Helping Out Our Readers

re: HELPING OUT OUR READERS:
KK,
Larry Boyington here in OKC. Love your website and news on the oldies.
Got a rhetorical question for you.Through the years, people I know and sometimes I don't know, come up to me and ask me if I know the name of the artist or group that did a particular song or maybe they know the group or artist and want to know the name of a song that singer did. I like to think my knowledge of the music is above average and I help them the majority of the time. Do any of your readers occasionally write in wanting to know the title of a song, if the artist or group is know, or possibly if the title is known, then who sang it?
The past week, I have discovered on you tube videos two songs in which the person who had the website wanted to know if anyone knew the titles o48the songs. Now they were both instrumentals and that makes it tougher. No lyrics to maybe come up with a title. Some instrumentals may be familiar with people but can't place a title. Also, through the years, there has been songs in which the title of the song is not included in the lyrics of the song.
Larry (aka Larry Neal, Wax Museum)
Actually, we get that a lot ... that's why we started our "Helping Out Our Readers" column ... and, with the wide range of readers, collectors, deejays, artists, historians and vinyl junkies on our list, we've developed a pretty good track record when it comes to solving many of these mysteries. Always a fun challenge ... but WE get to discover some new music along the way, too! Glad that you're enjoying Forgotten Hits! (kk)

>>>The commercial that I'm looking for with the Donovan song is older ... it was a hair-care product and the girls are dancing to the flutes ... forgive me for being a dirty old baby boomer, but in my memory they sorta bump their hips to the dum dum dum dum dum at the end ... so I'm still looking! (stolf)
I think it was a commercial for a perfume, not hair care. The song was "Wear Your Love Like Heaven". From Wikipedia: The song was featured in the Eau De Love (by Menley and James) fragrance commercial in the early 1970s that featured Ali MacGraw. Here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wear_Your_Love_Like_Heaven
Bob in Clearwater, FL
Nope, that's a different one ... and one we covered quite extensively in our recent "Favorite Commercials" Series ... I absolutely remember the one he's talking about ... I just can't seem to find it! (kk)

... and, speaking of radio commercials ... clearly STILL a VERY hot topic here in Forgotten Hits ...

Hi Kent,
I am loving your focus on Summer Hits! In keeping with the summer, I'm looking for an aircheck or clip of the famous "Sun-in" hair lightener spot that ran everywhere in the early -to - mid 70s. It was a singing jingle, "Sun-in and sunlight, and you'll be blonder tonight ..." Do you know who might be a source for a spot like this?
Thanks for the help,
Jimmy the Jet
(((AM Radio Forever))) on Live365
http://www.live365.com/stations/radiojet?play
That was a pretty popular spot ... my guess is that somebody on the list will come up with this for you! Stay tuned! (kk)

Over the past several years of doing "Helping Out Our Readers" segment, I would have to say that we all owe a TREMENDOUS debt to Tom Diehl, who, more than anyone else on the list, has come up with more of the "lost classics" our readers have been looking for ... many believed to be simply unattainable ... than anyone else. So when we heard that TOM was looking for a track, I just HAD to put this out there in the hopes that one of our readers might be able to repay a small part of the favor!!! (kk)
Driving back to New York from North Carolina last week, on XM 60s we heard the Johnny Mann Singers' version of "A World Without Love", which was actually REALLY good -- I go to my usual source to find songs and it's not there! Imagine my shock (you have to understand, the program I use connects me to thousands of other users who collectively are sharing probably a few billion songs among them) -- so to find that I cant find something that I heard on XM comes as a real shock. On the plus side, it is on CD and I will be buying it eventually ... conveniently it's on a cd with another song that came up recently while I was on vacation -- a friend of mine I was visiting in Atlanta played the Johnny Mann Singers' version of "Up Up And Away", which I knew. (My mp3 was not the proper version ... it was the Fifth Dimension version, mislabeled ... so I knew the other one was what I needed to find.) The next day at a record show in Atlanta what do I find but the promo 45 of the Johnny Mann Singers version! So the one track I need is their version of "A World Without Love". It's actually on this cd:
Amazon.com: Invisible Tears/We Can Fly! Up-Up and Away: The Johnny Mann Singers: Music
Tom
If anybody out there can help Tom out by providing a clean, MP3 version of The Johnny Mann Singers doing "A World Without Love", we truly would appreciate it. (Heck, I'd like to hear it, too!) Thanks! (kk)

