Bobby Darin Birthday Tribute on the Radio and Internet May 11th

DarinLand.com webmaster Michael Macomber will be co-hosting a Bobby Darin Birthday Tribute on Sunday, May 11th, 2008, from 1pm to 2pm, on WTSR 91.3 FM in Trenton, New Jersey. For those not in the area, you can listen live on the web from anywhere in the world. Just go to the station website, wtsr.org, and click LISTEN LIVE in big letters at the top of the page. Thanks to WTSR and Oldies But Goodies host Mike Piazza for making this possible.

Bobby Darin sings “This Isn’t Heaven” from “State Fair” (video)

Check out a new Retro Video Blast on Retro Music Review:

Bobby Darin sings “This Isn’t Heaven” from “State Fair”

Click the link to see the clip!

Bobby Darin, Jack Lawrence, and Beyond The Sea (new interview)

Bobby Darin Song File: Lyricist Jack Lawrence goes "Beyond The Sea"
"One day at the publisher's offices I ran into a new young singer with a distinctive style," explains Lawrence. "He was brash and a bit cocky, but rather refreshing, and his name was Bobby Darin..." READ MORE

Bobby Darin - Mack is Back DVD (review)

I just posted a new review of the Mack is Back DVD to my Retro Music Review site... (Why not leave a comment while you're there!)

Bobby Darin - Mack is Back DVD (Questar; QD3180)

One of the earliest Bobby Darin DVDs ever released and still the best, Mack is Back showcases the many talents of the great Mr. Darin beautifully. The centerpiece of this disc is essentially a concert; an uncut version of the final episode of Darin's 1972-73 TV variety series. This would also be the last time Darin stepped in front of a camera before his passing late in 1973, and so it has a unique resonance... READ MORE

Bobby Darin, Jamie Coe and Addison Records

There's a new article up on DarinLand.com. Use this link to see it...

Bobby Darin, Jamie Coe and Addison Records: An Interview with Marilyn Bond

Jamie Coe's manager Marilyn Bond talks about her friendship with Bobby Darin and about Jamie Coe's signing with Bobby Darin's Addison Records Label in 1959.

Bobby Darin on TV Tonight!

Pressure Point, starring Bobby Darin and Sidney Poitier, will be running on TCM tonight at Midnight (that's 12am Wednesday). Don't miss Bobby's powerhouse performance! For more info visit http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=17276

New Bobby Darin Decca CD Reviewed

Check out a review of the new Bobby Darin CD from El Toro, "Early Bobby Darin," at this link:

http://darinland.com/Bobby-Darin-Early-Bobby-Darin-Review.html

Bobby Darin Decca Recordings on CD for the First Time

Bobby Darin fans will have something to sing about this March, when the El Toro label issues Darin's complete Decca recordings on CD for the very first time. Entitled Early Bobby Darin, the disc includes both sides of every Decca single Darin released in 1956 and 1957, plus several early Atco tracks, with fun outtakes of "Pretty Betty" and "Don't Call My Name" thrown in for good measure.

You can pre-order your copy at this link:

Pre-Order the Early Bobby Darin CD

Here are the complete details:

BOBBY DARIN - EARLY BOBBY DARIN (El Toro; ETCD1018)

Tracks:
1 - Silly Willy (B Darin/D Kirshner/GM Shaw) Decca
2 - Help Me (C Coben) Decca
3 - Rock Island Line (L. Donegan) Decca
4 - Wear My Ring (B Darin/D Kirshner) Atco
5 - (I Found A) Million Dollar Baby (B Rose /M Dixon /H Warren ) Atco
6 - The Greatest Builder C Coben/M Gabler) Decca
7 - Don't Call My Name (B Darin/D Kirshner) Atco
8 - Timber (B Darin/D Kirshner/GM Shaw) Decca
9 - Pretty Betty (B Darin/D Kirshner) Atco
10- I Can't Go On (D Pomus / M Shuman) Atco
11 - Hear Them Bells (M Garson/B Kaye) Decca
12 - Talk To Me Something (B Darin/D Kirshner) Atco
13 - Pretty Betty (take 5) (Bobby Darin/Don Kirshner) - Unreleased
14 - Dealer In Dreams (B Darin/D Kirshner) Decca
15 - Don't Call My Name (take 3) (B Darin/D Kirshner) - Unrelased
16 - Blue-Eyed Mermaid (B Short) Decca
17 - Just In Case You Change Your Mind (H Patterson / M Bell) Atco

