BITS AND PIECES - NEWS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS By Michael McDowell

S.O.S. (Throw Me A Line): Prayers continue for Marga Bult, lead vocalist of the beloved vocal supergroup BABE. Bult sustained multiple injuries in a fall at her home shortly before the Easter weekend. Editor/Publisher Michael McDowell updates Bult's progress below. Pictured left to right: Rita van Rooij, Marga Bult and Margot van der Ven. (Click on above image to enlarge).

SHAKE YOUR HEAD

AND SPEAK YOUR MIND:

RECORD STORE DAY 2024

When the late country music pioneer Ernest Tubb released his classic Thanks A Lot single for Decca in 1963, he could not possibly have envisioned that he would have much to be grateful for in 2024.

To wit, Org Music's collection of archival Tubb material, The World Broadcast Recordings 1944-1945 is one of the highlights among the wealth of material making its debut for Record Store Day 2024. Recorded in Los Angeles and Chicago during the closing years of World War II, this fourteen-track collection features some of the brightest lights among his Texas Troubadours (including guitarist Jimmy Short and fiddle ace Johnny Sapp), soaring through a wealth of Tubb triumphs, including That's All She Wrote, I Lost My Ace Of Hearts, Just Rollin' On, Action Speaks Louder Than Words and his signature single, Walking The Floor Over You.

Also available from Org Music on Record Store Day is the highly anticipated Various Artists collection, Love L.A. Released on gold vinyl, Love L.A. spotlights a number of Southern California's finest, paying tribute to the artists that inspired them. They include Leslie Stewart and Jim James' interpretation of Don Henley and Stevie Nicks' Leather And Lace, Mark Marron and Paige Stark's tribute to Love with Signed D.C. and Particle Kid and Sonny War's salute to Depeche Mode with Never Let Me Down Again. Proceeds from Love L.A. will benefit the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center in South Central Los Angeles.

But suffice to say that Org Music outdid themselves with the third offering in their Record Store Day 2024 trilogy. The Westbound Sound collects eleven of the best loved tracks from Armen Boladian's legendary Westbound label, including C.J. And Company's Devil's Gun, the Detroit Emeralds' Do Me Right, the Ohio Players' Funky Worm, the Fantastic Four's Alvin Stone, Dennis Coffey's Live Wire, Denise LaSalle's Hung Up Strung Out and Funkadelic's 1969 monster classic cover of Theresa Lindsey's I'll Bet You. 

Given that it is impossible to consolidate the essentials from the label's archives into a single vinyl disc, The Westbound Sound is certain to generate as much controversy as praise. Indeed, there is a wealth of material available for future volumes, from Funkadelic's Music For My Mother, the Counts' Why Not Start All Over Again and the Detroit Emeralds' You Want It You Got It to Bob "Catfish" Hodge's Boogie Man, Damon Shawn's Feel The Need and the late Gary "Byron MacGregor" Mack's groundbreaking narrative, The Americans.

As has been the case for the past several Record Store Day celebrations, leading the pack will be the latest album from composer and vocalist Taylor Swift. The Tortured Poets Department follows on the heels of the album's debut single, Fortnight, which was released five days earlier. Fortnight was Swift's premier collaboration with composer and vocalist Post Malone.

"I've been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is", Swift said.

"His musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that magic come to life first hand when we worked together on Fortnight".

As before, Swift has collaborated with the Target Department Store chain to make The Tortured Poets Society available on the day prior to the Record Store Day celebration. In recent years, Target has made great strides in reaching out to vinyl conoisseurs, augmenting their inventory with limited edition variations. 

Conversely, one eagerly anticipated single release will sadly not be available for the Record Store Day celebration. First generation garage rock greats the Cherry Slush recently recorded a brand new single, Girl On The Beach. The central Michigan band is of course best known for its monster classic I Cannot Stop You single, which was first released on Coconut Groove in late 1967 and reissued on the USA label in early 1968. 

