When I first signed-on New York television in September 1959, the guest stars to book were Pittsburgh's "Skyliners." My many phone calls to their manager Joe Rock developed into a friendship that proved rewarding. They appearaed on my shows regularly, boosting our ratings and solidifying our friendship. They were among my favorite groups. "Pennies From Heaven" was in heavy rotation on my home Hi-Fi. I simply loved their sound.
They appeared with me on my ten-day 1960 record-breaking Christmas show at the Brooklyn Paramount, and my very last show, HBOs 1974 two-hour "Clay Cole's 20 Years of Rock 'n' Roll," a DVD still selling to this day.
Now comes word that a big-screen movie is now in the works, based on a screenplay by Janet Vogel's son, filmaker Gavin Rapp. Living in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, Rapp was 13 when his mother, 37 at the time, took her life. Vogel endured depression, a controlling husband and a tumultuous marriage and home life, he says. A potent brew of mental health and family issues, Rapp said, set the tragedy in motion.
One of the producers, John Yost, CEO and president of Mogul Mind Studios said, "This story lends itself to a film, it's a visceral story. Everyone who had lots to gain, lost everything. And this is something to experience visually." Then there's the music, and Rapp promises there will be lots of the original recordings. "One of the film's co-directors, Ron Hankison said of Vogel, "She was a female rock star before there were female rock stars."
"Since I Don't Have You" will be shot this summer at locations around Pittsburgh. The studio hosted the Denzel Washington "Unstoppable" and Russell Crowe's "The Next Three Days." Though not confirmed, Jennifer Esposito is expected play Janet Vogel alongside co-stars Corbin Bernsen and Tom Atkins, both of whom starred in Rapp's last movie, "Trapped." Yost, Rapp and their production team are working on a distribution deal.
Jimmy Beaumont, who still is touring with The Skyliners and endorses the film, will serve as a consultant and will make a cameo appearance.
"I'm so happy that Gavin took it upon himself to take this on," Beaumont said. "He's talented. He takes after his mother I guess." Vogel was an original Skyliner who Beaumont met when she was just 15 and he was 17.
"We used to go to dances and hang out even though she was a couple years younger," remembered Beaumont. "I was going with a girlfriend of hers." At that time, Beaumont was with a group called the Crescents, and when some members left, he asked Vogel to join. When they recorded "Since I Don't Have You," in 1958, with Janet's memorable, soaring vocal tag lines, the band changed its name to The Skyliners.
"Janet was so mature in her singing at a young age," said Beaumont.
"She was great on stage, a good dancer and a wonderful girl. She was a sweetheart for sure." Two of the original members have died; Janet Vogel (suicide) in 1980 and Joe Verscharen of cancer in 2007. Wally Lester, a co-writer of the Skyliner hits and an original member, is retired and lives just across the bridge of Oak Island at the distinguised St James Place. All his Skyliners hits were recently covered by Guns & Roses in their CD, which sold over 10-million copies; all his songs will be featured in the film.
