I'm also a sucker for those "Then and Now" stories and photos. So, combining that with my favorite female singers from "back then", here's what I found:
Here are Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson. You probably have no idea who they are by those names, but I'll bet some of you know the song that made them famous. My cousin lived in Brownwood, Texas back in the early 60's when Ray and Jill were going to college there. I don't remember the exact circumstances, but somehow, through my cousin, I got to hang out with them a bit one summer.
To me she was absolutely gorgeous, and her voice left me in a condition that 13 year old boys shouldn't be in. A love song called "Hey, hey Jill..." just wouldn't sound right, so they recorded their big hit as "Hey, hey Paula". Yep, this is "Paul and Paula".
Anyone remember this lovely English singer? She was popular while I was in college in the late 60's. I had several friends who worked at a TV/radio station and they helped set up equipment and such at a concert she did. Through them I was able to meet her. Wow, did she have a powerful voice! Like all guys of my age, raging hormones led me to think I might somehow catch her attention, and then she'd notice my smoothness, and.... :)
Obviously that never happened, and if she had noticed me, I probably would have just mumbled something and stared at my shoes. Sadly she died in 1999 after a 5-year battle with breast cancer. Anyone recognize her? She's Dusty Springfield.
How about this tiny bombshell? My uncle owned a car dealership in Lubbock when I was about 12 or 13, and a radio station he did a lot of advertising with sponsored the concert where she was the headliner. Because he dropped mucho dinero on the station he and my cousin and I were invited to the concert and afterwards to meet her.
I was starstruck, but a little disappointed at the time because she looked younger than me (she wasn't). Still, she was nice to me and I managed to not embarrass myself in front of her. I saw her a few years ago at an outdoor concert and she can still belt out the tunes, yes she can! Look familiar? She's Brenda Lee.
I've saved my absolute most favorite for last. She's the one I heard on Pandora radio that started all this. You can't imagine how much I dreamed and plotted and schemed to somehow meet this lady. I don't remember if she ever came anywhere near my area on tour when I was a kid, but I would have sold my little brother to get to meet her. I knew, just knew, that she wanted me as her 13 year old boy toy.
She still does some appearances, and I went so far as to check to see if she would be in Texas anytime soon. (She won't be.) But then I thought, no, I want to remember her as she was back then. Some memories just need to be left alone. Anyone recognize her? Aren't those beautiful eyes a giveaway? She's Leslie Gore.
Turns out several of them wouldn't have been attracted to me anyway. (Haha! Young boy's brains just don't think right. This proves it!) That's fine. They're great singers and I still love hearing their beautiful voices. And besides, I've done very well without them. In fact, with K, I got more than I deserve. A LOT more. :)
S