Girl On The Beach was released online only earlier this year to widespread acclaim. It was hoped that a vinyl release would be available in time for Record Store Day. But pressing plants continue to be backed up for months, due to high demand that has been exacerbated in part by an ongoing materials shortage, which was triggered by a fire that destroyed a plant in Northern California four years ago. 

"Waiting to hear back from the pressing plant", said Cherry Slush drummer and co-founder, Dick Coughlin.

As a result, orders are backed up to the degree that beloved composer, vocalist and keyboard virtuoso Alicia Witt (who was celebrated with an extensive interview in March in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People) is presently in a Nashville studio working on her forthcoming Christmas album in order to have it available in time for the Christmas season.

In addition to all of the aforementioned, there is a wealth of other new releases on tap that will make Record Store Day 2024 a cause for celebration. They include Pearl Jam's Dark Matter, a fiftieth anniversary remix of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, the 40th anniversary edition of Generation X front man Billy Idol's Rebel Yell, a pair of live albums by the legendary Cannonball Adderley, a heretofore unissued collaboration between jazz greats Jack Sheldon and Chet Baker, a remastered edition of the Amboy Dukes' 1968 Journey To The Center Of The Mind album (originally issued on the late Bob Shad's Mainstream label), CD and vinyl versions of Nat King Cole's landmark Live At The Blue Note, a live in Stockholm 1968 offering by the Doors, a most welcome return to print of the 1968 debut Capitol album by SRC, a collection of rare outtakes from the Dream Syndicate's landmark Days Of Wine And Roses album, a coral vinyl reissue of the Monkees' The Birds The Bees And The Monkees album in the rare monaural edition, a four album commemoration of a 1959 European tour by Sonny Rollins, a pink vinyl edition of Sun Ra's Pink Elephants On Parade, a red vinyl edition of the Yardbirds' Five Live Yardbirds album and the Rolling Stones' Live At Racket NYC album. Rounding out the highlights are new singles from Pharoah Sanders, Queen and Olivia Rodrigo.

True to form, North America's leading record retailers are welcoming the faithful with open arms on Saturday the twentieth of April. Hollywood's Amoeba Records will forego international shipping for the Record Store Day releases in order to maximize availability for those visiting their Hollywood Boulevard location. In turn, Bob Say's venerable Freak Beat Records in the San Fernando Valley is offering a ten percent discount on all purchases made over the Record Store Day weekend. As before, Dearborn Music in Dearborn and Farmington, Michigan will fill orders on a first come first served basis from wish lists filled out at the store, while the fan favorite Solo Records in neighboring Royal Oak is offering a fifteen percent discount on all non-Record Store Day items from their vast inventory. 

"I seem to always pass on Record Store Day", said one veteran collector.

"But that Westbound label (collection) sounds very interesting."

Solo Records assures that even the most discerning of musicologists and collectors will not be disappointed.

"We plan on having some surprises", said one store rep.

As previous Record Store Day celebrations have underscored time and time again, surprises, sales and satisfaction are the order of the day. And in the words of one of the aforementioned Westbound label's most beloved alumni, Denise LaSalle, Now Run And Tell That.

S.O.S. (THROW ME A LINE):

BABE'S MARGA BULT

RECOVERING FROM INJURIES

When the beloved vocal supergroup Babe recorded S.O.S. (Throw Me A Line) in 1982, it was unlikely that the present day scenario was what they had in mind.

To that effect, prayers are in progress for long time Babe lead vocalist Marga Bult, who is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident at her home.

"For the past ten days, this girl (has been) recovering in the rag basket, after a very hard, unfortunate fall at home", Bult said.

Bult was making her way around her home shortly before the Easter weekend, when the accident occurred.

"My hands were full; flat on my sniffer", she said.

"After a doctor's visit, a major concussion and a few bruises. Due to the nasty fall, wounds on my face, with a fracture in my nose bone. And a few lower and upper teeth that have been detached."

