The 2014 Line-Up of The Happy Together Tour has amassed an INCREDIBLE 30 Top Ten Hits between them ... and nearly TWICE that many (56) made The Billboard Top 40. (In fact, SEVEN of these records went all the way to #1!!!)
You'd be hard pressed to find a more impressive list! And you can catch all five artists together on the very same stage as part of this year's tour. (Scroll back to yesterday's posting for all the latest concert information.)
Meanwhile, CHECK OUT THIS LIST!!!
#1 - JOY TO THE WORLD - Three Dog Night (#1)
#2 - HAPPY TOGETHER - The Turtles (#1)
#3 - THIS DIAMOND RING - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#1)
#4 - WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND - Grand Funk Railroad (#1)
#5 - MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME - Three Dog Night (#1)
#6 - THE LOCO-MOTION - Grand Funk Railroad (#1)
#7 - BLACK AND WHITE - Three Dog Night (#1)
#8 - SAVE YOUR HEART FOR ME - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#2)
#9 - COUNT ME IN - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#2)
#10 - SHE'D RATHER BE WITH ME - The Turtles (#3)
#11 - Some Kind Of Wonderful - Grand Funk Railroad (#3)
#12 - She's Just My Style - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#3)
#13 - Shambala - Three Dog Night (#3)
#14 - Easy To Be Hard - Three Dog Night (#4)
#15 - Bad Time - Grand Funk Railroad (#4)
#16 - Everybody Loves A Clown - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#4)
#17 - An Old Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night (#4)
#18 - Devil With A Blue Dress On and Good Golly Miss Molly (Medley) - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels ( #4)
#19 - The Show Must Go On - Three Dog Night (#4)
#20 - One - Three Dog Night (#5)
#21 - Never Been To Spain - Three Dog Night (#5)
#22 - You Showed Me - The Turtles (#6)
#23 - Elenore - The Turtles (#6)
#24 - Sock It To Me Baby - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (#6)
#25 - Liar - Three Dog Night (#7)
#26 - It Ain't Me Babe - The Turtles (#8)
#27 - Green Grass - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#8)
#28 - Sure Gonna Miss Her - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#9)
#29 - Jenny Take A Ride - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (#10)
#30 - Eli's Coming - Three Dog Night (#10)
#31 - Shinin' On - Grand Funk Railroad (#11)
#32 - You Know What I Mean - The Turtles (#12)
#33 - The Family Of Man - Three Dog Night (#12)
#34 - My Heart's Symphony - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#13)
#35 - She's My Girl - The Turtles (#14)
#36 - Celebrate - Three Dog Night (#15)
#37 - Out In The Country - Three Dog Night (#15)
#38 - You Don't Have To Paint Me A Picture - Gary Lewis and the Playboys (#15)
#39 - Sure As I'm Sittin' Here - Three Dog Night (#16)
#40 - Let Me Serenade You - Three Dog Night (#17)
HONORABLE MENTION:
Pieces Of April - Three Dog Night
Walk Like A Man - Grand Funk Railroad
You Baby - The Turtles
Try A Little Tenderness - Three Dog Night
Footstompin' Music - Grand Funk Railroad
Closer To Home - Grand Funk Railroad
Little Latin Lupe Lu - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query three dog night. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query three dog night. Sort by date Show all posts
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Three Dog Night
Although it rained for a good while both before and during the show, the weather did nothing to dampen the spirits of the large crowd gathered to see Three Dog Night perform a free, live concert in Elk Grove Village last night ... in fact, it's probably one of the biggest turn-outs this series has ever seen.
Cory Wells and Danny Hutton were both in fine voice as they rattled through their hits in quick succession. (The missing third of the original line-up, Chuck Negron, blows through town in a couple of weeks as part of The Happy Together Tour.)
The set kicked off with what can best be described as two classic Forgotten Hits ... "Family Of Man" and "One Man Band". More hits followed. (Three Dog Night scored 21 consecutive Top 40 Hits between 1969 and 1975, an INCREDIBLE track record ... and they performed most of them last night. You can check out the complete Three Dog Night Hit List below.)
In addition to classic gems like "Black And White", "Shambala", "Out In The Country", "An Old Fashioned Love Song", "Eli's Coming", "Celebrate" and "Never Been To Spain", we were also treated to a couple of vintage album tracks (like their earlier-than-Joe-Cocker version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and the title track from their "It Ain't Easy album) as well as two brand-new tunes from their forth-coming album that Wells promises should be out "by 2035". (You can check out these tracks on their official website ... www.threedognight.com ... "Prayer of the Children" proves just how strong these guys are vocally ... they performed a letter-perfect rendition last night that rivaled some of the best Beach Boys harmonies you've ever heard.)
I won't say that Chuck's voice wasn't missed ... he provided the high end of those classic harmonies and really drove home Chuckcentric songs like "One" and "Joy To The World", which the band featured as their final encore. They also did an updated, rap version of their #1 Hit "Mama Told Me Not To Come" that Frannie hated but I thought was a clever idea that simply went on far too long. (Do the faithful version as you did and then cut the gimmick down to about a third of what you did last night and you'll probably retain more of your audience's attention.)
It's too bad the guys can't mend the fences after all these years ... a full-blown Three Dog Night reunion tour would generate millions and sell out theaters around the world. (We recently ran a video clip of deejay Jimmy Jay interviewing Chuck Negron backstage after one of his shows. He blames the failure to put things back together squarely on Danny Hutton.) Read Chuck's book, "Three Dog Nightmare" to find out how his drug abuse ultimately did in the band, at the time the #1 recording and touring act on the planet. It's understandable why there might be some hard feelings between the two camps ... these guys were literally on top of the world. It's one of the best rock biographies you'll ever read. But Chuck's been clean and sober for decades now, out doing his own shows. One can only imagine the intense excitement a full reunion could generate.) That being said, long-time keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon is still onboard. He's been playing with Cory and Danny since 1965, before Three Dog Night even existed! (One thing I've got to say is that back in the day, Three Dog Night had one of the best back-up bands around ... these guys totally killed and were often given their own spotlight as part of the show.)
Last night's performance was a fast-paced, very entertaining show. Between songs, both Cory and Danny recount humorous stories and experiences ... they've really got their show down pat. (The guys seem to be really big on the casino circuit lately. Last year they completely sold out The Arcada Theatre at tickets close to $100 ... so seeing them for free in Elk Grove Village last night was an especially sweet treat for local fans, who turned out in droves to see the concert.) If there was one disappointment, it's that in all the recollections of their hey-day they never even once mention or acknowledge the fact that they accomplished this incredible career as a trio.
Three Dog Night continues to tour extensively (and there's a great video available, now out of print, of them performing with The Tennessee Symphony Orchestra through Amazon.com)
Cory Wells and Danny Hutton were both in fine voice as they rattled through their hits in quick succession. (The missing third of the original line-up, Chuck Negron, blows through town in a couple of weeks as part of The Happy Together Tour.)
The set kicked off with what can best be described as two classic Forgotten Hits ... "Family Of Man" and "One Man Band". More hits followed. (Three Dog Night scored 21 consecutive Top 40 Hits between 1969 and 1975, an INCREDIBLE track record ... and they performed most of them last night. You can check out the complete Three Dog Night Hit List below.)
