Thursday, May 8, 2014

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCE HARRY VISIT GRACELAND HOME OF THE REAL KING

THE MIRROR: PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCE HARRY VISIT THE REAL KING

They went to a wedding in Memphis and couldn't resist a private tour of Graceland TM!  Take a look at the article.  There's a good picture of them dressed in rhinestone suits and big belts!

Saturday, May 3, 2014

OUR PHOTOBUCKET SLIDE SHOW - IS IT R.I.P? WHAT HAPPENED TO MEEZ AVATAR?

We haven't run a slideshow since March 2013.  We had a Photobucket account which allowed us to design the slideshows we used and use; the blocks you still see running are from Photobucket (but you can't make one like it.)  Then, I went to take down the seasonal Valentines I'd put up on it and discovered that removing them had broken the code forever!  Photobucket had also discontinued slide shows, a huge mistake in my humble free-bee-snatching opinion.  Watching that slideshow used to be one of Wes' favorite things to do when we got together to talk blog.  I think we need one.

At that point I went in search of new slideshow opportunities.  I actually have a KIZOA account and uploaded a lot of pictures, but so far, no go because their slideshow templates do not fit the design/ template of the blog. 

The Meez Avatar you may've seen from time to time on WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC, Wes' second favorite thing to view because he says it actually looks like him, is still available but we're having glitches.  A librarian friend of mine has explained that hackers have used Meez Avatars and JAVA as a new way of screwing things up for other people and so security is really tight on that.   I've looked at other Avatars but still think that Meez is the finest.  Let me explain just how bad the glitch is...  Sometimes the animated Avatar appears without a head!

Christine



Friday, May 2, 2014

Thursday, May 1, 2014

WESBRYANHEPCATMAGCOVERportion

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

EDDIE COCHRAN : FROM OUR ARCHIVES POST (58) EDDIE COCHRAN : ROCKIN THE SUMMERTIME BLUES

POST (58) from October 26, 2007
EDDIE COCHRAN : ROCKIN THE SUMMERTIME BLUES

I met Eddie Cochran at the Sheridan Hotel in New York City, where I also met Jerry Capheart, a man who would figure big in my future one day when he signed me to be a staff songwriter at American Music in Los Angeles.

Buddy Knox called Eddie Cochran "The Blond Elvis."


In England, the Beatles had followed him and Gene Vincent around. (When it came to Rock and Roll, first the Americans invaded England, then there was a British invasion of America.) Eddie performed at an Alan Freed produced Rock and Roll show for New Years about the time I met him. It was the same show I saw Ritchie Valens perform for the first time on.

The world of early Rock and Roll was tough. Eddie carried a Derringer hand gun in his boot and I hear it came in handy more than once, like when he was threatened by the boyfriends of certain fans...


Eddie Cochran wasn't the only one who packed a gun while on tour or while walking the streets of New York but I decided I could take care of myself with my fists. I grew up rumbling with my brothers, had learned some karate and self defence while in the U.S. Army, and admired the boxers who I tried to meet when they came into the Turf restaurant for meals instead of eating across the way at Dempsey's, which was owned by the boxer Jack Dempsey. We all had security concerns that were not met by our record labels or our management. We didn't have body guards and it was up to us to protect ourselves. It was also legal to take a gun on a plane...

During my tour with Buddy Knox I performed two of Eddie Cochran's hits, "Summertime Blues," and "Come on Everybody." Here's Eddie performing those hits on television - You Tube presentations.


ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME LINK HERE ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME EDDIE COCHRAN


History of Rock - Eddie Cochran! HISTORY OF ROCK - EDDIE COCHRAN
Eddie Cochran died at the age of 21, at the height of his fame, in 1960 while touring in England, in a tragic automobile accident on the way to the airport. Gene Vincent was left with a limp in the same accident.

 

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

C's CHECKED and EDDIE COCHRAN on the TOWN HALL SHOW

We know! It looked like we were at the end of the alphabet. Well, when we started updating the A-B-C list, we ran into all sorts of glitches, so we're back there. 

In the C's we found that the Perry Como listings needed an update. Enjoy this Historical Music Video, thanks to a YouTuber!


Sunday, April 20, 2014

EASTER GREETINGS!

 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

THOMAS JEFFERSON Quotation of PEACE and FRIENDSHIP

"Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it."  Thomas Jefferson

Sunday, April 13, 2014

FROM WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC ARCHIVES : (18) New York, NEW YORK, It's A Wonderful Town! & NEIL SEDAKA

FROM OUR ARCHIVES  SEPTEMBER 5th  2007 POST #

(18) New York, NEW YORK, It's A Wonderful Town! and NEIL SEDAKA

In New York the Brill Building became the epicenter of my existence. I became part of the vital music scene. I used the rehearsal studios and recording studios in the Brill and I carried tunes in my head to the Turf restaurant, which was the scene to make. I met countless stars from the world of music and the theatre there, all having coffee, talking into the wee hours.

