An ode to Dead Puppies (who aren’t much fun) and a legacy of Fish Heads. Always felt like Dr. Demento cast his line into the ’70’s and we all bit-hook, line and…
Category: Los Angeles – Southern California
RIP: Perry Kurtz, a stand-up comic with an unusual version of LOUIE
Perry Kurtz was a stand-up comic that performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America’s Got Talent, and Late Late Show with James Corden, where he performed an unusual version of…
RIP: Fanita James of the Dreamers- Blossoms
Last month on Thursday, November 23rd – Thanksgiving day, Fanita James, another great musician passed away after a long illness. Fanita’s first recordings were with Richard Berry in 1954. Fanita was part…
RIP: Annette Williams of The Dreamers / The Blossoms
We recently learned that Annette Williams, a founding member of the Dreamers, passed away on August 1st. The Dreamers were the band that backed up Richard Berry for his first solo recordings…
Dorothy Berry – The World Needs Peace
In the large and colorful story behind the song “Louie Louie,” Dorothy Berry holds a very special role. When author Richard Berry wrote the song, he conjured up visions of a person…
An Appreciation of The Dreamers to The Blossoms
This week, we’re pointing the mighty LOUIE spotlight at The Dreamers, a vocal group that would became the Blossoms. As music writer Jay Warner once declared, this band was “the most successful…
Remembering Jesse Belvin
It’s February – Black History Month, and this seems like a good time as any to pause to remember one of the great underrated rhythm and blues singers from Los Angeles in…
RIP: Young Jessie, founding member of the Flairs w/ Richard Berry
Another great singer – Young Jessie aka Obediah Donnell “Obie” Jessie, who was one of Richard Berry‘s earliest musical collaborators, passed away on April 27th. Obediah Donnell Jessie was born on December…
a cool Richard Berry photo with Wanda Coleman and Michelle T. Clinton
My friend Heather Harris shared this wonderful photograph on Facebook! For Black History Month, one of the most important persons ever in Rock & Roll: this man wrote “Louie, Louie.” Richard Berry…
RIP: Dorothy Berry, high school sweetheart + first wife of Richard
I’m saddened to report that Dorothy Berry (Dorothy Ann Durr), high school sweetheart and first wife of Richard Berry, passed away on Friday, December 20th. She suffered with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…