Tuesday, February 17, 2009
From Paul Justice, bassist for the Memphis Rockabilly Band
Dear Friends and Fans of the Memphis Rockabilly Band,
Jeff Spencer, our friend, band mate,the voice of the MRB passed
away, unexpectedly, in the home he shared with his companion Barbara,
wednesday evening, February 11th. We are all stunned and deeply
saddened by this loss. Our hearts and thoughts are all focused
on helping Barbara and Jeff's family deal with Jeff's sudden passing.
Jeff was the engine,compass, and rudder that propelled our ship,
and it will take the combined efforts of Bill,Alan and myself
to replace all that Jeff did on his own.
In Memory of Jeff Spencer,
The Memphis Rockabilly Band (and friends!) will be performing
our regularly scheduled gig at the "Coffee House off The
Square" ::
Saturday, Feb. 21st 8:30-11:00
The coffee house is within the Parish House,107 main st. Hingham,ma.
781-749-1767
There will be the usual admission of $10.00.
Net proceeds benefit the Unitarian-Universalist Service Committee.
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 The Cramps' Lux Interior dies, aged 62
The theatrical, macabre frontman
of the cult garage-punk band has died from a previously existing
heart condition
Lux Interior of the Cramps in 2006. Photograph: Brian Rasic /Rex
Features
Lux Interior, the founding member of garage punk band the Cramps,
has died aged 62. Interior, whose real name was Erick Lee Purkhiser,
passed away on 4 February at Glendale Memorial Hospital in California.
He had suffered from a previously existing heart condition.
Interior was the theatrical, macabre frontman of cult punk-rock
group the Cramps. He founded the band in 1973 with his wife, Poison
Ivy, whose real name is Kristy Wallace, and quickly became a staple
of the New York punk scene. The band's music fused their love
of horror B-movies with rockabilly and surf rock, and their influence
can be heard in bands such as the White Stripes, My Bloody Valentine
and the Horrors.
The Cramps recorded their debut EP, Gravest Hits, in 1979 and
continued touring and recording, albeit with a revolving lineup,
until 2004. Interior and Poison Ivy were the only constant members
of the group. They were notorious for their flamboyant, fetishistic
live shows, and once infamously played a show for patients at
Napa State Mental Hospital in Sacramento.
False rumours that Interior had died of a heroin overdose circulated
in 1987, with fans sending wreaths to his home after hearing the
news. "At first, I thought it was kind of funny, but then
it started to give me a creepy feeling," the singer told
the Los Angeles Times. "We sell a lot of records, but somehow
just hearing that you've sold so many records doesn't hit you
quite as much as when a lot of people call you up and are obviously
really broken-up because you've died."
Sadly, a statement confirming his death earlier this week is no
hoax. He is survived by Wallace, his wife of 37 years. A statement
from the Cramps' media representatives reads: "Lux has been
an inspiration and influence to millions of artists and fans around
the world. He and wife Poison Ivy's contributions with the Cramps
have had an immeasurable impact on modern music. He is a rare
icon who will be missed dearly." http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/05/lux-interior-the-cramps-dies
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009
Wanda Jackson to be inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame!!! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Announces its Inductees
for 2009
Induction Ceremony to Air Live on Fuse TV, April 4, 2009
January 14, 2009—New York
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation today announced its
inductees for 2009. The induction ceremony on April 4, 2009 will
take place in Cleveland for the first time since 1997, and will
be broadcast live on Fuse TV in a new three-year broadcast deal
between the Foundation and Fuse. The ceremony will be supported
by a weeklong series of events. In addition, for the first time
in its 24-year history, tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Induction Ceremony will be accessible to the public.
“This year’s class of inductees truly represents what
the Hall of Fame is all about. From classic artists that began
their careers in the 50’s and 60’s to those that have
defined the modern sound of rock and roll,” said Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame Foundation President & CEO Joel Peresman.
“These artists demonstrate the rich diversity of rock and
roll itself. We are proud to honor these artists and celebrate
their contribution to rock and roll’s place in our culture.”
The performer inductees are:
Jeff Beck
Little Anthony & the Imperials
Metallica
Run-D.M.C.
Bobby Womack
Early Influence Category Inductee:
Wanda Jackson
Sidemen Category:
Bill Black
DJ Fontana
Spooner Oldham
The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performer inductees were chosen
by the 600 voters of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.
Artists are eligible for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame twenty-five years after their first recording is released.
In addition to being honored at the April ceremony, each inducted
artist is commemorated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
in Cleveland Ohio, which serves as a monument to rock and roll’s
impact on our culture. These inductees will be honored –
along with previous year’s inductees and hundreds of other
artists – with an exhibit and film that serve to tell the
story of modern music.
A limited number of pre-sale tickets to the Induction Ceremony
at Cleveland’s historic Public Hall will be available to
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum members on Thursday, January
22 and Friday, January 23.
Pre-sale tickets will be available to the public during a one-day
walk-up sale on Saturday, January 24 at the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and Museum Box Office. Tickets to the Induction Ceremony
will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets beginning Monday,
January 26. Fans can contact Ticketmaster at http://www.ticketmaster.com.
Presenters and performers at the induction will be announced at
a later date. The induction ceremony will be televised live on
Fuse and available on http://www.fuse.tv
April 4th, 2009.
Friday, December 12th, 2008 (Yahoo
News)
1950s pinup model Bettie Page dies in LA at 85
LOS ANGELES – Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model
whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all
helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday.
She was 85.
Page was placed on life support last week after suffering a heart
attack in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, said her
agent, Mark Roesler. He said he and Page's family agreed to remove
life support. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized
for three weeks with pneumonia.
"She captured the imagination of a generation of men and
women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," Roesler
said. "She is the embodiment of beauty."
Page, who was also known as Betty, attracted national attention
with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and
see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls in military
barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years.
Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of
then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic
poses.
"I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure
in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, someone
who had a tremendous impact on our society," Playboy founder
Hugh Hefner told The Associated Press on Thursday. "She was
a very dear person."
Page mysteriously disappeared from the public eye for decades,
during which time she battled mental illness and became a born-again
Christian.
After resurfacing in the 1990s, she occasionally granted interviews
but refused to allow her picture to be taken.
"I don't want to be photographed in my old age," she
told an interviewer in 1998. "I feel the same way with old
movie stars. ... It makes me sad. We want to remember them when
they were young."
The 21st century indeed had people remembering her just as she
was. She became the subject of songs, biographies, Web sites,
comic books, movies and documentaries. A new generation of fans
bought thousands of copies of her photos, and some feminists hailed
her as a pioneer of women's liberation.
Gretchen Mol portrayed her in 2005's "The Notorious Bettie
Page" and Paige Richards had the role in 2004's "Bettie
Page: Dark Angel." Page herself took part in the 1998 documentary
"Betty Page: Pinup Queen."
Hefner said he last saw Page when he held a screening of "The
Notorious Bettie Page" at the Playboy Mansion. He said she
objected to the fact that the film referred to her as "notorious,"
but "we explained to her that it referred to the troubled
times she had and was a good way to sell a movie."
Page's career began one day in October 1950 when she took a respite
from her job as a secretary in a New York office for a walk along
the beach at Coney Island. An amateur photographer named Jerry
Tibbs admired the 27-year-old's firm, curvy body and asked her
to pose.
Looking back on the career that followed, she told Playboy in
1998: "I never thought it was shameful. I felt normal. It's
just that it was much better than pounding a typewriter eight
hours a day, which gets monotonous."
Nudity didn't bother her, she said, explaining: "God approves
of nudity. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were naked
as jaybirds."
In 1951, Page fell under the influence of a photographer and his
sister who specialized in S&M. They cut her hair into the
dark bangs that became her signature and posed her in spiked heels
and little else. She was photographed with a whip in her hand,
and in one session she was spread-eagled between two trees, her
feet dangling.
"I thought my arms and legs would come out of their sockets,"
she said later.
Moralists denounced the photos as perversion, and Sen. Estes Kefauver
of Tennessee, Page's home state, launched a congressional investigation.
Page quickly retreated from public view, later saying she was
hounded by federal agents who waved her nude photos in her face.
She also said she believed that, at age 34, her days as "the
girl with the perfect figure" were nearly over.
She moved to Florida in 1957 and married a much younger man, as
an early marriage to her high school sweetheart had ended in divorce.
Her second marriage also failed, as did a third, and she suffered
a nervous breakdown.
