Hour One
1. Bill Connors: Crunchy - 1987
2. The Skydiggers: Monday Morning - 1990 *
3. Bob King: Rockin’ Juke Box - 1958 *
4. Mac Beattie & Ottawa Valley Melodiers: Dream Island - 1968 *
5. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Born On The Bayou - 1969
6. JJ Cale: Crazy Mama - 1971
7. Canned Heat: Highway 401 - 1973
8. Eugene Smith & The Warm-up Band: Hoot’nany - 1981 *
9. Captain Beefheart & Magic Band: Beatle Bones N’ Smokin’ Stones - 1968
10. Charlie Pride: I’m Just Me - 1971
11. The Shuttlecocks: Hot Rod Hoodlum - 1996 *
12. Buffy Ste-Marie: Gonna Feel Much Better When You’re Gone - 1968 *
13. Gene Clark: No Other - 1974
14. Bruce Cockburn: Peggy’s Kitchen Wall - 1984 *
15. Simply Saucer: Dance The Mutant - 2011 *
Hour Two
1. Lester Lanin Orchestra: Guitar Boogie Twist - 1961
2. Chubby Checker: The Twist - 1960
3. Jerry Palmer & The Rock-A-Byes: Gotta Learn To Twist - 1965 *
4. The (English) Beat: Twist & Crawl - 1980
5. Octa Clark & Hector Duhon: Creole Twist - 1982
6. Roy Penney: Twistin’ The Pick - circa 1964 *
7. The Isley Brothers: Twist & Shout - 1962
8. Jr. Walker & The All- Stars: Twist Lackawanna - 1966
9. The British Modbeats: Land of a Thousand Dances - 1967 *
10. Mark Haines & The Zippers: Come On, Let’s Dance - 1988 *
11. Larry Williams: High School Dance - 1957
12. The Ramones: Do You Wanna Dance - 1977
13. The Trashmen: The Bird Dance Beat - 1964
14. The Fall: Psykick Dance Hall - 1979
15. R Dean Taylor: At The High School Dance - 1960 *
16. Frank Sinatra: Come Dance With Me - 1959
17. The Beatles: I’m Happy Just To Dance With You - 1964
18. Milton “Red” Shea: Moon Boogie Twist - 1962 *
CanCon = 50%
And Now for The Particulars:Hour One
10. Charlie Pride: I’m Just Me
1. Bill Connors: Crunchy
(Bill Connors)
Assembler: Pathfinder Records PTF 8707
Los Angeles CA
Bill Connors: guitar
Tom Kennedy: electric bass
Kim Plainfield: drums
Produced by Bill Connors & Doug Epstein, 1987
Recorded by Doug Epstein at RPM Studios, NYC June 1987
Mastered by Creg Calbi at Sterling Sound NYC
It’s either a chocolate candy bar called a Crunchy or it’s crunchy peanut butter. I tend to believe the latter. I was given three excellent Bill Connors records from my late friend John McCann who died last year. So this is to remember him!
2. The Skydiggers: Monday Morning
(Cash / Finlayson / Macey / Maize / Stokes)
Skydiggers: Enigma Records 7 73555-2
Toronto ON
Pete Cash: guitar
Josh Finlayson: guitar
Andy Maize: vocals
Wayne Stokes: drums
Ron Macey: bass
Produced by Andrew Scarth and The Skydiggers, 1991
Recorded at Phase One Studios, Toronto
This is from the first Skydiggers album and was basically a bust since their label went bankrupt shortly after its release. The album was kept in limbo for years after that.
