dead Jerry Lee Lewis

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,688]

I know we're only supposed to start threads when so and so's attached to a drip, but hey, LG started a Dio thread whilst he was gambolling around like a spring lamb and within the year the poor chap had incurable cancer. Not that I'm wishing ill to either of these fine fellows (or drug-addled perv/paedo if you prefer), but they did a lot of hard living, let's not forget.

 

Wish I could provide some news, but I've been told that the Little Richard forum is always worth keeping an eye on.

 

I'm sure Anubis would approve, and we could always post some quality

/

action.

 

(Edit: looks like the thread's becoming a one-stop shop for all things 50s-rockin', which may not be such a bad thing and might keep the cobwebs away).

[Spade_Cooley 9,515]

I was going to say that it seemed a particularly apposite pairing considering the light-hearted racial banter that Lewis and Richard used to share, but apparently it was Chuck Berry that Lewis shouted "FOLLOW THAT, N-word" to after first setting fire to his piano, so maybe he can get a spot in this thread as well? He's also a pervert [via filming women pissing], so he has more ties to these two as well.

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,688]

I was going to say that it seemed a particularly apposite pairing considering the light-hearted racial banter that Lewis and Richard used to share, but apparently it was Chuck Berry that Lewis shouted "FOLLOW THAT, N-word" to after first setting fire to his piano, so maybe he can get a spot in this thread as well? He's also a pervert [via filming women pissing], so he has more ties to these two as well.

He would have done if he hadn't, like a Grail-owning French lord, already got one.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Had a sudden urge to listen to some old '50s rock 'n' roll songs today and started wondering how many of the originals were left alive, given that so many, from Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, to Eddie Cochrane, to Ricky Nelson to Johnny Burnette to Frankie Lymon, met sticky ends one way or another.

 

Okay, as per the discussion above, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard are still with us and have their own dedicated threads. Here are some others (for our purposes, I am defining "early" rock 'n' rollers as those putting out records prior to 3 February, 1959 - a golden day for DeathList ):

 

Franny Beecher (member of Bill Haley's Comets) - born 1921

Scotty Moore (Elvis' guitarist) - born 1931

Gaynel Hodge (founding member of the Platters) - born 1937

Dick Dale - born 1937

Don and Phil Everley - born 1937 and 1939

Duane Eddy - born 1938

Connie Francis - born 1938

Dion - born 1939 (had heroin problems back in his day)

Jerry Naylor (bloke who replaced Buddy Holly as leader of the Crickets after the latter's demise) - born 1939

Glenn Hardin (pianist for Elvis, Ricky Nelson and Buddy Holly) - born 1939

Chubby Checker - born 1941

Fabian - born 1943

Bobby Vee - born 1943

Brenda Lee - born 1944

 

... so overall, most of these chaps are still relatively young, even though it seems like an eternity since they were ruling the airwaves.

 

Not sure if that Franny Beecher bloke is the last surviving Comet. If so, he would be an interesting one to have on next year's DeathList.

[maryportfuncity 10,645]

I'm diggin' this crazy thread already. so I'll add the following obit-worthy types:

 

D J Fontana, Elvis' drummer off and on for a decade and a half, b. 15-03-31

 

"Sonny" Burgess b. 28-05-31

 

Billy "Crash" Craddock, recording in the fifties, sucessful at first in Australia but a country star in the US afterwards.

 

Carl - Ubangi Stomp - Mann b. 22-08-42

 

Still going but dubious obit chances:

 

The Collins Kids, rockabilly novelty act with novelty names, both christened Lawrence!! Known as Lorrie and Larry and recording as nippers (b 1942 and 1944)

 

Gene Summers b. 03-01-39

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Not sure if that Franny Beecher bloke is the last surviving Comet. If so, he would be an interesting one to have on next year's DeathList.

A quick Google search determines that Franny was still well enough to be playing two years ago, on his 88th birthday. I wonder what a bloke like that thinks of all the later developments in rock music. It would be absolutely fascinating to hear his thoughts on, say, Radiohead. There is no way he could have envisaged music like that when he was composing his little teen dance ditties circa 1955.

 

Would be good if some enterprising rock journalist could do indepth interviews him while he is still lucid/breathing.

 

***

 

Edit: I actually had a Comets CD on while I was typing the above and, during their rock 'n' roll version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" (very originally called "The Saints Rock 'n' Roll"), Bill starts ad libbing about "when old Franny plays his guitar, I want to be in that number..."

 

Sixty years later and "old Franny" still hasn't gone marching in!

[maryportfuncity 10,645]

Re the above; saw James Last (German easy listening maestro) interviewed on BBC4 last week. Happily using his flat screen computer and praising Lady Gaga with no sense of irony. Basically saying a decent tune is a decent tune. Music keeps some of these people young.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Some others to keep a long-term eye on are Buddy Holly's wife, Maria Elena Holly (born 1932), his drummer's wife, Peggy Sue Gerron, (hence the name of the famous song) and Donna Fox (nee Ludwig) who was Ritchie Valens' girlfriend (and after whom that other famous song was named.) I don't have health info on any of them, though.

 

Given that even the Lucy of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" managed to score a UK obit, then surely these women will.

