Dee Dee Phelps

Kane and I drove from Pacific Palisades (located between Santa Monica and Malibu) to Las Vegas in three hours and twenty minutes, something I didn’t think possible. Although the speed limit on Highway 15 in Nevada is 70 miles per hour, most of the cars were averaging 80-85 and some zoomed by at 95 miles an hour. Apparently everyone was in a hurry to get to Vegas for the weekend.

Our first glimpse of the city of Las Vegas revealed a cloud of smog surrounding it, visible for miles. I’ve never seen a sight like that. Above us was clear, blue desert sky, crisp hills with healthy Joshua trees and in the distance sat a large area of grayish black smog.  I would have imagined the place was on fire, but the sky was too murky gray to be smoke. However, when we arrived at our destination it didn’t seem as polluted.

We found our hotel, the site of the Second Annual Doo Wop conference, several blocks off the Strip, across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel. I appreciated the hotel’s low key approach, a combination of two story buildings and numerous swimming pools.

While strolling the paths looking for our room we passed an open doorway. Voices singing “In the Still of the Night” in four part harmony floated out. I knew we were in for a special weekend.

Our first event Friday night combined a meet and greet of the Doo Wop acts performing the next evening and a sock hop dance, all taking place in the Convention Center on site. My friends Lane Quigley and his wife Pat waved hello from their Rocket Radio table. I set up my table nearby with copies of Vinyl Highway, The Best of Dick and Dee Dee CD and photos. Soon fifteen to twenty tables were occupied by various recording acts and the doors opened.

Approximately 500 to 600 Doo Wop fans (double last year’s attendance) arrived for the event, from all over the United States and even England. I spend several hours talking to many of the music fans. A live band played and folks hit the dance floor, some women dressed in mid-Fifties poodle skirts, cinch belts, saddle shoes and bobby socks. The music was infectious and joyful. No longer able to sit in my chair, I danced by the table (note I didn’t say ON the table).

The definition of Doo Wop is recorded music from 1954 to 1964; with four part harmony back up vocals that often went doo wop she bop, etc. Although Dick and Dee Dee didn’t sing Doo Wop, we did have hits in the early Sixties and the Doo Wop era covers that time. I wasn’t the only non Doo Wop group from that era. Gretchen Christopher, founder of The Fleetwoods (Come Softly to Me) and The Murmaids (Popsicles and Icicles) joined us at the tables.

The event was created and hosted by disc jockey Cool Bobby B (coolbobbyb@doowopstop.com). His wife and adult children worked hard to pull off all the logistics and make this year’s event even more spectacular than the year before.

No one wanted the dancing to end, but finally the music stopped and the attendees drifted away, to dream in rock and roll heaven.

More to come about Day Two and the concert.

Read press coverage and see photos from the Doo Wop Convention.