Sock Hop Saturday Night | Tonight at 8PM on KNCT Hosted by Bruce Vasbinder

Sock Hop Saturday Night Tonight at 8PM on KNCT Hosted by Bruce Vasbinder Tonight’s show brings heartfelt nostalgia and musical tribute. We’ll feature Mark Dinning’s 1959 hit “Teen Angel”—a haunting ballad of young love and loss that topped the charts in 1960 and became a defining anthem of the teenage tragedy genre. Bruce also pays…

Gary Emmert

9 Aug 2025

1–2 minutes

Tonight’s show spins a tale of love, loss, and legacy.

Mark Dinning’s “Teen Angel” takes center stage.

A haunting ballad from 1959 that captured the hearts of a generation. Written by his sister Jean Dinning and her husband Red Surrey, the song tells the tragic story of a young girl who loses her life retrieving her boyfriend’s class ring from a stalled car on the train tracks. Though banned by some stations for its somber tone, “Teen Angel” soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1960, becoming a defining anthem of the teenage tragedy genre.

A Tribute to Brian Wilson

Bruce also honors the life and music of Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson, who passed away in June at age 82. Known for his genius harmonies and emotional depth, Wilson’s legacy lives on in classics like “God Only Knows” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” His daughter Carnie Wilson recently shared a moving tribute, saying, “Thank you Daddy for your beautiful contribution to so much happiness and real raw emotions that you have brought to people”.