I was born and raised in Elizabeth. An only child, the television set and the phonograph became my favorite toys before the age of 2, and my passion for both has never diminished. I am a lifetime vinyl record collector and music historian. I toured as a member of the vocal group the Duprees, most famous for the top-10 hit“You Belong to Me.” He also released recordings with numerous vocal ensembles, such as the Infernos, the Autumns, Retrospect, the Patterns, and the James Myers Quintet. I portray George Flynn in the 2018 film "The Price for Silence," starring Richard Thomas of The Waltons, and I have an extra role on FX’s long-running The Americans (Season 6).
Bob O'Brien
GLADYS KNIGHT Is 74 Today and Still a Pip
The delightful GLADYS KNIGHT turns 74 today. Her very first taste of success came while in elementary school. She was a contestant on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour and won. Hear her tell the amazing and heartwarming story of that historic win...
THAT’LL BE THE DAY Released this Day in 1957
The legendary and prophetic Buddy Holly and the Crickets classic, THAT'LL BE THE DAY, was released on the Brunswick record label this day in 1957. That song, backed with "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" on the flip side quickly soared to #1 on the charts...
Philly’s PATTI LABELLE Is 74 Today
She was born Patricia Louise Holt in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia exactly 74 years ago today. She began having hit records in the early 1960s with her fiercely powerful vocals way up front. Enjoy her in the early years backed by the Bluebelles by clicking below...
CHER Is 72 Today
Their early recordings were released as by CAESAR AND CLEO, but magic happened when they began calling themselves SONNY AND CHER. CHER turns 72 today, and if you saw her very recently in a series of TV commercials for The Gap, she looks amazing...
The Drifters Recorded SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME this Day 1960
The Drifters had a lot of hits over a lot of years featuring a myriad of different members and lead singers, but only ONE song reached number 1 on the pop charts - SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME. It was recorded this day in 1960. Written by prolific composers Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the song even spawned a hit answer record called "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" by Damita Jo...
Read Mo
Rock & Roll Pioneer BIG JOE TURNER Born this Day 1911
He was already in his 40s in Rock & Roll's infancy, and had been recording for quite some time by then. A big guy with big talent, BIG JOE TURNER was born this day in 1911, and despite a long, long list of chart hits, is best remembered for his original versions of "Flip, Flip & Fly" and especially "Shake, Rattle and Roll." See a...
STEVIE WONDER Is 68 Today
He started as LITTLE STEVIE WONDER, because he truly was just a little guy. He became a sensation with a long string of hits over a 25 year span, all for Motown's Tamla label. STEVIE is a not-so-little 68 today and still going strong. See a 1964 performance of his first big hit, "Fingertips" on The Ed Sullivan Show by clicking on the link below...
First Lady of Motown, MARY WELLS, Born this Day 1943
She was Motown's first big star, and every one of her Top Ten hits were written by Smokey Robinson. MARY WELLS, the first lady of Motown, was born this day in 1943. She scored with "You Beat Me to the Punch," "Two Lovers," "Laughing Boy," "The One Who Really Loves You," and the #1 sensation "My Guy...
RITCHIE VALENS Born this Day 1941
Ritchie Valens would have been 77 today. Amazingly, almost 60 years after his untimely passing in that historic plane crash that also claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, his music survives. Shortly before "the day the music died," Valens lip-synced to his version of "Ooh, My Head" (a reworking of Little Richard's "Ooh, My Soul") in the Alan Freed film
BILLY JOEL, Former Hassle, Is 69 Today
He's become a regular at Madison Square Garden - BILLY JOEL turns 69 today. His first record to hit the charts was with a group called the Hassles on the United Artists record label. It made Billboard's "Bubbling Under" Chart, but he had a "River of Dreams" ahead in his future...
Music and TV Star RICK NELSON Born this Day 1940
Along with a 14-year-run as the real-life son of Ozzie & Harriet on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet on ABC, Ricky Nelson became rock and roll star. After dozens of Top 20 hits between 1957 and 1964, Nelson's career hit a lull as a result of the British Invasion. He...
NJ’s Angels Lead PEGGY SANTIGLIA RICKER Is 74 Today
Happy birthday to New Jersey's own PEGGY SANTIGLIA RICKER who turns 74 today. She began with a group called the Delicates and her songs with that group got lots of airplay thanks to Murray the K, but her biggest claim to fame came in 1963 when she took over as the lead singer for the Angels...