STATISTICS - WES BRYAN MY LIFE IN MUSIC

This blog is a labor of love and so we have not been too concerned with statistics or having a ticker tally all the hits to our site. (However, we are concerned and stymied about our stuck feed which makes it more difficult for some of you to read us!)

But today we were looking at the new statistics feature that comes with GOOGLE BLOGGER. As we say goodbye to 2010 and move into 2011, we think of all our new Internet friends who have come by to read some small part of Wes Bryan, My Life in Music, and we want to report to you the countries, in order of hits, that this blog has been read in! This is exciting for us, because until now we really did not know that we were being read in other countries outside the United States though we did install the TRANSLATOR to help friends who don't read in American English.

The GOOGLE STATISTICS feature began in May of 2010 (and reported from June 2010 on.)

Friends in the United States are our number one readers by far, as we expected.

What we didn't know was that we are also being read (in order of hits) by friends in:

Netherlands
United Kingdom
Russia
Canada
Germany
Spain
Denmark
Luxenbourg
Slovenia

Additionally, Internet Explorer was by far the most common browser used to read us.

Followed by:
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Apple-PubSub
Chrome
Java
UP.Browser
Netscape
NS*

(We've looked at our blog on various browsers and know that it looks great on Internet Explorer but is not intact on all browsers. This and a template upgrade are of concern to us. If you are not getting an intact website please let us know what browser you use!)

We also have some cell phone fans:
iPhone
Blackberry
iPad
IPod
Linux
BREW
(Currently we cannot install the "cell phone view" feature unless we upgrade and change templates and we like the design we have! hmmm.)

We thank all our new friends again, and hope to hear from you in the new year!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

BRENDA LEE I'LL BE SEEING YOU IN ALL THE OLD FAMILIAR PLACES

Listening to this old Brenda Lee song, thinking of old friends and looking forward to 2011!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

THANK YOU TO YOUTUBERS for the HISTORICAL MUSIC VIDEOS ! YOUTUBE STATION CTNWB

YOUTUBERS have been terrific!

If you're reading us you know that we have been able to bring the SOUND of MUSIC to our MUSIC BLOG thanks to Youtubers!

If you turn our station (CTNWB) where we have two play lists you can hear a couple hours of music, all pertinent to our story! Our blog goes to PLAY LIST ONE. Using the seach words CTNWB youtube you can go to PLAY LIST TWO.

We want to thank you all again!

(Please let us know if while you are reading you come across a video we've posted that's defunct.)

BING CROSBY : DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR ?

(351) DARLENE LOVE : A LOVELY PERSON TO WORK WITH : CHRISTMAS 1963

CHRISTMAS 1963

DARLENE LOVE worked a bit for me in the studio and I was lucky to have her because she had success of her own before, after, and during the period that she was a studio background singer! Like many studio singers she went uncredited for much of her work but she still has many noteworthy accomplishments. (I'm proud of my daughter Hollie and the professionalism she brings to studio work as well.)

Darlene sang lead on some of the CRYSTALS songs, produced by PHIL SPECTOR, including "He's a Rebel." She did background vocals for JOEY COOPER'S "I'm a Fool," (A song I co-wrote that we posted a Youtube video of recently). In 1968 she worked with ELVIS PRESLEY on his Welcome Back television special.

We're linking to the HISTORY OF ROCK page for DARLENE LOVE (click on the title) and here is the link for the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME; Darlene has been nominated for induction in 2011: GO TO THE LINK FOR DARLENE ON OUR SIDEBAR!

Though studio musicians and singers are behind the scenes and many never earn the fame of stage and concert performers, they truly contribute to the sound track of our lives. They are often more professional in their attitudes and abilities than some of those who do achieve fame. I come from a time when recording took place quickly and without all the computer equipment that can help turn a mediocre performance into a better one. Darlene is one of those whose voice stood the test of immediacy and of time.

(350) NAT KING COLE THE CHRISTMAS SONG

This song by NAT KING COLE is a classic among classics.


VIDEO REMOVED

WHATS IN THAT PIPE HE'S SMOKING?

Christine here: I couldn't help myself with that title. But doesn't this look like the Santa Arlo Guthrie was singing about? (Pete Tambunga's not the only one allowed to have a sense of humor here!)

(349) FRANKIE AVALON YOU'RE ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Frankie Avalon recorded more than one song that I was a co-writer on and we're always looking for a Youtube video so we can hear those recordings again. This recording is Frankie in his best voice.

(348) ELVIS PRESLEY IF EVERYDAY WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS

Another song that Elvis recorded that had Red West as a songwriter... Red is doing well late in life as an actor. (You can search for Red in our blog using the Google search feature!)

(347) ELVIS PRESLEY HOLLY LEAVES AND CHRISTMAS TREES

Here is what we said on post 89:

Elvis' recording of Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees is here in this YouTube Video presentation. It was written by entourage member and body guard Red West and another songwriter, Glen Dale Spreen. Elvis published it himself, buying it for his Elvis Presley Music, one of three publishing entities he owned.

Can you tell we're warming up to the holidays here? Well, we think today is the first of the twelve days of Christmas. And Elvis always made a big deal of Christmas, with gifts to others, gifts to The Entourage, gifts to his employees, gifts to his family, gifts to his friends, and gifts to strangers, through generous donations to a great number of charities, mostly Memphis-based.

But for Elvis this spirit of giving had everything to do with his idol, the only idol he ever had, King of all Kings, Jesus Christ.

(346) ELVIS PRESLEY BLUE CHRISTMAS

Here's what we said on post 96:

Elvis' recording of "Blue Christmas," that came out on his Christmas album in 1957 brought forth the Memphis sound he was known for with masculine background vocals and soul.

Elvis would sing this song hundreds of times in his life, and good thing, because he loved it personally.

Now, we've got the hang of posting YouTube video presentations to help illustrate the history of my story, but choosing which one, so you could listen to Elvis' rich baratone in the original version wasn't easy. The one we chose doesn't have any pictures of Elvis and it wasn't made as a "cover" by an Elvis interpreter or impersonator.

... This one is like a living Christmas card though, a real work of art, and with it we say "Merry Christmas," to all of you.

(345) ERNEST TUBB BLUE CHRISTMAS

Here is what we said in post number 95 about Ernest Tubb :

(95) ERNEST TUBB DOES BLUE CHRISTMAS FIRST

Country music star, Ernest Tubb did this song first. The song is more known as Elvis' now, "Blue Christmas."

Guess who owned publishing on it? Sylvester Cross, the owner of American Music, the music publishing company where I worked as a staff songwriter, who also had Cross Music.

My dad's cousin owned a coffee shop - restaurant with a juke box. I used to "pearl dive," wash dishes for him. This was when a juke box was stocked with big 78's. I went around singing "I'm Walking The Floor Over You," and "Blue Christmas," Ernest's hits. Elvis listened to this rendition of his favorite Christmas song too.

WILL PETE TAMBUNGA PLEASE STAND UP ?!

Pete Tambunga is an old friend of mine who I've lost contact with. He's a prankster who pulled off a few over the top practical jokes in his life, and he has always had an interesting way of putting things. I believe he's in Arizona...

Pete, where've you been hiding out?
(I'm still telling your jokes!)

(344) END OF THE YEAR HOLIDAY MUSIC MEMORIES

Christine remembers that her family brought live trees that waited outside until Christmas eve to be brought indoors and decorated, which is, she tells me, the custom in Central and Eastern Europe, and I was thinking about living surrounded by evergreen trees in the Smokey Mountains where my family lived when I was growing up and I still have so many well loved relatives and friends who I don't get to talking to near enough.

We don't want to rush into Christmas here, but at the same time, as we blogged a while back, CHRISTMAS was the COVER TUNE ERA way back and ever since and that is on topic!

So we looked back upon some of our older posts, discovered that many of the videos we attached were, as happens, expired, and decided we would go ahead and replace those as well as update our Youtube station and represent some of the finest memory music in the Western World!

We hope you'll enjoy listening and remembering with us!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

ELVIS PRESLEY'S "GURU" PASSES - SRI DAYA MATA of SELF REALIZATION FELLOWSHIP

From the TIMES OF INDIA comes this take on Elvis and his involvement with Self Realization Fellowship : link now by clicking to the title above.

The Elvis Presley I knew had one idol, and that was Jesus Christ. He read from the Bible to me and he read from it at some of the parties. The acceptance of Jesus Christ by the Self Realization Fellowship founder Paramahansa Yogananda nodoubt made it easier for Elvis to talk to Dri Daya Mata. Elvis began to explore other religions in his life as he tried to make sense of his talent and his fame and the role he was playing in the world. He did not take the gift of his voice for granted and he lived for entertaining his fans and demonstrating the generosity he is known for, and there was a spiritual basis in Elvis always, no matter what else.

Elvis used to go to Self Realization Fellowship and try to meditate in the little boat there stationed on the lake at the Lake Shrine. I myself became a visitor to the Lake Shrine for a while.

SMOKEY BLUE EYES by ROY STERNHAGEN (DAVID HOUSTON ALSO RECORDED THIS ONE!)

Friends, Roy Sternhagen honored me by recording this song not once but three times and putting it up on YouTube which is where we met. An artist who had an album out named David Houston recorded this one.

ROY STERNHAGEN reminds me so much of the musicians that I grew up around in the Smokey Mountains, listening to him is like going home again. And I always think of home at THANKSGIVING. This year, though our country continues in terrible economic times, we as Americans still have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for my family and old friends and new friends like Roy.

Quote from THE BIBLE, APOCRYPHA

"A faithful friend is the medicine of life." - The Holy Bible

(343) CARL PERKINS AND THE EARLY BEATLES :GLAD ALL OVER

Of course to this day ex Beatles and many other famous rock n rollers are still giving tribute to my generation's music.

Due to the old video expiration we've replaced the old one with this new "old one!" 



March 2014 )

(342) THE GIRLS GO CRAZY FOR THE BEATLES SHE LOVES YOU NOVEMBER 1963

If ever there was a threat to Elvis it was The Beatles. But we didn't know that just yet. Elvis kept up on what was happening in rock and roll in Britain and he had heard of the Beatles but I don't think any of us too them as seriously as we could have. Elvis was coming through the archives of the greatest Rock and Roll records ever made, looking for a song he wanted to record and make his own and playing demos for me up at the house.

Elvis, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, and the Rhythm Orchids, Bobby Darin, and me, were just a few of the early rock and rollers who were on The Ed Sullivan Show. And now it was the Beatles who would change the sound with appearances on television shows like Ed Sullivan. (Yes, Elvis sent them a congratulations telegram.)

Kennedy had been assassinated and the country was in despair. And while the Americans had first invaded Britain, now it was the British (they were called "the Brits" then, without offense) groups that would invade the United States.

THANKSGIVING : EVERY DAY IS FOR GRATITUDE

Christine Trzyna here: Wes and me were thinking about what we are grateful for. I said I appreciated the opportunity he has given me to work with him over the years and how much I've learned about the early Rock and Roll scene since I met him and we've worked on our blog and our book. He said he could not do it without me.

Actually we could not produce this blog if it were not for a lot of technology that other people invented or let us use for free that we could not otherwise afford, such as Google Blogger first and foremost. We also use - and want to thank - Youtube (and a great many Youtubers, especially our Swedish friend Arne who has been hosting Wes Bryan music videos for some time)... Yahoo, Meez (our avatars), Photobucket, (our streaming pictures) and the Los Angeles Public Library, especially for their Internet services and Databases that I use considerably in order to research and write.