Bobby Darin on the Sonny and Cher Show [1972] (4 videos)

The latest BOBBY DARIN VIDEO BLAST at DarinLand.com features 4 great clips of Bobby Darin on the Sonny and Cher Show in November of 1972. Darin sings Randy Newman's "Sail Away" and appears in comedy skits. Use this link to see the videos:

Bobby Darin on the Sonny and Cher Show [1972] (4 videos)

There's also a new POLL (Your favorite clip from this week's Bobby Darin on the Sonny & Cher show Video Blast.)

Check it all out at DarinLand.com.

Bobby Darin sax player Plas Johnson playing in Los Angeles on February 2nd, 2008

Sax legend Plas Johnson, who can be heard on the Bobby Darin LPs Sings Ray Charles, Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie, Venice Blue, Sings The Shadow of Your Smile, and In a Broadway Bag, as well as many other famous recordings, will be appearing with his Plas Johnson Quartet on Saturday, February 2nd, 2008 at Charlie O's Jazz Club, 13725 Victory Blvd, Valley Glenn, California. The quartet also features John Gianelli on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and Jon Mayer on piano.

For set times and more info, call Charlie O's at 818-994-3058 or visit their website at www.charlieos.com.

Thanks to Jo-Ann from Charlie O's for this info.

Bobby Darin on The George Burns Show (1960) (3 Videos)

The latest BOBBY DARIN VIDEO BLAST at DarinLand.com features 3 clips of Bobby Darin performing on an episode of the George Burns Show in 1960. Darin sings "Buttons and Bows" in a big musical production number with Betty Grable and Polly Bergen, accompanies himself on piano for an amazing version of "My Funny Valentine," and delivers a kickin' rendition of "Bill Bailey." To see the clips, use this link:

Bobby Darin on the George Burns Show (3 Videos)

There's also a new POLL (What is your favorite Bobby Darin single on the Capitol Label in 1965?).

Check it all out at DarinLand.com

Bobby Darin in Wagon Train [1964] (6 videos)

The latest BOBBY DARIN VIDEO BLAST on DarinLand.com features 6 clips of Bobby Darin in the 1964 Wagon Train episode "The John Gillman Story." Use this link to see the videos:

BOBBY DARIN IN WAGON TRAIN (1964)

There's also a new Bobby Darin Poll: Check out a new POLL: What is your favorite Bobby Darin appearance in a Western? Check it all out at DarinLand.com.

Bobby Darin sax player Plas Johnson and Bobby Darin bassist Carol Kaye playing in Los Angeles on January 5th, 2008

The great Plas Johnson, who played sax on numerous Bobby Darin LPs, including Sings Ray Charles, Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie, Venice Blue, Sings The Shadow of Your Smile, and In a Broadway Bag, will be appearing with his Plas Johnson Quartet on Saturday, January 5th, 2008 at Charlie O's Jazz Club, 13725 Victory Blvd, Valley Glenn, California. The quartet also features John Gianelli on bass, Roy McCurdy on drums, and Jon Mayer on piano. Rumor has it that the legendary Carol Kaye, who played bass on Bobby Darin's Lazy River, as well as other Darin recordings, will be in attendance, and will very likely sit in with the band.

Sets are at 8pm, 9:30pm, and 11pm. For more info call Charlie O's at 818-994-3058 or visit their website at www.charlieos.com.

Thanks to Jan Derrer of lostandsound.wordpress.com and Jo-Ann from Charlie O's for this info.

