In this episode, I interview James Popenhagen from the Del Shannon Show, a tribute organization to the music legend.  He was born Charles Weedon Westover in Grand Rapids, and grew up in Coopersville.  However, he adopted the name Del Shannon as his stage name at the beginning of his music career in Battle Creek, Michigan.  

In this interview Mr. Popenhagen, a personal friend of Del Shannon, talks candidly about his early career, the challenges of show business and his rise to stardom.  Del Shannon was also a huge star in England and Europe, having many bands that would later become famous in the U.S. open for him when he toured, including the Beatles.  It is a fascinating history, and we also discuss future plans for a Del Shannon exhibit in the local Battle Creek Regional History Museum in Battle Creek, and other tribute music events.  

For more information on the Battle Creek Regional History Museum, visit: https://bcrhm.org/

For information on Michael Delaware, visit: https://michaeldelaware.com/