Whew! We made it! Twelve INCREDIBLE days of Christmas Music ... many premiered for the VERY FIRST TIME right here in Forgotten Hits!!!
Thanks again to all who played along this year ... and all that loved (or endured) our special holiday feature. Let's do it all again next year!
Meanwhile, a few more favorites and requests!
I think they should go back to playing Xmas songs like they used to do. Not start until Thanksgiving, and then occasionally until mid December. After the middle of December you gradually increase it until Xmas Eve where you play it straight through Xmas Day. Maybe people wouldn’t get so sick of them by the end of November.
Best Xmas 45-“Christmas” by Darlene Love
I believe “Christmas Time” by Beatles was on their 1967 Xmas disc
Ken
I think you're right ... on both counts.
The 1969 Beatles Fan Club Disc was pretty much all recorded as solo contributions by each Beatle (plus Yoko, of course!) and had little snippets of "Abbey Road" thrown in for good measure, too. (Is this the one that had Tiny Tim on it ... or was that 1968?) I listened to these SO many times over the years that I finally had to put them away! (lol)
And your Christmas Music airplay schedule pretty much matches the one we outlined way back at the beginning of this series ... build to a crescendo and leave it at that ... we really don't need 9-10 weeks of Christmas music 24/7! Thanks, Ken! (kk)
Don't hear much about this great Christmas song: "Old / Little Toy Trains"
Glen Campbell's version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAUheEHtOyQ
Roger Miller's version (he wrote it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I2KeRtvJ-A
A couple more great Nashville Christmas tracks would have to be "If We Make It Thru December" by Merle Haggard and "Pretty Paper" by Roy Orbison.
David
I think "Little Toy Trains" is one of the ones that Larry Neal mentioned the other day as a Christmas track they used to play down in Oklahoma City back in the day. You're right ... that one's all but completely forgotten now!
Besides topping The Country Charts, the Merle Haggard tune actually made it to #28 on the POP charts, too, charting for 11 weeks beginning in late 1973. I hear "Pretty Paper" quite a bit at Christmastime here in Chicago ... not one of my favorites by Roy Orbison, but a Top 15 Pop Hit ten years earlier in '63 ... and one of Willie Nelson's earlier chart successes as a songwriter. (kk)
America will perform on a Holiday Skating Special! Hear them perform such classics as “Tin Man,” “Ventura Highway,” “You Can Do Magic” and “Horse With No Name,” along with several holiday tunes, on NBC’s Christmas Day special Salute to the Golden Age of American Skating.
Recently taped in Atlantic City, the show features Olympic skaters Evan Lysacek, Sarah Hughes, Scott Hamilton, Nancy Kerrigan, Tara Lipinski, Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi. All told, the 30 cast members own a combined 17 Olympic medals. Salute to the Golden Age of American Skating airs on Saturday at 4 p.m. Frank B. (from the WCBS-FM Website)
Yep ... we told you ALL about this last week ... when America sent us their brand new Christmas song to share in Forgotten Hits! They've just released a new version of "Holly Jolly Christmas" ... and I wish radio would start playing it ... because I'm sick and tired of hearing the Burl Ives version every twenty minutes!!! (kk)
Don't forget to give us a dose of LONELY CHRISTMAS by that local Chicago area artist ... It'll hit-the-spot for the tv dinner Christmas crowd ... renfield Actually, we sent that one out pretty early on this year ... and got virtually NO response this time around. (Maybe folks are already sick of THIS one, too!!! lol) Thanks, Gary ... Merry Christmas! (kk)
Not sure if you've covered this yet:
Back when I was a kid in the 60s, the two big tire companies (Goodyear and Firestone) both issued Christmas LPs as premiums every year. We didn't buy tires every year and so only had a couple of them when they were first-run, but back in the early 80s I picked up many more at used record stores. Early on, most were classical arrangements, but toward the end of the 60s there were numerous pop artists in the lineups, including Petula Clark, The New Christy Minstrels, Barbra Streisand, and Diahann Carroll. I like them because they're anthologies, and not 40 minutes of Burl Ives Sings Christmas Favorites. The Goodyear LPs appeared annually from 1961-1969. Firestone followed in 1963, and issued LPs annually until 1969 as well. "Back years" could be ordered for $1.25 each postpaid, while they lasted. For seasonal giveaways they were terrific, and although I don't think they've ever been reissued on CD, the LPs are still kicking around and worth having if you can play them.