In addition to classic gems like "Black And White", "Shambala", "Out In The Country", "An Old Fashioned Love Song", "Eli's Coming", "Celebrate" and "Never Been To Spain", we were also treated to a couple of vintage album tracks (like their earlier-than-Joe-Cocker version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and the title track from their "It Ain't Easy album) as well as two brand-new tunes from their forth-coming album that Wells promises should be out "by 2035". (You can check out these tracks on their official website ... www.threedognight.com ... "Prayer of the Children" proves just how strong these guys are vocally ... they performed a letter-perfect rendition last night that rivaled some of the best Beach Boys harmonies you've ever heard.)
I won't say that Chuck's voice wasn't missed ... he provided the high end of those classic harmonies and really drove home Chuckcentric songs like "One" and "Joy To The World", which the band featured as their final encore. They also did an updated, rap version of their #1 Hit "Mama Told Me Not To Come" that Frannie hated but I thought was a clever idea that simply went on far too long. (Do the faithful version as you did and then cut the gimmick down to about a third of what you did last night and you'll probably retain more of your audience's attention.)
It's too bad the guys can't mend the fences after all these years ... a full-blown Three Dog Night reunion tour would generate millions and sell out theaters around the world. (We recently ran a video clip of deejay Jimmy Jay interviewing Chuck Negron backstage after one of his shows. He blames the failure to put things back together squarely on Danny Hutton.) Read Chuck's book, "Three Dog Nightmare" to find out how his drug abuse ultimately did in the band, at the time the #1 recording and touring act on the planet. It's understandable why there might be some hard feelings between the two camps ... these guys were literally on top of the world. It's one of the best rock biographies you'll ever read. But Chuck's been clean and sober for decades now, out doing his own shows. One can only imagine the intense excitement a full reunion could generate.) That being said, long-time keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon is still onboard. He's been playing with Cory and Danny since 1965, before Three Dog Night even existed! (One thing I've got to say is that back in the day, Three Dog Night had one of the best back-up bands around ... these guys totally killed and were often given their own spotlight as part of the show.)
Last night's performance was a fast-paced, very entertaining show. Between songs, both Cory and Danny recount humorous stories and experiences ... they've really got their show down pat. (The guys seem to be really big on the casino circuit lately. Last year they completely sold out The Arcada Theatre at tickets close to $100 ... so seeing them for free in Elk Grove Village last night was an especially sweet treat for local fans, who turned out in droves to see the concert.) If there was one disappointment, it's that in all the recollections of their hey-day they never even once mention or acknowledge the fact that they accomplished this incredible career as a trio.
Three Dog Night continues to tour extensively (and there's a great video available, now out of print, of them performing with The Tennessee Symphony Orchestra through Amazon.com)
Highly recommended if they hit your area.
TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
An absolute concert highlight for me last night was their spot-on rendition of "Liar", a #6 national hit from 1971. For some reason, you never hear this one on the radio ... and it deserves, at the very least, an occasional spin.
The song was first recorded by Argent. Keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon heard it and immediately called Cory Wells, for whom he then played it over the phone in one of those "you've just got to hear this" moments. The rest, as they say, is history.
TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
An absolute concert highlight for me last night was their spot-on rendition of "Liar", a #6 national hit from 1971. For some reason, you never hear this one on the radio ... and it deserves, at the very least, an occasional spin.
The song was first recorded by Argent. Keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon heard it and immediately called Cory Wells, for whom he then played it over the phone in one of those "you've just got to hear this" moments. The rest, as they say, is history.
DIDJAKNOW?:
We mentioned earlier that the boys performed their new track "Prayer for the Children" displaying harmonies worthy of The Beach Boys ... but DIDJAKNOW that there is an actual Beach Boys connection to Three Dog Night?
Danny Hutton has been a long-time friend of Brian Wilson. Hutton started with a solo career (and even toured as part of Dick Clark's Caravan Of Stars back in the day ... in fact, that is how he first met Cory Wells, in 1965).
Just prior to launching Three Dog Night, Danny was fronting another band called Redwood, who secured a recording contract. Brian Wilson gave the band a song to record, "Time To Get Alone" ... but then had to pull it back from the band when The Beach Boys decided they wanted to cut it themselves. As such, this one sat unreleased for decades, Redwood disbanded, Three Dog Night united and history was forever rewritten. We've got that extremely rare Redwood track to share with you today. (We featured The Beach Boys' version as part of our time sweep last Friday!)
We mentioned earlier that the boys performed their new track "Prayer for the Children" displaying harmonies worthy of The Beach Boys ... but DIDJAKNOW that there is an actual Beach Boys connection to Three Dog Night?
Danny Hutton has been a long-time friend of Brian Wilson. Hutton started with a solo career (and even toured as part of Dick Clark's Caravan Of Stars back in the day ... in fact, that is how he first met Cory Wells, in 1965).
Just prior to launching Three Dog Night, Danny was fronting another band called Redwood, who secured a recording contract. Brian Wilson gave the band a song to record, "Time To Get Alone" ... but then had to pull it back from the band when The Beach Boys decided they wanted to cut it themselves. As such, this one sat unreleased for decades, Redwood disbanded, Three Dog Night united and history was forever rewritten. We've got that extremely rare Redwood track to share with you today. (We featured The Beach Boys' version as part of our time sweep last Friday!)
THE THREE DOG NIGHT HIT LIST:
One misnomer I'd like to correct. Early in the set last night, Cory Wells made a comment that Chicago was one of the last major cities to climb onboard the Three Dog Night bandwagon as the group was starting to make it ... but that once they did, Chicago became a very supportive city and a favorite place for the band to play.
This simply isn't the case. The song that most consider to be Three Dog Night's break-through single, "One", went all the way to #1 here in Chicago in 1969, a feat it didn't even accomplish in Billboard Magazine where it peaked at #5. In fact, their follow-up single, "Easy To Be Hard", ALSO topped the Chicagoland charts despite stopping at #4 in Billboard. In all, Three Dog Night scored 18 consecutive Top 20 Hits in Chicago, including six #1's, one #2 and three #3's. This hardly sounds lackluster to me!!! A close analysis of this chart will show that in nearly every instance, their records performed better here locally than they did on the national charts. (Truth be told, Three Dog Night's records consistently performed better in Cash Box Magazine and Record World than they did in Billboard.)
One misnomer I'd like to correct. Early in the set last night, Cory Wells made a comment that Chicago was one of the last major cities to climb onboard the Three Dog Night bandwagon as the group was starting to make it ... but that once they did, Chicago became a very supportive city and a favorite place for the band to play.
This simply isn't the case. The song that most consider to be Three Dog Night's break-through single, "One", went all the way to #1 here in Chicago in 1969, a feat it didn't even accomplish in Billboard Magazine where it peaked at #5. In fact, their follow-up single, "Easy To Be Hard", ALSO topped the Chicagoland charts despite stopping at #4 in Billboard. In all, Three Dog Night scored 18 consecutive Top 20 Hits in Chicago, including six #1's, one #2 and three #3's. This hardly sounds lackluster to me!!! A close analysis of this chart will show that in nearly every instance, their records performed better here locally than they did on the national charts. (Truth be told, Three Dog Night's records consistently performed better in Cash Box Magazine and Record World than they did in Billboard.)
