They can sing AND act! Day 5!

This week, the week of June 6-10, 2016, we'll look at television actors who crossed over and had hit songs!

We call it:  "They can sing AND act!"

June 10, 2016

Our last actor turned hit song maker is kind of a cheat as he was a singer long before coming to America to act.

Rick Springfield played as a solo act and as a group member in Australia a decade before coming to America and landing a role on "General Hospital".  During that time he even managed to chart a few singles:

"Speak to the Sky" ~ #14, October 1972

"American Girls" ~ #98, July 1974

"Take a Hand" ~ #41, October 1976

His exposure on the popular soap opera however helped him to his first number hit "Jesse's Girl".

Fourteen more top 20 hits followed throughout the decade of the 80's.

That is it for this week kids!

Next week a new theme and five new entries! 

Thanks for stopping in!

~ Glenn

They can sing AND act! Day 4!

This week, the week of June 6-10, 2016, we'll look at television actors who crossed over and had hit songs!

We call it:  "They can sing AND act!"

June 9, 2016

Today's entry features another star who made it on television and in the movies.

After bursting to fame on Saturday Night Live in the early 80's Eddie Murphy found success on film AND in the studio when, with some help from Rick James, he reached number two with "Party All The Time" in December of 1985.

Murphy avoided the one hit wonder tag when he returned to the charts four years later cracking the top 30 with "Put Your Mouth on Me". (#27, September, 1989)

~ Glenn

They can sing AND act! Day 3!

This week, the week of June 6-10, 2016, we'll look at television actors who crossed over and had hit songs!

We call it:  "They can sing AND act!"

June 8, 2016

We tend to think of the star using his fame (and ego) to try and sing as a new thing in pop culture.

But back in the early days of television Ricky Nelson turned his (real life) part as the son of Ozzie and Harriet into a string of hits.

In 1958 he had his  first number one with "Poor Little Fool".

Nelson had four more top ten songs over the next three years and another three in the top forty and a long career as a singer before passing away in a plane accident on New Years Eve, 1985.

Nelson's last top 40 hit, "Garden Party", is a personal favorite so I wanted to share it also.

~ Glenn

They can sing AND act! Day 2!

This week, the week of June 6-10, 2016, we'll look at television actors who crossed over and had hit songs!

We call it:  "They can sing AND act!"

June 7, 2016

Today's television star also reached the top 10 on the charts with his initial release.

Just two years into his starring role on "Miami Vice" Don Johnson released the album "Heartbeat" and saw the title song hit number five on October 18, 1986.

A second song, "Heartache Away" reached number 56 in December of 1986.  A second album failed to have the same success.

~ Glenn

They can sing AND act! Day 1!

This week, the week of June 6-10, 2016, we'll look at television actors who crossed over and had hit songs!

We call it:  "They can sing AND act!"

June 6, 2016

Today's entry released two albums in the 80's while riding high on his television stardom...which also lead to major motion picture stardom also!

Hit hit the Hot 100 three times but it was the first time that netted him his highest charted single reaching number five in March of 1987:

"Respect Yourself" was followed on the charts by "Young Blood" (#68, May, 1987) and "Under the Boardwalk" (#59, July, 1987).  After that Bruce Willis charted no more...but he seems to have been okay with the acting thing.

~ Glenn