Sonny Bono’s tumultuous life began in Detroit, Mich. on Feb. 16, 1935. His father, Santo Bono, had emigrated to the U.S. from Montelepre, Sicily. His mother, Jean, was a second-generation Italian forced by her parents to marry at fourteen. Salvatore Phillip Bono was the couple’s third child, and first boy. The family had settled inContinue reading “Sonny Bono left Inglewood High early to pursue an often-chaotic life in show business”
Tag Archives: music
Battles of the bands thrived in the South Bay during the 1960s garage band era
The “battle of the bands” concept wasn’t invented during the 1960s, when hundreds of teen bands began springing up in suburban garages in the wake of the rise of surf music and, a bit later, the Beatles-led British Invasion. But the shifts in pop music tastes definitely sparked a renaissance in the band contests. PopContinue reading “Battles of the bands thrived in the South Bay during the 1960s garage band era”
The 1930s jitterbug craze had South Bay youths dancing all over the place
Dance historians who research such things credit American jazz singer and bandleader Cab Calloway for coining the term “jitterbug.” In 1934, he recorded a lively tune, “Jitter Bug,” that some credit for kick-starting an energetic dance craze that swept the nation. Here’s a clip of the song from Calloway’s 1935 short film, “Jitterbug Party”: TheContinue reading “The 1930s jitterbug craze had South Bay youths dancing all over the place”
