To absent Friends: Cleve Duncan

Regular readers know that I like to check out the obituaries to find the passing of perhaps obscure, but nonetheless significant, persons from our Popular Culture.  So it is today that I note the passing of Cleve Duncan at the age of either 77 or 78, depending on what source you check.

Cleve Duncan was the lead singer of a 1950's R&B one-hit-wonder group called the Penguins.  Still wondering who he is?  Well, there is no doubt that if you are of a certain age, you no doubt danced to the Penguins only big hit in some sweaty high school gym, and you have no doubt heard it in countless movies, as the tune is often used in soundtracks to evoke a certain era.   The song is "Earth Angel".  Released in 1955, Rolling Stone Magazine rates it as one of the 500 greatest rock & roll songs of all time.

No one may know the name of Cleve Duncan, and I don't know what kind of a life he had, but it must be pretty cool to know that you sang a song that people will be listening to forever.

For your listening pleasure:

RIP Cleve Duncan