One day when I was in the Brill, Neil Sedaka ran downstairs to bring Bobby Darin up to meet me. Bobby was recording demos for other people then. It was the beginning of my friendship with Bobby.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

S LINKS UPDATED and NEIL SEDAKA - SONGWRITER!

We checked around and we believe something close to a KEELY SMITH - the SINGER - official web site is in the works! 

NEIL SEDAKA - One of the singer-songwriters I met in the Brill Building when I first went to New York City about the same time I met Bobby Darin who was recording demos there. 

 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

ROUTE 66 : COVER TUNE CLASSIC : WHICH DO YOU PREFER?

PLANNING ON A ROAD TRIP VACATION? 
WHY NOT GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66?  CHICAGO TO LA...

OH WE KNOW THE GAS PRICES ARE SO HIGH YOU MIGHT END UP STAYING IN TOWN WITH ONLY YOUR FANTACIES OF ESCAPE! 

BUT HOW ABOUT JUST A SMALL PORTION OF THIS 2000 + MILE HIGHWAY?

HISTORIC ROUTE 66 - THE OLDEST ROUTE 66 WEBSITE! " The Historic Route 66 web site is dedicated to provide free information for those who want to learn more about Route 66. It features a turn-by-turn road description, guiding the visitor from Chicago to Los Angeles. The forum is available for discussions regarding old 66 by the visitors of this site."

BOBBY TROUP ... who wrote the song as "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66", in 1946.  


CHUCK BERRY ...
THE MANHATTEN TRANSFER ...

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

WES BRYAN MY LIFE IN MUSIC - TECHNOLOGY UPDATE - STATS and CTNWB OUR YOUTUBE STATION!

It's April 2014 and we're slowly updating this Google Blog, which has been written since  August 2007 and in that time has gotten a number of expired links, YouTube videos, and so on.  Eventually we will replace all expired videos with new ones that have no commercials, as possible and rethink our CTNWB station.  (Someone else has a YouTube station called WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC which has no relationship with us.)

We take pride in this project, know that some of you use it for research, and want it to stand as a useful, informative, and beautiful Blog! 

In summer 2009 Google installed a simple stat's function on all Bloggers, and since then we give it a look once in a while.  As of April 8 2014 Google is reporting that we've enjoyed 63,703 hits. 

One of the things that's come up is that from time to time some other stats company shows up or sneaks up and broadcasts its take on our stats as well its take on the selling price of the blog - which isn't for sale! These are commercial enterprises that we have no relationship with.

And we would never agree that the total value of a blog is all about hits anyway!  How can you put a price on a teenager reading about Eddie Cochran for the first time or evaluate the treasure of a free paper doll of Elvis Presley from Dover Publications or the connection an old friend has made?

Never once since it's happened that a strange stats company has reported stats to the world have they been equal to the stats Google Blogger reports, which is always many more hits to the blog.  Of course, we never did write just to get stats.  But we trust Google over these other stat companies.

We've stayed to our subject pretty much with is EARLY ROCK AND ROLL, ROCKABILLY, THE COVER TUNE ERA, THE SINGER SONGWRITER SCENE, THE BRITISH INVASION of AMERICA and the AMERICAN INVASION OF BRITAIN.  We've never intended to cover the entire history of Rock and Roll!  Just like the title says this is WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC!

We notice hits from a variety of countries and on which posts seem to be the most interesting to our readers and it is fascinating to know that someone on a computer from some lesser known location of the world reads us - thus the THANK YOU to our READERSHIP posts.  We never post a country that Google hasn't shown us to be reading.  So even as we do this update, we've got about 1500 hits a month... on older posts and newer.

AND WE THANK YOU for READING WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC!

******

Here is a partial list of countries from which readers make it to our site!

First the top 10 as of today...

United States
Russia
Germany
United Kingdom
Canada
France
Netherlands
Ukraine
Spain
Australia

WE NOTE THAT THE READERSHIP FROM SPAIN IS MUCH MORE RECENT!

We are also enjoying hits from:
China
Brazil
India
Sweden
Italy
Malaysia
Finland
Portugal
Algeria
Malta
United Arab Emerits
South Korea
New Zealand
Argentina
Bulgaria
Poland...

and many other countries!

Sunday, April 6, 2014

R LINKS UPDATED and MARTY ROBBINS

OK - so we pick a video, and then it gets taken down over at YouTube... So we're replacing the one we posted a month ago with this one!

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

WANNA GO SEE ELVIS' GOLD SUIT? SAN FERNANDO VALLEY MUSEUM SPOTLIGHTS

DAILY NEWS ; MUSEUM SPOTLIGHTS OLD SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - NUDIE'S SUITS
By Gregory J. Wilcox, Los Angeles Daily News on 3/27/2014

Tommy Gelinas, a voracious Valley memorabilia collector and owner of the Print Lab in North Hollywood, founded the museum last year, largely so he could show off his finds. It now houses two “Nudie mobiles,” old Pontiac Bonnevilles customized by Nudie Cohen, the late Studio City-based western-clothing designer. Cohen was responsible for the “Rhinestone Cowboy” craze, and the museum proudly displays a gold lamé suit he designed for Elvis Presley.

HERE'S THE LINK TO THE VALLEY RELICS MUSEUM http://www.valleyrelics.org/

Valley Relics Museum
21630 Marilla St.
Chatsworth CA 91311

818-678-4934
Hour of Operation
Every Saturday from 10:00am - 3:00pm

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

WESBRYANHEPCATMAGCOVERportion

Sunday, March 30, 2014

HELLO TO SPAIN, PORTUGAL, ALGERIA

Malta and United Arab Emirates!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

NASCAR TEAM OWNER DALE EARNHARDT JR. UNVEILS ELVIS CAR! STUTZ BEARCAT III

YAHOO AUTOS - ELVIS PRESLEY'S LAST RIDE  full article link  DALE EARNHARDT JUNIOR UNVEILS  by Justin Hyde at Yahoo Autos.

So of course it was Elvis Presley's favorite — and today, the Stutz which Elvis drove hours before his death was given a reintroduction at the hands of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Unveiled at the Charlotte Motor Speedway by Earnhardt, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick and Ray Evernham — all in Elvis shades — the black 1973 Stutz Bearcat III was Elvis' third Stutz; he had bought a white copy and the second prototype the company built by hand. In that era, the Stutz could sell for the equivalent of more than $100,000 and the company often billed itself as selling the world's most expensive car. Finished in red leather, the car was essentially Presley's daily driver at the time of his death in August 1977.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

FROM OUR ARCHIVE POST (57) I RECORD WITH NORMAN PETTY/ Buddy Holly's Ex Musicians and Backup Singers

  (Thanks Arne!)

I RECORD WITH NORMAN PETTY/ Buddy Holly's Ex Musicians and Backup Singers from October 25th 2007

When Buddy Holly was on his last tour he went without the band that he was first famous with, the Crickets, so they were not on tour with him when that plane crashed. The individual Crickets were working as studio musicians in recording sessions over at producer Norman Petty's in Clovis, New Mexico.

NEW VIDEO MARCH 2014



Buddy Knox and I drove from New York to Winston Salem, visited with my dad, and then headed for Norman Petty. At Norman's studio there I recorded songs with Norman as producer and for my musicians I had Donny Lanier, the lead guitarist for Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids, and Jerry Allison, the drummer for Buddy Holly with the Crickets!

Donny Lanier was the lead guitarist who did the two solo breaks on Buddy Knox and the Rhythm Orchids' hit "Party Doll." (The guitar sounded like Scotty Moore so Elvis wanted to record "Party Doll himself!)

So on my songs "Baby Blue" and "I Just Want Your Love," I've got some of Buddy Holly's Crickets sound and some of Buddy Knox's Rhythm Orchids.
Donny Lanier played on "Blue Baby," and "I Just Want Your Love." His instrumental intro sounded a lot like "That'll Be The Day."



ROCKABILLY HALL OF FAME - THE ROSES  updated March 2014   Here's a bit of information on the vault at Norman Petty's which I believe was located after Norman died.

SCHAUER. DE : NORMAN PETTY SESSIONS VAULT  updated March 2014

Also backing me for vocals on the two songs are The Roses, David Bigham and Robert Linville, Texans who also did backup vocals for Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox, and Jimmy Bowen in 1958-1959, and who toured as backup vocalists with Buddy Holly and the Crickets.


RCS DISCOGRAPHY WES BRYAN PAGE

"Blue Baby" and "I Just Want Your Love" were released in 1999 without my knowledge. My writing partner, Christine, and I found out on the Internet. RCS shows them as I knew them to be - unreleased.
 
SUPEROLDIES - NORMAN PETTY STUDIO TOUR

Sunday, March 23, 2014

P LINKS UPDATED AND P.J. PROBY (HE'S 75 and STILL TOURING!)

New Link for drummer EARL PALMER - ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME... DITTO LES PAUL ... lots of updates in the blog for CARL PERKINS...

To Celebrate!  PJ PROBY

PJ PROBY 2014 TOUR DATES

OK ON THIS VIDEO, I, Christine, could not resist posting the video below because I've been reading some newish rock and roll books including one on Jimmy Page, who is one of my favorites guitarist, and well, here is PJ with Jimmy Page, who I've learned first made it onto British TV at 15 and was a session guitarist before Led Zeppelin...