In 1959, she was lying on a sea wall in Key West when she saw
a church with a white neon cross on top. She walked inside and
became a born-again Christian.
After attending Bible school, she wanted to serve as a missionary
but was turned down because she had been divorced. Instead, she
worked full-time for evangelist Billy Graham's ministry.
A move to Southern California in 1979 brought more troubles.
She was arrested after an altercation with her landlady, and doctors
who examined her determined she had acute schizophrenia. She spent
20 months in a state mental hospital in San Bernardino.
A fight with another landlord resulted in her arrest, but she
was found not guilty because of insanity. She was placed under
state supervision for eight years.
"She had a very turbulent life," Todd Mueller, a family
friend and autograph seller, told The Associated Press on Thursday.
"She had a temper to her."
Mueller said he first met Page after tracking her down in the
1990s and persuaded her to do an autograph signing event.
He said she was a hit and sold about 3,000 autographs, usually
for $200 to $300 each.
"Eleanor Roosevelt, we got $40 to $50. ... Bettie Page outsells
them all," he told The AP last week.
Born April 22, 1923, in Nashville, Tenn., Page said she grew up
in a family so poor "we were lucky to get an orange in our
Christmas stockings."
The family included three boys and three girls, and Page said
her father molested all of the girls.
After the Pages moved to Houston, her father decided to return
to Tennessee and stole a police car for the trip. He was sent
to prison, and for a time Betty lived in an orphanage.
In her teens she acted in high school plays, going on to study
drama in New York and win a screen test from 20th Century Fox
before her modeling career took off. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_en_ot/obit_bettie_page
Saturday, December 6th, 2008 Pinup Bettie Page hospitalized after heart attack Yahoo News
LOS ANGELES – Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired
bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive
care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday.
"She's critically ill," Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide
told The Associated Press.
He said the 85-year-old had been hospitalized for the last three
weeks with pneumonia and was about to be released when she had
the heart attack Tuesday. Page was transferred to another hospital
in Los Angeles and remained in intensive care Friday.
A family friend, Todd Mueller, said Page was in a coma. When asked
to confirm, Roesler said, "I would not deny that," but
he would not comment further on her condition.
Page, a secretary turned model, is credited with helping set the
stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious 1960s. She attracted
national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure
that were tacked up on walls across the country.
Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of
then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic
poses.
Page later spent decades away from the public eye, and during
that time battled mental illness and became a born-again Christian.
After resurfacing in the 1990s, she occasionally granted interviews
but refused to allow her picture to be taken.
Mueller credits his business dealings with Page for bringing her
out of seclusion. He said he first met her in 1989 when he offered
her "a bunch of money" to show up at autograph signings.
"I probably sold 3,000 of her autographs, usually for $200
to $300," he said. "Eleanor Roosevelt, we got $40-$50.
... Bettie Page outsells them all."
Thursday, November 20th Blasters press in The Hartford Courant!
Blasters' Phil Alvin Rejects Albums, Embraces Technology
Nov. 22 at Cafe Nine
By KENNETH PARTRIDGE | Special To The Courant
November 20, 2008
The Blasters (HANDOUT / November 18, 2008)
There are plenty of things Phil Alvin loves about the history
of American music, but the record industry isn't one of them.
It's not just that the longtime Blasters front man doesn't trust
label execs, although he's been around long enough to know why
he shouldn't.
On a more fundamental level, he rejects the idea that music should
be pressed onto pieces of plastic — records, cassettes,
CDs — and sold by large corporations.
"The album was an artificial imprint on music that didn't
exist before [record labels]," Alvin says from California
shortly before beginning a Blasters tour that stops Saturday in
New Haven.
In a sense, it's strange to hear Alvin take such a nontraditional
stance. Since he and his brother Dave formed the Blasters in 1979,
the band has taken an almost scholarly approach to classic American
sounds — rockabilly, most notably, but also R&B, country
and blues.
Alongside California contemporaries such as X and Los Lobos, the
Blasters proved that roots music could be relevant in the age
of punk, a genre that, to some, was bent on destroying all that
had come before.
Alvin has nothing but reverence for the great artists of the past
— in a matter of minutes he can steer a conversation from
Louis Armstrong to Sun Ra — but he's also a proud member
of the digital revolution.
As downloaders wrest power from record labels, he says, musicians
will have the freedom to sell individual performances, rather
than collections of songs put together by men in business suits.
"Maybe there are 50 good performances of 'Marie, Marie' out
there," he says, mentioning one of the Blasters' best-loved
tunes. "And someone might like one or might like five of
them. I know that's true of me and songs I like multiple versions
of."
Alvin's willingness to embrace new technology may have something
to do with his extra-musical activities.
He's an unofficial anthropologist who believes music exists to
preserve cultural history. The goal of the Blasters, he says,
has always been to put the past in new contexts and pass along
important messages from those who came before.
"Music was handed to me by great people who would say great
people handed it down to them," Alvin says.
THE BLASTERS perform Saturday with Sarah Borges and the Broken
Singles at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. Tickets
are $20. Information: 203-789-8281 or cafenine.com.
September 2008 Connecticut Magazine's "Best Of '08" results
are in...and WNHU wins Best College Radio Station - in the entire
state!
BEST OF CONNECTICUT 2008: MEDIA
College Radio Station
WNHU-FM (University of New Haven)
West Haven, (203) 479-8800 (wnhu.net)
A media maverick since its founding in the 1970s, WNHU 88.7 FM
continues to offer the best of everything: jazz from bebop to
modern improv, pop music of all eras, world music (from Ireland
to the Caribbean),'60s rock, punk, heavy metal-and even some enlightened
political discussion (including "Right for a Reason,"
airing Mondays and Fridays noon to 2). Since going online three
years ago, the 1700-watt station has developed a truly worldwide
reach, earning over a million hits monthly from 30 countries.
Thursday, September 11th, 2008 I just received this email from Dickie Harrell and wanted
to share the unfortunate news...
Hi Everybody,
Just a little note, Last night 'Stray Cats' Drummer SLIM 'JIM'
fell and broke his ARM and Wrist in three Places. The rest of
the Tour has been cancelled. So sad to hear this as he is one
of the best and a very good friend of mine. Hope he has a fast
recovery. So Sorry Slim, Thanks and repost please.
Dickie Harrell
Friday, September 5th, 2008
Eric Laufer, singer of the Two Timin’ Four dies in accident
I received the news late last night (September 4th)...and
I don't even know what to say.
Eric was an amazing person...a true and genuine soul.
I had the opportunity to book Two Timin’ Three’s very
first shows here on the east coast…and love the guys to
death.
It was a depressing day for New England when they first told me
the news that they were relocating to TX...but I was also incredibly
happy for them, to further pursue their careers in music.
By far, he was the most talented guys out there...and will never
be forgotten.
The scene, and whole world is less bright without him in it.
Eric you will be missed!!!!!!!
"Austin Police Say Hit-and-Run Driver Hit Motorcycle”
A North Austin motorcycle collision on U.S. Hwy 183 killed the
rider and left his motorcycle on the frontage road -- a mile away
from where his body was found.
Police say Eric Laufer, 25, died at the scene. Laufer was the
lead vocalist for Two Timin' Four, an Austin rockabilly/root music
band.
The motorcycle was traveling northbound at the time of the crash.
It happened around 4 a.m. Thursday, just east of Burnet Road on
U.S. 183.
Investigators are now looking for the vehicle they say struck
the motorcycle and then left the scene.
The victim was wearing a helmet and other protective gear.
Monday, July 28th, 2008 Connecticut's #1 College Radio Station Expands:
Community Connections with New Web Presence
West Haven, Conn., July 28, 2008 -- WNHU, the radio station of
the University of New Haven -- voted #1 College Radio Station
in Connecticut for the past three years in the New Haven Advocate's
'Bestof Reader's Poll' -- will premiere its new website on July
31.
Part of the station's strategy to expand its community connections,
the commercial-quality web site will offer advertising and promotion
of area musicians, give web listeners ready access to popular
DJ bios and photos, and offer play lists and expanded station
information. Afte streaming live for three years, WNHU is well
known for its wildly eclectic programming -- a vast selection
of music including jazz, rock,hip-hop, Celtic, and salsa, and
alternative news -- and legendary veteran disc jockeys with an
international following, from Rockin' Richard to Miss Rusty J.