Here is the complete Three Dog Night Hit List, highlighting the highest national peak for each record as well as how these tunes scored here in Chicago. Impressive doesn't even begin to describe this track record ... you'd be hard pressed to name many other bands who put together this kind of a recording legacy. (kk)
1969 - Nobody (National - 72 / Chicago - 28)
1969 - Nobody (National - 72 / Chicago - 28)
1969 - Try A Little Tenderness (22 / --)
1969 - One (1 / 1)
1969 - Easy To Be Hard (1 / 1)
1969 - Eli's Coming (7 / 3)
1970 - Celebrate (11 / 7)
1970 - Mama Told Me Not To Come (1 / 1)
1970 - Out In The Country (9 / 7)
1971 - One Man Band (11 / 15)
1971 - Joy To The World (1 / 1)
1971 - Liar (6 / 10)
1971 - An Old Fashioned Love Song (4 / 3)
1972 - Never Been To Spain (3 / 5)
1972 - The Family Of Man (8 / 6)
1972 - Black And White (1 / 1)
1973 - Pieces Of April (18 / 2)
1973 - Shambala (1 /1)
1973 - Let Me Serenade You (12 / 8)
1974 - The Show Must Go On (1 / 3)
1974 - Sure As I'm Sittin' Here (16 / 11)
1974 - Play Somethin' Sweet (24 / 20)
1975 - Til The World Ends (22 / 14)
Friday, August 2, 2013
Three Dog Night
Sharing some of your comments today ...
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the review. Glad they are still sounding good. I haven't seen the 2 Dogs for a while now, but they were always great.
Just thought I should correct you on a couple things, though.
Maybe others already have. <grin>
The guys that were the players back in the day were actually part of the 3 Dog Night brand -- it wasn't just the 3 singers. Also Jimmy Greenspoon did leave for a while, not exactly sure when, but he was replaced by Frank "Skip" Konte who had been in Blues Image. As I recall he was quite a shoman. I think I have a PBS show with "the dogs" on it in the days when he was playing. I know he was on the album Hard Labor.
Bill
I was simply referring to the fact that they have managed to maintain a relationship with Greenspoon for some nearly fifty years ... I believe drummer Floyd Sneed has also returned to the fold at various times over the years. But they were, without a doubt, a cracker-jack band and had a HUGE amount to do with the sound of their success. Their line-up during the biggest hit years also included Mike Alllsup on guitar and Joe Schermie on bass.
Hi Kent,
Thanks for the review. Glad they are still sounding good. I haven't seen the 2 Dogs for a while now, but they were always great.
Just thought I should correct you on a couple things, though.
Maybe others already have. <grin>
The guys that were the players back in the day were actually part of the 3 Dog Night brand -- it wasn't just the 3 singers. Also Jimmy Greenspoon did leave for a while, not exactly sure when, but he was replaced by Frank "Skip" Konte who had been in Blues Image. As I recall he was quite a shoman. I think I have a PBS show with "the dogs" on it in the days when he was playing. I know he was on the album Hard Labor.
Bill
I was simply referring to the fact that they have managed to maintain a relationship with Greenspoon for some nearly fifty years ... I believe drummer Floyd Sneed has also returned to the fold at various times over the years. But they were, without a doubt, a cracker-jack band and had a HUGE amount to do with the sound of their success. Their line-up during the biggest hit years also included Mike Alllsup on guitar and Joe Schermie on bass.
The players that Cory and Danny are touring with now are no slouches either ... all are seasoned musicians who have played with any number of name artists throughout the years ... and they're able to recreate this sound to perfection on the live stage. All in all a very enjoyable show. (kk)
Hi Kent,
Nice to see you and Frannie last night ... I thought the show was excellent too. Too bad that's the last one at EGV ... they've been good. Thanks to Murray and Elk Grove Village for bringing out some good old bands. Hope it continues next year.
Marlene
We've seen some great shows there over the years ... Dean Torrence and The Surf City All-Stars, Micky Dolenz, The Chicago Gold Sounds of The Cryan' Shames, Dennis Tufano, Ronnie Rice and Jimy Sohns ... and it sounds like the budget has already been approved for next year ... so we're already looking forward to that. It's a nice place to see a show (although I think it's rained probably 50% of the times I've been there! lol But that's not Elk Grove's fault.) You GOTTA sit up close though ... if you go too far back, the echo between the buildings makes it almost unlistenable. (kk)
Nice to see you and Frannie last night ... I thought the show was excellent too. Too bad that's the last one at EGV ... they've been good. Thanks to Murray and Elk Grove Village for bringing out some good old bands. Hope it continues next year.
Marlene
We've seen some great shows there over the years ... Dean Torrence and The Surf City All-Stars, Micky Dolenz, The Chicago Gold Sounds of The Cryan' Shames, Dennis Tufano, Ronnie Rice and Jimy Sohns ... and it sounds like the budget has already been approved for next year ... so we're already looking forward to that. It's a nice place to see a show (although I think it's rained probably 50% of the times I've been there! lol But that's not Elk Grove's fault.) You GOTTA sit up close though ... if you go too far back, the echo between the buildings makes it almost unlistenable. (kk)
We were at the Three Dog Night concert last night, too, and just read your review --- and agree completely with everything you said. Of course, it would have been nice to see Chuck there, too, but Cory and Danny still put on a great show. I'm so glad we went.
Rick
Rick
Things have never been the same since Wells and Hutton severed ties with Chuck Negron ... but perhaps all is not "roses and rainbows" between these two guys either. We heard from different three readers this week, ALL of whom wished to remain anonymous, who have done shows with the two-thirds version of Three Dog Night over the years, and all of them told us that, despite what you see on stage, Danny and Cory really do not get along at all ... in fact, they don't even speak to each other offstage. We've heard that they typically enter from different sides of the stage, they have separate limos and their rooms are on different floors of the hotel and that they literally don't socialize or have anything to do with one another once the show is over. I can only say that I saw no evidence of this at all at this week's concert. The guys DID enter the stage together and seemed to genuinely have a good time up there, putting on a GREAT show for the large crowd on hand. They're still making brand new music together (and it sounds great, too) and we found it to be a very enjoyable concert experience.
Fact is, if it was only about the money, they would have invited Chuck back ages ago ... these guys are passing up untold millions by not doing the full-blown reunion. They'd be playing to sold out world tours in huge arenas, just like the good old days, instead of casinos and outdoor fairs.
It's funny 'cause when you're a trio and one-third is gone, it REALLY shows ... especially if your name is THREE Dog Night!!! Let's face it, Dan Peek left America and Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley have continued on to great success ever since without him, never missing a beat. Today we look at America as a duo, no questions asked. (Of course Dan's recent passing now makes this a permanent arrangement ... but these guys have been playing together now nonstop for 45 years!!! It's kind of like Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman of The Turtles ... they've put together a partnership that has lasted longer than most businesses, doing what they love doing the most.) Kudos to Danny and Cory for keeping it together ... they don't need Chuck's voice to carry on the sound (although, as I mentioned in the review, there were a couple of rough spots where it was noticeably missing) and the sentimental, nostalgist in all of us wishes that everybody could just play nice and get along ... but this isn't the case here. The good news is that now you get to see BOTH camps out on tour ... but one big final reunion ... even for a live television special or something ... sure would be nice. These guys were KINGS of the pop world back in the day.
