Johnny Rock and Roll Radio

06/11/2025

Still Glamorous at 86 — Connie Stevens Shines On

Here she is — the one and only Connie Stevens, looking absolutely radiant at 86 years young, and gearing up to celebrate her 87th birthday this August. A true Hollywood treasure, Connie has done it all — singer, actress, director, entrepreneur, humanitarian — and somehow, she still looks like she just stepped off the set of a 1960s dream.

Born Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia on August 8, 1938, Connie was destined for the spotlight. Her father was a jazz musician and her mother a singer — so it’s no surprise that young Connie had rhythm and charisma in her DNA. She got her start singing with The Three Debs before lighting up the screen and stage with her unmistakable charm.

She skyrocketed to fame in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, thanks in part to her breakout role as the bubbly Cricket Blake on the hit detective series Hawaiian Eye (1959–1963). But that was just the beginning.

🎶 MUSIC NOTES:
Connie was not just a TV sweetheart — she was a bona fide pop star. Her 1960 hit “Sixteen Reasons” soared to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over a million copies. That song became an anthem for a generation of swooning teenagers and solidified her place in early rock 'n' roll history.

🎬 ON THE BIG SCREEN:
Connie appeared in a string of beloved films, including Parrish (1961), Susan Slade (1961), Palm Springs Weekend (1963), and Grease 2 (1982), among many others. She often played the sweet, innocent ingenue — but offscreen, she was a savvy businesswoman and eventually a director, blazing a path for women behind the camera.

📺 TV LEGEND:
She was a staple of variety shows and talk shows — appearing with Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Ed Sullivan, and Jerry Lewis — and she toured extensively with the USO, performing for American troops from Vietnam to the Middle East.

💄 BEAUTY BOSS:
Did you know Connie was also a cosmetics mogul? She founded Forever Spring, a successful line of skincare and beauty products that brought her natural charm and timeless elegance into homes across America.

🎤 AND SHE KEPT ON GOING...
Connie continued acting and singing for decades, and even made her directorial debut in 1997 with the acclaimed film Saving Grace B. Jones, which she also wrote and produced.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 FAMILY NOTES:
She’s the proud mother of actresses Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher (her daughters from her marriage to singer Eddie Fisher), both of whom inherited her talent and tenacity.

🎖️ HEART OF GOLD:
Stevens has received numerous honors for her dedication to veterans and humanitarian causes, including the Founders Medal for Patriotism and recognition from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for her tireless support of military families.

Connie Stevens isn't just aging gracefully — she's living gracefully, with a legacy as luminous as her smile. Here's to this trailblazing icon who’s still turning heads and turning pages in the history of entertainment.

Happy early 87th, Connie — the world still has 16 (and then some!) reasons to love you.

06/11/2025

This Friday Night at 8pm CST it the Vinyl Vault with Eric McCoy

Though Jerry Garcia is often idealized as a guru of the counterculture, the truth reflects a more complex man who favored collaboration over leadership. Within the vibrant world of 1960s San Francisco, Garcia emerged not as a spokesperson or a symbol, but as an artist deeply entrenched in a myriad of musical styles. His reluctance to embrace the role of a leader is encapsulated in his own words: "You can call me the boss, man, just don't expect me to make any decisions."

As a guitarist, he redefined boundaries, seamlessly navigating through various musical genres. His work with the Grateful Dead culminated in the groundbreaking album Live Dead, where he showcased his versatility through rock, blues, atonality, and jazz fusion. Tracks like "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and "Dark Star" highlight his extraordinary ability to transcend traditional musical confines. Garcia’s acoustic endeavors expanded the musical landscape even further, as seen in his collaborations with David Grisman, where they explored the roots of country and folk, and with Old and in the Way, which rejuvenated the bluegrass genre.

Bob Dylan aptly noted Garcia's unique position in music history: he traversed disparate musical worlds without being confined to any particular school. This expansive curiosity and willingness to embrace diverse influences allowed him to create a rich tapestry of sound.

Listen Live Friday Night at 8pm CST only on www.johnnyrockandrollradio.org

06/11/2025

In Memoriam: Brian Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025)

Today, the music world mourns the loss of a true visionary. Brian Wilson, co-founder and creative genius behind the Beach Boys, passed away at the age of 82, his family shared. He had been quietly battling a neurocognitive disorder since early 2024

Brian wasn’t just the architect of the “California sound”—he redefined what pop music could be. From sun-kissed surf hits like “Surfin' U.S.A.” and “I Get Around”, to the lush, experimental tapestries of Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations, he treated the recording studio like a symphony hall

Battling mental illness, addiction, and later dementia, Brian’s life was marked by both triumph and struggle. Yet his music endured—resonating through generations of artists and fans. He won multiple Grammys, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1988), and saw Pet Sounds enshrined by the Library of Congress

Though he departed this world quietly, Brian’s voice will live forever in the harmonies he created and the hearts he touched. His genius wasn’t just in melodies—it was in the mood, the innovation, and the yearning soul he poured into every note.

Rest in peace, Brian Wilson.
Your music remains our eternal horizon.

06/11/2025

Lights, laughter, and a lullaby gone wild!

