Gary: “This would be a fairly uneventful year, mainly because nothing comes to mind. Believe it or not, in September of 1964 I purchased another new car but very late in the year and did not take delivery until early 1965. No steady girl friend, and my money went to cars and clothes. So I traded my 1 year old
Gary’s 1963 Corvair Spyder Turbo
1964 Corvair Spyder Convertible (turbo charged) for a
1965 Corvair Corsa Convertible
(4 single barrel carbs, progressively linked).
Yes I was really into cars and a member of the Toronto Corvair Owners Club
I would travel to Washington D.C. on business mid year and would meet a piano playing horn man, named Ogden Thompson. We would be friends for the next decade and I would spend a lot of time in the Washington Area.
I called him “Oggy” and he was 6′ 3″ tall, had a great sense of humour, and could drink better than anyone else I had met to this date. He always told me that Washington at that time had two girls for every guy; he was correct.
In the next year I would meet my second undeclared engagement, a girl from West Virginia.
My future blog partner, Russ, was very involved in computer programming, still with Zurich Insurance. He, along with the Regents would go into a recording studio and cut a record.
Now what do I remember about 1964:
Jack Ruby, who assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald was sentenced to death.
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Arnold Palmer wins the Masters for the fourth time and is the 1st golfer to win 1 million dollars and Arnie’s Army is born!
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Lyndon Johnson becomes President
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Martin Luther King wins the Nobel Peace Prize
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Richard Burton Weds Elizabeth Taylor
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Cassius Clay beats Sonny Liston
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Nelson Mandela is jailed for life
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The Bullet, the world’s fastest train makes it’s debut in Japan
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A little civil war called “Viet Nam” is heating up
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Life on the Big Screen in 1964:
Well My Fair Lady just cleaned up, Best Actor Rex Harrison, Best Actress Julie Andrews and of course best picture My Fair Lady
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But there were other movies that I enjoyed.
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Mary Poppins /
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Dr. Strangelove /
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A Hard Day’s Night /
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Goldfinger /
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The Pawnbroker /
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A Shot in the Dark /
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The Train /
We lost one of my favourite Actors in 1964:
Alan Ladd
Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake
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TV Shows that premiered in 1964:
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Shindig / The best live music show ever created for TV
1964: Shindig – The Righteous Brothers
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Bewitched /
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Gilligan’s Island /
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Jeopardy /
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The Man from U.N.C.L.E. /
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The Addans Family /
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The Cars of 1964:
New Plymouth Barracuda /
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Chrysler’s 426 Hemi c-i-d V/8 Wedge, still ruled, but there where challengers.
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Mercury Marauder .
the 427 with 425bhp was available
Chevelle Malibu SS
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Corvette Stingray (the split window had gone)
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The Olds 442 is born
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The first “factory hot rod” the GTO is born
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Pontiac Bonneville
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Porsche 904 GTS
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The Hit parade was totally dominated by British Group’s, thus the British Invasion.
The Little Old Lady from Pasadena / Dead Man’s Curve / Sidewalk Surfin’ /Jan & Dean
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Rag Doll / Dawn / Stay /Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons: Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, Nick Massi, Tommy DeVito. – Photo Courtesy of The Four Seasons.
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Memphis / Mabellene /Johnny Rivers
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The Supremes (Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson & Diana Ross) would have 3 #1 Songs in 1964
Where Did Our Love Go / Come See About Me (my favourite) & Baby Love /
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A song called “Little Honda”, was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and was on their “All Summer Long” Album. The producer Gary Usher gave the song to Chuck Girard, former Castells vocalist and instructed him learn Little Honda. Usher then recruited a group of Studio musicians, including Glenn Campbell & Hal Blaine, they then recorded a group of Honda related songs for Mercury. The Brian Wilson song, Little Honda was released under the name “The Hondells” and reached #9 on BB, but the Beach Boys later released the “Best” version, so here are both.
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