The Friday Flash

Despite considerable optimism by her medical team, Bonnie Tyler has died.

Tyler first went into hospital back in May for emergency, intestinal surgery.  Complications required doctors to place her in a self-induced coma in order to complete the surgery, after which time she suffered cardiac arrest.  Although she did wake up from the coma, she had been incapacitated ever since, remaining in intensive care for the duration of her hospital stay.

Bonnie scored big twice on the charts, first with her #3 smash “It’s A Heartache” in 1978 and then again with her worldwide #1 Hit “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” in 1983.  She had been scheduled to go out on tour when the health problems first occurred and doctor updates throughout her ordeal seemed to imply confidence that she would pull through this and make a full recovery.  Sadly, this did not happen.  Tyler was 75.  (kk)

It's A Heartache ... Bonnie Tyler didn't make it ...

Here's a look back at her career from The Second Disc ...

https://theseconddisc.com/2026/07/09/in-memoriam-bonnie-tyler-1951-2026/ 

OK, I’ve officially lost count as to the number of times The Eagles have extended their residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas …

But they just did it again, adding four more shows in December …

Fr⁠iday, Dece⁠mber 4^th, Sa⁠turday, Dece⁠mber 5^th, Fr⁠iday, Dece⁠mber 11^th and Sa⁠turday, Dece⁠mber 12^th SHOULD wrap up the year for them … but with THESE guys, you just never really know for sure.  (This will bring their Sphere residency to 68 total shows … and counting ... unless, of course, you happen to believe that these final four shows will wrap things up.)

Despite ALL these extensions, we have yet to make it out there to see their show.  (While we were able to catch “The Wizard Of Oz” at The Sphere late last year, we would have LOVED to have seen The Eagles as well as The Backstreet Boys do their thing in that amazing theater.)

Supposedly, an Eagles video of their performance is still on the horizon … but we haven’t heard much more about that since Don Henley last told us that “this is probably it” for the band this year.  Their long goodbye tour has played a few cities in 2026 … but for the most part, if you wanted to see The Eagles this year you had to go to them … because they weren’t likely coming to you, despite all the original hype about their farewell tour around the globe.  (kk)

Meanwhile, Elton John will “unretire” to perform two shows in Mexico City on October 2^nd and 3^rd, thus completing (again) his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour.”  (Thanks to health issues of his own and the pandemic, it took five years for Elton to complete his goodbye tour, which ended just about three years ago.

But John wanted to make up the Mexico City dates cancelled by the pandemic a few years back.  These will represent his first shows there since 2012, which came twenty years after his FIRST appearances there in 1992.

In a statement made announcing these concerts, Elton said: “Mexico City has always held a special place in my heart. I was truly disappointed that the pandemic kept me from touring Latin America during my Farewell tour, which makes this return especially meaningful. I’m thrilled to finally share this very special moment with my fans after all these years.” 

There has also been stories this past week of an Elton John “avatar” show … similar to the ABBA shows that have been selling out in London now for years … premiering at the brand new Hard Rock Café and Casino in Las Vegas once its been completed.  (kk)

And Lou Gramm, former lead singer for Foreigner, is announcing HIS retirement again ... this despite plans announced just a few weeks ago about him appearing as part of Foreigner's farwell / anniversary shows featuring three generations of lead singers! 

https://youtu.be/sRByLLxayUs?si=qp6COiX1splvfa20 

The Rolling Stones' new album "Foreign Tongues" is out today and reviews seem to be overwhelmingly positive.

They also announced a new Roblox game that, quite honestly, I don't even know or understand enough about to discuss intelligently ...

But for those of you out there who have kept up with this gaming technology, here's the whole story as reported by Billboard ...

https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/rolling-stones-immersive-roblox-game-foreign-tongues-1236290816/?bt_ee=GUU8PZPxRIQHfMz3ogjBDMgDtEgimWi7ptzP4mYm0DmFwvH7%2BnH5IG9zxLdzk3JN&bt_ts=1783632891029 

>>>Regarding your July 1st, 1966, WLS survey, at number 16 is "Race With the Wind."  Now there's a song you don't hear every day.  (Dave)

I played "Race With The Wind" on my most-recent Randy on the Radio program on Top Shelf Oldies: https://www.mixcloud.com/randypny/. (I've played other Robbs songs on previous shows as well.)

