Bill Bailey, 81, a longtime radio disc jockey known as the "Duke of Louisville," died Saturday morning at Norton Brownsboro Hospital in Louisville.
With a gravelly voice and an outspoken brand of humor, Mr. Bailey, born William Boahn, was an on-air personality for more than 30 years at radio stations in Louisville, most notably at WAKY 790 AM during the 1970s.
He later spent more than four years as an afternoon DJ on WVLK in Lexington before retiring in 1994.
WVLK host Jack Pattie said Saturday that in the 1960s and '70s, WAKY was a very popular rock station among teenagers in Louisville and Lexington.
"He was what everybody listened to," Pattie said. "I think he was one of the best broadcaster communicators ever. He was a huge influence in my career."
After retiring from WVLK, Mr. Bailey moved back to Louisville.
His daughter Faith Chapman said he had a stroke about 13 years ago, which required him to use a wheelchair, but "he never lost his personality."
As a resident of a nursing home in Pewee Valley, she said he did morning announcements over the public address system and had frequent visits from fans.
He enjoyed painting and said in a 1989 Herald-Leader article that he would "rather paint pictures than anything.
"But I do enjoy radio because it's so easy for me," he said. "I don't like to do anything that's difficult."
Mr. Bailey is survived by a son and three daughters.
Make Sure you look at last years post for Nov and Dec 2010 on the blog - There is Darlene Love , The Delvetts , Monster's Holiday , plus Hotpantz - I want to give you one and Mariah Carey among others including Dr Strange and The Lovers
Here are some selections for this year
Count Floyd- 03 Reggae Christmas Eve In Transylvania
Hark The Harley Angels Sing -slidawg & the redneck ramblers
We included a song by the Roomates (UK ) and thanks to Tim Hughes and some detective work plus a little luck , we can can now provide for you the original from 1961 by the Universals Love Bound (Festival 1601) Distributed by King Records
The Universals (Amityville, New-York)Personnel :
Fred Johnson (Lead)
Plinius Ruiz (First Tenor)
Robert DeLoney (Falsetto)
Ollie Johnson (Second Tenor)
Kenny Johnson (Baritone)
Anthony Jones (Bass)
Comment Below is from YouTube
I'm happy to report that...on WWIN (in my Baltimore hometown)..."Love Bound" got up to #17 (pop...not R & B) in late November, 1961, but mysteriously disappeared from their charts the following week.
Listen to the string arrangement , can you dig it ???? Reminds one of " This Magic Moment "
Just received the text below from 2 correspondents and located this in the Santa Fe New Mexican
PAUL COWLEY Born Aug 15 , 1927
Died Sep 25, 2011
Ed Note :This birth date would have made him 20 years old when he started radio in Charleston WV in 1947 and 28 when he came to WKLO in Louisville in 1955 .
His passing is noted at the link below which is the source of the pictures .
1 . "Just heard through the media grapevine that Louisville radio icon of the 1950s/'60s, Paul Cowley, passed away last week out West. Last address I had for him was Santa Fe NM in 2005. Paul was a longtime friend to our mutual buddy, singer Bob Bowman, who passed away in 2009.
For those old enough to remember, Paul was to the Louisville market what Alan Freed was to Cleveland during the heyday of Top 40 radio. And he was a genuinely nice guy; my wife-to-be and I often talked to him in 1961 over Ranchburgers when he did his WKLO nighttime show from the Dixie Hwy Ranch House"
2 . "He truly was a nice person. Worked with him one for whole week in 1959 @ 7:30 Pm till midnight atop the Ranchouse as a “guest teen disc jockey”. Was a high school promotion and I was a Jr at St X. My job was to say between commercials ,’Stay tuned for the Everely Brothers new hit: “Claudette”….. #52 years ago…God Rest His Soul and I know he is in R N Heaven….
Please add your own memories and comments
Editor Personal Note:
I remember going into the Paul Cowley record store ( my first stop not Vine or Variety ) trying to find " Pomp and Circumstance " by Adrian Kimberly
They did not have it but this 16 year old was helped by a gorgeous woman ( who seeing her picture must have been Mr Cowley's wife ) who kindly gave me a DJ copy . Over the years , I have played the song often . Years later I found that Adrian Kimberly was a name used by the Everly Brothers .
The links in the article play the song and you can see a larger picture of the label
"In 1961 Don Everly produced three singles on his new Calliope label that were not Everly vocals. He used the artist name Adrian Kimberly, and used an orchestra and chorus. Listen to the first one: Pomp and Circumstance - #34 Billboard Black Mountain Stomp - flip side
From Wikipedia with comments from your humble blogger: FYI Quezergue is pronounced (ka-Zair)
After playing with Dave Bartholomew’s band from the late 1940s and serving as an army musician in Korea, he emerged as a bandleader in his own right in the mid-1950s with his Royal Dukes of Rhythm. He also worked as an arranger with the cream of New Orleans musicians, including Professor Longhair and Fats Domino.
In 1964, he formed Nola Records, and Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’” from the label reached number 2 on the R&B chart. Other artists on the label included Eddie Bo, Willie Tee and Smokey Johnson. Later, he recorded King Floyd’s “Groove Me” and Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” at Malaco in Jackson , MS ( included in this post ). When major labels including Stax and Atlantic initially rejected them as uncommercial, Stax eventually released "Mr Big Stuff", and it became the biggest selling, most successful release on the Stax label (currently over 3 million copies), outselling Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and the other Stax acts. "Groove Me" was released on the Chimneyville label, a huge hit (King Floyd's biggest), and was covered by artists as diverse as Etta James and Tom Petty. Quezergue was also the keyboardist on both hits. Quezergue arranged and produced Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue", which "crossed over" and also became the label's (Malaco) biggest seller.
