I was sad to hear of the passing of Jimmy Beaumont over the weekend. If the name does not ring a bell to the under 40 crowd, I understand. He fronted a band which had their biggest hit in 1959. But along with his Skyliners, they provided the soundtrack for my childhood and important moments that I will forever treasure.
Growing up in the 70's, our house was always filled with music. At a young age, my palate was wet with the sounds of my parents' favorites, Johnny Mathis, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck...Yeah, those were good times, pussycat. As we got older, my brother and I would roll our eyes and moan when those 8 tracks would go in the car before a road trip, but I think my exposure to the ''oldies" fostered my love for The Beatles, which exists to this day.
My dad has a good friend who was a DJ. He would create specialty 8 track tapes just for my dad with songs he liked. There was a Skyliners tape which got so much play I cannot believe it didn't wear out. This was the tape we would listen to when my dad and I would dance together in our living room. "Since I Don't Have You", "This I Swear" and "Where Have They Gone" were good slow numbers for daddy/daughter dances. Of course, "Pennies From Heaven" was a favorite of my brother and I, who could sing along to the catchy tune...'every time it rains it rains - pennies from heaven. Don't you know each cloud contains - pennies from heaven.'
At the time I did not know Jimmy was local. It was quite a surprise to find out later that he lived about 5 minutes from our house! One day while playing with my best friend across the street I met one of her school pals who was Jimmy's daughter. I was star struck! I could not believe I was talking to someone who was related to one of the biggest names in our house, besides Terry Bradshaw and Sylvester Stallone.
Upon reading stories since his death, I have learned a few things about this beloved crooner. When Jimmy and his band were invited to perform with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars, a New York audience was surprised that this band, with a doo-wop sound, was a white band. (They were the only white group to ever top the Cashbox R&B chart.) Also, Jimmy was only 18 when he wrote the music for "Since I Don't Have You", which is the song I chose for my father/daughter dance at my wedding. The lyrics were penned by a friend, who would later become the band's manager, dealing with his girlfriend's decision to go to school out of state.
Although my taste in music veered a little off the oldies path, now that I am older, I love hearing those old songs now. I love the memories that come rushing back of a little girl in her frilly nightgown and slippers dancing around the living room to Jimmy's high falsetto voice, which predated Frankie Valli, the Bee Gees and, in more modern times, Joey McIntyre from New Kids on the Block.
My father said Jimmy had been sick for a while, but according to Internet reports, he was still performing as recently as last month. He died in his sleep in his home in McKeesport. I am sad that I never got to tell Jimmy how much his music meant to me over the years.
People who have been made famous through their music seem to have that unreliable sense of immortality that continues to fail us. But one comforting element, for those who have come to appreciate the musicianship of these artists, we are only a click away from pulling up one of their hits thanks to the wonder of technology. Hearing their voice, loud and clear, making it seem like they never left us.
I wish I could pop in my dad's 8 track tape and hear a Skyliners' hit the way we used to, but for now, I'm off to search YouTube. If it rains today and I find something shiny on the ground, I'll know who is responsible.
KB and Dad dancing to "Since I Don't Have You"
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