50 years ago.....

Yesterday, July 6, was the 50th anniversary of, as Dinsdalep put it, "what's-his-face meeting the other guy".

If you haven't already, check out the excellent new Beatlegs Podcast. Here's the page:

BEATLEGS PODCAST - TO DESERVE SUCH A FETE

Happy Birthday Ringo!

July 7th - today is RINGO STARR's 67th birthday. Here are a couple of solo-Beatle mash-ups to celebrate with.
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First there's a duet with Ringo and JOHN LENNON on John's song "Goodnight Vienna", from "Fab Forgeries Vol 3":

GOODNIGHT VIENNA - RINGO AND JOHN

Then from "Fab Forgeries Vol 1", there's Ringo with GEORGE HARRISON on Ringo's "It Don't Come Easy":

IT DON'T COME EASY - RINGO AND GEORGE

Happy birthday Ringo!

Bill Haley

Born July 6th, 1925, today would have been BILL HALEY's 82nd birthday.

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A champion yodeller who went from C&W and Western Swing through Rockabilly territory into some nice clean and tight Rock 'n Roll, Haley never really seems to get the respect he deserves. Both classic versions of BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS (and the pre-Comets SADDLEMEN) featured some excellent musicians, real top-notch pros. (The "original" Comets morphed into THE JODIMARS, who eventually had one of their songs covered by THE BEATLES).

I'll have more Haley-related posts in the next few weeks, with some great stuff from that era and the whole JACK HOWARD scene. I've got some pretty interesting things coming up.

But for now, to celebrate Bill's birthday, here's a very rare recording from my personal collection. Its a demo of "Haley's Comet", a song that was written for Haley in the 1950s by EDDIE KHOURY and RONNIE BONNER. Haley never recorded it though, and there has never been a commercially released version of the song. This demo is sung by the legendary cowboy singer DICK THOMAS, who had a big hit with "Sioux City Sue" in 1945. ("Sioux City Sue" was co-written by MAX FREEDMAN, who also co-wrote "Rock Around The Clock"). Dick also recorded for REX ZARIO's Arzee label, but that's a whole other story, for another time.

Happy birthday Bill!

HALEY'S COMET - DICK THOMAS