The new WNHU site is the brainchild and creation of UNH junior
and Milford, Conn. resident Zack Rosen, the station's website
director and host of WNHU's eclectic blues/rock/funk show, 'Funked
Up.' A Music and Sound Recording and Music Industry double major
at the University, Rosen is the assistant editor of the University
of New Haven student newspaper, The Charger Bulletin, and president
of the UNH College Democrats. He also operates his own web-design
and maintenance company, contracting with several area companies
and organizations. Rosen also finds time to tutor peers in computers,
software, and technology, and for amateur musical recording and
his own guitar playing, which he began at the age of six.
Rosen was brought into the WNHU fold, which consists of some 70
community and student-volunteer staff members and 4 remunerated
employees, by General Manager and broadcasting veteran Hank Yaggi,
of Madison, Conn. Under Yaggi's direction, WNHU's on-air and production
studios have undergone a complete overhaul and the station's broadcast
capabilities have risen to that of its commercial competitors.
Yaggi's leadership has enabled the station's student management
to maximize it's potential, garnering the adulation of young and
old and the admiration of their professional broadcasting peers
and capturing the New Haven Advocate award for Best College Radio
Station for three consecutive years. Prior to directing WNHU,
Yaggi's energy was focused in the television industry, most recently
as general manager of WTNH, NewsChannel 8, in New Haven, Conn.
The new WNHU site will go live on July 31, at noon http://www.wnhu.net
Wednesday, July
23rd, 2008 A big thanks to Bobby D (of Surf Nite) for creating this
MP3 player of my interview on GO KAT GO!
last night with filmmaker, Patricia Chica, director of the rockumentary
"Rockabilly 514"!!!
Don't forget - you can see the CT movie premier THIS Friday night
at The Space in Hamden!
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
Lee Rocker’s Show on XM Satellite Radio –
Rumble & Twang (3/3)
Lee is the newest artist to have his own show on XM Satellite
Radio. Rumble and Twang is an hour-long radio show spotlighting
rockabilly and Americana music carried on XM Country (Channel
12). Whether vintage or upcoming, the music on Rumble and Twang
is sure to enlighten and revive your satellite radio music experience!
Tune in on Mon, March 3 at 11 AM EST, Thurs, March 6 at 7 PM EST
and Sat, March 8 at 11 AM EST. The program is part of 'The Slip
Stream Special' series.
For additional info, set lists, air dates/times and the message
board; check out www.rumbleandtwang.com or at the XM site www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=12
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
Please pass the word, thanks.
After much thought and consideration, The Road Agents have decided
to end the annual Hot Rod Rumble on a permanent basis. We know
this news will be a disappointment to many. We will miss it just
as much as you, however as some of you may or may not know, many
of us in the club have other projects and/or businesses that are
taking priority. The show was a huge responsibility and a lot
of hard work to put on every year, but as much as we enjoyed doing
it, our personal lives were suffering. This combined with the
fact that the Elks Lodge has gone bankrupt and we will no longer
be able to use the grounds for the show, has brought us to the
decision to call it quits. (Finding a new location is not the
big issue here.) I am sure you will all understand.
We would like to whole-heartedly thank everyone who has supported
us for the past nine years (8 shows) and made the show not only
memorable, but also made the rest of the country stand up and
take a second look at the East Coast and the cool rods and customs
we drive. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Lastly, I would like to emphasize that the end of the Rumble does
not mean the end of the Road Agents Car Club! We look forward
to finally getting out there and hitting up and supporting other
shows this summer. We also have a few things up our sleeves for
the future that we will post on our web site, so keep an eye out
for them!
Again, a HUGE Thanks to everyone who has supported the show, especially
those who have been with us since day one! It’s been a blast!
Luke Karosi
Wednesday, February 13th , 2008
STRAY CATS ANNOUNCE FAREWELL TOUR!! From the desk of Brian Setzer:
Hi Folks! Its been a long time since I've posted anything here,
but as you know, I'd rather throw a baseball (or a snowball, up
here in Minneapolis)!
At this point, I would like to announce The Stray Cats Farewell
Tour. We will be starting mid-August in Spain. Its been 30 years
since the Stray Cats formed. Isn't that hard to believe? There's
no one I'd rather play with than Slim Jim and Lee Rocker. They're
the best!
I would like to end the Stray Cats the way we started it. That
would be with the love of playing our brand of rockabilly music.
We will be posting tour dates as they come in.
See you in August!
Forever rockin'!
Brian
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
I am honored to once again be asked to model in the Mode Merr
Fashion & Burlesque Brunch!
Make your reservations today...this even ALWAYS sells out!
Thanks for your support!
The Mode Merr Hot Holiday Fashion & Burlesque Brunch!
With modeling & performances from: The World Famous Pontani
Sisters, Dirty Martini, The World Famous *BoB*, Miss Delirium
Tremens, Little Brooklyn, PLUS dozens more Mode Merr customers
as tantalizing temptresses & saucy seductresses! All modeling
Mode Merr's winter wardrobe collection!
Just the thing to take the make your toddy hot! This event will
feature a full shopping boutique for one stop seasonal shopping
that will include marvelous Mode Merr looks from the show and
many from the website as well as tattoo prints, MM gift cards,
custom crafted goodies from local burlesque bombshells, like pasties,
novelty costume items, t shirts, crocheted hats, glossy 8x10's
and much more!
AN ADDITIONAL 10% DISCOUNT WILL BE GIVEN FOR CASH
TRANSACTIONS ON ALL MODE MERR MERCHANDISE!!!!!Sunday, December
9th, 2007
12:30 & 2:30 seatings, this event WILL SELL OUT, don't be
stuck sobbing in the snow, reserve a table today!
Marions Continental
354 Bowery @ E. 4th St
NEW YORK CITY
212- 475-7621
$25 prix fixe includes brunch, cocktail & show www.marionsnyc.com www.modemerr.com
Friday, September 21st, 2007 Just announced! Be sure to visit The Connectikittens
special booth at the 2nd Annual Hot Rod And Kustom Fall Out on
Saturday, October 20th!
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 Our friend Cynthia Xelas wrote an article on the Road
Agents Rumble for Full Throttle magazine, and they used a bunch
of her photos, including one of the Connectikittens!
Go here to check it out! http://www.fullthrottlenyne.com/feature12.htm
Thanks Cyn!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Published By The Associated Press
Janis Martin, Singer Billed as the Female Elvis, Dies at 67 DANVILLE, Va., Sept. 4 (AP) — Janis Martin, a rockabilly
pioneer billed as the Female Elvis, died on Monday. She was 67.
Her death, at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.,
was announced Tuesday by her husband, Bradley Whitt, who said
the cause was cancer. She learned that she had cancer shortly
after what turned out to be her last public performance, a cancer
benefit in Richmond in March, Mr. Whitt said.
Ms. Martin rose to fame in the 1950s as Elvis Presley’s
label mate at RCA Victor, which promoted her as the Female Elvis.
Her first record and biggest hit, “Will You Willyum,”
was released in 1956, when she was just 15. The song made the
Billboard Top 10 for one week and sold about 750,000 copies.
She appeared on the “Tonight” show and “American
Bandstand” and toured with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Faron
Young, Hank Snow, Porter Wagoner and Jim Reeves. She became a
star in Europe, where she is still popular, Mr. Whitt said.
Ms. Martin was voted Billboard’s most promising female artist
in 1956. She formed her own band, the Marteens, and played clubs
and fairs before retiring from show business in 1958. She remained
largely inactive in the business until the late 1970s, when the
rockabilly revival led to extensive tours in Europe and introduced
Ms. Martin to a new generation of fans.
She had been scheduled to perform at the Americana, an international
rockabilly show in Britain, on July 4, but had to cancel because
of her illness, Mr. Whitt said.
Along with performing, Ms. Martin managed the Danville Golf Club.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a sister, Geraldine
Connor of South Boston, Va.; a granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter.
She had a son, who died, by a previous marriage.
“She was a free-spirited lady who was devoted to her fan
base,” Mr. Whitt said in a telephone interview. “She
would stay for hours after a show and never leave a person standing,
taking pictures and signing for them for four or five hours.”
Monday, August 27, 2007 From Janis Martin's MySpace page, which her granddaughter
Lindsey takes care of: http://www.myspace.com/femaleelvis
To all concerned,
It saddens my heart to write and tell you all of this terrible
news that I just received.
Rockabilly artist, Janis Martin has been diagnosed with terminal
cancer and it has spread all over her body.
