PHOTO: JoMo for Art Laboe

How do you celebrate the victory at Puebla as the under-armed and out-numbered Mexican army defeated the French on May 5th, 1862?

Do you eat Mexican food, drink cerveza, margaritas or our favorite Tequila?

This weekend there will be lots of live music, comedy and a chance to win dinero $$$, click here for those events.  And Rene Taylor has the low down on the many other celebrations throughout the Southland, click here for her blog.

If you'll be at home BBQing with family and friends or have to work, keep the radio close because The Art Laboe Sunday Special will be on from 6pm-Midnight with your dedicications, the music memories and lots of Oldies But Goodies!

Be safe and have a muy bueno Cinco de Mayo!!

ALL PHOTOS: JoMo for Art Laboe   
Pictured above clockwise from top left:
Shotgun Tom Kelly with Art Laboe / Shotgun with Stevie Wonder / Shotgun's Star on Walk of Fame / Bevely Pink Wolf, Stevie Wonder, Shotgun and Gloria Pink

CONGRATULATIONS to my good friend and fellow broadcaster SHOTGUN TOM KELLY on being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is always a happy guy, but on Tuesday, April 30th Shotgun was beaming and the happiest we've seen him.  It was great to be in attendance, with his family, friends, fans and other distinguished guests, as Shotgun received his star. The after party was held at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and the legendary Pink's Hotdogs were served.
 

Pictured above clockwise from top left: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President/CEO LERON GUBLER was the Emcee of the event / great to see STEVIE WONDER after all these years, he was a guest speaker / talked to MICHAEL DAMIAN of The Young and the Restless about his family in radio / Hollywood Walk of Fame photographer BOB FREEMAN mentioned he was working on a documentary about Johnny Grant, the honorary Mayor of Hollywood till he passed in 2008 / finally met Commander CHUCK STREET, the newest President of the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters and longtime news and traffic reporter / reminisced about the early days with JOHNNY MATHIS

Pictured above L to R: City of Los Angeles Councilmember that rocks TOM LABONGE / screen and voice actor CHUCK McCANN is always "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs"

Fans that arrived early received a Shotgun signature ranger hat and Star pin, the ceremony kicked off with a performance from the Hollywood High School Band at the back of the crowd

Shotgun gave his speech from the podium (we believe that's a photo of Johnny Grant next to the microphone) and from the City of Los Angeles Shotgun received a proclamation and the traditional pumpkin bread baked by the nuns at the Hollywood Monastery of the Angels.

A lot of Shotgun's fans (of all ages) are also Art Laboe fans....it was a pleasure meeting you all and taking photos. 

After 40 years in radio, your dedication has paid off Shotgun..."you better believe it baby"...and now we get to walk all over you.  His star is located at 7080 Hollywood Blvd at La Brea Ave. On the WalkofFame.com website, you can watch Shotgun's and other past ceremonies and read about the upcoming ceremony of the next honoree Steve Harvey (5/13 free and open to the public), click here 

Once again, congratulations
SHOTGUN TOM KELLY on your dream realized
and an honor well deserved....
THE END

Pictured above top to bottom: JAMES BROWN, FRANKIE VALLI

PHOTOS: James Brown from JoMo Collection / Frankie Valli from Art Laboe Collection

Many music greats were born on May 3rd, including Bing Crosby ("White Christmas"), folk hero Pete Seeger ("If I Had A Hammer"), Mark Hopkin ("Those Were The Days"), Christopher Cross ("Sailing") and.....

FRANKIE VALLI (pictured above), he formed The Four Seasons and had many chart topping hits including "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Girl" and "December, 1963 (Oh What A Night)".  Frankie also had a very successful solo career with chart toppers including "My Eyes Adored You" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You".  Art Laboe interviewed Frankie during those days at KRLA.....

and JAMES BROWN also known as the Godfather of Soul, The Hitman and co-Founder of Funk...JB influenced generations with his powerful live performances and chart success that spanned four decades.  His numerous awards and honors include the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he's a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and pictured above with his American Music Awards Award of Merit in 1992.  JB's music is still some of the most requested on The Art Laboe Connection. 
Tony Sandoval has lots of JB Fun Facts on his blog, click here to check them out.

Happy 80th to the legendary Godfather of Soul....

Photo: Art Laboe Collection
Pictured L to R: Casey Kasem, Shotgun Tom Kelly and Art Laboe

Happy Birthday (April 27th) to fellow broadcaster, CASEY KASEM!!  Now retired, but left his mark as host of the popular countdown radio show American Top 40 (where we heard him say "keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars").  He was also the voice of Shaggy in the Scooby Doo franchise.  Casey and Art Laboe have many things in common....both radio icons, both worked at KRLA back in the day and both received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981. And Tuesday April 30th, Shotgun Tom Kelly, will be joining them with his own star at the corner of Hollywood and LaBrea with guest speaker Stevie Wonder. The ceremony is open to the public and starts at 11:30am. Congratulations Shotgun!

Also celebrating a birthday on April 27th, CUBA GOODING SR., lead singer of the Main Ingredient and father of Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr.  And you can see their likeness in this performance of the Main Ingredients' 1972 hit that reached #3 on the charts, "Everybody Plays The Fool"

If you're a Taurus like Casey and Cuba,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TOO!

Actress, author and TV icon Carol Burnett was honored with a part of Hollywood named after her and right next to her alma mater, Hollywood High School.  On April 18th, the intersection of Highland Ave and Selma Avenue was unveiled as "Carol Burnett Square".  The ceremony included the Hollywood High choir (and original Glee), H2O, signing her famous TV show anthem "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together", which left Burnett a little teary eyed.

Burnett spoke briefly, sharing a story of attending Hollywood High and City of Los Angeles Coucilmember Tom LaBonge presented her with the traditional pumpkin bread made with love by the nuns of the Monastery of the Angels.  Then, time to face the press for interviews....

...and George Pinnacchio of ABC Eyewitness News got the first one.  Burnett greeted her guests at the ceremony including George Chakiris (West Side Story) who was once a guest on The Carol Burnett Show.

Burnett signed a few autographs for the fans and then time for the unveiling of the sign marking the square, which was installed by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT).  As you can see, Burnett is already a permanent part of Hollywood High on the "Portrait of Hollywood" mural (8th face from the left)....

She did her famous tug on the ear for the photographers, which was the way she ended each episode of her long running award winning TV show.

H2O posed with Burnett at the sign and she was given a commemorative version of the "Carol Burnett Square" sign to add to her many awards including Emmys, Golden Globes and a Kennedy Center Honor. 

Also a best selling author, her latest book Carrie and Me: A Mother Daugther Love Story is out now.  Thank you Carol Burnett for the many years of entertaining us (we look forward to many more), we're so glad you've got your own piece of Hollywood....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (her 80th is April 26th) and
CONGRATULATIONS!

PHOTOS: JoMo for Art Laboe