It's funny 'cause when you're a trio and one-third is gone, it REALLY shows ... especially if your name is THREE Dog Night!!! Let's face it, Dan Peek left America and Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley have continued on to great success ever since without him, never missing a beat. Today we look at America as a duo, no questions asked. (Of course Dan's recent passing now makes this a permanent arrangement ... but these guys have been playing together now nonstop for 45 years!!! It's kind of like Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman of The Turtles ... they've put together a partnership that has lasted longer than most businesses, doing what they love doing the most.) Kudos to Danny and Cory for keeping it together ... they don't need Chuck's voice to carry on the sound (although, as I mentioned in the review, there were a couple of rough spots where it was noticeably missing) and the sentimental, nostalgist in all of us wishes that everybody could just play nice and get along ... but this isn't the case here. The good news is that now you get to see BOTH camps out on tour ... but one big final reunion ... even for a live television special or something ... sure would be nice. These guys were KINGS of the pop world back in the day.
By the way, I forgot to mention in my review that Cory Wells displayed the old show-biz adage "The Show Must Go On" that night. Delta Airlines lost his luggage so he had to perform in "casual wear" instead of his usual on-stage garb. Didn't matter ... Tuesday night is was all about the sound.
I saw Three Dog Night three times back in the '70's ... they were, without a doubt, one of my favorite bands of this era. The first time was at the old Chicago Auditorium Theater ... and their warm-up act that night was the virtually unknown Elton John! Elton had yet to have a hit here yet ("Your Song" would follow just a few months later) but Three Dog Night had already recorded a few of his tunes for their albums (including that one!) and they invited him out to tour with them to help break him in America. (Yes, they had that kind of power back then!) Three Dog Night ALWAYS had an ear for a good tune ... and introduced us to SO many great songwriters back then, many of whom later went on to have hits of their own. They were very big on the Randy Newman sound and cut several of his tunes ("Mama Told Me Not To Come" being the biggest, a #1 Hit in 1970) ... as well as Nilsson ("One"), Leo Sayer (the above-featured "The Show Must Go On" ... Leo had several hits in the '70's, kicking off with "Long Tall Glasses" shortly after his big Three Dog Night payday), Dave Loggins ("Pieces Of April" and "Til The World Ends" and Hoyt Axton ("Joy To The World", their biggest hit, and "Never Been To Spain".) They also recorded three Top 20 Paul Williams tunes ("Family Of Man" along with "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Out In The Country". In fact, Danny says that Williams gave them both of those songs together on the same demo tape for consideration, along with a third track ... "We've Only Just Begun", which went on to top the charts for The Carpenters!) Cory, Danny and Chuck had an impeccable ear for a hit song and, as we showed you the other day, they went on to score 21 one big ones ... 21 Top 40 Hits in a row from 1969 - 1975. Wow! (kk)
Two Dog Night is one of the best concerts I've seen live (however for my money I'd say the Moody Blues put on a better show, and when I saw the Beach Boys on the 50th Anniversary tour I thought they sounded better, too). I don't think re-adding Chuck to the group would make them sound better as a group (and I think they know it) but it would've made the show even more enjoyable. I saw Chuck on the Happy Together tour and I felt that his voice was a little rough around the edges, though given all he's been through I'm not surprised. It could also be that he may have had a cold, as some of the other performers did and they sounded worse than usual too, but this was the only time I had seen Chuck live. From the stage, Chuck did appear to at least feel sad about not having the other members of Three Dog Night on the stage with him (and he did mention them by name a few times), and it's a shame that a group with all of their primary vocalists still living can't patch things up after almost 30 years ... I guess the group figures they have a good thing going so why mess it up, yet they don't seem to realize how huge their tour could be if they would just let Chuck back into the group ... even if it were for only a few shows a year with him. The most recent time I saw 3DN live, someone shouted "Where's Chuck?" to which one of the others replied "I don't know, he's probably at home".
I just think that if the original members of the Rascals can reunite after so many decades apart, why not Three Dog Night?
Tom Diehl
I would agree with that assessment ... Two Dog Night don't need to bring Chuck back to sell out shows and put on a good show ... and they must have invested well and don't need the money that a full-blown reunion could bring in. Like I said, I get it ... Chuck burst their bubble when the band was sitting on top of the world ... and that's hard to forgive. But it HAS been nearly 40 years now ... and he's clean and sober and out there singing these same songs anyway. I'd love to see it happen ... but the truth is THAT show would sell out so fast, I might not even be able to get a ticket! Now I can just grab a lawn chair or head out to a casino and know that I'll get a seat! And STILL see a great show! (kk)
>>>One thing I've got to say is that back in the day, Three Dog Night had one of the best back-up bands around ... these guys totally killed and were often given their own spotlight as part of the show. (kk)
Live at the Forum (one of my top 10 live albums) is testament to that.
KKiley (from Jersey!)
And that was really early on in their career ... their biggest hits were still ahead of them at that point! But the label wanted to capture the magic of their live shows and rushed out this LP. As a fan of this album, you might be pleased to know that the guys have put "It's For You" back in the act, exercising those same vocal gymnastics amongst all of the members that they used to do as a trio back in the day. Personally, I never particularly cared for their rendition of this little known Lennon-McCartney tune, but I think I was in the minority ... and the crowd sure seemed to love it Tuesday night, too! (kk)
Two Dog Night is one of the best concerts I've seen live (however for my money I'd say the Moody Blues put on a better show, and when I saw the Beach Boys on the 50th Anniversary tour I thought they sounded better, too). I don't think re-adding Chuck to the group would make them sound better as a group (and I think they know it) but it would've made the show even more enjoyable. I saw Chuck on the Happy Together tour and I felt that his voice was a little rough around the edges, though given all he's been through I'm not surprised. It could also be that he may have had a cold, as some of the other performers did and they sounded worse than usual too, but this was the only time I had seen Chuck live. From the stage, Chuck did appear to at least feel sad about not having the other members of Three Dog Night on the stage with him (and he did mention them by name a few times), and it's a shame that a group with all of their primary vocalists still living can't patch things up after almost 30 years ... I guess the group figures they have a good thing going so why mess it up, yet they don't seem to realize how huge their tour could be if they would just let Chuck back into the group ... even if it were for only a few shows a year with him. The most recent time I saw 3DN live, someone shouted "Where's Chuck?" to which one of the others replied "I don't know, he's probably at home".
I just think that if the original members of the Rascals can reunite after so many decades apart, why not Three Dog Night?
Tom Diehl
I would agree with that assessment ... Two Dog Night don't need to bring Chuck back to sell out shows and put on a good show ... and they must have invested well and don't need the money that a full-blown reunion could bring in. Like I said, I get it ... Chuck burst their bubble when the band was sitting on top of the world ... and that's hard to forgive. But it HAS been nearly 40 years now ... and he's clean and sober and out there singing these same songs anyway. I'd love to see it happen ... but the truth is THAT show would sell out so fast, I might not even be able to get a ticket! Now I can just grab a lawn chair or head out to a casino and know that I'll get a seat! And STILL see a great show! (kk)
>>>One thing I've got to say is that back in the day, Three Dog Night had one of the best back-up bands around ... these guys totally killed and were often given their own spotlight as part of the show. (kk)
Live at the Forum (one of my top 10 live albums) is testament to that.
KKiley (from Jersey!)
