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