Martha Jo Fincher Hollingsworth

LHS '65

September 13, 1947 – July 9, 2024

Martha Jo Hollingsworth, age 76, affectionately known as Marty, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2024, in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Born to George Edward “Ed” and Evelyn Fincher on September 13, 1947, in Birmingham, she was a beacon of light and warmth in the community she dearly loved. Marty was a cherished member of the Fincher family and sister to Jeanette (Bobby) Chandler.

Marty graduated in 1965 from Lee High School in Huntsville, Alabama and married her loving husband of 58 years, Dennis Hollingsworth, on June 19, 1966. While Dennis was enlisted in theUS Army, he and Marty lived in Germany, Oklahoma and New Jersey before moving back to

Alabama to raise their family. Marty had numerous occupations over her career most of which were service oriented however her true passion was being a loving and devoted mother to her two children. Over the years, Marty’s motherly instincts flowed abundantly to countless other friends of her children spreading her kindness, hospitality, generosity, laughter, and protection to each. Marty was a dog lover as well and spoiled numerous dogs over the years with her endless amounts of love, petting, and treats. She was an avid sports fan and spent time coaching youth softball and inspiring her players to reach their full potential. Marty and Dennis were passionate fans of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team and spent most fall seasons traveling across the country to nearly every home, away and bowl game.

Marty is survived by her husband, Dennis Hollingsworth, children, Tammy Hollingsworth and Terry Hollingsworth, and grandchildren Mary Scott Hollingsworth, Reid Hollingsworth, Zoë (Jacob) Strain, and Sydney Hatch and sister, Jeanette (Bobby) Chandler. Marty was predeceased by her parents, George Edward “Ed” and Evelyn Fincher, and grandparents, George Thomas “Tom” and Velma Laster, Edward and Essie Fincher, and aunt, Ruby (Ralph) Alexander.

Burial was made at Forest Crest Cemetery in  Birmingham.

Marty will be profoundly missed, but her spirit will continue to guide and inspire all who were blessed to know her.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Marty’s name to Adopt A Golden Birmingham (adoptagoldenbirmingham.com) or First United Methodist Church-Birmingham (www.firstchurchbhm.com).

Dirk sent this side note: Martha Jo Fincher transferred from Woodlawn High School in January 1964 as a Junior.  Her first day in Homeroom a female student told her "I don't like Martha, I will call you Marty after my best friend from another school.  She owned the name "Marty" for the next 60 years.

The Wayback Machine

Louie Louie - The Kingsmen

"Louie Louie" is the world's most recorded rock song, with published estimates ranging from over 1,600 to more than 2,000 "with ever more still being released and performed". It has been released or performed by a wide range of artists from reggae to hard rock, from jazz to psychedelic, from hip hop to easy listening. Peter Doggett labeled it "almost impossible to play badly" and Greil Marcus asked, "Has there ever been a bad version of 'Louie Louie'?" Paul Revere summarized, "Three chords and the most mundane beat possible. Any idiot could learn it, and they all did."

The Kingsmen version in particular has been cited as the "rosetta stone" of garage rock, the defining "ur-text" of punk rock, and "the original grunge classic". "The influential rock critics Dave Marsh and Greil Marcus believe that virtually all punk rock can be traced back to a single proto-punk song, 'Louie Louie'.

On 6 April 1963, the Kingsmen, a rock and roll group from Portland, Oregon, chose "Louie Louie" for their second recording, their first having been "Peter Gunn Rock". The Kingsmen recorded the song at Northwestern Inc. Motion Pictures & Recording Studios. The one hour session, originally intended to produce an audition tape for a summer cruise ship gig, cost either $36, or somewhere in between, and the band split the cost.

It entered the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for December 7, and peaked at No. 2 the following week, a spot which it held for six non-consecutive weeks; it would remain in the top 10 throughout December 1963 and January 1964 before dropping off in early February. In total, the Kingsmen's version spent 16 weeks on the Hot 100, selling a million copies by April 1964.

In my previous years of doing Lee's Traveller, I have always associated "Louie Louie" with the Class of '64. I also assocatie "Wooly Bully" with the Class of '65, and "Double Shot of my Baby's Love" with the Class of '66. I know we have readers from other classes and wonder what songs they kind of think of as their unofficial Class Song.

Thanks to those who took the time to answer last week's question about "That'll Be the Day."

Last Week's Questions, Answers, 

And Comments

Max Kull, LHS ‘67, " 'That'll Be the Day'...pulled from "The Searchers" which came up in the earlier discussion about the inclusion of the tune "Lorena" which is used for the LHS Alma Mater."

Andrea Gray Roberson, LHS ‘66, "The John Wayne movie is The Searchers and in the movie John Wayne said several time “that’ll be the day” and that became Buddy’s wonderful song!"