Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

As today is Memorial Day, here is a song used in the World War II movie, Kelly's Heroes (1970) starring Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald Sutherland and Carroll O'Connor. It is "Burning Bridges" by the Mike Curb Congregation. "Burning Bridges" was written by Lalo Schifrin and Mike Curb.

I saw a live show of the Congregation at the Latitude 20° nightclub and restaurant around 1975 in Torrance, California.

From AllMusic:

The creation of songwriter/composer, producer, politician, and label exec Mike Curb, the Mike Curb Congregation was a harmony pop chorale who charted in the early '70s with songs like "Burning Bridges" and "Sweet Gingerbread Man." Formed in 1969 around the time Curb became president of MGM Records, the Congregation consisted of over a dozen performers from a variety of musical backgrounds, including but not limited to rock, country, and gospel.

Above, from left, Wes Bush, California Lt. Gov. Mike Curb, Armand
Vaquer and Bill Fernandez in February 1981. Photo by Ken Huthmaker.

For this week's selection, here are two videos of "Burning Bridges". One is of the Congregation on a variety show (Mike Curb is at the keyboard) and one with scenes from Kelly's Heroes.

Gainesville Times: The Story of Graceland

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Gainesville Times has posted an interesting series on Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. 

The article, "The Story of Graceland" has some factoids on the purchase of the property in 1956.

Some snippets:

When Ruth Moore’s daughter, Ruth Marie Cobb, sold the Colonial Revival house her parents had built on a piece of land named after her great aunt — who bequeathed the land to Moore — she surely never considered the possibility that it would become the most famous home in America. 

Moore had inherited the 13.8 acres from her aunt, Grace, for whom the property was named Graceland.  

Nine miles from downtown Memphis, it was in the rural countryside when Elvis Presley bought it in 1956 for $102,500. As part of the deal, Elvis paid down $10,000 and traded the family’s nice home at 1034 Audubon Drive to the real estate company for an additional $55,000 toward the sale. 

It is the most popular residence in America, rivaled only by the White House in numbers of visitors annually. Close to 750,000 people file through to see the white living room, the dining room with the original china that Elvis used daily and, of course, the famous Jungle Room.  

Music Executive Mike Curb bought the Audubon property to preserve the history, while Graceland’s honors as a national historic landmark and spot on the National Register of Historic Places make it the first rock ‘n’ roll site to garner such distinctions.

Above, then-Lt. Gov. Mike Curb, second from left, bought Presley's
 former home on Audubon Drive to preserve the home's history. 

To read the full article, go here. 

Party Boss Days

This morning, I was scanning some old photographs from my days as the chairman of the 53rd Assembly District Republican Central Committee. Some were pretty faded, but I managed to "tweek" them a bit so they'll look better.

The 53rd Assembly District comprised of Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena and some portions of Los Angeles and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. It had about 24% Republican registration, so it was a matter of time the incumbent, Republican State Assemblyman Paul Bannai, would lose a re-election bid.

Up until 1980, we were lucky that Bannai faced carpetbagger Democratic opponents. In 1980, he faced off against Richard E. "Dick" Floyd, a rather uncouth and bombastic character who was an aide to the area's state senator, Ralph Dills.

The South Bay area had a number of quirky Democrats in the state legislature. Another was State Senator James Q. Wedworth.  One time, I was helping Dan Walker in his campaign for a seat on the Torrance City Council. When Walker held his campaign headquarters grand opening, Wedworth showed up (he was running for re-election that year). Walker had refreshment platters of meats and cheeses for the attendees. Serving forks were placed there for people to serve themselves with. At one point, Wedworth stood next to one of the platters and started eating from the platter with a serving fork. When he was done, he left the fork in the platter and walked off.

When I saw this, my mouth must have dropped in astonishment. Seeing my reaction, a friend (who was on Walker's campaign staff) came over to me with a big grin and said, "Well, Armand. Now you know why they call him Barnyard Jim!"

Anyway, back to Dick Floyd. Floyd beat Bannai for the assembly seat in 1980. Floyd later earned the antipathy of California bikers when he sponsored, and Governor Pete Wilson signed, the motorcycle helmet law.

Bannai later joined the Reagan Administration as head of the veterans cemeteries for the Veterans Administration.

