Classic Pop Icons

The New Releases page has been updated to include music CD, DVD and Blu-ray releases for February.

Highlights for February include:

• Paul McCartney’s “Kisses on the Bottom” in standard and deluxe editions (Feb 7)
• deluxe editions of the last five Queen albums (Feb 7)
• a number of classic Bob Dylan albums on limited edition vinyl (Feb 7)
• the Van Halen reunion album, “A Different Kind of Truth” (Feb 7)
• the 3-CD set “Santana Anthology 68-69″ (Feb 14) and “Santana – Live at Montreux” on DVD and Blu-ray (Feb 21)
• Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” in Experience, Immersion and Vinyl editions – Feb 28.

Fans around the world are commemorating the 53rd anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) today. Among the main events is the annual four-day commemoration of the Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. This was the last venue that the stars played before boarding the plane that would tragically crash shortly after take off. The Surf Ballroom has been designated a historical landmark by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places last year.

The Buddy Holly Center in Buddy’s home town of Lubbock, Texas is also marking the occasion by opening its doors free of charge from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm this evening. The permanent exhibition includes photographs, clothing, report cards, a pair of Holly’s trademake glasses and his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

Let’s step back in time for an example of how the media reacted to the tragedy in 1959. Ren Grevatt had this to say in his February 9, 1959 “On the Beat” column for Billboard Magazine:

Moving up to date, Dion DiMucci, who also played on the Winter Dance Party tour, has paid tribute to the three on his Facebook page:

Related items:
“Listen to Me: Buddy Holly” – tribute album
Test your knowledge of Buddy Holly

Etta James died today from complications of leukaemia, aged 73. Etta passed away at Riverside Community Hospital in California with her husband and sons at her side. Etta was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles on January 25, 1938 and began singing in a church choir before moving to San Francisco where she formed a group called the Creolettes with two other girls. The group were auditioned by Johnny Otis, who renamed them The Peaches and also came up with the Etta James stage name. Otis, who died earlier this week, would write and produce their number one R&B hit, “The Wallflower,” also known as “Roll With Me, Henry” and “Dance With Me, Henry.”

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The “Godfather of R&B,” Johnny Otis, has passed away at the age of 90. The R&B performer, songwriter and producer, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday (January 17).

Otis was born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes on December 28, 1921, in Vallejo, California, the son of Greek immigrant parents. He lived in a primarily black neighbourhood where he was exposed to and greatly influenced by jazz and blues music. He took a keen interest in the drums, piano and vibraphone as a teenager, and soon took on paying gigs as a drummer with various local jazz combos and big bands, including the Lloyd Hunter Band.

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Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Folsom Prison Blues” was first released as a Sun Records single on December 15, 1955, backed with “So Doggone Lonesome.” It also appeared on his first album, “With His Hot and Blue Guitar,” issued by Sun in September 1957.

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