In this unforgettable clip from the 1958 musical comedy “Rock-A-Bye Baby”, the legendary Jerry Lewis does what he did best—steal the show with slapstick, sincerity, and sheer star power.

The film, a loose remake of Preston Sturges’ “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek,” finds Lewis at the heart of a madcap baby boom as Clayton Poole, a hapless TV repairman who suddenly becomes the guardian of not one… not two… but three babies. And in true Jerry Lewis fashion, chaos ensues—with heart, hilarity, and a whole lotta diaper duty.

🎤 In this musical number, we see Lewis blending his zany physical comedy with genuine musical talent. His version of "Rock-A-Bye Baby" is both touching and wildly funny—a rare blend that only he could pull off.

Whether he was twisting his face into a cartoon or tapping into a surprisingly tender moment, Jerry Lewis had the unique ability to make audiences laugh and feel something all at once.

“Rock-A-Bye Baby” wasn’t just a box office hit—it was a showcase of Jerry at his peak, doing what only Jerry Lewis could do: turning sentiment into spectacle, and making parenthood look like a full-blown circus.

🎬 So roll the tape and enjoy this classic moment from a true comic genius.

Only on Johnny Rock and Roll Radio — where the past is always playing.

06/11/2025

Your Slice of Daily Bread with Pastor T Lobell

06/10/2025

If you know, you know.

06/10/2025

Hope to see YOU there!

August 8-10, 2025 - FredRod Show 'N Shine. Fredericton's Classic Car Show of the Summer in Officer's Square!

06/10/2025

06/10/2025

On this Day in Music History – June 10, 1910
Chester Arthur Burnett—better known to the world as the mighty Howlin’ Wolf—was born on this day in White Station, Mississippi in 1910.

A towering presence in every sense of the word—standing 6’6”, with a voice like gravel soaked in moonshine—Howlin’ Wolf wasn’t just a bluesman. He was a force of nature. And tonight, we honor him with this electric performance of one of his signature songs: “Smokestack Lightnin’.”

Recorded in 1956 but rooted in the Delta blues of decades prior, “Smokestack Lightnin’” became an anthem of longing, mystery, and raw emotion. Backed by the legendary Hubert Sumlin on guitar, the song was a hypnotic mix of rhythm, moan, and menace that would go on to influence everyone from The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin.

🎤 The title comes from Wolf watching sparks fly from passing trains at night as a child, a sight that stayed with him and became a metaphor for the pain of love and loss.

From the cotton fields of Mississippi to the blues clubs of Chicago, Howlin’ Wolf carried the fire of the Delta and lit it up with every howl, growl, and thunderous note. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991—not just for what he played, but for everything he inspired.

So let the Wolf howl loud and proud today.
Turn this one up and feel the roots of rock 'n' roll rumble through your bones.

Happy heavenly birthday to the Wolf.
🎶 “Oh-oh smokestack lightnin’… shinin’ just like gold…”

Johnny Rock and Roll Radio — where the blues run deep and the legends never fade.

06/10/2025

On this Day in Music History – June 10, 1967
A haunting organ. A surreal lyric. And a voice that seemed to rise straight out of a dream.

Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" hit #1 on the UK charts on this day in 1967 after selling over 356,000 copies in just three weeks. In the U.S., it would reach #5 by late July—but the song’s impact went far beyond chart positions.

Merging Bach-inspired Baroque stylings with cryptic, Dylanesque lyrics, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” helped define the psychedelic era. It wasn’t just a song—it was a sensation.

📻 In 2004, the UK’s Phonographic Performance Limited named it the most-played record on British radio and TV over the past 70 years. That same year, Rolling Stone ranked it #57 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

And here’s a piece of trivia for you—that iconic Hammond organ part was inspired by J.S. Bach’s “Air on the G String” and “Sleepers Awake”, lending the song an air of classical mystique.

Gary Brooker's soulful vocal, Matthew Fisher’s organ wizardry, and Keith Reid’s enigmatic lyrics created a timeless classic that still feels like a ghostly waltz through some Victorian dreamscape.

🎶 “And so it was that later / As the miller told his tale…”
If you know, you know.

Watch this performance and let that swirling, sepia-toned magic take you back…

Johnny Rock and Roll Radio — where legends live and music never fades.

06/10/2025

On This Day in Music History – June 10, 1972

Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and meet The Candy Man himself – the legendary Sammy Davis Jr.

On this date in 1972, Sammy's sugary smash "The Candy Man" climbed all the way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, beginning a three-week reign as the #1 song in America. Written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley for the 1971 film W***y Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the tune was originally sung on screen by actor Aubrey Woods — but it was Sammy who turned it into a full-blown pop sensation.

With its whimsical charm and singalong chorus, "The Candy Man" also sweetened the Easy Listening chart, where it spent two weeks at #1. By year’s end, Billboard would crown it the #5 record of 1972 — a major crossover triumph for the Rat Pack star who could sing, dance, act, impersonate, and play multiple instruments... often all in the same show.

The song earned Sammy a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards in 1973. While the award ultimately went to Harry Nilsson for "Without You", Sammy’s rendition became an instant classic, beloved by fans of all ages.

So grab a golden ticket and enjoy this performance from one of the greatest all-around entertainers in history. Nobody did it quite like Sammy.

“Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew…”
That’s right — The Candy Man can.