Sadly, the accident derailed her momentum in several ways.

"I couldn't be with my kids, which never happened at Easter", said Bult.

"Unfortunately, I also had to cancel RTV Oost TV recordings that were planned".

Happily, the prayers of Bult's legion of devotees (combined with her trademark relentless optimism) have enabled the healing process to move at a faster pace than was initially anticipated.

"It's getting much better", she said.

"The headaches and bruises decreased and healed the wounds. After this, I'll have my teeth fixed".

Formed by producer Peter Koelewijn in 1979 in their native Netherlands, the original line up of Babe was comprised of Rita van Rooij, Monique Hagemeijer and lead vocalist Gemma van Eck. Hagemeijer was replaced by Margot van der Ven in 1980. Following the departure of van Eck for a solo career in 1981 (due in part to creative differences prompted by a temporary change in producers), van Eck was succeeded in that capacity by Bult. 

Prior to joining Babe, Bult had been a registered nurse. She then became a part of the acclaimed duo, Tulip with Teach In alumnus Marianne Wolsink. Tulip generated quite a bit of interest at home with their Stick Together and Take Me Back singles for EMI in 1980-1981.

Upon being recruited by Babe, the revised line up of Marga Bult, Rita van Rooij and Margot van der Ven cut a series of sublime singles over the next five years that are widely hailed as being among the best in vocal group history. They include (Don't You Ever) Shop Around, Boomerang, Shocking, Indian Habits, Dolly The Doll, Explosive, Wanna Do (What Mamma Said), Hot Shot, Tommy (Is A Winner), covers of Cab Calloway's Minnie The Moocher and the Exciters' Tell Him and their utterly stupendous 1982 signature single, Together In Love Again.

Although Babe has been on a protracted sabbatical since 1986, Bult has since pursued a solo career (occasionally recording as Marcha). Thankfully Bult, van der Ven and van Rooij have remained close and continue to meet on a regular basis. True to form, despite the recovery process, Bult is resolute in her determination that this tradition will continue without interruption.

"We'll talk again in mid-April", she said.

"Always a party!"

FULL CIRCLE:

REMEMBERING

JOHN SINCLAIR

(1941 - 2024)

First impressions are not necessarily enduring ones.

From a musical standpoint, poet, author and Flint, Michigan native John Sinclair found himself in the spotlight in the late 1960s as the manager of the Lincoln Park-based quintet, the MC5. Encouraged by the acclaim afforded their earlier 45s for AMG and A-Square Records, the band recorded their debut album, Kick Out The Jams at Detroit's Grande Ballroom in October 1968. It was released by Elektra in the opening weeks of 1969, to no small amount of fanfare. The increased attention came about in light of the title track's incorporation of a particular four letter word (occasionally referred to as an "f-bomb") in its spoken introduction.

Indeed, such developments may seem to be an anomaly of sorts to a twenty-first century audience. To wit, while the enormously successful 2023 Midnights album by composer and vocalist Taylor Swift (in which Swift invokes the so-called "f-bomb" on multiple occasions) has not impacted the artist's considerable momentum to any discernible degree, Kick Out The Jams was only the second such release to have done so in the 1960s and still be afforded widespread mainstream media exposure (the first being the Kingsmen's 1963 cover of Richard Berry's Louie, Louie; and according to some, only allegedly so). 

A 1964 graduate of the University Of Michigan's Flint campus (where he had served on the staff of the university's newspaper), Sinclair used the MC5's success as a springboard for his many socio-political causes. However, his considerable momentum and media presence in that respect was abruptly derailed late in 1969 by a conviction for marijuana possession. 

The ten year sentence imposed upon Sinclair did not sit well with his many musical colleagues and supporters. A number of them (including the Up, Phil Ochs, Bob Seger, Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Archie Shepp, David Peel, John Lennon and the Fugs' Ed Sanders) came to Sinclair's defense at a Free John Now rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan in December 1971.

After Sinclair's early release in 1972, he pursued a variety of business ventures. They ranged from radio announcer and author to the founder of an ambitious but short-lived graphics production house.

And it was at that point that the notion of revisiting first impressions first availed itself.

In the early days of Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People, our Graphic Arts Director, Dennis Loren concurrently worked on a number of projects with Sinclair's former wife, photojournalist Leni Sinclair. Although the Sinclairs had parted ways in 1977, they continued to collaborate in a professional capacity. 

At the time, the firm that had been handling typesetting for Blitz Magazine had abruptly gone out of business. In the search for a replacement, Leni Sinclair mentioned to Loren that her former husband's production firm was offering such services. And so, for a season, John Sinclair became a part of Blitz Magazine's production team.

Sinclair's business, which operated from the basement of his Detroit home, offered a quick turnaround time that was welcomed as a major plus for his deadline-conscious print media clientele. After introductions were made at our initial meeting, the genial Sinclair invited Blitz Magazine to wait in the ad hoc lobby that served as his living room while he processed the typesetting job on his well worn but reliable Compugraphic machine. 

While the aforementioned Kingsmen once sang that, "The waiting's gonna hurt", that was never the case at Sinclair's home. His living room also showcased his enormous vinyl collection, which he invited his clientele to peruse at their leisure. While a sizeable percentage of Sinclair's record library featured the many jazz masters who recorded for such labels as Impulse, ESP, Riverside, Atlantic and Prestige, he also had in his recorded archives a rich variety of genres and artists, from Fabian Forte to Donovan Leitch. 

Blitz Magazine's eventual relocation to Southern California meant an inevitable  parting of the professional ways with Sinclair. He nonetheless persevered and flourished in his many subsequent ventures, from radio announcer to a successful run as a recording artist in his own right. 

Sadly, Sinclair's multi-faceted vision came to a close on the morning of 02 April 2024, when he succumbed to congestive heart failure at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was 82.

LET ME THROUGH:

REMEMBERING THE REMAINS'

KEYBOARD MAN BILL BRIGGS

(1946 - 2024)

"No". 

It was that decisive, one word response with which Remains front man and guitarist Barry Tashian concluded his interview with Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People some years ago. The question was, "Do you think the Remains will ever get back together?"

Tashian's response was not borne of a lack of interest. Rather, it was the reality of the circumstances at hand at the time. 

The Boston quartet was hailed from the onset as being among the absolute masters of first generation garage rock. Their 1966 debut album for Epic most assuredly supported that distinction, as did their singles for the label. They include You Had A Hard Time Coming, I Can't Get Away From You and the monster classics Why Do I Cry, Diddy Wah Diddy and the Billy Vera-penned Don't Look Back.

Indeed, the Remains' numerous television and concert appearances also earned them a reputation in short order as one of the most formidable live bands around. In mid-1966, the Remains opened for the Beatles on the latter band's final tour. With the Beatles growing increasingly disenchanted with the rigours of touring, the Remains seized the moment. By the accounts of many eyewitnesses, in terms of sheer prowess and enthusiasm, the Remains either equalled or surpassed the headliners on a number of those dates.

All of which served to underscore Tashian's resignation to the finality of it all. There was a brief reunion in 1969, which resulted in a live album. A final Remains studio album, Movin' On also surfaced in 2002. But the fact remained that such a powerhouse entity, no matter how determinedly it persevered, would by definition implode in due course.

Much of the Remains' impact in that respect came from keyboard man and Boston University alumnus, William Henri "Bill" Briggs III. An avid motorist, Briggs shared Marty Robbins, George Harrison and Tommy Smothers' passion for drag racing. That spirit of adventure often reflected in his work on stage with the Remains, as he and his colleagues demonstrated consistently via their mastery of the rave up. Those combined passions led to a fruitful career in auto sales in Briggs' later years.