And that was really early on in their career ... their biggest hits were still ahead of them at that point! But the label wanted to capture the magic of their live shows and rushed out this LP. As a fan of this album, you might be pleased to know that the guys have put "It's For You" back in the act, exercising those same vocal gymnastics amongst all of the members that they used to do as a trio back in the day. Personally, I never particularly cared for their rendition of this little known Lennon-McCartney tune, but I think I was in the minority ... and the crowd sure seemed to love it Tuesday night, too! (kk)
Kent,
A two out of three dogs concert was one of the first non-British Invasion concerts I took my children to see. Since then, we have had the pleasure of also experiencing one dog out of three. The incurable romantic in me agrees with your suggestion about a reunion. I have been able to imagine all three on stage at both types of concerts. I would love to actually see it. It would require harmony off-stage that was sincere though, or the harmonies on-stage would come out sour. Another lesson from the 60's: Life isn't always as we would wish it. We need to strive to change the wrongs into rights, but that is many times more difficult than we first imagined.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
It's strange that we never hear "Liar" on oldies radio, and serves as another example of a great Forgotten Hit that charted rather high. My wife references it often, though. When she senses I'm not being thoroughly transparent about something, she immediately says "There's a Three Dog Night song about you, David." It doesn't get played around the house or car, so tonight I played it on YouTube and after three seconds she yelled "That's Liar."
David Lewis
Yep, it's a good one ... and I'm betting that a few of the jocks on our list dug this one out of mothballs, too, to play it on their programs this week. Here's the Argent original for the benefit of anyone who may not have heard it before. (kk)
It's strange that we never hear "Liar" on oldies radio, and serves as another example of a great Forgotten Hit that charted rather high. My wife references it often, though. When she senses I'm not being thoroughly transparent about something, she immediately says "There's a Three Dog Night song about you, David." It doesn't get played around the house or car, so tonight I played it on YouTube and after three seconds she yelled "That's Liar."
David Lewis
Yep, it's a good one ... and I'm betting that a few of the jocks on our list dug this one out of mothballs, too, to play it on their programs this week. Here's the Argent original for the benefit of anyone who may not have heard it before. (kk)
CORRECTION:
The other day I mentioned the fact that Danny Hutton recorded the Brian Wilson track "Time To Get Alone" prior to launching Three Dog Night ... but the band (Redwood) had to pull the record back when The Beach Boys decided to record this track themselves.
Well, further research shows
A) That Brian Wilson actually gave them TWO tracks to record ... and even helped produce the session. Neither track was commercially released by Redwood, as The Beach Boys released them both themselves. The other track? Their Top Ten Hit "Darlin'"!
And ...
B) Cory Wells and Chuck Negron BOTH sang on these recordings with Danny. Just think ... if these HAD been released and had become early hits for the group, they may never have become Three Dog Night and we might know them today only as Redwood ... in which case TWO guys performing as three guys probably wouldn't phase anybody!!! (lol) kk
Monday, April 13, 2009
Freedom For The Stallion
After we mentioned that Scott Shannon had featured The Hues Corporation's first chart hit, "Freedom For The Stallion" on his program the other day, we received a few emails about this track ... which I had previously been unfamiliar with. (The Hues Corporation, of course, broke through BIG with their #1 Smash "Rock The Boat" ... and that was the first time MOST of us heard of them ... but apparently an earlier release, "Freedom For The Stallion" was a bit of a regional hit, particularly in the South.) Here are just a few recent emails that we received ... along with a couple of musical treats, too! Enjoy!
Howdy, Kent,
Just read your observations regarding "The Hues Corporation." Just like my earlier comments about "Freddy Cannon" and "Ray Peterson," and the fact that there were always records that would hit 'big' in one region but not always spread to the rest of the country, so it was with "Freedom For The Stallion." I don't recall that it only went to #63 nationally, Kent. It did far, far better in the south.
I had given up a great gig at Capitol to join my old dear friend, and genuine 'nice guy,' Larry Douglas, at RCA. By time "Stallion" was released. I believe Larry had left to go to CBS, where he would spend the rest of his career. Immediately I knew I'd made a BIG mistake by leaving Al Courey and going to Nipper. The record biz has always been very political, but at that time, RCA was, perhaps, the most political of them all. Some of the top brass were not true 'record men.' They were attorneys and accountants who thought they were record men. Larry and Al were the 'real deal.' Music was their passion. They fought for their team and their team returned the favor. You knew they would go to the wall for you. You knew they would watch your back.
We did 'full line' promotion in those days ... we worked everything the labels threw at us: rock, jazz, classical, country, rhythm and blues. It if was released, we worked it. However, sometimes you'd know when the top brass really wanted you to concentrate on a particular song -- or the opposite -- when it was something put out for political reasons and it was not a priority. "Freedom For The Stallion" was one of those records that was not a 'obvious' hit. It wasn't like working Elvis, John Denver, Waylon, Charley Pride, David Bowie, and some of the other 'automatic' type artists. I knew instantly that "Freedom" would be a 'work record.' But the more I heard it, the more I believed it could be a big record. I was working the southeast and that region became one of the regions where radio supported the single. While it was not a huge chart record it certainly led the way for the follow-up, "Rock The Boat." I think "Stallion" actually showed the group's vocal talents far more.
Well, that's my two-cents worth for a Saturday afternoon in Franklin -- 20 miles south of "Music City, USA."
Fred Vail
Treasure Isle Recorders, Inc.
4/11/09
It's not a bad song at all ... we just never got to hear it here in Chicago. (Honestly, I'd probably be more surprised if it WAS a big hit ... the whole sound of that record doesn't feel anything at all like what was on the charts back in 1973!) "Rock The Boat" was the "obvious" hit ... but, as I said, the follow-up record, "Rockin' Soul", ALSO made The Top 20 ... and you never hear THAT one on the radio either!!! (kk)
I intended to include this photo when I mentioned the record. Guess we had lots of these Promo copies around and I 'accepted' one for my own collection.
David
Hey Kent,
Did you know that Three Dog Night did "Freedom for the Stallion" on their "Seven Separate Fools" album from '72, which would pre-date The Hues Corp. version by nearly 2 years. Anybody know who wrote it or any other info? It's a good song that I've never listened to before even though I've had The Hues Corp. CD for about 10 years ("Rock The Boat" is one of my personal all-time favorites).
Eddie, Orange, CT
Looking at the label above, it looks like the song was written by the legendary Allen Toussaint out of New Orleans ... and, now that I've typed that, I seem to remember Scott Shannon mentioning that on the air the other day, too. Being a big Three Dog Night fan, I'm surprised that connection eluded me ... but we've included THEIR version today so the rest of the readers can enjoy it ... along with The Hues Brothers themselves, and their Top 20 follow-up Hit, "Rockin' Soul"!!! By the way, the Three Dog Night version ended up on the flipside of their 1972 chart-topper, "Black And White". (kk)
Freedom For The Stallion by Three Dog Night
Rockin' Soul by The Hues Corporation
ONE MORE: When I mentioned to Scott Shannon the fact that Three Dog Night recorded "Freedom For The Stallion" back in 1972 for their "Seven Separate Fools" album, he sent me this reply:
KENT ...
