Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers dies at 74

Phil Everly, who with his brother, Don, made up the most revered vocal duo of the rock-music era, their exquisite harmonies profoundly influencing the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and countless younger-generation rock, folk and country singers, died Friday in Burbank of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his wife, Patti Everly, told The Times. He was 74.

“We are absolutely heartbroken,” she said, noting that the disease was the result of a lifetime of cigarette smoking. “He fought long and hard.”

Read more:

Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers dies at 74 – latimes.com.

Earl Carroll, Singer for the Cadillacs and Coasters Dies at 75

Earl Carroll, a lead singer of the Cadillacs and later a member of rival singing group The Coasters, died Sunday, Nov. 25, at the age of 75. He had been staying at a nursing home in New York City, and was suffering from a stroke and diabetes.

Carroll is best known for his part in the doo-wop 1950s group the Cadillacs, which he co-founded. Their hits included “Gloria,” “You Are,” “Wishing Well,” “My Girlfriend,” “Peek-a-Boo,” a jive version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Speedo,” which was titled after his nickname.

Read more by clicking below:

via Earl Carroll Dead: Singer for the Cadillacs and Coasters Dies at 75 – Spinner.

Herb Reed of The Platters – R.I.P.

Herb Reed, who was the last surviving member of the Platters’ five original members, founded the popular R&B group in Los Angeles in 1953. “Only You” and “The Great Pretender” were among their hits. Reed passed away on June 4, 2012.

(Read more here:)
Herb Reed obituary: Founder of the Platters dies at 83 – latimes.com.

Laura’s Oldies Connection on Tumblr

NEW! For music, TV, movies and vintage ads from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, check out my new blog on Tumblr.

Laura’s Oldies Connection.

Dick Clark Obituary on Legacy.com

Obituary and guest book for Dick Clark on Legacy.com:

Dick Clark Obituary: The Obituary and Death Notice of Dick Clark | Legacy.com.

Dick Clark,’America’s Oldest Teenager,’ Dies at 82

It’s the end of an era. R.I.P. Dick Clark, who passed away on April 18, 2012, following a massive heart attack.

Dick Clark, Entertainment Icon Nicknamed ‘America’s Oldest Teenager,’ Dies at 82 – ABC News.

See also:

Dick Clark’s Official Site

Dick Clark’s Wikipedia page

 

Herb Oscar Anderson: On the Air at WOSN FM

Legendary radio jock Herb Oscar Anderson, who was the morning deejay at Musicradio WABC (770 AM) in New York City from 1960 to 1968, continues to serve up some wonderful music at his current station in Vero Beach, FL. HOA can be heard every Saturday from 2:00 – 3:00 PM on WOSN, 97.1 FM. Although the station doesn’t stream over the Net, Herb’s shows are archived on the site every week.

Herb Oscar’s radio programs are very entertaining and well formatted. He starts off each week’s show by singing his theme song, “Hello Again,” live with prerecorded music; and during the show he will sing another song or two, quite often a tune from the Big Band era. He presents songs from multiple eras and genres, mainly from the 1960s and ’70s, the recordings many of us grew up with, and quite a few of which he’d presented during his tenure at 77 WABC. You never know what you’ll hear during HOA’s broadcast; his shows are always full of pleasant surprises.

To read more about Herb, and to listen to and/or download Herb’s Saturday shows, please visit this page:

97.1 Ocean: WOSN FM.

Petition: Induct Clay Cole into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Clay Cole was a true pioneer of the rock and roll era. Even for those not fortunate enough to live in an area where his 1960s TV show aired, there’s no denying that Clay was one of those notable non-performers who hosted many of the great performers of the day – not just on television but also on stage and screen. Today, Clay is continuing to host concerts – now oldies concerts – and making personal appearances to promote his fantastic new book. Please click here to sign the petition to induct Clay into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

Tampa Bay Oldies Fans

I have created a Facebook group for fans of oldies music (1950s, 1960s and 1970s) who live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.  If you enjoy attending concerts by the original artists and checking out oldies shows and events here in Tampa Bay, this group may be for you.  Its main focus is to share news of upcoming shows and links to the websites of local venues, oldies radio stations, and the like.

So, if you are a year-round or seasonal resident of Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough, Hernando, Sarasota, Manatee, Citrus or Polk County, or frequently visit the area, please check out Tampa Bay Oldies Fans.  Companion website coming soon!