60s music
Groove along to Beat Media's breakdown of the bands, artists, songs and culture that defined the 60s.
Great Songs by Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney an American singer, songwriter, musician and sound engineer came into this world on February 17. 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut. He had two older and two younger siblings and the family lived in Rockville, Connecticut. At Rockville High School he formed his first band Gene & the Genials. He was crazy about doo-wop and sang with a group called The Embers.
By Rasma Raisters3 years ago in Beat
Blast From The Past...... My musical days with the late Ike Turner.
Good vibes with the late Ike Turner. By Diana Thornley aka Rainy Knight It's 1996 now as friend/producer Frankie in North Hollywood, California suggested I meet Ike Turner for musical purposes after hearing me sing my original song "Dark Cloud ". We debated the idea back and forth till we came up with a yes. Frankie said as a producer it wasnt his style but it was Ikes. Months went by until the introduction. I got a call and invitation to meet Ike and his wife for dinner one summer evening. He and his wife picked me up and we went to Laury's for dinner. Ike was very generous and had invited a couple other people to join us. This was the beginning. Ike said he was planning his solo comeback album which he later won an award for. At the time I'd signed a single deal with TBRC records and was waiting to record an indie single in studio city. Once they picked me up after coming from a tour and we went to Mnm's soul food with his wife and some other friends. I had just bought the new Johnny Lang cassette Lie to Me and after playing it he realized his song Matchbox was on it that he'd written. Interesting. It was 1997. Ike passed out his headshots out to passersby outside the restaurant. At a later date I played him my music videos and most recent studio project. I lived close to the van nuys flyaway and it was convenient at times to call me when they flew in from tourdates with the ikettes. His wife Jeanette invited me to their home in San Marco's for a couple days. He had referred to me as that hippie chick that sounds like Wolf man Jack once. I thought that was .funny. He had a certain charm to him and an old school manner ..once I recall him walking me into the drugstore as I ran an errand as if he was a protector. And very protective which was very nice. Ike and Jeanette were in love and a great loving couple. Once on a Christmas day he was in the area and called and i came downstairs and he opened his car trunk and gave me his headshot and a 100 dollar bill for a Christmas present. That was so cool.of him. Another time while visiting the Turners we had decided to go shopping and I was between jobs so not wanting me to feel left out Ike stuck another hundred and couple twenties in my pocket to shop. I thought that was very generous and thoughtful of him. Jeanette was a great lady and singer and a wonderful cook and did so with her southern cooking. I loved hanging out there and getting to sing with Ike . Finally one day on another christmas I called Ike and sang to him a song idea I had been working . He created a rough track and gave it to me to write on as a scratch tape. I was so stoked and excited to write a song with him called Friction. He was a legend and I felt so blessed. I had been a huge Ike and Tina Turner fan as many were from that era. One night I was woken up at 3 am by his wife to jam and sing with ike as he did late hours. This was my chance to show him what I could do and I was excited to try. He said my voice was unique and cute...not exactly what I was going for but I'll take it. Ike knew I was out of work and was going on tour so he asked me to an ikette rehearsal. I loved watching the girls perform but really didnt feel I had the coordination to pull off the performance as a dancer. However I did appreciate the offer and opportunity. I recall one evening as I was talking to Jeanette..I'd worked for years as a phone psychic advisor and wanted me to channel an old friend who'd passed on. At the same time I drank all their Godiva white chocolate for their guests although they did not indulge I shared my song catalog with her. I know she was very helpful in getting me the opportunity to work with Ike Later on after my publisher and ike came to an understanding of our song agreement. At a later date I was working with another indie and was gigging playing some songs we had written together...ike and I from the scratch tape. They came to a gig I performed with the label at The Joint in santa Monica. Leroy Lovett and his wife were present, my then publisher and ike and Jeanette came with friends.and it was great to see them again after so long. Another time Ike had invited me to Harvelles to his gig in Santa Monica. nid invited six friends but there was no room for them because of limited space..uh oh. I so enjoyed my time those couple of years with the Ike camp. It was a very special and memorable time for me. I'll always be grateful for their kindness to me. Ike Turner is gone now. I'm so glad he was able to make his comeback as a blues legend and achieve the success he deserved Ike was like an uncle and I was greatly saddened when his daughter told me of his passing. May he rest in peace.
