INSPIRED BY THE SHADY DELL, YORK, PA, AND DEDICATED TO ITS OWNERS JOHN & HELEN ETTLINE
AND TO MARGARET ELIZABETH BROWN SCHNEIDER, NICKNAMED "THE OLDEST LIVING DELL RAT"


Wednesday, January 25, 2023

It's (Almost) Wordless Wednesday...
and Denny the Dell Rat Wants To Know!


Put On Your Thinking Cap
(Avoid the Dunce Cap) -


It's Another
Shady's Place
Brain-Buster Quiz! 

That's right, dear friend, It's time to bust your brain
on Shady Del Knight's latest Mom & Pop quiz.


Try to contain your enthusiasm.


Can your noggin pass the test?

Denny the Dell Rat wants to know!




Hi, I'm Denny
the Dell Rat.

I might be a rat,
but I'm curious
as a cat. I'd like
to know if you
can find the
common link
between five
great recording
artists of the past.



Listen to their
hits and see if
you can tell me:

WHAT DO
ALL OF
THESE
SINGING
STARS
HAVE IN
COMMON?



BOBBY DARIN 


"If I Were a Carpenter" - Bobby Darin
(Oct./Nov. 1966, highest chart pos.
#8 Hot 100/#9 Cash Box)


RICKY NELSON 


"Never Be Anyone Else But You" - Ricky Nelson
(Mar./Apr. 1959, highest chart pos.
#5 Cash Box/#6 Hot 100)


MARVIN GAYE
& MARY WELLS 


"Once Upon A Time" - Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells
(May/June 1964, highest chart position
#19 Hot 100 & R&B/#27 Cash Box) 


BELOW IS THE B SIDE OF THAT MARVIN & MARY SINGLE.
THE RECORD WAS A DOUBLE-SIDER AKA A TWO-FER.
BOTH SIDES CRACKED THE TOP 20. BUYING THE 45
MEANT YOU GOT TWO HITS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE.


"What's The Matter With You Baby" 
- Marvin Gaye And Mary Wells
(June/July 1964, highest chart pos.
#17 Hot 100 & R&B/#25 Cash Box,
B side of "Once Upon A Time")


MARVIN GAYE
& TAMMI TERRELL 


"Your Precious Love" - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
(Oct./Nov. 1967, highest chart pos. #2 R&B,
#5 Hot 100/#6 Cash Box)


What do all of these great
singing stars have in common?

(SCROLL DOWN FOR THE ANSWER)








































ANSWER:
All of these great singing stars died
before reaching the age of 50!

Tammi Terrell died at age 24.


Bobby Darin died at age 37.


Marvin Gaye died at age 44.


Ricky Nelson died at age 45.


Mary Wells died at age 49.






   Did you guess
   the correct
  answer before
 scrolling down?
Denny the
Dell Rat
wants to
know!

If you got the answer... good for you.
If not, you know the drill.


Have a Shady day!


NOTE: The character Denny the Dell Rat was inspired by
my high school classmate, fellow Shady Dell regular
and good friend Denny Neiman. 

Dennis "Denny" Neiman
1949 - 2010

30 comments:

  1. Hi Shady! I haven't read or listened to the post yet because I wanted to be #1 today! OK, back to the beginning and I'll recomment soon! Ha! Happy Snow Day Wednesday too!

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    1. Hi, YaYa!

      I'm delighted to see you here as this week's Early Bird, dear friend! I also like the fact that you got your foot in the door, claimed the E.B. crown and returned a short while later to compose a full comment. That's a win-win, because you take home the gold for being the first to arrive, and I get two comments "for the price of one," making it look like Shady's Place is a beehive of activity. :)

      Please scroll down to the next comment box for my full reply. :)

      Delete
  2. I'm baaackkk! I listened to the music...especially loved Ricky Nelson! I always enjoyed Ozzie and Harriet...I knew who those stars were of course and their music too but didn't know how a few of them died. So I looked it up and found cancer, heart problems, plane crash, murdered by his own Dad..I remember that on the news back in the 80's...and it's so sad to lose such talent way too soon. These days we have stars that pass away young and many times it's drug or lifestyle related due to the pressures and temptations of the celebrity life. This is brought out lately with the passing of Lisa Marie Presley, also so young and looking at the family history and all the drama and sadness she endured. This post was a way of paying tribute to those stars we lost. I know we will lose many others in the future who are in the last stages of their lives. It's hard to believe the heart throbs of my youth are in their 80's! Hello Paul and Ringo! It's snowing outside to beat the band today and with not working today I'm hunkering down in sweats and enjoying a leisure morning cup of tea and stopping by the Dell to see what's up. I hope you have a great day and rest of this week Shady!

