remember Del Shannon?

Del Shannon did quiet a good album not long before he died with Jeff Lynne of ELO fame as the producer, He was tipped to replace the late great Roy Orbison in the Traveling Wilbury’s but sadly took his life before this ever materialised. Jeff Lynne is a big fan and has done his versions of “Little town flirt” and “Runaway”.
I think in a lot of ways he is a under rated singer and had a vocal nearly as good as Roy Orbison.

The airliner in the title sequence of Crime Story (1986-88) is a Capital Airlines Viscount. Del Shannon’s rendition of “Runaway” was a new recording for the series.

The series got off to a stong start with a setting in 1963 Chicago. But it took hits in its ratings due to a pair of questionable changes in its time slot (against Moonlighting and then Falcon Crest), a shift in location to Las Vegas, and ever more fantastic stories. Location shooting and period cars and costumes made it expensive to produce. So it got the chop after two years and 44 episodes. The series was later aired for a year on cable on the American Life TV Network starting in September 2005. It’s also been released on Region 1 DVD.

Sadly, Del Shannon did indeed commit suicide, shooting himself in his California home in February 1990. His widow blamed the prescription drug Prozac, which has been linked to other suicides. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nine years later.

Whenever I hear “Runaway” I think of the Lockheed Electra turboprop.
Why? Good question…and our American friends might remember this.

In the 1980s on US TV there was a program called “Crime Story” about a mob-fiighting police squad in Chicago, circa 1960.
Filled with sharp “rat pack-era suits, and neat 50s cars.

The opening song was “Runaway” and the opening shot of the credits was a period piece of film of an Electra (American Airlines, I think) landing at Midway or O’Hare.
The song fit the period perfectly.

Ooh, I remember that!

I used to love the song “Runaway” – I blame my mum! 😮

Whenever I hear “Runaway” I think of the Lockheed Electra turboprop.
Why? Good question…and our American friends might remember this.

In the 1980s on US TV there was a program called “Crime Story” about a mob-fiighting police squad in Chicago, circa 1960.
Filled with sharp “rat pack-era suits, and neat 50s cars.

The opening song was “Runaway” and the opening shot of the credits was a period piece of film of an Electra (American Airlines, I think) landing at Midway or O’Hare.
The song fit the period perfectly.

I’ve probably got quite a few of his records stored in boxes in the garage if i cared to look..I liked his music.. however i was never a huge fan of his but the Mrs just thought he was the bees knees

Sure do, we were on a plane to Switzerland for a skiing holiday when it was announced, so we all said ‘Hats off to Larry!’