Sadly, the Remains' Rudolph "Chip" Damiani passed away from a cerebral  hemorrhage on 23 February 2014. In turn, Bill Briggs succumbed to a lengthy illness on the morning of 26 March 2024. Survivors include his son Jake and daughter Jan. Briggs was 78.

WHAT ABOUT ME:

ANNE MURRAY

STEALS THE SHOW

AT THE JUNO AWARDS

The Snowbird has flown home with a vengeance.

After introductions by host Nelly Furtado at the annual Juno Awards in Halifax on 24 March, Capitol Records legend and Springhill, Nova Scotia native Anne Murray made a rare public appearance to present the award for Best Group. The honors went to the ambitious and hard rocking quartet, the Beaches. 

Nonetheless, it was Murray who received the lion's share of adoration from the Scotiabank Centre audience. Her upbeat observations about having attended the first Juno ceremony in Toronto, Ontario in 1970 with no television coverage and yet being "one big party" won over the crowd which, "like Nelly", Murray added, "hadn't even been born yet!"

"Lots of people got hammered", she joked.

"But not me, of course!"

Other winners included Montreal, Quebec composer and vocalist Charlotte Cardin for Album Of The Year (99 Nights), and Toronto's Tobi for Rap Album Of The Year. 

Murray's 1968 psych-tinged What About Me LP for the Arc label led to a series of acclaimed albums and 45s for Capitol in the 1970s. Among the highlights of her singles legacy were Snowbird, Just Bidin' My Time and Uproar, along with memorable covers of classics by the Monkees, the Everly Brothers, the Beatles and George Jones. Murray was also an occasional participant in the ad hoc group, the Hollywood Vampires with Micky Dolenz, Alice Cooper, Harry Nilsson and John Lennon in the 1970s.

PARTY'S OVER:

REMEMBERING THE

RASPBERRIES' ERIC CARMEN

(1949 - 2024)

While history has been somewhat forgiving, as it was unfolding, it truly was the worst of times.

The early 1970s found the musical mainstream immersed in a protracted aesthetic slump. The rich diversity and relentless optimism that had graced the musical landscape for decades had given way to an atmosphere of negativity. The so-called AM/FM wars fueled an unprecedented rise in genre myopia, with heart and optimism often taking a back seat in the creative process.

But it was in those worst of times - 1972 - that a quartet from Ohio was among those who led the charge. The Raspberries were armed with an album's worth of relentless optimism, original material with a strong verse, chorus and bridge template and a keen understanding of the power of vocal harmony. Capitol Records took a chance, and the Raspberries made the disenfranchised sit up and take notice with their debut single, Go All The Way.

Over the next several years, the Raspberries sustained their momentum with four superb albums for Capitol, as well as a wealth of acclaimed singles that included I Wanna Be With You, Overnight Sensation, Drivin' Around, Let's Pretend and I'm A Rocker.

The creative visionary behind the Raspberries was composer, vocalist and Cleveland native, Eric Howard Carmen. Inspired at an early age by such consummate entertainers as Jimmy Durante and Johnnie Ray, Carmen went on to front Cyrus Erie, who briefly recorded for Epic.

After the Raspberries had run their course, Carmen embarked upon a solo career with Arista, resulting in such enduring singles as All By Myself, Never Gonna Fall In Love Again and the utterly stupendous Sunrise. He was also interviewed at length in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People at that time.

Sadly, Carmen passed away at his home over the weekend of 10-11 March. Survivors include his wife, Amy and his two children. Carmen was 74.

REAL TRUE LOVIN':

REMEMBERING

STEVE LAWRENCE

(1935 - 2024)

was one of many moments that has made publishing Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People an immeasurable blessing.

In June 2011, legendary composer, vocalist, arranger and producer Carmine John "Ron Dante" Granito reached out to Blitz Magazine with a bit of good news.

