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'

Bobby Darin Rare Videos: Long Line Rider, Sixteen Tons, The Big Time with George Burns

This week's Bobby Darin Video Blast at DarinLand.com features 4 rare clips: Bobby Darin singing Long Line Rider, Bobby Darin singing Sixteen Tons, and 2 clips of George Burns and Bobby Darin on The Big Time in 1959. Use this link to see the videos:

Bobby Darin Rare Performances (4 videos)

There's also a new poll at DarinLand.com: Pick your favorite clip from this week's Video Blast.

Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee in “That Funny Feeling” (3 videos)

The latest Bobby Darin Video Blast on the DarinLand.com site features 3 fun clips of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee in the 1965 romantic comedy "That Funny Feeling." Use this link to see the videos:

Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee in That Funny Feeling

There's also a new poll on the site, "Pick Your Favorite Cover Version of Bobby Darin's 'Early in the Morning.'"

Check it all out at DarinLand.com

Bobby Darin sings "I Have Dreamed," "Some of These Days," and "The Gal That Got Away"

The latest BOBBY DARIN VIDEO BLAST on the DarinLand.com site features 3 classic clips of Bobby Darin, singing "I Have Dreamed," "Some of These Days," and "The Gal That Got Away." Use this link to see the clips:

BOBBY DARIN SINGS I HAVE DREAMED AND MORE

There's also a new poll (What is your favorite Bobby Darin Christmas single?) and a new Question of the Week (What is your favorite love song written by Bobby Darin?)

Check it all out at Darinland.com.

Bobby Darin and Tom Jones singing “Let The Sunshine In”

Check out this preview clip from the upcoming "This is Tom Jones Volume 2 (Legendary Performers)" DVD, featuring Bobby Darin and Tom Jones singing "Let the Sunshine In." The DVD is due February 12th, 2008. Keep an eye on this blog for where and how you can pre-order it!

Bobby Darin hosts Alan Freed’s “Big Beat” (3 videos)

The latest Bobby Darin Video Blast at DarinLand.com features 3 videos of Bobby Darin hosting the 1950s Alan Freed music show "The Big Beat." Use this link to see the clips:

Bobby Darin hosts The Big Beat (3 videos)

There's also a new poll (What is your favorite Bobby Darin TV appearance of 1967?) and a new QUESTION OF THE WEEK (What is your favorite track on Bobby Darin's "25th Day of December" Christmas album?). Check it all out at DarinLand.com.