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    1. Hi again, Yaya! Long time no see! :)

      Oh my goodness, dear friend, you're getting more snow today??? Remember what Shady sez. When old man winter starts bullying you, fight back. Set up your pool in the backyard and defiantly jump right in! :)

      Yessum, how about Ozzie Nelson beaming with pride in that clip as he watches his singing, guitar playing son Ricky blossoming into a teenage idol there in the late 50s?

      I'm glad you know all of these stars of the music business. Seems like Denny the Dell Rat stumped you with his quiz, but you get extra credit and pass the course for doing research on the side and determining the cause of death for each artist. Yessum, there are many sad and tragic stories in the history of rock & roll, and these five stars are examples. Marvin Gaye's dad shot and killed him soon after I moved to Florida. It was one of the first major stories I remember seeing on the wire service machines in the newsroom of the TV station where I had just begun working here in Tampa Bay. As you mentioned, the deaths of Lisa Marie and other middle age and young stars make headlines on almost a daily basis, and the idols we loved in the 1950s and 60s are now in their 80s and 90s and leaving us one by one. "And the beat goes on."

      While we're on the subject, I want to let you know that one of my heroes, Delaware Valley broadcast pioneer, radio and TV personality Jerry Blavat - The Geator With the Heater - died a few days ago. Jerry will live on as host of Geator Gold here at Shady's Place.

      Thanks again for being first through the door. I greatly appreciate you coming over this morning. Throw another log on the fire and enjoy your Wednesday snow day in Ohio, dear friend YaYa!

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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  3. Tom,

    I didn't know what the common thread that tied these artists together was until you shared the answer. Dying before the age of 50 is way too young and some of these many years before hitting that milestone. I had forgot about Tammy Terrell's short life sadly ending at the age of 24 to cancer. I've always liked Ricky Nelson's voice. I could listen to him all day. Great music!

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    1. Hi Cathy!

      Thanks for coming to see me so early on your Wednesday, dear friend!

      Seems you are the second friend who was stumped by Denny's quiz. Yessum, how about that depressing common thread? So much talent lost through illness, accident or an act of violence. The only pictures I have ever seen of Tammi Terrell are as a young and very beautiful woman. Her premature death before reaching age 25 ensures that's how she will always be remembered. Glad you appreciate Ricky Nelson's smooth but soulful vocals.

      Today I am informing all of my friends in case they haven't heard. A few days ago, we lost a much loved giant of Philadelphia broadcasting. Radio and TV personality Jerry Blavat - The Geator With the Heater - died last Friday at the age of 82 following complications from myasthenia gravis. Jerry Blavat was one of my idols. He will live on as host of Geator Gold here at Shady's Place.

      Thanks again for coming so early on day one and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Cathy.

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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    2. Tom,

      I'm sorry to read the news of Jerry Blavat's passing. There was a time when I thought 82 was old but my perspective like most see "old" as an age much farther out. My daddy will be 85 in July.

      Death at any age is terrible but it somehow seems more tragic when a person dies young. When I was really young 5 or 6, my older cousin was killed. I'm not sure how old he was but he had to be in his upper teens. Old enough to get out drinking. A man shot him. It was such a tragedy and the first time I really understood death.

      Thanks for dropping by at 4M on CAAC this morning. I'll be looking forward to your new content publication tomorrow, dear friend. Have a boogietastic week!

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    3. Hi, Cathy!

