Friday, January 26, 2007

The Everly Brothers in the mid 1960s.

(updated March 3, 2012)

When the brothers were drafted in 1962, it upset their career. In addition, the British invasion changed American tastes. In 1963 they had no hits. They had sporadic success in the US from 1964 on.
But in my opinion, at that time they produced some of their most impressive music. There was the driving power of "The Price Of Love". There were the seductive chords of Torture and of Love Is Strange. Lovey Kravezit was a great song with a carnival beat. It was a takeoff on the female character in Dean Martin's Matt Helm movie. The Ferris Wheel was a great nonhit. On the Rock 'N Soul album there was an amazing arrangement of Dancing In the Street. The Power Of Love was powerful, but not on the charts.
Some of the nonhits in 1963 that may be of interest to collectors include Don't Ask Me To Be Friends, Hello Amy, and Nancy's Minuet. Nancy's Minuet is a special one. Don Everly (the dark-haired) wrote it in 1961 inspired by Henry Mancini's Experiment In Terror. It imitates the haunting repetitive bass effect for a mysterious mood. Don was really taken by this, but it was not released until an insignificant single in 1963, and it wasn't the hit he wished for.
The Everlys had more airplay in the mid-60s in Canada and England than the US. It's worth investigating these songs.

When The Everlys performed in Winnipeg, Canada in 1967,
they played many of these mid-60s songs. Is that good-looking guitarist on the right in a rapture playing the chords to Love Is Strange?


_____________Photos copyright 2007 George Slivinsky

Rock 'N Soul album 1964:


Gone Gone Gone album 1965:



______Beat & Soul - 1965
























In Our Image album 1966:
















To hear a song sample press the title:
The Price Of Love
Love Is Strange
Dancing In the Street
Nancy's Minuet
Lovey Kravezit
(You Got) The Power Of Love
Torture (flip of Gone Gone Gone)


Other Everly rarities:

In 1961 Don Everly produced
three singles on his new Calliope label that were not Everly vocals. He used the artist name Adrian Kimberly, and used an orchestra and chorus. Listen to the first one:
Pomp and Circumstance - #34 Billboard
Black Mountain Stomp - flip side

In 1988 the brothers released a vocal of Don't Worry Baby sung together with The Beach Boys:
Don't Worry Baby - Capitol single

The Christmas album
The very rare 1962 album Christmas With the Everly Brothers.











Click an image to see it larger.
Here's a link to hear the COMPLETE ALBUM.
I have a second copy you could bid on in comments. It's very good mono.



A detailed list of their singles and albums can be found at Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Everly_Brothers

Their fan club is at everlybrothers.com


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Teresa Brewer in the 1960s and more.

(Updated Sept.15, 2013)


In 1962 Teresa switched from the Coral label to Philips. It was past the prime of pop music and her hit-making. However she kept recording fantastic music on Philips, which doesn't get as much exposure as it deserves. She also had some of the greatest album cover portraits. Like Peggy Lee, I feel this period was her prime as a person.
You should at least get to know her 1963 songs Second Hand Rose, He Understands Me, and She'll Never Love You Like I Do. All are on this Terrific Teresa LP. In 1967 she was still releasing great music on the LP Texas Leather and Mexican Lace, which included an amazing rendition of The Comancheros besides the great title song.
In 1968 on the SSS label she recorded "Ride-a-Roo", about a novelty toy which started in England. It's an inflated balloon with ears, which you sat on and bounced. In the US it was called a SpaceHopper.




______________Gold Country - 1966 album____________
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A fantastic rendition of I Love You Drops.
Great versions of Ain't Had No Lovin, Baby,
Another, Once a Day.









_________Naughty Naughty Naughty - 1960 album_______

This album was still on the Coral label, but it's worth looking at, isn't it. And listening to. The theme is the Gay Nineties. There are great melodic renditions of:

I've Got Rings On My Fingers, By the Light Of the Silvery Moon, Naughty Naughty Naughty, When I Lost You, Ma He's Making Eyes At Me, Shine On Harvest Moon, When You Wore a Tulip, Honeymoon, Last Night On the Back Porch, Be My Little Bumble Bee, There's Yes Yes In Your Eyes, Naughty 90s.

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Greatest Hits album on Philips 1962_____________________


The luscious lass rerecorded her Coral hits for this release.
In addition there was the new recording The Ballad Of Lover's Hill, a beautiful dramatic Civil War ballad with a happy ending, issued as a single in 1962.
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Teresa's Philips singles
_____________________________
  1. The Ballad Of Lover's Hill /Not Like a Sister _ _ _ _ _ _ 1962
  2. She'll Never Love You Like I Do /The Thrill Is Gone _ _1963
  3. Second Hand Rose /Stand-In
  4. He Understands Me /Just Before We Say Goodbye
  5. Come On In /Simple Things _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1964
  6. Dern Ya (Dang Me) /Mama Never Told Me
  7. Goldfinger /Make Room For One More Fool _ _ _ _ _ _ 1965
  8. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious /I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
  9. Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart /What About Mine
  10. Little Buddy /Little Bitty Grain Of Sand
  11. Handle With Care/I Can't Remember Ever Loving You_1966
  12. Evil On Your Mind /Ain't Had No Loving _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1966
(highlighted titles can be heard by pressing)

