Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about living our purpose, lifting our vibes, and expressing our creativity for the highest good. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe — birth, death, love, the big picture; and our innate personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. You’ll hear conversations with terrific guests on matters we care about, as well as spiritual perspectives, personal essays on being our best selves, and episodes simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Tribute to Ray Hildebrand, featuring Sheldon Zoldan
Ray Hildebrand walked away from pop music success and became one of the early artists playing contemporary Christian music. His tribute is one of 44 short yet illuminating episodes about significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.
Hildebrand was half of the pop singing duo Paul & Paula, and Jill Jackson was the other half. The two remained friends after Hildebrand moved on from pop. To hear their number 1 hit, "Hey, Paula," you can go to this video.
The image of the duo in the chapters is from the cover of Cash Box magazine in 1963. It's available on Wikimedia Commons.
Also in the chapters, you can go right to the tribute by skipping my intro; feel free to skip my closing remarks too. Both are there to provide context for those who haven't listened to the other tributes.
Hildebrand recorded a Christian music album in 1967 called "He's Everything to Me," and became best known among Christian music fans for his 1970s hit song "Anybody Here Wanna Live Forever?"
My guest Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime writer and newspaper editor, wrote these tributes and recorded them. He also writes Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to an email list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
Audio engineer/musician Mike Villegas edited all the audio for this series. Hope you enjoy these intriguing glimpses into the lives of the people who made some of the music we love.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Spotify and Audible.
Kate:
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Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation. This is
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your host, Kate Jones, with one of 44
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tributes
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to significant figures in the music industry
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who passed away in 2023.
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My guest Sheldon Zoldan,
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a longtime writer and newspaper editor,
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wrote these short biographies
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and recorded them.
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Each one is an intriguing
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glimpse into the life and impact of someone
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who contributed
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to the soundtracks of our lives. Here's what
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Sheldon has to say in this tribute.
Sheldon:
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Pop music success wasn't enough for Ray Hildebrand.
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So Hildebrand,
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who was half of the hit "Hey, Paula,"
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walked away from pop music and became one
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of the early artists playing contemporary
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Christian music.
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Hildebrand died August 18th in Kansas City. He
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died from dementia, according to The New York
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Times.
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He was
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82.
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Hildebrand was attending Howard Payne University
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when he wrote and recorded "Hey, Paula"
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with fellow student Jill Jackson.
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He wrote the song for a friend whose
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girlfriend was named Paula.
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Another friend suggested he add the response from
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the girl he was singing to.
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Hildebrand and Jackson
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sang the song on a local radio show
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and people liked it.
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So they did a professional recording.
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They also changed their professional names from Jill
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and Ray to Paul and Paula.
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The song was more than a regional hit.
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It became number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100
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and stayed there for the month of February
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1963.
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They had a few more top 40 hits,
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but by 1965,
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their popularity
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was waning, and Ray had had enough of
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the traveling and pop star life.
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He began reading the Bible and returning to
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his Christian roots.
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His songs were considered some of the first
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contemporary
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Christian music.
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"Say I Do" was recorded by several singers.
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Ray Price's version reached number 29 on the
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country charts
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in 1975.
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Hildebrand traveled the country with Paul Land, performing
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Christian music and comedy.
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He became involved with the fellowship of Christian
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Athletes and wrote eight of their camp theme
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songs.
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He and Jill Jackson remained friends
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and performed together in 2021
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at a show in Nashville.
Kate:
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This is Kate again. Please go to the
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description for more information and to hear the
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song that Sheldon referenced.
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If you enjoyed this tribute, please check out
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the rest of them. Although some of the
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names are not as familiar as others, the
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biographies
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are equally intriguing.
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Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.
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Please share this episode with anyone who might
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enjoy it.
