Tag: Charlie Louvin

Pop Culture Roundup (9 Jan. 2012 Edition)

Kathleen Edwards In case you have been deep in the NFL playoffs or if you live in Iowa or New Hampshire and have been too busy listening to presidential candidates, here is this week’s roundup of some of the stories about music, film, and pop culture that you might have missed.

— Music —

Patti Smith has written a song about Amy Winehouse and will include the tune on her next CD.

Cee Lo Green manaaged to anger religious leaders, atheists, and John Lennon fans with a New Year’s “Imagine” lyrics change. He later explained why he changed the lyrics.

Jump! Van Halen — including David Lee Roth — played a small club this week to warm up for their upcoming tour.

Rodney Crowell’s website has three live acoustic songs for free download. Nice.

Kathleen Edwards’s new CD, released later this month, was co-produced by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) w/ guest artists.

For the first time ever, in 2011, digital sales of music topped the physical sale of music.

Grammy-winning musician Youssou N’Dour will run in Senegal’s presidential election next month.

Charlie Louvin’s new memoir recounts Oasis-type disharmony with his brother when the Louvin Brothers toured.

Terry Ardolino, the drummer with NRBQ from 1974-2004, passed away at the age of 56. RIP.

Freddie Milano, one of the Belmonts who sang with Dion on a number of classic rock and roll songs, passed away this week. After Dion left the original Belmonts behind (and a falling out and litigation followed), Milano continued to sing with the group while pursing his education. When he passed away he was working with the less fortunate, helping indigent people detained at Rikers Island jail in New York City. After Milano’s death was announced, Dion wrote a short tribute on his Facebook page, stating how Milano played an important role in his younger life: “We had our ups and downs through the years but that’s how things go in families, even rock-and-roll families. I will always remain grateful for his contribution in 1958 & 59 – may he rest in peace and rock on in heaven.” Milano was known for his great harmonies in the group on such songs as “I Wonder Why.”  RIP.

You may also hear and see Milano (on your right) in this performance of “A Teenager in Love.”


— Movies —

This year in movies “might just be the geekiest ever.” — IMDb editor Keith Simanton.

A Bridesmaids Sequel Without Kristen Wiig?

Bridesmaids Kristen Wiig The Chicago Tribune listed 10 films to see this winter from Michael Phillips.

The Tree of Life originally included a planned Adam and Eve sequence.

War Horse actor Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to be in the Star Trek sequel, perhaps as a villain.

Red Tails — an action film produced by George Lucas about WWII African-American Tuskegee Airmen — is out Jan. 20.


— Television —

Betty White has a new hidden-camera TV show of seniors pulling pranks.

Donald Trump announced his biggest Celebrity Apprentice cast ever.

What happened to Ted Williams, the “man with the golden voice” who was found homeless last year? (video)

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    Charlie Louvin RIP

    Satan is Real, The Louvin BrothersCountry music legend Charlie Louvin died this morning due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 83.

    Charlie Louvin, born Charlie Elzer Loudermilk in 1927, and his brother Ira formed the Louvin Brothers, known for their harmonies and described by Allmusic.com as “one of the most influential musicians of the ’40s and ’50s.” After the Louvin Brothers stopped recording together in 1963, Charlie continued to record on his own, including a couple of well-received CDs in the last several years. Ira, who battled alcoholism, died in a car crash with his wife in Missouri in June 1965.

    The Louvin Brothers, who started out with gospel music and then branched into secular songs, had many great recordings, including some original compositions such as “If I Could Only Win Your Love,” which later was Emmylou Harris’s first hit.

    Although rock and roll played a part in the Louvin Brothers’s declining popularity in the early 1960s and their eventual break up, many “younger” people like me discovered the Louvin Brothers through later rock artists who were influenced by the Louvins, like The Everly Brothers and The Byrds. I first discovered them through Gram Parson’s recording of their song, “The Christian Life” (as well as Roger McGuinn’s version with the Byrds). I do not know if Kurt Cobain ever heard the Louvin Brothers’s recording of “In the Pines, (Where Did You Sleep Last Night)” but one could see a connection between their version and his intense haunting MTV Unplugged version. Although Cobain’s version is generally considered to be more connected to Lead Belly’s version, one might hear Cobain transform the Louvin’s yodels of pain into anguished screams for help.

    One of my favorite album covers of all time is the cover of the Louvin Brothers album Satan is Real. The album features the smiling brothers in whites suits standing in hell with a cartoonish devil in the background. I love the cover song too, as I also love their song “The Great Atomic Power.” Even though the songs do not preach my type of religion, I find the songs beautiful and terrifying, with a touch of humor.  Uncle Tupelo also did a nice cover of the Louvins’ “Great Atomic Power.”

    Here’s to you Charlie. Thanks for the music. I hope today you found out heaven is real.

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