One of the themes of this blog, besides music, is FRIENDSHIP. I think we can all say that we feel gratitude every day for those people who have been good and true to us through the years. Wes and I have become friends over time and that makes working on this special.

We want to thank YOU too for stopping by our blog, making WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC one of your reading waystation, as you make your way through your day!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

(341) NOVEMBER 22 1963 JFK ASSASSINATED and OUR INNOCENT ERA ENDS

We walked around in shock, gathering at our friends houses to watch the news coverage that our President Kennedy had been killed. I never felt this kind of devastation again until 9/11. Kennedy had brought humor and glamour to the White House, he was behind the Space Program and so many other great ideas that gave us enthusiasm and hope for the future.

(340) TURBULENT TIMES TO LIVE THROUGH LATE 1963

When I think back to November 1963, I can say that the good times were rolling and we thought they would never end - until the moment that JFK was assassinated.


Elvis had "Fun in Acapulco coming out" and had put out a number of albums that year. Buddy Knox, my music partner and friend, though he would pursue his performing career for years more, had a Golden Hits album out... I had a few songs recorded by other artists out and was driving around Hollywood in a Jaguar living on songwriting residuals.


I was writing songs at American Music and recording demos for other artists, and had not completely given up on the idea of being an actor.


My friend Christine White had house parties in the Hollywood Hills and introduced me to other actors living and working on the West Coast as well as one particular agent who was very famous.


And none of us had heard of the Beatles or could imagine the impact this British group would have on music or American culture or us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY P.J. PROBY!

We're posting this great fan video of PJ...

I think P.J. is about seventy two years young now, but who knows... he might be even younger!

VETERANS DAY : CAN'T HELP THINKING ABOUT BOB and DOLORES HOPE

It's Veterans Day and as you know I am proud to be a veteran myself and proud that my brothers and father also served - so many of my ancestors did - even in the Civil War.


I can't help but think about Bob and Dolores Hope and their work to entertain the veterans. Bob passed at age 100 in 2003 and last year Dolores celebrated her 100th birthday.


Bob Hope put countless hours into shows that entertained our service men around the globe that he was by an act of Congress given THE FIRST "HONORARY VETERAN" AWARD!

We're linking to VETERANS ADVANTAGE which has an article on Bob and has some background on his entertaining the troops.

(338) CASHBOX MAGAZINE 2010 : 58 YEARS OLD

CASHBOX, Billboard's big competitor, has been around 58 years now and it's been charting music in the United States all that time.


The methods for charting music are controversial especially as the way music is selected to be played on the radio has changed over the years from the days when the Personality DJ's personally selected records and played the ones they loved over and over again. (Dewey Philips was the personality DJ who broke Elvis Presley's first recording!)

Personality DJ's were responsible for making or breaking artists for some time and then radio went to a top 40 format based on charting sales.

Today, by my way of thinking, it might be more difficult than ever to gauge popularity based on sales because there are so many ways to listen to music without buying it (or concert tickets).


In 2006 Cashbox became an INTERNET-ONLY magazine so we are linking to this site which has lots of links and a jukebox. Like other music sites there is a contributory aspect to the on-line magazine.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON Quote

"Joy of companionship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile. It is the spiritual inspiration that comes to you when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

(337) AROUND THE BUSINESS : MAGAZINES - COLUMNISTS - THE MAKERS and BREAKERS of the STARS

Friends, Christine and I were talking the other day about publicity - advertising -marketing. Then and now.

Today we have People, Vanity Fair, the National Enquirer, and so many other magazines and newsprint that feature coverage of celebrities - not to mention the many sites on the Internet about the rich and famous. For the film business Daily Variety is still around after many years. In the music business we still have Billboard and Cashbox which have been around since before I had my experience with fame.

When I was up and coming in New York and then Los Angeles there were FAMOUS STAR MAKERS and BREAKERS, columnists, who I think welded more power than most columnists do today; they were all nice to me.

I've been thinking about how different Hollywood was in the early 1960's than it is today. Los Angeles was not as congested and crowded as it is today and the business was friendlier. Someone couldn't hire you, they still might send you over to see someone else they knew.

It was easier to get around town because the freeways actually moved. Having a car - a great car - was the thing - and I sure did have some nice cars!

Celebrities went out on the town and they were not hiding away. I can't tell you how many people I met just dining out or driving down the road.

Celebrities were very conscious about making an appearance and being seen around town. They were practically looking for the photographers! Not ducking them!

Today people are taking responsibility for their own fame when they post performances on Youtube, or do as some of my friends have, by having a presence on other social network sites up to promote themselves, their performances, or their products. We blog here on Google and have a Youtube station.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM WES BRYAN and FAMILY

I don't know about you, but I love cats.

We've had a few over time and my favorites like to sleep at my feet.

Friends, have a good one!

MONSTER MASH - BOBBY PICKETT

My friend Bobby Pickett had a real hit with this now classic novelty Halloween song and this is a real innovative video.

We considered posting a Haunted Hollywood video this year, but I thought I'd stay on-topic here (singer-songwriters) and post Bobby's hit, and if you don't know how to do the "Monster Mash dance" you will now!




video replaced October 2012

(336) PLACES TO GO THINGS TO DO : HOLLYWOOD: CIROS RESTAURANT

One of the places that I went to with my music friends in the early 1960's was Ciro's, a Hollywood restaurant with quite a history. It opened in the 1940's and was an immediate success, on the map with some of the biggest stars who used it as the background to their lives. You could feel that in the air even then that the times were a changin'... The Byrds were playing there.

