THE EARLY STIGMA OF ROCK 'N' ROLL

After a dormant decade, the great songwriter Doc Pomus was back in business by the late 1970s. I became his sidekick, entrenched in Doc’s late-night rock ‘n’ roll whirl, where he held court like a Buddha. He was amazed that so many of his songs became iconic anthems in a genre once vilified as teenage junk.

Episode Links

AKA Doc Pomus documentary trailer

Blues in the Red (Doc’s early 78’s)

Song under Sinatra quote: "Fat Back," by Josh Alan Band (unreleased)

Doc Pomus at the Pied Piper in New York, 1947

Late night at the Lone Star Cafe: Josh’s wife Peggy, Doc, (unidentified singing protege), Josh, 1982

French Elvis Lp. Mort Shuman became a pop star in France and thus received top billing here.

Still from documentary, AKA Doc Pomus: Josh, Doc, (unidentified), Ahmet Ertegun