Her husband Wayne Whitt has told me that she is napping most of
the day in a hospital bed at her home in Danville, VA. She will
soon go and take a temporary residence in Raleigh for a round
of radiation treatments to try and reduce the size of the tumors
behind her lungs, shoulder and leg. Janis had been suffering from
severe headaches over the past several months so she found it
necessary to cancel her recent booking at the Americana Festival
in England. The headaches turned out to be stress related from
all the grief she's had to endure from losing her son Kevin who
passed away in January of this year. Recently when a large tumor
appeared on her shoulder, Janis and Wayne headed back to the doctors
for tests. The tests revealed that she has a very aggressive type
of cancer and is spreading all over her body. I can't even believe
that I'm writing this, it is so hard to accept that this amazing
person and dear friend is going through such an intense sickness
at a time in her life when she was retired from her day job and
finally ready to start performing again. I hope that everyone
who knows her and has been touched by her unique talent for performing
and her gifted voice as a rock n roll, blues and country singer
will keep Janis and her family in your prayers. She has given
so much to the world of music and to her fans both here in the
US and in Europe and the rest of the world.
To read further about her career, you can google her name or click
on this link: http://www.myspace.com/femaleelvis http://www.history-of-rock.com/janis_martin.htm
Cards can be sent to her home at this address:
Janis Martin and Wayne Whitt
2217 Mount View Rd.
Danville, VA 24540
As some of you know, Janis recently agreed to let me produce with
Bobby Trimble a brand new CD of 10 rock n roll songs of her choice.
Backed by an amazing line up of musicians, including Bobby, from
Austin Texas, we all gathered at a friends home studio in Blanco,
Texas and in 3 days finished a body of work that she is very proud
and excited about as well as a feeling of great accomplishment.
Only three months prior to recording in Texas she had to endure
the loss of her son who passed away in January from a brain aneurism.
With all her heart and soul she sang with as much energy and intensity
as she ever had. We all feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity
to share many great moments with such an amazing artist and beautiful
person. The original female rock n roll artist, and as many of
you have seen from her recent concert performances over seas and
in the US, just never stopped rockin'! We hope to get this released
as soon as possible so everyone can enjoy what will be Janis Martin's
last recordings.
Rosie Flores
Austin, Texas
August 27, 2007
Sunday, August 12th, 2007 Dibbs Preston (Rockats) & The Detonators will be
opening up for Brian Setzer Orchestra's 6th Annual Christmas Spectacular!
Friday, April 20th, 2007 I am honored to have been asked once again to model in
the Mode Merr Fashion Show at Marion's Continental, NYC!
This is such a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
The Mode Merr Fashion Brunch
Sunday, June 3rd
At Marion's Continental
Mode Merr returns to Marion's for it's annual fashion & burlesque
brunch! Don't miss this years spectacular which will feature a
whole new line of thrilling threads, a bevy of pin-up & burlesque
beauties modeling and performing for you as well as a full Mode
Merr boutique for your shopping pleasure!
Starring: Angie Pontani, The World Famous *BoB*, Delirium Tremens,
Amber Ray, GiGi LaFemme, Nasty Canasta, Little Brooklyn, Creamy
Stevens, Dolly Esquire, Bitch Cakes, GO KAT GO! Michelle and sooooooo
many more!
Marion's Continental
354 Bowery at West 4th Street
12:30 & 2pm seatings
Only $25.00 (prix fixe) includes brunch, a cocktail & the
show!
212-475-7621 for reservations www.marionsnyc.com www.modemerr.com
STRAY CATS ON TOUR BRIAN, JIM & LEE TO BRING IT BACK AGAIN THIS SUMMER!
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS,
STRAY CATS WILL BE TOURING NORTH AMERICA
AS PART OF THIS SUMMER'S JACK-FM TOUR WITH ZZ TOP, THE PRETENDERS
AND MORE.
HERE'S THE FIRST DATE WE CAN TELL 'YA ABOUT:
JULY 28 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN - XCEL CENTER
STAY TUNED FOR ADDITIONAL DATES AND NEWS!!
April 10th, 2007 9:22pm, AP
Fire destroys longtime Johnny Cash home
Johnny Cash's longtime lakeside home, a showcase where he wrote
much of his famous music and entertained U.S. presidents, music
royalty and visiting fans, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday.
Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived in the 13,880-square-foot
home from the late 1960s until their deaths in 2003.
"So many prominent things and prominent people in American
history took place in that house — everyone from Billy Graham
to Bob Dylan went into that house," said singer Marty Stuart,
who lives next door and was married to Cash's daughter, Cindy,
in the 1980s. Stuart said the man who designed the house, Nashville
builder Braxton Dixon, was "the closest thing this part of
the country had to Frank Lloyd Wright."
When Cash moved there, the road was a quiet country lane that
skirts Old Hickory Lake. Kris Kristofferson, then an aspiring
songwriter, once landed a helicopter on Cash's lawn to pitch him
a song. Roy Orbison was his next-door neighbor for a while. Parts
of the landmark video for Cash's song "Hurt" was shot
inside the house.
"It was a sanctuary and a fortress for him," Stuart
said. "There was a lot of writing that took place there."
Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys lives on the same road as
Cash. "Maybe it's the good Lord's way to make sure that it
was only Johnny's house," Sterban said.
The property was purchased by Barry Gibb, a former member of the
Bee Gees, in January 2006. Gibb and his wife, Linda, had said
they planned to restore the home on Old Hickory Lake and hoped
to write songs there. They had not yet moved in to the home, which
they bought for a reported $2.3 million.
Gibb's spokesman, Paul Bloch, said the singer and his family are
"both saddened and devastated by the news."
Dixon built the three-story house in 1967 for his own family,
but Cash fell in love with it. Dixon was reluctant to sell, but
Cash kept after him.
"It was a very, very unusual contemporary structure,"
said Cash's brother, Tommy Cash. "It was built with stone
and wood and all kinds of unusual materials, from marble to old
barn wood. I don't think there was a major blueprint. I think
the builder was building it the way he wanted it to look."
The younger Cash said many holidays and family get-togethers were
spent at the house. And while Johnny and June also owned a house
in Jamaica and a second house in Tennessee, they considered this
one to be their home.
"Johnny and June lived there the entire time they were married,"
Tommy Cash said. "It was the only house they lived in together
until they both passed on."
The fire, in this suburb about 20 miles northeast of downtown
Nashville, started around 1:40 p.m. Fire trucks arrived within
five minutes, but the house was already engulfed in flames, Hendersonville
Fire Chief Jamie Steele said. Just a few hours later, there was
almost nothing left except stone chimneys.
The cause is unknown, but Steele said the flames spread quickly
because construction workers had recently applied a flammable
wood preservative to the exterior of the house. The preservative
was also being applied inside the house. No workers were injured,
but one firefighter was slightly hurt while
fighting the fire, Steele said.
Cash's long career, which began in the 1950s, spanned rock 'n'
roll, folk and country. His hits included "Ring of Fire,"
"Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk the Line."
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 Thank you for your support these past 2 weeks during
the annual WNHU Phone-A-Thon!
With your help, I reached the goal they set for me ($2,000)! Hooray!
Thanks again to all of you you that helped make it happen!!!
Michelle
Monday, March 19th, 2007 WNHU Phone-A-Thon
As some of you may already know, we are in the midst of our annual
WNHU Phone-A-Thon. For only 2 weeks out of the entire year we
ask our listeners and supporters for their help. We are a non-commercial,
non-profit station...and every dollar received goes to help the
station run on a day to day basis.
New this year - every single person that pledges during my show
(any amount) will receive a GO KAT GO! pin...AND:
--- $15+ donation gets you a cool WNHU t-shirt!
--- $30+ gets you a CD of your choice (from our list of premiums)!
PLUS...I will once again be giving the highest pledger of the
evening (each week) a very special GO KAT GO! prize pack, consisting
of tons of goodies!!!
So not only is your money going to a great cause (keeping us on
the air!) but you're getting something in return for your donation!
You can't beat that!
Please, show your support for the best non-profit, non-commercial
station in the area...and show your support for GO KAT GO! by
making a tax deductible donation tomorrow night (3/20) DURING
SHOW HOURS (8-10pm). If you cannot do so tomorrow night, there's
always next Tuesday night (3/27) as well.
The Phone-A-Thon number is: 203-934-WNHU
All donations are tax-deductible...and you do not even need the
money now. You can make a pledge, and WNHU will send you a form
in the mail to send back to us with payment at a later date.
Help us keep all the great WNHU programming on the air!
I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow night and/or next
Tuesday night!!!