      I just came in from weeding the garden with Mrs. Shady. "Working the fields" for a couple of hours helped me burn off calories after gobbling up that stack of blueberry pancakes last evening. :)

      I'm happy to know that your daddy is still living. Age 85 doesn't seem very old to me at this stage of the game, especially since I will reach that age a mere dozen years from now. Can you believe it? That's why is is critically important for us to stay young at heart. Thanks for telling me about your cousin. I'm sorry you lost him while you were still a young child and when he was still in his teens with his whole life ahead of him.

      Thanks again for coming by to follow our threads wherever they may lead. You will have a chance to view a 1950s fashion parade tomorrow when I present Part 5 of my series Saved By The Dell. Take care and have a lovely day, dear friend Cathy!

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  4. The dunce cap is on! I knew almost all of the except for Tammy Terrell...that poor girl! I looked her up. I just had another reason for hating James Brown. She died way too young but I hope that Dr who she endednup with treated her well. They all had such tragic lives. I thought it was the theme of the music but I was wrong I enjoyed listening to ea h one. Bobby Darrin had a Sombrero song but he sang it msp well.
    I love the Rat who looks so Fonzie cool. Harley would love him...he'd eat him:)).
    Right now, we are having a wicked snowstorm and I am keeping an eye out because, I'd it gets worse, I do t want to be stick in Niagara Falls. Luckily, my hubby drove in these conditions for decades when he lived in Edmonton. I have driven kn this as well but I'm glad he drove since my pain is severe. Oh well. I will comment on what you wrote on.my blog. Take care and Harley say woof, woof.

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    1. Hi, Birgit!

      Thanks for being a Same Day Sally, dear friend! Welcome to the fun as Denny the Dell Rat challenges you to bust your brain on his music quiz.

      My, you look lovely in that dunce cap! it's a perfect fit :) Yessum, when you did your research into the youngest of these singing stars to die, Tammi Terrell, I suspected you'd find the horror stories about her abuse at the hands of boys and men in her life. The article I read reports (alleges) that she was raped by three boys at age 11, beaten severely by James Brown for missing part of his show, and hit on the head with a hammer by Temptations' lead singer David Ruffin. What a troubled, tragic and very short life for Tammi, and you'd never know it by looking at her pictures and watching her videos and seeing how fresh, beautiful and happy she looked.

      I'm pleased that you admire the drawing of Denny the Dell Rat, a character inspired by my elementary and high school classmate. friend and fellow Dell rat Denny Neiman who died in 2010. Guys at the Dell used to wear jackets that looked similar to the one in the illustration. Denny does indeed look like The Fonz from Happy Days. Yessum, all Dell rats need to steer clear of your critter-munching hound Harley. I loved that picture you posted of him this morning. Wouldn't it be great to have not a care in the world, same as Harley? I hope you scratched his belly after taking that picture.

      Gosh, I'm sorry you are in severe pain today, dear BB. At least you are keeping your sense of humor, and that's half the battle won. I hope you make it home safely in the snowstorm. I keep looking out my window every few minutes, and so far, not a dang trace of snow! In fact, we are expecting a near record high temp of 84 degrees today, making it very unlikely that we will get hit by a blizzard. :)

      I want to let you know, as I have let other friends know, that I am mourning the loss of one of my idols. Philly broadcast legend Jerry Blavat - the beloved "Geator With the Heater," died last Friday following a prolonged bout with myasthenia gravis. He was 82. I will continue to remember and honor Jerry here at Shady's Place as he hosts his Geator Gold radio show on SPMM.

      Thanks again for coming down and busting your your noggin on Denny's latest Mom & Pop quiz. Take good care of yourself, feel better and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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  5. I'm never good at things like this, so I didn't know until you gave the answer. That's waaaay too young!! (and they weren't the only talents gone far before their time!)
    Third time always seems to be the charm when I try to leave a comment!

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    1. Hi, Kelly!

      Thanks for popping over to take the music trivia challenge, dear friend! I'm sorry it took three tries for you to leave a comment. Your blog gremlins and mine seem determined to drive a wedge between us, but we're not gonna let them, right?

