Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Hall of Famer passes on...

(Email from Jim Kane, Bristol's oldies guru)- A good friend of mine, Carl Gardner, lead singer for the Coasters, has passed away.  It was my band's good fortune to have played with and for the Coasters many times.  Carl was an inspiration to both of my kids.  They both played for Carl and the Coasters, and were proud that Carl chose them to be his band during the 80s in Florida.  He is in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, and the Coasters were the first group ever elected to the Hall.  Check out the Hartford Courant's web site - there is a great write up about Carl.
 
Carl Gardner, founding member/lead singer of Coasters dies at 83
Carl Gardner, a founding member and lead singer of the Coasters, the renowned R&B vocal group whose memorably amusing hits included "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown" and "Poison Ivy," has died. He was 83.  Gardner, who had been battling congestive heart failure and Alzheimer's disease, died Sunday in hospice care in Port St. Lucie, Fla., said his wife, Veta.  The Texas-born Gardner was lead tenor vocalist for the Los Angeles-based R&B vocal group the Robins before he and fellow Robins member Bobby Nunn teamed with Billy Guy and Leon Hughes —along with guitarist Adolph Jacobs — to form the Coasters in 1955. (more)

No comments: