Memory Lane

Not to be confused with Penny Lane.
I'm not even sure where Penny Lane is.
Okay, it's in Liverpool and was named after a slave trader or something.
I'm not sure where Memory Lane is for back then, the other life, is sort of in a haze. I mean I remember, I just don't remember.
You know what I mean?
So anyways, I don't remember what it was that reminded me of this group, but something did so I went out and bought the CDs.
Country Comfort was one of those local to me bands that made an brief but I think important impact on the local music scene:



I honestly don't remember too much about these guys, and I never had the pleasure of seeing them play live, but the music stays with me. The images are of the albums; the CDs are on some label called Cord International.
I can't really explain the sound so here's a YouTube link where someone has posted up some of their music.
The song in the link, Waimanalo Blues, is about progress.
Waimanalo is a couple of miles from Kailua and has a real country feel despite being so close to urban Oahu.
The sound is sort of Hawaiian; it certainly has Hawaiian roots, so let's call it contemporary for way back then Hawaiian.
Country Comfort and another band called Kalapana brought this Hawaiian-ish sound to top forty radio. Kalapana was a bit more progressive in sound while Country Comfort swayed toward well, country.
Boy, I can even remember taking my allowance and going to Longs Drugs Store to buy that Kalapana album. I got home, spun it up and was blown away!
Who were these guys?
One of the lead singers of Country Comfort, Billy Kaui, came out with a solo album later that spawned a couple of local hits.
Mackey Feary of Kalapana also had a couple of solo albums of which this is my most sought after:



The album cover picture is from a famous night time parking spot in Honolulu that overlooks Waikiki.
The view might be a bit different now, but I'll always remember it this way.
Why am I looking for the album when I obviously have it?
It's because it's been played like a GAGILLION times so it's getting a bit worn.
Now I had the pleasure of meeting Mackey Feary once. Turns out a friend of mine went to school with the guy so off we went to the nightclub to meet my idol.
Well things are, as most things from back then are, kinda fuzzy, but I do remember drinking a beer with the guy between sets.
My brush with fame if you will.
Wait.
I also got the autographs of Bun E.Carlos, Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick back when I worked at the Hilton.
Billy Kaui and Mackey Feary are no longer with us. Kaui died soon after the release of his solo album and I cried when Mackey took his own life in 1999.
Thing is, whenever I play their music, while it does take me back to a place far, far, away and a long time ago, the music is still as new as it was way back then.
Or maybe it's just me.
And Billy and Mackey, walking down Memory Lane.