Teresa's Philips albums
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  1. Teresa Brewer's Greatest Hits _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1962
  2. Terrific Teresa _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1963
  3. Moments To Remember _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1964
  4. Golden Hits Of 1964
  5. Dear Heart, Goldfinger & Other Great Movie Songs _1965
  6. Songs For Our Fighting Men _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1966
  7. Gold Country
  8. Texas Leather and Mexican Lace _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1967

To hear song samples press the title:
Second Hand Rose
He Understands Me
She'll Never Love You Like I Do
I Love You Drops
The Comancheros
Texas Leather and Mexican Lace
Ballad Of Lover's Hill



MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC:

Outside the 60s, this song was Teresa's crowning glory, her trademark. A #1 hit in 1950, she rerecorded it several times. You must get to know the other versions, while there's someone around to show you. I'm spelling the titles the way each label had it. Press the highlighted title to hear the sample.

1. Music! Music! Music! - 1950 London label. This is the one you find on current compilation albums, the original. My sample is from old vinyl, and only for comparison.

2. (Put Another Nickel In) Music! Music! Music! - Coral label recording for the 1955 album of that name.

3. Music, Music, Music - Philips label for their 1962 Greatest Hits LP. This is a patented Nashville production.

4. Music, Music, Music - Amsterdam label rock and roll style version (did you know?), for a single and 1973 album of that name, where there were several R&R style renditions. It was her then-husband Bob Thiele who operated that label.

5. Music, Music, Music - 1974 RCA label rerecording, for an album The Best Of TB. Here is a definitive new rendition true to the original but more perfectly done. Notice how she has developed her technique in speaking the line "come on everybody...keep that old nickelodeon playing". It was later also released on an RCA single, and was included on other albums.

6. Music, Music, Music - 1976 Disco version on the Signature label. Yes. A single in a longer and short version.

The R&B group The Sensations, of Let Me In fame, did a rendition of this song in 1961. It did become a small hit, at #54. There aren't many others who have done it, since Teresa pretty well "owns" it. This leads us to some interesting confusion over voices. Some people think the lead singer of The Sensations was Sue Thompson. No, it was Yvonne Baker. Some people mistake Sue Thompson songs like Norman as being by Teresa Brewer. Passing time and lack of reference books creates many such errors now. With these similar voices, it's interesting how birds of a feather have come together in this. Hear a sample:
Music Music Music - The Sensations



MORE MUSIC

I Wouldn't Dream Of It - an amazing ballad from the Terrific Teresa album
Gonna Get Along Without You Now (1964) - Philips rerecording of her 1952 Coral hit, which was the origin of this song.
Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart
Come On In - 1964 single
Dern Ya (Dang Me) - answer to Roger Miller.
Hello Louis (Hello Dolly)
A Hard Day's Night - from the Movie themes LP
Goldfinger - with gunshot sound effects ("Violence Warning").
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - From Mary Poppins. Which part of this is hard to spell for ya huh? In a 1960s pop-rock style.
Ballad of the Green Berets - from the album Songs For Our Fighting Men.
Ride-a-Roo
Step To the Rear - 1968 SSS International single.
Live a Little - flip of Step To Rear, both from the musical "How Now Dow Jones".
Thoroughly Modern Millie - 1967 ABC single. Performer listed as "Bob Thiele and his New Happy Times Orchestra featuring Teresa Brewer special guest star".
Give Me Your Kisses - she had one guest vocal on Bob Thiele's 1972 LP "Those Were the Days"
Unliberated Woman - 1975 Signature single. Lyrics are as good as you think, and the music comes off impressive.
Tonight I Sleep Alone - A 1977 single which got attention for frank sexual lyrics.
No Way Conway - #68 in 1983. Yes it's a humorous play on Conway Twitty's name.


Early 1970s rock recordings

Her 1973 Amsterdam album with the rock theme.


I love this portrait.
If you need to read the contents you can handle the image by clicking on it.
Samples:
Music To the Man
Late Night Movie
School Days
Playground In My Mind
Give Me Love

In 1973-74 Teresa and her new husband Bob Thiele recorded and produced some songs in England, mostly rock-flavored. Instrumental backing bands used had names like "Head Hands and Feet", and "Oily Rags".
One production was a new recording by Jim Lowe of his 1956 hit Green Door. It wasn't a hit but I found one copy of it on planet Earth, so it should be known. Teresa contributes her voice in the background. Press to listen.

The second Amsterdam album that resulted was "Teresa Brewer In London With Oily Rags". Here's the toughest song from that one: Mama Sure Could Swing a Deal.
A Teresa vocal that wasn't on any album was a 1974 rock version of the 1957 hit Bo Weevil, another rare single. Hear it here.