      I see that you are also being fitted for a dunce cap :) after failing Denny's test. You are certainly correct in reminding us that these are only five examples of young music stars losing their lives at an early age. Buddy Holly was only 22. Ritchie Valens was only 17. The Big Bopper was 28. Frankie Lymon was 25. The list goes on and on.

      I am still thinking about you and your dearly departed pooch Elly May. I hope the pain is subsiding somewhat as you focus your love and attention on Pat and your remaining animal friends. Thanks for the kind words you wrote on your site regarding my announcement about the death of Jerry Blavat. The Geator was loved by millions and will be missed, but he lives on here at Shady's Place.

      Thanks again for taking Denny's musical quiz and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Kelly!

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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  6. I want to give Denny the Dell rat a little snuggle. lol
    I didn't know what they all had in common and that is a sad thing to have in common. They all had some really good songs though.

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    1. Hi, Mary!

      Welcome in, dear friend! I'm happy to see that your comment went straight through again this week. Thanks for joining the fun as Denny the Dell Rat puts your brain power to the test with a musical quiz. Yessum, I know you are fond of rats, and you've come to the RAT place - Shady's Place - home of Dell Rat Tom, Debbie the Dellette (a Dell rat of the 1950s), Dell Rat Jerre, Dell Rat Ron, Dell Rat Greg Gulden, Belle Rat the Dell Rat, Denny the Dell Rat and Dell Rat Denny Neiman, my high school friend and fellow Dellion who is the inspiration behind the character Denny the Dell Rat.

      Looks like you will be sharing the dunce cap with all the other friends who have stopped by so far today. :) Yessum, it's a sad thing to have in common, all of those great stars losing their lives way too soon and, in some cases, at the height of their popularity. I'm glad you liked the song selections. i was very happy to find YouTube vids with nicely remastered sound, making these oldies sound better than I ever heard them before.

      I'm sure you remember my Geator Gold feature here at Shady's Place hosted by veteran Philadelphia radio and TV personality Jerry Blavat. I am sad to report that Jerry, one of my idols from my teens through present day, died a few days ago at the age of 82. I intend to keep Jerry's memory alive as I continue his Geator Gold series into the future.

      Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend Mary. Please give my good buddy Falcor a pat and a treat and enjoy the rest of your week!

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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  7. Hi Shady and Denny,

    Sadly, I didn't guess that. It's sad that these talented artists all died so young. I knew about Marvin Gaye, but I didn't realize about the others. Thanks for giving me a good groove tonight, dear friend.

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    1. Hi, Jessica Marie!

      Thanks for coming on the first day to put your noggin to the test in professor Denny the Dell Rat's music history class. Oh NO! You flunked the quiz! Now you must wear the dreaded dunce cap. :)

      Yessum, these were five of the brightest stars in the entertainment galaxy, and they all lost their lives while still young, much younger than you are now in Tammi Terrell's case. Their sad scenarios leave millions of fans to wonder "what if." What if they were still alive?
      How many other great songs and performances would they have given us by now? It is a question that will never be answered.

      Thanks again for swinging by on day one, dear friend JM. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week!

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

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  8. Hi dear Shady! Just a quick pop in. I guessed that they were all dead but I didn't add that it was before they were 50. Does that still count? Love these songs and sad that we lost their talent so young. Happy Thursday!

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    1. Also, in answer to your question from the last post, no, I never met Bobby Darin or saw him at a concert. The doctor I worked for was up here in Northern California but he had come from the LA area which is where he was when he treated Bobby Darin. I understand about decreasing your posting. I don't know anyone who is as thorough as you, both in content and in replying! Appreciate you.

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    2. Hi, Janet!

      I'm very pleased to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over and testing your knowledge of popular music with Denny the Dell Rat's Mom & Pop quiz.

      I will certainly give you partial credit for guessing that all five of these singing stars are dead, but the age 50 threshold is an important part of the quiz, and I cannot grant full credit. However, the good news is that you avoid the dunce cap! :) All of the other readers are taking turns wearing it. :)

      Happy Thursday to you, dear Janet. Now, I will proceed to the next reply form so that I can artificially inflate my comment total. :)

      (next...)

