When You Walk In The Room

The Searchers arrived in the USA right after The Beatles in 1964.  A British Invasion Merseybeat band, the Searchers had a string of hits that year including the top 40 cover of a Jackie DeShannon song, "When You Walk In The Room".  Another great song that's pretty much forgotten today.
Click here to see the Searchers perform the song in 2009

Chase

I had a request for this song as a forgotten oldie.  Chase was a 70's band that combined rock and jazz with a driving beat and heavy use of horns, much like Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears and Lighthouse.  Their only hit - "Get It On" was a top 40 smash in 1971.  Chase, Get it on, a great forgotten oldie!
listen here

Happy Birthday Duke!!

Born on May 26, 1907 he still wins many polls of America's favorite actor!  He was the best!

I Like It

Gerry and the Pacemakers was the second act signed by Brian Epstein, right behind the Beatles. They rivaled the Beatles in England and for a while, did very well in the USA.  The song "I Like It" was a #1 hit in England and reached the top 20 in the U.S. in late 1964.  Just another mostly forgotten oldie today...
watch here

Don't Throw Your Love Away

In 1964 the world was rocking with the British Invasion.  Among the many groups from the British Isles, the Searchers scored several hits starting just weeks after the Beatles.  The record that followed the smash hit "Needles and Pins" was a cover version of an Orlons single from 1963 called "Don't Throw Your Love Away". The song was #1 in England and a top twenty hit in the USA. Mostly forgotten today, I've always thought it was a great song!
watch a live version here

Penny Lane

Back to 1967, this is the era of Beatle music I love most... when they changed rock and roll again, and we went along willingly!!
click here

R.I.P. B.B. King!

A legend died yesterday, known as Beale Street Blues Boy King, or B.B. King,  there are very few artists that influenced as many musicians as King did.  I had the pleasure of introducing BB at the La Crosse Center ten years ago or so, and he was a complete gentleman.  I spent some time chatting with him, and I'll tell you a couple things... Lucille, his legendary guitar, did not feel special at all (very rough neck actually), and, he's not very happy when his fruit juice isn't sugar free (he was a diabetic).
R.I.P. B.B. King!
click here to watch BB King