3. Bob King: Rockin’ Juke Box
(Ken Davidson)
45 single bw Josephine: RCA Victor 57-3285
Ottawa ON
Bob King: guitar, vocal
Others not listed
Produced 1958
Robert George King b. Joyceville ON Jan 6, 1934 / d. 1989 Ottawa (55)
King was a long time Ottawa Valley based performer who recorded a dozen solo albums, was married to Marie King, also a well known Ottawa Valley singer from the French side. When he was just 14 he decided to have a career in music. His major influences were typical for his day: Hank Williams, Hank Snow and Wilf Carter. At age 16 he became a solo artist, beating out another Ottawa youngster named ‘Paul Anka’, in a talent show. Soon afterwards Bob joined on as a member of "Mac Beattie & The Ottawa Valley Melodiers". He put his first group, The Country Kings, together in Ottawa in 1954. Later, after an unsuccessful attempt to break into the US market, he formed The Happy Wanderers (which included the talented fiddler Ward Allen). He eventually got married to a popular Quebecois country music entertainer, Marie King, and played in her band after his recording days were done. He died of lung cancer at the age of 55. He left behind a legacy of about a dozen of his own albums as well as several recorded by Marie.
4. Mac Beattie & Ottawa Valley Melodiers: Dream Island
(Mac Beattie)
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Album: Banff Rodeo RBS 1299
Arnprior ON
Gaetan Fairfield: guitar
Mac Beattie: drums, vocal
Reg Hill: fiddle
Al Utronki: steel, spanish
Jim Mayhew: piano
Ralph Carlson: bass
Produced by Ralph Carlson, 1968
John MacNab Beattie. b Arnprior ON 21 Dec 1916 / d Arnprior 14 Jun 1982 (65)
Performing in The Melodiers, a band he organized in the late 1920s, Mac’s real passion was playing goal for the Arnprior Green Shirts. If not for WW2, he might have made it to the NHL. He began his professional career as a singer-songwriter playing drums and washboard in The Ottawa Valley Melodiers in 1948 and released several singles for Rodeo records in the late 1950s. Rodeo, on it’s Banff label, put out 11 albums by the Melodiers with most songs written by Mac about people and places in the Ottawa Valley. In this song, Mac remenices about the summer nights playing under the stars on the shores of the Ottawa River.
Steel guitar player Al Utronki later ran ‘Al Utronki's Appliance and TV’ - Television & Appliance shop in the town of Renfrew. Al passed away on Feb 6th, 2010. He is a member of the Ottawa Valley County Music Hall of Fame.
Mac and fiddler Reg Hill were the first two musicians inducted into the Ottawa Valley County Music Hall of Fame in 1981 (the year after Mac died).
5. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Born On The Bayou
(John C Fogerty)
Single bw Proud Mary: Fantasy Records 619
San Francisco CA
Doug Clifford: bass
Stu Cook: drums
John Fogerty: guitar vocals
Tom Fogerty: guitar
Produced by John Fogerty, 1969
I just love the sound of this album! It’s the perfect CCR LP so if you only have room for one….. it should be this one.
6. JJ Cale: Crazy Mama
(JJ Cale)
Naturally: MCA Records MCA 37104
Oklahoma City, OK
J J Cale: guitars, vocals
Karl Himmel: drums
Tim Drummond: bass
Bob Wilson: piano
Ed Colis: harmonica
Produced by Audie Ashworth, 1971
Recorded by Joe Mills and Jim Williamson at Moss Rose Studio, Nashville Sept. 1970
John Weldon Cale b. Oklahoma City, December 5, 1938 / d. July 26, 2013 La Jolla CA)
JJ Cale was one of the unsung heroes of the guitar. Well respected, his music was usually based on grooves. My only complaint about his earlier albums was that the songs were too short! Like, once into the groove, you don’t want it to end so soon. His songs were covered by Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, Phish, Kansas, Bill Wymans Rhythm Kings, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, Lynard Skynayrd, The Band, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare & Captain Beefheart. Just to name a few!
7. Canned Heat: Highway 401
(B Hite / A de la Parra / S Taylor)
One More River To Cross: Atlantic Records SD 7289
San Francisco CA
Robert Hite: vocals, harmonica
James Shane: vocals, rhythm guitar
Richard Hite: vocal, bass
Henry Vestine: lead guitar
Ed Beyer: keys
Adolpho de la Parra: drums
Produced by Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins, 1973
Recorded by Jerry Masters and Steve Melton at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
From Canned Heat’s 10th album, it’s a song about running away with a girl and having her father chasing you through the states in his pick-up truck, across the Canadian border and down highway 401.
