Jerome Gourdine (born January 8, 1941, known as Little Anthony, is an American singer, best known for leading Little Anthony and the Imperials.

He formed The Duponts, who later renamed to Little Anthony and the Imperials. In 1959, they recorded "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop", which sold over one million copies. Gourdine is nicknamed "Little Anthony" despite the fact he is 5ft 9in. Gourdine left the Imperials in 1961 to go solo before returning in 1963. Anthony reformed the Imperials many years later and still fronts the group as the only original member. The Imperials were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009. Gourdine released an autobiography titled "My Journey, My Destiny".

Jerome Gourdine (born January 8, 1941, known as Little Anthony, is an American singer, best known for leading Little Anthony and the Imperials.

He formed The Duponts, who later renamed to Little Anthony and the Imperials. In 1959, they recorded "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop", which sold over one million copies. Gourdine is nicknamed "Little Anthony" despite the fact he is 5ft 9in. Gourdine left the Imperials in 1961 to go solo before returning in 1963. Anthony reformed the Imperials many years later and still fronts the group as the only original member. The Imperials were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009. Gourdine released an autobiography titled "My Journey, My Destiny".

Jay and the Americans are an American rock group who formed in the late 1950s. Their initial line-up consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard "Howie" Kane, Kenny Vance, and Sandy Deanne, though their greatest success on the charts in the United States and Canada came after Traynor left and once Jay Black and Marty Sanders joined the group; Black replaced Traynor as lead singer. The current lead singer is Jay Reinke. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

Feel-Good Rock, Soul, and Legacy

Sunshine Pumpers blends decades of musical experience, live energy, and genre-bending creativity into an unforgettable sound.

These great musicians fuse rock, soul, Tejano, fusion, and spiritual rhythm with decades of experience, crafting a bold sound rooted in El Paso's music scene and beyond. Get ready to feel the energy, dance to the rhythm, and soak up the good vibes!

Sunshine Pumpers concerts are all about high-energy music, bright lights, and unforgettable nights.

Meet the Members

Charlie Miller - Vocalist • Songwriter

The heart of the Sunshine Pumpers. From opening for REO Speedwagon and Van Halen's Michael Anthony to hitting the UK charts, Charlie fuses soul, experience, and vision into every song.

Jimmy Fabens - Lead Guitarist • Songwriter

From lap steel guitar in seventh grade to backing Bo Diddley and jamming with jazz fusion pros, Jimmy's signature riffs and songwriting add electric depth to the band's sound.

Barry Anderson - Keyboards • Producer

A classically trained pianist and studio guru, Barry blends lush textures and technical brilliance, shaping the Pumpers' unmistakable vibe both on stage and in the studio.

Billy Vera (born William Patrick McCord;[1] May 28, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, and music historian. He has been a singer and songwriter since the 1960s, his most successful record being "At This Moment", a US number 1 hit in 1987. He continues to perform with his group Billy Vera & The Beaters and won a Grammy Award in 2013.

The Transatlantic Guitar Trio comprises fingerstyle guitar champion Richard Smith from the United Kingdom, German gypsy jazz virtuoso Joscho Stephan, and the brilliant multi-instrumentalist American musician Rory Hoffman. These remarkable musicians joined forces in 2019 and have entranced audiences across the country with their unique blend of jazz ballads, gypsy swing standards, and groovy original compositions. This mini-concert is being produced by Rick Kern and his podcast 'Talk and Rock Radio'.

Richie Furay is an American music luminary, an inductee into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is celebrated for pioneering Country-Rock as a founding member of the legendary and quintessential groups Buffalo Springfield, Poco, and the Souther-Hillman-Furay band.

In this episode of Talk and Rock Radio, host Rick Kern discusses the illustrious career of Richie along with some of the landmark events that happened along the way.

Quoted by Mary McCoy:

At the age of 3, I knew I wanted to sing. When neighbors came to visit my mom and dad, I would get my little rocking chair and put it in the middle of the room and yodel throughout their visit. When I was 6 and 7 years old, mom and dad belonged to the Odd Fellows and Rebeccah Lodge and I would sing for them. Age age 11, I won my first talent contest. At 12, KMCO came on the air in 1951 and I started with it on a talent show. That day I was asked to record a 15-minute program in which I played my guitar and sang, after which, I followed up with my own record show. In 1955, I appeared on the Louisiana Hayride sharing the stage with Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, The Browns and others. My dreams were to sing, have my own DJ show and make records. In 1960, I did make my first record "Deep Elem Blues" and followed with others on the Jin label. I signed a contract in 1967 with Gabe Tucker and recorded many singles and duets with Jimmy Copeland. My dreams were finally fulfilled with the recording of my new gospel CD, "Through the Storm". God has blessed me and made my dreams come true.

Steve Davis, history professor, is one of the founding faculty members at Lone Star College-Kingwood, having started in the fall of 1984. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Houston. He also worked on his doctoral degree in American history from the same institution. Aside from the standard survey courses in U.S. and Texas history, Davis teaches specialized courses in the Beatles and the British Invasion and the History of Rock and Roll. He has won teaching excellence awards both at the University of Houston and at LSC-Kingwood.

Davis is the main author of the instructor's manual to accompany the 8th edition of America: A Narrative History by Tindall and Shi, which is one of the most adopted college history textbooks in the country. His current project is the co-authorship of a documents reader in U.S. history to be published in 2013 by W.W. Norton.

In his limited spare time, Davis is an avid distance runner who has completed eight marathons and who makes appearances a couple of times per year as rhythm guitarist in a local garage band.

In this episode of TalkandRockRadio, Rick Kern and Steve Davis discuss the evolution of the Beatles, the impact and influences they had on the '60's music scene and the artists that influenced them.

James Messina (born December 5, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, singer, guitarist, recording engineer, and record producer. He was a member of the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield, a founding member of the pioneering country rock band Poco, and half of the soft rock duo Loggins and Messina with Kenny Loggins.