Catching up with The Buckinghams

Do you remember The Buckinghams? They were a band from Chicago and when you weren’t listening to

The Buckinghams 1966

those great 45’s like “Kind Of A Drag”, “Don’t You Care”, and “Susan” you might have caught them on TV or if you were very lucky, you saw them in concert. They are back! They have released a new CD on the FUEL label called “Reaching Back” and it is GREAT! First rate performances, writing and arranging await you on this disc. I liked one cut so much, “The Autumn Of My Life”, I’ve added it to our play list. Check out their website at http://www.thebuckinghams.com/home.html for tour information, bio’s, great photos (old and new) and best of all – you can buy this new CD from them. I encourage you to support the artists we play, especially if they are still performing. You WON’T be disappointed, the Buckinghams sound better than ever!

The Buckinghams 2008

Adam Wade – Gifted Singer… Accomplished Actor

One of the things I love about the singers of the 50’s and 60’swas the uniqueness of their voices. It isn’t that singers today can’t sing…. they simply all sound the same. When you heard the rich, silky voice of Adam Wade… there was no mistake. “Take Good Care Of Her” and “The Writing On The Wall” were Top 10 hits for Adam, but my favorite has always been his interpretation of “Ruby”. When you visit his website, you’ll find that he has acted in MANY movies and plays. Say hello to Adam and tell him how much you appreciate his talents via his Guest Book at his WEBSITE

Listen for Adam Wade on TUNEDEX MEMORIES

The RETURN of the Murmaids…

After almost 40 years, the Murmaids, Carol & Terry Fischer returned to the stage for performances in Hollywood, Detroit and Cleveland. They released a new CD out called “Splash Back” which you can read about at their website, http://themurmaids.com.

Be sure to read the “Bio” section, the sisters Fischer came from a VERY musical family. “Popsicles and Icicles” was one of my very favorite 45’s.

Click HERE to listen for this song and more: TUNEDEX MEMORIES

Andrea Carroll – Pop Princess to P.H.D.

Andrea Hill. PhD. is an accomplished psychotherapist, actress, singer and acting coach living in Los Angeles. She has combined her experience into a delightful book of advice and information directed to those who are in or around the creative world of entertainment.

The entertainment world is familiar to Andrea. As a child, she was well known to Cleveland television audiences as Andrea Carroll where she was a regular on the long running “Gene Carroll” Show. Later she played a singer on the daytime serial “Somerset”. In the sixties she signed a recording contract with Epic Records and later Big Top, RCA, and United Artists. She had eight local hits, including “Please Don’t Talk To The Lifeguard” which hit NUMBER ONE on the WHK Fabulous Fifty Tunedex. At only sixteen, with backing vocals by the Chiffons, Andrea hit the Hot 100 in 1963 with “Why Am I So Shy”. During that time of her life, she had the exceptional experience of touring nationally with such stars as Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder and Bob Hope.

Today, Andrea Hill, Ph.D., MFT., along with husband, former television producer Lyle B Hill, own the nationally renowned acting school Weist-Barron-Hill, located in Burbank, California. Dr. Hill is also a licensed clinical therapist with a specialty working with people in the entertainment industry from beginners to movie stars. She lives in Calabasas, California

I’ve had the good fortune to interview Andrea for a previous “Innocent Age” show. Ironically, on a show dedicated to Lenny Welch, I discovered that Lenny attended a two week “acting in commercials” class taught by Andrea and her husband Lyle.

Making It In The Business, is a special compilation of letters originally written for a major dramatic magazine. It is Dr. Hill’s unique and compassionate communication with her reader that makes this book so compelling a read. Everyone wants to “Make It!” in the arts and in life. The real challenge is how to stay sane while doing it! Dr. Hill is in session with every reader sharing her vast experience on every page.

This book explores those deep emotional elements linking all artists. It should resonate with readers who have the courage to take a close look at themselves and the world around them. Find out more about her book: Making It In The Business

We play many tunes by Andrea – click HERE to listen: TUNEDEX MEMORIES

Chubby Checker – Still Twistin’

Go to Chubby’s website, aptly entitled http://chubbychecker.com and you’ll find 30 second snippets of his songs. There’s also a great discography section with pictures of all his original picture sleeves and URL’s to see Chubby on YouTube. Chubby’s back on the charts with “Knock Down The Walls” which you can get at Amazon.com and Itunes.com. “The Twist” climbed to #1 in both 1960 and 1962, an accomplishment still unique in Billboard history.

Chubby’s one of our favorites – listen for him on TUNEDEX MEMORIES!

Peggy March – Singing with World Wide Appeal

We’ve added Peggy’s website to our Blogroll, so be sure to visit her site. She has recorded a new album of standards called “Get Happy” and is performing at the Dick Clark Theatre in Branson and in Vegas. Peggy has recorded albums in German and Japanese as well as English for her fans all over the world.

Peggy’s one of our favorites – so you’ll her a LOT at TUNEDEX MEMORIES!

Jimmie Rodgers recovering from brain surgery….

The first 45 I bought was “Oh Oh, I’m Falling In Love Again” by Jimmie Rodgers. With limited funds, I did the best I could keeping up subsequent releases on the Roulette label. With an appreciation for folk music and upbeat arrangements, he was one of my favorite singers. But I lost track of him when I went in the Air Force. I was in the Philippines when his world came crashing down.

Jimmie Rodgers, had gold records, movie appearances, and even his own television show, but in December 1967, he was the victim of a near death brutal beating allegedly involving the Los Angeles police department that left him alone abandoned in his car, waiting to die.

He underwent emergency brain surgery and a large portion of his skull was removed and replaced with a 24 square inch metal plate. During various attempts to regain his career he was struck down with recurring brain seizures. After years of multiple surgeries, he slowly regained his mobility and a fraction of his life.

Over the past 40 years he has lived in pain and undergone constant subsequent surgeries to maintain scalp closure over the plate. Each episode left him susceptible to brain infections and possible death. The medical profession had given up all hope of finding a solution to Mr. Rodgers deteriorating condition until June of this year. Dr. Richard Jordan, a Neurosurgeon in North Little Rock, Arkansas, concluded that a possibility existed whereby the skull had slowly re-generated bone itself.

Dr. Jordan removed the plate to find his hypothesis correct in that miraculously his skull had experienced complete bone re-growth. While the newly formed skull bone is still soft, for the first time in 40 years, Jimmie is without persistent pain, sleepless nights and the fear of death due to brain infection. Jimmie is now back at home in California with his wife Mary and is expected to make a full recovery. He has completed his autobiography, and is currently exploring publishing and film outlets and working on a novel, several screenplays and unpublished songs.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmie almost 6 years ago. He was very gracious and down to earth. He drives an old pick-up truck and as he eased into his seventies, he was content to just play golf everyday. He was talented enough to qualify as an instructor despite the daily agony that plagued him. With this successful surgery, I wish him nothing but birdies for the future. Welcome back Jimmie and keep swinging!

We play “Fabulous Flipsides” of Jimmie’s 45’s – listen now at Tunedex Memories

Remember the Bermudas?

I’ve added a new “blogroll” entry for the MySpace page for Rickie Page and The Bermudas and the many groups she performed in. You can listen to “Donnie” and other great cuts and check your record collection for the many group names the girls recorded under!

We of course, already play tunes by these talented ladies, so be sure to listen for them at TUNEDEX MEMORIES!