|
<br />R-12-63
<br />
<br />A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING HONORARY STREET NAMES FOR THE BLUE
<br />CAPS, TOMMY FACENDA, AND PEPPY OWENS AND THE LIGHTHOUSE AND
<br />REQUESTING THE PORTSMOUTH REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING
<br />AUTHORITY TO RENAME A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND "GENE VINCENT
<br />PARK."
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, one of the greatest bands in the formative years of rock 'n roll was Gene
<br />Vincent and the Blue Caps; and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, Gene Vincent, who was born Eugene Vincent Craddock, was inducted into
<br />the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, presented by John Fogerty, and the Blue Caps were
<br />inducted in 2012, presented by Smoky Robinson, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame website states, "In Britain, Gene Vincent
<br />and the Blue Caps were stars to a budding generation of musicians who would go on to form
<br />such bands as the Beatles and the Yardbirds," and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the band's greatest hit, "Be-Bop-A-Lula" has been covered by numerous
<br />major rock artists, including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Carl Perkins, the Everly Brothers,
<br />the Stray Cats, and Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as the title of the song being included in the lyrics of
<br />Dire Straits' song "Walk of Life," and the legendary guitarist Jeff Beck has recorded an entire
<br />album of Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps songs, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps were a Portsmouth band, initially formed
<br />at Vincent's house on Leckie Street, where they rehearsed and wrote songs, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Blue Caps included Portsmouth resident Tommy "Bubba" Facenda as a
<br />backup singer, choreographer, and arranger, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, Facenda, a graduate of St. Paul's High School (now Portsmouth Catholic
<br />High School), still resides in Portsmouth in Park Manor, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, Facenda also had success in his own name with the song "High School
<br />USA," which became a #1 National hit, and he recorded on the Atlantic record label at the same
<br />time as his friend Portsmouth musical legend Ruth Brown, and after various other life adventures
<br />he returned to Portsmouth and had an honorable career as a member of the Portsmouth Fire
<br />Department under Chief Odell Benton, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, the Blue Caps were inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame largely
<br />because of strong support and lobbying efforts by numerous prominent British musicians,
<br />including Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Ron Wood,
<br />and also actor Richard Gere, and
<br />
<br />WHEREAS, at roughly the same time during the early days of rock 'n roll, Portsmouth
<br />resident Peppy Owens, who grew up in Park View, established and ran one of the premier
<br />
|