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Recent Posts

The Pips – At Last…The Pips (1977)

Would you rather be Gladys Knight, or would you rather be a Pip? Despite being remembered first and foremost as the backup group for "the Empress of Soul," in 1977, due to a contractual dispute, The Pips stepped out in front to record a pair of solo albums for Casablanca Records. with mixed results. We look at the lives of each individual Pip in our quest to discover "Who are The Pips?" WHOO WOO!

Gladys Knight and the Pips – The Greatest Hits of Gladys Knight and the Pips (1981)

One of the greatest soul groups in the history of American Music, Gladys Knight and the Pips have had 22 hit singles on the Billboard top 20 between 1961 and 1989.. However, while Gladys Knight rose to the front as "The Empress of Soul," The Pips were far more than just a back up vocal group. We explore the questions "What is a Pip" with a look at the origins and early struggles of the group, and how a crooked producer tried to steal the profits from their first number one single, "Every Beat of My Heart" which led The Pips to officially change their name to Gladys Knight and the Pips.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – At Home with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (1958)

In 1956 Cleveland Ohio musician Jay Hawkins went into OKeh Records studios to lay down his blues ballad "I Put a Spell On You." But after a feast of chicken and ribs and beer, the once traditional song turned into an orgy of grunts, groans and howls. Although he claimed to have no memory of recording it, a strange thing happened that night. The young blues pianist emerged out of the studio as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the sub genre of shock rock was born. The story of "I Put a Spell On You," and how Screamin' Jay Hawkins reluctantly became the forefather of shock rock.

Jimmy Hart – Outrageous Conduct (1986)

In the 1980's the WWF joined forces with MTV to form what has become kown as "The Rock n' Wrestling Connection" by wrestling historians. But for Memphis musician Jimmy Hart, he had been living the real life rock n' wrestling connection for at least a decade earlier. A look at how Jimmy "the Mouth of the South" Hart merged music and wrestling with succuessful yet unusual results. Bonus: Jerry "the King" Lawler sings!

The Gentrys – Keep On Dancing (1965)

In 1965 Memphis based garage band The Gentrys were catipulted to fame with the release of "Keep On Dancing." One of rock n' roll's most enduring party songs, the track would keep generations of music lovers dancing for nearly six decades. A look at the short and fast career of The Gentrys, and the continuing legacy of "Keep on Dancing." Extra: The Bay City Rollers, Pink Lady and Sam Tweedle meets Jimmy "The Mouth of the South" Hart.

Vinyl Stories Interview – Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Conversation with The Buckinghams’ Carl Giammarese

Starting in 1967 The Buckinghams had a string of Billboard hits, including "Kind of a Drag," "Don't You Care" and "Hey Baby, Thier Playing Our Song" putting Chicago's colourful and ecclectic music scene on the rock n' roll map. Today, the music continues as original band members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fotuna keep The Buckinhams legacy going with concerts across North America for audiences still hungry for that specail 1960's sound. Sam Tweedle and Carl Giammarese discuss all of The Buckinghams original albums and Carl's 1970's era partnership with Dennis Tufano, as well as the Chicago music scene and his current music projects.