Hi Kent,
I hope you got the cd copies of my show. It was very well received by our listeners. We started getting all kinds of votes for favorite Summer songs during the night. Most agreed with the Spoonful's "Summer in the City" as number one. Once again thanks for the honor of letting me countdown the Forgotten Hits of the people.
My 4th of July musical weekend took me to Summerfest in Milwaukee to see the 2010 American Idols tour. It was only the 2nd stop on the tour. It was very enjoyable.
Crystal Bowersox did an amazing job with Piece of My Heart. I liked young Aaron Kelly much better in person than on tv. Lee was very good and it appears he has gained more confidence and is more comfortable on stage.
We also saw the movie 'Grown Ups'. It was very funny. I was very impressed by the soundtrack. It includes songs from J. Geils Band, Journey, the Romantics, Bob Seger, Triumph, Bad Company, Bob Welch, Hot Chocolate, Jefferson Starship and many more.
Phil -Wrco Radio
Adam Sandler ALWAYS seems to have the BEST music in his soundtracks! We haven't seen "Grown Ups" yet (opted for the new Tom Cruise movie instead ... which I guess the critics are having a field day with ... although I don't think Sandler's movie exactly bowled the critics over either!!!)
We listened to your Top 40 Favorite Summer Hits Countdown all weekend ... GREAT job as always. (Wish we could pick up your station here in Chicago ... you always seem to be having such a good time doing your show! And I'm sure there are more countdowns in both of our futures!!!) kk
Kent --
Last Saturday one of your readers (stolf) mentioned a song from 1977 by Sparks called "Over the Summer". Our group, the Showvinistics, originally released this song in 2005 on our CD "My Heart", but we recently recut it with a different member singing lead and I thought that he might like to hear it.
Danny Guilfoyle
Let's just share it with the whole world!!! (kk)
re: 16 RPM:
KK -
In response to your comment that you have never seen a turntable which runs at 16 rpmspeed and / or a record which plays at 16 rpm speed, back in the early 1950's, my parentsgot a console (radio and record player). It was a big item and my mother still has it tothis day. It had the four speeds, (16,33,45,78) They had some records which were recorded at 16. These were verses or books from the Bible.
Larry
I had similar record players growing up, with speeds ranging from 16 - 78 ... but I've NEVER seen a record recorded, marketed or sold at the 16 rpm speed ... and I've done (or been to) literally HUNDREDS of record shows over the years. Just curious what some of the other collectors out there may have experienced. (kk)
re: WIND:
>>>Regarding the Wind single charting in the fall ... I guess in Boston WMEX and WRKO or one of the others jumped on it early (stolf)
Awwwww. I still have my WMEX Good Guys sweatshirt that I won somewhere round about 1962 around somewhere!!!
Eileen
I'd like to say a few words about one of this past weekend's subjects, the song Make Believe by Wind. I interviewed Tony Orlando nearly 20 years ago and he talked very favorabley about the song. It was just like the early days of Dawn in which he sang a demo version and it eventually made it on the charts. I also asked him about the New Colony Six song "I'm Just Waitin' Anticipatin'. He told me that he co-wrote that with his uncle. He said that he thought that they wrote it for Terry Knight and the Pack, but he remembered the New Colony Six as well.
Another tidbit about Make Believe ... I had forgotten about the song until I heard Joan Jett cover that on one of her albums in the early 80s. That made me search out the album by Wind. The album also includes the instrumental song 'Groovin With Mr. Bloe', which was the flip side of Make Believe. The song was released and credited to a group called Cool Heat and charted in 1970.
Phil -Wrco Radio
Yes, one of those really strange occurrences ... released first as the B-Side to the Wind single, it then charted nearly a year later when it was re-released on the Forward label, peaking at #89 on the Billboard Chart in August of 1970. Believe it or not, it earned votes as both a Favorite, Forgotten B-Side AND as a Favorite Instrumental in our recent Forgotten Hits Polls!
As for "I'm Just Waitin', Anticipatin'" by The New Colony Six, I remember that when I interviewed Ray Graffia, Jr. and Ronnie Rice for our FH Series on the band, NEITHER one of them could remember exactly how that song happened to come their way. The story I'd always heard was that, at the time, Tony Orlando was working as a promotions man for Cameo / Parkway Records, who were then distributing the records pressed by Ray Graffia, Sr.'s record company, Centaur Records, which pressed the original recordings by the band. (Since Terry Knight and the Pack were also affiliated with Cameo / Parkway at the time, this seems to lend a little more credibility to this story ... but this is first time I'd ever heard of THEIR connection to this tune!) Somehow it got into either Ray Sr.'s hands or the hands of NC6 promo men Pete Wright and/or Howard Bedno, who presented it to the band. It's LONG been a Forgotten Hits Favorite, an opinion shared by many of our readers who never had a chance to hear this track the first time around. (In 1967, it peaked at #14 here in Chicago but only managed to "bubble under" at #128 on the Billboard Chart.) By the way, you'll find MORE on The New Colony Six below. Thanks, Phil! (kk)
re: COMING SOON (AND RECENT SHOWS) :
To my friends in South Florida or anyone else who might be passing through South Florida this summer, I'll be back in concert at the CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING (formerly the Science of Mind Center) on August 7th. I haven't seen a lot you Floridians in a long time and I'm eager to get atcha once again. This show is sandwiched between the Winter U.S.A. tour we did back in March and the European tour coming up in October. I've got a mess o' new songs and can't wait to play them for you. So come on out and hear me.