– Randy Price

I’m still not quite sure why these guys didn’t click more nationally … they certainly released some commercial-sounding music, very much of the day … and were all over the fanzines (and on television, thanks to “Where The Action Is”) … you’d think with that built-in fan base, a couple of these would have made The National Top 40.  (kk)

Todd Rundgren has added several new west coast dates to his “Damned If I Do” tour (which opened here in June with shows at both the Arcada and the Des Plaines Theatres)

Here’s where you can see him in October and November …

October 21, 2026 – San Francisco, CA – Castro Theater
October 22, 2026 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theater
October 24, 2026 – Sacramento, CA – Quarry Park Amphitheater
October 25, 2026 – Oxnard, CA – Oxnard PAC
October 27, 2026 – San Diego, CA – The Sound
October 29, 2026 – Temecula, CA – Rhythm On The Vine
October 30, 2026 – Newport Beach, CA – Back Bay Amphitheatre at the Hyatt Regency
November 2, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
November 4, 2026 – Tucson, AZ – La Rosa
November 6, 2026 – Albuquerque, NM – Kimo
November 7, 2026 – El Paso, TX – Plaza Theatre
November 9, 2026 – Colorado Springs, CO – Pikes Peak Center
November 10, 2026 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
November 12, 2026 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre
November 13, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – ZOUK
November 15, 2026 – Boise, ID – Egyptian Theatre
November 16, 2026 – Spokane, WA – Bing Crosby Theater
November 18, 2026 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
November 19, 2026 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
November 21, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Capitol Theatre 

>>>If you happen to attend any of these events, drop us a line with your review!!!  (kk)

My daughter just bought presale tickets for us to see Ringo in CT.

Hey! Great idea! I'll write a review.

Shelley the smart aleck

From Tom Cuddy …

Bon Jovi opening night at Madison Square Garden

 

Freddy Cannon in a still from the 1965 movie “Village of the Giants”

Kent:

I know you’ve had a chance to meet and get to know Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon over the years and I first met him through a radio promotion back in the early 80s when I was programming WPRO & PRO-FM in Providence. 

Freddy and I were both born in Boston and we hit it off immediately and have remained close friends ever since.

Freddy is now 89 and living out side of LA.  He’s been fighting some stubborn medical challenges recently as he’s been in and out of the hospital.  This has been complicated by him losing the love of his life, Jeannette, who passed away not long ago.  They had been boyfriend and girlfriend in high school, got married, and raised a family.

What keeps Freddy’s heart ticking as he approaches 90 years old?  His love of rock and roll.  He loves writing it and performing it.  And although his health won’t allow him to travel for concerts any longer, he still finds the energy to write songs and go into a studio with his Producer and musicians to record.

His most recent release is currently a hit in the U.K.  “All She Wants To Do is Dance” is a Freddy original and this week it jumped from #25 to # 20 on the Heritage Radio Charts. The Masssachusetts born rocker is pinching him that is new release is sharing the same chart as new releases from the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Shania Twain.

The new tune is being featured in a regular rotation on Sirius XM’s 60s channel. Freddy wrote and sang jock jingles for the on-air staff of the 60s channel, that can be hard leading into his current hit.

He also sang a jingle a few weeks ago for NYC DJ legend Cousin Brucie Morrow heard Saturday nights on WABC Radio.  Brucie will interview Freddy about his latest creation this Saturday at 7pm in a live phone call.

Another event that is putting a smile on Freddy’s face:

This Saturday (tomorrow night) Me-TV’s Svengoolie will be airing the movie that Freddy performs in. It’s the 1965 Sci-Fi comedy “Village of the Giants,” featuring Tommy Kirk, Beau Bridges, Johnny Crawford and Ron Howard.  It starts at 8pm, east coast time.  Svengoolie will also be playing some music videos that Freddy has sung in for his favorite horror show host.

Tom Cuddy

New York, NY

Kent,

Since today's FH stressed the telephone and CB's Minute Medley reminded me of a few things immediately, I had to write in. 

First, did you know that the late fifties / early sixties group the Fleetwoods took their name from a telephone exchange?  Take the phone numbers Beechwood 4-5789 and 634-5789 for example.  Did you ever wonder who or what you would get if you dialed those numbers, minus the area code at the time?

How about KISSIN' ON THE PHONE by Paul Anka? 

And finally I don't know if you are familiar with this record or not, but in 1961, on Capitol Records, singer Robin Clark had a Top 10

record here in the OKC area with DADDY DADDY (GOT TO GET A PHONE IN MY ROOM)

Larry

Although I wasn't familiar with it, that Robin Clark record "bubbled under" on all three national charts, rising the highest in Music Vendor (#111) where it charted for three weeks.  Billboard listed it for one week only at #120 and Cash Box gave it a two week shot, never climbing any higher that #121.

I did find this entertaining video on YouTube however!  (kk)

 

It's finally published! Radio Music Surveys 1970-1975 is the best yet in the series, focusing on a fascinating five year music span of singer-songwriters, FM rock, and the move to Disco. 169 surveys with brief station backgrounds and stories of songs on each page.  Take a look inside, at Amazon, search term Radio Music Surveys.

Carl Mann

 

I've been updating copies of my own survey collection of late.

If anybody on the list has original, good quality copies of these WCFL charts, please let me know.  (I also have a number of surveys to sell, including some signed by the original jocks)

 

WCFL
1966	4/7
1967	11/9, 11/23
	12/7, 12/28
1968	1/4, 1/11, 1/18, 1/25
	2/15
	4/4, 4/18
	5/30 (chart may not exist)
	1968 Year End Chart (chart may not exist)
1969	1969 Year End Chart (chart may not exist)
1970	3/9, 3/23
	6/8, 6/29
	7/6, 7/13, 7/20
1971	2/15
1973	3/3
1974	Year-End (1/4/75)

Today We're Giving You A Call!

