Our Monthly Club Meeting will be this Sunday, November 11th at the Homewood Public Library. 2:00 PM
RECORDS & CD’S-----MUSIC------FOOD------FRIENDSHIP----GOOD TIMES-----GUEST SPEAKERS----
MEMBER PRESENTATIONS

*****NEXT CLUB MEETING WILL BE DECEMBER 9TH. THE 2ND SUNDAY*******

******IN-HOUSE RECORD/CD SHOW THIS MONTH******
Bring a box of records and/or CD’s you want to sell or swap and join in the hunt.

UPCOMING EVENTS
AT THE DECEMBER MEETING WE WILL ONCE AGAIN PLAY OUR “DIRTY SANTA” GAME. WRAP UP A 45, LP, CD OR SLICE OF MEMORABILIA AND COME JOIN IN THE FUN.

GET WELL SOON
WE WANT TO SEND A SPECIAL “SHOUT-OUT” AND “GET WELL SOON” TO A FRIEND OF THE CLUB, JAN PRESTRIDGE. JAN LIVES IN MONTGOMERY AND IS RECOVERING FROM SURGERY. I UNDERSTAND HE SPENDS HIS RECOVERY TIME LISTENING TO MUSIC ON THE BRC WEBSITE. THAT WILL HELP ANYONE GET BETTER QUICKER. GET WELL SOON, JAN.

Answer’s to last month’s trivia quiz.

1. What combo was “Jumpin’” Gene Simmons the singer for in the early 60’s? Bill Black Combo
2. What was used to create the sound of the coffin being opened in the song, “Monster Mash”? A rusty nail being pulled from a board
3. Who wrote the song, “The Blob”? Burt Bacharach
4. Speaking of “The Blob”, The Five Blobs, who recorded the song, was really made up of how many people? (clue: it wasn’t 5) 1 (Bernie Nee)
5. “Monster Mash”, a #1 hit in the states, didn’t hit the charts in the UK until 1973. Why did it take so long for it to do so? It was banned until ‘73
6. From the songs mentioned in the above opening, how many of them reached # 1? 6
7. Of these # 1 songs, which one has reportedly sold over 100 million copies? Purple People Eater
8. Sheb Wooley was seen in what TV western series which ran from 1959-1965? Rawhide (extra credit if you knew his character was Pete Nolan)
9. In what movie did he portray a principal? Hooisers
10. Sheb also recorded under another name. Who? Ben Colder
11. What was in the box Phil Harris sang about in “The Thing”? It was never revealed

MUSIC THEME FOR NOVEMBER: MILITARY

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918 a treaty was signed ending what we now call
WW I. Because of this, Veterans Day came into being in1938. This month we’ll honor all vets by looking at songs with a military theme. In America we can go all the way back to the Revolutionary War and find songs such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and one called “Chester”. I guess for every war there are songs and hymns that can be found. The Civil War gave us “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”, “Battle Hymn Of The Republic” and “Dixie”. WWI had “Over There”, “It’s A Long Long Way To Tipperary” and “Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag And Smile, Smile, Smile”. WWII had people singing songs such as “Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree”, “We’ll Meet Again” and The Andrews Sisters boogied with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”. That brings us to the songs that so many of us remember hearing on the radio that had a military theme. I guess the first one that comes to mind is the 1962 “Soldier Boy” by The Shirelles. A year later Diane Renay had a hit with “Blue Navy”. Diane also gave us “Kiss Me Sailor”. What’s this thing she had for guys in the navy? “Greetings” is a song I hear quite often done by the Monitors but it was originally recorded in 1961 by The Valadiers, Motown’s first white group. The Monitors version was done in 1966. Others that got quite a bit of air time include “Galveston” by Glen Campbell, “Billy & Sue” by B. J. Thomas, and Bo Donaldson’s “Billy Don’t Be A Hero”. This particular song reached #1 for Bo in the states and was also a #1 hit in the UK but by the group Paper Lace (“The Night Chicago Died”). Jimmy Dean released “PT 109” in 1962 and watched it reach #3 on the charts. It documented John F. Kennedy and his crew’s exploits after their PT boat was cut in half by a Japanese Destroyer. One song that even included war sound effects was The Animals’ 1968 release, “Sky Pilot”. It reached # 14 in the states but only # 40 in the UK. And how about SSgt Barry Sadler’s “Ballad Of The Green Beret”. It stayed at #1 for 5 weeks in 1966 even with all the turmoil in the states due to the Viet Nam war. In fact it was the # 21 song for the 1960’s. Sadler wrote the song while recuperating from a leg wound he received while serving as a medic in Nam. And of course Elvis got into the act when his film, G. I. Blues was released. The song, “G. I. Blues” tells of a soldier’s lament of having to be overseas, “I’d blow my next month’s pay for a slice of Texas cow.” Johnny Horton did quite a few military theme songs including “Sink The Bismarck”, “Johnny Reb”, “Johnny Freedom” and “Battle Of New Orleans”. The Ronettes had an unreleased song written by Phil Spector entitled “Soldier Baby (Of Mine)” that was later recorded and released on the Spector label by Candy & The Kisses and on Loma by Brenda Hall. The 50’s had plenty of military songs also. The Four Fellows had a 1955 hit with “Soldier Boy”, …”while you’re gone, try to believe her love is really for real”. While it may not have a military title, The Six Teens released “A Casual Look” in 1956 singing about what lead a soldier to propose to his girl before going overseas. This song was covered by Gale Storm, Little Clydie & The Teens and The Orlons. The Six Teens also did a song in 1957 called “Only Jim”. It was about a girl who falls for Jim’s friend (“he’s quite a guy”) while Jim is in the Navy. A “dear John” letter follows, she realizes there’s “only Jim” and… well what a mess. In 1959 The Tassels released “To A Soldier Boy”. The girl sings her letter and then the guy replies. The Hurricanes did a doo wop style song, “I’ll Be Glad”, where they sing that they will be glad when their army days are over. Some others of note include a # 80 hit, Elena Marie singing “Soldier Boy” and The Orlons first record, “I’ll Be True”, which is an answer song to The Shirelles, “Soldier Boy”. And just so you Marines know you weren’t left out, Jamie Horton did a song entitled “My Little Marine”. A portion of The Marine Hymn is even in this recording. There are so many other songs with this same theme that I don’t have the space to list. Thanks to all you vets, be you Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine or Coast Guard. These songs are for you.

