Currently Listening Mark II

In the 60's Belafonte was very active in supporting up and coming singers.

He was instrumental in bringing Miriam Makeba to the attention of the public. Although she had gained quite a bit of fame for her singing and acting it wasn't until Belafonte was able to get her into America and promote her that she became world famous. She charted in the UK in 1963 with 'The Click Song' and made a lot of hit albums. In 1960 the S. African government stripped her of her nationality because of her anti-apartheid stance! She became known as Mama Africa for becoming the leading anti-apartheid and civil rights activist.

She didn't only sing African songs but a whole range of international ones, from ones with a heavy beat to folk and blues.



Belafonte also promoted the trumpeter Hugh Masekela who becaome world famous. Miriam married Hugh.

In Belafonte's 1960 Carnegie Hall show (recorded as Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall) he brought together the up and coming singers of Miriam Makeba, Odetta and The Chad Mitchell Trio.

The Trio were predominantly a folk group that had a big following in clubs and on campus. They were also famous for their comedy and satirical songs. This one is taking the pee out of the right wing political group that became notorious for a few years.



Around 1960 the Trio brought in a guitarist to the group from another well known, and very good, folk group called The Limelighters. The guitarist was Jim McGuinn who stayed with them until 1963. He then left them to co-found The Byrds.

@Paladin In 1965 Chad Mitchell left the trio and they brought in a little known singer called John Denver



The other singer from the Carnegie Hall show was Odetta. She was a folk and gospel singer with a very powerful and unusual voice. An acquired taste.



Sorry if I've sent you to sleep

 

Gaz, Vince made that very good recording of Shaking All Over in 1961.

It was written by Johnny Kidd in 1959 and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates took it to No. 1 in 1960.

This was his version - not such a good upload of it.



Three of the Pirates left the band and became The Tornados. I booked them for a dance night that I used to run once a month. I used to book up and coming bands (couldn't afford the big names) and the stage was shared by two bands during the evening. Subsequently the Tornados made a No. 1 hit with 'Telstar'.



We also had a half hour 'amateur spot' where anyone could come on stage and sing and the band would do the backing. Helen Shapiro did the 'amateur spot' at the age of 14. She sang some fantastic jazz songs and it didn't surprise me that, at the age of 15, she hit the charts and got two No. 1's and a No 3.
This was the No. 3 (the No.1's were 'You Don't Know' and 'Walking Back To Happiness')