May 6-12, 2004
musicpicks
Charlie Gracie
Rock/pop
When Charlie Gracie receives a tribute from the Philly Music Awards -- three days before his 68th birthday, a week after reverb-rocking custom-car fans at the Hot Rod Hoedown in Delaware -- the honor will cap a spring rife with activity for the rockabilly superstar from South Philadelphia. A hero to Britain's most notable rockabilly aficionados (Paul McCartney, Van Morrison and Graham Nash among them), Gracie made his first flirt with stardom in 1957 with "Butterfly," a greatly vaunted hit whose vibrato inspired not only the Beatles and the Hollies, but became one of the first smashes from Philly's Cameo-Parkway label. "Fabulous" and "Wanderin' Eyes" followed, but the whole Cameo catalog (including material from Bobby Rydell and Chubby Checker) was feared lost in litigation hell when it was bought by the notoriously grinchy Allen Klein. Now, not only has Klein's son, Jody, set a date (mid-August 2004) for the long-awaited box set of C-P hits, he's interviewed Gracie about the start of Philly's most historic label. Musician-filmmaker George Manney also interviewed Gracie for his documentary, The Sound of Philadelphia, part of which will be shown during the PMAs. While it's nice to see The Hooters fully reuniting for the evening, seeing Charlie will be even sweeter.
Tue., May 11, 8 p.m., with The Hooters, G. Love, Chubby Checker, Tommy Conwell, Stewkey from the Nazz and others at the Sixth Annual Philly Music Awards, $12, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000.
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