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    3. Hi again, Janet! :)

      Thanks for answering my question about Bobby Darin. Great showman that he was, it's a shame you never got to see him do a live performance. It's also a shame that his doctors couldn't do much to help Bobby with his heart condition. He was a class act all the way to the end. Wiki says: << his last wish in his will was that his body be donated to science for medical research. >>

      Thank you very much for the kind words about my blogging practices. I try to be what I call a "complete blogger," which means putting equal amounts of time and effort into generating new content, replying to comments left on my posts and leaving worthy comments on the blogs of others. I am delighted to know that you appreciate my commitment.

      Thanks again for coming over. I'm thinking about you, my buddy Benny and your mother-in-law, and hope things continue to break in your favor as you work toward getting her settled and comfy in her new surroundings. Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend, dear friend Janet!

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  9. I'm wearing the dunce cap too. When I read the answer, I could see it probably wasn't that hard. I want to tell you I'm sorry for the loss of Jerry Blavet. I'm sorry all these terrific singers died so young. When John Lennon died I couldn't sleep and cried all night. He wasn't my favorite Beatle, but it was so tragic when he died and left his son.

    Watching Bobby Darin sing that love song I thought, "He interprets a song beautifully." He was an idol of mine for awhile. Ricky Nelson was an idol for my sister, Chloe. We saw him sing in San Bernardino and it was wonderful. I was horrified when he died so young. I noticed his father in the clip and we watched the show for years.

    It was really nice hearing Marvin Gaye sing with two women. I read your comment on Tammy Tarell, and I'm sorry she had such a tough life. "Your Precious Love," was a favorite of mine. Well, I wish it was 84 degrees here in Canada, but no, it's not. Lol. Have a lovely week.

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    1. Hi, Belle!

      I'm thrilled that you came down to take Denny's test, dear friend. Thanks a lot for being here! Denny sends his ratty love to Belle Rat the Dell Rat. :)

      No one looks better than you wearing a dunce cap, dear sister. :) You're prettier than the girl in the picture at the end of the post.

      Thank you for expressing your sympathy to me and millions of other Jerry Blavat fans over the recent loss of our beloved "Geator WIth the Heater." Jerry was one of a kind, a music historian and expert, spirited and fun-loving. Like John Ettline, he loved to entertain groups of people, the young and the young at heart. For decades he hosted oldies dance parties on TV and radio and at actual venues around the Delaware Valley and his New Jersey nightclub "Memories in Margate." My girlfriend and I visited "Memories" while on vacation at the Jersey shore in 1980. As I told other friends, Jerry Blavat will live on here at Shady's Place as host of Geator Gold on SPMM Retrosonic Radio.

      Yessum, all of these wonderful pop, soul and rock & roll singing stars died very young. Over the years, I have often shared the story of being shattered on the night of Dec. 8, 1980, when John Lennon was killed. I was working as a TV news producer, heard the bells ringing on the AP and UPI wire machines, raced over and read in horror the bulletins crossing the wires informing the world that John Lennon had been assassinated. Being one of the first to know was an uncanny experience for me. Our 11pm newscast was in progress with only a few minutes to go, so I rushed into the studio and handed the anchor the news flash. He finished the story he was reading and delivered the shocking announcement to our viewing audience. We threw away the script for the last few minutes of the newscast so that the anchors, sports guy and weatherman could gather on the set and reminisce about John's life and music. John was my favorite Beatle. To this day, I feel the burn inside resulting from the senseless act of violence that terrible night when Beatle John, one of the greatest and most important voices of our generation, was taken from us. I will never fully get over the incalculable loss to music and humanity.

      Nice to know that you were fond of Bobby Darin and Ricky Nelson. Bobby was indeed an excellent interpreter of song, making every one he sang his very own and a classic in its own right. The song Bobby sang in Denny's feature, "If I Were A Carpenter," is a fine example. You were lucky to have seen Rick Nelson perform in person while you were still living in California. RIck's death is another that shook me to the core. I vividly recall the shock of awakening New Year's Day, 1986, to the dreadful news that he died in a New Year's Eve plane crash.

