RIP--Pookie Hudson

Pookie Hudson, the lead singer and songwriter for R&B group The Spaniels, died earlier this week at 72. He's best known as the tenor on "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," a big hit at the time, but truly one of the best remembered songs of the era and a massive influence on R&B. He was homeless for a while after leaving the business in the '60s and, while the song remained in circulation and became revered after American Graffiti (and, maybe more dubiously, Three Men and a Baby), didn't start receiving any regular royalties for any of his work until thirty years later. Unfortunately, that's not an uncommon story, especially for artists from that era, but bravo, whoever owns the song, you sure made a lot of money off of it. He's survived by nine children, who I hope will receive checks off of that song for a long time to come. Goodnight, sweetheart. Well, it's time to go.