A street in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. 
- The Great Auditorium Ocean Grove, New Jersey
What do they have in common? Just another wonderful weekend in Ocean Grove where there is always something happening! And to think they used to call this place Ocean Grave. Back in the days…. and there was a time in Ocean Grove where life was much more sedate and serene; of course it still is if that is what you are looking for.
There was a time when cars were not allowed on the streets of the town after midnight on Saturday. Where did they go? They had to be removed from the streets and not returned until Sunday night. This town has religious roots, founded by Methodists who to this day run the town so to speak. In actuality the Camp Meeting Association which is the organization which ran the camp meetings – those retreats and spiritual renewal times and educational events that were the raison-d’etre for the formation of Ocean Grove. Methodists from all over the country would travel to the Jersey Shore for a week or two of respite from city life and an opportunity to enjoy the fellowship of the universal Methodist community. They built a Great Auditorium where services are held every Sunday BUT concerts are held every Saturday night of the summer. Over the years we have seen some great talents of our times and tomorrow night we will go to the Doo Wop Concert which signals the summer is over.
However, during the day tomorrow we are going to the Great Flea Market which is held every spring and summer. Hundreds of dealers selling everything from vintage toys to towels, tee shirts to tea pots, antiques, artifacts and albums. This event takes place on the wide grassy median of Ocean Pathway. It’s quite a sight with the ocean in front of you and the Great Auditorium behind you.
Even after almost 10 years I still am in awe of the beauty of this town. Every day I feel like I’m living in a postcard or a movie set or a Norman Rockwell painting. New is good, old is often better and to enjoy life in this throw-back-in-time town is wonderful, delightful and I feel very lucky or blessed (as one might say in Ocean Grove) to be able to reside there intermittently. Life is good.
Bill Ding and his band of clowns are the security patrol for this blog site. He is a favorite toy from the 50*s. By the way sometimes a blog is just an ego-maniacal stream of conscience.
Pbenjay's Blog 
Herb Reed – In Heaven Not On Earth
Posted in BY THE WAY, From My Point of View - Personal commentary on Movies and Books, tagged Arts, Baby Boomers, British Invasion, Doo Wop, Great Pretender, Music, Platters, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes on June 6, 2012| 2 Comments »
Only You (And You Alone) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Heaven on Earth was just one of the many songs sung by the Platters. And yesterday the last living member of that fabulous singing group, Herb Reed, died. Herb founded the Platters in the 1950’s – he was 83 years old when he passed away.
I always liked the song Heaven on Earth, however, it didn’t have a prayer (pun intended) to it’s flip-side phenomenal hit, My Prayer. For over a decade, the Platters produced 40 chart singles including 4 Number One hits. Among their repertoire were: The Great Pretender, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Only You (And You Alone), Twilight Time and (You’ve Got) The Magic Touch.
Headliners of Doo Wop era, their distinctive sound was a bridge between pre-rock Tin Pan Alley and the burgeoning new genre. Only You released in 1955 was their first Top Ten Hit and topped the R&B chart for 7 weeks.
The history of the group is checkered at best. Arrests and charges of drug and prostitution hurt their reputation even though no convictions ever took place. And over the years, the group splintered and several members started groups of their own, each one claiming the name The Platters, which led to lawsuits and injunctions. Finally in 2011, Herb Reed won the exclusive rights to the trademark name and the decision made Reed sole heir to the group’s tremendous legacy.
I’m at the tail end of the Baby Boomers who grew up on Rock & Roll, Doo Wop and the British Invasion. By the time the music of the day turned to Hard Rock, Acid Rock, and Heavy Metal, I was no longer listening to those radio stations. Doo Wop is probably my favorite genre and for me it encompasses Motown Sound, R & B, Bee Bop – just about all the music produced between 1950 and 1966.
KEEP THE MUSIC ALIVE!
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