It’s with a heavy heart that I write today’s Blog … last week, February 12, 2025 we lost a great National Treasure and dear old friend … Mr.. Tommy Hunt. Tommy was born Charles James Hunt in Pittsburgh, Pa in the Hill District section of the ‘Burgh. His School friends nicknamed him Tommy. that stuck with him his entire life. His neighborhood produced several soon to be music Icons … Chuck Jackson and Geroge Benson, to mention a few. Tommy moved to Chicago where he began his professional music career singing with a Group called the Five Echoes and recorded two records for the Sabre Record Label in the early 50’s and soon became a member of the Flamingo’s in 1956. In 1958 he recorded as the Flamingo’s, the classic DooWop Standard … “Lover’s Never Say Goodbye” and followed soon after in 1959 with the DooWop classic … “I Only Have Eyes” For You” in 1959. One of my favorite Flamingo songs off of the Flamingo Serenade Album was … “Begin the Beguine” which Tommy sang lead on. Tommy left the Flamingos in 1960 to pursue a solo career and in 1960 had the hit record … “Human” on the Scepter Record Label. One of my fondest memories with Tommy was our meeting at the Vocal Group Hall Of Fame when the Flamingos were being inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. Tommy loved my band and especially the fact that we were from his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. He said that he wished we could move to England to perform with him and told me that he would like us to record a couple of his songs that he wrote. Tommy later sent me a few of his penned songs and asked if we wanted to record them … one of my biggest regrets in this life is that we never took them into the studio. Tommy and I stayed in contact, and we even did some interviews together for my radio show but unfortunately, life got in the way, and we never were able to do that talked about show together … another one of my regrets. This Sunday evening, I will be doing a special tribute show to my dear old friend and will be playing the interview did with him years ago. Tune in Sunday evening at 8:00PM (EST) on jukinoldies.com … The Johnny Angel Heavenly Soul Show.