tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3905886257394517461..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Ellie GreenwichBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83932967417655471542009-09-05T12:15:44.457-07:002009-09-05T12:15:44.457-07:00Several years ago, I started a petition to get Ell...Several years ago, I started a petition to get Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. It was utterly ignored by the nominating committee, and I eventually took it down, but not before over 1000 people had signed it, including Gene Pitney, May Pang, Jody Miller and members of The Crystals. Anybody who knows how to put the screws on the nominating committee, please have at it. To have Miss Ellie die without having gone to Cleveland, that's both a shame and a crime.<br /><br />Don Charles<br />http://popculturecantina.blogspot.com/DC HAMPTON JACOBShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09884630801131861786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44667191706474638622009-08-31T11:38:55.455-07:002009-08-31T11:38:55.455-07:00I had the pleasure of interviewing Ellie for about...I had the pleasure of interviewing Ellie for about 40 minutes on WHRW-FM, which is the campus radio station at SUNY-Binghamton in upstate New York. She was a very funny and easygoing person. <br /><br />This was while Phil Spector was first being arrested and she made it clear beforehand that she would not discuss the case on-air, but off-air she told me she honestly had expected him to do<br />something "like this" all along.<br /><br />Is she in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame as a songwriter? If not, let's do all we can to get her in.Captainfirstnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50920673123060887992009-08-30T08:21:50.787-07:002009-08-30T08:21:50.787-07:00There are some people who just know how to tell a ...<i>There are some people who just know how to tell a story. Hers often involved giving Phil Spector shit (it’s a wonder he didn’t shoot her).</i><br /><br />In the middle of a heartfelt tribute to your friend, a little ticking time bomb of hilarity.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your memories of your friend in your inimitable (and gawd knows I've tried) way.<br /><br />--tTod Hunterhttp://tod-hunter.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87407731725905851992009-08-29T15:32:19.105-07:002009-08-29T15:32:19.105-07:00If you want to hear Ellie @ the very beginning of ...If you want to hear Ellie @ the very beginning of her career back in 1958 -- search YouTube for Ellie Gaye Cha Cha Charming. There's also a clip from a 1989 Letterman show which has her, Jay Siegel of the Tokens, Johnny Maestro, Dion Di Mucci & even Will Smith thrown in performing with Paul Shaffer to the song: When the radio is onJ S Swansonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10215302701866743182009-08-29T14:04:39.357-07:002009-08-29T14:04:39.357-07:00She had been on my mind recently after reading the...She had been on my mind recently after reading the new Leiber and Stoller autobiography, Hound Dog. What a career and what a talent. How blessed you must consider yourself to have known her.jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19524538405905341612009-08-29T13:02:15.068-07:002009-08-29T13:02:15.068-07:00The '60s were by far the best decade in pop mu...The '60s were by far the best decade in pop music, and I say this as one who grew up in the '70s.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72460702587135895482009-08-29T11:50:35.562-07:002009-08-29T11:50:35.562-07:00Very moving, Ken. I was decidedly saddened, and st...Very moving, Ken. I was decidedly saddened, and still am at the news of Ellie's passing. I feel like I knew her, through her fabulous songwriting and envy your having known her personally. She may be gone, but will live forever through all those great recordings of her work. Larry ShellUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892595691757915954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91083409980458028692009-08-29T11:32:25.277-07:002009-08-29T11:32:25.277-07:00Thanks Ken, I hadn't heard that she passed. W...Thanks Ken, I hadn't heard that she passed. What joy she has brought to so many people who don't even know her name. I didn't until the Broadway show "Leader of the Pack" came out. VROOOOMMMMM! <br /><br />thanks, as always, for your wonderful insights.SharoneRosenhttp://www.sharonerosen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78015728938589781252009-08-29T10:37:01.811-07:002009-08-29T10:37:01.811-07:00My condolences on the loss of your friend, Ken. I ...My condolences on the loss of your friend, Ken. I hadn't realized until lately how much interest in theater you've had.