When I was a kid, JAN & DEAN made a personal appearance at the opening (if you can believe it) of a new WHITE FRONT store and it was broadcast locally on KTTV.. The KTTV cameras looked just like this. I was a happy kid that day, saw Jan & Dean and I was on TV!
The whole story: I heard SURF CITY on my little transistor with earplug (as I was mowing the front lawn) from KRLA and flipped. It was love at first listen.
Here is what happened next:
My little friend Bobby’s mom (they lived next door) was going to the opening of the new White Front department store and I went along with them. It was a Saturday afternoon, JFK was in the White House and in the parking lot of the White Front store, the big KTTV TV truck was setting up a live remote. Wow! Guess what? Ben Hunter (LA locals will remember him) did his live show from the parking lot and the first act that performed was…..
JAN AND DEAN singing their new hit song “Surf City”.
I couldn’t believe my good luck! We ran up to them and I got Jan’s autograph, went inside White Front and Bobby’s mom bought us both a copy of “Surf City”, complete with now-famous picture sleeve.
How’s that for a surprise Saturday?
