Is Time Running Out for These Rockers? (Part One)

This year's inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced last month. The Moody Blues finally got in, nearly 30 years after becoming eligible. Others include rockers Bon Jovi, The Cars, and Dire Straits—groups who established their fame in the 1980s. The remaining inductees are Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

I had almost given up hope on the Moodies gaining entrance since the Rock Hall hasn't been overly kind to progressive-rock acts. But there was still a glimmer when, in the past couple of years, ELO and Yes were inducted.

But what about the artists from the 1950s, '60s and '70s? Has time run out on them? I've compiled a list of those I think have been overlooked and deserve recognition. You may not agree with the list. And to be honest, there are a few that I didn't especially follow (we all have different music tastes), but still believe they are worthy candidates (with some notes courtesy of  artist websites, Wikipedia, All-Music, and other music sites).

Pre-British Invasion (with some overlap):

Paul Anka—The Canadian-American singer and songwriter recorded 31 Top 40 hits over 40 decades including three that reached No. 1 in the U.S.—"Diana" in 1957, "Lonely Boy" in 1958, and "You're Having My Baby" in 1974. Among the song he wrote include "She's A Lady" for Tom Jones and Frank Sinatra's "My Way." He continues to perform today. And he's an author, penning "My Way: An Autobiography" in 2014.









Connie Francis—She recorded 29 Top 40 hits in the 1950s and '60s, including two chart-toppers. Worldwide sales estimated at 200 million. Francis was named the top female artist by various trade publications for six consecutive years, beginning in 1958. And the 80-year-old songstress still performs and has recently published a memoir, "Among My Souvenirs: The Real Story."









Jan and Dean—The California beach sound duo had 15 Top 40 songs including the No. 1 "Surf City" in 1963. Jan Berry and Dean Torrance were the hosts of the "T.A.M.I. Show" in 1964, a movie that included The Rolling Stones, Leslie Gore, James Brown and the Famous Flames, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and several other top acts. Dean wrote a memoir about their career in "Surf City: The Jan and Dean Story."









Cliff Richard—The British musician has sold more than 250 million records worldwide in his 60-year career. The knighted (in 1995) singer has sales of more than 21 million singles in the United Kingdom and ranks as the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Although Richard hasn't received similar acclaim in the U.S., he had a No. 6 hit in "Devil Woman" in 1978 and No. 7 in 1979 with "We Don't Talk Anymore."



Tommy Roe—He had nine songs in the Top 40 including "Sheila" and "Dizzy" at No. 1. While performing in England in the early 1960s, he was the headliner in a tour that included The Beatles. Roe is often labeled a "Bubblegum" artist but his resume includes songs such as a great rendition of  "Stagger Lee" in 1971, a Top 25 hit. And besides, isn't "Bubblegum" a genre that should be recognized as well? 

Bobby Rydell—He had 19 Top 40 hits in the '60s including "Wild One" and "Volare." Rydell  was a co-star in the movie, "Bye Bye Birdie," the enviable role of Ann-Margret's boyfriend, Hugo Peabody. He received a double-organ transplant in 2012, but that hasn't stopped him from a busy performance schedule that includes "The Golden Boys" tour with Frankie Avalon and Fabian. He's also been a vocal advocate for organ donation.


Neil Sedaka—His career started in 1957, and since that time he has sold millions of records as an artist (20 Top 40 songs and three No. 1 hits). Sedaka has written or co-written over 500 songs (a Brill Building alum) for himself and others including "Stupid Cupid" (Connie Francis) and  "Love Will Keep Us Together" (Captain & Tennille). His long and prolific career has spanned seven decades.

The Shadows—They are the third most successful act in the UK singles chart, behind Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard. The Shadows and Cliff Richard & the Shadows each have had four No. 1 selling EPs. Their big instrumental hit was "Apache" in 1960. And Hank Marvin is one helluva guitarist. You might call them the British counterpart of The Ventures (Rock Hall inductees in 2008).

Bobby Vee—According to Billboard magazine, Vee registered 38 Hot 100 chart hits, ten of which reached the Top 20. He had six gold singles in his career including No. 1 "Take Good Care of My Baby."  Vee got his big break when he was asked to fill in after Buddy Holly was killed in a tragic plane crash in 1959 that also claimed the lives of the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. One of his early, and brief, bandmates was Bob Dylan. Vee, whose last name was Velline,  died in 2016 of complications from Alzheimer's disease.









