California Dreamin' with The Beach Boys

The lyrics to the Mama's & Papa's smash hit "California Dreamin'" ring true especially for all dealing with a such a cold winter filled with an abundance of snow and ice this year.  In 1986, The Beach Boys recorded a stellar version of this for their greatest hits compilation, Made In The U.S.A.  Terry Melcher produced the track and it featured Roger McGuinn from The Byrds on 12-string guitar.  John Phillips and Michelle Phillips (from Mama's & Papa's) along with Roger appear in the Beach Boys' music video for the single.

This photo was taken during a break in filming.  Let the words and the warm harmonies heat things up and help you hold on for Spring!!

Buddy Holly & The Crickets record "That'll Be The Day" in 1957

Buddy Holly and The Crickets recorded their hit version of "That'll Be The Day" this day in 1957 in Clovis, NM.  The title was taken from a line in the John Wayne movie The Searchers.  Buddy had recorded a version a year earlier for Decca and was prohibited to re-record those songs under his name even if Decca didn't use them.  It's why this came out as "The Crickets" on Brunswick.  Buddy was also signed to a "solo" deal under Coral so recordings on that label came out under just Buddy's name.

2 Nicks, 2 Everlys and a lot more!

2 Nicks (Nick Waterhouse and Nick Curran), 2 Everlys (Don & Phil), Blasters, Coasters, Paladins, a blues blast of Big Maybelle, Mud Morganfield with Kim Wilson, an early rockabilly entry from a later country legend and so much more fill the playlist on this week's Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour!

Hear episode here:

Download all episodes HERE!

Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey

Ricky Nelson- "My Babe"

Paladins- "Tore Up"

Nick Curran- "Ain't No Good"

Nick Waterhouse- "If You Want Trouble"

Elvis Presley- "Power Of My Love"

Tweed & The Sugardaddies- "Real Gone Jerk"

The Coasters- "Three Cool Cats"

The Blasters- "Real Rock Drive"

Big Maybelle- "That's A Pretty Good Love"

Mud Morganfield/Kim Wilson- "I Don't Know Why"

George "Thumper" Jones- "Who Shot Sam?"

Everly Brothers- "Claudette"

Junior Brown- "Highway Patrol"

Barry Ryan- "Rockabilly Jamboree"

Jack Scott- "Baby She's Gone"

Chris Isaak- "Crying, Waiting, Hoping"

Ray Campi- "Caterpillar"

Jinx Jones- "You Can't Kill Me 'Cause I'm Already Dead"

Shakedown Combo- "Honey Hush"

Burnettes, Blues and lots more!

This week we hear from the Burnettes (Johnny & Dorsey, Billy and Rocky).  Plus, the Backyard Blues Band featuring Mario Valens (Ritchie's younger brother), Big Sandy, Huelyn Duvall, Dale Hawkins, Polecats, Wanda Jackson and much more!!

Hear episode here:

Download all episodes HERE!

Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey

Wanda Jackson- "Tore Down"

The Rockats- "Reckless Rebel"

Collins Kids- "Whistlebait"

Big Sandy & His Fly Rite Boys- "Chalk It Up To The Blues"

Deke Dickerson- "Deep River"

Polecats- "Train Kept A Rollin'"

Dale Hawkins- "Little Liza Jane"

Rosie Flores- "Rock Your Baby"

Bill Kirchen- "Heart Of Gold"

Johnny Horton- "I'm Coming Home"

Backyard Blues Band- "Rock You Tonight"

Huelyn Duvall- "Three Months To Kill"

Larry Williams- "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"

Billie & The Kids- "Scorched"

Jim Liban & Joel Paterson Trio- "Stop On By"

Carl Bradychok- "Do Me No Wrong"

Don Woody- "Bird Dog"

Johnny & Dorsey Burnette- "Warm Love"

Billy Burnette- "Didn't Start Livin'"

Rocky Burnette, Darrel Higham & The Enforcers- "Hip Shakin' Baby"

Info on Viva Las Vegas Free Tickets Giveaway:

Tom Ingram- Viva Las Vegas interview, new tunes and more!

This week we chat with Tom Ingram, owner and founder of Viva Las Vegas, about the upcoming lineup, fun stories, tunes from some of the performers scheduled (Dion, The Sonics, Levi & The Rockats, etc) and our full weekend ticket giveaway.  Plus, we have new tunes from both Jittery Jack and Lara Hope & The Ark-Tones.  We also have rockers from Janis Martin, Webb Wilder and lots more!

Hear episode here:

Download all episodes HERE!

Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey

*Jittery Jack- "Bare My Heart"

Dave & Phil Alvin- "You've Changed"

Jack Scott- "Two Timin' Woman"

Janis Martin- "Bang Bang"

Lara Hope & The Ark-Tones- "I'm The One"

Starkweather Boys- "Straight Razor Baby"

Tiny Kennedy- "Country Boy"

Billy Boy Arnold- "I Wish You Would"

Runnin' Wild- "All I Want"

Webb Wilder- "She Said Yeah"

Tom Ingram interview segment 1

*The Sonics- "Keep A Knockin'"

Tom Ingram Interview segment 2

*Dion- "Ruby Baby"

Tom Ingram interview segment 3

Warren Smith- "I've Got Love If You Want It"

*Joe Clay- "Ducktail"

*Buzz & The Flyers- "Every Walk Of Life"

*Levi & The Rockats- "Note From The South"

Carl Perkins- "Glad All Over"

The Phantom- "Love Me"

Robert Gordon- "It's Late"

*= performing at Viva Las Vegas 18

14 year old George Harrison joins The Quarrymen in 1958

Just a little under 3 weeks shy of his 15th birthday, George Harrison joined The Quarrymen.  He was first friends with Paul McCartney who then introduced him to John Lennon.  It was Harrison's guitar playing (particularly his skill at playing the song "Raunchy" note for note) that won over Lennon.  Here's one of the songs they recorded as The Quarrymen- "In Spite Of All The Danger", written by George and Paul.

The Beach Boys at Columbia Records Studio A during recording of Pet Sounds

While so many are dealing with the cold and winter snow right now, let's warm things up a bit with a great snapshot of a couple of The Beach Boys working on their masterpiece, Pet Sounds.  This photo shows The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and Bruce Johnston along with Terry Melcher and Tony Asher at Columbia Records Studio A control booth.  Tony Asher co-wrote several of the songs on the album with Brian and Terry contributed some background vocals and tambourine to the project.  There are a couple of things to note about this studio.  While Brian worked on Pet Sounds in a few studios, Bruce and Terry talked Brian into recording at Studio A because it had the first 8-track machine in Hollywood.  This allowed Brian to jump from Western Recorder's Studio 3 and the 4-track Scully to this custom made 8-track recorder with Ampex parts which meant even more tracks!  This is also the same studio that Terry Melcher produced such Byrds hits as "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn, Turn, Turn".  

2015 marks the 50th Anniversary of Bruce joining The Beach Boys.  When Pet Sounds was released in 1966, he had only been a part of the band for a little over a year but was now on his 3rd hit album with them.  He of course played a key role in spreading the word about this project to people like John Lennon and Paul McCartney who had him play the newly finished album twice in a row for them.  In 1963 Bruce & Terry were young staff producers at Columbia Records (Hollywood). They were the two producers of “Hey Little Cobra” (The Rip Chords) and also every layered recorded voice singing on the huge Rip Chords hit. Also, please enjoy the warm vocals of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" in both the stereo version and "vocals-only" mix below!

"Wouldn't It Be Nice"

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" (vocals only)

Winter Dance Party Tour, new JD McPherson and lot's more

We remember the artists from the Winter Dance Party Tour this week.  Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were tragically killed in a plane crash on February 3rd, 1959.  We hear from Dion who was also a part of the tour with his group The Belmonts on his thoughts on Buddy Holly and why he calls it "The Day The Music Was Born".  Also this week, the title cut and new single from JD McPherson plus we've got rockers from Jerry Lee Lewis, Levi Dexter & Gretsch Brothers, Johnny Burnette, Robert Gordon, Traveling Wilburys and lots more!

Hear episode here:

Download all episodes HERE!

Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey

Little Richard- "Tutti Frutti"

Brian Setzer- "Lemme Slide"

Hot Rod Walt & The Psycho DeVilles- "Rebel"

Ronnie Self- "Ain't I'm A Dog"

Traveling Wilburys- "Wilbury Twist"

Buddy Holly & The Crickets- "Rock Me Baby"

Eddie Cochran- "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie"

Dion interview segment

Dion & The Belmonts- "I Wonder Why"

Levi Dexter & Gretsch Brothers- "Everyday"

Roy Orbison- Chicken Hearted"

Big Bopper- "White Lightning"

Waylon Jennings- "Jole Blon" (produced by Buddy Holly)

Jerry Lee Lewis- "Stepchild"

JD McPherson- "Let The Good Times Roll"

Howlin' Wolf- "Come To Me Baby"

Ritchie Valens- "Come On Let's Go"

Chan Romero- "Hippy Hippy Shake"

Johnny Burnette- "Sweet Baby Doll"

Rhythm Bound- "Come On In"

Robert Gordon- "Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll"

Ritchie Valens, Dion and Big Bopper from the Winter Dance Party Tour 1959

Don Everly was born this day in 1937

Don Everly of the Everly Brothers was born this day in 1937 in Muhlenberg County, KY.  Take a look back at some highlights of his career both solo and with his brother Phil-

"Bye Bye Love" with Ricky Nelson

"All I Have To Do Is Dream"

"Wake Up Little Susie" with Phil

"That'll Be The Day" with Phil

"When Will I Be Loved" with Phil

"Yesterday Just Passed My Way Again"