"I'm currently in the studio, producing Steve Lawrence", he said.

That summit meeting could not have been more fortuitous for both artists. As front man of the Detergents, Dante turned out a series of first rate novelty tracks for the great Morris Levy's Roulette label, incuding Double O-Seven, the Herman's Hermits spoof Mrs. Jones ('Ow About It) and the late 1964 monster classic Shangri-Las send up, Leader Of The Laundromat. He went on to record several acclaimed solo singles for Musicor and Columbia, before returning to center stage as lead vocalist of the Archies in 1968 and the Cuff Links in 1969. 

By 1973, Dante had taken on the role of producer for the solo recordings by one time Featherbed front man Barry Manilow for Bell and Arista. Manilow returned the favor by producing Dante's 1976 Yellow Van single for RCA Victor as lead vocalist of Ronnie And The Dirt Riders.

All of which made that 2011 summit meeting all the more fortuitous. 

Born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence worked as a demo singer in his high school years. He concurrently signed with Syd Nathan's King label in 1952. In 1953, Lawrence was hired by Steve Allen as a vocalist for the prototype of what was to become NBC's Tonight Show. Their working partnership lasted until 1957, when Jack Paar succeeded Allen as the program's host.

In terms of timing, the transition was perfect. Lawrence had joined forces with Decca's affiliate Coral label in 1955, garnering a bit of acclaim with such Gospel-themed singles as Open Up The Gates Of Mercy and The Lord Is A Busy Man. But with rock and roll in full swing by 1957, Lawrence went back into the studio that year and cut an ambitious version of Buddy Knox's Party Doll.

A brief stop at ABC Paramount at decade's end produced the highly acclaimed Footsteps and Pretty Blue Eyes singles. Following an equally fruitful association with United Artists, Lawrence went on to sign with Columbia. That partnership resulted in his signature single, Go Away Little Girl in 1962, inspiring covers by the Happenings for B.T. Puppy and Donny Osmond for MGM. 

But it was Lawrence's partnership with Eydie Gorme that reaped the greatest aesthetic and personal dividends for him. Lawrence and Gorme met while working together on The Tonight Show. They married in 1957 and worked prolifically together in the recording studio, on television and on the Broadway stage.

By 1969, the musical mainstream was well on its way into a protracted aesthetic slump. The rich diversity that had characterized music in general prior to that time was giving way to a polarization by genre that availed itself most disconcertingly in the so-called AM/FM Wars of the day. 

Nonetheless, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme rallied in the face of adversity, turning out their finest moment in the recording studio in the process. In early 1969, RCA Victor released an all new Steve And Eydie album, whose title track was the recipient of Blitz Magazine's ultimate high praise designation of absolute, utter perfection. Blessed with their trademark relentless optimism and an abundance of vocal harmony euphoria, that single, Real True Lovin' went on to tie with Los Payos' utterly stupendous Maria Isabel as Blitz Magazine's pick for Best Single Of 1969.

Sadly, by the time Lawrence and Dante had joined forces for that 2011 summit meeting, Gorme had retired from live perfomance due to declining health. She passed away in 2013. 

Nonetheless, with the unwavering resolve that the process of making music is therapeutic, Lawrence and Dante persevered accordingly.

"I'm doing classic songs for Steve's album", Dante said at the time. 

"Garth Brooks, Neil Sedaka, Elton John and Barry Manilow".

At that point, Lawrence suggested to Dante that they pause momentarily in the recording process to take a selfie to forward to Blitz Magazine. It is that selfie which accompanies this article. 

Although Lawrence continued to perform and record sporadically up to 2019, he announced in June of that year that he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Tragically, that disease claimed his life in Los Angeles on 07 March.

Steve Lawrence is survived by his son, David. He would have celebrated his eighty-ninth birthday on 06 July. 

MAN SMART:

PIONEERING ROCKER

ADRIANO CELENTANO

CELEBRATES 86TH BIRTHDAY

The prevention of procrastination has come full circle.