Here are the details:
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Center for Spiritual Living
2 SW 12th St
Boca Raton, FL 33486
Showtime: 8 p.m.
561-368-8248
Yers,
Bob Lind
Click here: Bob Lind - Official Home Page
HI, KENT,
I hope you'll update your readers on my continuing musical activities, including my autobiographical solo CD, GRETCHEN'S SWEET SIXTEEN (SUITE 16) being among the 2007 Billboard Critics' Picks for 10 BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR; that they may hear SOUND CLIPS at www.GoldCupMusic.com - and that I'm enjoying performing again (now that Mom's life has been properly celebrated and her final wishes fulfilled) - including a fun performance by Gretchen Christopher & The Fleetwoods' Show Band, at Seattle's new HARD ROCK CAFE.
Thanks,
Gretchen Christopher
www.gretchenchristopher.com
Happy to help spread the word, Gretchen ... and to let ALL of our readers know that we'll be doing a VERY special Fleetwoods Feature tomorrow on The Forgotten Hits Website! Hope to see you there! (kk)
Hi Kent,
Friday night I had the great pleasure of seeing The Turtles in a FREE show put on by the Town of Hamden Arts Commission, which has sponsored free shows every Friday in July for the past few years. Previous years have had Three Dog Night, Tommy James, The Grass Roots and many, many others at a nice, small outdoor concert facility. What a great show this was!! Both Mark and Howard were very entertaining with between song banter and great stories about the early days of the Turtles. Needless to say the singing and playing were fantastic. Their band was excellent and included Greg Hawkes of The Cars on keyboard and ukelele!!
Of course they played all the hits you would expect to hear and also mixed in a good dose of early, more obscure stuff, which was great to see performed live with such enthusiasm and all-around FUN!! They also played a bunch of their Flo & Eddie songs, which were also great fun, and a medley of stuff they had done with Frank Zappa, which really allowed the band to stretch out and play. They also managed to spoof Bruce Springsteen, who they sang back-up for on Hungry Heart, and spoofed Ric Ocasek while doing a Cars song.
I brought my 16 year old nephew to the show, who, of course, had only heard Happy Together, thanks to crappy CT radio, and he was on his feet clapping and laughing pretty much the whole night because the show was SO very entertaining.
After the show they spent about 30 minutes signing autographs at the T-Shirt booth.
I have attached the link for the rest of the shows this month, featuring some great stuff, including Daryl Hall, the Gregg Rolie Band and Tower of Power.
I will report on the Gregg Rolie Band show also. I'm really looking forward to hearing that voice sing those great Santana songs!
http://www.hamdenartscommission.org/concerts.html
Eddie Burke
Orange, CT
Sounds like a fun night of music. Please DO report back on the Gregg Rolie show ... their new "live" CD is fantastic ... and I wish they were passing through the Chicagoland area so that we could see them, too! Thanks, Eddie! (kk)
And don't miss The New Colony Six (with their brand new line-up), appearing Thursday, July 15th at 6:45 PM - In "CONCERT" at The Shops of Deerfield; South West corner of Deerfield and Waukegan Rd.
And then again on Sunday, July 18th, at 3:00 PM - In Concert at Green Green Acres Campground - Porterfield Cruisin Oldies - W3525 Peters Rd. - Marinette, WI
Here's the official word from Bruce Mattey's official New Colony Six Website:
Ray Graffia, Bruce Mattey, Rick Barr, Gary Greenman, Bill Szostek
with Sound Tech. Tommy Gawenda of J.T.Audio - Chicago, IL
and Special Guests Greg Favata on guitar / vocal and Mike Hanko on Keyboards
OK ... now I'm confused!!! A week ago, Bruce and Ray were talking about their two newest members and how great things were sounding with the new guys on board ... and now they're being referred to as "Special Guests" ... what's the real deal here? Can somebody please clear this up for us!!! Thanks! (Either way, we're hoping to attend the show this week ... hopefully some of the OTHER 'locals" on the list will join us there, too!) kk
Sam Lit Live HyLitRadio Live Oldies Broadcast Party
Every Saturday Night
7 pm - 12 @ JD McGillicuddy's
211 Carre Avenue
Essington, PA.
Sam Lit Live Summer Sunday NightsHyLitRadio Live Broadcast Oldies Party
Every Sunday Night
7 pm - 12
South Philly Bar and Grill
9th & Passyunk,
1235 East Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia
And this just in ...
The Tygers will be performing with the Grass Roots and Three Dog Night on August 13, 2010 on the main stage at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in Milwaukee. The show starts at 8:00 PM.
Now THAT sounds like an AWESOME line-up!!! Would like to catch this one!!! (kk)
Hi Kent! As was mentioned in the last blog, Peter Noone's First Annual Fan Fun Noonefest took place on Friday July 9 in the lovely Penn's PeakTheatre in Jim Thorpe, PA,and it was a wonderful afternoon for the 200+ Noonatics that attended. We were allowed to wander backstage, watch the sound check, have photos and a Q & A session with Peter and visit with fans who have become friends through the years. Of course the concert that evening was full of energy, enthusiasm, and great music from Herman's Hermits! The crowd was wowed, glow sticks shining and a brilliant time was had by all who attended. Take a look at www.peternoone.com for more fun!
Karen T.
Oklahoma City, OK
You'll find a TON of comments about Noonefest (including quite a few from Peter himself) on Peter's website at the link above ... along with several reviews of his VERY soggy recent performance here in Elk Grove Village! (Check it out here):
Click here: The Forum - Elk Grove Village, IL America Last Night
re: LOVIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Did you notice that on the news clip of the dedication of Dick Biondi Way, WLS-TV correctly reported that Biondi was the first DJ to play the Beatles, a distinction that had for many years erroneously gone to Murray the K.? Looks like Forgotten Hits' efforts to set the record straight on this matter have finally been recognized in the mainstream media.
Ed Erxleben
Well, it's certainly not for lack of trying!!! (I remember the first time I talked to Dick Biondi about this way back when before the article was even published ... and I told him what my research had turned up ... he just looked up at me and in the calmest tone said, "Well, yeah, I guess I did." lol) We've seen him credited this way more and more over the past several years ... and this broadcasting milestone will hopefully bring even MORE credit and recognition. (Every once in a while we hear from someone else touting THEIR guess as to who may have played a Beatles record earlier than Biondi ... but we've yet to see one shred of proof indicating otherwise ... just speculation. If somebody can come up with concrete evidence to the contrary, we'll be very happy to publish a retraction and correction ... but so far we stand by our story. With Vee Jay Records literally right down the street, I can't imagine ANYONE getting a copy of the record sooner than powerhouse WLS did in 1963! (kk)
Hi,
First off, I love your blog! Definitely a great source for musictrivia and such, which I'm very much into. I've just put a link to iton my blog. It's called Rock The Jukebox, and it's about the oldies, as well. If you'd like to check it out or link up to it, here is the address: http://www.rock-the-jukebox.com
Thanks!
jamin
Thanks! And happy to reciprocate with a link to YOUR site as well! (kk)
A SOAP BOX MOMENT: It's one thing to LOVE Forgotten Hits ... but it's another thing ENTIRELY to blatantly steal material from our website and then publish it on your own ... especially without our permission!!! (Worse yet, to publish it AS your own!!! This stuff IS copyrighted, you know!!!)
We just received word about a website using our text verbatim as a means to sell their own product. (Heck, WE don't even do that!!!) I'd run the link to show you, but why give them ANY additional web traffic?!?! (Let 'em drum up their OWN business!!!)
Lately, we've found our stuff translated into any number of languages and published on all kinds of foreign websites ... and I guess that's just part of the price you pay for achieving unglorified, uncompensated fame ... but this is flat out ridiculous!!!
(By the way, when I tried to reach these folks through their published contact information, all of my emails bounced back! No great surprise there, I guess!)
Look, we know that a lot of our stuff is widely circulated and often read verbatim on oldies radio programs across the country ... but this is part of what we DO it for!!! And at least MOST of these folks acknowledge our service and give credit where credit is due ... or provide a link to our site so that interested parties can read it for themselves. Truthfully, this is part of our purpose ... to reach the oldies nation and keep in touch with the TRUE oldies fans worldwide. And that's really all we ask ... just credit our service for what we do and provide a link so that folks can come to the website and enjoy it for themselves ... the more visitors, the better!
(By the way, we are zeroing in on 400,000 visitors ... look out, Artie Wayne!!! lol)
Quite honestly, we do VERY little with the subscription anymore, other than an occasional reminder to let our readers know that something new or interesting is posted on the website ... after all this time, we just trust that you'll go there a few times a week to keep up with these postings. All we want is for folks to be able to enjoy our efforts for themselves ... and really, that's all. Don't copy the whole damn thing and put it on YOUR site ... put a link on your site that directs them to ours ... that way we BOTH benefit with the web hits! Thank you and good night. (kk)
Several other postings are planned for this week so please check back often ... meanwhile, you can always add your OWN commentary by dropping us a line at forgottenhits@aol.com! Why not join in on the fun?!?!?