As always, thanks so much for your continued support
Tuesday, February 13th, 2007
Parole Hearing for Murderer of Go Cat Go Singer, Darren Spears
Sorry to bring up a dreary subject. I just got word from Darren's
mom that there will be a parole hearing on March 5th for his killer.
She
has asked me to pass on word that if anyone would like to submit
an impact statement, she would be grateful for the support. This
type of
statement is a letter explaining how Darren's death touched or
affected you, whether you knew him personally or not - friend,
fan, whatever.
If you would like to write one, please include the case #OCT931781-A
and the docket #243094 somewhere on your page. You can either
forward your letter to me via e-mail (off-list, please), and I'll
send everything I have in one big packet. I'd like to get these
mailed by Feb. 25th. Or,
you can mail it yourself to:
Maryland Parole Commission
6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 307
Baltimore, MD 21215-2343
Many thanks!
Wendy http://www.vinylux.com
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Early Social Distortion bassist ID'd in wreck
Officials say that Brent Liles of Fullerton was bicyclist
killed in Placentia crash.
By ERIC CARPENTER The
Orange County Register
PLACENTIA – Officials on Saturday identified Brent Liles
of Fullerton, former bass guitarist in one of the region's most
influential punk rock bands, Social Distortion, as the bicyclist
killed by a big rig on Thursday.
Liles played bass on the group's groundbreaking "Mommy's
Little Monster" recording in 1983 and went on to play with
other well-known Orange County punk acts such as the group Agent
Orange. He was 43.
"Brent was a fun-loving guy who approached his bass playing
with a lot of enthusiasm and that made him a lot of fun to be
around," said Frank Agnew, a fellow musician and friend.
Liles, wearing casual clothing, was riding a small dirt bicycle
westbound on Orangethorpe Avenue just after 11:30 a.m. Thursday,
California Highway Patrol officials said.
As he entered the crosswalk at the Orange (57) Freeway, a big
rig carrying a trailer turned right onto the on-ramp and accelerated,
hitting Liles. He was pronounced dead at the scene, officials
said.
The driver, Javier Lopez of Rancho Cucamonga, was turning on a
green light. He was not immediately cited, CHP officials said.
The crash is still being investigated.
Liles joined Social Distortion in 1981 after a tumultuous beginning
for the band, whose original members came from Fullerton and Huntington
Beach.
He was recruited to play bass on "Mommy's Little Monster,"
which quickly brought the band national acclaim for its hard-driving
music, raw vocals and themes of suburban alienation.
Orange County Register pop music critic Ben Wener called the album
a "fundamental work" that set the groundwork for the
West Coast punk rock scene.
Liles was featured in the limited-release film "Another State
of Mind," which documented the band's early struggles on
the road touring the United States and Canada in a pieced-together
tour van.
Fed up with the band's internal turmoil, Liles abruptly left Social
Distortion with drummer Derek O'Brien during a legendary New Year's
Eve gig in 1983. The band soldiered on and garnered more widespread
fame and even some pop-radio success under original frontman Mike
Ness.
Ness did not return a phone call to his management company seeking
comment.
Fans of Social Distortion said Liles was an important part of
the band's history and he'll be sadly missed. The band's guitarist
Dennis Dannell, who played with Liles, died of a brain aneurism
in February 2000. The band continues on with a new lineup.
"I think most people think of Social D. and they think of
Mike Ness. But they never could be what they are without some
great supporting characters like Brent," said Sara Pendergast,
41, a longtime fan of the band.
"For people who love their music, it's like losing a member
of the extended family."
Friday, January 19th, 2007
Thanks to Larry Shell for this information:
From Jon Johnson's mother:
Dear Friends Of Jon, Thank you for your many condolences and prayers
after the sudden and shocking death of our son Jon yesterday.
We have received many inquiries as to arrangements for days &
times for visitation & funeral service, internment, memorial
fund, etc. This information is provided in italics at the end
of Jon's obituary which is below. Thank you for your prayers for
all of our family and friends in this time of loss. Jon was a
wonderful, loving, gifted, caring, and unusual man who left an
impact on all those he shared his life with. It was a privilege
to have him with us for as long as we did. Although it was short
in human terms, it was filled to the brim with many diverse accomplishments
and an enthusiasm for life, and a love for music, people and God
that was remarkable. Mary Johnson (Jon's Mother)
Jon Erik Johnson, 43, died suddenly and unexpectedly at his home
in Wollaston, MA January 17, 2007.
Jon was born January 15, 1964 in Sacramento, CA and lived in Rancho
Cordova and Merced, CA; Ellsworth AFB, SD; and Hampton, NH while
his father was in the Air Force, and moved to N. Swanzey, NH after
his father's retirement from the service in 1984.
Jon attended and graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School,
Dover, NH in 1982 earned an Associate Degree from New Hampshire
College in 1984. He received a Bachelor's Degree with Honors from
Keene State College in 1987 where he majored in Business and Journalism
and minored in Psychology. While attending KSC and after graduation,
he hosted several shows on the college radio station and served
as a disk-jockey for a number of years. He also taught guitar
& bass for many years in the Keene, NH area and was active
musically in local bands and church worship services.
After graduation from KSC, Jon became Manager at the Music Shop
at the Colony Mill in Keene. He also served as the Business Manager
for Good News Christian Counseling Center and was active on the
non-profit board for 10 years. Jon moved to Boston in 1997 and
was employed by the Computer Systems Corporation (CSI) in Cambridge,
MA in the computer field until his recent death.
Jon was also attending Showa University in Boston as a second-year
student in Japanese. Jon had made three recent trips to Japan
and was deeply attached to the Japanese culture and people. He
had sustained a close relationship with Izumi Terada of Nagahama,
Japan for the last few years, and they were anticipating an engagement
in the future.
Jon also wrote diverse articles for magazines including many for"Country
Time Magazine" for which he earned the prestigious "Country
Music Writer of the Year" Award presented to him in Nashville,
TN.
Jon always showed a love of music and learned to play the acoustic
guitar at a young age. He then graduated to electric guitar, electric
bass guitar, and eventually to the love of his music life, the
stand-up bass. He developed a great reputation for his bass playing
and backup vocal ability in the Boston music scene and was a member
of several successful bands, and also played frequently with the
noted Rex Trailer. He played and sang on several succesful albums
released over the past few years by different bands including
a recent album release by Nate Gibson and The Gashouse Gang. Hoever,
never lost his roots of acoustic guitar and Appalachin and gospel
music and played and sang regularly at home and in various churches
both solo and as a member of "The Johnson Boys", a Gospel
singing group consisting of Jon and his brother, Scott, and father,
Arnie.
Jon was baptized within the Methodist Church where he remained
affiliated. He always remained religious and appreciated and displayed
a great knowledge of Gospel music that he loved and sang with
great skill. Jon was a person of diverse interests with a deep
love of people, animals, children, friends, and family. He always
maintained numerous diverse hobbies and an enthusiasm for life.
Jon is survived by his parents Rev. Dr. Mary and Maj. Arnold Johnson,
USAF (ret) of N. Swanzey, NH; his brother Scott of Auburndale,
MA; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Foley Funeral Home,
49 Court St., Keene, NH 03431, 603-352-0341. Visitation will be
Jan 22, Monday evening from 6:30-8 p.m. Funeral services will
be held at the Richmond Community United Methodist Church, Richmond,
NH (near the junction of NH Routes 119 & 32) on Tuesday, Jan
23 at 2 p.m. All are invited to attend. Parking at the Church
is very limited, so please car-pool if possible. After the small
church parking lot is full, parking should be along the edge of
NH Route 119 as close to the church as possible.
Internment will follow immediately after the service at the Mt.
View Cemetery, Swanzey, NH (NH Route 32) in the Johnson Family
Plot. All are invitred afterwards to the Veterans Hall in Richmond,
NH afterwards for refresments and a time of Remembrance.
A Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established in Jon's name.
If you wish to make donations to honor his memory any contributions
should be sent to:
Jon E Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund
C/O Ocean National Bank
122 West Street
Keene, NH 03431
ATTN: Rebecca
Thursday, January 18th, 2007 Jon Erik Johnson, bassist of Nate
Gibson And The Gashouse Gang, The Bourbonaires & Lenny And
The Piss Poor Boys found dead at his home.
Jon Erik Johnson passed away the morning of Wednesday January
17th at home in his apartment in Wollaston at around 8:15 AM.
It appears he died of complications from a sudden seizure. He
probably was unconscious before he even knew what was going on,
and passed away quickly without suffering.