-- Jeff Duntemann
Colorado Springs, Colorado
I'm sure our family had a few of these as well (although I don't remember anything specifically about them.) I don't think we played much Christmas Music around my house when I was a kid growing up ... but I made up for that in my adult years, building quite a collection of Christmas classics. That's why showcasing this brand NEW music is such a kick for me ... Christmas music did NOT end in the '60's and '70's (although radio, for the most part, will lead you to believe otherwise.) There's been some GREAT Christmas music released over the past several years ... and among my personal favorites are (believe it or not) Christmas Albums by Tommy James, Donny Osmond and Hanson!!! (Yes, the Mm-Bop guys!!! Their Christmas album is EXCEPTIONAL!) kkSpeaking of collectible Christmas albums, here's one you might want to act quickly to get your hands on ...
You can buy Jack and myself these inexpensive '78's to make OUR Christmas Merry!!! ...
John
http://cgi.ebay.com/Handel-Messiah-Columbia-1947-78-RPM-Vol-II-/150531372712?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item230c5e76a8
Well, it looks like he's already declined three offers (I'm guessing for around $50 apiece! lol) And now the $750,000 item has been removed from eligibility ... but as of this writing, there's still time to snatch up that OTHER 78-RPM set for $950,000! Good Luck! (kk)
I know you're not soliciting your readers' "picks of the day", but once again there's a major standout among all you shared today: Lou Christie's "Oh Holy Night" is so well-done that I've had to listen over and over again my friend. Thanks!
David
I've found at least a couple of absolute stand-out track in every posting so far during our Forgotten Hits Twelve Days Of Christmas Countdown ... some GREAT, undiscovered music out there. (Now why WOULDN'T oldies radio play the Lou Christie version of "O Holy Night" ... he's a PROVEN oldies artists and this is an absolutely INCREDIBLE rendition!!! C'mon Jocks, get with the program here!!! lol You're cheating your listeners out of some really great music by some of their very favorite artists!!!) By the way, one of the very best versions of "O Holy Night" I've ever heard is on the aforementioned Hanson Christmas album ... part of an OUTSTANDING Christmas Medley!!! (kk)
Kent ...
I like your idea of playing the Bobby Darin Christmas Hit followed by "Mack The Knife". That got me to thinking about this idea ... Christmas Double Plays.
Here's what I mean:
Play "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, followed by the newest version of same song.
Play "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry, followed by latest version of same song. You get the idea.
When I heard about Wayne Newton's new CD, "Christmas In Las Vegas", here's what I expected to hear:
"Christmas When I'm Broke"
"Blackjack Got My Kids Presents"
"I Left My Wife's Gift At The Crap Table"
"How Can I Make A Snowman With Sand?"
"Daddy, How Can Santa Find Us At A Hotel On The Strip?"
Feel free to pass my idea on to Wayne Newton. Maybe he can use it next year.
LOL!!
Frank B.
What, no "Slot Machine Bells" ... no "I Bet The House On Christmas ... Now We Ain't Got No Chimney" ... or "I Crapped Out On Christmas"???? Now THESE are Las Vegas-style Christmas classics!!! (kk)
Kent ... I'm sitting at my favorite Pub, talking to my friends. I want to hear some music. I want to hear my favorite Christmas Song, by Bobby Darin ... so I play it. Instead of "Christmas Auld Lang Syne", I get Bobby singing "What'd I Say".
I love Bobby Darin. I'll listen to him singing anything.
At this time of the year I'd rather hear his 1960 Christmas Hit rather than a Ray Charles song. Because of technical problems, I had to take matters into my own hands. I sang the song myself.
My friends didn't think this was a good idea.
Frank B.
