Happy Birthday, John! - Hand a Handkerchief to Helen

John Ettline was born 117 years ago

on the 12th day of March, 1906.

I learned from John's

family that he once worked

as a music agent booking

bands for York area clubs.

He also managed several

local clubs including

The Valencia Ballroom,

the first air conditioned

 dance hall in America,

the historic swing dance

music venue located

in downtown York.

For a time, John was

manager of Lehmeyer’s,

the classy men's clothing

store on North George St.
John himself was a dapper

dresser, a great dancer and

a handsome gentleman,

a ladies' man, a man's

man and very much

his own man.

John loved music and dancing, and it's no stretch 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 four songs I think he'd like.

 THE CRUISERS 

Released before Christmas, 1980, the French film La Boum aka The Party

aka House Party aka Ready for Love was an international box-office hit.

  La Boum was the film debut of actress Sophie Marceau who went on

to become an international star 15 years later in Braveheart. I believe

John would enjoy these scenes from the movie in which The Cruisers

perform and the young characters dance to-- "Swingin' Around." 

"Swingin' Around" - The Cruisers

(scenes from Dec. 1980 French film La Boum aka The Party) 

 SUSAN MAUGHAN 

Up next, a cute "Helen" song by Susan Maughan, a perky English singer

who had a string of pop hits in the 60s. This song was co-written by

American rock & roller Paul Evans who had a hit in 1959 with

the novelty ditty "Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Backseat"

featuring The Curls - Sue Singleton and Sue Terry.

This song waxed by Susan features backing by Wally Stott and his orchestra

and chorus. The single was released in the UK around Christmas, 1962,

and just missed the top 40 early the following year. Here now is the

beautiful Susan Maughan performing a song John might have

sung to tease his wife-- "Hand A Handkerchief To Helen!"

"Hand A Handkerchief To Helen" - Susan Maughan

(Feb./Mar. 1963, highest chart pos. #41 UK)

 THE DELTEENS 

In April of 1953, bandleader Ray Anthony And His Orchestra released a doublesider

dance record that my mother brought home and played often. The B side of the 45 is

"The Hokey Pokey," a campfire song and participation dance that dates back to 1826.

The A side of the platter is the novelty social mixer dance song "The Bunny Hop."

Ten years later, The Delteens, a group with the perfect name for a

John Ettline tribute, released both songs on a Federal single

of their own with the A & B sides reversed. 

From March of 1963, getting us in the mood for Easter...

here are The Delteens with their version of-- "The Bunny Hop!" 

"The Bunny Hop" - The Delteens

(Mar. 1963, B side of The Hokey-Pokey") 

 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 the hit TV series The Donna Reed Show.

For the first time, the clip is available AI-restored 5K and colorized!

"Johnny Angel" - Shelley Fabares

(Mar./Apr. 1962, highest chart pos. #1,

scene from The Donna Reed Show)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN.

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

Happy Birthday, John!

John Ettline was born 116 years ago

on the 12th day of March, 1906.

I learned from John's family that

he once worked as a music agent
booking bands for York area clubs.
 He also managed several local
clubs including the historic
Valencia Ballroom, America’s
 first air conditioned dance hall.
For a time John was manager
of Lehmeyer’s, the classy men's
clothing store on North George St.
John himself was a dapper dresser,
a great dancer and a handsome
 gentleman, a ladies' man, a man's
man and very much his own man.

John loved music and dancing, and it's no stretch 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'd enjoy.

 THE JIVE ACES 

Let's start John's party with a great cover of a song originally waxed

by Ruth Brown, dubbed The Queen of R&B. At the beginning of 1953,

Ruth released the single "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean."

The song became Ruth's third R&B chart-topper and her first hit

on the pop chart. Now fast-forward to modern times and meet

The Jive Aces. On their YouTube channel, the band is described

as: The UK's No.1 Jive & Swing band bringing you the finest in

hot jazz, smooth swing and rockin' rhythm and blues since 1989!"

Here's vocalist Cassidy Janson, who plays Carole King as star of

 the hit West End musical "Beautiful," fronting The Jive Aces on

their version of Ruth's "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean!" 

