Pop concerts this real gone daddy would love to have attended

Taunton? Yes, Taunton. Wherever, I bet it was fun (although I might have given Vince Eager a miss). Cochran, 21 at the time, was to die following a car crash in Chippenham two months later...

"The Strong Black Man", "Ten Horned Devil" and other weird and wonderful sounds I've been enjoying recently

A "Big Bad John"-style mining disaster rescue tale, with an African-American hero to save the day. This was the last single release (1969) from long-time Alabama-born country performer Hank Penny, and it was a doozy (WARNING: contains the "n" word - try not to faint):

A dozen of my favourite car songs which mention brand names and are mostly about cars

The first time I heard "Jaguar and Thunderbird" was on the Chuck Berry On Stage LP in a friend's bedroom in Thornton Road, Wimbledon, circa 1964 (the album was released in '63). The long-player consisted of 13 already released tracks with a fake announcement at the start and audience noise throughout (my friend actually figured out the subterfuge - not bad for a 13-year old). Presumably Berry's record company decided to recycle his old stuff in this way because he was in prison for transporting a 14-year old girl across a state line. "Maybelline" was on the same album, but I've always preferred "Jaguar and Thunderbird":

Joannie Sommers, Charlie Feathers, Wanda Jackson - Strange, creepy, and politically incorrect rock 'n' roll lyrics