I'd not been able to reach him over the course of the afternoon
Wednesday, and when I called his place of work, he'd not come
in and they'd not been able to reach him. On hearing this I felt
worried and headed over immediately to his place and let myself
in. I found him already gone.
Police, paramedics and others of that sort came over and were
professional and warm. Their appraisal of what had happened was
the same as mine. He'd had serious seizures of an epileptic grand
mal type starting 9 months ago, and even though the meds he'd
been taking for that had seemed to be helping, there's just no
way to completely protect against this kind of circumstance.
It had been his 43rd birthday this last weekend, and he and I
had a great weekend up in New Hampshire visiting with our parents.
He'd been in excellent spirits, had a notable glow of well being
and happiness. We had great family time together. Tuesday night
he'd had a filmed interview and rehearsal with Lenny and the Piss
Poor Boys, and they say he'd been in fine form, happy and laughing
and doing some of what he loved best.
If it just has to happen that someone has to go, this is as good
as it gets. Top of the game, enjoying life, and no warning or
suffering.
But I miss him so bad. He was an amazing person, and my only brother.
I loved him so much. Still do.
Monday, December 11th, 2006 Old Line Skiffle Combo calls it quits
Well, it looks like the skiffle train has finally
run out of gas.
After numerous years of playing many many shows and traveling
across the earth, the Old Line Skiffle Combo is calling it quits.
We've enjoyed playing and appreciate all of the fans and support
over the years. A few of us will still be playing together but
not under OLSC.
We will keep any commitments we have made already for later in
the year. We have a few solo projects and session musician slots
to do next year and some of us will be doing solo shows. If you
haven't purchased your OLSC CD, get em now! Wild Hare Records,
CD Baby, Amazon and through the band as well. Also look for the
Behind The Music-OLSC in the near future :) Its been a blast to
all we have shared a stage with and everyone who came out to rock
with us. See ya next time!
HOSS
Friday, December 8th, 2006
Dates for the 8th Annual Road Agents Rocakbilly
Rumble in East Hartford, CT have been announced!
Friday, July 20th - Saturday, July 21st
Elk's Lodge, East Hartford, CT
For more info go to: www.theroadagents.com
Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
Wednesday, November 8th, 2006
Important info regarding bookings/shows
To all my friends, fans and business colleagues
of GO KAT GO!
I have come to a decision (that I have been pondering for a very,
very long time now) - to no longer going to book live shows. I
am going on with the shows that are already booked (Nov 11th,
Dec 7th & Jan 27th) - just not booking anything new from this
point forward.
Rest assured this has nothing to do with Cafe Nine, Rudys, New
Haven, the bands, fans, etc...it is a personal decision that I
have come to...that I've been needing to do for some time now.
With a full time job, a time-consuming radio show & website
to keep up with, and my personal life in general...its just too
much. I've been spreading myself too thin, and its taking a toll
on me.
I hope you all can understand where i'm coming from, and do not
take this as anything against any of you (venues/bands/New Haven
scene) or anything of the sort.
For the record, this has absolutley nothing to do with my radio
show (which I will continue to do, just as I had before doing
bookings)...GO KAT GO! will go on!!...as does the website, with
it's news/information/comprehensive show listing, etc. - there
will just be no more live "GO KAT GO! Presents" shows.
The music and scene will continue without me...no worries. Bands
will still come through...shows will be booked directly through
the venues, and things will not be all that different from your
perspective.
I am still here, and will still be a very active member of the
area's music scene - as I have been for over a decade. It's just
time for me to pass the torch on to someone younger, and with
more time on their hands to handle this one aspect.
Thanks to all the bands and supporters for a phenominal 3+ years
of live "GO KAT GO! Presents" shows!
We'll see you all soon no doubt! The music will prevail...and
I'll still be spinning it each and every Tuesday night from 8-10pm
on GO KAT GO!
Again, these are the FINAL "GO KAT GO! Presents" shows...please
come out and support the last few:
THIS Saturday, November 11th
The Roadhogs & Soddy Daisy Hayseed Café
Nine, 250 State Street, New Haven, CT
Thursday, December 7th
Wanda Jackson & The Lustre Kings Café
Nine, 250 State Street, New Haven, CT
Saturday, January 27th: Michelle's Anuual Birthday Bash!!!
Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys & Triple Hex Rudy's,
372 Elm Street, New Haven, CT
Thursday, August 31st, 2006 Rockabilly Singer Simmons Dies at 69
By Associated Press
TUPELO, Miss. - Rockabilly singer and songwriter Jumpin' Gene
Simmons, who worked with Elvis Presley and had a top 20 hit in
1964 with the bouncy "Haunted House," has died. He was
69.
He died Tuesday at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo
after a long illness, according to Holland-Harris Funeral Directors.
Simmons _ not to be confused with the Kiss bassist with the same
name _ was in show business for more than 50 years, working with
such names as Sam Phillips and the Bill Black Combo. More recently,
he co-wrote "Indian Outlaw," which became a big hit
in 1994 for country superstar Tim McGraw.
But his biggest success came in 1964 with the novelty song "Haunted
House," which reached No. 11 on the Billboard pop chart and
launched Simmons on a world tour. Among other early gigs, he performed
as an opening act for Presley in Tupelo, Presley's birthplace
and Simmons' longtime hometown, as Presley's career was taking
off, said his son, Cary Simmons. After appearing in some Memphis
clubs, Simmons signed with Sun Records, the legendary Memphis
label formed by Phillips that launched the careers of Presley,
Johnny Cash and other stars.
While he didn't have the chart success of other Sun performers,
Simmons' recordings have become known to later generations through
reissues. Brian Setzer did a version of Simmons' "Peroxide
Blonde in a Hopped Up Model Ford" on his "Rockabilly
Riot Vol. 1: A Tribute to Sun Records."
Simmons, born in Itawamba County in 1937, spent most of his life
in Northeast Mississippi although he lived for a time in Memphis.
Besides his son, survivors include his mother, a sister, and two
brothers.
Thursday, August
3rd, 2006 Detectives Investigate Fatal Stabbing Outside
House Of Blues
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Two men were stabbed and
another man was wounded in a fight outside the House of Blues
on the Sunset Strip on Wednesday night, and one of the stabbing
victims died of his injuries. Video
The fight occurred at 10 p.m. in the parking lot of the club at
8430 Sunset Blvd., said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Tressa
Gunnels.
Christian Melgroza, 21, collapsed and died of his injuries after
being transported to a hospital. The other man who was stabbed
also collapsed, but he was expected to survive, according to NBC4's
Robert Kovacik. A third man suffered "blunt force trauma
to the head," according to a Sheriff's spokesman, but his
injuries were not life-threatening, Kovacik said.
Kovacik said the surviving victims were also in their 20s.
The fighting began inside the club, during a concert featuring
the alternative rock band The Meteors, Kovacik said, and then
spilled outside when bouncers ejected several people. The concert
was still under way when the stabbings occurred outside.
At least 12 people who were at the scene were still being questioned
by deputies at 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning, but the suspect or
suspects in the stabbings had not yet been identified, Kovacik
reported.
The murder was West Hollywood's first since December 2005.
- Courtesy of msnbc.com
Thursday, July 27th, 2006
For those of you with an XM radio...
Tune in this Saturday, July 29 at 11am EST (10am CST) to XM radio
Channel 12 for Robbie Fulks' Secret Country Show featuring a performance
by Chris Scruggs! www.chrisscruggs.com
Monday, July 10th, 2006
Check out this incredible charactature done by
Eldorado Rampage! www.eldoradorampage.com
Thursday, July 6th, 2006
CBGB TO CLOSE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH
After over 30 years, the legendary rock club CBGB
will be closing for good on September 30th, 2006.
CB's, as it is universally and fondly known, opened its doors
in 1973, making it NYC's oldest continuously-operating rock venue.
Owner Hilly Kristal originally intended the club to showcase country,
bluegrass and blues (hence the acronym), but the lack of places
for unsigned bands to perform in New York at the time made CB's
a magnet for the punk and art-rock scenes that were emerging downtown.
Throughout the 70's, such seminal artists as The Ramones, Talking
Heads, Blondie, The Patti Smith Group, Television and Suicide
performed at CB's regularly, and the club served as an incubator
for what would become the most influential music of the era.