Thursday, March 20, 2014

YOUTUBE VIDEOS and OUR STATION CTNWB and WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC

When we first started including YouTube Videos on our blog WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC we did so tentatively.  We waited a while, not sure of what the Intellectual Properties situation was and then, reading around the subject, we began to include videos.

Today we can't image our blog without these videos, which are presented by others on YouTube.

It takes a lot of work to make a collection of videos on YouTube and to have a station and WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT WORK! 

Of hundreds of videos we have embedded in our blog we have only experienced maybe once or twice where someone objected.  Although we don't often comment on YouTube, we often feel as if YouTube video stations are our partners in this effort, especially the ones that post historical music videos of the early days of Rock and Roll.

However, since then Google has purchased YouTube and the emphasis seems to be on ads...  very annoying interruptive ads. 

How much can anyone take?

As we update this blog, sometimes we click on a dozen or more videos looking for that hold out who refuses to put advertising on his or her videos!


Because this blog is not commercial, we will do everything we can to use only those videos that HAVE NO COMMERCIALS!  That means that as we update both our blog and our channel, old videos may not always have the perfect match to the original post. 


THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

O LINKS UPDATED and ROY ORBISON from BLACK AND WHITE NIGHT

Roy Orbison - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and New Official Site - updated along with early post about Roy in our Archive.



FROM A FULL LENGTH ALBUM/ VIDEO called BLACK AND WHITE NIGHT which is featuring as background artists JAMES BURTON, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Tom Waits, kd lang, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, JD Souther, T Bone Burnett, Steven Soles, and Jennifer Warnes. (Recorded September 30, 1987).

Friday, March 14, 2014

GIOTTODI BONDONE Quote on Friendship

"The sincere friends of this world are as ship lights in the stormiest of nights."  - Giottodi Bondone

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

FROM OUR ARCHIVES POST (197) WHAT'D WE DO WITHOUT THOSE BLUE SUEDE SHOES ? CARL PERKINS and ELVIS PRESLEY

Carl Perkins' Rockabilly "Blue Suede Shoes," is so associated with Elvis Presley but Carl was first with it and the song was covered again and again, a true classic in its own time.

Here's a YouTube presentation of Carl singing "Blue Suede Shoes."


And here's one of many videos featuring Elvis Presley singing probably the song most associated with him other than "Hound Dog"...


)

Sunday, March 9, 2014

M- N LINKS UPDATED and GUY MITCHELL

USE THE SEARCH FEATURE EMBEDDED IN THE SIDEBAR TO BRING UP OUR POSTS ON GUY MITCHELL!


Thursday, March 6, 2014

J-K-L LINKS UPDATED and BRENDA LEE

The Little Richard and Darlene Love ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Inductee links have been updated!

To Celebrate!  BRENDA LEE!



USE THE SEARCH FEATURE EMBEDDED IN THE SIDEBAR TO BRING UP OUR POSTS ON BRENDA, Little Richard, or Darlene Love!

Monday, March 3, 2014

ONE SUMMER NIGHT ON RANWOOD; WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC ARCHIVES

FROM OUR ARCHIVES : FIRST POSTED ON DECEMBER 1 2007 (After noting the record on an e-Bay auction!)

Friends, as you know, I check the e-bay auctions from time to time to see what's up there being sold "Wes Bryan."

And if you've been reading this blog from the beginning, you know one of the reasons for blogging is that there is a lot of Wes Bryan "confusion" out there. Christine and I have learned that some of the search engines put me and the Christian minister who has written a book or two and has a CD out together. I'm not the Christian minister. I'm also not the DJ, the athlete, the owner of a mini mall, or any of the other Wes Bryans out there on the Internet or in the world. (It's a great name though, isn't it guys?!)

I am the Wes Bryan who came out of Murphy, North Carolina, discovered off the Akron Beacon Journal - Roto section- who enjoyed a United Artists contract, and who changed labels a couple times to Clock and Roulette before becoming a staff songwriter at American Music.

I also became a record producer and music publisher. Though my story here on this blog is circa about 1960- 1961 about now, we noticed that a record I put out on my OWN LABEL, U. S. International, was being auctioned on e-bay and this seller has a music clip... So for as long as this lasts, enjoy listening to my record "One Summer Night." (Will this posting mean more bids for that record?) After I put "One Summer Night" out on my own label, Randy Wood who had once had Dot Records, put it out on Ranwood, his new label. It sold about 300,000 records.

Oh, I took a truck out to the beach in Malibu to record those seagulls you hear in the background...

Sunday, March 2, 2014

WES BRYAN ON RANDY WOOD'S RANWOOD RECORDS

 
From a recent e-Bay auction, featuring "To Be Alone" and "One Summer Night."