By the time I moved to Los Angeles the place had been converted into a rock and roll club. I have memories of Johnny Rivers and me meeting up over there - and bringing our dates with us.

We're linking to the SERVING HISTORY site so you can read a bit about Ciro's ...

(335) PLACES TO GO THINGS TO DO : SAN FERNANDO VALLEY : THE PALOMINO : MARTY ROBBINS

Another club that I frequented along with songwriter friends and my friends who played there was the PALAMINO, in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of North Hollywood. The place evolved over the years and was open until the mid 1980's. It seated a lot of people but had an intimate feel.

It was the first place people played when they came through town. It was once considered one of the most important Country Music clubs in the country so Johnny Cash came through, as well as so many others - Jerry Lee Lewis, Marty Robbins.

Here's a video of Jerry Lee Lewis recorded at the Palamino... Jerry is said to hold the record for performances at the Palamino!

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 3 1960 MELODIE D'AMOUR

A bit of Wes Bryan history here. In October 1960 my song Melodie D'Amour was reviewed by Billboard Magazine, which we've linked to here (though you're probably going to have to use the magnifier!) They called it "Snappy!"

I promoted this song on live performances including Wink Martindale's TV show in Los Angeles. (I also performed on his Memphis show in 1957, which is when I met Elvis and his guys.)

BEATLES COVER CARL PERKINS' GLAD ALL OVER

The Beatles were covering their favorite artists, those who came before them. That's because American Rock-a-Billy and Rock and Roll went to England first, and influenced the British rockers. ) VIDEO REPLACED MARCH 2014

VACATION TIME!

We take a pause here to catch up on the upkeep of our blog, and invite your comments.

If you find any links or videos that need updated, please let us know!

Please also check out our Youtube station CTNWB! We want you to read us, but you can also use this station to listen to early rock and roll and rockabilly music for over an hour per playlist!

COMMENT ON (73) SYLVESTER CROSS - CREST RECORDS and AMERICAN Q and A

Question left on comments :

Hey Wes,
Do you know what happened to Crest's catalogue? I'm trying to track the master license for the song "Primitive Love" by Tom Reeves.

Thanks,

Jullianne

Our Reply:

I have no idea where the whole Crest Catalogue is at this point. Sylvester Cross died about 1965 and his widow sold the catalogue to, I believe, Hill and Range in New York City. Crest was an in house label of American Music where I worked. Some things were, I believe, sold to Lawrence Welk's Vogue Music.

Jullianne, I think the thing to do is look for the copyright including Publishing Rights in the online BMI and ASCAP databases. These databases are not perfect and there is misinformation at times because Rights can be sold (people who were never songwriters but inherited songwriters rights are listed as songwriters). Also since song titles are not copyrightable, be aware that the song you want must be proven to have been performed by Tom Reeves.

Let us know what happens!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

BLOGARAMA lists WES BRYAN MY LIFE IN MUSIC

Considering the zillions of music blogs out there, we are real pleased that Blogarama hosts us! You can rate us and vote for us on Blogarama!

Just click on the link above to get there! Put in Wes Bryan and go from there!

JAMES DEAN JAMES DEAN JAMES DEAN

Today is the anniversary of James Dean's tragic death in a car accident. You can use the search this Google blog feature to read previous blogs on James Dean, the actor whose shoes I once tried to fill.

FRIENDSHIP Quote by Anonymous

"True friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget... "
- Anonymous

DENNIS STOCK THE PHOTOGRAPHER ON JAMES DEAN

JAMES DEAN is celebrated each year at a special JAMES DEAN FESTIVAL in his hometown, and that festival is happening starting tomorrow through Sunday, September the 26th, 2010. We're linking to the OFFICIAL JAMES DEAN site which will take you to another link about the festival.

JAMES DEAN and I both grew up in the country, and after his death, after I was being promoted by UNITED ARTISTS as THE NEXT JAMES DEAN, Dean's family welcomed me to visit the farm, and photographs of me were taken there that I still own.

CHRISTINE WHITE HELLO HELLO HELLO!

I've been thinking of my life long friend who I met before my NEXT JAMES DEAN days, Christine White, an accomplished actress who dated James Dean, and who we've blogged about before. In one of the great synchronicities of my life, a year before I ever imagined I would be discovered in Akron (That picture of me on the banner is my ROTO cover circa 1957), or have a career in the music business, I met Christine on a short vacation trip - my first - to Hollywood.


Today, I want to say a special hello to Christine, who is one of my angels on earth in my life! (And you'll be hearing more about her in the future as my early 1960's Hollywood days continue!)

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE ARTISTS IN MY SLIDE SHOW?

We've enjoyed putting together our Photobucket slide show, and are often thinking about adding more old photos of music artists to it.

Can you ID the ones we have up there?

Our banner has lots of clues for you!

(334) PLACES TO GO THINGS TO DO : P.J. PROBY at the RED VELVET

P.J. PROBY is one of my oldest friends from back in the day, and one of those who is still going strong!

His then agent NAN MORRIS (we're all still friends) went with The Entourage to the RED VELVET club with Elvis Presley to hear P.J. sing. Nan was one of the guys.

P.J. sang a song from the Broadway musical about gang life in New York in the 1950's WEST SIDE STORY, a song called "Somewhere
HE STOPPED THE SHOW!
When all the applause was over, Elvis stood up and Elvis requested "P.J. sing that again!" P.J. did! It was Elvis' way of bestowing honor on someone he respected a great deal!
 


VIDEO REPLACED NOV 2013.
CURRENT OFFICIAL SITE LINK PJ PROBY NET  - music samples 2013

P.J. PROBY : LINKS TO NEW NEW NEW OFFICIAL SITES

We just picked this e-mail up and that's funny because we're posting on P.J. in one hour!