I have a customer who is looking to get one survey from every station that ever put one out. Obviously the earlier and smaller the market the better. I'm unsure if copies will do but I will find out. Also, can you please put me in touch with the one DJ who's doing the obscure Chicago area bands / performers. I've been thinking about compiling a list of the top 40 Chicago songs of all time, (if there are that many) and would like a list of artists he has featured, in case I forget anybody. Thanks.
Jack
That would be Jeff James over at Y103.9 ... you can email him at jjames@y1039.com ... and be sure to leave some feedback on his new Windy City @ 6 Program ... and that goes for all your OTHER readers who have been enjoying his new program, too! As for a Chicagoland All-Time Top 40, Bob Stroud aired a similar program on Rock And Roll Roots a few years back ... I know I have it on tape SOMEWHERE (but have NO idea where it might be.) As I recall, it tended to cover the era of about 1965 - 1972 or so ... and I clearly remember The Trolls coming in at #40 with "Every Day And Every Night" and The Cryan' Shames grabbing the top spot with their four-week #1 Hit "It Could Be We're In Love". Maybe we can persuade Bob to run that again one of these weekends! (And Bob, if you will, please let us know so we can help to spread the word!!!) On Jeff's show, you'll see the full gamut of Chicago-related music ... lots more Black and R&B artists ... stuff that was recorded here, even if the artist wasn't necessarily from here ... folks who were born here but gained fame somewhere else ... truly a little bit of everything ... but I'm sure he has one HECK of a check-list, so DO drop him a line and let him know that we all enjoy what he's doing with his new "Windy City @ 6" Program. (kk)

I'm searching for a 1971 song called "Alive And Well" by Spare Change. I was living in NYC at the time but remember hearing it on WKBW from Buffalo. Thanks! Mark
I'm not familiar with that one ... but hopefully SOMEBODY on the list is and can track this one down for you. Stay tuned! (kk)

And this from Chart Guru Joel Whitburn:

Should we reprint our Sixties Chart Book? Help us make the decision. To Reprint or Not To Reprint ... It's Up To You!
You can get a New, Deluxe Edition of "Hot 100 Charts: The Sixties" for just $79.95 hot off the press!
Or a used copy from an online retailer for $300 or more!
It's your call ... Call us and we WILL reprint.
Here's your chance to have a deluxe 8-1/2" x 11" hardcover edition of this long out-of-print collectors' favorite for only $79.95. Used copies sell with online retailers for $300 or more! Straight from the pages of Billboard -- every weekly "Hot 100" music chart, from January 1960 through December 1969, reproduced in black and white at about 70% of its original size.
But before we can commit to a costly reprint, we need a commitment to order from you. If we reach our print quota, you will then be charged and we will reprint. If our quota is not met, you will not be charged. So, tell your friends who also have a heart for the charts and CALL TODAY to reserve your copy.
Pre-Orders for this book CANNOT be made online or by mail. You MUST call to order:
In the U.S., please call (800) 827 - 9810
Outside the U.S., call (262) 251 - 5408
Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 5 pm; Friday: 8 am - Noon Central Standard Time
Joel Whitburn / Record Research