SEARCH FOR BLOG POSTS ABOUT RANDY WOOD and RANWOOD RECORDS in HOLLYWOOD using the Search Feature embedded in the side bar of this blog.

Now in 1957 Randy Wood sold ownership of the label to Paramount Pictures but he was the President for the company for another ten years. He left to co-founded the Ranwood Records Label with Lawrence Welk.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

WESBRYANHEPCATMAGCOVERportion

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

G- H- I LINKS CHECKED AND UPDATED and ERSEL HICKEY

In G- H-I we found that the  HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME LINK NEEDED AN UPDATE...  and we added THE GLARK GABLE FOUNDATION site!  GRAMMY ORG also needed an update...

TO CELEBRATE : ERSEL HICKEY!



USE THE SEARCH FEATURE EMBEDDED IN THE SIDEBAR TO BRING UP OUR POSTS ON HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME, Clark Cable, Grammy, or Ersel Hickey!

Monday, February 24, 2014

D-E-F LINKS CHECKED and TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD

Just completed checking all our side bar links under the D - E - F group and they are all working fine!

REVISITED! 

Bobby Denton in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame...

Jackie DeShannon in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame...
      

And to celebrate : TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD!


USE THE SEARCH FEATURE EMBEDDED IN THE SIDEBAR TO BRING UP OUR POSTS ON Bobby Denton, Jackie De Shannon, or TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

JOE VALINO - DECLARATION OF LOVE



WES BRYAN and JOE VALINO were the first two artists signed to UNITED ARTISTS RECORDS.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Thursday, February 13, 2014

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO OLD FRIENDS AND NEW! A COUPLE MESSAGES TO FANS and COMMENTERS!

 
WE GOT A FEW COMMENTS THAT WE THOUGHT WE'D RESPOND TO HERE!
 
To Celine who wrote to us about maybe getting married at the Elvis Chapel in Vegas...  We've never been there but it seems to us that you could have a lot of fun creating your own
 ELVIS PRESLEY THEMED WEDDINGWe wish you the best!
 
To Denice who wrote to us about also trying to locate my old friend DON DARCEL,
we'll get in touch if and when we find Don...  He is missed as well as missing in action!
and thanks for letting us know that Wes Bryan was "Big in Fort Lee."
 
To Bonnie; You and Charlie are well remembered as fun making friends
at Elvis' house parties in Los Angeles, California!
 
To Arne, our champion Wes Bryan - YouTube video poster from Sweden. 
 We haven't forgotten about you!
Half the United States may as well be Sweden this winter!
 

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Monday, February 10, 2014

DOWN TIME OR TAKE YOU ALONG IN OUR TECH PROCESS? ENJOY OUR OLDER POSTS AND LINKS IN THE MEAN TIME?

Christine here.  As some of you who also read my blog CHRISTINE TRZYNA- WRITERLY LIFE know, I've removed my personal blog from the Internet, don't know for how long, but at least until I've got the stuff you don't see fixed. 

WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC  blog also needs work on its innards. 

So we planned down time for this blog too... But well, my personal blog and this blog are of a different nature.  My personal blog is more like a literary diary.  This one has value as a memoir and music history publication and we receive thousands of hits every month on older posts because it's still useful and interesting "as is,"  so I'm going to try to attend to technology issues, etc, and take you along in the process...  

(I know this can be deadly BORING for the reader... what a decision!)  

We feel responsible for keeping links and videos as fresh as possible and since we've been blogging since 2007 a lot of things have changed.  Many out of our control, some frustrating, all which need attention ; We used to post a technology update PAGE and one day it just went POOF!


Just the other day I checked on all the links in our extensive list on the side bar under A-B-C and found four that need replacement along with corresponding posts which takes an hour or two - so you have some idea of what's ahead.  We take pride in knowing that anyone interested in our subject can link to other writers, other sites.

Please be patient!

There will be musical intermissions!

THANKS FOR READING WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC!


Sunday, February 9, 2014

WES BRYAN - OLD NEWS CLIPPING - THE NEXT JAMES DEAN

This image of me was in the Salt Lake Tribune Review in 1957. When Buddy Knox and I went on tour, we hit every state but Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah!

It captures me in my "Next James Dean" phase when I was signed to United Artists. The full article explains that I have been signed at United Artist with two contracts; one for their new music label and the other as an actor.

Although I threw myself into my music career wholeheartedly, I hadn't completely given up on acting when I moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960's.



Thursday, February 6, 2014

ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON FRIENDSHIP

"If friendship is your weakest point, then you are the strongest person in the world." - Abraham Lincoln

Sunday, February 2, 2014

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED - RITCHIE VALENS - and LINK TO RITCHIE VALENS OFFICIAL

FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 6, 2007  THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED!

RITCHIE VALENS died in that plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.

