Happy Birthday, John!

John Ettline was born 115 years ago

on the 12th day of March, 1906.

I learned from John's family

that he was a collector of

antiques. John purchased

many pieces from his

youngest brother Paul
who was an antiques

dealer. Paul Ettline

always spoke very

highly of John.

John Ettline was a handsome 

gentleman, a dapper dresser

and a great dancer. John was

a ladies' man, a man's man

and very much his own man.

John loved music and dancing, and so it's easy to understand
why he was inspired to buy the Shady Dell and turn it into
an ice cream parlor and juke joint for teenagers.

To celebrate John's birthday this year I picked
three songs I think he would have enjoyed.

 NINO TEMPO 

 & APRIL STEVENS 

SDMM/SPMM frequent flyers
Nino Tempo and his singing sis
April Stevens are back, this

time to sing "I'm Confessin',"

an oft covered jazz and pop

standard first recorded by

Fats Waller in late 1929

and famously waxed by
Louis Armstrong in 1930.

A version by bandleader

Guy Lombardo reached

#2 in 1930. Other versions

 were released by Rudy

Vallee(1930), Perry Como

(1945) and Les Paul and

Mary Ford (1952). In 1963

the song was a #1 hit for

Frank Ifield in the UK.

Dean Martin covered the
song on his 1964 album
Dream With Dean.

That brings us back to the under-

rated duo of Nino Tempo and

April Stevens who released the

single "I'm Confessin' (That I

Love You)" in April of 1964.

Great as it is, their record

lasted only one week on

the chart. Adding insult

to injury, it came and

went on the second

lowest rung of

the ladder - #99!

"I'm Confessin'
(That I Love You)" - 
Nino Tempo & April Stevens

(Apr. 1964, highest chart

position #99 Hot 100)

 THE DRIFTERS 

I think John would appreciate this atypical release by The Drifters. In 1959
and 1960 Ben E. King's voice was most often heard on lead. From 1961 to 1963
it was the voice of Rudy Lewis you heard. This single features Charlie Thomas
on lead. The recording is also unusual because it doesn't feature a string section.
Instead, a prominent piano and bongo drums are used to produce a Cuban-style
cha-cha number. Soul singer and composer Jimmy Radcliffe sings backing
vocals along with four future female solo hit-makers - Cissy Houston,
Doris Troy, Dionne Warwick and her sister Dee Dee Warwick -
making this an all-star collaboration. Listen now to

"Sweets For My Sweet!"

"Sweets For My Sweet" - The Drifters

(Oct. 1961, highest chart pos. #10 R&B/#16 Hot 100 & Cash Box)

 SHELLEY FABARES 

Again this year on his birthday, I think John will enjoy being
serenaded by America's sweetheart, Miss Shelley Fabares
aka Mary Stone, as she sings her sig song "Johnny Angel"
 on her hit TV series, the family friendly Donna Reed Show.

"Johnny Angel" - Shelley Fabares

 (Mar./Apr. 1962, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100 & Cash Box) 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN.

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!