The Movie Idol Next Door

Artist: Tab Hunter
Song: Red Sails In The Sunset (b-side) (a-side is Young Love)
Label: Dot MW-9452
Number: 45-15533
Songwriters: Williams-Kennedy
Time: 2:22
Released: 1957

Most of you will probably recognize the name of Tab Hunter from the many motion pictures he has appeared in. Movies such as The Lawless (1950), Return To Treasure Island (1954), Battle Cry (1955), The Sea Chase (1955), Operation Bikini (1963), Ride The Wild Surf (1964) and The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean (1972), among many others. What many may not remember is that, for a brief period during the late 1950's and early 1960's, Tab had a popular recording career as well. In 1957, he scored a Billboard number one hit with his cover version of Sonny James' Young Love. It rode the top of the charts for six weeks. He also reached to #11 with a song called Ninety-Nine Ways. His success prompted Jack Warner to enforce the actor's contract with the Warner Bros. studio by banning Dot Records, the label for which Hunter had recorded his hit singles (and which was owned by rival Paramount Pictures), from releasing a follow-up album he had recorded for them. He established Warner Bros. Records specifically for Hunter, although his singing career faded after a few more recordings.

I have heard several different versions of today's song, by a wide variety of artists, The Beatles even performed a version of this classic song (published in 1935), in which they performed it in an uptempo manner, but Tab's version is as a ballad. With Billy Vaughn's full orchestra and chorus backing him up, he turns in an impassioned version that I'm sure had all the teenyboppers of the day going wild. So, if you've never heard him sing anything other than Young Love, be sure to download Tab Hunter performing Red Sails In The Sunset and give it a listen. His recording career didn't last very long, but this is quite a pleasant version of a classic song.

Coming Soon To A New Post Near You

Just yesterday, I was contacted by somebody that said he knew one of the artists I've featured here on Music For Every Mood. He noticed I hadn't included a picture of this artist and promised to put me in touch with her if I wanted him to. I said, "of course!" I'd love the opportunity to get to talk with one of the favorite singers in my collection! Without giving too much away, I hope to be put in touch with this singer soon and to be able to ask her about the story of her life and career. I'm sure it will turn out to be quite fascinating for my regular readers here on MFEM. I know I can't wait to find out more about her!

I think I'll put on my new cd by Old Blue Eyes and try to post another record soon. I've been kept away from Music For Every Mood for too long due to family matters, but I'm going to try and get back on track starting with the new year. Stay tuned for more!

Happy Birthday, Janice

Artist: Janice Harper
Song: Moonlit Sea (a-side) (b-side is That's Why I Was Born)
Label: Prep F 123 (Capitol subsidiary)
Number: 45-21759
Songwriters: Murray-Solomon
Time: 2:12
Released: 1957

Regular readers will have seen how popular Janice Harper has been on Music For Every Mood blog, especially if they've kept up will all the recent comments that have been posted. Thanks everyone for posting these comments! One of the comments mentioned that Janice had celebrated a birthday recently, and turned 79 this past April 1st. This is a belated happy birthday greeting from me and all her fans. Happy Birthday, Janice!

In honor of her birthday, I'm posting the flipside to a song that has already been listed here on Music For Every Mood, namely Moonlit Sea. The a-side, That's Why I Was Born, seems to have been a popular choice here, so I figured, why not give her fans both sides of the 45 to enjoy? Well, here is Janice singing Moonlit Sea for all her loyal fans. If only she knew how much she is still fondly remembered.

Frank's Pick

Artist: Linda Leigh
Song: Someone Special (b-side) (a-side is Please)
Label: Reprise R-20,060 B (Promotion Copy)
Number: 853
Songwriters: Schwimmer-Sands
Time: 2:10
Released: 1962

Today's record is an anomaly. On one hand, it's on Frank Sinatra's label and he only asked artists he liked to record for Reprise. On the other hand, I can find hardly any facts or information about the artist, Linda Leigh.

I have ascertained that Linda Leigh recorded during a period that spanned at least 1957 to 1962. In 1957, she recorded four songs for Verve, two of which comprised the Verve 10105 single I Cry and What Good Does It Do Me? along with two other songs which were included on the Verve various artists album Songs For Your Boy Friend, (Verve MGV 2097), Let Me and What Good Is A Memory. Then I find references to her having recorded a couple songs, along with the Treasure Tones, for a teen drive-in movie called Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow. Those two tracks were He's My Guy and I Promise You, which was co-written by future Beach Boy, Bruce Johnston. Both songs were reviewed in Billboard magazine in 1959 and were described thusly: I Promise You - "Linda Leigh sells this promise of love with feeling over a rock and roll backing. Thrush has a good sound." And He's My Guy - "Wild rocker is sold brightly by the thrush over a swinging backing. It could get spins."

Fast forward to 1962 when Billboard again reviews a couple of her singles. On March 17th they reviewed her new sides, Someone Special, which is today's song, and Please. Later, on May 12th, Lover's Beach, backed with A Thousand Violins - This young lass sings a big production number vocal version of the theme from the current flick. She is aided by sweeping strings and vocal chorus. A couple other song titles I found attributed to her include Please Please (Let Me Go Steady), Move Out, Foolish Dreams, The Scent, Beri-Beri and The Plan.

That was all I managed to find out about this charming singer.

