Saturday, July 18, 2009

A trip down memory lane fit for every biker and biker chick my age



Ernest Evans was born in Spring Gulley, and as a child was raised in the projects of South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he lived with his parents and two brothers.

By the age of eight Evans had formed a street corner harmony group and, by the time he entered high school, learned to play the piano as well as entertain his classmates by performing vocal impressions of popular entertainers of the day, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino.

One of his classmates and friends at South Philadelphia High School was Fabiano Forte, who would become a popular singer of the late 1950s & early 1960s as Fabian.

After school, Evans would entertain customers at his various jobs, including Fresh Farm Poultry on 9th Street and at the Produce Market, with songs and jokes, and it was his boss at the Produce Market, Tony A., who gave Evans the nickname "Chubby". The storeowner of Fresh Farm Poultry, Henry Colt, was so impressed by Ernest's performances for the customers that he, with his colleague & friend Karl Mann, who worked as a song-writer for Cameo-Parkway Records,arranged for young Chubby to do a private recording for American Bandstand host Dick Clark. It was at this recording session that Evans got his stage name from Clark's wife, who asked Evans what his name was. "Well", he replied, "my friends call me 'Chubby'". As he had just completed a Fats Domino impression, she smiled and said, "As in Checker?" That little play on words ('chubby' meaning 'fat', and 'checkers', like 'dominos', being a game) got an instant laugh and stuck, and from then on, Evans would use the name "Chubby Checker".

Enjoy the let's twist again...if you know it

18 comments:

subrosa said...

Of course I know it Baron, I was a pioneer of the dance. Hence the bad back, bad hips, bad knees. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow thanks for the info...did you get this idea from Lady? hmmm oops maybe it's cuz her blog comes up first in the reader LOL. Enjoyed this and I learned something today...WOOT

Lance said...

I couldn't get into this music...there's no swearing, no drug references, no guns...what gives????

Seriously Baron, this was a great post, and thanks for the video link! It does bring back great memories.

Baron's Life said...

Subrosa...another time, another place...we might've been an item...no pretentions here...you're just what I can imagine a gorgeous chick is all about xoxoxo

Baron's Life said...

Thom...whatever you talking about bud...must be the Hawaii detective at work...lol

Baron's Life said...

Lance..that's exactly what my 16 year old told me...lol.... but yes the memories are there... I lived in the Manilla for a couple of years... Makati was my head quarters...so the piano bars...are still vivid in my memory...Makati was the only place I could get some real nice French Fries...!

Baron's Life said...

Lance..that's exactly what my 16 year old told me...lol.... but yes the memories are there... I lived in the Manilla for a couple of years... Makati was my head quarters...so the piano bars...are still vivid in my memory...Makati was the only place I could get some real nice French Fries...!

bikerted said...

Hee hee. If Ian does The Twist these days it takes five minutes for his stomach to stop moving after the record has stopped.

Lance said...

Ahhh...Makati...I really like the Philippines (my Mom was born there).

Dave said...

Bloody Hell Baron, small World...it would'nt have been josaphines Piano bar in Makati or R Js would it??

RJs was the one with the metal detectors where you had to leave your guns and knives by the door...Ahh memories lol..

Cheers

Dave..

Anonymous said...

I didn't know about him - thanks for introducing!

Baron's Life said...

ellievellie...did you listen to the song...the link is on the site...you need to listen to the song I'm sure you know it...every teenager in EE knew it...
ya tibia loublou..dasvidennya

Baron's Life said...

Dave..don't tell me you lived there as well..I Worked for Telefunken at the time....hehehehe....yes it is the Bar in question...but doiesn't matter the whole street is just a big W house.

Baron's Life said...

Thom...lady feeds me all day...lol

Baron's Life said...

bikerted...I've been unable to post your site for some time now...not sure why...check out your settings is allowing posts or not...

A Lady's Life said...

Ya you stole my Chubby and now all I am left with is Checkers lol

Well you do have a great blog Baron I must say. It makes me laugh.
I kinda side tracked on mine.
It was supposed to be about women and instead I'm Chubbyin lol

I love old music because it has soul.
Todays' music hurts the soul and I hope one day the kids grow up and have their own childrens' eyes to look into and see heaven, as I did in mine.
Then they will understand love.
Have a good one.:)

PrinceBaro said...

"Lets Twist again"
My parents use to blast that song over and over again throughout the house growing up. It used to get on my nerves but now i enjoy whenever i hear it. I have a learned apprecieation for it.

bikerted said...

Hi Baron, not sure what the problem is. I've checked my settings and nothing has changed.

Yours confused

Ted.