One of my Buzzy friends John Hamill has been educating me about Baltimore-based bands. (Back in the day, he played in a Baltimore group known as the RaVons.) John informed me about a book and a website Baltimore Sounds that documents many of the groups who were performing back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
He told me about one of the more popular of these groups the Lafayettes who had a Top 100 hit Life’s Too Short.
The tune Life’s Too Short made a bit of a comeback in 1988 following its inclusion in John Waters’ original Hairspray movie. I went looking for it on You Tube but couldn’t find it. However, I did stumble onto Michelle Pfieffer in this scene from the 2007 version of Hairspray:
And speaking of Baltimore-based musicians, jazz great Eubie Blake was from B’more. I mention him because he was the originator of the quote he made just before he celebrated his 100th birthday “If I’d known I would live this long I would have taken better care of myself.” I mention that because Charlie Simms celebrates his 93rd birthday today and he will often make that Eubie comment. (In yesterday’s post I mistakenly had Charlie as celebrating being 94 when he is merely 93 today. Sorry Charlie. (Sounds like a commercial doesn’t it?))