FROM THE VAULTS: Little Eva born 29 June 1943

About the Song

Get ready to twist and shout, because we’re diving into a blast from the past with Little Eva’s infectious dance anthem, “The Locomotion”! Released in 1962, this energetic tune captured the spirit of a new era in music and dance, becoming a runaway hit and propelling Little Eva to instant stardom.

A Song Born from Collaboration

“The Locomotion” wasn’t just a catchy tune; it was the brainchild of a legendary songwriting duo – Carole King and Gerry Goffin. This husband-and-wife team, already behind countless hits, penned a song that perfectly encapsulated the burgeoning dance craze sweeping the nation. Their playful lyrics, brimming with playful references to new moves like the “do the slop” and the “twist,” resonated with a generation eager to let loose on the dance floor.

Little Eva’s Irresistible Energy

But “The Locomotion” wouldn’t have been the same without the powerhouse vocals of Little Eva. Her energetic delivery, brimming with youthful enthusiasm, perfectly captured the song’s infectious spirit. The way she belts out the iconic line, “Everybody’s doin’ a brand new dance now,” is sure to get your toes tapping and your head nodding.

A Legacy of Fun and Dance

“The Locomotion” wasn’t just a hit in its own time; it transcended generations. The song’s simple yet infectious groove has ensured its place in pop culture history. It’s been covered by countless artists, featured in countless movies and TV shows, and continues to be a go-to dance floor filler even today.

So, the next time you hear that unmistakable rhythm, crank up the volume and let loose! “The Locomotion” is an invitation to pure, unadulterated fun, reminding us of the simple joys of music and dance that transcend age and time.Photo of LITTLE EVA; Event:, Artist: Little Eva,

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Lyrics: The Locomotion

Everybody’s doing a brand-new dance, now(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)My little baby sister can do it with meIt’s easier than learning your A-B-C’sSo come on, come on, do the Loco-motion with meYou gotta swing your hips, now
Come on, babyJump upJump backWell, now, I think you’ve got the knackWow, wow
Now that you can do it, let’s make a chain, now(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)A chug-a chug-a motion like a railroad train, now(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)Do it nice and easy, now, don’t lose controlA little bit of rhythm and a lot of soul
Come on, come onDo the Loco-motion with me
Ye-ye-ye-yeahMove around the floor in a Loco-motion(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)Do it holding hands if you get the notion(Come on baby, do the Loco-motion)
There’s never been a dance that’s so easy to doIt even makes you happy when you’re feeling blueSo come on, come on, do the Loco-motion with me
You gotta swing your hips, now(Come on)That’s right (do the Loco-motion)You’re doing fine!(Come on, do the Loco-motion)Come on, babe(Come on, do the Loco-motion)Hm-hm-hm, jump up(Come one)Jump back (do the Loco-motion)You’re looking good(Come on, do the Loco-motion)Hm-hm-hm, jump up(Come on)Jump back (do the Loco-motion), yeah yeah yeah

You Missed

For Patsy Cline, one of the clearest signs that life had finally changed was not something she could hold up onstage. It was her house. After years of moving from place to place as a child, Patsy knew what it felt like to never be fully settled. Home had often meant temporary rooms, packed belongings, and the possibility that the family might have to leave again before long. That kind of childhood stayed with her. So when her career began bringing in real money, especially after the success of “I Fall to Pieces,” she wanted more than nice clothes or a bigger car. She wanted a place that felt permanent. The home she and her family had in Goodlettsville became exactly that. Patsy put a surprising amount of herself into it. She chose details, worked on the rooms, sewed curtains, and helped shape the house into something warm and personal. In the basement den, even the gold-flecked ceiling tiles reflected how much she enjoyed finally having a space she could make her own. There was pride in those little things. She had spent so much of her life adjusting to circumstances she could not control. Now she could decide where the furniture went, what the curtains looked like, and how the rooms felt when friends and family came over. That mattered to her more than outsiders may have realized. The house was not just a reward for becoming famous. It gave her children something she had rarely known growing up: a real sense of staying put. Patsy enjoyed entertaining there, cooking, visiting with friends, and stepping away from the demands of the road whenever she could. In those moments, she was not the woman singing to packed rooms or making hit records. She was simply at home. For someone who had spent so many years without that kind of security, the house on Nella Drive represented something much bigger than success. It meant she had finally built a place her family could count on.