When punk metamorphosed into hardcore in the 80's, CB's remained
on the city's cutting edge, offering a home for The Gorilla Biscuits,
Agnostic Front, The Cro-Mags, Sick Of It All, H20, Murphy's Law,
Leeway and the other pillars of the NYHC movement.
As the New York nightlife industry grew bigger and more cutthroat
in the 90's, CB's remained an endearingly stubborn throwback,
sticking firm to the open-door booking policy that first welcomed
its inaugural class of rebels - whoever you are, whatever you
do, your band can play at CBGB. In a downtown scene increasingly
governed by fashion and status, CB's has zealously adhered to
the formula that made it meaningful, by refusing to apply stylistic
filters to its bookings, welcoming all comers to sink or swim
on their own merits.
A much-publicized altercation with their landlord in mid-2005
led to an a star-studded benefit concert in Washington Square
Park, and even Mayor Bloomberg vocally led his support to the
little club that had developed, over the decades, into a globally-recognized
cultural institution.
However, despite the universal outpouring of love, and numerous
attempts to resolve the matter legally, Krystal has been unable
to arrive at terms with the building's owner, and a three-decade
musical legacy will come to an end in just a few short months.
Fittingly, steadfastly independent New York concert promoters
Rocks Off have signed on to book CBGB's closing festival, set
to take place throughout August and September. They are in touch
with many of the artists who made CB's famous, and are hard at
work putting together a final schedule that will do justice to
the club's enduring impact in the many varieties of rock and roll
it has helped to cultivate throughout the years.
Until the final schedule is announced, all press inquiries can
be directed to Bill Stites, at (212) 571-3304, or bill@rocksoff.com.
Sunday, July 2nd, 2006
Ralph Santiago, aka Ralph Rebel, Passed Away
We just heard the terrible news that Ralph Rebel
AKA Ralph Santiago passed away. The news story will likely run
in tomorrow's local NY newspapers - we just received a phone call
from one of Ralph's former band members.
Ralph was an extremely talented musician who released five fantastic
Rockabilly records and a great Surf Instrumental record. He almost
single-handedly revived the Long Island Rockabilly scene in the
late 1990s. He had boundless energy and was always looking to
encourage local musicians to play, write and record music.
Ralph was one of the important artists who helped launch the Golly
Gee Records label back in 2001 (Golly Gee releases are noted with
a GGR catalogue number). He was instrumental in the signing of
The Supertones and The Spinouts as well as bringing his own catalogue
of releases.
A short list of his accomplishments follows:
Full length albums:
The Rebel Rockers "Red T Bird"
The Rebel Rockers "This Is The Night"
Ralph Rebel "Big Town Boogie" (GGR 1003)
Ralph Rebel "Rockabilly Vampire" (GGR 1004)
Ralph Rebel "Surfin' & Rockin" (GGR 1005)
Peter and The Wolves "Trouble With Girls" (GGR 1002)
Producer and Engineer:
The Found Cats "Full Gospel Rockabilly" (GGR 1025)
Rhythm Bound "Born To Love You"
I have listed links below where you can listen and read more about
Ralph. You can see the many favorable reviews of Ralph's recorded
work from around the world. You can also find pictures of Ralph
with a number of Rockabilly greats such as Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker,
Big Sandy, and Robert Gordon.
Here's a brief quote from one of the reviews:
"It might be too early to print up buttons stating that “Rebel
is God,” but he’s just this side of Cardinal in my
book... Rebel charges headfirst into the classic territory and
reminds us of why the surf guitar was so damn cool in the first
place." -- Wilhelm Murg, Cool & Strange Music Magazine,
Issue #23, November 2001
Yours sincerely,
Mel Spinella
Chairman
Golly Gee Records, Inc.
"Where The Cats Are Rockin" www.gollygeerecords.com
Sunday, May 21st, 2006
Grand Ole Opry Star Billy Walker, Three Others Killed in Traffic
Accident
By: CMT.com Staff
Grand Ole Opry star Billy Walker, his wife and two band members
were killed early Sunday morning (May 21) in a one-vehicle accident
south of
Montgomery, Ala.
Police said Walker, 77, was driving a 1996 Chevrolet van when
he lost control of the vehicle on I-65 near Fort Deposit, Ala.
Also killed in
the accident were Walker's wife Bettie, 44-year-old bassist Charles
Lilly Jr. and 40-year-old guitarist Daniel Patton. Another passenger
--
21-year-old Joshua Brooks -- was seriously injured in the accident.
Billy Marvin Walker, 77, was born in Ralls, Texas, as one of eight
children and the grandson of a Methodist minister. Inspired by
the music of Gene Autry, he began his professional music career
in 1947 and
joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas in 1949. After working with
Hank Thompson in Waco, Texas, Thompson helped Walker secure his
first recording
contract in 1949 with Capitol Records.
In 1952, Walker became a member of the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport,
La., where he and Slim Whitman were partially responsible for
Elvis
Presley's first appearance on the popular KWKH radio show. In
1955, Walker and Presley teamed up for a tour of West Texas. Walker
later
became a member of the Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Mo., where
he formed a strong friendship with Red Foley.
After signing with Columbia Records, he scored his first hit in
1954 with "Thank You for Calling." Walker's early Columbia
recordings were
made at a Dallas studio owned by Jim Beck, a producer responsible
for engineering hits by Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell and others.
After a a brief but unsuccessful effort at entering the rock 'n'
roll market, Walker concentrated on playing the Texas bar circuit
before
moving to Nashville in 1959 and joining the Grand Ole Opry in
1960. He was one of the first artists to record one of Willie
Nelson's songs.
Although the recording of "Funny How Time Slips Away"
peaked at No. 23 on /Billboard/'s country singles chart, it helped
establish Walker's
national reputation. In 1962, Walker topped the chart with "Charlie's
Shoes," the only No. 1 single of his career.
Walker's smooth vocals were well-suited to Western-inspired hits
including "Matamoros" and "Cross the Brazos at
Waco." After leaving
Columbia in 1965, Walker signed to producer Fred Foster's Monument
Records and moved to MGM Records in 1970 and to RCA Records in
1974. He
later recorded for several independent labels, including his own
Tall Texan imprint.
In addition to his accomplishments as an entertainer and recording
artist, Walker had a minor role in one of the most famous and
tragic
stories in the history of country music. After performing at a
charity concert in Kansas City in 1963, Walker received an urgent
phone call to
return home to Nashville. Hearing of the dilemma, singer Hawkshaw
Hawkins handed Walker his plane ticket and flew back to Tennessee
on a
private plane with several other country artists. The private
plane crashed, claiming the lives of Hawkins, Patsy Cline, Cowboy
Copas and
pilot Randy Hughes.
In recent years, Walker continued to tour and remained a mainstay
on the Grand Ole Opry. He was scheduled to perform Tuesday (May
23) on the
Opry with Terri Clark, Cherryholmes, Restless Heart, Porter Wagoner
and others.
Details of funeral or memorial services had not been determined
late Sunday.
Thursday, May 18th, 2006
NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE "BEST OF" POLL WINNERS
ANNOUNCED!!!
It is my pleasure to officially announce some of the results of
the 2006 New Haven Advocate "Best Of" readers poll!
WNHU came in 1st place for Best College Radio Station...
AND...
I came in 3rd place for Best Radio Personality!!! This is for
ALL radio stations in New Haven County, including the huge commercial
ones!
PICK UP YOUR COPY AT NEWSSTANDS TODAY!
I cannot thank you all enough for voting, helping keep the scene
alive, and for your continued support of GO KAT GO!
Michelle Terranova
GO KAT GO!
Tuesdays, 8-10pm
WNHU 88.7FM
GO KAT GO! Keepin' New Haven greasy since May 2001!
Friday, April 21st, 2006
JUST ANNOUNCED!!! Michelle Terranova, host of GO
KAT GO!, has been asked to join the legendary Pontani Sisters
and more onstage at Marion's Continental to model the fabulous
new line from Mode Merr!!! WOW!
Wednesday, April 5th, 2006 Singer Gene Pitney Dies at 65
LONDON - Gene Pitney, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
whose hits included "Town Without Pity" and "Only
Love Can Break a Heart," died Wednesday at a hotel in Wales
after playing a show, his agent said. He was 65.
Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Police
said the death did not appear suspicious."We don't have a
cause of death at the moment but looks like it was a very peaceful
passing," said Pitney's tour manager, James Kelly.
"He was found fully clothed, on his back, as if he had gone
for a lie down. It looks as if there was no pain whatsoever."
He added: "Last night was generally one of the happiest and
most exuberant performances we've seen out of him. He was absolutely
on top of his game and was really happy with the show."