Dear Wes, Thank you for mentioning P.J. so often on your blog.
However, there's one thing we would like to ask.
I've just discovered that your link to PJ's official website doesn't direct you to his official website. The website you've got is a commercial site, which has nothing to do with Proby himself.

The Official Proby website is http://www.pjproby.com/ or http://www.pjproby.net/ PJs second website is http://www.houseofproby.co.uk/
PJ would be very happy if you could link to those sites.
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.
Kind regards,
Manja
(Christine here: You have to click on these links to see the TO DIE FOR pictures of P.J. How did that man ever sit in traffic in his car without being swamped by the ladies? Woo!)


(Wes here: P.J. is an indy artist now. He has his own label called Select Records.)

PALEY CENTER for the MEDIA

Some day Wes and I are heading down to the Los Angeles based PALEY CENTER FOR THE MEDIA (there is a New York location too) to watch some old DICK CLARK AMERICAN BANDSTAND SHOWS ... maybe some JACK PAAR ... or ED SULLIVAN.

OK, the truth is, I've already scanned their on-line catalogue and I don't think we are going to find "lost footage" of Wes Bryan's appearances on American Bandstand, or Jack Paar or the Ed Sullivan Show at the Paley Center. We're aware that the films, if any exists, may no longer be usable ... but I persist, and so I contact a number of archives around the country from time to time, hoping to be surprised.

We're linking here to PALEY CENTER FOR THE MEDIA!


Christine

(333) PLACES TO GO THINGS TO DO : 1963 TRINI LOPEZ at PJ's HIS FIRST ALBUM!

TRINI LOPEZ was a fixture at PJ's on Crescent Heights and Santa Monica and the first album he released - which was in '63 - was LIVE AT PJ's. "If I Had a Hammer" was his big hit of the season. He was also on the Hootenanny television show in December 1963.



Trini, a Taurus, had a rich taste in clothes and had shirts made for himself - custom - with big collars. He dressed immaculate and had class beyond class. He drove a white Rolls Royce convertible with one of the first vanity license plates on it that said "TRINI." He had it all... He even had a big ol' dimple on his chin!

Besides being a fan and going to hear him play at P.J.'s restaurant and club, I managed to get one of my songs into consideration by him that year and he almost recorded it. Everybody hung out at P.J.'s. Frank Sinatra first spotted him there. Trini was friends with P.J. Proby too.

The Beatles once opened for Trini in France.

VIDEO UPDATED  NOV 2013

BILLY LEE RILEY 2007 RED HOT

Billy Lee Riley, an original Sun recording artist, played for me on some demo productions I did years later.

VIDEO REPLACED APRIL 2014

WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC RIGHTS INFORMATION

WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC RIGHTS INFORMATION

Once in a while we'll be posting a notice like this one that reminds readers that the content of this blog is Copyright Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna with all rights reserved including Internet and International Rights. If interested in speaking to me, Wes Bryan, please CONTACT us at the e-mail address we've provided in advance.

We are linking to a good many web sites, favoring the official web sites of various famous and important people as well as reference sites and music videos. If we link to your site or a video you uploaded and you don't want us to reference it, please let us know, and we'll take down the link. The content of other people's sites remains their own.

Thank you for your consideration and courtesy.

Christine Trzyna & Wes Bryan

MARK TWAIN Quote on Friendship

"The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly everybody will side with you when you are right." - Mark Twain

(332) PLACES TO GO THINGS TO DO : ELVIS & HIS GUYS

I was a frequent guest at Elvis' when he lived in Los Angeles which was during his movie making years. I had some of the best times of my life in those years! I was also a staff song writer at American Music and involved in the demo making process for American Music and Pat Boone's company, Cooga-Mooga. Seems my whole life had become about music by then!

When Elvis' guys came down into town from Bel Air, we'd meet up to watch a show, have a meal, sit around a talk or play music after work. The guys were called "His Guys" or "The Entourage" then. These guys were a lot of fun to be with, and some of them had active interest in songwriting or acting, though most of them lived their lives around their working for Elvis. They were living the life of a millionaire, but once in a while they would take a break and get away.

We had favorite clubs and restaurants where we met up with my songwriter colleagues. We liked the Palomino Club in the Valley, which became one of our hang outs. Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood was where we hung out. Cliff Gleaves prefered it and Trini Lopez would come in. We liked the Carolina Pines restaurant. We liked the Whisky A Go Go on Sunset.

Elvis was now too famous to just stop into a diner or a club, though there were a few he still went to. Sometimes he would just drive Sunset in his Rolls Royce.

(331) RED WEST SINGER-SONGWRITER ACTOR and FEROCIOUS ELVIS BODYGUARD

RED WEST wrote about thirteen ELVIS PRESLEY'S songs... including a few for VIVA LAS VEGAS... He and I also wrote a few.

I've always admired Red's creative spirit and versatility. He had his own band at Hume highschool and could play chords up the neck of a guitar that even Elvis didn't know and was a lot of fun and part of the entertainment at the parties.

But back in the day, the thing that RED WEST was most known for was skipping the karate and getting right into wrapping a guy around a pole! He did what he had to do to bodyguard Elvis and talked about doing so after the fact.

Here is an interview of Red West that Elvis' all time friend GEORGE KLEIN did on his MEMPHIS SOUNDS show. I'm proud to say that Red continued to pursue his dream of being an actor after Elvis died, and he is well regarded and successful at it.

This video has some scenes of Elvis and the guys horsing around and Elvis throwing in a few karate moves. At the time I was also taking karate. Sometimes Elvis and I had a few rounds.

(330) ELVIS PRESLEY FUN IN ACAPULCO

I went on the set when Elvis was making FUN IN ACAPULCO in 1963!