Trivia questions

1. Which group mentioned above was the headliner for the first integrated concert in Alabama?
2. The Shirelles helped what future star get some early exposure by having her fill in when members took some time off?
3. Trudy Williams, lead singer for The Six Teens on “A Casual Look”, was how old when she recorded the song?
4. “A Casual Look” had a line in it that lead the group, The Students, to record what song?
5. “The Ballad Of The Green Berets” was parodied by what group and what was the title of their song?
6. The group in question 5 had a future superstar in it. Who?
7. Who is the sky pilot in the Animals song, “Sky Pilot”?
8. Who allegedly wrote the American revolutionary song, “Yankee Doodle Dandy”?

Enjoy some of the music mentioned thanks to Youtube.

The Andrews Sisters do their part for WWII morale: http://youtube.com/watch?v=SraRU5oD17c

Diane Renay: http://youtube.com/watch?v=T42_bgR3GlQ

Valadiers: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZGfx_LOGDB0

Animals’ Sky Pilot with aerial footage: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HRAYMwCfHL4

SSgt Barry Sadler: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LH4-tOqLH94

The Hurricanes: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lzz3kgOaL70

Elvis: http://youtube.com/watch?v=JosUZjWUAkQ

Here’s this month’s “on the road” memory from Jerry Grammer

“Louisiana Ride”
Very early 60’s and itching for a new experience, led me to form a group and head for Shreveport, La. I had already worked with Ronnie James (piano), Sonny Sargeant (guitar) and Frank McAtee (tenor and alto sax). Although several of us sang, I felt as if we needed a total front man! I was introduced to Bobby Goodman, of the happy Goodman Family. We all clicked at once.
We did a few rehearsals at Ronnie’s home. I remember every time we arrived, their English bulldog, humped my leg. I was so embarrassed by this; mainly because Mrs. James, was so elegant and sophisticated!
After about 3 practices and things coming together; we headed for Shreveport, in Bobby’s car. Instruments were stacked on a top carrier, in the trunk and even between us. (We were all skinny then) Bobby stopped on every bridge, creek and even drainage ditch, just to cast a line for fish!
During the nutty trip, we were trying to decide on a name. Although Bobby was hired by me, I suggested: Bobby and The Dukes. We had been through Nashville at one time, so we published;
STRAIGHT FROM NASHVILLE.” Bobby and The Dukes” We often laughed at this, but it brought us many customers on our first night! (also many nights afterwards)
Bobby and The Dukes replaced Rosco Gordon and band. I didn’t know till later who he was and now, how in the world, did this happen? When we walked into “Club Dallas”, I thought, my God what am I doing? These guys are great. I was invited to sit in on trumpet. The black trumpet man handed me his horn and without hesitation or cleaning the mouth piece , I started playing. (He had a better horn than me) I loved the action!
The following nights yielded more and more customers! I was still in shock! Being an after hours venue led me to be introduced to so many celebrities. The main one sticks in my mind is “The Hawk”….Ronnie Hawkins. One night, I even met his cuz, Dale. They would jam with us and invite us to their clubs. Because we started late, at night, We often found ourselves in the clubs with people who are now historical in the business!
More on this later. Jerry

England Dave wrote a letter to Jerry about the memories he shares. Here is that letter.

Jerry,
I thank you so much for sharing the stories with me. Naturally, being a performer, you can relate to famous people and I feel the loss and the pain and the life that was and the past and the memories that are carried by you. I can not relate to but a few famous people -- my mother being the most famous as far as I am concerned.
I too feel this way as I guess that you now have gathered. I miss so much of my past but like you and unlike Flat for instance -- we do not live in the past. I would and still do at a moments notice go off in deep reflection - I have told to some of the things that can throw me back to day 768 or 934 of my life things like hot rain on a steaming tarmac road or the sun on a creosote fence. Naturally my teenage years are littered with faces and places -- oh to see them one more time
And my life, much like yours, is filled with moments that I treasure for ever
And yet time and God has taken them from me and I search, mostly in vain, to find where they have all been hidden.
Alas no answers come forth but now and then
Well more rare than that
A kindred spirit crosses my path
To re light my enthusiasm
To guide me
To remind me
To offer me
My stolen gift
HOPE!

AND FOR THAT I THANK YOU SIR

Dave

UPCOMING RECORD SHOW

Atlanta. Sunday, Novemver 18th. Doors open at 10:AM EST. $3 admission. Early bird entry at 6:30 AM EST $10. Marriott Century Center at I-85 & Clairmont Rd. Exit 91.

If you have any of the yard signs advertising our record/cd show, please bring them to the next meeting so we can have them for next year’s show. Thanks.

See ya,

Charlie