Star Wars: Robert De Niro vs. Mel Gibson Sep 12, 2008
" The movie, which seems on its face to be pretty much the same stuff we ve seen before, has a neat plot twist. I m not going to tell you what it is. It s worth plunking down a few bucks to find out. Righteous Kill is not "The Godfather II," the first movie that ever featured these two actors together. Nor is it Heat, the second and only other film with them facing off. Jon Avnet has directed a very mainstream entertainment here. It s not cutting-edge. It is simply good fun to watch these two... (Fox News)
8/10: Chubby Checker Aug 6, 2008
Chubby Checker revolutionized the culture when he dusted off an old Hank Ballard hit on the set of American Bandstand, urging teens to do The Twist. Before then, people danced together. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Ira Tucker, at 83; singer gave gospel music an emotive edge Jun 27, 2008
It is hard to gauge how much influence one musician truly has on another, but many articles suggest that Mr. Tucker's highly stylized singing may have inspired Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, the Drifters, Hank Ballard, and the Temptations. Mr. Tucker had no doubt of his power to inspire. (Boston Globe)
Renowned record store fading out Sep 5, 2007
" Village Music is more than another record store - Goddard's endless collection of memorabilia fills literally every inch of the walls, nooks, crannies and ceiling, some of the stuff so authentically rare it's hard to believe you're seeing it. Hanging on his walls are such museum-worthy pieces as a Robert Johnson gold record award, Janis Joplin's police mug shot, Howlin' Wolf's first royalty check. His bottomless inventory fills three rooms, various corners and crooks, not only in the bins, but... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Beachful of Blues Jul 6, 2007
The title song is a Nicholas original but the others pay tribute to songwriters such as Hank Ballard, Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones, Jimmy Rogers, T-Bone Walker and Fats Domino, among others. Nicholas s smokin guitar playing lights up the album and makes it sure-fire testimony to the staying power of Texas blues. (Westerly Sun, RI)
Drummer has performed with the best and keeps the beat going Jun 5, 2007
Over the course of his career, Oliver has performed with The Dells, Soloman Burk, Hank Ballard and Etta James, and as drummer for The Moments, he s worked with James Brown, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. Oliver has had numerous connections with Brown, who died Dec. 25, 2006. (Petersburg Progress Index, VA)
Fish: Soul-Shakers Feb 13, 2007
It's Black History Month, so it's only fitting to remember the mighty Black pioneers and creators of blues/soul/Rve left us physically, but never spiritually or creatively: Ray Charles, Hank Ballard, Lou Rawls, Wilson Pickett, Little Milton, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Floyd Dixon, Ruth Brown, Willie Kent, King Floyd, and the "Godfather of Soul," James Brown ... Another incongruous incendiary of this period was Rer Hank Ballard ... " Sam Phillips, Johnny Cash, and Hank Ballard are to the... (Zmag.org)
Godfather of Soul dead at 73 Jan 3, 2007
When we saw all the girls screaming for groups like Hank Ballard Midnighters, we thought, Oh, so this is what we want to do. explained Byrd. (Frost Illustrated)
