Country Pop Singer Skeeter Davis 

Skeeter Davis, born Mary Frances Penick in 1931, was a trailblazing American country-pop singer whose career spanned over five decades.

Early Career

• Formed The Davis Sisters duo in the late 1940s with friend Betty Jack Davis.

• Their 1953 hit “I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know” topped the country charts for eight weeks.

• Tragedy struck that same year when Betty Jack died in a car accident; Skeeter was seriously injured but survived.

• Launched her solo career in the late 1950s under RCA Victor, working closely with producer Chet Atkins.

• Became one of the first female country artists to cross over into pop with hits like:

  • “Set Him Free” (1959) – Grammy-nominated

  • “(I Can’t Help You) I’m Falling Too” (1960)

  • “My Last Date (With You)” (1960)

🎤 Solo Stardom

Here’s a nostalgic trip through the most popular songs during The Summer month of June

Here are some top songs from the 1970s that were popular in the month of June:

• June 1970 – The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles

• June 1971 – It's Too Late – Carole King

• June 1972 – Song Sung Blue – Neil Diamond

• June 1973 – My Love – Paul McCartney & Wings

• June 1974 – Billy Don't Be a Hero – Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods

• June 1975 – Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille

• June 1976 – Silly Love Songs – Paul McCartney & Wings

• June 1977 – Got to Give It Up – Marvin Gaye

• June 1978 – Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb

• June 1979 – Hot Stuff – Donna Summer

 These all are jukebox favorites and classics hear them on Sunbeam oldies.  

What happened on this day in music history from the book Eight Days a Week by Ron Smith Heights Publishing Co. On The Week in May 9 to May 16

TEEN IDOLS  50's thru 70's 

Spinning Those Records

Let's Hear more about the Song Sea Cruise

Frankie Ford recorded and released his iconic version of "Sea Cruise" in December 1958, using the original backing track by Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns2. One of his most memorable performances of the song was on "American Bandstand" in 1959, which helped catapult the track to mainstream popularity.

"Sea Cruise" had a big impact on the development of ska and early reggae. Its upbeat tempo, offbeat rhythm, and New Orleans R&B swagger were key ingredients that Jamaican musicians absorbed and reinterpreted in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Here’s how it connects:

• Rhythmic Influence: The shuffle rhythm and boogie-woogie piano in "Sea Cruise" mirrored the jump blues and R&B sounds that heavily influenced ska’s signature offbeat guitar chops and walking bass lines.

• Sound System Culture: Jamaican DJs like Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid imported American R&B records—including hits like "Sea Cruise"—to play at dance parties. These records were so popular that local musicians.

  • began creating their own versions, which evolved into ska.

  • Vocal Style: Frankie Ford’s energetic, almost shouted vocal delivery inspired ska vocalists to adopt a similarly exuberant style, often with call-and-response patterns and playful phrasing.

• So while "Sea Cruise" wasn’t a ska song itself, it was part of the sonic DNA that helped birth the genre. 

The Story Behind the Song 

The idea behind "Along Came Jones" by The Coasters is a clever parody of old Western melodramas and silent film serials like The Perils of Pauline. Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1959, the song pokes fun at the formulaic “damsel in distress” plots that were common in TV and film at the time2.

It tells the story of a villain named Salty Sam who repeatedly puts Sweet Sue in peril—tying her to railroad tracks, threatening her with dynamite, and more—all in an attempt to steal her ranch. Each time, the hero Jones, a “long, lean, lanky” cowboy, shows up just in time to save her. The twist? The narrator is just watching all this unfold on TV, flipping channels and grabbing snacks during commercial breaks.

The song also draws inspiration from the 1945 Gary Cooper film Along Came Jones, which itself was a satire of Westerns. What made the Coasters’ version stand out was how it used humor and Black voices to lampoon a genre that was overwhelmingly white at the time—years before Blazing Saddles did something similar on the big screen.

It’s a fun, satirical take that blends pop culture, parody, and a bit of social commentary.

What was the first real Rock N Roll record.

The origin of rock 'n' roll is a hotly debated topic, but many historians credit "Rocket 88", recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats in 1951, as the first rock 'n' roll record. The song was produced by the legendary Sam Phillips—the founder of Sun Records—and featured Ike Turner’s band.

It blended rhythm and blues with the driving energy that would come to define rock 'n' roll. While earlier records contributed to the genre's formation, "Rocket 88" is often seen as the one that solidified the sound.

Yes, Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88," recorded in 1951, predates DJ Alan Freed's coining of the term "rock 'n' roll." Freed, a Cleveland-based radio personality, is credited with popularizing the phrase in the early 1950s to describe the music he was playing on his radio show, blending rhythm and blues with a new, youthful energy.

While Freed gave the genre its name and helped bring it into mainstream culture, the roots of rock 'n' roll, as shown by songs like "Rocket 88," were already forming in the rhythm and blues scene. This makes the history of rock 'n' roll a fascinating mix of cultural influences and innovations!

Carrie Anne" is a 1967 pop hit by British band The Hollies, known for its catchy melody and rich vocal harmonies. Written by band members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks, the song blends pop-rock with a slight Caribbean influence, thanks to its distinctive steel drum solo. A reflection on young love and admiration, "Carrie Anne" became one of The Hollies’ most beloved tracks and showcases their signature 60s sound.

History of Laurel Canyon the Music Hub of Artists

Laurel Canyon was a magical place for music in the 1960s and 1970s, where artists like The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, and The Doors lived and created some of the most influential songs of the era. It was a melting pot of creativity, where musicians collaborated, partied, and shaped the folk-rock and psychedelic sound that defined a generation.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Laurel Canyon was how it fostered spontaneous collaborations—Mama Cass of The Mamas & the Papas famously introduced Graham Nash to David Crosby and Stephen Stills, leading to the formation of Crosby, Stills & Nash. The area also had its share of mystery and intrigue, with stories about Jim Morrison, Frank Zappa, and even Charles Manson lurking in the background.