Born in Hartford, Conn., on Feb. 17, 1941, Pitney had his first
success as a songwriter with "Rubber Ball," a Top 10
hit for
Bobby Vee in 1961. Later that year, Ricky Nelson had a hit with
Pitney's "Hello Mary Lou."
As a performer, Pitney had his first success that same year with"Love
My Life Away." But Burt Bacharach and Hal David provided
the songs that put Pitney in the Top 10: "The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart."
"Only Love Can Break a Heart" was Pitney's biggest U.S.
hit, peaking at No. 2 on the charts in 1962. The No. 1 song at
the time was The Crystals' "He's a Rebel," written by
Pitney.
He had more than a dozen Top 40 hits and even contributed to an
early Rolling Stones recording session.
Pitney waited until 1990 for his first British No. 1 — he
rerecorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" with
Marc Almond.
Pitney also had some success as a country singer, pairing with
George Jones to record "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday
Night" and "Louisiana Man."
He recorded in Italian and Spanish, and twice took second place
at the San Remo Song Festival in Italy. He also had a regional
hit
with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare."
Pitney was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Monday, March 27th, 2006 'Hee Haw' Co-Host Buck Owens, 76, Dies
By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES - Singer Buck Owens, the flashy rhinestone cowboy
who shaped the sound of country music with hits like "Act
Naturally" and brought the genre to TV on the long-running
"Hee Haw," died Saturday. He was 76.
Owens died at his home, said family spokesman Jim Shaw. The cause
of death was not immediately known. Owens had undergone throat
cancer surgery in 1993 and was hospitalized with pneumonia in
1997.
His career was one of the most phenomenal in country music, with
a string of more than 20 No. 1 records, most released from the
mid-1960s to the mid-1970s.
They were recorded with a honky-tonk twang that came to be known
throughout California as the "Bakersfield Sound," named
for the town 100 miles north of Los Angeles that Owens called
home.
"I think the reason he was so well known and respected by
a younger generation of country musicians was because he was an
innovator and rebel," said Shaw, who played keyboards in
Owens' band, the Buckaroos. "He did it out of the Nashville
establishment. He had a raw edge."
Owens was modest when describing his aspirations.
"I'd like to be remembered as a guy that came along and did
his music, did his best and showed up on time, clean and ready
to do the job, wrote a few songs and had a hell of a time,"
he said in 1992.
An indefatigable performer, Owens played a red, white and blue
guitar with fireball fervor. He and the Buckaroos wore flashy
rhinestone suits in an era when flash was as important to country
music as fiddles.
Among his biggest hits were "Together Again" (also recorded
by Emmylous Harris), "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail,"
"Love's Gonna Live Here," "My Heart Skips a Beat"
and "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line."
And he was the answer to this music trivia question: What country
star had a hit record that was later done by the Beatles?
"Those guys were phenomenal," Owens once said.
Ringo Starr recorded "Act Naturally" twice, singing
lead on the Beatles' 1965 version and recording it as a duet with
Owens in 1989.
In addition to music, Owens had a highly visible TV career as
co-host of "Hee Haw" from 1969 to 1986. With guitarist
Roy Clark, he led viewers through a potpourri of country music
and hayseed humor.
"It's an honest show," Owens told The Associated Press
in 1995. "There's no social message _ no crusade. It's fun
and simple."
Owens himself could be rebellious, choosing among other things
to label what he did "American music" rather than country.
"I took a little heat," he once said. "People asked
me, `Isn't country music good enough for you?' "
He also criticized the syrupy arrangements of some country singers,
saying "assembly-line, robot music turns me off."
After his string of hits, Owens stayed away from the recording
scene for a decade, returning in 1988 to record another No. 1
record, "Streets of Bakersfield," with Dwight Yoakam.
He spent much of his time away concentrating on his business interests,
which included a Bakersfield TV station and radio stations in
Bakersfield and Phoenix.
"I never wanted to hang around like the punch-drunk fighter,"
he told The Associated Press in 1992.
He had moved to Bakersfield in 1951, hoping to find work in the
thriving juke joints of what in the years before suburban sprawl
was a truck-stop town on Highway 99, between Los Angeles and the
San Francisco Bay area.
"We played rhumbas and tangos and sambas, and we played Bob
Wills music, lots of Bob Wills music," he said, referring
to the bandleader who was the king of Western swing.
"And lots of rock 'n' roll," he added.
Owens started recording in the mid-1950s, but gained little success
until 1963 with "Act Naturally," his first No. 1 single.
Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. was born in 1929 outside Sherman, Texas,
the son of a sharecropper. With opportunities scarce during the
Depression, the family moved to Arizona when he was 8.
He dropped out of school at age 13 to haul produce and harvest
crops, and by 16 he was playing music in taverns.
He once told an audience, "When I was a little bitty kid,
I used to dream about playing the guitar and singing like some
of those great people that we had the old, thick records of."
Owens' first wife, Bonnie Owens, sometimes performed with him
and went on to become a leading backup singer after their divorce
in 1955. She had occasional solo hits in the '60s, as well as
successful duets with her second husband, Merle Haggard.
One of her two sons with Owens also became a singer, using the
name Buddy Alan. He had a Top 10 hit in 1968, "Let the World
Keep on a-Turnin'," and recorded a number of duets with his
father.
In addition to Buddy, he is survived by two other sons, Michael
and John.
Wednesday, March 1st, 2006 Michelle voted WNHU DJ of the week!
Sunday, February 26th, 2006 In an email from Luke:
The Road Agents Car Club has collectively decided
to take a breather on producing this year’s Hot Rod Rumble
in July. We have a little over a half dozen members in the club
and as many of you already know, a lot of us are involved in outside
projects and jobs that have become increasingly successful and
are taking priority. We felt that if each member could not put
in 100% to make the show the best possible, that it would be in
everyone’s interest to forego it for this year. However,
the good news is, we have already secured next years show dates.
They will be July 20 & 21 2007 at the same location it has
always been. Mark your calendars now! We look forward to catching
up with many of you this season. Thanks for the support!
Luke Karosi
The Road Agents Car Club
Thursday, February 23rd,
2006 The New Haven Advocate
gives press on WNHU's live internet stream!
Click here
to view the New Haven Advocate article online!
Thursday, February 16th, 2006
If you could please take a moment out of your busy schedule to
support GO KAT GO!
...it's time to vote in the 2006 Advocate Readers' Poll, "Best
of New Haven"!
Last year I came in 2nd for "Best Local Radio Personality"...I
would be ecstatic just to place (top 3) again this year, but hey...why
not shoot for #1!!!!!!!!!!
Winners in the 2006 "Best Of" poll will be announced
in the May 11th and May 18th issues of the New Haven Advocate.
Ironically enough, this May GO KAT GO! will commemorate 5 years
on the air - I can't think of a better way to celebrate!!!
The only rule is you must fill out a minimum of twenty (20) categories
for your ballot to be counted.
(If you are an "out-of-towner" and need 18 other answers,
just let me know.)
#26 Best College Radio Station --- WNHU 88.7FM!!!!!!!!!
#27 Best Local Radio Personality --- Michelle Terranova!!!!!!!!!!
Let's put the best non-commercial, non-profit station in the area
on the map!!!
Friday, February 3rd, 2006
The East Village rock scene faces another demoralizing
loss. The Continental, the punk rock dive on St. Marks Place that
has showcased the likes of Iggy Pop, Guns N' Roses, the Ramones
and Patti Smith over the years, will no longer offer live music.
Continental owner Trigger says that he plans to close the club
in late spring, then re-open it as a "neighborhood bar with
a great jukebox, a pool table and cheap drinks. My rents and overhead
go up every year. It's become un-doable to have a punk rock club
in this neighborhood these days - the crowd isn't there to support
it".
Monday, January 9th, 2006
Yes folks...you've been asking for it...and now, finally!
WNHU 88.7FM in West Haven, CT is streaming online!
The actual website is still in the beginning stages, but regardless
- you can listen to the station no matter where you live!
Go here and click on "Listen Now". www.wnhu.net
GO KAT GO! - Tuesday nights from 8-10pm!
Thursday, January 5th, 2006
I am proud to announce that I have been chosen "Ms. January"
by one of the HOTTEST clothing lines in the country, Mode Merr!
This is a huge honor for me! Please share in my excitement, and
go here www.modemerr.com,
then click on "Calendar"!
As always, thank you for your continued support!