I AM A BIG 3 DOG FAN SO I AM FAMILIAR WITH THAT VERSION ... THEY DID A MILLION GREAT COVERS ... MY 2 FAVS ... TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS ... AND SUNLIGHT, WHICH WAS A YOUNGBLOODS COVER SONG, I PLAYED IT ON THE AIR BACK WHEN I WAS "SUPERSHAN", THE FASTEST MOUTH IN THE SOUTH ... IN THE LATE 70'S AND IT WAS A TOP 5 REQUEST SONG ... CHECK IT OUT ... SUNLIGHT ...
SHANNON
DEEJAY
lol ... ironically "Sunlight" is one of MY all-time favorite Three Dog Night songs, too!!! In fact, when we featured it about six years ago in Forgotten Hits, everybody went NUTS ... seems EVERYBODY knows and loves this song!!! (Three Dog Night certainly gave up another sure-thing Top 20 Hit by NOT releasing "Sunlight" as a single"!!!)
SUNLIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOP 5 SMASH FOR 3 DOG NIGHT ... I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM EXPERIENCE ... I SAW IT WORK ... PEOPLE LOVED THAT SONG. I PLAYED IT LIKE A HIT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS ... SCOTT
Even MORE ironically, we just had a similar correspondence with ANOTHER Forgotten Hits Reader ... this piece was scheduled to go out as part of our April "Leftovers" Page, but ties in so perfectly with this current discussion that we moved it up on the schedule!
Kent, Did you, like I, play the Three Dog Night / Harmony LP over and over and over? This album, I think, gave outstanding bang for the buck, with loads of excellent tracks. This is just one of the tracks from Harmony that's never heard on radio that's still in our home / car rotation ... My Impersonal Life.
David Lewis
"Harmony" is far and away my FAVORITE Three Dog Night album ... and I was a pretty major fan back in the day ... some GREAT tracks on this LP. ("Never Been To Spain", "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "The Family Of Man" were the three hit singles released from the album ... but other personal favorites include their version of Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer", which I think blows the original away, and "Peace Of Mind", the closing "poem" piece where all three singers trade off the lead vocal ... absolutely breath-taking.) But my ALL-TIME favorite Three Dog Night "cover song" will always be their version of the Jesse Colin Young classic "Sunlight", which appeared on their "Naturally" LP. We featured this one a few years back in Forgotten Hits and got an overwhelmingly positive response ... it's one that folks had TRULY forgotten about ... and one that everybody seemed to love. Although "Sunlight" was never really a hit for EITHER artist, it was all over the soft rock stations back in the mid-'70's ... and it still holds up incredibly well today. (kk)
Sunlight by Three Dog Night
My Impersonal Life by Three Dog Night
Howdy, Kent,
Just read your observations regarding "The Hues Corporation." Just like my earlier comments about "Freddy Cannon" and "Ray Peterson," and the fact that there were always records that would hit 'big' in one region but not always spread to the rest of the country, so it was with "Freedom For The Stallion." I don't recall that it only went to #63 nationally, Kent. It did far, far better in the south.
I had given up a great gig at Capitol to join my old dear friend, and genuine 'nice guy,' Larry Douglas, at RCA. By time "Stallion" was released. I believe Larry had left to go to CBS, where he would spend the rest of his career. Immediately I knew I'd made a BIG mistake by leaving Al Courey and going to Nipper. The record biz has always been very political, but at that time, RCA was, perhaps, the most political of them all. Some of the top brass were not true 'record men.' They were attorneys and accountants who thought they were record men. Larry and Al were the 'real deal.' Music was their passion. They fought for their team and their team returned the favor. You knew they would go to the wall for you. You knew they would watch your back.
We did 'full line' promotion in those days ... we worked everything the labels threw at us: rock, jazz, classical, country, rhythm and blues. It if was released, we worked it. However, sometimes you'd know when the top brass really wanted you to concentrate on a particular song -- or the opposite -- when it was something put out for political reasons and it was not a priority. "Freedom For The Stallion" was one of those records that was not a 'obvious' hit. It wasn't like working Elvis, John Denver, Waylon, Charley Pride, David Bowie, and some of the other 'automatic' type artists. I knew instantly that "Freedom" would be a 'work record.' But the more I heard it, the more I believed it could be a big record. I was working the southeast and that region became one of the regions where radio supported the single. While it was not a huge chart record it certainly led the way for the follow-up, "Rock The Boat." I think "Stallion" actually showed the group's vocal talents far more.
Well, that's my two-cents worth for a Saturday afternoon in Franklin -- 20 miles south of "Music City, USA."
Fred Vail
Treasure Isle Recorders, Inc.
4/11/09
It's not a bad song at all ... we just never got to hear it here in Chicago. (Honestly, I'd probably be more surprised if it WAS a big hit ... the whole sound of that record doesn't feel anything at all like what was on the charts back in 1973!) "Rock The Boat" was the "obvious" hit ... but, as I said, the follow-up record, "Rockin' Soul", ALSO made The Top 20 ... and you never hear THAT one on the radio either!!! (kk)
I intended to include this photo when I mentioned the record. Guess we had lots of these Promo copies around and I 'accepted' one for my own collection.
David
Hey Kent,
Did you know that Three Dog Night did "Freedom for the Stallion" on their "Seven Separate Fools" album from '72, which would pre-date The Hues Corp. version by nearly 2 years. Anybody know who wrote it or any other info? It's a good song that I've never listened to before even though I've had The Hues Corp. CD for about 10 years ("Rock The Boat" is one of my personal all-time favorites).
Eddie, Orange, CT
Looking at the label above, it looks like the song was written by the legendary Allen Toussaint out of New Orleans ... and, now that I've typed that, I seem to remember Scott Shannon mentioning that on the air the other day, too. Being a big Three Dog Night fan, I'm surprised that connection eluded me ... but we've included THEIR version today so the rest of the readers can enjoy it ... along with The Hues Brothers themselves, and their Top 20 follow-up Hit, "Rockin' Soul"!!! By the way, the Three Dog Night version ended up on the flipside of their 1972 chart-topper, "Black And White". (kk)
Freedom For The Stallion by Three Dog Night
Rockin' Soul by The Hues Corporation
ONE MORE: When I mentioned to Scott Shannon the fact that Three Dog Night recorded "Freedom For The Stallion" back in 1972 for their "Seven Separate Fools" album, he sent me this reply:
KENT ...
I AM A BIG 3 DOG FAN SO I AM FAMILIAR WITH THAT VERSION ... THEY DID A MILLION GREAT COVERS ... MY 2 FAVS ... TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS ... AND SUNLIGHT, WHICH WAS A YOUNGBLOODS COVER SONG, I PLAYED IT ON THE AIR BACK WHEN I WAS "SUPERSHAN", THE FASTEST MOUTH IN THE SOUTH ... IN THE LATE 70'S AND IT WAS A TOP 5 REQUEST SONG ... CHECK IT OUT ... SUNLIGHT ...
SHANNON
DEEJAY
lol ... ironically "Sunlight" is one of MY all-time favorite Three Dog Night songs, too!!! In fact, when we featured it about six years ago in Forgotten Hits, everybody went NUTS ... seems EVERYBODY knows and loves this song!!! (Three Dog Night certainly gave up another sure-thing Top 20 Hit by NOT releasing "Sunlight" as a single"!!!)
SUNLIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOP 5 SMASH FOR 3 DOG NIGHT ... I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM EXPERIENCE ... I SAW IT WORK ... PEOPLE LOVED THAT SONG. I PLAYED IT LIKE A HIT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS ... SCOTT
Even MORE ironically, we just had a similar correspondence with ANOTHER Forgotten Hits Reader ... this piece was scheduled to go out as part of our April "Leftovers" Page, but ties in so perfectly with this current discussion that we moved it up on the schedule!
Kent, Did you, like I, play the Three Dog Night / Harmony LP over and over and over? This album, I think, gave outstanding bang for the buck, with loads of excellent tracks. This is just one of the tracks from Harmony that's never heard on radio that's still in our home / car rotation ... My Impersonal Life.
David Lewis
"Harmony" is far and away my FAVORITE Three Dog Night album ... and I was a pretty major fan back in the day ... some GREAT tracks on this LP. ("Never Been To Spain", "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "The Family Of Man" were the three hit singles released from the album ... but other personal favorites include their version of Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer", which I think blows the original away, and "Peace Of Mind", the closing "poem" piece where all three singers trade off the lead vocal ... absolutely breath-taking.) But my ALL-TIME favorite Three Dog Night "cover song" will always be their version of the Jesse Colin Young classic "Sunlight", which appeared on their "Naturally" LP. We featured this one a few years back in Forgotten Hits and got an overwhelmingly positive response ... it's one that folks had TRULY forgotten about ... and one that everybody seemed to love. Although "Sunlight" was never really a hit for EITHER artist, it was all over the soft rock stations back in the mid-'70's ... and it still holds up incredibly well today. (kk)
Sunlight by Three Dog Night
My Impersonal Life by Three Dog Night
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Tuesday This And That
Looks like the weekend found everybody in good spirits ...
First, Frannie sent me this one ...
And then I got this from Chuck Buell ...
Just some Comic Fun for you Today that I thought you'd be one to appreciate!
FH Reader Stacee McDermott sent us this interesting perspective on "trendiness" ...
We spent a good chunk of last week giving away tickets to see the Brian Wilson concert at The Genesee Theatre ... and then heard from a couple of readers with more Brian / Beach Boys news ...
I didn't get to go to see the Beach Boys but I heard it was great. Here is a nice article you might be interested in. Carrie
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2015/07/brian_wilson_sings_the_beach_b.html
And from David Beard ...
At 74 years of age, you would think that Mike Love might be slowing down, but that is hardly the case. Love is working on an upcoming solo album and book, both planned for release in 2016. Even though Mike is tasked with these individual ventures he is still touring more than ever.
DJ Bill Fortune sent us the Joe Klein post we missed a couple of weeks ago regarding the passing of Cory Wells. We no sooner opened this one to receive another email from FH Reader Rich Turner who tells us that Three Dog Night (One Dog Night???) will fulfill all of its contractual obligations. Since Danny Hutton sang the least memorable leads of the group ... and since we already know that there's absolutely NO way he's going to team back up with Chuck Negron again ... we have to wonder who the "new voice" is going to be. (Now that Joe Cocker's gone, my first choice would be Randy Newman ... but I don't see THAT happening either!!! And let's face it ... Bo Bice is already busy singing with Blood, Sweat And Tears!!! So who's it gonna be???)
After twelve years, Bill Medley finally officially hired a new "Righteous Brother" ... other groups continue to preserve the musical legacy of their former selves in what amounts to not much more than a "tribute" to the music of said artist. I guess at some point that's going to have to be enough ... because it may be all we have left.
Simply put, the point just continues to be driven home ... we have lost SO many great voices from our past the last few years ... it's becoming nearly impossible to keep this great music alive ... but the truth is this music will outlive ALL of us ... because it truly IS timeless.
Frannie sent me this reminder of former Journey lead singer Steve Perry's return to the stage last year with the rock group The Eels, with whom he performed the Journey classic "Open Arms".
It's funny because at the time I thought that this was his way of working himself back into the spotlight ... yet it just never happened. (A video clip of this performance is included in the link below).
I've often said that without Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night there never would have been a Steve Perry ... but this article takes it a step further and mentions what a fan of Sam Cooke's music Perry was.
Ironically I heard an interview recently that pointed out the very same thing.
"Listen to 'Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' ... that's Steve Perry doing Same Cooke" ... and it is ... it's almost like he reinvented "You Send Me" thirty years later!
http://societyofrock.com/after-19-years-steve-perry-steps-onstage-for-the-first-time-for-journey-classic-open-arms
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2015/10/19/50th-anniversary-master-fm-antenna-empire-state-building/
First, Frannie sent me this one ...
And then I got this from Chuck Buell ...
Just some Comic Fun for you Today that I thought you'd be one to appreciate!
Well, it made me Laff!
CB ( which stands for "Comic Boy!" )
CB ( which stands for "Comic Boy!" )
FH Reader Stacee McDermott sent us this interesting perspective on "trendiness" ...
Who would have ever thought that FIFTY years ago the idea of a group called The Zombies could be so relevant!!!
|
We spent a good chunk of last week giving away tickets to see the Brian Wilson concert at The Genesee Theatre ... and then heard from a couple of readers with more Brian / Beach Boys news ...
I didn't get to go to see the Beach Boys but I heard it was great. Here is a nice article you might be interested in. Carrie
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2015/07/brian_wilson_sings_the_beach_b.html
And from David Beard ...
At 74 years of age, you would think that Mike Love might be slowing down, but that is hardly the case. Love is working on an upcoming solo album and book, both planned for release in 2016. Even though Mike is tasked with these individual ventures he is still touring more than ever.
More ... http://www.examiner.com/article/the-beach-boys-touring-more-than-ever?CID=examiner_alerts_article
DJ Bill Fortune sent us the Joe Klein post we missed a couple of weeks ago regarding the passing of Cory Wells. We no sooner opened this one to receive another email from FH Reader Rich Turner who tells us that Three Dog Night (One Dog Night???) will fulfill all of its contractual obligations. Since Danny Hutton sang the least memorable leads of the group ... and since we already know that there's absolutely NO way he's going to team back up with Chuck Negron again ... we have to wonder who the "new voice" is going to be. (Now that Joe Cocker's gone, my first choice would be Randy Newman ... but I don't see THAT happening either!!! And let's face it ... Bo Bice is already busy singing with Blood, Sweat And Tears!!! So who's it gonna be???)
After twelve years, Bill Medley finally officially hired a new "Righteous Brother" ... other groups continue to preserve the musical legacy of their former selves in what amounts to not much more than a "tribute" to the music of said artist. I guess at some point that's going to have to be enough ... because it may be all we have left.
Simply put, the point just continues to be driven home ... we have lost SO many great voices from our past the last few years ... it's becoming nearly impossible to keep this great music alive ... but the truth is this music will outlive ALL of us ... because it truly IS timeless.
From Joe Klein: October 21 at 12:45pm · Edited
Some very sad news to pass along to all you Old Radio DJ's who spun all those THREE DOG NIGHT hit records in the 70's. I went to a couple of TDN recording sessions early in 1970 at producer Richard Podoler's recording studio. I was only fifteen years old at the time and had dreams of being a recording engineer and record producer, so going to those sessions was a real thrill for me and I still have vivid memories of being at them. RIP Cory.