Click here to see a sample page from Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Sixties.
I've got a complete set of ALL of Joel's Billboard Chart Books: The '50's, The '60's, The '70's, The '80's, The '90's ... and my 2000's is on pre-order ... these are a GREAT reference tool and if you're into the charts the way we are, you're going to want to get your hands on a copy, too. But these books are just to expensive to reprint without a substantial number of guaranteed orders ... so if you missed out the first time, please give Joel a call and tell him that you want a copy of his Sixties Charts Book for your very own. Thanks! (kk)

Hi Kent,
Great job as always with the site. Reading it is one of the highlights of my week. Just wanted to give you some more background on your Lulu discovery. “Inside Thing” is a mashup with Sir Paul she released back in 2002 on her “comeback” UK album “Together” comprised of duets with legends (Sir Paul, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Sting) and some more dubious of the moment British “stars” (Atomic Kitten, Samantha Mumba, Westlife, Ronan Keating) covering classic songs. The album never got a stateside release back then despite going to number four on the UK album charts, spawning a top 10 single with her Ronan duet of Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight”, and going gold on the back of a TV special. Still it’s a fairly decent listen but the highlight for me is her version of the Beach Boys “Sail On Sailor” with Sting. I’d send you a you tube link that used to be up from her special but it’s been removed. It is available via her Greatest Hits album on I-tunes however, and overall a much more consistent listen as it spans the entire course of her career.
Thanks for all the great work
Glen Wood
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
I have heard her version of "Sail On Sailor", ALWAYS one of my Beach Boys favorites ... so we'll feature it here today. (kk)

A couple of weeks ago I told you about someone who had contacted me after they saw a brief article we did about "The Youngtones" posted on our website. In about thirty minutes, we were able to help these folks make a connection that was probably close to 40 years in the making. Here's a brief recap of what transpired ... along with a very moving, heartfelt update ... the power of music ... ya gotta love it! (kk)
>>>Hi! My name Is Francis Ortiz ... I came across your website and found some info on the Youngtones and was wondering if you had any info on that guy named Jocco?? See, because my dad is the dark one from the Youngtones and he is always talking about the group and singing the songs ... and I would love to reunite my dad with some of his old buddies. My dad would be so happy ... so any info would be greatly appreciated. I know with security and all it would be hard for you to give me his info but I'm sending you my email address so please give it to him and ask him to please contact me.

Hey, maybe we can have a Youngtones reunion!!! Thanks for keeping my father's music alive ... (Francis Ortiz)

Literally 30 minutes after forwarding this note to Jocco, I heard back from both parties ... and now, after who knows HOW many years, these folks have connected again.

>>>What can I say? But thanks! Please do give her my e-mail address. (Jocco)

And then this just in:
What do I say and how? I have been watching your website for several years, hoping to get information on him, Jocco, The Youngtones, etc. ... Well, that day has come and after lunch and now this evening dinner ... I don't even know where to begin to thank you.
I contacted the woman who was on your site and she gave me my fathers e-mail address. Sent him an e-note, we met and it has been great ever since. I never knew about his ambitions ... the ranch that he has for handicapped children in Nevada ... and when I gave him all the photos from Brooklyn of the different fellows, he welled up with tears ... and those tears were enough. He now may have found another former group member in upstate New York and I will let you know. Thank you for finding my father.

ALL THANKS TO FORGOTTEN HITS RADIO
Little "T"

Over the years, we've been part of about half a dozen of these types of reunions ... and it truly warms my heart to know that we could in some small way be the "connecting rod" that made it all happen. Like I ALWAYS say ... the power of music ... NEVER underestimate it! (kk)

Some Of Your "Summer Favorites" Comments

Looks like we've got another "hit" on our hands!!!

