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!