Time for a Quick Check into The Chuck Buell Historic Way Back Machine ...

Where today we take a look back at some Telephone History!

The Buell Bell Telephone Company was founded on this day of July 9 in 1877, when it installed the first public telephone lines from Boston to Sommerville, Massachusetts.

About a year earlier, on March 10, 1876, the first words ever spoken on a telephone were spoken by Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, when he made the first call to his assistant, Thomas Watson.

Moments after they hung up, Bell received a call notifying him that his car’s warranty had expired!

Soon after, Watson got a call from someone about new siding for his house!

Later that week, Bell was the first person to experience the joy of finding a dime in a pay telephone's coin return!

Shortly after, Watson becomes the first person to gain satisfaction of slamming a phone down following the 100^th call about siding for his house!

But little did either know their phone invention would lead kids of the Forgotten Hits Generation getting some perverse joy out of making annoying Prank Phone Calls!

And like a telephone’s Rotary Dial, what goes around comes around.  So now today, we same kids, who are now grown up, constantly receive our share of annoying spam Calls!

And with that, here’s your “Chuck Buell Telephone Minute Medley!

CB ( which stands for “Call-Collect Boy!” ) 

 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

7/9/66 – Rod Allen of The Fortunes has to be hospitalized after being dragged off the stage by the audience at a concert in Lincoln, Nebraska 

THE GUESS WHO: Takin' It Back

The long-awaited Guess Who reunion tour, starring Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, rolled into Chicago last Tuesday Night (June 30th) at The Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island. 

This was our first time visiting this venue (and it will likely remain our last) ... the hassle of getting to, from and around this area ... not to mention the additional expense of doing so ... just doesn't make the overall experience worth it.  The theater itself is quite large and offered excellent sound ... but I guess we'll just have to find someplace else to buy our $8 bottles of water in the future!

To complicate matters even further, Chicago has been going through a relentless heatwave.  The heat index at showtime was 105 degrees ... but I do have to admit that being in such proximity to the lake did provide a nice, cool breeze throughout the entire concert.

All of this being said, the show itself was totally rewarding.

Opening act Don Felder, who has assembled a fine group of quality players in his band (with acts like REO Speedwagon, Elton John and Carrie Underwood on their resumes), played a strong set of Eagles covers that included rockers like "Already Gone," "One Of These Nights," "Life In The Fast Lane" and "Hotel California" as well as his solo hit "Heavy Metal" and a track from his new album, "Hollywood Victim." 

Don is also offering an enticing raffle to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital ... a $50 donation buys you a chance to win a pretty amazing grand prize ...

https://www.donfelder.com/contests

Meanwhile, The Guess Who were in FINE form Tuesday night.  Burton's voice was strong for the majority of the show (although he deliberately played it safe on some of the high notes along the way) and Randy took center stage (although still seated in a chair for the duration of the show) for three Bachman-Turner Overdrive classics, "Let It Ride" (excellent and one of the best performances of the night), "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Takin' Care Of Business," which was the final song of the band's encore.

Burton Cummings once again shared his affection for the City of Chicago ... The Guess Who recorded the majority of its hits right here in Chi-Town at the old RCA Studios on Wacker Drive.  He then went on to play a number of Guess Who tracks that were recorded long after Randy left the band ("Runnin' Back To Saskatoon," which was the show opener, "Hand Me Down World," "Albert Flasher," "Clap For The Wolfman," "Guns Guns Guns," "Star Baby," "Bus Rider," "Share The Land," also performed as part of the encore, and his solo hit "My Own Way To Rock.")  I loved Burton's introduction to "Star Baby" ... "Now 'Star Baby' may not be one of your favorites ... but it only lasts for two minutes and 45 seconds ... and then we'll be on to something else."

The Guess Who hit list featuring songs written collectively by Bachman and Cummings was also quite impressive:  "Proper Stranger" (both a B-Side and an album cut), "These Eyes" (the one that kicked off the Bachman-Cummings era), "Laughing," "American Woman," "No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature," "No Time" and Randy's "Undun," sung by Cummings, who also performed the flute solo.

All-in-all, a very enthusiastic and energetic show.  (In fact, might I suggest that the ENTIRE nominating committee for The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame attend one of these concerts together and then explain to us how this group has been denied induction for their past 36 eligible years.)

The duo seem to be getting along fine and are proudly showcasing The Guess Who name again after winning it back in a long, drawn out court case.  They've still got eighteen shows to go, including an appearance tonight at Bank NH Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire, right on thru the final show scheduled for August 25th in Victoria, Canada.

Frannie was able to take a couple of decent pics from our Row Q seats, which are splattered throughout today's review.  (kk) 

You'll find our highly-acclaimed interview with Burton Cummings from a few years ago here:

https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2013/09/forgotten-hits-interviews-burton.html 

 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

7/8/66 – A US Airlines strike takes effect, lasting until August 19^th.