The Sunday Comments ( 12 - 14 - 25 )

Happy 100th Birthday to one of my all-time faves, Dick Van Dyke! (We're going to a special theater screening of his birthday celebration later this afternoon.)

Even 'tho I know 'em all by heart, I still find myself watching (and laughing at) the old Dick Van Dyke Show reruns every night ... we probably still watch one or two a week!

What a career this man has had ... and by all indications, he's still going strong.  (Dick Van Dyke as James Bond???  I can't even picture it ... but it was on the table at one point in time!)

We love ya!  (kk) 

Another Billboard record was broken this week as Frank Sinatra hit the #1 spot on their Adult Contemporary Chart with the electronically-created duet with Pentatonix, “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” a song he first recorded back in 1960.

It becomes Sinatra’s seventh Adult Contemporary #1 Hit … and the first one since the chart dated September 30th, 1967, when “The World We Knew (Over and Over)” wrapped up its five-week reign at the top.  In fact, Ol’ Blue Eyes scored FIVE straight #1 Adult Contemporary Hits in a row when that single followed “Somethin’ Stupid,” (a duet with his daughter Nancy), “That’s Life,” “Summer Wind” and “Strangers in the Night.”  (He also topped that chart with “It Was a Very Good Year” in February of 1966.)  This new chart-topper creates the new longest break ever between Adult Contemporary #1's: 58 years, two months and three weeks.

Carrying it a step further, Sinatra now also claims the longest span of ruling The Adult Contemporary Chart: 59 years, 10 months and two weeks, dating back to the first week at #1 for “It Was a Very Good Year” in 1966. And as if all of this isn't enough, Sinatra also had the very first Adult Contemporary #1 Hit on July 17, 1961, when he version of “Granada” topped the then brand new inaugural chart.  That brings his reign to 64 years and five months overall.  Incredible!

(This after last week’s announcement that Connie Francis’ “Pretty Little Baby” was crowned the TikTok song of the year!)

Looks like everything old is new again!

Here’s the official Happy Together Tour line-up for 2026 … released on December 12th ...

Boy, Shelley really scooped EVERYBODY on this one … 

She sent me the list back on November 30^th, but because we were in Vegas at the time, I had no way to post it.

They sure are shaking things up a bit this year ... I guess Ron Dante now IS The Turtles (who aren't even mentioned as the headliners this time around ... who does that title fall to now?  The Cowsills?)

Jason Scheff will really rock thing up on stage - but it looks like he'll be performing the hits he wasn't on!!!  (What a shame)  Doesn't really matter to me - as long as he's still in fine voice, he will absolutely steal the show.

The British touch with The Troggs and The Fortunes should be very interesting ... yeah, I think we'll probably go to this one.

I haven’t seen the 2026 Happy Together schedule yet … but I imagine things will be finalized shortly after the first of the year.  (kk)

Tom Cuddy sent us this health update from Ray Stevens, who suffered a heart attack back in July of this year …

Ray has always been one of my favorites … we wish him a healthy recovery.  (He’s another one I’ve always wanted to see live in concert that has never timed out right for us … hopefully he’ll be able to return to the stage next year.)  kk

Speaking of favorites …

>>>You’re talking to a HUGE, MAJOR Rick Nelson fan here … he’s most definitely one of my top faves of all time  (kk)

I'm also a huge Rick(y) Nelson fan.

I was very fortunate to see him live a few months before his death - and in a very unlikely locale.

I flew to Maine in the summer of 1985 to spend some time with an older family member who lived there while I was on vacation from teaching high school.  We landed in Bangor, rented a car, and had lunch where I briefly met Steven King before driving to Ellsworth, Maine.

As my mom and I drove into the small town of Ellsworth, Maine, we passed a small club with a sign saying, "Rick Nelson appearing" ... and on a date two nights before we were scheduled to fly back to Texas.

My mom's aunt's house was three blocks from the club.

I had to stand the entire show; all seats were taken and the place was packed.

What a wonderful memory.

Now I need to go play some of his music as this day begins in my 2025 world.

