Monthly Archives: November 2021

It all began for Lightnin’ Hopkins in Houston with a self-made guitar fashioned from a cigar box and chicken wire. Worried that black artists were not receiving the royalties due them, Hopkins insisted on cash for each studio take. He … Continue reading →

Being in the right place at the right time paid off big time for Eva Boyd. She was babysitting for song-writers Carole King and Gerry Goffin when they asked her to sing a song they had just written called “Loco-Motion.” … Continue reading →

Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs were basically one-hit-wonders and that hit came in 1960 with “Stay.”  The song holds the distinction of being the shortest #1 hit in the history of Rock & Roll. Released on Herald Records, the single … Continue reading →

She was born Ruth Brown but the world of music knows her as Dinah Washington. She crossed many musical boundaries including Blues, Jazz, Pop, and Rock and Roll. Her biggest hit came in 1959 with “What a Difference a Day … Continue reading →

Buffalo Springfield became ground-breakers for what is known as Country Rock. They had their biggest hit in 1967 with “For What it’s Worth.” And for what it’s worth, the 45 is worth up to $20.00. The group was short-lived but … Continue reading →

The Buckinghams had 5 top-20 hits. In 1967 they went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single, “Kind of a Drag,” worth up to $20.00. USA Records, which released the 45, also issued the … Continue reading →

Buster Brown was almost 50-years-old before he had his first and only top-40 hit with “Fannie Mae” in 1958. The 45 version on Fire Records is worth up to $50.00, up to $400.00 as a 78. In 1960, Fire Records … Continue reading →

If there’s a king of Glam Rock it has to be David Bowie. Not only a recording star but also a producer and actor, Bowie was a force in music since 1969 when his hit, “Space Oddity,” made him a … Continue reading →

“Private Hell 36,” a movie released in 1954, was part of the genre known as black and white “film noir.” It’s considered one of the best “B” movies of the day. Starring Ida Lupino and Howard Duff with music by … Continue reading →

Phil Spector is probably best known for producing 1960’s girl-groups like the Crystals and the Ronettes. Also successful for Spector was Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Lead singer Bobby Sheen was joined by Darlene Love for their hits, … Continue reading →