Central Long Island
In West Hempstead, there are streets traveled by busses driven by Ruth Brown during those difficult years between careers. Not too far away is the home once occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Goffin, where young mother, Carole King Goffin raised Louise. And not too far from there is Ellie Greenwich's childhood home.
Just north is where "Shadow" Morton agreed to produce a West Coast group at his favorite studio, Ultrasonic. "It was The Long Island Sound they were looking for when they came to me. I wasn't too crazy about the band and I was looking to retire again, but I love a challenge so I took the job. I really wasn't all that involved in the track--I was more involved in the bar down the street--but, periodically, I would check out their progress and push them along. The bass player couldn't get what I wanted so I pushed him away from the rest of the band and sang the part I wanted into his ear. I didn't figure anything would happen with the track but who knew? The Iron Butterfly had a big hit with that song, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."
When Santo And Johnny returned from an international tour supporting their phenomenal worldwide hit, "Sleepwalk" (Canadian-American 103, 1959), they landed at Idlewild Airport and called their mother in Brooklyn. They were surprised to learn that she had moved to a new house in Copaigue. Frantic and confused, they hailed a cab. "Where was Copaigue? We thought it was in New Jersey!" recalled Johnny. Johnny still resides in Suffolk County and can frequently be found boating in The Great South Bay with his friends Kenny Dino and Johnny Maestro (of "The Crests" and "Brooklyn Bridge".) At the Great River Post Office Centennial in 1988, Johnny accompanied Kenny Dino in a rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." He can frequently be seen performing at area clubs. As for Dino, after Robert Plant covered "Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night" on his "Manic Nirvana" album, Dino's already steady career boomed. Frequently, Kenny Dino can be found on the international touring circuit. Recently, he was on a Canadian tour with a tour of England and a tour of Japan following close behind.
"Last Train To Hicksville...The Home Of Happy Feet" was an album title by Dan Hicks And His Hot Licks. The song has nothing to do with the Long Island town but it could effectively describe the central region of Long Island. Hicksville, Levittown, East Meadow, Plainview and Bethpage dug the deepest talent pool. Hempstead Turnpike witnessed the passing of heavy traffic from doo-woppers to headbangers.
- In Hicksville,
there is a piano teacher who counts both Billy Joel
and Debby Gibson as former pupils.
- Nearby, in
Jericho, is the spot by Exit 40E on the Long Island Expressway where Harry
Chapin, America's foremost narrative songwriter and founder of The World
Hunger Fund, driving from his home in Huntington toward a meeting in the
city, met his tragic demise.
- And speaking
of the L.I.E., it will surprise many to learn that this was not the road
The Soul Survivors were singing about on "Expressway To Your Heart" although
they were imitating that Long Island "sound".