Recent articles in Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People have addressed in detail the subect of procrastination, and how tendencies towards perfectionism can exacerbate it. In the new year, the reduction and/or elimination of this counter-productive trait remains front and center in our mission statement.

To that effect, a pioneering musical giant celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday on the sixth of January. For years, Blitz Magazine has hoped to add him to the long list of visionaries whose work has been championed in our pages. 

However, various concerns have come into play that have prevented such a summit meeting to date. They range from the obvious distance factor to the fact that he continues to maintain one of the most demanding schedules in the entertainment industry at large. 

As such, in light of the occasion of his birthday, it seemed prudent to at least take the necessary steps forward to allow for a celebration of his extraordinary legacy. And with Blitz Magazine's focus in recent months on the work of some of his fellow European visionaries, the time was definitely right to give this beloved pioneer of the movement his due.

Born 06 January 1938 in Milan, Lombardy to Leontino and Giuditta Celentano, Adriano Celentano spent his formative years as an apprentice watchmaker. Although musically gifted, his occasional forays into performance were primarily for his own edification while plying his trade.

But in 1959, that all changed.

At that stage, the good news of rock and roll was still traveling by word of mouth throughout much of the European continent. That year, Bill Haley And The Comets' 1954 signature single, Rock Around The Clock found its way to Celentano, and there was no turning back. 

The aspiring watchmaker at once immersed himself in this new found art form, drawing inspiration from everyone from Elvis Presley to the humor of Jerry Lewis. By year's end, he had a single available, covering both the Diamonds' The Stroll and Paul Anka's sublime Tell Me That You Love Me for the Music label with considerable high drama. 

As his nation's first and most visible champion of rock and roll, Celentano's momentum contunued unabated in the ensuing months. He starred in two acclaimed motion pictures, 1959's Ragazzi Del Juke Box and Federico Fellini's 1960 international smash, La Dolce Vita. On record, Celentano joined forces with fellow musicians Giorgio Gaber and Enzo Jannacci. They were recruited by Jolly Records' A&R head, Ezio Leoni, who went on to co-author with Celentano some of the latter's earliest hits, including the magnificent 24,000 Baci. 

By 1962, Celentano had founded his own record label, Clan Celentano. Among his initial signings were first generation garage rock greats, Ola And The Janglers (whose classic What A Way To Die was released in the United States on the GNP Crescendo label) and actress Claudia Mori, whom Celentano married in 1964. 

Celentano's profile continued to grow exponentially. His trademark athleticism and unique sense of humor endeared him to many and earned him countless appearances in motion pictures and television throughout the 1960s. 

But in 1966, his biggest breakout moment to date put him in the upper echelons of it all.

Long motivated by environmental concerns in his native Lombardy, Celentano in 1966 was inspired to compose a ballad that would bring those concerns into the forefront. But the resultant Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck more than exceeded expectations. 

A black and white video clip of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck found its way to Dick Clark, whose American Bandstand and Where The Action Is were among television's hottest outlets for new music. Meanwhile, other artists also took notice. The beloved composer and vocalist, Francoise Hardy (whose records were released on the 4 Corners label in the United States) turned in an inspired cover of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck as La Maison Ou J'ai Grandi. And at Capitiol Records in Hollywood, a bit of astute transliteration enabled the great Verdelle Smith to release a masterpiece of her own with her interpretation of Il Ragazzo Della Via Gluck as Tar And Cement.

With that, Celentano could well have found himself at an impasse not unlike that which impacted the Beach Boys in the coming months. With the game changing Smile/Smiley Smile project under wraps by mid-1967, the only way to go was back to basics, which they did with their R&B-inspired Wild Honey album before year's end.

For Celentano, a change was also coming. But for many, it was a change that still generates inspired discussions more than a half century after the fact.