HUGE Bobby Darin fan here, too ... I fell in love with his catalog while doing our Forgotten Hits Bobby Darin Series a few years ago. (I know, I know, we've got to get it up on the website!!!) "What'd I Say"??? Not a big fan, honestly ... didn't care for the Elvis version either. Jerry Lee Lewis also took a crack at it ... and so have dozens of OTHER artists ... sorry, but for ME, the ONLY correct version is the Ray Charles original! He OWNS that song! Anything else is "nice" ... but unnecessary! (kk)
Hi Kent,
One aspect of Christmas that featured so much in Dickens’ “Christmas Carol” was nostalgia. It’s when we look back at past Christmases, very often remembering those who are no longer with us – for whatever reason. I’d like to indulge and note the lyrics of two wonderful Christmas songs that enable us to do just this. First up is Carla Thomas’ “Gee Whiz, its Christmas”:
It's been a long long time
Can't explain why you crossed my mind
I guess it's just to say gee whiz it's Christmas
It's funny that I haven’t thought to call you before
And why is it I haven't seen you around anymore
Another year has passed and I can't erase
The memory of your smiling face
So I have to call you up and say
Gee whiz it's Christmas
Then there’s Frank Sinatra with “Christmas Memories”:
Oh the joy of waking Christmas mornings, the family round the tree,
We had a way of making Christmas morning as merry as can be,
I close my eyes and see shining faces
Of all the children who now have children of their own
Funny, but comes December, and I remember every Christmas I've known.
And that last line is a line that only Mr. Sinatra can deliver. You know instantly what he’s singing about.
Mike Edwards
Kent,
I’ve been enjoying the new Christmas music you’ve been spotlighting and I want to make my contribution.
It’s hard to write a song about Christmas without using the same images and premise over and over again, so Patti Dahlstrom (“EMOTION”) and I set out to write a song from a completely different angle. I’m proud to present my latest AMBIENT MUSIC VIDEO of the song Patti and I wrote, “”WHAT ABOUT THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_kIVhPl6HY
Also here is the song I wrote with Toni Wine (“CANDIDA”, “GROOVY KIND OF LOVE”) that you raved about last year, “I LOSE IT WHEN I HEAR WHITE CHRISTMAS” by Tony Orlando and Dawn.
"Back in 1966 I was working as a staff writer and producer for Scepter Records. Florence Greenberg who owned the company decided to re-release “SOLDIER BOY” by the Shirelles, which had been number one a few years earlier, and asked me to write and produce a new b-side for it. She also suggested that to save time and money I should write the new song over the old Shirelles track, “A THING OF THE PAST", which she owned and was in the girls' key.
It was during the Vietnam War and I decided to write a song about a soldier returning from the front at Christmas. It’s called “MAMA, MY SOLDIER BOY IS COMIN” HOME”.
Finally I’m proud to say that my Michael Jackson classic “LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE” (Clinton jr,. Wayne) is used in 30 videos currently up on YouTube with over 300,000 views so far!
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/michael-jackson-and-the-story-behind-little-christmas-tree/
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Regards,
Artie Wayne
Actually, I raved about the Tony Orlando track THIS year, too ... I absolutely LOVE this song ... and referred to it as my favorite new Christmas discovery last year. (In fact, I'll betcha I've played it 50-60 times here at home already this month. Scroll back to when this whole series started and give it a listen again ... it's a GREAT track.) As one of our oft-referred to Christmas twin spins, SOMEBODY on the list should play the Bing Crosby "White Christmas" classic ('cause you know they're going to play it fifty times today ANYWAY) and then follow it up with this Tony Orlando torch song ... now THERE'S a perfect Twin Spin!!!
Honestly, the response to our New Music Christmas Crusade has been over the top this year ... proving once again that there's an audience out there for this music if radio will simply give it a chance. Slip one in here and there and give the folks a chance to familiarize themselves with it ... see if anything "new" begins to click. No, they won't all catch on ... but if just two or three do each year, we'll be building a library of "Future Classics" for the holiday season ... and based on all the email we received from folks tired of the same old / same old, I'd say we're about due!