8. Eugene Smith And The Warm Up Band: Hoot’nany
(Eugene Smith)
Warmin’ Up: Warm Up Records - WUB 1001
Duncan BC
Eugene Smith: Vocal, guitar, harmonica, kalimba
Ted Grimes: trumpet, piano
John Judge: lead guitar,
Carl Rabinowitz: bass, acoustic guitar
Produced by The Warm Up Band, 1981
Recorded by Brian Mitchell & Bob Boccan at Studio 306, Toronto
Laughs & Donuts: Dave Rose
Eugene Smith b. 1944
Smith came from good stock: His father was Al Lucas, who played stand up bass for such greats as Duke Ellington and James Brown. His mother, Valeire Abbot, was a well-known Toronto jazz pianist and vocalist who was invited by Louis Armstrong to tour as a jazz singer with his orchestra.
Smith was a popular figure on Toronto's R&B scene during the mid to late sixties. In the seventies, he fronted an R&B band called Lucifer. Eugene resides today in Duncan, B.C. and is still active (at the age of 75) on the scene there, doing virtual performances during the Covid-19 pandemic. Also a good story teller, he claims: “I’m playing music and telling stories about my life on the road since the 1940s.” Over the past 4 decades Eugene has shared the stage with such great artists of the music world as Gordon Lightfoot, k.d. Lang, David Clayton Thomas, King Curtis, Willie Dixon, Lenny Breau, Peter Tosh, Bo Diddley, John Lee Hooker, The Beach Boys and The Dave Clark Five. In the wild and wonderful 60’s he played Toronto and toured the United States as a singer with Ronnie Hawkins and the infamous Hawks.
9. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Beatle Bones N’ Smokin’ Stones
(Don Van Vliet)
Strictly Personal: Liberty Records LN 66141
Los Angeles
Captain Beefheart: vocals, harmonica, oboe
Alex St. Clair Snouffer: guitar
Jerry Handley: bass
John French: drums
Jeff Cotton: guitar
Produced by Bob Krasnow, 1968
Recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood
When the band went into the studio in late 1967 to record the follow-up to their debut album Safe as Milk, which had been released earlier that year, it was with the intention of producing a double album, provisionally entitled It Comes to You in a Plain Brown Wrapper. Three of the tracks they recorded were long, psychedelic blues jams performed 'live in the studio' (in one take with no overdubs). These were intended to fill one of the set's two LPs. The band were also working on a number of other tracks, many of which would eventually be included on Strictly Personal (1968). These songs were characterized by their polyrhythmic structures and psychedelic themes, which marked a progression from the band's previous blues-rooted work on Safe as Milk. Beatle Bones n’ Smokin’ Stones obviously had something to do with Strawberry Fields Forever but, I’m not sure what that could have been!
(Glenn Martin)
The Best of Charlie Pride Vol: II: RCA Victor LPS 4682
Sledge, Mississippi
Charlie Pride: vocal
Henry Mancini Orchestra
Produced by Jack Clement, 1971
Recorded by Leslie Ladd, Tom Pick at RCA's "Nashville Sound" Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
Charley Frank Pride b. Sledge, Mississippi March 18, 1934
Charlie Pride may not have written this song but her sure made it his own! He scored 52 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot Country charts between 1966 and 1987. He started out as a baseball pitcher in the Yankees’ system in what was then called the “Negro American League”. Later, after an injury, he was traded with another player to another team for their team bus. He stated in his autobiography: “(He) and I may have the distinction of being the only players in history traded for a used motor vehicle”. After tryouts in the early 60s with the Angels and The Mets, he sunk into playing for The East Helena (Arkansas) Smelterites and it was his manager who got him into singing, paying him an extra ten bucks to sing for 15 minutes before each home game.
