26 Miles (Santa Catalina) The Island of Romance
My husband, Will Zeilinger and I co-write the Skylar
Drake Murder Mystery series, a hardboiled series that takes the reader to 1950s
Los Angeles and other areas of the west. Our new book, Slick Deal, begins News
Year's Eve 1956 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, The first murder and clues
lead to Avalon, Catalina.
Each
one of our books required research not only for 1950s but for the location
where the clues lead us. We spent a week on Catalina and found a great deal of
information by visiting the libraries, museums and the Casino Ballroom. Every,
I mean every, place we went to research
mentioned the song with pride. I remember the song in 1958 and it's upbeat, catchy
tune. So I looked it up. Unfortunately, it
was too late for us to use it in the book but I enjoyed reading about, and listening
to the song. After all the island is all about romance!
26
Miles (Santa Catalina) was written
and performed by the 1950s pop band The Four Preps. It reached
number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Billboard R&B chart in
1958. The song sold over a
million copies and the group appeared on several television shows,
including The Gisele
MacKenzie Show (March 15, 1958)
and The Ed
Sullivan Show.
At the age of 15, the band's lead singer Bruce Belland
broke his ankle and took up the ukulele to pass the time
while recuperating. He learned four chords, which ended up becoming the song's
opening music. The chorus was developed some time later when, while body
surfing at a California beach, Belland's friend said he could see Santa
Catalina, "it's only 26 miles
away". (It's really 23 miles from the L.A. coast-but whose measuring?)
In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the group had eight gold
singles and three gold albums. Its million-selling signature tunes included
"26 Miles," "Big Man," "Lazy Summer Night," and
"Down by the Station." Bruce Belland, Ed Cobb, Marv Ingram, and Glen
Larson were students at Hollywood High School. One of Capitol's executives saw them at a
talent show at school in 1956. After the performance they were signed to a
recording contract by Capitol Records,.
Their biggest hit, 26
Miles (Santa Catalina), reached #2 in 1958. The record sold over one
million copies, earning a gold disc. Glen Larson also receives
credit for writing the song, as he contributed to the lyrics.
This
song played constantly in our heads when writing this mystery, especially the
romantic scenes. SLICK DEAL is the fourth book in the series, and yes we are
still married.
For a waltz down memory lane, here is the address to
the Four Preps performing 26 Miles on
the Gisele MacKenzie show on March 15, 1958
Website: Janet Elizabeth Lynn www.janetlynnauthor.com
Website: Will
Zeilinger www.willzeilingerauthor.com
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