CHRISTMAS

In 1956/57 Teresa released a rare Christmas album titled "At Christmas Time". It was later reissued as a CD named "Down the Holiday Trail". It is very suitable for children. Before each song she has some cute dialog with her three young daughters. Here's a link to the complete ALBUM.
Other Teresa Christmas links:
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (1953)
All Teresa's 1950s Christmas singles




TERESA Disco

In addition to the short disco single of Music MM under More Music above, here are other disco songs I know of. The 12" single had 4 and 6 minute versions. On her 1977 LP "Teresa Brewer's New Album" (Image Records #IM 306) there were four other disco selections.

Music MM - 12" single 4 min
Music MM - 12" 6 min
Moonglow
Hello Dolly
I've Got You Under My Skin
Forever and Ever

TERESA'S MOVIE career was spectacular but brief. She was voted by Americans as most popular female singer, and was chosen to star in the 1953 musical "Those Redheads From Seattle". Then she chose to not continue with an acting career. Here is a screenshot from the preview of that movie:


Here's a link to see the full PREVIEW for the movie.


Articles: Go to this LINK to see or download some articles.


In Memory

Teresa died October 17, 2007 of an illness. In tribute, from Songs For Our Fighting Men:

Til We Meet Again


References______________________________________

Visit her official fansite at teresafans.org. You can see her complete discography, including contents of all albums. You can hear many of her songs.

allmusic.com is an encyclopedia of everyone's recordings.
Wikipedia has many such articles.

Facebook Fans Of Teresa Brewer (link) 




Anyone is welcome to make comments, by pressing Comments below.
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Jimmy Velvet and Jimmy Velvit - singers.


(Updated August 23, 2014)

These were two separate rock and roll singers from the 1960s. They make a very interesting story. There has been confusion among record collectors for decades.
Velvet is Jimmy Tennant, Velvit is James Mullins. They worked together in the early 60s, Tennant acting as manager for Mullins. Then they split due to disagreements.
Mullins started everything by recording We Belong Together in Texas in 1961. He was noticed, and became part of a tour with Chuck Berry. When American Bandstand tried to find him they couldn't locate him. Tennant then took his place, using the show name Jimmy Velvet. From there Tennant (Velvet) became the celebrity, and Mullins (Velvit) faded. Velvet became championned by Dick Clark. His own rendition of We Belong Together became a minor national top 100 hit, as well as his recording of It's Almost Tomorrow.
They are both still around and have kept doing occasional recording.


LEFT: JIMMY VELVET (TENNANT)
RIGHT: JIMMY VELVIT (MULLINS)




Velvet 201 single from 1963. Sung by Tennant, copying both sides of Mullins' previous single:












Notice that the label is printed with the name VELVIT, and it appears that the I has been changed with a marker into E. You can right-click and view an image larger. These are newly arranged by Bill Justis, which was not the case with Mullins' record. This is a hopelessly rare record. He released this on his own label, which did not get enough distribution. Feel free to post any knowledge you have.
When ABC-Paramount released his rendition nationally in 1963 as #10488, he put "History Of Love" on the other side, and never did I'm Gonna Try again.

Song samples:
We Belong Together by Jimmy Velvit (Mullins)
We Belong Together by Jimmy Velvet (Tennant)
I'm Gonna Try by Mullins
I'm Gonna Try by Tennant


Here are some Jimmy Velvet biographical notes from his obscure 1973 album "Blue Velvet". At the time he was still recording and releasing on his own "Music City Records". To view it separately more clearly, click on it.




Jimmy Velvit biographical notes from a 2000 CD "The Original Jimmy Velvit - Rockin' With Velvit ...the 1960s" on the Seduction label, #SCD-102. It's a good one to get, if only it were available.


There's a certain amount of lying or misinformation in the hit claims. Neither one of them had a national #1 hit, only local. And only Tennant appeared on the Billboard top 100 - his We Belong Together was #75 in 1963 on the ABC-Paramount label, and It's Almost Tomorrow was #93 in 1965 on the Philips label.


Jimmy Velvit's national releases
After releasing some songs and having local Dallas hits on the Division label, MGM's Cub label released two of them nationally:
Sometimes At Night /Look At Me ____1961 Cub #9100
We Belong Together /I'm Gonna Try __1962 Cub #9105

The James Velvet single

As if there wasn't enough confusion in this, Cub also released #9111 in 1962 by James Velvet. This was a completely different Motown negro singer. It contained Bouquet Of Flowers and When I Needed You.

Listen to samples of both sides:
James Velvet - Bouquet Of Flowers, When I Needed You

Tennant and Mullins working together

Here's a clue on how they worked together in the early 1960s. Tennant actually became quite involved in the music business, and set up his own booking agency in Dallas. This poster shows one of his productions, which included Jimmy Velvit. This would be Mullins singing, not Tennant, before Tennant started using the Velvet name. Soon after this his venture folded and he returned to Florida.
Recording engineer Phil York of Dallas has the only photo of the two Jimmys together, in the recording studio. We could use more information on their involvement at the time. Tennant doesn't mention Mullins in his book "Inside the Dream".

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