2000 inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
2010 became part-owner of the Texas Rangers
11. The Shuttlecocks: Hot Rod Hoodlum
(Baker)
45 EP shared with The Heatseekers: 7 Inches of Pleasure Records, No serial
Toronto ON
Rob: drums
Dejana: vocals
Jaime: bass
Allyson Baker: guitar
Produced by The Shuttlecocks, 1996
They call themselves the Strip-Tease des Sept Girls and played between 1995 and 96. Allyson Baker, who also played guitar in Toronto punk band Armed and Hammered, moved to San Francisco in 2000 and formed The Dirty Ghosts in 2006. I don’t know what happened to the rest of them.
12. Buffy Ste-Marie: Gonna Feel Much Better When You’re Gone
(B Ste-Marie)
I’m Gonna Be A Country Girl Again: Vanguard Records VSD 79280
Piapot Cree First Nations Reserve, SK
Buffy Sainte-Marie: guitar, vocals
Grady Martin: electric guitar
Ray Edenton, Velma Smith: guitar
Harald Rugg, Lloyd Green: steel
Wayne Moss, Jerry Shook: bass guitar
Junior Huskey: standup bass
Floyd Cramer: piano
Grover Lavender: fiddle
Sonny Osborne: banjo
Buddy Harman, Bill Ackerman: drums
The Jordanaires: bg vocals
Produced by Bob Lurie & Maynard Solomon, 1968
13. Gene Clark: No Other
(Gene Clark)
No Other: Asylum Records 7E-1016
Sherman Oaks, CA
Gene Clark: guitar, vocals
Lee Sklar: bass
Butch Trucks: drums
Michael Utley: keyboards
Joe Lala: percussion
Jerry McGee: guitar
Ronnie Barron, Cindy Bullens, Claudia Lennear: bg vocals
Produced by Thomas Jefferson Kaye, 1974
Recorded at The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles by Tony Reale and Joe Tuzen
Mixed at Wally Heider Recording, Studio D, San Francisco
Harold Eugene "Gene" Clark (b Tipton, Missouri, November 17, 1944 - d May 24, 1991, aged 46, Sherman Oaks, CA)
One of the founders of The Byrds, he was the first to leave the band in early 1966 and have a solo career. He also got together with Doug Dillards of The Dillards family bluegrass band and released two albums, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark (1968) and Through the Morning, Through the Night (1969). ‘No Other’ was Clark’s first album recorded for Asylum Records. It went way over budget, was not promoted properly and didn’t sell well. But Rock critics loved it and claimed it to be a real masterpiece.
14. Bruce Cockburn: Peggy’s Kitchen Wall
(Bruce Cockburn)
Stealing Fire: True North Records - TN 57
Ottawa ON
Bruce Cockburn: guitar, vocal
Jon Goldsmith: keys
Fergus Marsh: bass, stick
Miche Pouliot: drums
Chi Sharpe: percussion
Produced by Jon Goldsmith and Kerry Crawford, 1984
Recorded by John Naslen at Manta Sound, Toronto
Mastered by Mike Reese at Mastering Lab, LA
15. Simply Saucer: Dance The Mutant
(Edgar Breau)
Baby Nova: Schizo Phrenic Records SCHIZ #79
Hamilton ON
Edgar Breau: vocals, guitars
Kevin Christoff: bass
Joe Csontos: drums
Steve Foster: guitar
Daniel Wintermans: guitar
McKinley Jackson: piano
Produced by Jeff Maier, 2011
Recorded by Jim Diamond at Ghetto Recorders, Detroit
Additional overdubs by Steve Foster at Napier Park Studio, Hamilton
Mixed at The Launch Pad, Detroit by Jeff Meier
Hour Two
1. Lester Lanin Orchestra: Guitar Boogie Twist
(A Smith)
Twistin’ In High Society Epic LN 3825
New York City
No musicians identified
Produced by Jim Foglesong, 1961
b. August 26, 1907, Philadelphia, PA / d. Oct. 27, 2004, New York City
The youngest of ten children born to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants, Lester and two of his brothers went on to be jazz band leaders. He made his name during the depression by playing at exclusive parties thrown by the rich and powerful. He was hired worldwide to play for dignitaries and monarchs, in addition to a recurring invitation to play at White House inaugural balls from the Eisenhower administration to the Carter administration. According to Lanin, one of his most memorable performances was playing at a party for avant-garde rock musician Frank Zappa. This was reported by Billboard magazine in 1974
2. Chubby Checker: The Twist
(Hank Ballard)
45 single bw Toot: Reo Records (for Parkway) 8505
Spring Gulley, South Carolina
Chubby Checker: vocals
Produced 1960
Ernest Evans b. October 3, 1941 Spring Gully, South Carolina
"The Twist" was written and originally released in early 1959 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. Chubby Checker's 1960 cover version of the song gave birth to the Twist dance craze. His single became a hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 19, 1960. Songs about doing the Twist went back to nineteenth-century minstrelsy, including "Grape Vine Twist" from around 1844. It was a reference to sexualized dancing.
