Ask Mr. Music

I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.


FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 2, 2009


DEAR JERRY: Seeing “Mad Men” win all these Best Drama on TV awards got me curious, so I got the first season DVDs. Guess what? It's as good as advertised, and now I'm a fan.

Playing one of the leading ladies is an actress named January Jones, and it is she who sends me your way.

Her unusual name brings to mind a long-forgotten record from the 1970s, all about a girl named January Jones. Though a popular tune at the time, I have never heard this song since.

The singer may be Billy Crash Craddock, who had a lot of hits back then. If not, then who?

Assuming she wasn't born before the song, the actress must have been named after it. What do you think? —Cindy Galt, Salt Lake City

DEAR CINDY: In keeping with the theme, I see you also posted your letter the first week in January.

You have every reason to suspect the hit song inspired the name given to Miss Jones. Coincidentally, both debuted in January, three years apart.

“January Jones,” a Top 40 Country hit for Johnny Carver (ABC 12052), hit the charts January 18, 1975, and January Jones joined the Sioux Falls populace on January 5, 1978.

With the song arriving on the scene three years earlier, the connection is very believable. But then so is the idea that the name comes from her birth month.

Neither scenario is accurate.

The parents of this Golden Globe nominee (for “Mad Men”) became enamored with January as a name after discovering January Wayne, a character in “Once is Not Enough,” a 1973 book by Jacqueline Susann.

Two years later, around the time of Johnny Carver's hit, Hollywood brought the novel to the big screen as “Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough.”

In the film version, January (Deborah Raffin) is the spoiled daughter of washed-up movie producer Mike Wayne (Kirk Douglas).

Just when you thought it couldn't get more Januaryish, there is yet another actress named January Jones — one a generation ahead of the more famous January.

This lady appeared in just two films: “Looking for Love,” a 1964 flick starring Connie Francis,” and “Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title” (1966).

See and hear "January Jones" here.


DEAR JERRY: After exhausting many music catalogs in my search for a song, I discovered you and how many others you've helped.

While traveling across the country listening to different stations, I heard “Honeycomb,” but not by Jimmie Rodgers as you would suspect.

This one is by Ricky Nelson, who I never even knew recorded the song.

His is the best version of “Honeycomb” I have ever heard. Do you know of it?
—Ron Stofflet, Montello, Wisc.

DEAR RON: Nelson's “Honeycomb” is one of the tracks on his first LP, “Ricky” (Imperial 9048), as well as one of the three “Ricky” EPs issued simultaneously with that album (Imperial 153).

A double “Ricky” CD is currently available for about $10, and “Honeycomb” is among its 31 tracks.

It is surprising how very different Rick's version is from the more familiar Jimmie Rodgers hit. It is at a slower tempo and contains several completely different verses. It is almost another song altogether.


IZ ZAT SO? From the invention in 1948 of the long play album to “Meet the Beatles,” in 1964, only two mainstream Rock & Roll artists topped the LP charts.

Elvis has six No. 1 albums during that period, and the only other one is “Ricky” (1957), belonging to Ricky Nelson.

Not counted in this specific count are folk (Kingston Trio) and R&B acts (Ray Charles, Little Stevie Wonder).