First the camera crew had entourage member, musician, and songwriter Red West (who now has a great acting career of his own going!) sit and ride on a bike. They had some huge cameras - from the floor up - and a background of Acapulco that had already been filmed and then synchronized it with Elvis riding. In the movie it looks like he's riding in that Mexican city, but he never left the soundstage.

That was the state of movie magic at the time!

The movie also starred actress Ursula Andress, who had once briefly dated James Dean, and who went on to marry Producer John Derek.

The movie title song was first demo'ed by P.J. Proby. When a songwriter wrote a song with a singer in mind and in this case a song for an Elvis Movie so Elvis, the demo was made to sound as much as possible as that singer.

P.J. who has a strong voice and could sound much like Elvis, was chosen. Here is a Youtube video that features both! I think they both sound great.



This Youtube video has more than one song on it. Elvis looks terrific and towards the end there you can see the blonde beauty, who is Ursula.


Christine here: I'm catching up slowly on Elvis movies. This year I saw Jail House Rock, Double Trouble, and - just the other day - Fun in Alcapulco.

THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG !

We've come so far from the day when we just had the idea that we would blog.

We started out with the basic template that Google Blogger offered, and over time changed the look of this blog three or four times. We feel settled with the customized look we use these days- the baby blue- but you never know...

This past year, because of YouTube contributers we've been able to link to some of Wes Bryan's early recordings, and we want to THANK YOU for that. It's a thrill for me, believe me...

We've also enjoyed experimenting with the Photobucket slideshow and the fun Wes Bryan Meez avatar; I really look a lot like him!

Hubba! Hubba!

Most of all, I have enjoyed hearing from old friends and making some new ones...

THANK YOU for reading WES BRYAN- MY LIFE IN MUSIC

Wes Bryan

and Christine Trzyna

RARE FOOTAGE OF ELVIS' DEATH in 1977

THERE WERE SO MANY VIDEOS TO CHOOSE FROM but we decided on this one... George Klein was friends with Elvis since high-school and very loyal.

(329) BILLBOARD MAGAZINE : C.A.R.E. : ADS TO HONOR ELVIS PRESLEY

C.A.R.E. was an organization I started (with Currie Grant, who met Elvis when Elvis was in Germany, in the army) to honor Elvis Presley, by posting ads in BILLBOARD magazine, to celebrate our friend Elvis' birthdays and the anniversaries of his death. Those who's names appeared in the ads - which I think we posted for at least a decade - paid for the ad out of their own pockets (and believe me these ads were not inexpensive.) I headed up the effort, calling people I knew, collecting the money, designing the ads.

Although Elvis was an incredible talent from the very beginning, and today it seems he will never be forgotten (one third of all Elvis fans were born after his death!), in the years right before and then after his death... I know you may not believe this... but Elvis was remembered mostly for his illness and his early demise, and it almost seemed as if he would be forgotten.

WE COULDN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!

We remembered ELVIS PRESLEY, with love.

... Yes for his talent, his hard work, the dedication he had to his fans and his family, his generosity and loyalty... and most of all the fun we had with him ...


Friends, this is something new to us, linking to GOOGLE BOOKS, which has some old Billboard Magazines in it, and we're sorry about the popup ads above,which you can click off. (If the Billboard page does not come up on your computer, try clicking on the link at the post title instead!) The Billboard ad can be moved up and down...

This C.A.R.E. ad is from 1982. We're guessing you know at least some of the names on it, and from this blog you recognize Rick Nelson, Cliff Gleaves, Frankie Avalon, Tom Jones, Pat Boone, and Ann Margret.

ELVIS PRESLEY LAST STAGE PERFORMANCE

JERRY WIENTRAUB MEMOIR "WHEN I STOP TALKING YOU'LL KNOW I'M DEAD" is terrific!

JERRY WIENTRAUB has been one of the hardest and smartest working guys in music history and it's true that he succeeded first with a new model for concert promotions. Closer to home here, he got Joe Esposito, one of Elvis' long term guys, a job after Elvis died. Jerry's a good guy, so of course we wanted to read his memoir.

Here's a excerpt from page 80, concerning Colonel Parker, who Jerry held in esteem.

"ELVIS MADE ALL THE ARTISTIC DECISIONS and DID EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. Business and promotion was what Colonel cared about. As for the movies, which some people didn't like, Colonel Parker had just two rules: One: It has to have ten songs because 10 songs made a record. Two: Elvis got paid one million dollars. This neat sum, one million, the Colonel loved it. It rolled off his tongue."


by Jerry Weintraub with Rich Cohen
Twelve Books publishers

(328) JAMES BURTON GUITAR MASTER

JAMES BURTON played guitar for Rick Nelson first, and by 1963 he was my favorite, working for me as a session man. He used to borrow the XKG Jaguar that I bought from song writing residuals and take it for a little ride.

I played demos I did for Elvis and when he heard Burton on them, he said, "Wes, would you mind if I used Burton too?" James started working for Elvis by 1969 and did so famously!

We're linking to THE OFFICIAL JAMES BURTON WEB SITE - He's still so busy! And he now has his own charitable foundation as well.

WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC IS OPEN-ID ENABLED

We've enabled OPEN-ID members (millions of members!) to leave comments on our blog. We have also enabled verification to cut down on comment spam!

THANK YOU FOR READING, listening, and making WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC a little bit of your life!

Wes Bryan and Christine Trzyna

LITTLE RICHARD Quote on ELVIS PRESLEY

"He was an integrator, Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music." Little Richard

BEATLES COVER JOHNNY BURNETTE'S LONESOME TEARS IN MY EYES (Live at the BBC)

This is a find! The Beatles live on the BBC radio singing a Johnny Burnett song, July 1963... You know one of the themes of this blog is THE AMERICAN INVASION OF BRITAIN!