By 1982, Lew DeWitt knew the road was becoming too much. For years, he had been one of the voices that gave the Statler Brothers their unmistakable sound. His high harmony stood out immediately, and he had also written one of the group’s biggest songs, “Flowers on the Wall,” which helped bring them national attention in the 1960s. What many fans did not see was how much pain he was dealing with away from the stage. DeWitt had lived with Crohn’s disease since he was young. Touring meant long drives, late nights, irregular meals, and very little rest, all of which became harder on his body as the years went on. He kept performing for as long as he could, but eventually there came a point when continuing full time was no longer realistic. That left him with a difficult choice. Rather than hold on until the group was forced into a crisis, Lew helped prepare Jimmy Fortune to take over his part. Fortune was younger and still finding his place, but DeWitt took the time to work with him and help make the change easier for everyone. It was not simply about replacing a voice. The Statler Brothers had spent years building a sound based on four very different singers working closely together. Lew understood that if the group was going to continue, the transition had to feel natural instead of rushed. Jimmy Fortune eventually became a major part of the group’s next chapter, but Lew’s role in that handoff is easy to overlook. After leaving the Statlers, DeWitt still made music when his health allowed it. He recorded solo material and continued writing, even though he could no longer live the demanding touring life he once had. He died in 1990 at the age of 52. For many fans, Lew DeWitt will always be remembered for that clear tenor and for songs like “Flowers on the Wall.” But there was another side to his story too. When his health forced him to leave the group he had helped build, he made sure the music could continue without him. That may have been one of the quietest contributions he ever made.

Before country music changed his life, Charley Pride was chasing a very different dream. In the mid-1950s, baseball was his main focus. He pitched for the Memphis Red Sox in the Negro leagues and hoped the game might eventually carry him to the Major Leagues. Music was still in the background then, something he enjoyed during long trips and quiet hours away from the field. Around that time, he met Ebby Rozene Cohran. What drew them together was not the kind of story people usually tell about young romance. Rozene was practical, observant, and interested in the same things that mattered to Charley: discipline, hard work, and what it took to keep moving forward when the odds were not in your favor. They could talk about baseball in serious terms. She understood the pressure he was under and the amount of determination required to survive in professional sports. Charley was trying to build a future in a world that offered very few easy breaks, and Rozene respected that drive. The two married in 1956. At the time, neither of them could have known how much Charley’s life would change. Baseball remained important to him, but injuries and limited opportunities eventually pushed him toward another talent he had carried with him for years. That talent was music. When Charley began moving away from baseball and toward country music, Rozene was already beside him. The career changed, but the qualities that had kept him going on the mound stayed the same. He still had to be patient. He still had to compete. And he still had to keep believing in himself when the path ahead was uncertain. Rozene became part of that journey from the beginning. Their relationship started during the years when Charley Pride still thought baseball might be his future. By the time the rest of the world knew him as one of country music’s biggest stars, she had already known the man who was simply trying to find a way forward.

Long before Marty Robbins became one of country music’s most familiar voices, he and his wife, Marizona Baldwin, went through a loss that never became part of the public story surrounding his career. As Marty’s career was beginning to move forward, the couple lost two babies in infancy. It was the kind of heartbreak that could have easily overwhelmed a young marriage, especially while his professional life was becoming busier and more public. But Marty kept that part of his life private. Fans saw the singer onstage, heard the records, and watched his name climb higher in the country music world. At home, things were very different. He and Marizona were carrying a grief that had nothing to do with fame, charts, or applause. Rather than turn their loss into a public story, they kept it between themselves. That privacy became important to Marty. He understood that once something entered the world of interviews and publicity, it no longer fully belonged to the people who had lived it. So he protected his wife and their family life as much as he could, even while his career became more demanding. The pain did not disappear just because he rarely spoke about it. It followed him quietly through the years, alongside the tours, recording sessions, and success that eventually made him a star. To the public, Marty Robbins was confident, polished, and in control. Behind that image was a husband and father who had already learned how quickly life could change. Only later, after facing serious health problems of his own, did he become more willing to speak about some of those early losses. By then, the story was no longer about keeping up an image. It was about looking back on a life that had included far more sorrow than most fans ever knew. For Marty and Marizona, those children remained part of their family story even though the public rarely heard about them. Some of the hardest moments of Marty Robbins’ life were never played out onstage. They stayed at home, carried quietly by the two people who had lived through them together.