In July 1960, Checker performed "The Twist" for the first time in front of a live audience at the Rainbow Club in Wildwood, New Jersey, and just weeks later, on Aug. 6, 1960, the song became a national sensation after Checker performed it on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
In late 1961 and early 1962, the twist craze belatedly caught on in high society. Sightings of celebrities doing the dance made the song a hit with adults, particularly after a report in the “Cholly Knickerbocker” gossip column. Soon there were long lines at the Peppermint Lounge nightclub in New York, the most popular celebrity twisting spot. This new interest made "The Twist" the only recording to hit number one on the United States charts during two separate chart runs, and marked a major turning point for adult acceptance of rock and roll music.
3. Jerry Palmer & The Rock-A-Byes: Gotta Learn To Twist
(Grashey / Palmer / Laprade)
45 rpm: Gaiety Records - G-1103A
Fort William ON
Jerry Palmer: vocals
Thomas Laprade: piano
Edward Michael Saj: bass
Others unknown
Produced by Don Greshey at Don Greshey Production, 1965
Jerry Palmer started his singing career at the age of 14 and played sock-hops with another young lad from Fort William/Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario: Bobby Curtola. He was one of the acts that was picked up by local producer / entrepreneur, Don Grashey. When Jerry was 16, Grashey took him to Nashville to make his first records. He ended up staying in the States, touring with the likes of the Young Rascals for a while, until he received his draft card. That’s when he did the smartest thing in his life: returned to Canada. He eventually started recording country music in the ‘80s.
4. The Beat: Twist & Crawl
(The Beat)
I Just Can’t Stop It: Sire Records XSR 6091
London UK
Dave Wakeling: lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Ranking Roger: toasting, vocals
Andy Cox: lead guitar
David Steele: bass
Everett Morton: drums
Saxa: saxophone
Produced by Bob Sargeant, 1980
Recorded by Mike Hedges
This band got together in the late 1970s and are still alive and well and wanting to play. They were just called The Beat in the UK but had to use English Beat for their American releases due to the fact that there was already a band called The Beat in the US. For Australian releases they were called The British Beat. So let’s not Beat around the bush any longer; from now on, I’m just calling them The Beat.
5. Octa Clark & Hector Duhon: Creole Twist
(Octa Clark)
Old Time Cajun Music: Arhoolie Records 5026
Judice Louisiana
Octa Clark: accordion
Hector Duhon: fiddle
Michael Doucet: guitar
Produced by Chris Strachwitz, 1982
Recorded by Chris Strachwitz May 18, 1981 at Michael Doucet’s home, Lafayette
Octa Clark b. April 30, 1904 Judice, Louisiana / d. September 11, 1998 in Lafayette, Louisiana (94)
In 1928, Octa Clark became music partners with fellow farmer and fiddler Hector Duhon (12 yrs Clark’s junior) and the two formed the Dixie Ramblers. According to Clark who was playing at a local hall when the fiddler decided not to show, he asked someone to help him and Hector Duhon (still a kid at the time) took up the offer for six bucks. They were so successful together that they decided to form a partnership that last for decades.
