Len Barry

2020, Tribute

Len Barry was a high school basketball star with the looks of a matinee idol, a sweet tenor voice and a deep appreciation for classic R&B, but for all that, Len Barry was a reluctant pop star. He joined the Philadelphia vocal group The Dovells, who had a hit in 1961 with “The Bristol Stomp.” Barry would go on to score one more top ten hit with The Dovells before launching a solo career that peaked with his 1965 song “1-2-3,” which reached #2 on the Billboard charts. Len Barry never sought the spotlight but it always seemed to find him.

Bonnie Pointer

2020, Tribute

From the streets of Oakland to a star on Hollywood Boulevard, Bonnie Pointer came a long way in a too-short life. She inspired her three sisters to unite their voices in harmony and they were soon singing backup behind the leading artists on the San Francisco scene. When the Pointer Sisters took off on their own, it was Bonnie’s eclectic taste that took them beyond classification, synthesizing Gospel, New Orleans jazz, Broadway standards, soul, pop and funk to create a sound unto itself. Bonnie also found success as a solo artist. Bonnie Pointer: born in 1950. Gone too soon at age 69 in June of 2020.

Freddy Cole

2020, Tribute

“I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me” was not just a catchy album title for Freddy Cole. Though a formidable jazz and blues song stylist in his own right, he could never avoid comparison with his older sibling, the legendary Nat “King” Cole. Nonetheless, his mellow timbre, smooth phrasing and understated piano accompaniment would have earned him fame and acclaim, no matter what his surname. Freddy Cole. Rest his soul.

Benny Mardones

2020, Tribute

Benny Mardones came to New York in the 1960s and soon made a name for himself writing songs for the likes of Brenda Lee, Tommy James and Chubby Checker. He struck gold for himself with his 1980 ballad “Into The Night” which ended up charting again in 1989. Benny Mardones left us in June, 2020. But his voice will go on “Into the Night” and beyond.