I would like to be black I would like to be black I would like to be black I would like to be black I would like to be black Black, black, black, yes, all black With a beautiful ebony color and frizzy hair And then I would like to live there To be able to sing every night In New Orleans See the Mississippi flow, be able to blow a trumpet Being able to bang a drum surrounded by my black friends And do the shinging every night and I could shout: Yeah yeah! Yeah! Yeah yeah! Yeah!
Every day brings its share of amazing news. Nino Ferrer only wished to be black (surely not any kind of black) in his song, but Jessica Krug has taken an extra step :
Jessica Krug, a Professor at George Washington University, has written extensively about Africa, Latin America, the diaspora and identity, all while claiming her own Black and Latina heritage. But Krug has now revealed the truth: She is White.
"My grandparents, who gave me the best parts of themselves, music and
movement and storytelling, the inclination to ask and the soul to
listen. My ancestors, unknown, unnamed, who bled life into a future they
had no reason to believe could or should exist. My brother, the
fastest, the smartest, the most charming of us all. Those whose names I
cannot say for their own safety, whether in my barrio, in Angola, or in
Brazil," she wrote in the introduction to her 2018 book, "Fugitive Modernities: Politics and
Identity Outside the State in Kisama, Angola, and the Americas, c.
1594-Present" -- which traces the histories of communities in Angola --
begins with references to those who came before her, her grandparents
and her ancestors. It's now being held up as one way Krug lied about her
identity.
"To an escalating degree over my adult life, I have eschewed my lived experience as a white Jewish child in suburban Kansas City under various assumed identities within a Blackness that I had no right to claim: first North African Blackness, then US rooted Blackness, then Caribbean rooted Bronx Blackness," she wrote.
Krug acknowledged that she had no right to claim these identities, saying that "doing so is the very epitome of violence, of thievery and appropriation, of the myriad ways in which non-Black people continue to use and abuse Black identities and cultures." She apologized for what she calls her "continued appropriation of a Black Caribbean identity," saying she was wrong, unethical, immoral, anti-Black and colonial.
Gwenn Johnson and the Rick Jones Quartet Galanlads, vocal group
Now Hear This Rick Jones-Bob Moody Monzahalla Music Publ., BMI
I've found so much discordant information about this recording, that the best thing to do is probably to just relax and listen again and again to this bewitching love song.
Song was first issued in 1956 on Steve Riggio's PIV label. Arjay is probably a second issue from the late sixties/early seventies issued by Rick Jones on his own label [my guess]. Gwenn Johnson may be or not the sister of Plas Johnson.
On the PIV single, the vocal group is credited to The Mad Hatters, but co-composer Bob Moody was member of The Galanlads, credited on this Arjay release. Go figure !
"Take me to your leader" is a popular catchphrase said by an extraterrestrial alien who has just landed on Earth in a spacecraft to the first human it happens to meet. . It started, presumably, with a 1953 cartoon by Alex Graham in The New Yorker magazine. This showed two aliens telling a horse “Kindly take us to your President!”.
I was quite surprised to find, during a research, a profusion of songs copyrighted in 1958 and 1959. The very first, by Timmie Rogers, obviously inspired by Chuck Berry, was on Cameo Records. What has stimulated that music craze in the late fifties is not known. Perhaps a popular sci-fi sitcom or a TV show ?