The reaction to our Summer Countdown has been overwhelmingly positive (although you'll certainly find more than a few "Hey, what about ..."'s in the emails below!!! lol)

Scott Shannon featured selections from the list (as well as many of the runners-up) all day long ... and even counted down The Top 20 in order (which was a VERY pleasant surprise!!!) Sounds like he had some fun, fun, fun doing it, too ... and I think he did an EXCEPTIONAL job ... kept me glued to the radio for four solid hours (and I knew the results in advance!!! lol)

Not to be one-upped, Scarlett Hayze ended up counting down The Top 40 on her program Monday Night, "The Summer Solstice", and we hear that she's also had some very positive reaction to this special programming. (Were any of you blown away by her radio special??? Sounds like you weren't the only ones ... Scarlett tells me that severe storms and high winds literally knocked the station off the air right in the middle of the countdown!!! Now THAT'S not very summery, is it?!?!?)
The GOOD news is, she'll pick up the countdown at #20 on Thursday Night.
Hello darlings!
Join me Thursday Night for the official countdown of the TOP TWENTY SONGS OF SUMMER as voted by the readers of http://forgottenhits.com/ on the DJ Scarlett Hayze show on www.myrevolutionradio.com
The fun begins at 7pm sharp! BE THERE or BE SQUARE, darlings!!
Moochas smoochas ...
DJ Scarlett Hayze

Our website hits went through the roof on Monday thanks to all the new visitors who discovered Forgotten Hits for the very first time due to this special programming ... and don't forget that Phil Nee of WRCO in Richland Center, Wisconsin, will ALSO be playing down The Top 40 Favorites on his "Those Were The Days" radio program this Saturday Night, beginning at 6 PM Central Time (and throwing in a bunch of "extras" and personal favorites along the way, too!)

So thanks again to everybody who participated in this special countdown ... we really do appreciate it!

I thought Scott Shannon did a superb job of counting down The Top 20 Summer Favorites and loved how he talked about some of his OWN summer favorites that didn't make the list. (I'm sure you'll be hearing from quite a few of your readers who were disappointed not to see some of their favorites make The Top 40 ... but that was a pretty "primo" list to be part of!) I especially enjoyed when Scott played his own recording of "Here Comes Summer" from the early '70's ... that's not a song you usually hear on the radio and I really can't even imagine him playing it in any other context ... so your countdown provided the PERFECT forum for him to toot his own horn a little bit ... and even play part of the B-Side of that record, featuring "Super Shan" on lead vocals! All-in-all, I found it VERY enjoyable listening -- I didn't want to miss a minute -- and THAT, as you always tell us, makes for good "appointment" radio! Thanks again for all you do in Forgotten Hits --- and thanks for including your readers as part of the process.
Betsy Kolmb
It's the readers that make this whole thing work ... Forgotten Hits truly is, in EVERY fashion, a "Community Effort" that works because of our mutual love of this music. I, too, loved Scott's handling of the countdown ... it was more than I even imagined and a real treat to listen to. (And I'll tell you what ... it sounded like he was having a BALL doing it, too!!!) Thanks for the kind words. (kk)

I wanted to write about the first day of summer, but I didn’t have any ideas, until I read the blog today from my friend Kent Kotal at Forgotten Hits. The readers of this ‘60s and ‘70s music forum (which now number in the thousands) voted on the TOP 40 ALL –TIME SUMMER FAVORITES! Which will be played by my other pal, Scott Shannon all today LIVE on The True Oldies Channel! http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/scott-shannon-and-the-top-40-all-time-summer-favorites-from-forgotten-hits/
Regards,
Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/

Kent,
It went great!! ... big response ... great job! ...
Scott Shannon
Dee Jay
The TOC
As I told you, I couldn't have been more pleased with the way you handled the whole countdown ... VERY enjoyable listening! Thanks again, Scott! (kk)

We also received a number of emails from readers and listeners who asked:

"How Can You Possibly Do A List Of All-Time Summer Favorites
That Does Include ... "
Up On The Roof by The Drifters???
Palisades Park by Freddy Cannon???
Walking On Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves???
I Live For The Sun by The Sunrays???
Summer by War???
Sunny Afternoon by The Kinks???
Sunny by Bobby Hebb???
So Much In Love by The Tymes???
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini by Brian Hyland???
California Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas???

