George Frayne, aka rock star Commander Cody, dead at 77

NEW YORK (AP) — George Frayne, who as leader of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen enjoyed a cult following in the 1970s with such party favorites as “Hot Rod Lincoln” and “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette),” has died. His wife, Sua Casanova, says Frayne died Sunday in Saratoga Springs, New York. Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen was formed in 1967. The group drew upon influences ranging from Western swing to jump blues as they became a popular touring and recording act during the first half of the 1970s, getting around the country in a converted Greyhound bus. They specialized in uptempo remakes, notably the top 10 hit “Hot Rod Lincoln.”