The 1940s was the decade of fantastic instrumentals, great bands and swell music. Then came the 1950s and the rise of Rock & Roll and that was wonderful, but the fifties still continued to provide us a lot of instrumental hits, with many finding their place in the top 20 and even the top 10. With each passing decade, however, we saw fewer and fewer instrumentals that were memorable and have arrived today at a point where I can't remember when an instrumental made the charts. I don't think it's just because I don't listen as much to the music of the 1990s and 2000s; I think the instrumentals have just gone to their happy hunting grounds. But we have the memories of EARLY AMERICAN BANDSTAND, when in the late 1950s and early 1960s, we ...
Hello Frank...just couldn't miss your birthday. February 5 is your special day, but it's also very special for all of us who watched you on AB in the late 1950s. You gave us wonderful memories. You were a class act then and are a class act today. May you always be happy and enjoy every single moment of life, as I know you do. It is a privilege to know you and Elisabeth. HAPPY BIRTHDAY and many more!
I was thinking of the great songs of 1958 and found a top 100 list for 1958. I thought about the memories associated with each of those songs which I remember so well. Memories of watching the dancers on American Bandstand as they scooted out to the floor with their partners to dance to many of these hits. And then there were the fun songs like this one - "Witch Doctor." Who can forget the "ting, tang, walla walla bing bang" lyrics. Nonsensical to be sure--fun for positive. An interesting article I came upon regarding this song, I wanted to share. Please enjoy this article by Mike Bellah: ting, tang, walla walla bing bang. Have a wonderful Wednesday and don't blame me if these words keep running through your brain all day.
Going back to winters in Philadelphia ~ Early American Bandstand style, I thought I would just put up some pictures of the Regulars and also one of Pop Singer & his wife dressed up for the winter weather. Some of us viewers of the show remember the day when there were few in attendance at the studio due to the severe snow storm and Dick Clark opened up the back door and they went outside. I don't remember a lot about that show but I sure remember the cold that almost swept out from the TV screen when that door was opened. It was really neat. I bet some of the Regulars and others who went to the show can remember days when the weather made it almost impossible to get there. Still, the show must go on and the studio always seemed filled
...a White Christmas. Now that's not likely to happen here in my part of Southern California, as we have to travel nearly 100 miles to our local mountains. So in lieu of being able to be in the snow and to help make everyone's Christmas bright, I am playing this video that has been one of my very favorites since first seeing it last Christmas. The family is joyful, cute and talented. I think they have done a delightful job of putting together this video which I am putting a link to: Wishing you a Merry 'Vintage' Christmas ENJOY! ...and now in keeping with this being an American Bandstand blog, I share with you a picture from the 1970s showing Cousins Carole Scaldeferri and Diana Benero. Both were Regulars in the early days of ...
Connie Francis was integral to the Early American Bandstand days. She appeared on the show a number of times. I found this lovely video of her doing a Christmas song, so we will manage two things at one time here--to wish her a wonderful birthday and many more and to bring some more Christmas joy.
I have recently heard from Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson by phone and via e-mail. She wanted me to have this as a lst-time exclusive showing for my website. This material as well as other materials at my website are not to be used elsewhere on the WEB without not only my permission but the permission of my original contributors. Here is Bunny's message, followed by a picture and an article. I hope you enjoy both. When the Regulars keep American Bandstand memories alive by attending events and sharing with my website, as a number of popular Regulars have done, it reminds us all of the impact of the wonderful American Bandstand show that has held up through the decades. We are all so thankful for it.
Hello everyone,
This picture premiers at my website on 11/27/2011 courtesy of Ronald Joseph Caponigro who was an American Bandstand Regular in the 1950s. This picture is not new to the WEB, but new to my website. There are links in this write-up to some rare videos that I feel certain you will enjoy and there will be more to come. Be sure to click on "read more" for links to those priceless videos. ENJOY
RJ (as he is known) has a number of pages on the WEB and I have been referred to them and given courtesy to use here some of these materials. I remember Ronald Joseph and especially from the roll calls on the show. American Bandstand Regular Carole Scaldeferri Spada re-united with him on 11/23/11 (her birthday) while at a ...
I bet you thought I was going to Say It's just about that time for Thanksgiving...or Christmas? Well, not quite. It's just about that time for two very special people's late November birthdays. Oh, we're not late with the good wishes--it's just their birthdays come in late November. These two special people are ICONS of the Early American Bandstand days. No suspense here...it's Regular Carole Scaldeferri and American Bandstand host extraordinaire--Dick Clark. And they were close on the show too, having great respect for each other and through the years that has remained true. To be respected by Dick Clark means that you have to be genuine. Oh, he may promote some stars as part of the business he is in, but when it comes to ...
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As most of us are preparing for Thanksgiving, there are also many already putting up Christmas decorations as some visitors and loves ones might not be able to be with us on both holidays so we want hearth and home to encompass the warmth and love of the two holidays. This little song is bound to put you in a happy mood and stave off any unpleasantries out there. So be happy and enjoy this blog post that will remain here a while but will then be deleted. There's nothing written in cement that says all blog posts must go to archive. Some are just to be enjoyed for the moment...the season. And now, here's a tiny tie-in to Early AB theme: picture courtesy Justine Carrelli and labeled by her "Justine &......
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