Bobby Darin is a Hit Parade Hall of Fame Inductee

The first inductees to the new Hit Parade Hall of Fame have been announced and, not surprisingly, Bobby Darin is among them. The list of 28 inductees also includes Darin's old flame, Connie Francis, as well as Darin's good friend Paul Anka. For the full list, see below, or visit www.hitparadehalloffame.org.

The Hit Parade Hall of Fame was conceived in 2006 by radio executives John Rook and Gil Bateman, to honor hitmaking recording artists from all venues and walks of life. Starting in 2007, they began to solicit votes through their website, www.hitparadehalloffame.org. Nominees were required to have at least two Top 10 hits, singles or albums of any genre. Over 63,ooo votes were cast in 2007 to arrive at the final stable of inductees. Fan clubs played a major role in the voting, according to Bateman and Rook.

Here is the full list of 2007 Hit Parade Hall of Fame winners, as chosen by fans worldwide: Paul Anka, The Beatles, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, Beach Boys, Teresa Brewer, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Chubby Checker, Jimmy Clanton, Nat "King" Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Neil Sedaka, and Frank Sinatra.

"We're thrilled with the response we've had from the public as we are still in our infancy and it appears that our voting numbers will grow as our young organization becomes more widely known," said founders Rook and Bateman.

The next step beyond the voting is to build a Hit Parade Hall of Fame bricks and mortar structure. Presently, the organization is speaking with two or three individuals and municipalities as to where to locate the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, voting has begun for the 2008 Hit Parade Hall of Fame inductees. This year, the Hall will be focusing on three decades, beginning in 1950. Besides voting for recording stars already nominated, visitors to the Hit Parade Hall of Fame website are also encouraged to suggest the names of future nominees. In 2007, fans gave the nominating committee more than five hundred names to consider.

Once nominated, a recording artist has three years to gain enough votes for induction into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. A total of eighty-two 2007 nominees continue to vie for votes with sixty-two new nominees joining them in 2008. To cast your vote or suggest a nominee, please visit www.hitparadehalloffame.org.

Bobby Darin Arranger Roger Kellaway receives French Jazz Academy Award

Bobby Darin's friend and arranger, Roger Kellaway, will receive the "Best Record Of The Year" award in the "Classic Jazz" category from the French Jazz Academy at a ceremony on Monday, January 7, 2008 at the Grand Foyer of the Châtelet Theater in Paris, France. The award is for the Roger Kellaway Trio album "Heroes."

Kellaway is best known to Bobby Darin fans as the arranger behind Darin's brilliant "Sings Doctor Dolittle" LP. He was also Darin's musical director from 1966 to 1968.

Kellaway's "Heroes" is a tribute to the great piano/bass/guitar trios of the past, including those led by Art Tatum, Nat Cole and, particularly, the great Oscar Peterson. "Heroes" is the second record from the Roger Kellaway Trio, the first being 2005's amazing Darin tribute, "Remembering Bobby Darin."

The prestigious French Jazz Academy Awards were first created in 1955. The college of voters is made up of 60 independent journalists, photographers, writers, and radio and TV producers.

Kellaway had this to say about the upcoming event:

"What a great honor it is to receive Le Prix du Jazz Classique for my latest IPO CD, Heroes. My guitarist, Bruce Forman; bassist, Dan Lutz and I give a warm and heartfelt thank you to the French Jazz Academy and its members. Now, of course, Heroes becomes a memorial dedication to the late and great pianist, Oscar Peterson. My thanks to Guy Chauvier and his Classical Jazz Committee. Also, my thanks to Academy President, Francois Lacharme, for his hospitality. I look forward to renewing our friendship. I will see you all in Paris for the January event!"

Get the Roger Kellaway Trio CD 'Heroes' at Amazon

Get the Roger Kellaway Trio CD 'Remembering Bobby Darin' at Amazon

Hear Samples from the Roger Kellaway Trio CD 'Remembering Bobby Darin'