The “Golden Hits Of The 50s” 

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EDDIE PLATT

TEQUILA

(Chuck Rio)

ABC-Paramount 9899

No. 20    March 31, 1958

Update & Total Rewrite, June 16, 2015

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Outside of Cleveland and his hometown appreciators, near zip had known about this saxman.   Eddie

Platt (b. Edward R. Platakis, December 8, 1929) seldom got the shot at recording his sounds; possibly,

only three singles in a lifetime and a concert-only marketed selfie album.   This charting of his

opportunistic cover of the Champs “Tequila” brought him zip in the way of monies; though is follow-

up issuance–the cover of THE PETS’ “Cha-Hua-Hua”–did land itself in a flick’ decades later–The

Iron Giant–and when rockers passed through town–in the ’50s–Eddie & his band did get to provide

back up for Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and the Everly Brothers.

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He was eleven when his father died.   Mom, sister and he moved to Rossford, OH.  At 16 he had a band

playing school engagements and his graduation.   For some years there after he played strip joints–to

his proclaimed enjoyment–as a member of the Johnny Pecon band.    Much bumpin’ and grindin’, the

clubs doors were closed and World War I brought Eddie into the Army–for a few months–followed

by the Air force–for a few–followed by the Army again.   Upon his release he served 10 years as the

band man at the Hotel Manger on 12th and Chester in downtowm Cleveland.    A one-off single for

Epic Records–“Rock ‘Em”–flopped.   “Tequila” was a rush job, cut a one-off for ABC-Paramount,

with a dark deal being sealed by Bill Randle and Bill Buchanan; a deal that Platt has said garnered

$25,000.    None of which did he get his fingers on.

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Eddie and some pick=up musicians did a promo spot–for”Tequila”–“live” on Dick Clark’s “American

Bandstand”–a rarity, given the norm was a lipsinc.    There was that back-up work behind Elvis and

Pat, etc and in 1999 his follow-up–a one-off for Gone Records–“Cha-Hua-Hua” (#74, 1958) was

rebirthed in that flick The Iron Giant.   The latter–starring the voices of Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel,

Hary Connick, Jr.–was a animated science fiction comedy/drama using traditional and computer

animation.  Part production credit was given to Pete Townsend.   Incidental music was constructed by

Michael Kamen; formerly of the reknown New York Rock and Roll Ensemble.

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Eddie Platt died in Akron, Ohio, October 3, 2010.   He was 88.