While demand for live concert appearances, film and television guest shots and the like continued unabated, by the early 1970s, Celentano was still compelled to take it to the next level. And in what by North American standards was arguably the worst of times aesthetically to date, Celentano instead rose to the occasion and delivered his masterpiece.

Although the European continent overall had more than proved its mettle as a primary go to source of the best in musical creativity, in 1972, there was still an undercurrent of "us versus them" that inspired visionaries such as Celentano on to even greater heights. Amused and motivated by what he perceived was a sound pattern that was unique to the English language, Celentano composed a three minute single in which he (in spoken word fashion) waxed eloquently on the subject with random syllables which only paralleled the English language upon occasion. Filmed in a classroom setting (with Claudia Mori as his harmonica playing student) Celentano as a language professor created an anthem for the ages with his larger than life Prisencolinensinainciusol single. Since its 1972 release, Prisencolinensineinciusol has been hailed as a forerunner of punk, rap and several other genres.

For much of the remainder of the twentieth century and well into the twenty-first century, Celentano has maintained a rigorous schedule of film and television appearances. After a sabbatical of several years, he returned to live concert performances in 2012 to a hero's welcome. Most notably, his 2016 high drama remake of Prisencolinensinainciusol as MinaCelentano with Roberto Bolle was saluted by Blitz Magazine - The Rock And Roll Magazine For Thinking People as one of the premiere singles of the decade of the 2010s.

For his eighty-sixth birthday, Celentano has opted to take in the occasion with loved ones. In the process, he has also fielded literally thousands of well wishes from the faithful, who have kept his social media platforms saturated with benedictions. He remains a hero for the ages. Buon Compleanno, good sir.

THE RACE IS ON:

JACK JONES TAKES

A VICTORY LAP

OVER CANCER

Jack Jones has never been one to back away from a challenge.

For more than six decades, the legendary composer and vocalist George Jones (no relation) was regarded by many as the greatest living voice on the planet. In September 1964, George Jones recorded the rocking The Race Is On single for United Artists. That single was a career defining moment, eventually earning cover versions by Dave Edmunds, the Grateful Dead, the Georgia Satellites, Waylon Jennings, Jody Miller and others. 

But first out of the gate with his own rendition for Kapp Records in March 1965 was Jack Jones. With its rocking arrangement and sublime overdubbed vocal harmonies, Jack Jones' version of The Race Is On is considered by many to be the definitive one. 

However, in recent months, Jack Jones has been involved in a race of a much more serious kind. Yet despite grim odds, it seems that he has nonetheless crossed the finish line unto victory.

"Not long after we finished the album Art Work (around Thanksgiving 2022), my wife Eleonora tested positive for Covid", Jones said. 

"I then hunkered down and waitied for it to get me. It did".

At first, it seemed as though the disease would run its course, and that was that.

"As the days went on, we both got over our Covid symptoms", Jones said.

"However, I started having feelings of extreme tiredness and weakness. After a blood test, my primary care doctor told me to go right to emergency at Eisenhower in Palm Desert."

After running a series of tests, Jones was discharged. But then things took a turn for the worse. 

"I then went to see my oncologist, who was not connected with Eisenhower", Jones said.

"He discovered cancer in my bone marrow. Acute leukemia. He told me there was nothing he could do, and that I was going to die. Hello!"

However, Jones then heard from long time friend, Dick Oliphant. 

"He told me about a doctor at Eisenhower. He was able to accept me as a patient. I followed his advice from then on. Since that time, after some hard work and brilliant guidance, I am cancer free and in remission."

One other critical element in Jones' recovery was the outpouring of love, prayer and support from family, friends and fans alike. 

"I am flabbergasted and grateful for your expressions of love", Jones said.

"I wanted to thank each and every one of you individually. Your messages were understood".

Jones summed it up by noting that in the process, he has lived out another one of his landmark recordings for Kapp.

"Thank you for sharing", he said.

"Winning our battle is not always an Impossible Dream".