Listening to today's song, especially after hearing that a lot of her previous songs were teen rock oriented, one can see just how it came to be that she was invited to record for Frank Sinatra's Reprise label. It is a nice, uptempo ballad, with string and piano backing and features what sounds like her own voice doubling as harmony vocals. This kind of music certainly wasn't what was cracking the top forty in 1962 very often, but that's no fault of this fine singer or the song. There needed to be more music like this back then! So, download Someone Special by Linda Leigh, and give it a spin. You can be the judge whether or not Frank was justified in signing this young lass to his label. Since I couldn't locate a picture of Linda, I chose the next best thing - the record label detailing today's song:

Blogger Has Issues Still

I still can't get Blogger to work! It won't let me upload any images, and since that's what my blogs rely on, that doesn't leave me much to work with. I'll post something as soon as I am able. Thanks for understanding!

Sad, Sad News - Final Janice Harper Update

Artist: Janice Harper
Song: That's Why I Was Born (a-side) (b-side is Moonlit Sea)
Label: Prep F 123 (Capitol subsidiary)
Number: 45-21768
Songwriters: Merritt-Roddie
Time: 2:07
Released: 1957

I have sad news to relate about my search for Janice Harper. She's still alive, but has been in a New York nursing home for 3 years with Alzheimer's. I don't know what else to say except to post an e-mail I received this morning, (August 22nd, 2009) from one of her relatives. Here is that message in it's entirety:

Update: The same relative which e-mailed said that I wasn't supposed to tell anybody else. Obviously, this person doesn't know what I'm doing here by posting facts about my favorite artists, and that I'm doing it for the fans of these same artists. But, she asked me take down her actual words and the things she had told me. I informed her that most of what she told me was already known by me and my readers through various fans telling me some of the information and me finding the rest on the internet. So, I will remove her e-mail, but you already knew Janice was in a home. Now, pretend you don't know that she has a relative in Florida and a son in England. I was told by this relative that the information she sent me was privileged information for my eyes only. That relative doesn't have to tell me or her fans that Janice was a beautiful person. We already knew that. And we already knew about all her belongings being auctioned off on the street, so that wasn't news. So, as I told the relative, the only thing I would be removing that wasn't already known by me and my readers here, by taking down her e-mail was that Janice had a relative in Florida and a son in England. Since I have removed the personal e-mail, pretend I didn't tell you that and that you don't know that I did. This relative wouldn't even tell me their name!

The relative's e-mail has now been removed, but we fans can still care about one of our idols. And now, back to the regularly scheduled post.

I don't know what else I can add but to say that her music will live on as long as her fans continue playing it. This probably won't be my last post featuring Janice Harper's music, but I don't know that I will be be able to update her life story any further. Please download this powerful song of hers that displays her amazing range and talent. Janice Harper singing That's Why I Was Born is a great way to get acquainted with this lady who possessed the remarkable voice. This is for you, Janice.

Fortune Smiles On Mary Magdelene

Artist: Jeanie Johnson
Song: Next Thing To Paradise (b-side) (a-side is My Jimmie)
Label: RCA Victor 47-7163
Number: J2WW-0335
Songwriters: James Joiner-Kelso Herston
Time: 2:14
Released: 1958

Today's artist was born in Canada as Mary Elizabeth Lee, but was known professionally by several other names. First billed as Jeanie Johnson, she caught the attention of country star Chet Atkins who helped her score a contract with RCA Victor and produced her first three singles. The single which featured the song Next Thing To Paradise was the very first record they worked on together. Neither of the three singles they cut did anything chartwise, so she changed her name in 1965 to Jeanie Fortune and cut a few other singles for RCA, in a more current pop style. Among them were Once More With Feeling, Keep Me and Angry Eyes. The latter is quite catchy and was promoted as "Northern Soul."

During this phase of her career, when she was doing a lot of session work as a back-up singer at Chips Moman's American Studios and using the name of Jeanie Greene, she worked with stars such as Elvis Presley. The resulting publicity got her to take another stab at her solo career. She was signed to the Atco label and recorded one single in 1968, Sure As Sin, which didn't take off, either. Two years later, when signed to the Cotillion label, she recorded a one-shot record with fellow singers Mary Holliday, Ginger Holliday and Donna Thatcher, who went on to join The Grateful Dead where she was known as Donna Godchaux. They were billed as Southern Comfort and the song was called Milk And Honey, b/w Don't Take Your Sweet Love Away, released in 1970. It, too, saw no chart action.

With such a strong voice, her talent couldn't go unnoticed and she was signed to Elektra Records in 1971 where she recorded her one and only album, Mary Called Jeanie Greene, a mixture of Southern soul, Gospel and rock. Describing her during this period, Ron Miller provided an interesting description of Greene: "She was white, but she sang black; she heard voices and truly believed she was the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene." Despite critical approval, her album did not sell well and she has not recorded since. She did continue to work as a back-up vocalist and in fact, sang at George Harrison's Concert For The Bangla Desh. She continued to work as a singer into the 1980's. As to whether or not she's still working or even alive, I haven't been able to find any further information about her.

Today's song, Next Thing To Paradise has that slightly recognizable Countrypolitan sound that was popularised by Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves, who was also produced by Chet Atkins. But, it is a good song and she sings it well. She has a deeper, bassier-sounding voice and even on this, her first record, uses it with much conviction and strength. I feel that, like a previous artist here on Music For Every Mood, Janice Harper, Jeanie Johnson had the skills to be a very popular artist. She played piano and wrote songs and had a very pleasing voice, which she used to sing many different styles of music. If only the breaks had gone her way, she might have been more well known. Despite that, we still have her modest output of musical treasures so please listen to another artist who almost made it big, Jeanie Johnson as she sings Next Thing To Paradise. I think you'll find it quite charming!