2023 Shows
Larry Chance, the lead singer of the Earls who recorded for Old Town records has passed away at 82.
He was born Larry Figueiredo in Philadelphia. Larry formed the Hi-Hatters when he moved to the Bronx, and changed the name of the group to the Earls. They were one of the most accomplished white Doo-Wop groups of the early 1960s.
In 1962, the Earls had the hit single, “Remember Then”. Their recording success continued with hits “Never”, “Life is But a Dream”, and “I Believe” which was a tribute to Larry Palumbo, an early member of the group who died in 1959. “I Believe” ranked number 8 on the 1989 CBS-FM Top 500 survey.
Larry became famous to another generation for his memorable voiceover work on the “Imus in the Morning” radio show on WNBC in the ‘80s, where he’d play comedic foils to host Don Imus as “Vice President in Charge of Editorial Opinions Geraldo Santana Banana” and streetwise entrepreneur “Rainbow Johnson.”
In 2001 the Earls performed at the Rock, Rhythm and Doo-Wop Special in Pittsburgh on PBS TV.
Larry settled in Liberty, New York where Sullivan County legislators presented him the Distinguished Citizen Award.
In 2008, he was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame.
Philadelphia radio personality Jerry Blavat known as the “Geator with the Heater” has left us at 82.
His tireless promotion of pioneering Black artists of the 1950s and 1960s shaped the pop music culture of the city where he maintained an iconic presence for seven decades.
He went on to make his mark as a band manager, record store and club owner, TV host, concert promoter, deejay, friend to the famous, and a living breathing, irreplaceable repository of Philadelphia music history.
Jerry was a genius self-promoter, who also dubbed himself “The Boss with the Hot Sauce”, and was supremely well-connected in the music world and show business.
Artists like Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin benefited from his early support and remained loyal to him through the decades. He became friends with Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1950s and was the Best Man at his wedding in 1970.
In 1993, Jerry Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame.
Show Programs will be gladly sent to radio stations for airplay. Program Directors can contact Steve Fox for show details or other information.
Each hour-long show is in broadcast-quality. This archive goes all the way back to the beginning of my radio show in 2006 through 2014.
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