Gloria Stavers!

Mark Lindsay and Gloria Stavers

Elvis may have been The King, but in the mid-to-late sixties 16 Magazine had its own Sir Lancelot, Prince Charming and d'Artagnan all rolled into one sexy rocker named Mark Lindsay. Lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders, (regulars on "Where The Action Is"), Lindsay had the talent, intelligence and charisma to back up his good looks. He became friends with Gloria Stavers, and with her guidance and the "all access pass" he gave readers, he became one of 16's most enduring faves. Mark is currently a headliner with the "Happy Together" tour, a must-see show this summer!   

Ray Charles and Gloria Stavers at The Latin Casino (1962)

48 years ago today, Ray Charles' landmark album "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" became the #1 LP in the U.S., a position it held for 14 weeks.  Produced by Charles and Sid Feller, it took the country by storm and yielded 4 charting singles including the monster hits "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me."  In 1999, the album was recognized for its tremendous musical and social impact when it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.  In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #104 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

In late 1962, Charles was performing at the Latin Casino nightclub in Cherry Hills, New Jersey.  As GeeGee reported in her April '63 column, "Thrillsville came the way of our editor, Georgia Winters, when she presented Ray Charles with The First Annual GeeGee Award for Outstanding Achievement. After making the presentation, Georgia returned to her seat only to hear the great Ray personally dedicate a number to her from the stage.  What was it? Georgia, of course!"

Gloria was meta before meta was cool!

  

745 Fifth Avenue - Home of 16 Magazine

This Art-Deco masterpiece, formerly known as the Squibb Building, sits at the southwest corner of Central Park.  It was designed by Ely Jacques Kahn and built in 1930 with no expense spared, despite the financial fallout from the stock market crash of 1929.  One of the 34-story building's most admired features is the lobby, featuring ceiling murals including a map of Manhattan by Arthur Covey.  For many years home to toy emporium FAO Schwartz, the ground floor space now houses Bergdorf Goodman's Men's Store.

Someday someway, I'll pass through those sculpted elevator doors and see how close I can get to what was once Gloria's office!  

Happy Birthday Ray Davies!!

Happy Birthday Brian Wilson!!

Happy Birthday Paul McCartney!!

GeeGee's Gossip

Gloria Stavers wore many hats during her 16 days ... as well as masks, glasses and wigs!  Since she wrote virtually every article herself for many years, she adopted several "noms de plume" to create the illusion of an actual editorial staff.  In "GeeGee's Gossip" aka "The Poop on the Group" (1962-1969) Gloria shared music, tv and film gossip ("Random Notes" in Rolling Stone magazine later adopted a similar style.)  Gloria also expanded the listening and buying habits of her readers with her eclectic list of fave new LPs, many of which were outside of the Top 40 genre celebrated in the rest of 16. 

The October 1965 column touted Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis and Lord Buckley among others.