Ruby and Frankie Laine
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:36 am
It was sad to learn of the death on 6 February of the great American vocalist, Frankie Laine - who has been one of my great heroes of popular music during all my years of collecting.
It's an opportune moment to recall the chapter devoted to Frankie in Joan Moules biolgraphy of Ruby Murray - 'Softly Softly'. Ruby was a fan too and they met when he was playing the Belfast Hippodrome in the early 1950s, at the time Ruby was touring the 'Yankee Doodle Blarney' show. It is reported in the book that he took Ruby out to dinner after she visited him backstage at the theatre, and that there was a second meeting some years later in Las Vegas during her promotional tour of America.
Frankie was one of the most successful recording stars of the 1950s and recordings such as 'Cool Water', 'Strange Lady In Town' and 'Hawk Eye' were some of the singles jostling for position with Ruby's hits during 1955. Like Ruby and her Famous Five in the charts, Frankie had some memorable moments in the British charts too. 1953 was probably his most successful time, when in one week (31.10.53) he claimed positions 1.'Hey Joe', 3.'Where The Winds Blow' & 4.'I Believe'. The following week those 3 were joined in the charts by 'Answer Me'. That record total of 4 remained unbroken until Ruby's 5 in 1955. 'I Believe' spent an amazing 18 weeks at the No.1 spot during 1953.
As some of you may know, I've been uploading video clips from the 1950s to the youtube website. http://www.youtube.com. My one clip of Ruby on there ('O'Malley's Tango') gets regular views and has currently received a total of 1,257. This link should take you to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd1KKlVDgoM If you'd like to remember how great Frankie Laine was, may I draw your attention to this clip of him singing 'On The Sunny Side Of The Street' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJxwiBPKjlo
Rest in Peace Frankie Laine.
Brian
It's an opportune moment to recall the chapter devoted to Frankie in Joan Moules biolgraphy of Ruby Murray - 'Softly Softly'. Ruby was a fan too and they met when he was playing the Belfast Hippodrome in the early 1950s, at the time Ruby was touring the 'Yankee Doodle Blarney' show. It is reported in the book that he took Ruby out to dinner after she visited him backstage at the theatre, and that there was a second meeting some years later in Las Vegas during her promotional tour of America.
Frankie was one of the most successful recording stars of the 1950s and recordings such as 'Cool Water', 'Strange Lady In Town' and 'Hawk Eye' were some of the singles jostling for position with Ruby's hits during 1955. Like Ruby and her Famous Five in the charts, Frankie had some memorable moments in the British charts too. 1953 was probably his most successful time, when in one week (31.10.53) he claimed positions 1.'Hey Joe', 3.'Where The Winds Blow' & 4.'I Believe'. The following week those 3 were joined in the charts by 'Answer Me'. That record total of 4 remained unbroken until Ruby's 5 in 1955. 'I Believe' spent an amazing 18 weeks at the No.1 spot during 1953.
As some of you may know, I've been uploading video clips from the 1950s to the youtube website. http://www.youtube.com. My one clip of Ruby on there ('O'Malley's Tango') gets regular views and has currently received a total of 1,257. This link should take you to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd1KKlVDgoM If you'd like to remember how great Frankie Laine was, may I draw your attention to this clip of him singing 'On The Sunny Side Of The Street' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJxwiBPKjlo
Rest in Peace Frankie Laine.
Brian