Articles by John Twang

Brazilian singer and pianist Dick Farney (Farnesio Dutra e Silva) was the first to record "Tenderly" (Gross - Lawrence) in 1947. Rosemary Clooney (George's aunt) co-starred with Bing Crosby in "White Christmas" and had a house-load of hits. She took "Tenderly" into the top twenty in 1952 and it became her theme song for her television show.

The Stokes "Whipped Cream" (Naomi Neville) was composed by Allen Toussaint using his mother's maiden name while he was in military service in 1963. Allen formed the Stokes at his army base in Texas. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass recorded the album "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" in 1965 and topped the charts with the most delicious cover imaginable featuring model Dolores Erickson. That version of "Whipped Cream" was used as the theme to television's "The Dating Game" and made it into…

Cuban Jose Fernandez (Diaz) composed "Guajira Guantanamera" (Woman from Guantanamo) (Fernandez) around 1929. Cuban poet Jose Marti added verses much later with Peter, Paul and Mary introducing that version to international audiences. In 1966 the Sandpipers "Guantanemera" (Angulo - Marti - Seeger) hit the top ten using the Pete Seeger arrangement.

Les Troubadours in 1967 issued "La Chaine" (Hammond - Hazlewood - Dousset). The next year Jackie Lee (Nora Flood) and her British group "Colours of Love" released "I'm a Train". Albert Hammond's single came in 1973 and was on the 1974 self-titled album which hit the top twenty on the AC chart and number 31 in the top 100.

Bob Gibson was managed by the legendary Albert Grossman and has a history steeped in folk music. According to the label Bob composed "Abilene" with Les Brown (not the music of renown bandleader) and the disputed names of John D. Loudermilk and a fictitious Albert Stanton for the 1957 album "I Come For To Sing". George Hamilton IV brought "Abilene" (Brown - Gibson, arr: John D. Loudermilk) into the top twenty after recording it for the movie 1963 "Hootenanny Hoot".

British icon Matt Monroe (Terence Parsons), the singing bus driver, was the first to record "Portrait Of My Love" (West - Orandel). Produced in 1960 the recording peaked at number three in the U.K. Steve Lawrence, Mr. Eydie Gorme, hit the top ten in 1961 with "Portrait Of My Love" from the album of the same name. Produced by Jimmy Wisner, the Tokens (Jay Siegel, Hank Medress, Mitch Margo and brother Phil Margo) cover got well into the top forty in 1967. We had the pleasure of seeing Jay a…

Spark Record artists Willy (Willie Headen) and Ruth (?) recorded "Love Me" (Leiber - Stoller) in 1954. In his second album, "Elvis", Elvis Presley's cover made it into the top five in 1956. The song came from the EP Elvis Vol1 and was not released as a single.

Laverne Baker reached the top sixty in 1960 with her cover of "Bumble Bee" . The Tads actually gave us the original the same year although it wasn't released until the nineties with the exception of the VIV label compilation "Phoenix Panorama". According to John Poole the song was written by group member Leroy Fullylove. They submitted the demo to Atlantic Records hoping they label would sign the group. Instead Atlantic issued the tune by Laverne and credited her as co-composer. The Search…

In 1952 the star of the legendary Louisiana Hayride was Johnny Horton. That year the Grand Ole Opry banned Hank Williams so he returned to the Hayride where he married Billie Jean Jones. Hank predicted that Bill Jean would one day marry Johnny Horton. Johnny and the widow were married in 1953. New Year's Eve 1952 Hank Williams died traveling from the Skyline Club in Austin to a show in Canton Ohio. Seven years later Johnny Horton died in a car accident driving from the same Skyline Club. The a…

This will be the last "Otis post" for awhile but there is more to come. Pianist, composer, singer Otis Blackwell, the one-man composing factory, wrote "Breathless". Sun Records Jerry Lee Lewis recorded "Breathless" and it peaked in the top ten in 1958.

"Fever" (Eddie Cooley - Otis Blackwell using the pseudonym John Davenport) was recorded by Little Willie John in 1956 and got well into the top thirty earning a gold record. His son Keith was a background singer for Stevie Wonder. Co-composer Atlanta's Eddie Cooley's version with the female trio The Dimples is next. The incredible Otis Blackwell's take is up third. Peggy Lee's (Norma Egstrom) top ten hit from 1958 concludes this post. Note the change in lyrics thanks to Peggy herself.

Otis Blackwell used the pseudonym Jack Hammer to write "Great Balls of Fire" In 1957 Sun Record's "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis and his Pumping Piano issued "Great Balls of Fire". It was featured in the movie "Jamboree" and hit the number two slot on the charts along with top positions on the R&B and Country charts. Jerry is cousins with Mickey Gilley and Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.

Otis Blackwell composed "Return to Sender" with Winfield Scott for the Elvis movie "Girls, Girls, Girls". In 1962 Elvis Presley peaked at number one on Cash Box. That's Boots Randolph on the sax even though Bobby Keys is said to be doing that job. Bobby didn't join Elvis on tour until years later.

In 1956 The Four Lovers (Four Seasons) were recording "Don't Be Cruel" (Blackwell) when the composer asked to take it back as a potential Elvis hit. RCA executive Steve Sholes played a demo of Otis Blackwell's "Don't Be Cruel" and Elvis decided to record it as soon as possible. Otis never met Elvis in person! "Don't Be Cruel" (Blackwell - Presley) was the B side to "Hound Dog" yet became the biggest selling rock single ever at that time. It was the first of many Otis Blackwell tunes Elvis Pre…

The Sparks of Rhythm were the first to record the classic "Handy Man" (Merentstein - Jones) in 1959. The lead is bass Andrew Barksdale. Co-composer Jimmy Jones was a member of the group but not when they recorded it. One of rock's early successful writers, Otis Blackwell was the next composer involved and, although it was recorded much later, we present a taste of his version next. Otis Blackwell produced and whistled on the first hit version by the other writer and former tap dancer, Jimm…

Composer/personality/producer Lee Hazlewood gave us "Houston" in his album "Friday's Child". The album was later released as "Houston". Lee had his first hit, "The Fool", with Sanford Clark in 1956. In 1964 Lee Hazlewood produced Sanford's cover of "Houston" Dean Martin had the top forty hit with "Houston" in 1965.

The 1964 album "The Judy Collins Concert" at Town Hall in NYC contains the Tom Paxton composition "Bottle of Wine" with so little applause of recognition that it's obviously the first recording. Later the same year Grammy nominee Tom Paxton gives us his take from the Newport Folk Festival. The Kingston Trio cover comes from the 1965 album "Stay Awhile". The Fireballs (George Tomsco, Stan Lark, Doug Roberts and singer/pianist Jimmy Gilmer) took "Bottle of Wine" into the top ten in 1968.

Radio personality Glenn Reeves sang the demo of Mae (Hoyt's mother) Axton's "Heartbreak Hotel". He imitated Elvis at the session. "Heartbreak Hotel" became the first number one tune for Elvis Presley in 1956. That's Scotty Moore and Chet Atkins on guitars with Floyd Cramer playing piano.