Teen-age Jeanne Carmen left rural Arkansas for New York City with dreams of becoming a star. She worked as a burlesque dancer and posed for pin-up pictures in the 1950s. She was also an expert trick-shot golfer. Jeanne and her manager would tour country clubs and hustle unsuspecting members, betting on whether or not this demure girl could make a difficult shot. Of course, she could.

In her early 20s, she met Chicago mobster Johnny Rosselli, who took her to Las Vegas. The couple continued to scam folks on the golf course of the Desert Inn. Rosselli introduced the budding starlet to Frank Sinatra, who whisked her off to Hollywood. She was cast in a succession of B-movies, in which she played brassy blondes or, using her natural dark hair, sultry Spanish women. She also appeared in a late-era Three Stooges short, playing Joe Besser‘s girlfriend. While in Hollywood, Jeanne began a lifelong friendship with actress Marilyn Monroe, often telling tales of how the two bombshells bonded, sharing stories over late-night glasses of champagne and illegal drugs.

After Monroe’s death, organized crime boss Sam Giancana — Johnny Rosselli’s superior — warned Jeanne that her life may be in danger. Panicked, Jeanne fled to Scottsdale, Arizona, where she laid low and out of the spotlight. She married, had children (and grandchildren) and never spoke of her Hollywood life again… save for a cameo in a low-budget horror film in 2005. It was her first role in over 40 years.

In 2007, Jeanne passed away at the age of 77. Just days after her death, Marilyn Monroe biographers Ernest Cunningham and Mark Bellinghaus reported that their research revealed that Jeanne’s friendship with the celebrated sex symbol was completely fabricated. They went on to say that Jeanne and Marilyn never even met.

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Betty Wright started singing as a child. She performed with her family gospel vocal group, Echoes of Joy, before switching to rhythm & blues. She was spotted by a Miami record label owner who signed 12 year-old Betty to a contract. She released a few songs that gained local recognition.

In 1972, Betty released her signature song “Clean Up Woman.” It reached Number 2 on the Billboard R&B charts, staying in that position for eight weeks. She followed up with “Baby Sitter” and “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker,” which showcased her amazing vocal range. She co-wrote the disco tune “Where Is the Love” with Harry Casey (of KC and the Sunshine Band) and won a Grammy for the composition in 1976. She also sang a duet with Alice Cooper on his 1978 album “From The Inside.”

Her 80s and 90s recordings were far less successful, but it didn’t keep Betty from performing. She released eight albums over those decades. In 1992, Betty sued Color Me Badd’s producers for an unauthorized sample of one of her songs used in their hit “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Betty won her case and received a portion of songwriting credit. In 2011, she restarted her career with a collaboration with ?uestlove and The Roots.

Betty died in May 2020, one month after she appeared in a segment on the music series Unsung. She was 66.

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Slim Galliard’s early life is sketchy, as he offered different origin stories to different people. He did, however, serve in World War II as a bomber pilot, briefly interrupting his successful music career. He insisted that he worked as a hat maker in Greece and a hearse driver turned rum-runner in Detroit, but these are part of the colorful early life that Slim most likely made up.

Slim spoke five languages to varying degrees, in additional to inventing his own language which he dubbed “Vout-o-Reenee.” He even wrote a dictionary detailing word usage. Slim composed several songs based on “Vout-o-Reenee,” including “Flat Foot Floogee (with a Floy Floy)” and “Cement Mixer (Put-Ti Put-Ti).” He often mixed words and phrases from other languages into his composition. He was particularly fond of Yiddish phrases, as highlighted in “Dunkin’ Bagel” and “Matzo Ball.” He claimed that his father was Ashkenazi Jewish, but that claim is unconfirmed.

He released a number of albums and appeared in films and television, including Roots: The Next Generation and the David Bowie film Absolute Beginners. He played with jazz greats Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins. Slim often played guitar with his hand pointed down on the guitar neck. He’d play the piano with his palms up. Fellow musicians found his playing erratic and difficult to follow.

He performed for many years, touring Europe extensively, until he passed away in 1991 at the age of 80.

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Oh boy! Did I love Pearl Bailey! She was a terrific singer and actress with a delightful personality. Pearl was deservedly honored with a number of awards during her lifetime, including a special Tony Award, a Daytime Emmy, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1976 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received two years before her passing.

Pearl, or “Pearlie Mae” as she was affectionately known, was the embodiment of the word “entertainer.” Recently, I have been watching re-broadcasts of the old Ed Sullivan Show. Pearl was a favorite guest performer of Ed’s, appearing on the program an impressive 23 times. Each one of those appearance were a joy to watch. Reaction shots of the audience show everyone with a broad smile on their collective faces, though Pearl appears to be having the best time of anyone.

I was lucky enough to have seen Pearl Bailey in-person at a benefit performance held at Philadelphia’s famed Academy of Music. Pearl was captivating. Her voice and her cheerful, engaging stage presence were a wonderful combination. The audience that night were treated to several hours of memorable entertainment, but — once again — Pearl Bailey was having the best time of all.

Pearl passed away in August 1990 at the age of 72. She is buried just outside of her “adopted” hometown of Philadelphia.

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Abandoned by his parents and shuffled around from family member to family member, Winston McIntosh never lost his sense of determination. Living in the Trenchtown section of Kingston, Jamaica, teenage Winston was fascinated by a street musician. He watched the man play his guitar for endless hours every day. Winston concentrated on the man’s intricate finger movements. Soon, he asked the man for his guitar and played the song back to him. The street musician was impressed and asked Winston who taught him to play. Winston replied that he taught himself.

Winston met Joe Higgs, a local reggae musician who offered free music lessons to young people. Winston was introduced to two other students — Robert Marley and Neville Livingston. Higgs taught the trio to harmonize and they developed their talents on the street corners of Trenchtown.

In 1964, 20-year old Winston, now going by the name “Peter Tosh,” formed The Wailing Wailers with Marley and Livingston. Tosh, the only member of the group who could play an instrument, taught Marley and Livingston how to play guitar and drums respectively. Marley, who spent time in the United States with family, returned to Jamaica in 1967, anxious to reignite his interest in music. Tosh and Livingston, now known as “Bunny Wailer,” had embraced the Rastafarian religion. Marley became interested and joined, his newfound spirituality becoming a major influence on his music.

After a successful run with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Peter Tosh began a solo career. He signed with Rolling Stones Records in 1977. His music offered a decidedly political message and Peter was known as a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana. At a 1978 concert, he lit a joint onstage and lectured negatively about government officials. A month later, he was apprehended by police while exiting a Kingston dance club and severely beaten while in custody. Unfettered, he continued to release politically-charged music, embracing additional causes like nuclear arms and apartheid. He was honored with a Grammy in 1987.

In September 1987, Peter was at his home in Kingston, when three men broke in and threatened the singer. They demanded money. Peter claimed he had none, but the gang were doubtful. For hours, they tortured the Peter. Several unsuspecting visitors to the house were also taken and held captive. After hours of frustration, the gang opened fire on the occupants of the house. Peter was shot twice in the head and died instantly. Two other guests were killed as well. Andrea Brown, Peter’s common law wife, was wounded. Dennis “Leppo” Lobban, identified as the gang’s leader, was arrested. A jury found him guilty, but his death sentence was commuted to life in prison — where he remains today. A few years earlier, Peter had worked with Lobban to find him employment after a previous jail sentence. Peter was 42 at the time of his death.

In 2016, the Peter Tosh Museum opened in Kingston on what would have been Peter Tosh’s 76th birthday.

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