But by FAR, the two songs most often mentioned as gross oversights were "Under The Boardwalk" by The Drifters and "One Summer Night" by The Danleers. Here are just TWO examples of the emails we received:

What’s “Under The Boardwalk” chopped liver?
Arthur Resnick
"Under The Boardwalk" was one of those that JUST MISSED making The Top 40 ... I agree, it should have been there ... and Scott Shannon feels the same way, as do several other readers and listeners that we've heard from ... but the bottom line is, it simply didn't get the votes! (I've noticed that MOST of the people complaining about the results DIDN'T bother to vote in the first place, which may have greatly changed the outcome ... but that's typically the way it goes!) That being said, based on the response to this countdown (now picked up on a number of websites and radio programs), we probably EASILY could have garnered another 3000-4000 votes this week alone, just based on the responses to what they did ... or didn't hear! Hey, these weren't exactly MY all-time favorites either ... and quite honestly, after listening to "Summertime Summertime" by The Jamies a couple of times yesterday ... and knowing that this song finished in The Top Ten ... I can honestly say that I can't think of a more ANNOYING song out there!!! (lol) But the fact is, the people have spoken ... we let the votes of the masses speak for themselves. (By the way "Under The Boardwalk" finished at #45 with 67 votes ... and, for those who have asked, their other big "Summer Classic", "Up On The Roof", received 37 votes and came in at #75.)

The Top 40 Summer Hits list had no doo wop songs in it. Is it lost forever to the generations? "One Summer Night", by the Danleers, deserved to be on that list. Is it just that old geezers don't own computers? I doubt it. I hope this current generation, and the future generations, don't lose sight of the roots of today's music. Many deserving doo wop groups were never inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and most radio oldies shows don't play doo wop anymore. Such a shame and such a loss.
Bob Hughes (stuck in the 50's)
Actually, there were a run of votes for "One Summer Night" right near the end of the tabulation ... just not enough to propel it on to the list. (It ended up finishing at #51 with 58 votes.) Another doo-wop classic that received a fair amount of votes was "In The Still Of The Night" by The Five Satins (but with 16 votes it didn't even make The Top 100!) Everybody's got their favorites that they felt should have been on the list ... for me, I was shocked to see "Centerfield" by John Fogerty not make the list ... it started out REAL strong and then just faded. How about summer favorites like "Where The Boys Are" by Connie Francis? "Grazing In The Grass" by Hugh Masekela? "Save Your Heart For Me" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys? (What a GREAT, feel-good summer song THAT is!!!) A personal favorite of mine is "Do It Again" by The Beach Boys ... but MOST have argued that there are already too many Beach Boys songs on the list, taking spots away from other worthy artists. To quote Rick Nelson, "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself" ... or, in this case, the voters ... and the majority have spoken! (kk)

Good list -- if somewhat predictable. I'd sure like to know where some of the other "less obvious" songs came in.

Rod

Great summer list, Kent. Thanks for all the work compiling it.
Any chance of sharing, say, the next 60 or so finishers on the site sometime soon? I'm sure others are curious, too, of where some of their other favorites finished.
Don Effenberger
Lol ... I kinda figured it would come to that ... so The Top 100 are now posted on The Forgotten Hits Website: Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your All-Time Summer Favorites
Truth is, whenever you do a poll like this, people want to know where some of the other tracks finished. If you count down The Top 40, folks wanna know "What was #41?" (In this case, it was "Walkin' On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves", which just missed making The Top 40 by three votes!) And, once we run The Top 100, they'll want to know "What was #101???" (The answer to that one is "War" by Edwin Starr!) We just LOVE counting things down and "ranking" things ... because the after-debate is almost as much fun as the voting!!! Thanks, Don! (kk)

