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THE KINGSTON TRIO
STRING ALONG
CAPITOL, 1960
I had already heard The Kingston Trio’s model of “The John B Sails” – the unique title of “Sloop John B” – when String Alongside got here out in 1960. It was their fifth album and the final one with unique member Dave Guard. I simply liked each tune on it. On the time, nothing beat their folks sound and ideal harmonies. It’s nonetheless considered one of my all-time favourites and actually takes me again to my early days once I was in my very own folks trio known as The Islanders. I preferred their striped shirts too, ha-ha!
GEORGE GERSHWIN
“RHAPSPDY IN BLUE”
VICTOR MACHINE TALKING CO, 1924
That is in all probability my all-time favorite tune, and it’s so wonderful {that a} tune that’s virtually 100 years outdated remains to be so highly effective – it actually knocks me out each time I hear it. I additionally loved Brian’s Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin album that options all of our present Brian Wilson band members: Darian Sahanaja, Probyn Gregory, Paul Von Mertens, Mike D’Amico and Gary Griffin, plus the late Nicky Marvel – RIP – and likewise Jeffrey Foskett. If there’s a George Gershwin Music Corridor Of Fame, Brian needs to be in it!
FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS
WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE
GEE, 1956
I feel Frankie Lymon was solely 12 when he joined [the band that would become] The Youngsters and [not much older when] they launched their huge hit “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”. I liked that doo-wop sound within the late-’50s, however this tune specifically actually hit me with its catchy melody and expressive vocals. The Seaside Boys recorded it in early 1964 after which we launched it because the B-side to “Enjoyable, Enjoyable, Enjoyable”. We nonetheless love enjoying it reside – it simply takes me again to a extremely harmless time within the early days of rock’n’roll and I nonetheless have the 45 in my very own private jukebox.
LEAD BELLY
COTTON FIELDS (THE COTTON SONG)
FOLKWAYS, 1953
Huddie Ledbetter (aka Lead Stomach) first recorded “The Cotton Music” in 1940 and I first heard it within the mid-’50s. I liked Lead Stomach’s vocals and naturally his 12-string guitar sound however it was actually his heartfelt emotional lyrics written in the course of the Nice Melancholy that affected me. I used to be decided to file a brand new model for The Seaside Boys at a time after we have been going off in fairly a number of completely different musical instructions. We launched “Cotton Fields” on our 20/20 album and it ended up being our final single launched in mono and on Capitol on the time.