Bobby "Boris" Pickett, One-Hit-Wonder

Bobby "Boris" Pickett, whose dead-on Boris Karloff impression propelled the Halloween anthem to the top of the charts in 1962, making him one of pop music's most enduring one-hit wonders, has died of leukemia. He was 69.

It was October 31, 1987, the 25th anniversary of the Monster Mash. John's band, of which I was a tangential member, J.T.'s Mardi Gras Band and The Lawnchair Ladies, was playing at a dive bar in Cambridge. Paula learned that Bobby was in town (he hailed from Somerville, Mass.) for the occasion and somehow tracked him down and convinced him to sing at the gig. He agreed on the condition that we provide an open bar for him and his girlfriend "Bree". Which we did. What a time it was.