Today’s Blog takes me back to DooWop in Da ‘Burgh! Pittsburgh has a great tradition of music talent and a lot of the music began on the street corner, especially with groups like the Skyliners, the Marcels. the Vogues, the Four Dots, the El Venos, the El Capris, the La-Rells and the list goes on. Many of our singers got their first taste of singing in the church, which takes us to today’s flashback of the Pittsburgh DooWop Choir! I was working with my friends at radio station 3WS when an opportunity arose to form a group of DooWop singers to sing in church for a Christmas mass with our old friend, Father Scott Seethaler. My mission was to assemble singers from DooWop groups here in Pittsburgh and form a Heavenly Choir to sing to all denominations bringing people together in prayer and song. As we progressed, we thought it would be a great idea to invite an old friend who was living in New York at the time … the great and talented … Lou Christie, (yes, of “Lighting Strikes” and “Gypsy Cried” fame)! Lou accepted the invitation, and we featured Lou on the beautiful … “O, Holy Night” … with the entire Pittsburgh DooWop Choir backing him! The Mass was aired live on 3WS radio, and the crowd began to assemble early in the day until the station had to announce that …”please don’t come down … listen on the radio!” since there was no more room in the church. What a beautiful event, no egos, multi-cultures, multi-religions, people accepting each other as regular people … the love was contagious … the feeling was Heavenly! Music has a way of bringing people together. As time went by, I worked with Lou often and think about his days in Da “Burgh … which brings me to another celebration on February 19th … Lou Christie’s Birthday! Lou was born, Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, in Glenwillard, PA (Pittsburgh). Lou recorded on many labels, Roulette, Colpix, MGM, Columbia and Buddah. His hits began in 1966 with “Lightning Strikes” but he began singing in groups from 1959 and had his first record as Lugee and the Lions (The Jury) on the Robbee Label. Happy Birthday Lou … from Pittsburgh!