(327) ELVIS PRESLEY THOUGHT THE WORLD of RICK NELSON

Elvis said to me, "Wes, Rick is a true person."

Elvis liked Rick Nelson as a human being and that's why he made friends with him and invited him to play football on his team, EP Enterprises. Johnny Rivers is the person who first introduced me to Rick Nelson and his brother David Nelson. Soon I was playing on the team with Rick.

This song MAD MAD WORLD which came out in 1963 still has so much innocence in it, but by the end of 1963 we as American's would loose our innocence...



Earlier we blogged on the contribution of songwriter JERRY FULLER on Rick's career. Rick also recorded songs written by JOHNNY and DORSEY BURNETT like this one... and by the way, two great studio musicians who worked a bit for me (I like to say they were once part of my "Wrecking Crew") and went on to back ELVIS PRESLEY as musicians are on this recording, Joe Osborne, and James Burton.

(326) DORSEY and JOHNNY BURNETT and RICK NELSON

Both Dorsey and Johnny became really good friends of mine, Johnny especially; he was the younger brother. They were both nice guys. They treated people well and that always counts. They had both worked at Crown Electric where Elvis worked before he turned to music as his way to make a living. Elvis felt a loyalty there and they agreed not to record the same song.

JOHNNY AND DORSEY BURNETT WROTE A GOOD NUMBER OF SONGS THAT RICK NELSON RECORDED.

The link above is to THE HISTORY OF ROCK.COM article about THE BURNETTES

50th ANNIVERSARY of the HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

was celebrated yesterday... We're linking to the official site so you can find out what stars will be receiving stars soon!

(325) JOHNNY RIVERS INTRODUCED ME TO JOHNNY and DORSEY BURNETT

JOHNNY RIVERS came out to Los Angeles from New York... following what seemed to be an exodus of talent to the West Coast from the East. Seemed like only Ersel Hickey remained behind. Johnny taught Ersel some guitar chords back in New York and then the two of them wrote a song for me. And when Johnny came out he stayed with me and my brother for some time while he tried and tried again... I've said it before and I'll say it again "JOHNNY RIVERS WOULD NOT QUIT!"

Though I met a lot of great artists in New York and on my tours, there were others I really wanted to meet that I met through Johnny.

Johnny is the person who introduced me to Johnny and Dorsey Burnett. Another song that Johnny liked to cover at Elvis' house parties is this one by Dorsey, "Hey Little One."

(323) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : WES BRYAN

When I was playing the performer at Elvis Presley's house parties, I usually did a couple of my songs like "Melodie D' Amour" and "The Dying Ember." I had played these songs, and so many more on my promotional tours for United Artists as well as on the Buddy Knox tour.

I also remember singing a song that Elvis harmonized with me on, "Because of You," a cover of a song by Tony Bennett.


Update with new video? Searching...

(322) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : ELVIS SINGS UNCHAINED MELODY

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS are one of my favorites and Elvis Presley's too. At the time the sound of two men harmonizing and singing together was popular. When Buddy Knox and I were on tour together sometimes women fans would ask us if we were brothers (!) Elvis liked to sing his version of this song at his house parties. Can you imagine! So many times all the other music and the dancing and talking stopped and people would trickle into the room and sit quietly to hear him sing.


BOBBY HATFIELD did the lead on this song.

(321) JOHNNY RIVERS: SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : THE TALL OAK TREE

DORSEY BURNETT'S 1960 "Tall Oak Tree" was a favorite cover for JOHNNY RIVERS. I can still see Johnny sitting on the sofa in his Capri Pants (which we made fun of him for wearing at the time - they were just too fashionable!) playing and singing this song.

Here's Dorsey's version:


Dorsey sounds like the blues singer Brook Benton when he sings.

And the Johnny Rivers version:



We're linking here to the JOHNNY RIVERS official web site!

OH SAY CAN YOU SEE...

(320) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSEPARTY : RAGS TO RICHES

TONY BENNETT'S version of RAGS to RICHES was one of the songs that Elvis loved to cover when he sang at his parties. We were lucky to find the 1950's version of Tony's song and a good Elvis version on Youtube. Elvis was always amazed that he had become rich. He felt that it had been God's will that he become an entertainer and that was the way he could make a difference in people's lives. As the years passed Elvis began a spiritual search in earnest but he was a Christian first and foremost.





When Elvis sang this song for us at the house, he accompanied himself, playing the piano... The acoustics were good in the big living room on Perugio Way.

PAM MURPHY - ANGEL TO THE VETERANS

PAM MURPHY was a friend to all the veterans who came through the Veterans Hospital in Los Angeles. I recently had my routine check up and as usual, I was hoping to talk to Pam. It was another sadness for me to learn that another friend of mine had passed on. I guess that's the inevitable hazard of getting older yourself.

Pam was the widow of AUDI MURPHY, the most decorated soldier in World War II, a war hero. (You can link to the Veteran's Today article about her here!) and as I understand it, she started as a volunteer and then was given a job of her own, which she performed for years with a smile. Word got out that if you wanted to get through the bureaucracy down there faster, let Pam help you.

Growing up AUDI MURPHY was one of my heroes. I was surprised and pleased to learn, when Christine did my genealogy, that he and I share a great great great grandfather! I told Pam about it, and she thought it was funny. God is surely blessing Pam for all the work she did to help our soldiers.

ELBERT HUBBARD Quote on Friendship

"Never explain. Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway." - Elbert Hubbard

(319) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : DANNY BOY

This Youtube video was a real find and we (and thousands of other Youtube listeners) want to thank the person who posted this... not a fancy video but an Elvis private recording circa 1959. THE REASON WE'RE POSTING THIS IS THAT ELVIS PRESLEY USED TO SING DANNY BOY to us at the parties and it brought tears to our eyes.


Elvis did his thing with my song "The Dying Ember" presenting my song just like this, him and his guitar.