They were quite popular around the bayous of rural Louisiana and were even offered tours of Europe which they declined to do. In a 1993 interview, Clark claimed: "I don't like to travel. Too much trouble. I've got everything I need right here." The duo put out only recorded a couple of albums in 1983 for Rounder and Arhoolie Records. The fiddle and accordion sound they blended became the standard that other Cajun bands would follow.
6. Roy Penney: Twistin’ The Pick
(Unknown)
Twistin' The Pick: Arc Records - 589
Corner Brook NL
Roy Penney: electric lead guitar
Producer not listed - circa 1964
A fellow lifetime friend of the great Dick Nolan, he and Penney decided way back in the early 1960s to leave Newfoundland and head for Toronto; at that time the country music capital of Canada. They found two New Brunswickers who were looking for form a group so they became The Blue Valley Boys and cut a live album for Arc Records. That’s where Penney found a lot of work, being a session guitarists for other acts. He was hired to play lead behind Stompin’ Tom’s first commercial record: Don Valley Jail bw Sudbury Saturday Night for the Rebel Records label, which is extremely rare. He’s played in country bars in Toronto for years.
7. The Isley Brothers: Twist & Shout
(Bert Berns / Phil Medley)
45 single bw Spanish Twist: Wand Records 124
Cincinnati OH
Ronald Isley: lead vocals
O'Kelly Isley Jr.: backing vocals
Rudolph Isley: backing vocals
King Curtis: saxophone
Eric Gale: guitar
Trade Martin: guitar
Cornell Dupree: guitar
Paul Griffin: piano
Chuck Rainey: bass
Gary Chester: drums
Production by Bert Russell, 1962
Recorded in New York City and released June 16, 1962
Later recorded by The Who, The Tremeloes and The Beatles. Last week I played The Beatles version of the song, patterned after the Isley Brothers earlier version. According to John Lennon, The Beatles’ version was basically identical to the Isley’s.
8. Jr Walker & The All-Stars: Twist Lackawanna
(A Dewalt / R White / H Fuqua)
Road Runner: Tamla Motown SM 703
Blytheville AR
James Graves: drums
Vic Thomas: keyboards
Junior Walker: saxophone, vocals
Willie Woods: guitar
James Jamerson: bass
Produced by Johnny Bristol, Henry Cosby, Lamont Dozier, 1966
Mastered by Jennifer Beal
Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. b. June 14, 1931 Blytheville, Arkansas / d. November 23, 1995 (64) Battle Creek, Michigan
Originally "The Rhythm Rockers," they became "The All Stars", & in 1961, attached to Motown. Their 1965 release of their signature hit "Shotgun," was a huge hit. They remained active on the charts through to 1972, disbanding in 1979.
9. The British Modbeats: Land of A 1000 Dances
(Chris Kenner)
Mod........Is The British Modbeats: Red Leaf Records - RED 1002 - vinyl
St. Catherines / Grimsby, ON
Fraser Loveman: vocals
Joe Colonna: bass
Robbie Jeffrey: drums
Greig Foster: guitar
Mike Gorgichuk: guitar
Produced by Stan Klees, 1967
They were really known as The Modbeats but the record company, wanting to capture what was left of the British Invasion, dubbed them British Modbeats. (They later changed back to just Modbeats). This was produced by the same Stan Klees who founded the Juno Awards (as the Maple Leaf Awards) and RPM trade magazine.
Land of 1000 Dances was a major hit for Wilson Pickett in 1966. What’s most interesting about this song is that it was written around one flat 7th chord.
Christopher Kenner (December 25, 1929 - January 25, 1976) was an R&B songwriter living in Louisiana.
