Starting today, September 14, I will feature a column each Thursday showcasing a famous artist from yesteryear and highlighting a Top Ten hit on Billboard. The column will be titled….”Thursday’s Top Tune Throwback.”
Let’s flashback to April 1961, when Gene McDaniels released his #3 classic, “A Hundred Pounds of Clay” on Liberty records. McDaniels followed this top five hit with another, seven months later….”Tower of Strength.” McDaniels was also a songwriter in addition to being an outstanding vocalist. (Tower of Strength was co-written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard.)
McDaniels was born in Kansas City, Kansas and enjoyed a most interesting life. He died in 2011 at the age of 76. McDaniels studied music at the University of Omaha Conservatory of Music. In 1968 he left the United States for a three-year songwriting sabbatical in Denmark and Sweden.
Returning to McDaniels’ songwriting successes, he penned a #1 hit in 1974 with Roberta Flack’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
