(279) BOBBY PICKETT MONSTER MASH 1962

Monster Mash was a hit and became a Halloween Classic, and while you can make a great living as a successful songwriter, and the residuals can come in for years on a "one hit wonder," Bobby's novelty song has kept ringing the cash registers for the last 47 years.

I remember how happy we all were for Bobby when this song hit!
Wes Bryan

I'm over here doing the "Transylvania Twist" since I'm related to Vlad the Impaler!

Christine Trzyna

Video replaced October 2012

CELINE DION and a SPLIT SCREEN ELVIS PRESLEY (TRICK OR TREAT!)

Wes and I watched this one together and not too far into watching it, he broke down and cried. "It just hit me," he said.

Actually he ran out of the room and I followed.

"What was it about that video?" I asked.

Wes said, "I once heard Elvis singing that song live. And then I saw Celine look at Elvis like he was there - a girl who wasn't born yet."

CICERO Quote On Friendship and Adversity

"Friendship makes prosperity more brilliant, and lightens adversity by dividing and sharing it."

- Cicero (44 B.C.)

(277) DORSEY BURNETTE and Elvis and Me THE DYING EMBER

Johnny's brother Dorsey Burnett recorded a song called "The Dying Ember" that I wrote along with a songwriter named Fred Horton. The song had been pitched to Elvis, who loved it. He began experimenting with it in his home studio at Graceland TM...

Dorsey Burnette was a prolific Memphis born songwriter in his own right, whose songs were recorded by Glen Campbell and Rick Nelson, among others.

"The Dying Ember" came out in 1962 on Dot Records as a single.

The song came out again in 1963 in stereo and on his 1992 album called "Great Shakin Fever."

YOUTUBE VIDEO REMOVED OCT 28, 2010

RINGO RECORDED JOHNNY BURNETT's HIT YOU'RE SIXTEEN

Johnny Burnett had a hit with You're Sixteen about 1961 and it went to about #3 when the song was at its height. It became a classic.



Ringo Starr made the song famous all over again...

(276) LIBERTY RECORDS - NEW HOME TO BUDDY KNOX, JOHNNY BURNETT, and THE CRICKETS

Johnny Burnette, Buddy Knox, and The Crickets were recording for LIBERTY RECORDS by '62. We're linking to Dave Edwards and Mike Callahan here, as they have made a great effort to present the history of record labels and this link links to a whole discography. (Click on the title above.)

Now as a songwriter at American Music, I had some intellectual properties that I had signed over the rights to the company for - temporarily. Those properties have been returning to me over the last several years. And one of the songs I was so proud of and originially wrote with Elvis in mind got recorded instead by Johnny's brother Dorsey Burnette...

MOVIE MIRROR YEARBOOK 1961

BUDDY KNOX and WES BRYAN - posed together - were included in the Sound Sations pages of this magazine. Articles were published on Elvis, Rick Nelson, Tab Hunter in the same.

I moved to Los Angeles and signed on as a staff song writer at American Music where my life would continue to include the famous or near famous - people I first met in Akron, Ohio, New York City, or touring through the Southern States, or while recording on United Artists, Clock, or Roulette Records...

Hello to MY COUSIN DEAN !

My cousin Dean is the member of the family who keeps tabs on my career and what's up on the Internet about me. His was the first call I got alerting me to the fact that a song of mine was up on YouTube.

Dean is respected in our family for both his artistic achievements and because he is a Vietnam War Hero.

I'm sending my love to one of my favorite cousins today. Have a great one Dean!

WES BRYAN MELODIE D'AMOUR on YOUTUBE

I want to thank Arne of Sweden and Bernard of Britain for both posting my first song on YouTube, called "Melodie D'Amour" which came out about 1960. I promoted this song on television shows and public performances in Los Angeles, and it was a song that Elvis loved.



Now we sent an e-mail to Arne and Arne wrote back:

"Hello Wes.

I'm very flattered that I get a mail from such a great artist. I (and all my music friends) have always loved Melodie D'Amour, it's a very special version of the old song, by far the best in my opinion. I haven't heard about you for a long time, I hope everything is okay? Your music will live forever, so don't ever think otherwise. I could see why both Ersel and Elvis loved your awesome version, it's very special. I'm so glad for this mail, you have not only made my day, I could live for this a long long time.

Thanks so much and take care of yourself.

Best wishes, Arne."

ARNE YOU MADE OURS ! (And we hope to install a Swedish Translator soon!)

Wes Bryan and Family

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MUSIC HISTORY STAR ?

We've been blogging about so many people who I met, was friends with, worked with, heard in performance, or was influenced by in my life in music. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE STAR IN MUSIC HISTORY? Maybe someone we seem to have forgotten about ?

Use the comments to let us know!
Thanks!

Wes

JAMES DEAN SCREEN TEST MARLON BRANDO

Don't know the date on this but the rumors are true, Marlon screen tested for the role Jimmy got. We'll never know what would have become of James Dean and his career if he had lived...

NEW CODE FOR VIDEO NEEDED

GRAMMY MUSEUM FIELD TRIP

Recently 24 Los Angeles County Museums staged a free day over a weekend and I took full advantage, heading for the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles.



I called Wes from the museum to tell him that I just got chills when I saw the simple red jacket that Ritchie Valens had worn for his first publicity photo. Also on display was Elvis Presley's family bible circa 1936 and letters from Elvis to a fan on Blue Moon Boys era pink stationary. Can you help but compare your own handwriting to that of the famous artist? How about a letter from Buddy Holly to his mother?

The museum boasts cutting edge techological achievement. There are NEARLY 200 MUSICAL GENRES to explore and you can watch performances, listen to famous songwriters talk about collaboration (I listened to Hal David and Carole King) or play at recording in booths with famous producers coaching you from small video screens.

Now listen. We know Grammys TM and Academy Awards TM are amazing. But we also know that the vast majority of musicians, songwriters, entertainers, actors - ARTISTS - never get near such recognition but are still deserving of praise, if for no other reason than it's damn difficult to be true to yourself as an artist and make a living.

So be inspired by the Grammy Museum and then keep on doing what you do, prizes or not!

Christine Trzyna

JAMES BYRON DEAN BLOG

Here's a myspace blog by a devoted JAMES DEAN Fan which also mentions me...

JAMES DEAN WEB SITE LINK

Keeping James Dean alive forever! This is a dynamic web site!

His aunt and uncle told me, when I spent some time on their farm, researching Jimmy, that I moved like him. I was also taller and Southern but from a rural family. I still don't think I look like Jimmy feature by feature.

ELVIS PRESLEY Quote About JAMES DEAN

"I knew by heart all the dialogue of James Dean's films; I could watch "Rebel Without a Cause" a hundred times over."

- Elvis Presley

(And when Elvis loved a song or a movie,that's exactly what he did do! Listen to it or watch it over and over! Wes)