<br /><br />It won't surprise anyone here, on a writer's blog, that on another site I read (Jezebel) many posters had never heard of her (although they knew her work). But at least they learned belatedly of her contributions to pop music.<br /><br />Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I feel I've reached an age where I know more people making their exit than their entrance. OTOH in the kinds of work I do and hobbies I pursue you can get to know interesting people of all ages, from advanced years to teens, so that keeps it fresh.amyp3https://www.blogger.com/profile/15749860471251983915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91054852400524480592009-08-29T09:00:38.455-07:002009-08-29T09:00:38.455-07:00Ken, thank you for the wonderful piece. Travel saf...Ken, thank you for the wonderful piece. Travel safe and well.<br />Elayne B.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872032116395491008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77855819991146113892009-08-29T08:54:37.306-07:002009-08-29T08:54:37.306-07:00Thanks, Ken, for this blog. Envy can barely descri...Thanks, Ken, for this blog. Envy can barely describe how I feel about you knowing EG. You must tell us more of her stories. <br />I've been a big fan of hers for ages & was quite saddened to hear she had died. My favorite EG song is You don't know. An absolute gem! I just ordered the Raindrops CS & also a collection of her Barry/Greenwich songs sung by various other artists. Can't wait to get it. I'm also a huge Carole King fan but EG could certainly give CK a run for her money in the songwriting dept.J S Swansonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86702345294444947942009-08-29T03:01:33.484-07:002009-08-29T03:01:33.484-07:00In my little piece about Ted Kennedy and Ellie Gre...In my little piece about <a href="http://rogerowengreen.blogspot.com/2009/08/teddyellie.html" rel="nofollow">Ted Kennedy and Ellie Greenwich</a>, I linked to a bunch of her songs I found on YouTube, FWIW.Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27375398247126984112009-08-28T22:31:36.740-07:002009-08-28T22:31:36.740-07:00Wonderful tribute ken, I was very touched and offe...Wonderful tribute ken, I was very touched and offer my condolences.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4920115660932724172009-08-28T21:36:54.119-07:002009-08-28T21:36:54.119-07:00Today's Fresh Air featured a rerun of a 1986 i...<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=8-28-2009" rel="nofollow"><b>Today's <i>Fresh Air</i></b></a> featured a rerun of a 1986 interview with Ellie. Includes some song clips and one bit of Ellie herself singing in studio. Very nice to hear.<br /><br />And I didn't actually listen to this one, but I see now that apparently <i>All Things Considered</i> ran a <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112331204" rel="nofollow"><b>3 min 52 sec piece about Ellie</b></a> on Aug 26 (listed under the <i>Fresh Air</i> piece on that page).<br /><br />Having heard the <i>Fresh Air</i> one I'm pretty sure that would be the far better one to check out if you have the time. The much shorter <i>All Things Considered</i> one must have been a career retrospective piece quickly put together to air the same day she passed (at least that's my assumption).<br /><br />—DSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41652244391378380872009-08-28T20:38:11.931-07:002009-08-28T20:38:11.931-07:00envy is not good... it gives you motive to do whic...envy is not good... it gives you motive to do which is not good...watzabatzahttp://get-infoz.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15389452041352234062009-08-28T20:23:30.610-07:002009-08-28T20:23:30.610-07:00Like we don't ALREADY envy you your friendship...Like we don't ALREADY envy you your friendships. Very nicely expressed, and glad to know this.A. Buck Shortnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26308404835683160002009-08-28T19:50:27.927-07:002009-08-28T19:50:27.927-07:00I thank her for making my teen years more tolerabl...I thank her for making my teen years more tolerable. My condolences on the loss of your friend, Ken.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83971171680886183342009-08-28T19:49:05.412-07:002009-08-28T19:49:05.412-07:00By sad coincidence, the main attraction every Mond...By sad coincidence, the main attraction every Monday night at the Irridium Jazz Club, directly across the street from the Brill Building on Broadway, was Les Paul, who passed away two weeks ago. Between Les and Ellie, lots of musical history has departed recently.Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.com