Carl Gardner, the original lead singer with The Coasters, has died. He passed in Port St. Lucie, Florida on Sunday June 12. He was 83 and had been suffering from congestive heart failure and vascular dementia.
One of the great vocal groups of the ’50s, The Coasters were one of the first black groups to crossover to mainstream chart success. It was Gardner’s voice on their best-known songs like “Yakety Yak,” “Poison Ivy” and “Searchin.”
Gardner retired in 1985 with his son Carl, Jr. taking over as the lead singer of The Coasters.
Organizer Michael Eavis is marking his music and arts festival’s 40th birthday by setting up a special stage for the acts that played the very first festival in 1971.
Groundhog Day 207 "Hip hip hooray, it’s Ground Hog Day!" Jack is so excited for his favorite holiday and can’t wait to find out if the ground hog will see her shadow or not! But he might not find out because a scared Gertrude the Ground Hog runs into the clubhouse and nervously peeks out the window, "Are they out there yet? Are they?" Jack and the gang learn that today is Gertrude’s first Ground Hog Day as the ground hog (the one who everyone gathers around to find out if it sees its own shadow). But Gertrude can’t do it, she doesn’t want to be the center of attention, she’s too shy to face all the people and cameras! Gertrude is not going out there! What will happen to Ground Hog Day?! Jack and the Bean Stalk 208 Jack finds some magic beans, which promptly grow into a huge beanstalk, breaking through the clubhouse ceiling, straight up into the clouds. Jack and the gang climb up to investigate and find themselves at the enormous door of a beautiful kingdom high above the clouds. It is here Jack, Mary and Mel meet the Giant, who is very sad. The Giant explains that he just doesn’t know what to get his wife for her birthday. All he has given her in the past are golden eggs, and she’s had enough of them. After trying out some gift ideas, the gang decides that the Giant should give his wife the gift of song. But what song will he sing? How Mel Got His Groove Back 102 Today, the clubhouse is rocking big-time! Mel gets a little carried away with his drum solo and accidentally sends a drum flipping through the air. The drum lands right on Mel and bonks him on the head. We soon discover Mel the dog thinks he’s a cat! Jack tries to bring back Mel’s "dog-gone" memory with his favorite dog toys and treats. Luckily, our good friend Cathy stops by and teaches us a song that gets Mel’s doggie groove back! What a day! Little Bad Wolf 101 Hold on to your musical instruments. Jack, Mary and Mel get a visit from The Little Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf’s brother. He huffs and puffs and blows the instruments all over the place making piles of musical messes. How can we get The Little Bad Wolf to stop blowing down the clubhouse? We can teach him how to play the perfect instrument for a wolf full of hot air. He learns how to blow a tuba! The Little Bad Wolf helps us rock the clubhouse and we all make marvelous music together. What a day!