Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 4 January 2019
Daryl Dragon, Captain of Captain & Tennille, dead at 76

By HILLEL ITALIE player and friend for over
Associated Press 40 years. He took 'Love Will
NEW YORK (AP) — Daryl Keep Us Together,' made it
Dragon, the cap-wearing his own with the magic of
"Captain" of Captain & his playing and her incred-
Tennille who teamed with ible voice."
then-wife Toni Tennille on Meanwhile, Captain & Ten-
such easy listening hits as nille — known early on as
"Love Will Keep Us Togeth- The Captain & Tennille —
er" and "Muskrat Love," followed with a mix of cov-
died Wednesday. He was ers such as "Muskrat Love"
76. and "Shop Around" and
Dragon died of renal failure original songs, including
at a hospice in Prescott, Ar- Tennille's ballad "Do That to
izona, according to spokes- Me One More Time," which
man Harlan Boll. Tennille hit No. 1 in 1980. They also
was by his side. briefly starred in their own
"He was a brilliant musi- television variety show be-
cian with many friends who fore their careers faded in
loved him greatly. I was at the 1980s. Over the past 30
my most creative in my life, This Oct. 25, 1995 file photo shows Toni Tennille, left, and Daryl Dragon, the singing duo The Cap- years, they continued to
when I was with him," Ten- tain and Tennille, posing during an interview in at their home in Washoe Valley, south of Reno, Nev. perform and work together
nille said in a statement. Associated Press on occasion, with more re-
Dragon and Tennille di- cent albums including "The
vorced in 2014 after nearly Their breakthrough came himself recorded the song, Barry Manilow. Secret of Christmas."
40 years of marriage, but in 1975 when they covered released it as a single in But "Love Will Keep Us To- A Los Angeles native, Drag-
they remained close and the bouncy Neil Sedaka- France, and included it on gether" topped the charts on was the son of Oscar-
Tennille had moved back Howard Greenfield song his 1974 album "Sedaka's in the summer of 1975. It winning composer Carmen
to Arizona to help care for "Love Will Keep Us Togeth- Back." won a Grammy for record Dragon and singer Eloise
him. er." Captain & Tennille's ver- of the year and not only Dragon and was himself a
Dragon and Tennille met in Sedaka and Greenfield, a sion, slightly faster and made Captain & Tennille classically trained musician.
the early 1970s and soon top hit-making team in the funkier than the original, stars, but helped further Before he was with Tennille,
began performing togeth- late 1950s and early 1960s, wasn't Dragon's first choice revive Sedaka's career. In he played keyboards for
er, with the ever-smiling Ten- were nearing the end of as a single. He had favored October 1975, his single the Beach Boys and was
nille singing and the dourer their partnership and had a cover of Beach Boy "Bad Blood" hit No. 1. dubbed "The Captain" by
Dragon on keyboards. He written "Love Will Keep Us Bruce Johnston's "I Write Sedaka tweeted Wednes- singer Mike Love, who not-
would later serve as Cap- Together" as an ode to their the Songs," which in 1976 day that Dragon was "a ed Dragon's fondness for
tain & Tennille's producer. longtime bond. Sedaka became a signature hit for great musician, keyboard sea captain's caps. q

Pro wrestling interviewer 'Mean Gene' Okerlund dies

By JEFF BAENEN Okerlund started as an known for his natty attire
Associated Press interviewer in the Minne- and mustache. He was in-
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eu- apolis-based American ducted into the WWE Hall
gene "Mean Gene" Oker- Wrestling Association. He of Fame in 2006.
lund, whose deadpan in- moved to WWE — then the Okerlund also could sing
terviews of pro wrestling su- World Wrestling Federa- and performed the nation-
perstars like "Macho Man" tion — in 1984 and hosted al anthem at the first Wres-
Randy Savage, The Ulti- several shows, including tleMania in 1985. He sang
mate Warrior and Hulk Ho- "All-American Wrestling," "Tutti Frutti" later that year
gan made him a ringside ''Tuesday Night Titans" and on the WWF's "The Wrestling
fixture in his own right, has "Prime Time Wrestling." Be- Album."
died. He was 76. sides being the company's "He really was the ultimate,
World Wrestling Entertain- lead locker room interview- the consummate entertain-
ment announced Oker- er, he also provided ring- er," his son said.
lund's death on its website side commentary. In a 2015 interview with
Wednesday. Okerlund's Former wrestler and ex-Min- In this July 31, 1988 photo provided by the WWE, "Mean" Gene the Star Tribune, Okerlund
son, Tor Okerlund, told The nesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, Okerlund addresses the crowd before a pro wrestling event in credited the late pro wres-
Associated Press that his who wrestled as "The Body," Milwaukee. tling pioneer Verne Gagne
father died early Wednes- dubbed Okerlund "Mean Associated Press for his start.
day at a hospital in Sara- Gene." Okerlund worked in sales at
sota, Florida, near his home Ventura told the Minneap- the best straight man inter- salesman. And he never the television station where
in Osprey, Florida, with his olis Star Tribune on Wednes- viewer in wrestling history." did retakes. ... Ninety per- Gagne's AWA was based
wife, Jeanne, by his side. day that in an interview "You only had to tell him cent of the time if there and had experience in ra-
Tor Okerlund said his father, he "laughingly called him once" how to pitch and sell was a screw-up on an inter- dio. Gagne approached
who had undergone three 'the Mean Gene Hot Air a wrestling story, Ventura view, it was not because of Okerlund in the hallway
kidney transplants, fell a Machine,' and the 'Mean told the AP about Oker- Gene. That's how good he when the regular interview-
few weeks ago "and it just Gene' stuck." lund's knack for salesman- was." er could not make a taping
kind of went from bad to Ventura called Okerlund ship. "He's like a carnival A native of Sisseton, South in the early 1970s, Okerlund
worse." "the best at what he did, barker. ... He was the best Dakota, Okerlund was recalled.q