Brad

I was fortunate enough to see Rick perform in concert about half a dozen times … including, ironically, once on New Year’s Eve at The Park West here in Chicago.  He literally played every kind of place imaginable ... from a fancy club to a typical rock venue to a pizza parlor converted into a banquet hall for that night’s event … he has ALWAYS been one of my all-time favorites.  I’ve got copies of all of his Ozzie and Harriett TV performances as well as tv specials, guest spots, live concerts, movies and more … unfortunately all on the nearly obsolete vhs format (although I will admit to dragging out my vhs copy of ‘The Rutles’ to watch after the latest Beatles Anthology series just ran on Disney+!  Lol)  I’ve got WAY too much of this stuff collected over the years to just leave it all stored in boxes in the garage!  (kk)

Roger Daltrey is the latest rock star to be knighted.  (No word on whether or not Zak Starkey was invited then disinvited then invited and then disinvited to the ceremony.)  Also knighted this year were soccer star David Beckham and actor Gary Oldman. (We love him in “Slow Horses!”)  Actress Elaine Paige received the female equivalent and is now a dame ... which could have been FAR more confusing had that award gone to Ellen / Elliot Page, who I guess could have won BOTH awards, right???  Musician Steve Winwood and songwriter Graham Gouldman were both awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to music … an honor that turned the whole world upside down when The Beatles won the first one sixty years ago!  (kk)

Now this, from our Forgotten Hits self-proclaimed "Person of the Hour???" Chuck Buell!  HA!

One of the two TIME Magazine's 2025 "Person" of the Year covers has just been announced.

 

In 1982, TIME named its first inanimate object as "(          )" of the Year." 

 

 

Time Magazine had been naming a "Man of the Year" since 1927, but broke tradition in 1982 to name the computer "Machine of the Year."

Ironically, the writer of the story wrote it on a typewriter since TIME's newsroom would not get computers equipped with a Word Processor for another year! 

 

Now, if I have the 'time,' one of my new projects for the New Year will be attempting to establish a new word for the "2026 Word of the Year."

  

"Comperson."   /kəm-pərs(ə)n/

A rendering of a human created by using a Computer and Artificial Intelligence!

CB ( which, obviously here, stands for "Computer Boy!" )

The Saturday Survey

 

The Byrds hold on to the #1 spot for the third straight week. "I Got You" by James Brown and "Over And Over" by The Dave Clark Five remain their biggest challengers. 

Meanwhile, "We Can Work It Out" appears to be runaway hit ... 

It climbs an incredible 59 places from #88 to #29 in just its second week on the chart.

There's no question as to where THIS one is going.

Meanwhile, its B-Side, "Day Tripper," premiers this week at #71.  (I always preferred this track ... especially as a 12 year old ... and even still do today!)

The McCoys score their second straight Top Ten Hit as "Fever" rises to #8 ...

And check out these other big movers ...

"Five O'Clock World" is up twenty spots for The Vogues, Gary Lewis and the Playboys climb 23 places with "She's Just My Style," while Paul Revere and the Raiders are up 32 notches with "Just Like Me." 

I also like "Sandy" by Ronny and the Daytonas ... 

It's their follow-up to "G.T.O."

December 12th, 1965

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

12/12/65 – Although nobody knew it at the time, The Beatles perform their last concert in Great Britain at Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales

Also on 12/12, The Byrds appear on "The Ed Sullivan Show"

Also on 12/12, Gale Sayers of our Chicago Bears ties an NFL record for most touchdowns in a game with six in 61–20 victory over San Francisco 49ers at Wrigley Field

Thursday This And That

TikTok announced their year-end figures and determined that the most posted and circulated song for 2025 was … incredibly … the 63 year old Connie Francis LP track “Pretty Little Baby!!!”  (Sadly, we lost Connie back in July at the age of 87.)

With nearly 28.5 million posts, it is estimated that “Pretty Little Baby” was seen and heard by over 68 BILLION viewers this past year, ahead of ANY current trending material … and the song wasn’t even a hit back when it was first released in 1962 as an album cut.  (In fact, Connie didn’t even remember recording it until she heard it again!)