10. Mark Haines & The Zippers: Come On, Lets Dance
(Mark Haines)
In The City: Stony Plain Records SPL 1121
Kingston ON / Souris PEI
John Sheard: Keyboards
Mathew Gerard: Bass
Ashley Mumford: Electric Guitar
Kevin MacKenzie: Drums
Brian Leonard: Vocals
David Blamire: Vocals
Mark Haines: Vocal
Produced by Declan O’Doherty, 1988
Recorded at Phase One Studios, Toronto by Randy Staub, Joe Primeau, Earl Torno and Darren Millar
Mark Haines played in Spriggs and Bringle (with Colleen Petersen) in Kingston, Ont, in the early 1970s. Late 70s, played in bluegrass band Black Creek based in Toronto with Steve Goldberger. Formed Mark Haines & The Zippers in the early 80s and released two good albums on Holgar Petersen’s Stony Plains Records. Mark formed the Haines & Leighton duo with Tom Leighton late 80s and went on to release albums for Borealis Records. They basically stopped functioning when Mark moved with his family to Prince Edward Island around 2000.
11. Larry Williams: High School Dance
(S Bono / V Olivia)
45 single bw Short Fat Annie: Specialty Records 608
New Orleans LA
Larry Williams: vocal
Jesse James Jones: tenor sax
Rene Hall: guitar
Ted Brinson: bass
Leon M Silby: piano
Earl Palmer: drums
Produced 1957
Lawrence Eugene Williams b. New Orleans LA May 10, 1935 / d. Jan 7, 1980 (44) Los Angeles
For a couple of years, starting in 1957, Williams had several hit songs which greatly influenced John Lennon and The Beatles. Songs like Bony Moronie, Slow Down, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, Bad Boy, She Said Yeah etc. He was recruited by Specialty Records after their main star, Little Richard, quit music to become a minister. Williams was to be his replacement. His career was derailed after he was convicted on a drug charge.
High School Dance, co-written by Sonny Bono, was actually released as the B side of the single featuring Short Fat Annie. Note: The Beatles rehearsed Short Fat Annie during the filming of Let It Be. It was also covered by Billy Preston, Johnny Winter and Frankie Avalon. It was a favourite of Levon Helm.
12. Ramones: Do You Wanna Dance
(Bobby Freeman)
Rocket To Russia: Sire Records M5S 6042
NYC
Joey Ramone: lead vocals
Johnny Ramone: guitar
Dee Dee Ramone: bass
Tommy Ramone: drums
Produced by Tony Bongiovi and Tommy Ramone, 1977
Recorded by Ed Stasium and Don Berman at Media Sound, Manhattan
Mastered by Creg Calbi
The third studio recording and the last with the original line-up as Tommy Ramone left the following year to concentrate on being a producer. He was replaced by Marky Ramone (aka Marc Bell).
13. The Trashmen: Bird Dance Beat
(George Garrett)
45 rpm single bw A-bone: Apex Records (Canada) 76904
Minneapolis MN
Tony Anderson: lead guitar
Dal Winslow: guitar
Bob Reed: bass
Steve Wahrer: drums, lead vocals
Produced by George Garrett, 1964
Started out as Jim Thaxter & the Travelers.
The Trashmen formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group's original lineup was Tony Anderson on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on guitar and vocals, Steve Wahrer (d. 1989 cancer age 47) on drums and vocals, and Bob Reed on bass guitar. After a trip to California 1962, The group played surf rock which included elements from garage rock. The Trashmen's biggest hit was 1963's "Surfin' Bird", which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the later part of that year. The song was a combination of two R&B hits by The Rivingtons, "The Bird's the Word" and "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow". The earliest pressings of the single credit the Trashmen as composers, but following a threat from The Rivingtons' legal counsel, that group was subsequently credited as composers. The early single was credited solely to the drummer and singer, Steve Wahrer...Bird Bath is an adaptation of the Revels instrumental Church Key
14. The Fall: Psykick Dance Hall
(Craig Scanlon / Marc Riley / Mark Smith)
Dragnet: Step-Forward Records SFLP 4
Manchester UK
Mark E Smith: keys: kazoo: vocals
Steve Hanley: bass
Marc Riley: guitars
Craig Scanlon: guitar: piano
Mike Leigh: drums
Kay Carroll: bg vocals
Produced by The Fall and Grant Shobiz, 1979
Recorded at Cargo Studios, Rochdale UK by John Breirley
Formed in 1976, The Fall are UK’s most prolific band from the punk rock era, having released 32 studio albums! This song is from their second LP. Having hated what the producer did to their first album, instead of a good clean sound, the band wanted it rough around the edges. It’s sound is described as being muddy and lo-fi, so much so, that the recording company they used (Cargo Studios) asked that the band not use their name on the album cover, thinking it would scare away potential customers.