      "Your Precious Love" is a beautiful song, and the soulful Marvin & Tammi recording one of the greatest lovers duets you are ever likely to hear.

      Our temps have been seesawing all these week, Belle. After we hit that near record daytime high of 84, a cold front pushed through bringing rain, and overnight last night and early this morning it was quite cold again here in Florida.

      Thanks again for coming by and sharing your thoughts and memories about these great singing stars and about Jerry Blavat. I hope you are well and in good spirits today, and I wish you a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Belle!

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  10. Well Shady, send me to the corner with a dunce hat on! I knew these stars are all deceased, but I didn't THINK that was the answer. I only know three of these songs, and they are good ones..."Your Precious Love" being my favorite.

    Well, you got me Shady. Guess I'd better brush up on my history. I didn't realize Tammi Terrell died at such a young age. So sad, we lost some great talent when we lost these stars.

    Happy Friday Shady! Have a safe weekend dear friend!

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    1. Hi, Suzanne!

      Thanks for coming over, dear friend! I'm happy that you could swing by again this week to take Denny the Dell Rat's brain buster music quiz.

      Oh NO! You flunked the test? "Sorry Suzanne," as The Hollies sang. :) Don't worry. You're in good company. So far, no one has guessed the correct answer. That old dunce cap will get a workout as you and other friends take turns wearing it. :)

      If you knew three of the five songs, that's a pretty good score. I'm guessing that you were not familiar with the two songs on that Marvin & Mary doublesider - "Once Upon A Time" b/w "What's The Matter..." I actually have that platter in my vinyl collection from years and years ago. I bought it for the B side which was the song played more often on the top 40 station in my neck of the woods. It's funny how the dreaded "split-play" phenomenon prevented two great songs from becoming hits. Some DJs played the designated A side of the single, while others preferred to play the B side, resulting in neither song reaching its potential on the national chart. Unless you were The Beatles, it seemed to make more sense for an artist to put an awful song on the B side of a single to ensure it wouldn't compete with the A side song.

      I'm delighted that you and others have singled out the wonderful Marvin & Tammi soul duet "Your Precious Love." They certainly don't make 'em like that anymore. Yessum, I actually had in my collection some of the early songs released by Tammi Terrell when she was still recording under the name Tammy Montgomery. It's tragic that she was beaten around by the men in her life and died so young, a huge talent lost.

      I trust you read my other replies and noticed that famed radio and TV personality Jerry Blavat - The Geator - has died at age 82, another tremendous loss to the world of music. Keep his slogan in mind:

      “Keep on rockin’… ’cause you only rock once.”
      – Jerry Blavat (The Geator with the Heater)

      Thanks again for coming over, dear friend Suzanne. I hope you and Scootie are well and in good spirits. Take care and have a safe and happy weekend!

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    2. Hi again. I wanted to come back and extend my condolences for you having lost your friend and DJ, Jerry Blavat. I think you mentioned his passing on your previous post. I always enjoyed his guest hosting and DJ spots on your blog, along with Hy Lit, Toto Moto and even Brian Griffin. Denny the Dell Rat is a real hoot and serves the Dell memories well. These cool guys will not be forgotten! Thank you Shady for keeping their memories alive!

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    3. Hi, Suzanne!

      It's so nice of you to come back to discuss Jerry Blavat with me. As a teenager, I watched Jerry's TV music show Discophonic Scene. In Jerry's own words published on the Atlantic City Weekly "Geator Gab" blog, Jerry described what made Discophonic TV Scene unique and groundbreaking: << The Discophonic Scene was the first syndicated show coast to coast that featured the greatest dancers from the tri-state area doing all the dances, not just the ones that were featured on American Bandstand. There will never be another like it. >> In my 20s, I watched Jerry's TV show of the 70s called "It's Here." I tuned the show in and watched it on Saturdays as I worked my shift in the newsroom of the TV station where I got my first job in broadcasting. Yessum, Just as I have vowed to keep alive the memories of John & Helen Ettline and Margaret Schneider, I promise to do the same for departed heroes like Jerry Blavat, Hy Lit, Joe Niagara, Arnie Ginsburg and even my dog Toto, who lives on and entertains you as Shady's Place blog mascot Toto Moto. Three characters from Family Guy, Brrian, Meg and Peter Griffin, are all part of the Shady Bunch family as well. They are here to entertain you and add fun to the posts. I'm so glad you appreciate what I'm trying to do here.

