Archive for April, 2006

He has a sound that was all his own. A sound that is as original today as it was back in 1951 when he burst on the scene. He learned guitar from the legendary Charlie Patton and harmonica from the influential Sonny Boy Williamson. Put those influences together with his natural growl and you have Howlin’ Wolf. This week, Matt The Cat will look at Wolf’s early work with Sam Phillips in Memphis along with the world famous sides that he cut with the Chess Brothers in Chicago. Hear the Cat prowl with the Wolf, all week on Harlem.

Harlem Airs on the 50s on 5:
Monday 4/10 @ 1pm EST
Tuesday Night 4/11 at 9pm PST and Midnight EST
Friday 4/14 @ 6pm EST
Sunday 4/16 @ 11am EST

Today we lost one of the greatest voices and songwriters of the 1960s. It appears that Gene Pitney died peacefully in his hotel bed at the Hilton in Cardiff, Wales, UK. During the ’60s, he wrote hit tunes for Ricky Nelson (Hello Mary Lou) and The Crystals (He’s A Rebel) and scored hit after hit himself with his own compositions and those of Bert Bacharach and Hal David. He embraced the coming British Invasion by being the first American to record a Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition (The Girl Belongs To Yesterday). His voice was so passionate and powerful, he could make almost any tune come alive. I got to see Gene Pitney perform live about 14 years ago at the North Shore Music Theatre in Massachusetts. He put on a great performance and even wished me a happy birthday right from the stage. Gene was a class act thru and thru.

Tonight, remember and celebrate the music of Gene Pitney on the Night Prowl Show (7-11pm EST) on the 50s on 5.

Soulfully,

Matt The Cat