(318) CLIFF GLEAVES : SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY - CLIFF GLEAVES

CLIFF GLEAVES, an old friend (by then) of Elvis' wasn't just a guest at the parties, he was the hired piano player. That's right. Elvis paid Cliff to ENTERTAIN! He was like a mad man on the piano. So as you listen to this Cliff Gleaves recording, think PIANO. Cliff had a whole repetoire beyond what he had recorded on Liberty Records.


None of the guys who worked for Elvis at the time could keep up with Cliff, his energy: he was one of a kind.

(317) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : A JUKE BOX A RECORD PLAYER and LIVE PERFORMANCES

Other artists may have made some of the songs we sang (covered) at Elvis' house parties in Bel Air Estates, but we honored those artists while making the songs our own. And sometimes went on to record the song our way or perform it in concert. Or run into a bedroom with our guitars and jam and write songs!

Elvis' loved to throw parties. When Elvis first came to Hollywood, he went to a couple parties thrown by other celebrities but then he quit. HE PREFERRED TO BE THE HOST.

VIDEO REMOVED DEC 2013

(316) VIVA LAS VEGAS and GLEN CAMPBELL

Glen Campbell was aboard at American Music where I worked. When he moved to Los Angeles after Jerry Capeheart signed him, he spent a lot of time with me at my place. I got Glen Campbell the gig with Elvis Presley for the music for VIVA LAS VEGAS. Glen had asked me to introduce him to Elvis many times so I eventually did introduce the two men.

Elvis asked Glen for a demo record and Glen provided it. Glen gave Elvis a demo of an instrumental he did called "Buzz Saw" that really showed off his musical genius. Because Elvis loved the demo he made the phone calls and Glen was assigned to be the LEAD GUITARIST - the LEADER OF THE BAND - for the movie music. As a member of the Musicians Union he was paid triple scale for the soundtrack work.

This was before Glen become famous. He was a songwriter and studio musician much in demand for years before "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," the Jimmy Webb composition.

(315) I'M A FAN OF ANN-MARGRET: TALENTED, BEAUTIFUL, SEXY - and ELVIS'

Ann-Margret was (and is) a talented, beautiful, sexy, singer, dancer, and actress. In the early 1960's she was also on the RCA label like Elvis Presley.

He used to play me some of her records and say "Listen to that voice!"

Ann's a spirited woman, down to earth, funny, and my great friend Elvis' soul mate.

Would I have gone out with Ann-Margret (before I was married or into a committed relationship; Christine is here reminding me to be specific) if I could have?

You bet!

But I couldn't have for one other reason besides having a girlfriend or a wife. My friendship with Elvis. I was loyal to him.

I'll tell you the truth about Elvis and his men friends. I mean the real friends. None of us would have ever gone out with a woman that Elvis was really interested in. And we knew who he was really interested in and who he wasn't. We spent a lot of time talking about women.

Probably a million men feel the same way as I do about Ann-Margret, especially the United States veterans that she entertained during Vietnam.

Ann's loyal and loyalty meant everything to Elvis.

Roger Smith (Ann's long time husband) is one lucky man and we all know it.

(Link to her official web site above!)

ANN-MARGRET TALKS ABOUT ELVIS PRESLEY

(314) ELVIS and ANN-MARGRET SOUL MATES

Because of my full time, LA-based job with American Music, I didn't travel back to Graceland TM with Elvis when he went there between films. What went on there I heard from the guys, the ones who were my friends.

(The Entourage, sometimes called The Memphis Mafia, was an everchanging group of employees over the years by the way. Some stayed longer than others. Elvis had other friends, close friends, who were not The Entourage.)

In Los Angeles when I saw Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret together - well - at very first I didn't know that Elvis had Priscilla, the girl he introduced me to in 1962 as his girlfriend at a party, despite all the other women he dated, living in Memphis with him.

Elvis and Ann-Margret made Viva Las Vegas together and continued to see each other for some time thereafter. Ann has published her own memoir and continues to uphold the memory of Elvis.

To this day I think - as they did - that they were soul mates.

ELVIS PRESLEY and ANN-MARGRET THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR LOVING ME

This YouTube presented put together a collage of good photos of Elvis and Ann. Some on set and in acting roles, others not.

One of the things that strikes me as I see these videos is the pictures of Ann on her motorcycle. Elvis loved that Ann rode - because he did too. He loved to go off alone on the road and leave the Entourage behind. When Ann and Elvis were dating, they went off on their bikes together.

ELVIS PRESLEY and ANN-MARGRET : THE LADY LOVES ME from VIVA LAS VEGAS

ELVIS PRESLEY and ANN-MARGRET: They were making the film about this time of year in 1963. (The film was released in 1964.)

"Viva Las Vegas" remains one of my favorite films of all time.

And Ann-Margret remains one of my favorite ladies of all time too, and a great lady she is.

(313) JUST WEEKS BEFORE ELVIS WENT TO HOLLYWOOD TO FILM VIVA LAS VEGAS

Just weeks before Elvis Presley began to make VIVA LOS VEGAS in Los Angeles and met Ann-Margret, Priscilla Beaulieu, just shy of her 18th birthday, moved to Graceland TM from Germany to complete a couple months of high school and graduate in Memphis, or to be Elvis Presley's everything.

Priscilla has published her own memoir about this time in her life. And over the years it's been quoted and controversial. Was the whole memoir PR? What does Priscilla think about her young life now that she's a senior citizen? We leave it to her to say.

I met Priscilla briefly when she was out visiting Elvis in Bel Air at a party in 1962. Priscilla was beautiful and Elvis was proud to point her out to me. He called her his girlfriend.

She's still beautiful and more importantly she has self-actualized since those days when she lived to please Elvis.