http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpRDoGJj1M
It's a nugget if you dug it.
Posted on 10/15/2012 8:44:49 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
B.B. Cunningham, a longtime keyboardist and backup singer for legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis as well as leader of his own band the Hombres, was gunned down early Sunday morning in Memphis. He was 70.
Per Memphis' Commercial Appeal, Cunningham had been working as a security guard at an apartment complex in the southeast part of the city when he heard a gunshot in the neighboring Cherry Crest Apartments around 2 a.m. and went to check it out.
Upon arrival, officers found the bodies of the musician and an unidentified 16-year-old boy, both of whom sustained gunshot wounds.
Authorities are still searching for suspects.
Born Blake Baker Cunningham Jr., the rocker first garnered attention in the mid-'60s touring with Ronnie and the Daytonas, who were famed for their song "G.T.O."
Cunningham and some of the other members later founded the Hombres, best known for their 1967 hit "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)," which maintains popularity to this day having been featured in Cameron Crowe's 2005 film Elizabethtown and various Foster's Lager beer ads.
The Hombres subsequently went their separate ways, and Cunningham ended up going to work as an engineer and producer at Memphis' iconic Sounds of Memphis Studios. He later moved to L.A. where he acted as chief engineer for music stars including Elton John, Lou Rawls and Billy Joel.
In 1997, Cunningham returned to the spotlight upon joining Lewis' band on the keys and continued to tour with the "Great Balls of Fire" crooner over the years. He also released a solo album, Hangin' In, in 2003.
Cunningham is survived by his brother, syndicated radio host and conservative commentator Bill Cunningham.
How long before they figure out what happened?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpRDoGJj1M
It's a nugget if you dug it.
Why was he working as a security guard ?
Didn’t keep the earnings of his salad days ?
Not what you’d suspect from the headline and being a member of Jerry Lee Lewis’ band.
He was shot and killed working security.
I remember that song well. Water drippin' up the spout, I don't care, let it all hang out.
The Hombres may qualify as a one-hit wonder. Huey Meaux produced it. Don’t know how much money he ever saw from it.
The song did appear elsewhere over the years.
According to this article, one of the neighbors says shootings are common there.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/oct/14/east-memphis-shooting-leaves-two-dead/
Goodness Gracious!
From the article: Per Memphis’ Commercial Appeal, Cunningham had been working as a security guard
Sounds like some kind of court ordered thing?
Also on these rockabilly cuts:
Marlon Grisham - Ain’t That A Dilly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79oDBEKWC2E
Trip To Bandstand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFOYToxlZT
Trip to the Bandstand, correct link (your’s don’t woik):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFOYToxlZT8
Working as a sideman for a star doesn’t pay that well. Pay in the music biz has been in decline for decades. I was a sideman and session player in the late 70s, early 80’s. I made the equivalent of about $55,000 a year in today’s dollars. I lived fine, but pay is way down in the music world unless you are a star.
Pay for musicians in clubs was around $50 a night in the 70’s. You could work 5-7 nights a week. Now it’s around $100, and most bars only use bands two nights a week. The other problem is, to keep up with inflation, pay would have to be about $250 a night.
So, if you can work 20 nights a month (almost impossible to do) you can gross around $2,000 a month. Whoop-dee-do. After gas and supplies you better have a day job or a sugar mommy.
Oh, as I said on another thread, I pack at the clubs because parking lots can get dangerous at 2:00 AM.
Funny (or sad). I listened to a couple of B.B. Cunningham’s old rock and roll instrumentals on Youtube a few minutes ago. They’re musically primitive, that’s for sure. Then I clicked on a Fakebook link announcing a new album of a member of Interpol or some such band, streaming free somewhere, and the first cut that plays has exactly the same stupid riff as one of B.B.’s sides. Except that it’s, voila, on a synthesizer! I lasted about 30 seconds.
Damn. RIP.
Memphis homicide is very GOOD at solving killings quickly!
g
“Let it all hang out” - Produced by the infamous Huey Meaux.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.