Meanwhile, thanks to all the jocks who HAVE been featuring some of this new music on your programs ... we (meaning me AND the artists) really, really appreciate it! (kk)
Radio has been very kind in remembering Jimy Rogers of late ... it's SO hard to lose someone around the holidays. Joan Gand, Jimy's bandmate in Blue Road and The Mauds, thanks Bob Stroud, WDRV, Dick Biondi, WLS, Greg Brown, WLS, Tom Marker, WXRT and Lynn Orman Weiss, WNUR and XM / Sirius for their great tributes on the radio.
We featured Jimy's live version of "White Christmas" last week in Forgotten Hits ... it's one of the tracks on their special Christmas CD Single available through the Blue Road, Mauds and Jimy Rogers websites. Today, Joan has sent us the OTHER track ... Jimy's version of "Merry Christmas, Baby" to feature.
If you like it, please hop on over to iTunes to download a copy ... Joan tells us:
These tracks are available on iTunes, and all funds from iTunes sales of Jimy Rogers and Blue Road is going to the James Rogers memorial fund to defray his medical expenses.
By the way, great stuff lately! Thanks for featuring Jimy's version of Merry Christmas Baby. It just occurred to me you might like the cover art too, so here it is:
Have a great Christmas, and thank-you for all that you do, and your rembrance of Jimy Rogers. Let's keep his memory alive!
Thanks,
Joan
And a quick non-Christmas reminder:
SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Reggies Rock Club
2505 S. State St. Chicago
Jimy Rogers Tribute Concert
Blue Road and friends, including the Cryan Shames, Jimy Sohns, New Colony Six and MANY MORE ... TBA
Order tickets here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/23913
DONATIONS to the Jimy Rogers Memorial Medial Fund (to help defray his medical expenses) are still being accepted ...
Make check out to The Estate of James Rogers
Mail to: Gand Music and Sound
780 Frontage Rd. Northfield IL 60093
Thanks to everyone who gave at the
memorial celebration concert.
Jimy Rogers Obituaries:
NWI.com Local Scene (includes a great quote from Jim Peterik)
Click HERE to read Tribune Obituary
Other Obituaries:
Daily Herald
www.rockingchicagoland.com
Forgottenhits.com
Kent,
You continue to surprise and amaze your readers. Today's FH was jam packed with great music. For me, Skip Haynes' project was tops, both as a surprise and in its uniqueness. But don't ask me to choose what I liked second best, because everything else was fantastic. I hope our participating artists will pass the word to other bands that this is the best place for them to continue to connect with their fans. Many thanks to Skip, Jim, Mitch, and everyone else who help Kent provide these treats to thousands of readers worldwide.
David Lewis
I couldn't agree more ... let's keep this tradition going and encourage more and more artists to participate in the years to come. Forgotten Hits has become a GREAT place to stay in touch with your fans and showcase new music ... and lately it has become THE place to hear brand new Christmas Music. And I would personally like to thank each and every artist who has sent us tracks ... and each and every deejay on the list who has been playing this great "undiscovered" music on the air. (kk)
In fact, here's a note I just got from Skip Haynes!
Hi Kent,
That's great about Scott Shannon playing Christmas on LSD on the True Oldies Channel ... can't thank you enough. I also did an interview yesterday with WRCO that came through your site. Thanks again.
All the best -
Skip
Glad to help in any way we can. In fact, Phil Nee from WRCO also sent us a note:
Hi Kent,
I recently hooked up with Skip Haynes as the result of your site. The interview that we did cleared up a lot of mystery for me about the song Lake Shore Drive. It has long been a much requested tune on our station. I remember it from the Summer of 1974, however, it was released nearly 3 years before that. Skip's personlized versions are great and are available on his website Lakeshoremusic.com
Thanks for the service you provide. You are a blessing to all of us that still try to dig out those old hits and connect with those that made them and with those that love the music. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Maybe we can hook up for another show in 2011.
Phil Nee
Wrco Radio
Richland Center, WI
Skip's "personalized" versions of "Lake Shore Drive" is a GREAT marketing idea for a well-loved tune ... did you hear the Forgotten Hits Version he did for us the other day? Scroll back on the website to find it ... it's a keeper for me, for sure! Interested parties should visit Skip's site at the link above to have their OWN version created. (You'll also find an Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah "Greatest Hits" CD available there!) Merry Christmas to you and yours, too, Phil ... would LOVE to do another show next year! (kk)
Just got this in from FH Reader George Manney ... It's another brand new Christmas Song!
From the CD, "Season's Greetings Philadelphia", here's Tommy Conwell's music video for, "Kinda Christmasy". Produced, mixed & engineered by George Manney @ Geo Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Video produced by George Manney.http://www.GeoSound.org
Click the Link to view n YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgjN8PIAFY
Buy the CD online at iTunes & CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sgp
18 song holiday compilation promises to be fun for the entire family featuring all Philadelphia artists including Tommy Conwell, Buzz Zeemer, Marah, Mark Boyce Combo, Eltro, John Flynn and 11 other great artists. Mostly Originals. A Record Cellar release. Happy Holidays!!!
First Listen: Annie Lennox – “A Christmas Cornocopia” – WCBS-FM 101.1
Kent ... Add this to your list of new Christmas Music.
Frank B.
Dear Friends of The Wrecking Crew,
I'd like to end the year with a re-visit of an out-take from the "Phil Spector Christmas Album" ... still one of the greatest Christmas albums ever produced.
Click here: The Wrecking Crew Outtakes Phil Spector Christmas Album
I've also included another out-take with guitarist Louis Shelton.
Louis came into the music scene playing with The Monkees and then producing Seals and Crofts, Art Garfunkel, England Dan & John Ford Coley.
We're still trying to raise the financing to cover the licensing costs involved with a film like this that features so much of this great music. I've had the opportunity of showing fundraising screenings at recording studios, libraries, private homes, museums and music stores over the past year. This has allowed me to share the film with an audience that wants to experience it as well as them knowing they helped me get the film one step closer to a release by donating whatever amount they could.
If you haven't read the back story of this film, I started it 14 years ago when my father, Tommy Tedesco was diagnosed with cancer. Most people would have given up trying to make a film that everyone said couldn't be done, and I broke the cardinal rule in filmmaking by putting my own money into the film to complete it. But the fact is I did it. I made the film and received great acclaim at film festivals and screenings around the country. And we've got more screenings planned. (See below)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
UPCOMING SCREENINGS:
January 12th, Norfolk, Virginia
Screening at The School of Music For Army, Navy, and Marine Corps
To enter the base, you need to follow directions on the FACEBOOK Page.
January 16th, Sunday @ 10:15am - Anaheim CA -- NAMM SHOW
One time only screening at the NAMM Show. If you are lucky enough to have the coveted NAMM badge, please join us. I will be there with a special guest as well as talking to interested music vendors on how they may be able to host screenings around the country in 2011.
www.namm.org/thenammshow/2011/hot-zone
February 18th - Friday @ 7 PMThe Museum of Making Music
-- A Division of the NAMM Foundation
www.museumofmakingmusic.org/
Kent ...
Seasons greetings from Ringo in L.A.
Merry Christmas From Ringo – WCBS-FM 101.1
Frank B.
It’s the time of year when your Uncle Bob gives you that fabulous Christmas tree sweater with matching socks, when Grandma drinks a little too much egg nog and when Ringo Starr wishes you a Merry Christmas!
Ringo posted a Christmas greeting at RingoStarr.com for you to enjoy!
Speaking of new postings, we received a TON of them here at the deadline dash ... trying hard not to slight anyone but our Christmas Coverage ends today ... if we do this again next year, PLEASE get your entries into us as early as possible so we can give EVERYBODY a shot at some special holiday exposure! (kk)
While not officially a Christmas Song, we play this one every year around this time ... and it's one of my favorites ... "Angels Among Us" by Ron Dante!
By request ... and I think we've done this one EVERY year since our Christmas salute began ... here are The Monkees doing Riu Chiu from their television Christmas episode (starring Butch Patrick of The Munsters!!!)
re: DARLENE LOVE:
It just isn't Christmas without Darlene Love performing on The David Lettermen Show! And soon she'll officially be a Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, too! (kk)
Kent ...
Here in New York it's officially Christmas when Darlene sings on Letterman.
This year will be her 24th straight appearance on his show.
You can hear her now. Just click.
YouTube - Darlene Love - Letterman 12-23-09
Frank B.
Yep, we stayed up late to watch Darlene perform this Christmas classic again last night ... they called it her 17th appearance ... but I believe she's been on the show every year since 1989 (which would be 21 years ... minus the one and only year she failed to perform the song ... due to the writers' strike in 2007.) Good stuff ... made me dig out The Phil Spector Christmas Album to play again today! (kk)
re: THE IDES OF MARCH:
After hearing "Sharing Christmas" on your website the other day I ordered The Ides Of March Christmas CD -- I hope the rest of this album is as good as the track you featured as part of your special Christmas series.
Randy
I feel like we won the trifecta the other day when we featured songs sent in by The Ides: "Sharing Christmas", the Karel King song and the new one by Lisa McClowry ALL received VERY positive responses from our readers ... and the Skip Haynes track "Christmas On Lake Shore Drive" earned him some True Oldies Channel airplay and an interview on WRCO's "Those Were The Days" program with Phil Nee ... proof again that radio is listening to Forgotten Hits!
I haven't heard the whole Ides Of March Christmas album yet ... but it IS available through their website ... as is their brand new studio album "Still 19":
Click here: ::: The Ides of March :::
Jim Peterik's World Stage Event is coming up in January, too ... always a GREAT chance to see some heavy duty players up on stage jammin'. (kk)
Cool! Thanks, brother.
And Merry Christmas!
Keep Rocking!!
Jimbo
re: KAREL KING:
I can see where using the name "Karel King" might hamper airplay for this great Christmas tune. But what are you going to do if the guy's name really IS Karel King?
Ed
Yeah, I pretty much had to let it go at that point! (lol) kk
re: LISA McCLOWRY:
I really like that Lisa McClowry song. What can you tell us about her?
Paige
I don't know much about her ... other than the fact that Jim Peterik has been working with Lisa, both writing and producing material for her as well as showing up at the occasional odd gig here and there. I found a clip of Lisa performing at Jim's last "World Stage" concert event, singing a duet with Loverboy Lead Singer Mike Reno on his big hit duet "Almost Paradise", originally done by Reno and Ann Wilson of Heart in the film "Footloose." (By the way, DIDJAKNOW? that Eric Carmen cowrote that song?)
Click here: YouTube - Almost Paradise ( Mike Reno & Lisa McClowry ) 1-23-10
And here's a link to her website:
Click here: Lisa McClowry - Official Site - Download Lisa's new holiday single on iTunes
Looks like she's done a fair amount of filmwork recording, too! She's got a GREAT voice and really seems to be finding her audience here. (kk)
re: MONSTER'S HOLIDAY:
Kent ...
You thought that Bobby "Boris" Pickett came around once a year, for Halloween.
Wrong.
Frank B.
A Cool Ghoul Yule Song « WCBS-FM 101.1
Believe it or not, this was a Top 30 song for a short time back in 1962 ... and went all the way to #8 here in Chicago! (kk)
re: SAY IT ISN'T SO!:
Could this be the future of Christmas music - the iPad Touch band ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9XNfWNooz4
Ken Voss
re: IAN LLOYD:
KENT -
Thanks so much for the write-up in "Forgotten Hits". I know I started a bit late to promote this but hope this mention will help, and there will aways be next Christmas!
Could you add the CD cover art to the page as well. It visually fits well with the song and might help attract an extra download or two.
Thanks!
Also, I've got two exciting projects that should come out in 2011:
The second SOCIAL HERO CD and my 1st Collabaration CD with Mr. JOHN FORD of the Straws.
Sooo You're on my list ... and I'll be checking it twice!
HO HO HO
Happy Holidays
IAN LLOYD
re: ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU:
I first heard "All I Want For Christmas Is You" on a country music station many years ago, and I love the song. Nothing beats Lisa Layne's singing on the Vince Vance and The Valiants recording. According to Wikipedia, Andy Stone's real name is Andrew J. Franichevich, and he is the "current Vince Vance" and last original member of the Valiants. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Vance_%26_The_Valiants
However, since Johnny Maestro is my favorite singer, I also love the softer version of the song by Santa's Doo Wop Helpers. Their recording of the song does go back to 1996 and is currently available on a newly released CD "Christmas With Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge and Joel Katz and The Glows". I have found three videos for the song on YouTube, all by Santa's Doo Wop Helpers. I am not aware that Johnny Maestro ever re-recorded the song. Because of Joel Katz's similar voice, he is often mistaken for Johnny Maestro on this recording.
Lois Dixon
Johnny Maestro Fan Club
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/JohnnyMaestroFans
Santa's Doo Wop Helpers ~ 1996
Joel Katz ~ Bobby Jay ~ Larry Chance ~ Johnny Maestro ~~~
Photo courtesy of the official Joel Katz website: http://joelkatzmusic.squarepins.org/pics.html
Hmmm ... well, if Andy Stone IS Vince Vance, that would certainly explain his co-writing credit! Thanks, Lois ... I know we found several YouTube videos CLAIMING to be Johnny Maestro singing "All I Want For Christmas Is You" ... but if you're saying he never recorded his own version of this track, even these become somewhat suspect. And Joel Katz DOES sound an awful lot like Johnny ... folks have been mistaking HIS vocal for Maestro's for YEARS on the Santa's Doo Wop Helpers version. Thanks for clearing that up ... or making it more confusing than ever! lol (kk)
re: HERE'S A SPECIAL "HELPING OUT OUR READERS" QUESTION, CHRISTMAS STYLE!!!:
In the spirit of the season, here's a Christmas-related Forgotten Hits question. Does anyone know anything about a singer named Eric Jay? He had a #5 hit in Chicago in 1958 with Little Drummer Boy. By the sound of the recording he was a very young kid, but after this one local hit, which also charted on CHUM in Toronto and was mentioned in Billboard's "Honor Roll Of Hits", there seems to be no record of him at all. This was one of the highest charting Chicago hits not to ever have made it on the national charts. I like the Harry Simeone version better.
Ed Erxleben
Yep, this is pretty awful. (Pretty easy to figure out why THIS one was never a national hit!!! lol)
Remember when little Ritchie Petrie sang this on "The Alan Brady Show" as part of their Christmas Special on The Dick Van Dyke Show? Their Christmas episodes are among my favorite childhood memories ... but HIS was pretty awful, too! (Love the "I am a fine musician ... " ending 'tho!!!) kk
re: IF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST HAPPENED IN 2010,
WE JUST MIGHT FIND OUT ABOUT IT LIKE THIS:
Here's one for all you Facebook Fanatics out there ... while it's not MY thing, it certainly IS the thing for many, many of you out there ... so, if you haven't seen this yet, check it out and enjoy. Submitted by Phil from PrayForSurf.net:Imaginative. Creative. Revealing .. even funny ...
Phil
re: A FEW QUICK "THANK YOU's" ... AND THEN A
GREAT, YEAR-END GREETING FROM THE BUCKINGHAMS!:
Kent,
Thanks for including my "New Years Carol" in your 12-Days-of ... collection.
I got a lot of emails and message boards posts when you did it last year.
Nice to know people feel it.
I appreciate your appreciation.
Have a great holiday season.
Yers,
Bob Lind
Kent,
I want to thank you for the good words you've spoken about me and about "Santa's Stuck Up In The Chimney".
Q. Where else can I speak to so many influential people?
A. Nowhere
So thanks, Kent. "ForgottenHits" is a great place to meet and greet.
Your note about what what AOL seems to allow - and what they just won't stand for - was right on. It's a disgrace. I am sure they've gotten tons of complaints by now from your army of readers. I hope it does some good. Long may it publish!
Have a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and successful 2011,
Paul Evans
Hi Kent,
Nick and I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with many longtime fans on the Happy Together Tour this summer. Special thanks to Forgotten Hits readers and fans who wrote in to get us back for HTT 2011, with The Turtles, Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots, and new this year, The Association. It was like the old days, all right, but some of those tour bus rides seemed easier the first time around.
We really enjoyed doing the Christmas concerts (6 shows at The Potawatomi) and the sold-out Beverly Theatre concert last Saturday, always a great venue to play each year. Speaking of, we were shocked by a surprise walk-on by Carl Bonafede, who proceeded to present Nick and I with 2 gold-framed copies of “Kind of a Drag”. He wanted to honor us, 45 years after the song hit the charts, and lamented that everyone at USA Records was gone now, and they’d failed (somehow) to certify the song as a million-seller with the RIAA and we were long overdue for ‘something’ gold. Vintage Bonafede!