Alan Freed, a pioneer in Rock and Roll, who held big stage shows in New York City where many of my peers performed, got ahold of Richie Valens and asked him to appear. Ritchie was just a kid with a chaperone, but we all wanted to meet him and considered him part of our Rock and Roll family. I was there when Ritchie performed in New York, and he was a total pro at 17. Everyone wanted to meet him. We didn't care that he was Mexican-American, not at all. Among us he was one of the firsts who came out of California - Los Angeles - The San Fernando Valley - a place that would become more important to many of us as the years went on! We might have been more curious about him on that basis! We were a lot of Southern boys there in the Big Apple!

Ritchie had the hit "Donna,"a soft ballad, in 1958, and there's been a movie made about his life, "La Bamba."


NEW LINK RITCHIE VALENS OFFICIAL


******
NEW VIDEO!
 

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED - BUDDY KNOX AND BUDDY HOLLY AND THE CRICKETS AND ME (part one)

FROM OUR ARCHIVES OCTOBER 6, 2007  THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED!

Many of you have heard the song called "American Pie," also known as The Day The Music Died song, performed and written by singer-songwriter Don Mclean. The lyrics which are a bit of a puzzle to the uninitiated are meant to honor three early Rock n' Rollers whose influence was profound, and who were killed in a small plane crash over Mason City, Iowa.

On February 3, 1959, Buddy Knox and I were traveling on tour. After a late night we got up and went to breakfast. I ran to get the newspaper and was shocked to see the headline. Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper (Jiles Perry Richardson also known as JP), and Ritchie Valens had been killed in a plane crash. The three men had been trying to make time on their own road tour. Buddy Knox ran for the men's room and threw up his breakfast.

Buddy Knox and Buddy Holly had been good friends in New York and the had Texas roots and musical influences in common. Buddy Knox had sent the song "That'll Be The Day" over to Buddy Holly rather than record it himself, and was happy when Buddy Holly had a hit with it.

I'd met Buddy Knox and some of the other Crickets in New York City. I thought of Buddy Holly as a zany guy. On this tour he had left the Crickets behind.

Friends, there's no way we can honor all three Rock n Rollers on just one blog entry, so we're going to post separately, one for Buddy Holly, one for JP, and one for Ritchie. Stick with us! We're having a great time posting our blog, we're excited about it, and we know those of you who aren't familiar with my era are getting a real lesson - we hope a fun one - out of it.




*******

Saturday, February 1, 2014

WESBRYANHEPCATMAGCOVERportion

Thursday, January 30, 2014

BUDDY HOLLY AND THE CRICKETS - BIG BOPPER - RITCHIE VALENS AND DION AND THE BELMONTS

PhotobucketAt the time that I was signed by United Artists, I became friends with a group of guys who liked to hang out in diners and plan their musical careers.  The group included Dion as well as Buddy Knox and Bobby Darin.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

PETE SEEGER : SINGER - SONGWRITER - ACTIVIST WALKED WITH TWO CANES THROUGH OCCUPY MOVEMENT CAMP

SF GATE : PETE SEEGER - SINGER SONGWRITER ACTIVIST

 A portion of the article by MICHAEL HILL and CHRIS TALBOTT, Associated Press.
 
"With his lanky frame, use-worn banjo and full white beard, Seeger was an iconic figure in folk music who outlived his peers. He performed with the great minstrel Woody Guthrie in his younger days and wrote or co-wrote "If I Had a Hammer," ''Turn, Turn, Turn," ''Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine." He lent his voice against Hitler and nuclear power. A cheerful warrior, he typically delivered his broadsides with an affable air and his fingers poised over the strings of his banjo.
 
In 2011, the canes kept Seeger from carrying his beloved instrument while he walked nearly 2 miles with hundreds of protesters swirling around him holding signs and guitars. With a simple gesture — extending his friendship — Seeger gave the protesters and even their opponents a moment of brotherhood the short-lived movement sorely needed..."

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS POSTS ON PETE!
 
THIS VIDEO WAS MADE WHEN PETE WAS 74.

Monday, January 27, 2014

GRAMMY AWARDS 2014

GRAMMY AWARDS 2014 WINNERS

Here's the link to the winners of the 2014 Grammy Awards!




Thursday, January 23, 2014

50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE WHISKY A GO GO : TICKETS SOLD OUT ?

WHISKYAGOGO.COM OFFICIAL SITE + 50th ANNIVERSARY

Well, you could try and bribe the bouncer to get in?

Here's the link to the official web site for the club that has launched a lot of bands.  Celebrations include tribute nights.

