Post by Rob Durkee on Mar 3, 2013 23:08:21 GMT -5
BOBBY ROGERS (THE MIRACLES) & JEWEL AKENS ("THE BIRDS & THE BEES") ENTER ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN
A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and the singer who taught us about the birds and the bees have passed away.
Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Miracles, died Sunday (March 3, 2013). He was 73. According to Jeanne Sorensen, a long-time friend of Rogers, and writer Susan Whitall of the Detroit News, Rogers had been suffering from a long undisclosed illness. He was unable to attend his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony last April.
Ironically, Rogers was born the same day as the Miracles' lead singer, Smokey Robinson (February 19, 1940).
Here's one of the earliest Miracles' recordings from around 1958, when the group had an answer record to the Silhouettes' #1 hit, "Get A Job." Check out the photos that accompany "Got A Job"...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ7GltNmDbg
The Miracles had over 40 pop hits in a chart span ranging from 1959 to 1976. The group had two #1's with "Tears Of A Clown" in 1970 and "Love Machine (Part 1)" in early 1976. Rogers was flashy as a dancer for the Miracles on stage and a successful songwriter off it.
Among the songs Rogers co-wrote were "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and "My Baby" for the Temptations along with "First I Look At the Purse" (the Contours) and "Ain't That Peculiar" (Marvin Gaye).
Meanwhile, Jewel Akens, best known for the #2-peaking 1965 hit, "The Birds And The Bees," died Friday (March 1, 2013). He was 72. No cause of death was known at presstime.
Akens was hardly a one-hit wonder. He had a followup to his biggest hit with "Georgie Porgie," which reached #65. Plus, about 1959, he teamed up with Eddie Daniels to have a minor hit, "Opportunity," as Jewel and Eddie.
Here's Jewel Akens' biggest hit...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaaVbWD3USI
A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and the singer who taught us about the birds and the bees have passed away.
Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Miracles, died Sunday (March 3, 2013). He was 73. According to Jeanne Sorensen, a long-time friend of Rogers, and writer Susan Whitall of the Detroit News, Rogers had been suffering from a long undisclosed illness. He was unable to attend his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony last April.
Ironically, Rogers was born the same day as the Miracles' lead singer, Smokey Robinson (February 19, 1940).
Here's one of the earliest Miracles' recordings from around 1958, when the group had an answer record to the Silhouettes' #1 hit, "Get A Job." Check out the photos that accompany "Got A Job"...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ7GltNmDbg
The Miracles had over 40 pop hits in a chart span ranging from 1959 to 1976. The group had two #1's with "Tears Of A Clown" in 1970 and "Love Machine (Part 1)" in early 1976. Rogers was flashy as a dancer for the Miracles on stage and a successful songwriter off it.
Among the songs Rogers co-wrote were "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and "My Baby" for the Temptations along with "First I Look At the Purse" (the Contours) and "Ain't That Peculiar" (Marvin Gaye).
Meanwhile, Jewel Akens, best known for the #2-peaking 1965 hit, "The Birds And The Bees," died Friday (March 1, 2013). He was 72. No cause of death was known at presstime.
Akens was hardly a one-hit wonder. He had a followup to his biggest hit with "Georgie Porgie," which reached #65. Plus, about 1959, he teamed up with Eddie Daniels to have a minor hit, "Opportunity," as Jewel and Eddie.
Here's Jewel Akens' biggest hit...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaaVbWD3USI