She may not be in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but I don’t know how many other “vintage artists” can make a claim like this one.  (Maybe this’ll finally earn her her well-deserved spot in the hallowed hall.)  Guess this makes her the Taylor Swift of all time!  (kk)

And, speaking of “vintage artists,” Tom Cuddy just sent us this … GREAT news regarding Darlene Love, who’ll be performing her holiday tradition once again on The Tonight Show next week!  (kk)

Welcome Back!

Of course, you had a smash of emails while you were gone. How else would people let you know you were missed?

Ricky Nelson is not often cited on the page. So, it is funny that last night I watched 'Love and Kisses,' a movie written by Ozzie Nelson and starring Ricky and Kristen Nelson. It is the silliest, purest, most unrealistic and somewhat aggravating plot and character representation. I had forgotten how simple the themes of these movies are.

Shelley

You’re talking to a HUGE, MAJOR Rick Nelson fan here … he’s most definitely one of my top faves of all time … but even I have to admit that “Love And Kisses” was a pretty awful movie … totally formulatic with some pretty bad acting, especially for a guy who grew up in front of the camera! … but I absolutely LOVE the title cut … and have insisted forever that had this not come out in the midst of The British Invasion, it very way may have been a Top Ten Hit.  (Instead, it lingered at #124 in Cash Box … and didn’t chart at all in Billboard.)

One has to remember that when The Beatles first charted here in The States, Rick Nelson was enjoying a Top Ten Hit with “For You,” another great track.  As happened to virtually all American acts at the time, his music was boycotted on the radio in favor of the more hip, current British sounds.  (“For You” would be Rick’s last Top Ten Hit until “Garden Party” struck gold eight years later … and became has last Top Ten Hit period.)  kk

Micky Dolenz closed out his 2025 Songs and Stories tour Sunday night (12/7) at The Parker in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Dolenz will return in 2026 with a brand-new live show, “MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES.” 

“MICKY DOLENZ: 60 YEARS OF THE MONKEES" will kick off in February, 2026, with a year-long tour across North America. The celebration will include a special one-night-only commemorative concert in Los Angeles on September 12, 2026, marking exactly 60 years since The Monkees first premiered on NBC.

DIS

Check out Micky's new Billboard interview here:

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/micky-dolenz-monkee-2026-tour-interview-1236134026/#recipient_hashed=fa7e92da6f6e66bffcf0bcbf863670c6eb37d7159eb4d0ea1e44fecd5ec87eeb&recipient_salt=3a1d6b09af3b92ad7e38f8327cf18febeb049fd1c9a251b66957a07d9375735c&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exacttarget&utm_campaign=billboard_daily&utm_content=652188_12-10-2025&utm_term=6338564 

Last year we saw the triple bill of Toto, Christopher Cross and Men At Work perform live at Credit Union 1 Ampitheatre.  Next summer, The Romantics will replace Colin Hay (who just cancelled all of his upcoming Australian tour dates due to health issues.)

As of right now, a Chicago stop is not even on the list …

But here’s what we DO know:

7/15 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
7/16 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/18 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
7/19 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
7/21 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
7/23 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater
7/25 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
7/26 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann
7/28 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
7/29 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
7/31 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
8/01 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/02 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
8/04 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf
8/05 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater
8/07 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
8/08 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
8/10 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
8/11 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
8/12 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/14 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Amphitheater
8/15 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
8/16 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
8/18 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
8/19 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
8/21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/22 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
8/24 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater
8/26 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater
8/28 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
8/29 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
8/30 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre

And Chuck Buell tells all of us Forgotten Hitters to keep our day going on a Fun, Bright note!

She took to the floor and said, "Come dance with me!"

CB!  ( which stands for "Cabaret Boy!" )

And, let's keep things rolling with this new trailer for the upcoming Baz Luhrmann EPiC (Elvis Presley In Concert) film ... I can't wait!