If there were blueprints for early rock 'n' roll, many would've come from the draft table of Leiber and Stoller, arguably one of the greatest American songwriting teams of the past 100 years. "Hound Dog," "Stand By Me" and "On Broadway" are just a handful of their countless compositions. Their tunes were tapped by The Beatles, The Drifters, The Coasters, Big Mama Thornton, The Monkees and way too many more to mention.
I recently had a very rare and amazing opportunity to sit down with Mike Stoller, the surviving member of newborn rock's dynamic duo.
Mike and I convened in the lobby of the lauded Peabody Hotel in Memphis for a conversation about different aspects of his career. Since I was in town covering Elvis Week 2012 for elvis.com, a good bit of the chat centered around Presley. Yet, I did get a firsthand account of his initial meeting and creative dynamic with the late Jerry Leiber, who passed away last spring.
It was a fantastic talk and one I immortalized on my radio show a couple of weeks ago. You can stream or download here: http://1690wmlb.com/leiber-and-stoller-and-jaws/
The interview is super cool, but proves to be a bit of a tease, because Stoller's career spans more than 60 years. Although I couldn't touch on everything, I suggest grabbing the book "Hound Dog: The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography." It's packed with illuminating tales including how Stoller and his first wife survived the 1956 shipwreck of the S.S. Andrea Doria.
Stoller's latest composition is "Charlotte," commissioned by the mayor of Charlotte, N.C. It's the first time he's written both lyrics and music. You can snag an mp3 and watch a video here: http://www.leiberstoller.com/
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