[maryportfuncity 10,645]

The Spotnicks still strutting their stuff after forming in 1956.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

A founding member of the Coasters, Carl Gardner, has gone from unknown causes: http://pitchfork.com/news/42820-news-in-br...sonar-festival/

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

One of the 1950s rockabilly stars, Mack Self, has died. I'd never heard of the bloke but he was evidently notable enough to make it into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame:

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_Self

 

 

He retired from music in 1963 so he is a good "pure" pick for those of us interested in stars of pre-Beatlemania/British invasion rock.

 

EDIT: You know someone is from the Deep South of the USA when one of their daughters is named 'Skeeter Gentry": http://www.helena-arkansas.com/obituaries/...26721/Self-Obit

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Bored at work, so here are some more possible subtitles for a thread about late 1950s/early 1960s rockers:

 

The day the music died

It's my party and I'll die if I want to

That'll be the day that I die

Breathless

Three steps to heaven

Crashing out with the leader of the pack

The spectre of Spector

See you later, alligator

 

Finally (all together now!):

 

Hello Baby! This is the Big Bopper calling from the Pearly Gates... Baby, you know what I like! Funeral lace and a lifeless face and a limp, limp arm just a-hanging down, make the DeathList go round, round, round....

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,688]

Bored at work, so here are some more possible subtitles for a thread about late 1950s/early 1960s rockers:

 

The day the music died

It's my party and I'll die if I want to

That'll be the day that I die

Breathless

Three steps to heaven

Crashing out with the leader of the pack

The spectre of Spector

See you later, alligator

 

Finally (all together now!):

 

Hello Baby! This is the Big Bopper calling from the Pearly Gates... Baby, you know what I like! Funeral lace and a lifeless face and a limp, limp arm just a-hanging down, make the DeathList go round, round, round....

How about none of them? It's my Little Richard/Jerry Lee Lewis thread and I'll cry if I want to.

 

But you could always start another if you like.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Jerry Lee Lewis has pneumonia.

 

Whole Lotta Shiverin Goin On.

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

Bored at work, so here are some more possible subtitles for a thread about late 1950s/early 1960s rockers:

 

The day the music died

It's my party and I'll die if I want to

That'll be the day that I die

Breathless

Three steps to heaven

Crashing out with the leader of the pack

The spectre of Spector

See you later, alligator

 

Finally (all together now!):

 

Hello Baby! This is the Big Bopper calling from the Pearly Gates... Baby, you know what I like! Funeral lace and a lifeless face and a limp, limp arm just a-hanging down, make the DeathList go round, round, round....

How about none of them? It's my Little Richard/Jerry Lee Lewis thread and I'll cry if I want to.

 

But you could always start another if you like.

I was a bit naughty with my aggressive hijacking of this thread, wasn't I?

 

Not sure if I should post it here or not now but apparently Jerry Leiber died today:

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/sou...-at-78-20110822

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Leiber

[Anubis the Jackal 77]

Sorry to swerve back on topic for a moment, but a gut feeling is telling me that the baddest man ever to pound the ivories, Jerry Lee Lewis, may be not long for this world.

[Anubis the Jackal 77]

Hmm, that post doesn't look so good out of context, ne'er mind, kudos to 'Arry for a worthwhile thread. I'll try to knock together a list of obit-worthy rockin' types if I get the time/can be arsed.

[CaptainChorizo 1,977]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/18/3378593/johnny-otis-rb-singer-who-wrote.html

 

Rock and roll Icon Johnny Otis died Tuesday

[Spade_Cooley 9,515]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/18/3378593/johnny-otis-rb-singer-who-wrote.html Rock and roll Icon Johnny Otis died Tuesday

 

Probably the only man in history to have recorded with both Frank Zappa and Beyonce.

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,688]

JLL has recently married for the seventh time, to his ex-wife Myra's brother Rusty's ex-wife Judith. Who's probably his sister, too.

[Guest Phantom]

Not sure if you would classify him as a "pop star" but B.B. Cunningham of The Hombres and also regular member of Jerry Lee Lewis' band has been shot dead at 70.

[Rotten Ali 600]

Not sure if you would classify him as a "pop star" but B.B. Cunningham of The Hombres and also regular member of Jerry Lee Lewis' band has been shot dead at 70.

 

Was he shot with a B B gun?

[Bibliogryphon 9,571]

Chubby Checker to sue over euphemism app

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,688]

Sad day for Showaddywaddy and Rocky Sharpe & the Replays fans everywhere - Marshall Sewell, the bass singer of the Edsels and therefore the man who put the bomp in the

, has reportedly died. Not reportedly enough for a link yet, though.

 

On a happier note, I believe that the Marcels' Fred Johnson, who put the bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom ba ba bom ba ba bom ba ba dang a dang dang ba ba ding a dong ding in Blue Moon, is still with us.

 

(Edit: weirdly, the Marcels' lead singer Nini Harp died on June 5th)

Edited June 6, 2013 by harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Seriously obscure rockabilly singer, Alvis Wayne, is unwell.

 

Alvis Wayne has been diagnosed with liver cancer. It is aggressive and terminal. He only has a few months left and wanted his fans to know how much they mean to him.

 

I would have said no chance at all of a UK obit, but his (rather small) Wikipedia page gives us the faintest of hopes

 

In subsequent decades, Alvis became the subject of a cult following in the United Kingdom, where his singles were in great demand.