Before I get into my experience of spending some time with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller let me lay some music history on you. Leiber originally came from Baltimore, Maryland and Stoller was from Queens, New York but they met in Los Angeles, California in 1950. Mike Stoller was a freshman at Los Angeles City College and Jerry Leiber was a senior at Fairfax High. After school, Mike played Piano and Jerry worked at Norty’s Record Store and both shared a love for Blues and Rhythm and Blues. In 1952, Charles Brown recorded their song “Hard Times” and “Kanasas City” which was recorded by Little Willie Littlefiels but became a huge hit for Wilbert Harrison in 1959. Right after that they wrote a song for Big Mama Thornton called “Hound Dog” which became a hit for Elvis Presley in 1956. In 1954 they formed Spark Records and had two big hits with the Robin’s … “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” and “Riot in Cellblock #9”. The label was bought up by Atlantic Records which hired Leiber and Stoller agreed to allowed them to produce for other labels. At Atlantic they wrote songs for the Drifters and the Coasters, who were a spinoff of the Robins. Thier list of songs that helped form the sound track of the New Rock and Roll that sprouted out of the Rhythm and Blues sounds even included Elvis Presley and they would go on to write more hits for Elvis such as, “Loving You”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “King Creole” and the Rock and Roll Christmas song … “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”. Let’s jump to 1996 when I was invited to attend the touring production of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe … The Songs of Leiber and Stoller” in Cleveland, Ohio and the unveil of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exhibit commemorating their contribution to Rock and Roll History. At the party I met the legendary Leiber and Stoller and got to spend some quality time picking the brains of these two Rock and Roll and Rhythm and blues genius. I took with me a Bowling shirt that I had embroidered “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” and asked them to autograph it, which they were so kind to do. The shirt is framed and hangs at my Music Museum (Johnny Angel’s Ginchy Stuff and Musem) here in Pittsburgh. Every time I play a classic song on my radio show that was written by the amazing Leiber and Stoller, I flash back to that magical day that I had the honors of meeting and learning from two of the masters that helped create the soundtrack of our lives. If you ever have a chance to view the amazing work of art … “Smokey Joe’s Cafe… the Songs of Leiber and Stoller” it is History Lesson of Rock and Roll!