Remembering the music of "The Father Of Rock and Roll" Bill Haley

[Borderstone]

Today (as seen on the posting date) is February 9th and if I'd recalled it last year,I'd have posted this then.

It was 26 years ago today in 1981 that Bill Haley (leader of The Comets)passed away from a brain tumor at age 55. Were he alive today he would be America's oldest living Rock & Roller (81 now,82 come July 6th.)

I even recall where I saw this news. I was in my 7th grade music class in Scottsdale (AZ) and the teacher had posted on a bulletin board a news-clipping.
I was seated next to the board and naturally wondered what it said and simply put,that's how I found out.

I also bring this up because I recently acquired a Bill Haley & The Comets cassette and also a CD that was originally on vinyl/cassette in 1985.
The casette has a handful of hits but mostly extra tracks. The extra's are pretty good.

The CD,released by MCA (originally Decca,Haley's label at the time.)is awesome! I gives me all but two of thier hits (Crazy Man Crazy & Skinny Minnie). The second one is on the tape,thankfully.

Although Haley is not always ranked up there with Elvis,Little Richard,Buddy Holly & other greats,it should never be forgotten that he and his group were the very first to land a top 40 rock & roll single. "Crazy Man Crazy" hit #15 in early 1954.

They were also the first to have a #1 hit with this music. Coincidently,"Rock Around The Clock" hit the top the very week of Haley's 30th birthday! Compared to the younger more energetic "newbies" :D ,he seemed like a rock and roll dad but the kids (my mother & dad's generation) liked him for a good 4 years.

Musically,the songs are good but the only thing about it is sometimes (with all respect inteded) it's like Haley & Co. are repeating themselves. While Haley could wail pretty good,his vocal abilities were limited.

Still,he and the Comets deserved their fame and their induction to the Hall Of Fame 20 years ago. Thanks for your love of R & B,Mr. Haley,if you and the other "caucasion" acts back then had not loved the muusic,who knows what we'd be listening too?

[ February 09, 2007, 16:04: Message edited by: Borderstone ]

[RM]

Borderstone,

My goodness....you're a wealth of information on entertainment history. Just wondering....do you know where this curiosity originated ?

[Borderstone]

Well RMD,several aspects & origins of this "curiosity" have been touched on in other threads,but let me sum it up A.Q.A.P. :D

The first origin would be my parents & grandparents records (and 8 tracks!)
Next would be after moving to Cali. in 1977 and finding an "oldies' station (then 1955 to 1969).

Another such station is here in Phoenix, "Kool FM" one of thevery first oldies stations in the counrty. Which I found back in 1980 and most likely have heard every song they have by now.

In 1983/84 I found American Top 40 (Radio) & Top 10 (TV) w/Casey Kasum (voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo). He seemed to be a wealth of knowlegde!

In 1986,my mother bought me The Billboard Book of #1 Hits (1955-1985 up to "We Are The World"). This book gave me many stories of the #1 songs of the past then 30 years. Then there's the B. Book of top 40 hits which has every artist wh has ever had a hit that big! (I own a "number' of these songs,to put it lightly. )

Mostly though,music is part of my family backdrop.
Everyone either plays an instrument (I still want to learn piano) or just has good musical taste and a good ear for quality.

I was also a good history student and paid attention in school.
Once I learn it,it never leaves me.

So,in short,for music...I've read many books,listened to a lot of radio & records,watched waaaayy too much TV & more recently a lot of time logged on the net!