Given that Columbia bought the masters from USA and released multiple singles of it for sale, juke box play, and internationally (on their Stateside imprint), it should have been “Palladium” certified by now. We heard on eBay that one of the French pressings of the “Kind of a Drag” album sold close to $400. You can bet that if Nick or I had extras, we’d be putting those on eBay ourselves!
2010 was a year of dynamic changes for The Bucks. Audiences always enjoy Bob Abrams’ gigs, performing solo and with Brock and Abrams, and we expect more good things to come for him. Tom Scheckel continues to enjoy performing with Paul Revere and the Raiders and filled in recently for The Comets, seems to love the Branson life. We stay in touch with John Cammelot and Laurie K. Lewis from our 1985 Happy Together Tour, and it seems The Buckinghams organization is one ever-growing family of friends.
This year fans have embraced Dave Zane, Rocky Penn, and Bruce Soboroff, calling The Buckinghams’ sound a ‘brand new vibe’. Already heard talk of us maybe doing a Christmas Show ‘Tour’ next year. Having had to say farewell to several of our music brothers and sisters this past year, far too soon, Nick and I feel very blessed to remain in this business, because we enjoy performing. And, lest we be left behind by technology, now Nick and I are on Facebook (where we never thought we’d be). Now, we’re finding the computer rooms in our hotels, to stay in touch with fans who are coming up with some great photo blasts from the pasts and concert ticket stubs from back in the day. Who’d have thought.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a special holiday season and may good fortune be yours for 2011.
Carl Giammarese / The Buckinghams
re: WRAPPING UP CHRISTMAS:
>>>Is Xmas over yet? (Jack)
Well, you must understand, Jack, it's not like we get to hear much Xmax music this time of year, since only 20 Trillions radio stations play it!!!
And you can personally tell our host, Kent, that I've done my Christmas duty and bought an Irving Berlin CD with Bing Crosby singing White Christmas!!!
But I must admit, some of the artists Kent finds and who participate are very nice and they send guitar picks with the CD that I bought. Maybe, next year, they'll send an electric guitar to use them with!!
Merry Blues Theme that, Kent!!! :-)
See you later Jack!
Best,
John
I take it that you're one of the FH Readers who bought Davie Allan's Christmas CD "Fuzz For The Holidays II" ... great CD ... and how cool that he threw in a Davie Allan guitar pick! WTG, Davie!
Copies are still available at Davie Allan's website ... and for a special reduced rate for Christmastime, too! (kk)
Click here: Davie Allan and The Arrows
In fact, here's a video promo for Davie's "Fuzz For The Holidays" CD, sent into us by Vibramutant, America's #1 Davie Allan Fan! (kk)
CLICK ON THIS PROMO FOR A ROCKIN' CHRISTMAS ROMP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqhdtIvta1g&feature=related
GREAT "new" Christmas Music is NOT Forgotten Hits!!! I want my money back! LOL!
Merry Christmas, Kent!!
Best,
John
Based on the response we got this year ... from both the readers AND the artists ... I think we're on to something here. (Yours and Jack's were the ONLY two negative responses I received ... everybody else ... hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of emails ... have been applauding our new feature ... so who would YOU listen to???)
With the support of the artists themselves ... and about a dozen deejays who hopped on board this year and started playing these tunes on their radio programs ... I think that for a couple of weeks a year we can get away with spotlighting NEW music by artists of interest, too. Seems to be working so far!
Artists, please contact us next year to have YOUR holiday music featured on our site. We just may be the best agent you never really had ... because we WILL get your music played on the radio!!! (And you don't even have to pay us a commission!!! lol Although the free CD's are a nice, added bonus!) And please participate with us throughout the year to let your fans know about any other upcoming releases and appearances ... that's what we're here for! (kk)
Oh yeah, and with that's, it's OVER!!!
(You and Jack can breathe easy again! lol) kk
(They always say wish unto others