We've written about the Whisky in this blog, mostly when we're writing about Johnny Rivers.  You can use the Google search feature embedded in this blog to pull up past posts about The Whisky and Johnny Rivers.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

PAUL BURCH ON THE MUSIC OF APPALACHIA Quote

"Appalachia is still, for American musicians, a kind of fountain of youth we always go back to, the old home place to a group of artists who represent the quintessence of American independence, fortitude, genius, and madness."  - Paul Burch

Saturday, January 18, 2014

(56) BUDDY KNOX : AN INTELLECTUAL and A GENTLEMAN : FROM THE WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC ARCHIVES

POST (56) BUDDY KNOX : AN INTELLECTUAL and A GENTLEMAN from the WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC ARCHIVES

October 24, 2007  

Now friends, I've gone off on a tangent about Elvis returning to the United States, at a time when I was on the Buddy Knox tour. It was great to be there when Elvis got off the train, to be part of the party at Graceland TM, and to be considered an actual friend of Elvis' Presley and a few of his friends, people who made it happen for him.

But I want to tell you nothing made me prouder than to be associated with a Rockabilly Superstar like Buddy professionally. When Buddy said "You're coming on the road with me," he was including me in on the road to success.
 
As I said on an earlier post about the plane crash that killed the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox and I were forced to confront our own mortality because of it. We were grateful to have a tour that was the top of the line with a plush tour bus and a caravan of cars. We had bookings in fine dinner clubs and the best of venues to perform. They had been on buses that broke down and were only trying to make up travel time taking that plane. Jerry Lee Lewis' tour bus was a gray painted school bus, hardly plush at all, despite his success with "Great Balls of Fire."

We shared driving a car and hotel and motel rooms along the way, while the musicians lived out of the tour bus. It could be grueling, but Buddy and I, and the musicians we traveled with lived clean. We didn't do speed to stay awake, but relied on our youthful energy and zeal for entertaining. Despite the obvious stress he always treated the musicians in his band with kindness and courtesy.

Before it was all over we toured in 47 of the fifty states, skipping Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah - because the Mormons (now the Latter Day Saints) objected to Rock and Roll. We would tour for about two years, using New York City for our breaks, sharing hotel rooms along the way and in New York.
 
Buddy performed "Party Doll," "Hula Love," and a number of other songs that he had hits with. He liked to go on first, then sit back and enjoy the show. Between his performance and mine, the band played. We got people up and dancing and everyone had a great time of it.
 
Buddy Knox was an intellectual, a gentleman, and more than all that, a decent human being. He treated people from all walks of life the same and his generous spirit was always evident. He tended to leave big tips.

Sometimes he and I would walk into a diner and the waitresses would ask us if we were the Everly Brothers. (We didn't look like brothers, but brothers as singing duos were popular then.)

Buddy would say "Have you heard of Buddy Knox?"

The waitresses would say something like "Yea, He has Party Doll!"

Buddy would introduce himself, and then play a couple numbers for the whole diner, which thrilled everyone. He signed autographs and he still left big tips.

Rockin Country Style Discography - BUDDY KNOX
 
Link above to Buddy Knox's official site. (His great son Michael is behind this site.)

Rockabilly Hall of Fame on Buddy Knox


Living closely as we had to, Buddy Knox and I became close friends on tour. When he married my father and I attended. I was in his wedding party. I am so proud to have known Buddy Knox. He truly was one of the good guys in Rock and Roll!

 
When Buddy was dying in 1999, he said to his son Michael, "Don't let them forget me." Michael promised.


I promise too Buddy.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

CHET ATKINS TRIVIA : CHET PLAYED ON EVERLY BROTHERS RECORDS AS WELL AS ELVIS' HEARTBREK HOTEL


When it was cut, Chet played on Heartbreak Hotel on RCA, no it wasn't The Blue Moon Boys group or Scotty Moore...

According to the Rock Hall bio, "As a studio musician, he appeared on records by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and countless country musicians. Atkins thumb-and-fingerpicking style influenced George Harrison, Duane Eddy, the Ventures, Eddie Cochran, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, as well as innumerable country pickers. Even the likes of Ted Nugent has credited Atkins with inspiring him to take up the instrument. ‘’I think he influenced everybody who picked up a guitar,’’ said Duane Eddy."

MISTERGUITAR - CHET ATKINS OFFICIAL

Saturday, January 11, 2014

PHIL EVERLY - THE EVERLY BROTHERS on the HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME and EVERLY FAMILY FAN SITE

ARTICLE ON THEIR STAR from THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME  link

EVERLY BROTHERS NET - A FAN SITE  link (Phil spoke at the induction of BUDDY HOLLY TO THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.

Phil Everly, as many of you know, passed away a few days ago.  In his honor, we're running some of our archived posts about Phil and Don Everly, the Kings of Harmony!


Friday, January 10, 2014

WE INTERRUPT THIS ELVIS CELEBRATION TO HONOR PHIL EVERLY!

Elvis wouldn't mind at all!



Reading around the subject, Don has said that he always thought he would go first.