15. R Dean Taylor Combo: At The High School Dance
(R D Taylor)
45 single bw How Wrong Can You Be: Amy-Mala Records AM-1
Toronto ON
R Dean Taylor: keys: vocals
Others Unlisted
Produced 1960
Recorded at Audio-Masters Studio
Richard Dean Taylor b. Toronto May 11, 1939
After trying to start a career here in Toronto, Taylor moved to Detroit in the mid-1960s and was signed as a songwriter and recording artist for Motown subsidiary V.I.P. label. His songs were eventually covered by everyone from Marvyn Gaye to the Supremes, Four Tops, Neil Young and the Mynabirds, Bloodstone, Rick Danko, The Fall, Jackie DeShannon, Golden Earring and Gladys Knight. His most successful single was the melodramatic Indiana Wants Me, which was spiced with various effects and climbed to No. 5 in the US.
16. Frank Sinatra: Come Dance With Me
(Sammy Cahn / Jimmy Van Heusen)
Come Dance With Me: Capitol Records W 1069
Hoboken NJ
Frank Sinatra: vocals
Billy May Orchestra
Produced by Dave Cavanaugh
Recorded at Capitol Studio A, Hollywood CA December 1958
Released January 5, 1959
This album was Sinatra’s best seller, spending over 2 yrs on the Billboard charts. It won Album of the Year at the Grammy’s in 1960 as well as providing Sinatra with a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance for a Male and Billy May for Best Arrangement.
17. The Beatles: I’m Happy Just To Dance With You
(Lennon / McCartney)
A Hard Day’s Night Soundtrack: United Artists Records UAL 3366
Liverpool UK
George Harrison: lead vocal, lead guitar
John Lennon: backing vocal, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocal, bass
Ringo Starr: drums: African drum
Produced by George Martin: 1964
Recorded at Abby Road Studio 2, London UK by Norman Smith
First Published in Canada July, 1964
The song has been recorded by Cyrkle, Anne Murray, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings and The Smithereens. It was written by L&M specifically for George Harrison to sing at a time when he lacked the confidence to compose his own material. It was the first Beatle song recorded on a Sunday! It appeared on A Hard Day’s Night as well as Something New.
18. Milton (Red) Shea: Moon Boogie Twist
(M Shea)
45 Single bw Cottonwood: Chateau Records C 138
Prince Albert SK
Red Shea: lead guitar
Produced by Art Snider: 1962
Laurice Milton "Red" Shea born 1938: d. June 11: 2008
With his brother Les Shea and bassist Bill Gibbs: Mr. Shea formed the Red and Les Trio in the late 1950s. They played on Country Hoedown. It was on Country Hoedown: in 1960: that Mr. Shea met Gordon Lightfoot: who was a member of the Singin' Swingin' Eight. Mr. Shea began playing lead guitar in The Lightfoot Band in 1965
As lead guitar player for Gordon Lightfoot from 1965 through 1975 (he toured only sporadically in the 70s: and shared lead with Terry Clements): he was the man responsible for the stirring and memorable lead riffs on some of Lightfoot's most famous songs. Listen to If You Could Read My Mind: Don Quixote or Song For A Winter's Night for a sample of his masterful guitar playing. He played on every album from The Way I Feel through Gord's Gold. Gave guitar lessons to Travis Good of the Sadies
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