Here's some photos (all by Kenneth Huthmaker):

Alondra Club, September 20, 1980

The 53rd Assembly District Republican Central Committee held a luncheon at the Alondra Club in Lawndale. Besides the usual political speeches, the luncheon featured a "Famous Persons Auction" of items donated by such luminaries as former President Ford, Sen. Barry Goldwater, Caspar Weinburger and others.

Above, Assemblyman Paul Bannai addresses the 53rd Assembly
District Republican Central Committee luncheon held in Lawndale.

Above, yours truly chairing the luncheon. Committee member Patrick Keller is at left.

Gung Hay Chinese Restaurant, February 5, 1981

After Assemblyman Paul Bannai lost his re-election bid the previous November, the 53rd Assembly District Republican Central Committee held the "Salute To Paul Bannai" dinner at the Gung Hay Chinese Restaurant in Gardena. The dinner had about 300 people in attendance and it drew some political heavyweights as Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb, San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson, L.A. County Supervisor Deane Dana, former Democrat Congressman Charles Wilson and many members of city councils of the cities in the district.

The restaurant was located at the former location of Bannai's campaign headquarters during the 1973 special election.

Above (from left), Mrs. Hideko Bannai, Lt. Gov. Mike Curb, former Assemblyman Paul Bannai and Armand Vaquer.

Above (from left), Wesley Bush, Lt. Gov. Mike Curb, Armand Vaquer and Bill Fernandez.

Above (from left), former Assemblyman Paul Bannai, L.A. Co. Supervisor Deane Dana, Armand Vaquer and Hideko Bannai.

Above, yours truly presenting former Assemblyman Bannai with a
 plaque in appreciation of his service in the California State Assembly.

LACYR Hayakawa Party

Above, yours truly introduces S. I. Hayakawa to the LACYR party. Photo by Ken Huthmaker.

Back in 1975, I served as 2nd Vice-President of the Los Angeles County Young Republicans (LACYR).

Above, Hayakawa with Assemblyman Paul Bannai and Armand. Photo by Ken Huthmaker.

On September 27, 1975, I also co-chaired a fundraising cocktail party (with Mrs. Hideko Bannai) at the Beverly Hills home of record producer Mike Curb. S.I. Hayakawa was the special guest at the event. Hayakawa beat incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator John Tunney in November 1976 for the senate seat.

Above, Assemblyman Michael Antonovich, S.I. Hayakawa, Assemblyman Bannai and Armand. Photo by Ken Huthmaker.

The party was seen as the beginning of Hayakawa's run for the U.S. Senate.

S.I. Hayakawa was born July 18, 1906 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada (he died Feb. 27, 1992 in Greenbrae, California). He was a scholar, university president and U.S. senator from California (1977–83). He is best known for his popular writings on semantics and for his career as president of San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University). (Source: Encyclopedia Brittanica)

He became a bit of a "folk hero" when he yanked out the wires from a public address system of some student protesters at San Francisco State.

For more on S. I. Hayakawa, go here.

Hideko Bannai

After posting about my days working as a field representative for Assemblyman Paul T. Bannai, I did some Googling and found this (Source: Rafu Shimpo):

Hideko Bannai, 82 year-old, Burbank, Calif.-born Nisei, passed away on June 14. She is survived by her husband, Paul Bannai; and their children, Kathryn Bannai (Robert Miura), Don Bannai, and Lorraine Bannai (Norman Mar). She is also survived by her grandchildren Jared Nagae, Sean Miura, Akira Bannai, Eliot Mar, and Dana Mar; sister, Alice Yamashiro; and nieces and nephews. A private memorial service was held on June 18, and an interment in July.

The year of the article was 2009. Searching around, I found that she last resided in Seattle, Washington. Paul Bannai will be 91 next month.



Note: In the party photo above, GOP politicals include Mike Curb (who later became California Lt. Governor), Michael Donaldson (later California Republican Party Treasurer), Assemblyman Michael Antonovich (now a L.A. County Supervisor), S. I. Hayakawa and Assemblyman Bannai.

Mrs. Bannai and I served as co-chairmen for a Los Angeles County Young Republicans party (photo above) featuring S. I. Hayakawa (before he became U.S. Senator) at the Beverly Hills home of Mike Curb in 1975. The photo of Mrs. Bannai and I (at top) was used for publicity for the event.

Above, Governor Ronald Reagan lends his support for Paul Bannai during the 1973 special election. From left, Hideko Bannai, Paul Bannai, Gov. Reagan, Kathryn Bannai and Lorraine Bannai.

She was a great lady and I am sorry to learn of her passing.