Here is a link to one of our long time favorite sites on the Internet, one we respect and that is the result of long hours of volunteer work.  Rockin Country Style DISCOGRAPHY!

RCS DISCOGRAPHY - THE EVERLYS

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

JIM MORRISON TRIVIA : HIS FAVORITE SINGER WAS ELVIS

According to the film WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE, a film about the Doors by Tom DiCillo,  Jim Morrison's favorite singer was Elvis.  Towards the end of Jim's career, he had switched his affiliation to FRANK SINATRA! 

When You're Strange is  C 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!



A bit of controversy over if this is actually Elvis or an impersonator singing.    Here is the definitive answer, posted on YouTube. 
 
"This was officially released on the Memphis Recording Service release Off Duty with Private Presley in 2010.  This recording was from May 1958.  On the same day, he sang Sail Along Silvery Moon/I Understand Just How I Feel, Happy, Happy Birthday Baby; Dialogue, I Can't Help It, Dialogue, Who's Sorry Now, Who's Sorry Now reprise, another five goes at Happy, Happy Birthday Baby, Dialogue, Tumblin' Tumbleweeds/Blue Moon/Don't You Know I Love You, Tomorrow Night (twice), Little Darlin' Monologue, and Just A Closer Walk With Thee.  Who's Sorry Now was done by Anita Wood with Elvis singing backup." 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

THERE'S A HOUSE PARTY TONIGHT : FROM WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC ARCHIVES

Post (70) from November 13, 2007!

The first party I attended at Elvis' after moving to LA, Johnny Rivers and I drove up to Bel Air. Elvis was making the movie "Flaming Star" at 20th Century Fox. It was his 6th movie. Johnny had been over to Elvis and he said "I know he wants to see you." So we got into Johnny's car and drove up to Bel Air.

In the movie "Flaming Star," Elvis played what we referred to then as a "half breed," someone who was half Native American. It was Marlon Brando who the writers had in mind to play the part Elvis did.
It wouldn't be the first or last time that a script written with James Dean or Marlon Brando in mind ended up staring Elvis Presley.

The femme fatal of the film was actress Barbara Eden, who would become known for her signature role in the television series "I Dream of Jeannie."

At the house Elvis came through the door still covered in the body makeup the studio had him wear to appear darker. (He also wore brown contact lenses to cover his naturally blue eyes.) When you look at some of the stills of the film today, you can see how unnatural it looks.

He welcomed me with a hug and told us to make ourselves at home until he got all that makeup off. It took him near an hour.

This was the beginning of my being a regular at Elvis Presley's house parties - the time of my life! Elvis' as my second home!

Monday, January 6, 2014

ELVIS SINGING AT HIS HOME ON ROCCA PLACE LOS ANGELES : IF I LOVED YOU

ELVIS loved to sing.  This video of a private recording at Rocco place appeared on YouTube and we thought you'd enjoy the informality of the occasion.



Saturday, January 4, 2014

LENNONYC : JOHN LENNON and JACK DOUGLAS, MUSIC PRODUCER ON ELVIS and the EARLY ROCK AND ROLLERS

LENNONYC is a documentary put out by PBS : AMERICAN MASTERS

Jack Douglas was the music producer of Lennon's album DOUBLE FANTASY.  In this film, he talks about the song "Starting Over" and John talks about that time in his life when he was reaching back to his roots in early Rock and Roll.

JACK :  "He's doing his Elvis Impersonation... the Elvis intonation.  It brought back the feeling of early Rock and Roll."

JOHN :  "It was tongue and cheek Elvis.  It was John Lennon - American Rock and Roll - not competing but enjoying it."

John Lennon goes on to mention Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, and Elvis Presley as inspirations to him as a developing musician.


Friday, January 3, 2014

OUR ELVIS PRESLEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION - 2014!

When we began blogging in 2007, we dedicated this effort to ELVIS PRESLEY. 

And every year we having Blogger Celebration focused on Elvis for his birthday.  Elvis was born January 8, 1935.  He'd be 79 years old if he were alive today.

This year the nature of our celebration is different because of the YouTube videos that have been posted by people who have somehow gotten their hands on HOME RECORDINGS.  Now these people may have been there (or maybe their parents were since so many of us from the early rock and roll era are senior citizens now or have passed on).  We don't know, but we think they're authentic.

We want to let you know that we're planning some Down Time in 2014.  This blog is experiencing a lot of glitches - some mystifying - that need to be resolved that will take some time and focus, as well as updating of videos and links, and we haven't given up on a good slideshow to replace the one that went down with changes at Photobucket.  (Some of our pages and posts just went poof!)

But for now relax and enjoy, and let the year begin on Elvis!

Photobucket This popular publicity photo of Elvis is one of my favorites.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

WESBRYANHEPCATMAGCOVERportion