Before I begin this week’s Blog … I want to wish an old friend a “Happy Heavenly Birthday”… the Original “Blue Moon” Bassman of the Marcels … Mr. Fred Johnson. Fred was a childhood friend, one of the first original Marcels and my first attempt at street corner harmony. My Dad’s best friend, Jim Cox, lived next door to Gene Bricker one of the original Marcels … the newly formed Marcels would gather on Gene’s porch and sing a cappella … I bugged them until Fred finally let me sing with them after running to the store (Lou’s and Mary’s) to buy them pops. Now this was actually before they released “Blue Moon”. Here is a little tidbit about the birth of the Marcels. Fred got off the bus on the Northsides, Woods Run area and heard some guys singing in the alley … it was Dick Knauss and two of his friends. Fred liked what he heard and began a conversation with Dick. Dick invited Fred to sing with his good buddy, Gene Bricker and Fred brought two of his buddies, Cornelius”Nini” Harp and Ron “Bingo” Mundy and formed the new group called the Marcels (named after a hair style from the era). Now let’s jump ahead thirty plus years … my friend Fred Johnson began singing at times with Johnny Angel and the Halos and even recorded a song with us on our Christmas CD … “Good Christmas Tonight”… Fred sang “White Christmas”. Not long after this I began working with the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and was preparing for the first induction ceremony … I was on the board, and they asked me to put a group together to perform at fund raisers and events for the Hall of Fame. I assembled a group made up of Fred Johnson (bass), Kenny Mitchel ( formerly of the Silvertones, Marcels, Sinceres and Johnny Angel and the Halos singing lead and second tenor), Dick Knauss (baritone and original member of the Marcels), Gary “Bubba” Daley (lead and second tenor of Johnny Angel and the Halos and yours truly, Jack “Johnny Angel” Hunt (lead and first tenor). The Board called us the “Pittsburgh DooWop All Stars”! We did our first fund raiser and show at the beautiful “Tara” near Sharon, PA… that performance led to many shows and concerts. The photo above was our first rehearsal (left to right, Fred Johnson, Dick Knauss, Kenny Mitchel, Johnny Angel and Bubba Daley … we were singing “Blue Moon” … followed by our first promo picture in tux and tails. Oh, how I miss those by gone days and especially the art of street corner harmonies. Hopefully, we will all meet again on a street corner on the Northside of Heaven!