R.I.P. One Hit Wonder Wednesday on The Night Shift

Tonight on the Night Shift with Craig Allen from 7:00 to Midnight.

This week we pay tribute to One Hit Wonders artists that have passed away. It's the R.I.P. edition of One Hit Wonder Wednesday Night Shift with Craig Allen.

CHARLIE DANIELS - "DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA": Sadly Charlie passed away last week at the age of 83. Technically the Best Fiddler of All Time from North Carolina had a few other Top 40 hits on the Pop Charts. But because he is so well known for one song "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" he is considered a One Hit Wonder and hit #3 in 1979. His next biggest song was way back in 1973 "Uneasy Rider" as a solo act. I've had the pleasure of meeting the man at his charity golf tournament in Florida and Charlie's heart was as big as his heart - he raised a lot of money for charity and did a lot to help up and coming artists who also play the fiddle. R.I.P. Charlie.

BENNY MARDONES - "INTO THE NIGHT": Benny from Cleveland passed a few weeks ago on June 29th at the age of 73. He actually was on the Top 40 charts twice, but it was the same song. The first time it hit #11 in 1980 and the second time hit #20 in 1989. So how did it hit the charts twice? A group of Radio Program Directors (including yours truly) called The Brat Pack brought the song back to life and gave it a second chance. R.I.P. Benny

GRATEFUL DEAD - "TOUCH OF GREY" - This legendary Jam Band from San Francisco was led by JERRY GARCIA. Jerry had a 35 year career as a musician and passed away on August 9, 1995. While we know a lot of songs from The Grateful Dead like "Uncle John's Band" and "Truckin'" It would be "Touch of Grey" in 1987 that would be the band's only Top 40 hit reaching #9. R.I.P. Jerry

BOBBY BLOOM - "MONTEGO BAY": Two things may surprise you about Bobby, first he's from Brooklyn, NY and not Jamaica. And he is also white. From his one Hit "Montego Bay" singing about a popular tourist destination in Jamaica I originally had both assumptions. He passed on Feb. 28, 1974 from a shooting that was ruled an accident. Just 4 years after "Montego Bay" hit #8 in 1970. R.I.P. Bobby

VAN McCOY - "THE HUSTLE": This song was backed up by the Soul City Symphony hit #1 on April 19, 1975 and started a dance craze of the same name. Look it up "The Hustle was a great dance. Van's life was cut way too short, dying of a heart attack at 39 on July 6, 1979. He also help produce artists like Gladys Knight and the Stylistics. R.I.P. Van

Join us every Wednesday for  One Hit Wonder< Wednesday Night on the Night Shift with Craig Allen.

Some facts from Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles.