From the article:
“In the 1970s and early ’80s, his career was revived by a landmark telemarketing campaign that blanketed the country’s local stations with pitches for “All My Best,” a greatest hits collection.”
Those TV commercials were…something.
My pals and I had discovered 50s rock’n'roll a few years before Slim’s commercials appeared, and encountered some pretty wild characters, especially the rockabilly guys.
But we’d never heard anything like Slim. In our more alcohol-fueled moments, we did our best to mimic the great Whitman falsetto.
You had to be at the same level to really appreciate the sound of four or five 18 year olds, feeling no pain, hitting “Rose MArieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” in falsetto unison.
RIP, Sllim Whitman.
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From the book review:
“In “Killer on the Road: Violence and the American Interstate,” [Ginger] Strand, the author of “Inventing Niagara,” draws startling parallels between the inexorable advance of the Interstate System and the proliferation of killers who were pathologically stimulated by that long, open road.”
Some thoughts:
1.) The book sounds as fascinating as the road itself.
2.) Kerouac pre-dates the Interstate. Wonder if he ever wrote about it?
3.) Regarding a song lyric:
“There’s a Killer on the Road / his brain is squirming like a toad”, from Riders on The Storm, by the Doors.
I always thought the killer in the song was a drunk driver. Maybe not.
4.) If I were to read this book, I’d have to play Springsteen’s “Nebraska” album as accompaniment.
The title track tells the Charles Starkweather story:
“Saw her standin’ on her front lawn / just a twirlin’ her baton / Me and her went for a ride, sir / and 10 innocent people died…”
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RIP, Doc Watson.
I tuned into Folk Alley a little while ago. Played Doc four in a row. Listening to Doc and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on “Milk Cow Blues” as I write.
For what it’s worth, I first heard the song as a rockabilly tune; check out Elvis’ “Milk Cow Blues Boogie” when you can.
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Bob Dylan turned 71 yesterday. ”Rolling Stone” published a fairly extensive biography here.
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Donald “Duck” Dunn, legendary bassist, passed away yesterday. He was 70 years old.
Growing up in the 60s, we may have been listening to the Beatles and the Stones, but we were dancing to Motown and Stax.
Check his discography here.
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Happy Birthday, Buddy Holly.
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From left: Mike Stoller, Elvis, Jerry Lieber, 1957
From the article:
“Jerry Leiber, one of the most important songwriters in the history of rock & roll – whose 60-year partnership with Mike Stoller produced “Stand By Me,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Young Blood,” “On Broadway,” “Yakety-Yak” and countless other classics – has died of cardiopulmonary failure. He was 78.”
Read the entire article, and listen to select Lieber/Stoller songs, here.
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