"(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" - Ruth Brown

cover by The Jive Aces feat. Cassidy Janson (Dec. 2018)

 JIMMY CLANTON 

Louisiana born Jimmy Clanton was known as The Swamp Pop R&B Teenage Idol.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Jimmy in the early and mid 70s when he

worked as a DJ at WHEX radio in Columbia, PA. I used to call in and chat

with Jimmy while he was on the air. He is a heck of a nice guy. I think

John would have liked this song by Jimmy. It's his first hit, a single

that topped the R&B chart and went top 5 pop in the fall of 1958.

Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Jimmy Clanton has the New Orleans

sound down as he sings-- "Just A Dream!"

"Just A Dream" - Jimmy Clanton

(Sept./Oct. 1958, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#4 Hot 100)

 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, scene from

TV series The Donna Reed Show)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN!

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU.

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!

Happy Birthday, John!

John Ettline was born 114 years ago

on the 12th day of March, 1906.

John graduated from York High.
He was an all around athlete

and played on the school's

football and baseball teams.

John attended junior college

until his father needed to

pull him out to help with

the family farm in Foustown,

the Cousler Park area north

of York. His education cut
short, John was nevertheless
regarded as an extremely
intelligent man.

John loved music and dancing, and it's no stretch

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.

 MAURICE WILLIAMS 

 AND THE ZODIACS 

Let's get the birthday party started with a vintage clip of the Carolina based
one-hit-wonder group Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs doing their late
1960 chart topper "Stay" on The Village Square, a nationally syndicated
music television show that aired every week in the mid to late 60s.
The Village Square originated in Charleston, South Carolina, but
by the time this performance was taped in 1966, the show was
being produced at a studio in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Stay" - Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs

(Nov./Dec. 1960, highest chart pos. #1 Hot 100/#3 R&B,
1966 perf. on The Village Square)

 THE FIVE DELIGHTS 

The Five Delights were a mixed race (Latin & Caucasian) New York doo-wop
group that also made records as The Mood Makers and The Watusi Warriors.
In 1958 The Five Delights released a single with the ballad "There'll Be
No Goodbye" on the A side. To celebrate John's birthday I'd like to get
Shady's Place hoppin' and boppin' with the rockin' rollin'
B side-- "Okey Dokey Mama!"

"Okey Dokey Mama" - The Five Delights

(1958, B side of "There'll Be No Goodbye")

 SHELLEY FABARES 

A tradition was inaugurated one year ago on this date when readers

reacted quite favorably to the following video. It's fresh and lovely

Shelley Fabares as Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show singing

"Johnny Angel," a song that seems ideally suited for this occasion.

"Johnny Angel" - Shelley Fabares

(Mar./Apr. 1962, highest chart pos. #1,

scene from The Donna Reed Show)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN.

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

Happy Birthday, John!

John Ettline was born 113 years ago

on the 12th day of March, 1906.

John was a card shark, a gambler, and a wheeler dealer, a larger-than-life
type of person, a colorful, loveable, and memorable character. John cared
about people and about kids. As a member of his family once told me,
"John was loved and respected by everyone he came in contact with,
especially his family. He offered love, guidance and advice to
anyone who would give him the respect and listen.”

John also loved music and dancing, and to celebrate his birthday

this year I selected two up tempo dance songs and a sweet ballad.

 FRED CLARK 

First here's a number found on the various artists compilation Mark Lamarr
Presents Mule Milk 'N' Firewater, a collection of obscure R&B recordings
from the late 40s to early 60s culled from the vaults of the King,
Federal and Deluxe R&B labels. It's saxophonist Fred Clark
who played with Johnny Otis and His Orchestra doing
an unreleased nugget called "Bobby Sox Rocker."

"Bobby Sox Rocker" - Fred Clark

(circa 1953, unissued Take 2)

 BOBBY FREEMAN 

Now that Fred Clark's "Bobby Sox Rocker" has the joint jumpin'...
singer and showman Bobby Freeman is ready to take the stage and
ask the musical question "Do You Want To Dance?" In this vintage
clip, Bobby shares the spotlight with a boppin' baby elephant as
he performs his top 5 hit from the spring and summer of 1958.

"Do You Want To Dance" - Bobby Freeman

(May thru July 1958, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100/#2 R&B)

 SHELLEY FABARES 

On his birthday I think John will appreciate being serenaded by

America's sweetheart, Miss Shelley Fabares aka Mary Stone,

as she sings her signature song "Johnny Angel" on her hit

television series, the family friendly Donna Reed Show.

"Johnny Angel" - Shelley Fabares

(Mar./Apr. 1962, highest chart pos. #1

scene from The Donna Reed Show)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN.

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!