JIMMY O'NEILL : SHINDIG HOST : GONE TO MEET ELVIS

We've written about Shindig, the music television show that was so popular, and Jimmy O'Neill was the host.  Yesterday word reached us that he had passed in West Hollywood, where he had been living in retirement.  The City News Service article made its way around the net.  Here's a link to the West Hollywood Patch: JIMMY O'NEILL : OBIT

A little excerpt: In 1959, O'Neill made radio history as the first voice heard on KRLA-AM (1110) when it dropped its country-western format for rock music, the Times reported. It quickly became a powerhouse in rock radio and launched O'Neill into television in 1964 as the winsome emcee of Shindig!

You can use the Search feature on this Google Blogger to read more about Shindig, the influence of DJ's on popular music, and Jimmy!  If you scan down a bit to our YouTube video selections, you'll see Jimmy hosting this popular music television show!

RITCH VALENS : ORIGINAL STUDIO SESSIONS RECORDING LA BAMBA

(373) GLEN CAMPBELL : ALZHEIMERS : LAST TOUR AND ALBUM

We're linking here to a recent LA Times Blog article about Glen Campbell, who has announced that, at 75, he has Alzheimer's but will go on one last tour.

And to what we believe to be his own site which has some excellent photos including of his latest album: http://surfdog.com/glencampbellshow/index.html

Glen was blessed with amazing musical talent, has had a long and winding road of a career and is known for his dozens of hit records, but his journey in life was not and is not easy going.

JAMES DEAN OR MARLON BRANDO?

If you could be either
the Next James Dean or The Next Marlon Brando
which would you be?

ELVIS PRESLEY 500 MILES

Listening to this song reminded me of being at Elvis' parties when the guests started singing along with Elvis. Elvis loved to sing. He's known for the massive audiences he performed in front of at the end of his life, but he loved singing to one or a few people too.

Members of The Entourage were also musical and so many of us - me, Johnny Rivers, P.J. Proby, and so many other people also brought our guitars and our own songs as well as songs we covered with us as part of the entertainment. And on the piano - Cliff Gleaves!

One of the most wonderful memories I have of Elvis and his parties in Los Angeles is the outbreaks of performance that happened spontaneously.

We want to thank the Youtuber "Jackiej61too" who posted this! What a find! Jackie told us that IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO HAVE HER VIDEO POSTED ON OUR BLOG and says "ELVIS FOREVER!"

(100) ELVIS DANCES and THE ROOM GOES WILD!

At his parties, sometimes Elvis would let loose and dance using his very own innovative, on the spot choreography! When people saw his arms and legs going, they went wild. His living room could be like Grand Central Station, with a juke box on one end, a record playing on the other, and live entertainment in between.

Elvis showed off his dancing skills early on in his movie, "Jail House Rock." This is a YouTube video that shows off Elvis dancing.

(99) ELVIS - THE PARTY YEARS - JOHNNY RIVERS

About the time that I moved to Los Angeles to work for the songwriting factory, American Music, I began to attend Elvis' private parties at his home in Bel Air. Johnny Rivers and I used to get up to the house about three on a Saturday afternoon, because Elvis liked to play demos for us and ask our opinions. He played demos that he made and demos he had been sent by various publishing houses and individuals. Elvis believed that there was "room for us all."

Johnny wasn't Mr. Secret Agent Man - not yet anyway!

See our previous blogs that mention Johnny Rivers by searching this blog and also, go to Johnny's own personal web site (which should be in our LINKS section) to learn more about Johnny Rivers. as a person, entertainer, and an early friend of mine in the music business. There will be more about Johnny as we progress in this blog!