Cory's vocal work on Shambala will always be memorable for me. I remember playing that song for the first time during my short interval at KHJ. It turned into an anthem that I have to listen to periodically, even all these years later. Didn't 3DN w/Wells wrap up a couple of New Jersey gigs not ten days ago? Wow, it's almost like he died with his boots on. He will be missed. Lots of great interviews with Corey on YouTube.
I especially recommend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBOBgjahuL0.
Some very sad news to pass along to all you Old Radio DJ's who spun all those THREE DOG NIGHT hit records in the 70's. I went to a couple of TDN recording sessions early in 1970 at producer Richard Podoler's recording studio. I was only fifteen years old at the time and had dreams of being a recording engineer and record producer, so going to those sessions was a real thrill for me and I still have vivid memories of being at them. RIP Cory.
Cory's vocal work on Shambala will always be memorable for me. I remember playing that song for the first time during my short interval at KHJ. It turned into an anthem that I have to listen to periodically, even all these years later. Didn't 3DN w/Wells wrap up a couple of New Jersey gigs not ten days ago? Wow, it's almost like he died with his boots on. He will be missed. Lots of great interviews with Corey on YouTube.
I especially recommend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBOBgjahuL0.
Peace!
Bill
Billy, I'm not sure. Several of the group's shows were either canceled or rescheduled over the last weeks due to "severe back pain" being experienced by Cory. But I really like the video you posted above.
Billy, I'm not sure. Several of the group's shows were either canceled or rescheduled over the last weeks due to "severe back pain" being experienced by Cory. But I really like the video you posted above.
Joe
Kent,
What with the recent passing of original Three Dog Night lead vocalist Cory Wells (as has been mentioned on your blog several times lately) I thought you might be interested in this update.
Three Dog Night has been scheduled to play at our annual Ribfest charity fundraiser on November 14 here in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ribfest is a 3-day event held the second weekend of November every year since 1990 and features many classic rock bands along with, of course, the proverbial barbeque ribs and beverages. Just posted on the Ribfest website is a message from Three Dog Night announcing that they will be honoring all their confirmed tour dates that are currently scheduled starting the first week of November.
The post states that according to the band's agency, WME, prior to his death, Mr. Wells had been concerned about cancelling shows and disappointing Three Dog Night's fans, so he encouraged the band to get back on the road. Continuing with the post, the band took Wells' recommendation and invited one of his favorite singers to join Three Dog Night when they resume the tour in November. A quote from the band's founder Danny Hutton, "Our hearts are heavy, but we are going to honor Cory's wishes and continue. He'll always be with us in spirit."
So there you go. No mention as to who this new singer is but apparently it will not be Chuck Negron, the third original Three Dog Night vocalist who has been out of the band since the late 1980s. But we will see. Yes, I do plan to attend the all-day event (one of my favorite events and I never miss it). I will send in a review shortly afterward so all the Forgotten Hits readers can hear how the new incarnation of the band performs. Other groups on the bill this day are Robby Steinhardt (the former violinist from the band Kansas) who will perform Kansas music, .38 Special, a couple of tribute bands, one performing Doobie Brothers music and the other Santana music, and finally one of my favorite bands, America, who I saw just last year. Three Dog Night is scheduled to close the show.
I saw Three Dog Night for the very first time in November of 1969 (I must have been just a child LOL) and many times since. So 46 years will have passed since I first saw the band and then now.
Rich Turner,
Safety Harbor, Florida
Rich Turner,
Safety Harbor, Florida
Frannie sent me this reminder of former Journey lead singer Steve Perry's return to the stage last year with the rock group The Eels, with whom he performed the Journey classic "Open Arms".
I've often said that without Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night there never would have been a Steve Perry ... but this article takes it a step further and mentions what a fan of Sam Cooke's music Perry was.
Ironically I heard an interview recently that pointed out the very same thing.
"Listen to 'Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' ... that's Steve Perry doing Same Cooke" ... and it is ... it's almost like he reinvented "You Send Me" thirty years later!
http://societyofrock.com/after-19-years-steve-perry-steps-onstage-for-the-first-time-for-journey-classic-open-arms
Kent,
The record by the Changin' Times did make our local survey here in OKC although I really can't remember how high it got ... I don't believe it charted that high though. #18 by Them was quite a record in that the lyrics didn't start until about a minute into the song.
Song #20 just goes to show that Mel Carter had songs other than HOLD ME! THRILL ME! KISS ME!, which I guess is considered to be his signature song. And who knew at the time that song #25 by James Brown would turn out to be the only song one would hear on "oldies" stations many many years later?
I enjoy looking at these surveys from other radio markets. I play on you tube those songs I haven't heard or thought about in years, that is if you don't post them. Sometimes a record listed reminds me of another record.
Keep up the good work.
Larry Neal
The record by the Changin' Times did make our local survey here in OKC although I really can't remember how high it got ... I don't believe it charted that high though. #18 by Them was quite a record in that the lyrics didn't start until about a minute into the song.
Song #20 just goes to show that Mel Carter had songs other than HOLD ME! THRILL ME! KISS ME!, which I guess is considered to be his signature song. And who knew at the time that song #25 by James Brown would turn out to be the only song one would hear on "oldies" stations many many years later?
I enjoy looking at these surveys from other radio markets. I play on you tube those songs I haven't heard or thought about in years, that is if you don't post them. Sometimes a record listed reminds me of another record.
Keep up the good work.
Larry Neal
Although "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" was certainly his biggest (and it IS a timeless classic), Mel Carter actually had SIX songs that made The National Top 50: "When A Boy Falls In Love" (#38, 1963); "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" (#8, 1965); "(All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings" (#35, 1965); "Love Is All We Had" (#50, 1966); "Band Of Gold" (#31, 1966) and "You You You" (#49, 1966). And he's still recording today. (A couple of years ago he sent me a copy of his brand new CD and we featured a track in Forgotten Hits).
James Brown never had the "presence" here in Chicago that he did nationally and I'm really not sure why ... in fact, I'm quite surprised that after the recent biopic more of his music isn't played on the radio today ... I just don't know that in hindsight much of it has had much cross-over, lasting appeal. (We actually have a James Brown tune going up on the site tomorrow but again, it's one of his more popular tunes.) It is kinda cool to see "I Got You" in its premier week on the KHJ Boss 30 Countdown! (kk)
Speaking of Classic Top 40 Radio, WCBS-FM just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of their radio antenna being placed high atop The Empire State Building last week. (I'm guessing this was a brand new antenna installation at the time ... because didn't King Kong rip off the old one a couple of decades before?!?!?)
Our FH Buddy Big Jay Sorensen remembers ...
This is SO cool. WCBS-FM was the first station broadcasting from the then new master antenna high atop the Empire State Building. Our station played the song while this incredible light show was done last week.
Speaking of Classic Top 40 Radio, WCBS-FM just celebrated the 50th Anniversary of their radio antenna being placed high atop The Empire State Building last week. (I'm guessing this was a brand new antenna installation at the time ... because didn't King Kong rip off the old one a couple of decades before?!?!?)
Our FH Buddy Big Jay Sorensen remembers ...
This is SO cool. WCBS-FM was the first station broadcasting from the then new master antenna high atop the Empire State Building. Our station played the song while this incredible light show was done last week.
So cool to have MY voice come out of that legendary facility. Only in New York.
BE BIG!
Jay
BE BIG!
Jay
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