By Diana Thornley3 years ago in Beat
Guide To Creating A Successful Catalogue For Your Products
A catalogue plays a vital role in elevating your sales numbers. It provides the first impression of your products to your customers. By creating a good first impression, it can easily convert a lead into a sale.
By us comfort3 years ago in Beat
The Joy Of Making A Noise
It was Christmas Day 1964 when I first learned the art and the joy of making a noise. My hardworking mother had somehow found the wherewithal to buy a Dansette record player and half a dozen singles. Of those six singles the only ones I can remember are 'Six Fools' by Texas Bill Strength, 'Wait Til The Sun Shines Nelly' by Buddy Holly, and 'She Loves You' by the Beatles. The first two really didn't do anything for me to be honest. 'She Loves You' set me on fire. This was the first time in my life that a sound set the hairs on the back of my neck on end. It really was such a beautiful noise.
By Adam Evanson3 years ago in Beat
Black People Music
My grandma was quite the character. She was a no nonsense kind of woman and how she felt things was how she said them. When she said her peace about something it always seemed as if, no matter how harsh, cruel, or even funny, there was no other way to say it but that. She was the first Black nurse in the small town of Tracy, CA and in the whole county for that matter. She was from Louisiana and every where she went she made sure to permeate the room with southern charm. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been incredibly hard working. She went back to nursing school at the age of 38, to provide for her family. She retook every class that she got a B in so that she would have a 4.0. My grandma once told me a story of when she was a cleaning girl. The white family she worked for had it in their agreement that they would provide one meal for every work day. She had no idea that that one meal would be served on the dirty slab of concrete that lead to the back yard. She also told me the story of how, as a nurse, one of her patients, a racist white man with AIDS, took the needle out of his arm and stuck it into hers. She worried and tested for years thinking that she had certainly contracted HIV from the mans wicked actions.
By Enajite Pela 3 years ago in Beat
A Song from 1958 Helped Me Discover My Hobby
What's my favorite hobby? My favorite hobby is… Wait a minute. You know what? Let's play a game for this particular topic. I don't want to make it too easy. Enough with all the dry and vaguely-written essays that can't connect with the reader.
By Ioannis Dedes3 years ago in Beat
They’re coming to take me away (ha ha)
There was a one hit wonder recording in i1966 that made it to number 3 on Billboards top 100 chart that in today’s cancel culture might be considered inappropriate. The song was by Jerrold "Jerry" Samuels who was born on May 3 1938. The singer, songwriter and producer.used the pseudonym Napoleon XIV, for his novelty song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" There is no singing only spoken rhyme and the musical number nstruments consist of a snare drum, tambourine , and hand claps.The B side of the record is simply the A side played in reverse.
By Cheryl E Preston3 years ago in Beat
The Genius of Junior Walker
Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. is a name that might not be recognizable but you have surely heard of Junior Walker. He is known to the world for his musical contributions and is best known for his 1964 hit SHOTGUN which was recorded as Junior Walker & the All Stars. Each time I hear this song in recent years, an image from the movie COOLEY HIGH comes to mind because this song was playing during a poignant scene.
By Cheryl E Preston3 years ago in Beat
The Brill Building
As a songwriter, one of the first places I had to go to when I moved to New York in 1999 was the Brill Building at Broadway and 49th Street. It was, quite simply, a pilgrimage of sorts to walk the sidewalks where the songwriting greats walked and created.
By Julie O'Hara - Author, Poet and Spiritual Warrior3 years ago in Beat