      Thanks again for your kind return visit, dear friend Suzanne. It's bitterly cold here in Florida tonight and I hope you are keeping warm over there in Texas. Have a wonderful weekend and look for my next post on Tuesday when I will present part 5 of my 36-part series Saved By The Dell!

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  11. I would have answered--had it been possible to scroll down to the comment section without having the actual answer unavoidably leap out at me before I reached my destination--that all of the artists died before reaching their 60s. I wouldn't have answered their 50s, though I'm not surprised that the deaths were before then, I just didn't know for sure.

    I once saw a clip of Bobby Darin with his hair somewhat mussed up and wearing a sweatshirt and jeans singing "If I Were a Carpenter". He was obviously very much into his folk singing phase at the time. I've read that he went back to the tuxedo and Rat Pack-like songs not because he thought folk was a passing fad but instead to pay for his accumulating health care bills. There was just more money to be made in Vegas than in Newport. Had he not had all the heart problems, maybe he would have stayed with folk and become part of the singer-songwriter movement of the early 1970s. Just think, there could have been a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Darin supergroup!

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    1. Hi, Kirk!

      Thanks for making it over at the end of your work week, good buddy. I hope you stayed up all night cramming so that you could ace Denny's quiz!

      Oh, NO! It was not meant to be. You will need to don the dunce cap when the ladies are finished wearing it, my friend. Denny was happy to give you this lesson in music history revealing that all of these great singers died before reaching the age 50. Indeed, Tammi's trouble-filled life ended before age 30, and Bobby Darin, long plagued by health issues, lost his life before age 40. I agree. It would have been nice to see which direction Bobby's career would have taken had he lived. I love his early rock & roll hits and his swaggering Rat Pack songs, yet I am perhaps most impressed and touched by his tender version of "If I Were A Carpenter," the Tim Hardin folk song he sings in Denny's quiz, a song that was also nicely covered by Motown's Four Tops and by Johnny Cash. There's just something particularly special about Bobby's live version seen here. It's as if he had in the back of his mind all the while the fact that he was not long for this world. It's simply a wonderful performance.

      Thanks again for coming over to bust your brain, good buddy Kirk. Have a great weekend and look for my next post to begin its six-day run on Tuesday.

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  12. Hi Shady, Another late dunce! I did not think the answer was that simple and tried hard to come up with something or anything else. Now a days it seems that ever one I like to listen to is dead. Broke my heart when Olivia Newton John died, I did not know about Jerry Blavat. I liked his programs and have his For Lovers Only albums. My daughter keeps me rockin but her favorites are pretty much country. Have a good week. Jerre

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    1. Hi, Jerre!

      Thanks for coming by, good buddy! I'm pleased to see that you dropped in to challenge your noggin and take Denny's musical quiz before time runs out. I specifically asked everyone to stay up all night cramming for the test, but it seems like all of you were stumped and will therefore be required to wear the dreaded dunce cap. The good news is that you will be seated by the blackboard right next to the vintage cutie in that last photo. :)

      Yes, good buddy, the Grim Reaper is on a rampage lately, taking one great boomer era musician after another. The death of ONJ broke my heart, too. I'm glad you found out about Jerry Blavat one way or the other. He was a prominent figure of my youth, a bigger than life personality. As long as I keep on bloggin', Jerry will keep on rockin' here at Shady's Place as he hosts his Geator Gold show on SPMM Retro Radio.

      Okay, stay tuned for 5 more Dell songs, including a few that I would consider rarities - long forgotten and seldom heard treasures - coming up tomorrow morning when I post part 5 of my 36-volume series Saved By The Dell. Thanks again for dropping by and enjoy the rest of your week, good buddy Jerre!

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I wanna know
What you're thinking
There are some things you can't hide
I wanna know
What you're feeling
Tell me what's on your mind