Bobby Vinton—From 1962 through 1972, Vinton had more Billboard No.1 hits (four) than any other male vocalist, including Elvis and Sinatra. He had 29 songs in the Top 40 in his career. The multi-talented musician, a graduate of Duquesne University, is known as "The Polish Prince."








The next installment is Post-British Invasion.

Until the next time. . . .

Traumatic Brain Injury

I recently read Bob Greene's book, "When We Get to Surf City: A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams."

Greene, the noted author and journalist, spent several years with Jan and Dean, touring with their band as he worked on the book.  

Jan Berry, if you don't know, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1966 in a horrific car accident. Ironically, two years earlier the duo had recorded, "Dead Man's Curve."

Doctors didn't think Jan would live. In fact, police thought he was dead when they arrived at the scene of the accident. But Jan survived, miraculously, and returned to performing.

But it wasn't easy. From the book I learned that on the morning of each performance, Jan would be holed up in his motel room relearning the lyrics to the songs he would sing, some that he had written.

Jan was left with partial paralysis, but through personal dedication and countless hours in rehab, he was able to move on both legs. But it wasn't easy. One leg dragged when he walked. Greene relates in the book an occasion when some callous person hollered "Igor" at Jan while band members were walking back to their motel after a concert. I'm amazed people can be so cruel.

Another time, in Kansas City, Jan fell off the stage and had to be taken to a hospital. Through sheer determination, Jan bounced back and performed at the next concert. He was truly an inspiration, right up until he died in 2004 at the age of 62.

I'm writing this post because I hope people will be more understanding and caring of those who have suffered TBI. 

According to the Brain Injury Association:

• 1.7 million people, including 475,000 children are diagnosed with TBI each year; and 3.1 million people live with a life-long disability.
• 52,000 people die each year from TBI.
• About 75 percent of TBIs each year are from concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury.
• TBI is a contributing factor to 30.5 percent of all injury-related deaths in the United States.

We know TBI can happen in many ways -- car accidents, falls, sports injuries, assaults, etc. -- to anyone.

And we've seen our military men and women return from foreign countries with TBI. From 2000-2012, according to data from the Defense Medical Surveillance System, there have been 194,561 mild, 42,063 moderate, and 6,476 severe cases of TBI.

I sincerely hope people will show more compassion to those who have suffered from TBI.

Until the next time...

Story Songs: Surf City

While The Beatles and the British bands may have ruled most of the 1960s, it was American surf musicians who, pardon the pun, established the first beachhead in that wonderful decade of music.

With the likes of The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, The Trashmen,  The Surfaris, and many others, surf music was the rage of American teens, even those like me who lived in Kentucky. They presented us with a world of sun-kissed beaches, endless blue waves, and bikini-clad babes that most of us could only dream about back then.

One of my all-time favorite groups is Jan and Dean, who had the first No. 1 surf song with "Surf City" in 1963. It was written by Jan Berry and Brian Wilson, with some input from  Dean Torrence.

The song opens with a spirited, "Two girls for every boy."
It's no wonder that we landlocked guys wanted to head to the West Coast in a woodie and buy a surf board, if only to look cool strutting on the beach.

"You see they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'

(Surf City, here we come)

You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'

(Surf City, here we come)

Well, with two swingin' honeys for every guy

And all you gotta do is just wink your eye"

There's no stopping the guys heading to Surf City, even if their woodie breaks down and they have to hitch a ride. Why?

"...we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one

You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun

You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one

You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now

Because there's:

"Two girls for every boy."

Some folks remember only Jan and Dean's "Dead Man's Curve," recorded nearly two years before Jan's near-fatal car accident in which he suffered severe head injuries, of which he never fully recovered. Jan passed away in 2004 at the age of 62; Dean still performs on occasion with a surf-music group.

The duo had several top-selling songs such as "Linda," "The New Girl in School," "Ride the Wild Surf," "Sidewalk Surfin'," "Little Old Lady From Pasadena," "Drag City," and "Honolulu Lulu." I believe they're another group that has been overlooked, and underrated, by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

If you're ever want to go to "Surf City," the city of Huntington Beach, Calif., is nationally recognized as the official, "Surf City USA." 

"Surf City" lyrics

Until the next time...