CHUBBY CHECKER TO HOST INNOVATIVE TV DANCE PARTY, REUNITING ‘50s & ‘60s CELEBRATION SOUNDS FROM BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS, ARETHA FRANKLIN AND MANY MORE
PBS’S TOP PLEDGE FRANCHISE TO DEBUT REMASTERED ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE ON MAY 31st
Legendary performer Chubby Checker will co-host “My Music: ‘50s & ‘60s Party Songs” with oldies impresario TJ Lubinsky, premiering on May 31st on PBS stations nationwide. TJL Productions has planned an interactive event in which viewers will sing and dance to the groovy tunes of the ‘50s and ‘60s.
“My Music: ‘50s & ‘60s Party Songs” will be the first episode of the popular My Music series to showcase the upbeat sounds played at parties during the magic baby-boomer era, beginning with the explosion of Checker’s The Twist and ending with the frat-rock sounds of The Kingsmen’s Louie, Louie. These otherwise lost performances have been remastered by TJL, providing viewers with a never-before-seen look and sound of their favorite blasts from their party past.
Checker and Lubinsky will guide viewers through the sounds of the late ‘50s and into the late ‘60s from their own perspective, while Danny & The Juniors and The Dovells will unite for special interviews.
Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul and Former “My Music: Soul Rewind” host notes, “As artists and as fans, we can count on both TJL and PBS to preserve, protect and present the great treasury that is our musical heritage.”
“The youthful, edgy sounds of performers like Little Richard, Tommy James and Martha Reeves are as relevant today as they were at their time of release,” said My Music creator, director and producer, TJ Lubinsky. “For me, music connects us with the past and bonds older and younger generations.”
Society today continues to reference the ‘50s & ‘60s in music, film, television, theater and books. For example, Clint Eastwood’s anticipated film Jersey Boys musically chronicles the story of the 1960s rock group The Four Seasons this June. Also debuting this summer is the James Brown chronicle Get On Up, directed by the critically acclaimed Tate Taylor.
The party starts with the following popular songs in Act 1: The Early ‘50s: Rock Around the Clock, Tutti Frutti, Great Balls of Fire, Blueberry Hill, Splish Splash, Rockin’ Robin, At The Hop, Bristol Stomp. The show will move into Act 2: The Early ‘60s: The Twist/Let’s Twist Again, Hanky Panky, Dancing in the Street, Keep on Dancing, Wooly Bully, Do You Love Me, and Louie, Louie. Cruising along, Act 3: The Mid ‘60s: Get Ready, Mickey’s Monkey, Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Hang On Sloopy, Mony Mony and Land of 1000 Dances. The show will then conclude with Act 4: The Later ‘60s: Respect, Build Me Up Buttercup, Brown Eyed Girl, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In and Na Na Hey Kiss Him Goodbye. The companion CD set includes original hit recordings from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Chuck Berry, The Four Seasons, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Tommy James & The Shondells, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Wilson Pickett, Van Morrison, The 5th Dimension, The Isley Brothers, Lesley Gore, Sly & The Family Stone, The Kingsmen, Four Tops and many more.
About My Music and TJ Lubinsky:
Reaching over 100 million viewers, My Music doubles as living history by documenting and preserving music legacies that would otherwise be lost or forgotten. The vintage music series has created over twenty-five TV documentaries for PBS spanning over 7 years. In its simplest format, “My Music” is another chance for fans to see their favorite acts and relive special memories triggered by classic songs.
Lubinsky’s production company, TJL Productions LLC, which produces the series, has raised millions for local public broadcasting stations, by chronicling the rich, diverse legacy of popular music. In addition, Lubinsky hosts a popular Sunday evening Live radio request program on New Jersey’s WJRZ-FM 100.1, streamed live worldwide on wjrz.com, I-Heart radio and android phones playing popular classic hits requests and dedications from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.
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More information at the PBS Press Room: (http://pressroom.pbs.org/Programs/5/50s-and-60s-Party-Songs.aspx).
Enclosures:
Video: Teaser of “My Music: ‘50s & ‘60s Party Songs”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot-3YrDGNZU&sns=em
Social Link: Official “My Music” Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Music-50s-60s-Party-Songs/665966123458457?ref=hl
Katie McArdle. CW3PR
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