A Musical Biography of the Platters
and Other Entertainers from the 50s and 60s

 

Hour 1 - To tell the career of the Platters, one of America's top recording groups in pop history, one would have to talk with Jean Bennett. She  was there from the beginning and still, in her 80s, she is active in booking and managing the Platters. The group has had many transitions, but this show concentrates mostly on the original singers and the events that shaped music history.  Jean tells how the  Platters started in 1953 and how the music business worked in the 1950s,a  far different way to  get air play today. "Only You" and, "The Great Pretender" are discussed with some inside stories about the songs and the disc jockeys of the time. She also talks about the Platters' first engagements in Las Vegas.  
mp3 - running time: 60 min, 46 sec.  
Windows Media Version Part 1  Songs in the First set:
"Twilight Time"   ( Mercury records - ASCAP)
Count Basie Band:  "April in Paris"  ( Roulette Records- ASCAP)
Windows Media Version Part 2   Songs in the Second set:
Dean Martin - "That's Amore" (ASCAP-Capitol)
The Platters:  "Only You" (ASCAP-Mercury)
 Liberace:  "I'll Be Seeing You" (ASCAP-Capitol)

Jean Bennett spent a Saturday afternoon with us in her office rekindling memories of a great music career which was centered around the Platters whom she has represented for over 50 years!

Hour 2 - The tribute to the Platters continues with inside stories about Jean Bennett the manager of the Platters. She tells about the early days in Hollywood where Buck Ram officed on the same floor as Seymour Heller, the famous Hollywood where she worked with Liberace and Lawrence Welk as well. The program features some of the Platters hits and the stories behind those records.
mp3 Running time: 51 minutes, 48 seconds.

Windows Media Version Part 1
Songs in the Third set include:
Liberace: "Nola"  (Columbia-ASCAP)
Stan Freeberg: "Wun'erful, Wun'erful"  (Capitol-BMI)
Jimmie Rogers: "Honeycomb" (Dot-BMI)
Platters: "My Old Flame"  (ASCAP-Mercury)

Windows Media Version Part 2
Songs in the Fourth set include:
Four Tops- "Reach Out and I'll Be There" (BMI- Motown)
Platters- "The Great Pretender"(BMI- Mercury)
Platters- "My Prayer"  (BMI-Mercury)
Platters- "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (ASCAP- Mercury)

Jean Bennett is cousin to movie star great, Lana Turner.

Related Links

Motown Loses a Legend - (10/17/08) Music journalist Ben Fong Torres reflects on the life and career of Motown legend Levi Stubbs from the Four Tops who died at 72. 
mp3 - running time: 4 min, 27 sec   
Windows Media Version
(Courtesy of KCBS -AM San Francisco (www.kcbs.com)