re: SAM COOKE:
Kent:
Nice issue. I forwarded it to several more people.
I don't know how many people have heard of this album but it's called "Sam Cooke Interprets Billie Holiday". On my Friday night show, along with many songs that you know, I always feature a few that will be new to you. Here's "Good Morning Heartache" ... it's a knock out. I'm also sending "Blue Moon" from his Billie Holiday album ... what Soul Sam adds to this song!
DJ Stu Weiss
We've featured some real Sam Cooke rarities around here lately ... most of us are familiar with Cooke's "hit" material ... and he's often been referred to as "The Man Who Invented Soul" ... but I doubt that very many of us have heard his soulful interpretation before of some of the well-known (yet LESS-known) material we've featured recently. Thanks, Stu! (kk)
And be sure to check out our recent Sam Cooke tributes on the web page, too!
Click here: Forgotten Hits: Forgotten Hits Remembers Sam Cooke
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Sam Cooke Tribute Continues Today In Forgotten Hits
I read the part on your post about Sam Cooke and I saw the picture of the album that had the best of Sam Cooke and I can remember that my late neighbor had a copy of it. I never asked to listen to it, but can remember looking at the records he had and seeing the same exact one in the collection.
Leonora Jordan
He must have been a pretty die-hard Sam Cooke fan ... I don't think this was one of Sam's more popular albums! It's amazing to find out sometimes who caught on to some of the music during the "first wave" ... many of us are music collectors and connoisseurs and, as such, have added some of this rarer music to our collections over the years, whether it be a case of curiosity or a need for "completeness" ... but kudos to anyone out there who bought this music at the time. As Sam Cooke's great-nephew Erik Greene explained to our readers:
When Sam first came over to RCA from Keen Records in January of 1960, they went through an "experimental phase" while trying to develop him into a successful crossover artist, resulting in what some would consider some "odd" releases. His songs were formulated and somewhat dated, and as a result they didn't sell very well. It wasn't until Keen Records released the million-selling, Sam Cooke - Herb Alpert - Lou Adler - written single "Wonderful World," a song Keen still had the rights to, despite the fact that Sam had left the label, did RCA realize it was best to let Sam Cooke do his own thing creatively. "Chain Gang" was released that June of that year and also went on to sell more than a million copies. The rest, as they say, is history.
Erik Greene
re: ELVIS:
>>>We steered clear of an Elvis Auction story that was circulating a couple of weeks ago, reportedly taking place right here in Chicago. They were supposedly auctioning off some of the medical tools used during Elvis' autopsy and embalming procedure down in Memphis ... scapels, rubber gloves, etc ... even down to the toe tag!!! It was in SUCH poor taste that we didn't run it. Word since says that the artifacts CAN'T be legit, as anything used on Elvis during his autopsy and / or embalming were sterolized and reused again and again since then. The very concept that someone would do this just to make a buck flat out makes me sick! (Of course, as soon as I said this, Frannie said "Yeah ... but having the framed toe tag WOULD be kinda cool!" lol) kk
Kent ... I read an article on Ron Smith's Oldies. The autopsy items were removed from the auction. The Funeral Home contacted the Doctor who performed the autopsy and reminded the Doctor that the items were the property of the Funeral Home and they wanted them back. The Funeral Home wants to donate them to the Funeral Directors Hall of Fame. They wouldn't do anything without the okay of Elvis' Estate.
Frank B.
re: RINGO, JOHN, PAUL ... AND THE BEATLES:
I heard a thing on NPR last night about what a great drummer Ringo is / was. They analyzed his style on many different songs, and had biz people making commentary. I'm sure it's a rerun, but I've never heard it before. It was really interesting and worth seeking out. I never caught what program hour it was, but anyone interested could find it on the NPR website I'm sure.
Kristy
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Hi Kent -
Enjoyed your comments on the Paul Mc Cartney Washington DC Tribute.
I will always honor John Lennon as the Beatle who put the whole group together and was the leader, but Paul is definitely the ultimate song writer of the group.
Other than Paul, I thought the Jonas Brothers doing "Drive My Car" was a smash!!!!
Carolyn
After making the comment the other day about the incredible catalog of music The Beatles put together, I started thinking about the pressure they were under, especially at the beginning and at the height of Beatlemania. Take a look at their 1963 - 1965 itinerary ... UNREAL!!! Traveling the world, doing live shows, television appearances, radio appearances ... making TWO movies ... and constantly running to stay one step ahead of the fans ... yet through this whole process, STILL writing songs that would be deemed classics some 40-50 years later. Most artists run themselves ragged the first few years because nobody believes the fame and fortune is going to last ... because, for the most part, it doesn't ... it's very fleeting. Watch old interviews with The Beatles and you'll hear Ringo talking about opening up a string of women's hair-dressing salons "once the bubble bursts" ... and Paul talking about how he and John will probably just go on writing songs for other people once their moment in the spotlight has passed. Truly, TRULY amazing! (kk)
I was at Paul McCartney's show on July 28th in Charlotte, tickets courtesy of Rock 92 (and my Rock n' Roll / Beatles / Paul / Wings knowledge)! Of course we had upper level ($42 seats), still a good view nonetheless. His show played almost exactly like the Nashville show below, except "Got To Get You Into My Life" and "I'm Looking Through You" became "Drive My Car" and "I've Just Seen A Face", respectively. Highlight of the evening was when Titantron showed a fan with her "McCartny" license plate. Mac said "Gee, ya spelled my name wrong, Luv." He should've autographed it, I say. After 2 hours and 45 minutes and 2 encores and red white and blue confetti, it was the best show I've seen all year. In fact, it was the only show of the year, unless I win tickets to another show!
Mark Nemeth
(Computer DJ 61) Q¿Q
The fact that Paul still has the energy and enthusiasm to continue to perform for audiences all over the world is truly amazing. And what a show he puts on, too! The full Nashville set list is shown below:
Venus & Mars / Rockshow
Jet
All My Loving
Letting Go
Got To Get You Into My Life
Highway (The Fireman cover)
Let Me Roll It
The Long And Winding Road
Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five
Let 'Em In
My Love
I'm Looking Through You
Tequila (The Champs cover)
Two Of Us
Blackbird
Here Today
Dance Tonight
Mrs. Vandebilt
Eleanor Rigby
Ram On
Something
Sing The Changes
Band On The Run
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Back in the U.S.S.R.
I've Got A Feeling
Paperback Writer
A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
Let It Be
Live And Let Die
Hey Jude
First Encore:
Day Tripper
Lady Madonna
Get Back
Second Encore
Yesterday
Helter Skelter
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
The End
You'll find some really neat McCartney videos tied into the above set list here: Click here: Paul McCartney Concert Setlist at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville on July 26, 2010 setlist.fm
>>>I'm one of that proud minority (minority??) who was watching the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh on Disney instead of the moptops on Sullivan on B-Day. I was the oldest of five siblings and, as we only had one TV, what we watched tended to skew young. Not that I'm complaining ... I loved Patrick McGoohan as Dr. Syn ... "take this gold, divide it among you!" Given the choice of the two today, I'd watch the Scarecrow in a heartbeat! (stolf)
>>>I can't say that I've ever met ANYONE who would have preferred missing The Beatles' performance on Ed Sullivan to watching some Disney movie!!! In fact, if anything, quite the opposite is true. Meeting SO many younger readers who weren't around like we were when all this cool musical stuff was happening, they are genuinely jealous of having missed what just HAS to be the most innovative time in pop music history ... and they just LOVE hearing about these experiences through our eyes (and memories) or watching the old clips via youTube or DVDs or what have you. (kk)
Regarding the Beatles versus The Scarecrow ... Well, obviously, in the wake of B-Day, the Beatles were to be a much biggest part of my life than the Scarecrow ... obviously. All's I'm saying is, for the shear nostalgic entertainment of it, today, in 2010, I would rather watch Dr. Syn, Curlew, and Hellspite than the Beatles on Sullivan. You must keep in mind that just as "everybody" was at Woodstock, "everybody" watched them on Feb 9, 1964? ... well, no, not really ... some kids weren't into pop music just yet ... most were, I guess, but certainly not all. At my house, we listened to Al Hirt, whom I love with a passion to this day! And not just the hits but the album cuts, everything. Hell, he did the theme to "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"!
You might recall the book "All Together Now" the first definitive Beatles discography, published in 1975 by Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik. In the third installment, "The End", in the bio section in the back, Walter came out of the closet and admitted he was watching the Scarecrow. Harry wasn't. Anyway, that gave me the "courage" to stand up and be counted as a true believer in Scarecrowmania ... and BTW I believe this airing was actually a repeat, but it was just as good the second time around.
Stolf
As one who WAS there, tuned in to see The Beatles on Ed Sullivan ... and I will admit that this is NOT the reason we were watching ... we watched The Sullivan Show EVERY Sunday Night ... and, as you mentioned, with only three network channels ... and only one TV ... whatever the family watched, they watched together. (I hereby dub this the "Three Channel / One TV Rule" from this point forward.)
In fact, I'm not sure I was even into the whole hype of The Beatles yet at that time ... it was all still too new. But I DO remember going to the barber shop the following day (this is back in the day when barber shops were open on Mondays!!!) and The Beatles' hair being the main topic of discussion. After our barber asked us kids if we wanted "the new Beatles cut" ... yeah, like you could even DO that with what was fashionably not much more than a flat-top back then ... my Dad (who took all three of us boys for haircuts) kidded the barber about losing a big chunk of his business should this new hair style catch on!!! (Who knew!!!) Naturally, The Beatles were the talk of the school yard the next day ... and I think by their second appearance, complete pandemonium finally kicked in. By then I had already bought their first Capitol album, the singles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" and was already wearing out the grooves in all of the above. There's been no turning back for me ever since! (kk)
re: MICKY DOLENZ:
And, you think you’re having a good summer: this Wednesday afternoon, in a recording studio in Sacramento, Monkee - MICKY DOLENZ will be hosting a jam session with Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere And The Raiders); Andrew Gold (“Lonely Boy”); Jerry Corbetta (Sugarloaf, “Green Eyed Lady”); and, Monkee - band mate Peter Tork. It’s all part of a three-day music camp called myRECORDFANTASY, organized by Dolenz and Gigatone Entertaimnment, who’ll be releasing the Mickster’s first solo album in 10 years, a tribute to the songs of Carole King, called KING FOR A DAY."
P.S. Gigatone just signed Todd Rundgren.
-- David Salidor
I can't wait to hear the new CD ... and we just might be talking to Micky Dolenz right here in Forgotten Hits about it ... so stay tuned! (kk)
re: BRIAN WILSON:
Hey Kent,
A very encouraging review of the private debut of Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin ... http://www.peteramescarlin.com/node/158
Phil / PrayForSurf.net
I'm very much looking forward to hearing this album ... it'll be interesting to hear Brian Wilson pay homage to one of his musical heroes, a great source of inspiration to Wilson's formative years as both a musician and songwriter. (But I cannot help but wonder if this means that a Four Freshman Tribute Album is next!!!) Obviously, this is something Brian feels passionate about ... which, in turn, makes ME passionate about hearing it. Can't Wait!!! (kk)
re: CONGRATULATIONS:
Yet another Chicago radio veteran is joining the all-star lineup of Chicago Radio Online. Connie Szerszen, who billed herself as “The Top Rock Girly Jock” on WJMK-FM (104.3), WIND-AM (560) and the former WSDM, among other stations, will co-host the Classic Hits Channel with the legendary Fred Winston on the free online music service. It’s the latest addition of name-brand talent assembled by Kurt Hanson and John Gehron of Chicago-based AccuRadio.com. Szerszen recently published her memoirs (appropriately titled Top Rock Girly Jock), available at toprockgirlyjock.com.
-- Robert Feder
Congratulations, Connie ... I know a number of local fans who will be THRILLED to hear this news. Connie's been a big supporter of our efforts here at Forgotten Hits ... hey, mention us from time to time. And Fred Winston's a FH Reader, too! (kk)
re: BOBBY HEBB:
Kent,
I am deeply saddened by Bobby's passing yesterday here in Nashville. Ironically, at the request of Michael Gray at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, I had spoken to Bobby about three months ago about going back into the studio to re-record his classic, "Sunny," along with an additional song or two.
I'm sure Bobby must have been aware of the seriousness of his cancer and wanted to do another recording. From our phone conversations, I had a feeling it was to be a more 'jazz' based interpretation / style. It was just going to be three or four instruments -- but when you write a classic like "Sunny," you don't need much to sell the song. It sells itself.
Bobby was born to blind musician parents and raised in Nashville. Roy Acuff, "the King of Country Music," and star of the Grand Ole Opry spanning 54 years, introduced the twelve year old singer to the Opry audience in 1950. Bobby played 'spoons' and tap danced with Acuff's "Smokey Mountain Boys." He was only the third African American to perform on the Opry ... De Ford Bailey, a star from 1926 to 1941, being the first. De Ford was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
Bobby also toured with The Beatles in 1966. Another inspiring entertainer gone. Growing old ain't no fun, Kent!
Fred
Treasure Isle
Nashville, TN
8/4/10
It's funny ... when I received your email yesterday, it was President Obama's birthday ... he turned 49 ... and it dawned on me that for the first time EVER in my life I was OLDER than The President Of The United States!!! Now that's a pretty harsh reality. (The first jolt was being TWICE as old as The Playboy Centerfolds many years ago ... then having CHILDREN older than the Centerfolds ... but this latest reality was almost too much to bear! lol)
Yep, we're all getting older ... and we have seen SO many great artists leave us recently. Sadly, sometimes this is the ONLY time these artists get played on the radio anymore ... and then we all sit back and say, "Man, that was a GREAT song!"
I hate to keep tying it back to this ... but it just further drives home the point (and importance) of recognizing these artists while they're still around to appreciate it. (Hint, hint, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!!! It seems like every year lately the induction ceremony is just weeks or months AFTER the passing of one of the inductees ... and that's just wrong. Let some of these NEW kids wait 30-40 years to get in ... and see if THEIR music is still deemed "relevant" after that amount of time!) kk
re: MITCH MILLER:
Sadly we lost someone that has added much to the music of the 50's and 60's. When you hear the name Mitch Miller, most people automatically think about the famous TV show "Sing Along With Mitch". My job will be to remember Mitch (who just passed away at age 99). There is a side to him that I want to explore besides his Sing Alongs. He was an A & R man for Columbia Records after being with Mercury Records. His dislike for rock and roll music will be remembered as I will play many songs that became hits because of him. You'll hear it all this Friday night on my show, The Pop Shoppe, airing from 7 PM till 3:01 AM only on www.topshelfoldies.org. Note: All times are eastern!!!!! (Remember my show is on for 8 hours, so order up a Pizza Pie, get some soda pop, potato chips, etc. After you consume all this, you can start a diet on Saturday.) You can just enjoy the music or even go further by joining the chatroom during the program and meet other listeners. Don't forget, you must be here Friday night because I don't want to be alone.
I am
Sincerely,
Stu Weiss / DJ STU
Sadly, I can't think of Mitch Miller without remembering a song that, in a clever way, picked on him. It was done by The Halifax Three, one-third of which was eventual Mamas & Papas member Denny Doherty. I was first introduced to this record by Bob Shannon during his exile from CBS-FM. Can you post "The Man Who Wouldn't Sing Along With Mitch", please?
Jeff Tramiel
A GREAT ending to today's festivities ... thanks, Jeff! (I passed this one along to Scott Shannon ... maybe he'll play it, too!)
See you back on the web on Wednesday, August 11th ... and, time permitting, subscribers will also receive a special "Leftovers" Page next week via email. Thanks, Everybody! (kk)