At the same time, Wardell was charting, at Berry Gordy's request, stage arrangement for Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts.
As a result of these successes, Quezergue’s skills as an arranger, and Malaco’s studios, became in demand in the 1970s, and were used by artists as diverse as Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and B. B. King. He also worked with G.C. Cameron, former lead singer of The Spinners ("It's A Shame") and The Temptations, the Pointer Sisters, and many more.
Quezergue also produced and arranged the Grammy Award-winning Dr. John album Goin' Back to New Orleans in 1992. Already an award winning classical composer and conductor, in 2000 he created an extended composition entitled "A Creole Mass", drawing on his experiences in the Korean War.
In 2005, Wardell was awarded "Best Produced CD of the Year"(by the NY Blues and Jazz society) for his first sessions with singer-songwriter Will Porter. Also a Blues Foundation nominee, the sessions featured Billy Preston, Leo Nocentelli, The Louisiana Philharmonic Strings, and Nola's best musicians. The CD was awarded 4 stars by AMG, and received what Quezergue called "the best reviews of my career".
In 2005, by now legally blind, he lost most of his belongings as a result of Hurricane Katrina.The following year, benefit concerts were held in his behalf, led by Dr. John, with support from other leading musicians, including REM’s Mike Mills.
In May 2009, Wardell Quezergue received an honorary doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans for his selfless dedication to enhancing the careers of others, while remaining in the background; for his dedication to teaching others, especially the young aspiring musicians of the city, leading many great New Orleans musicians to refer to him as "my teacher;" and for his contributions to the sounds of the city, particularly the driving horn sounds of the 60s and 70s, for which New Orleans music became known.
]In 2011 Quezergue finished work on what he called his "two most important works"; his classical religious work "The Passion" and the sophomore recording for Will Porter. On August 25, 2011, Quezergue approved final mixes of 15 tracks of the Will Porter project, featuring duets with Dr. John, Bettye Lavette, Barbara Lewis, jazz bassist Jimmy Haslip, Leo Nocentelli of the Meters (all multiple Grammy nominees/awardees,) with, once again, the best of New Orleans, including the 12 last recordings of the late drummer Bunchy Johnson, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Strings. His next planned project, a duet CD with Will Porter and Dr John will continue without him, as he died September 6, 2011, age 81.Please Click On The Attached Link For More Music In The Studio
On July 19, 2009, a tribute was mounted to Wardell Quezergue at the Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. By all standards, the show was a triumph, its concept begat from Dr. Ike and the Ponderosa Stomp crew. A nine-piece band was assembled and imported from New Orleans to back up singers like Dr. John, Robert Parker, Jean Knight, and The Dixie Cups, just to name a few. Veteran writer/arranger/bandleader/producer Quezergue showed everyone that he still has it, as he conducted the whole concert.
Dr John And Wardell Quezergue - A Tribute (Please notice bass player in the kitchen) http://youtu.be/48ymr_iFvHw
From YouTube , Chancellor of Soul, Mike Boone presents the story of Malaco Records, a label in Jackson, Mississippi that produced two historical recordings by two legendary artists from the city of New Orleans, King Floyd's 'Groove Me' and Jean Knight's 'Mr. Big Stuff'.
Both sessions took place on Sunday, May 17, 1970.
'Groove Me' and Mr. Big Stuff' established the Sound of Malaco, where both recordings made a significant addition to R&B and Pop music.
Groove Me' hit No.1 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart for 4 weeks, the week ending January 2, 1971. The 'King Floyd' LP charted No.19 on the Soul LP charts, the week ending, June 26, 1971.
;Mr. Big Stuff' hit No.1 on the Soul Singles chart for 5 weeks, the week ending July 3, 1971. The self-titled LP 'Mr. Big Stuff' charted No.8 on the Soul LP charts, the week ending Sept 25, 1971
Now we present Cathy Jean and Roomates, The Roomates US and a fantastic group from the UK , The Roomates . These guys are great and there is much more on youtube plus they have cds. ( See the list at the end )
Roomates UK CD's - Click on links for track listing
ROOMATES - THE CLASSIC SOUND OF Listen to this group of English guys that capture the magic of the great sounds we love and cherish. 24 tracks. ROOMATES - BETWEEN THE LINES 'Of all the modern day performers who sing group harmony, the Roomates are among the few who have kept the faith and avoided the temptation to moderise the classic sound' - as noted in liner notes. 22 tracks. ROOMATES - Off the Shelves Off the shelves and onto a cd - tracks from before the hits we never had - includes 26 previously unreleased tracks. 29 tracks. ROOMATES - CAN'T LIVE ON MEMORIES Contains 12 tracks recorded in the studio sessions during '97 and '98, and a number of tracks that have only been previously available on various R&R compilations! 18 tracks. ROOMATES - Lost On Belmont Avenue Although from the UK, the Roomates are lost on Belmont Avenue. Listen as they showcase thier amazing vocal talents in the styles of many classic white groups on the late 50's and early 60's. 30 tracks
Received this from a correspondent who was at the 75th Birthday party for Hardy Martin, one of the founders of the Carnations and a part of the Sambo music booking agency
Who is in the photo ?
Jim Stodghill (Paul Penneys brother), Bill Summit (Trendells), Joe Bergman (original Trendell), John St Clair (original tenor/lead with Sultans), Wayne Young( Soul , Inc ), Paul (Stodghill) Penney. Mike Gibson(original Monarch ),Dick Snider on Drums 9original Monarch.) Bill Haswell (original Monarch) guitar, Geroge Owen piano original Monarch out of frame.
When asked who was there another correspondent comented "Every Louisville musician that could walk was there! What a party!!! List is too long. Was the same at his 70th!"
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