Sir Howard Morrison dies, Thursday 25 September 2009, aged 74. See NZ Music of the 60s and 70s
And if you're struggling to remember which member of the Quartet died earlier this year, click here and/or here
and for tributes from Stuff.co.nz
Some options for Saturday 26 September
Jeannie C. Riley
HARPER VALLEY P.T.A., US#1(1) 21 September 1968, 13 weeks in Top 100 and a Monster Hit in N.Z.
A message song about a widowed wife criticised by the Harper Valley Parent Association for her high skirts and low life in a note brought home by her teenage daughter and how the mother confronts her accusers at a meeting of the P.T.A. The song was written by Tom T. Hall, friend of Jeannie C. Riley, a country singer born Jeanne Carolyn Stephenson. A real lucky break for the 22 year old singer who had only been in Nashville for a few months and whose experience had been limited to routine song-demo-sessions. Her superb performance of the song lead to a nation-wide round of TV appearances and $15,000 per night personal appearances.
4 million copies were sold in the States, a further million in Canada and big sales elsewhere making an estimated total of 5 and half million world wide and gained Jeannie a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance (female) of 1968.
The tease
A US#1(1) 21 September 1968 and a Monster Hit in N.Z. A message song about a widowed wife and a real lucky break for this 22 year old singer who had only been in Nashville for a few months and whose experience had been limited to routine song-demo-sessions. Her superb performance of the song lead to a nation-wide round of TV appearances and $15,000 per night personal appearances.
Jim Reeves
DISTANT DRUMS, UK#1(5) from 22 September 1966 - Big Hit in N.Z.
James Travis Reeves (b. 20 Aug 1923) lost his life in the crash of the single engined plane he was flying encountered a storm 31 July 1964. The country music world lost one of their greatest performers, but a legend was born as a result of his death.
After an accident prevented Reeves continuing as a baseball player, he turned to announcing and then singing. In 1955 he signed to RCA, where he managed nine UK hits before his death, including his 1964 successes, “I Love You Because” and “I Won’t Forget You”. A further 17 hits, including “Distant Drums” were amassed posthumously between 1964 and 1972. Written for Jim by Cindy Walker, perhaps that explains the line "Mary marry me, let's not wait." Mary was Jim’s wife.
Wizzard*
ANGEL FINGERS. UK#1, 22 September 1972. The group’s second consecutive No. 1. * Not really suited to Coast
Buddy Holly / The Crickets
* That'll Be The Day, US#1(1) 23 September and UK#1(3) from 1 November 1957.
Jimmie Rodgers with the Hugo Peretti Orchestra
HONEYCOMB This first million-seller for Jimmy was remarkably his first recording. US#1(4) from 23 September 1957, 28 weeks in Top 100, US R&B#1(2 wks) and NZ#1 in November 1957 HUGE HIT in N.Z.
The Box Tops
THE LETTER, US#1(4) from 23 September 1967, 16 weeks in Top 100. Five young men from Memphis got together at college through an interest in 'soul music' and formed their group in 1966. This, their 1st recording, had a global sale of 4 million with almost 3 million in the States alone.
Mac Davis
*BABY DON’T GET HOOKED ON ME US#1(3) from 23 September 1972
Connie Francis
CAROLINA MOON an American 20s standard that didn't make the US charts but was a double sided UK#1(6) from 26 September 1958, with
STUPID CUPID a new composition by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield Stupid Cupid was the big one.
Connie Francis
MY HEART HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. US#1(2) from 26 September 1960, 17 weeks in Top 100. The 8th million-seller for Connie was written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller. Her two other 1960 Gold Discs were - 'Mama w/Teddy', and 'Many Tears Ago'. Monster Hit in N.Z.
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