Valley Girl

She was in my sister’s class at Van Nuys High School. See Sis You’re No Valley Girl

HuffPost Story here

Posted by Gypsy Chief

Follow @GypsyChief

See http://kakoluri.com/2009/03/01/hunter-hancock-apr-21-1916-aug-4-2004/ for more information.

Here is another good source Remembering Hunter Hancock

Posted by Gypsy Chief

Hunter Hancock

A legendary R&B disk jockey who played rythm and blues before rock and roll came along. At one time this was called ‘race music’. Hunter had a wide following among the students at Van Nuys High. The white kids at VNHS would race to their cars the minute school was out so they could listen to Hunter Hancock.

In 1953
Hank Ballard and The Midnighters released a song called “Work With Me, Annie” which caused a huge uproar. Hunter played it every chance he got. This was a song with raunchy lyrics which left little to the imagination. Some radio stations banned the song. Mothers got their daughters to pledge not to listen. About ten years later Congressman James Utt [R-CA] proclaimed that rock and roll was a Communist plot to weaken the moral fabric of America. Could it be that “Work With Me Annie” was a song he was thinking about?

Another song Hunter played a lot was “Your Cash Ain’t Nothin But Trash” by The Clovers. Who could forget “Money Honey” by Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters? The best selling record of 1954, the year we graduated, was “The Things I Used To Do” by Eddie Jones [Guitar Slim].

Posted by Gypsy Chief

Valley Girl

My sister went to Van Nuys High School. Natalie Wood, see photo, was a classmate. We remember Natalie as she played opposite James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause

My sister went on to acquire not one but two masters degrees and to achieve success in a traditionaly male dominated field teaching science and astronomy in college. These days she is heading up Astronomy Cruises to exotic places everywhere. One reason to cruise is to avoid light pollution, another is to get into the best position for observation. More information at Astronomical Society

A good introduction to astronomy cruises can be found at Cruises 101

So, sis, though you went to Van Nuys Hi, you’re no valley girl.

Posted by Gypsy Chief

Follow @GypsyChief