KK,

I enjoyed looking over the compilation of top 50 hits for the Summer of 1968 you have currently on your website. Basically, the same records were played here in the OKC area and were real big as well. The one exception would be James Brown's LICKING STICK. I have a copy of that song on an album but not single. Without going to go check my surveys, I don't think it was even played or made the local survey.
Years ago I worked for a station here in town in which they had on the bulletin board in the control room a list of artists, (mostly black), they did not want their songs to be played on the air. This began around the late sixties and early seventies.I never was a big fan of Harris' MACARTHUR PARK. I had a DJ friend of mine tell me years ago (and I might add I had also read this) that one reason it was a hit was because of the length of the record. It was a 7:20 on the Dunhill Record Label. While the record was playing, an announcer if he wanted to, could run out and use the restroom, run downstairs and get a candy bar, coke, etc. out of a vending machine. A similar story or record occurred in 1959 when Nina Simone recorded the song I LOVES YOU PORGY on Bethleham Records. When promotional copies of that record made it to radio stations, DJ'S noticed the length of the song which was over 4 minutes. That was an unusual length for a song back in those days. They started to play it because that would give them more time for other things to do since most records back in those days were a little over 2 minutes in length average. As I mentioned, I never really liked Harris'MACARTHUR PARK but to me the best part was when it hit the 7:20 mark.

One final thing. Through the years have you ever noticed or were told that certain songs by artists or groups on the single version was a little bit different than the LP version? For example, the Clovers' 1959 recording of Love POTION #9 single ends differently than the version on their album.

Keep up the good work.

Larry N. Boyington,
aka Larry Neal, former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA
Over the years, you'll find literally HUNDREDS of "punched-up" singles that are different mixes than the album tracks ... and, having grown up hearing these song a "certain way", it's sometimes frustrating to hear the wrong mix on the air all these years later. For decades now I have pushed for the record companies to raid their vaults and begin releasing "The Singles Collection" ... a COMPLETE collection of EVERY single on EVERY label in catalog number order to satisfy all of us "vinyl junkies" out there who are replacing their worn out and scratchy 45's collection with pristine CD versions. (kk)

Hi Kent,
I just looked at the Summer All Time Top 40 and wanted to pass along some information about Summer in the City.
One of the hooks of that record was the part played on what I believe was a Wurlitzer electric piano. That part was played by my friend Jimmy Czak, the recording engineer on the date. To my best recollection, Jimmy came up with the part at the session. Jimmy and John Post are the owners of Nola Sound Studios in New York City. The record was recorded at the studio where Jimmy worked in the 60s; May have been Bell Sound ... or Bell (???) Anyway, I was always curious as to who played on records, (before credits were listed) As a session player, this was important to me.
Regards,
Don (Young) Albano
You would LOVE that new Wrecking Crew Documentary, Don!!! (I'm sure you've devoured "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown" by now!!! lol) For a few more words on that Bell session, we've got THIS from Artie Wayne:
I gave up some precious mastering time at Bellsound in N.Y.to my friend Artie Ripp so he could master “Summer in the City”!
Artie Wayne
To read more about some of Artie's connection to the REST of our Top 20 List, be sure to check out his website here:
Click here: SCOTT SHANNON AND THE TOP 40 ALL-TIME SUMMER FAVORITES FROM FORGOTTEN HITS! « Artie Wayne On The Web

Kent ...
6/21/10 = First Day of Summer.
It start's at 7:28 a m.
Hope you're up to enjoy it. lol!
Frank B.
YouTube - The Ravens-Summertime
You betcha!!! For the record, I was up at 5:19 ... and it turned out to be a GREAT First Day Of Summer ... I loved listening to BOTH countdowns of Your Top 40 All-Time Summer Favorites ... and I'm sure that there will be LOTS of Summer Favorites featured all day long for days to come. (kk)

One word about the True Oldies Channel Summer Countdown: Outstanding! (Any chance he's going to play it again?)
Rick S.

Not likely ... but The True Oldies Channel has now put The Top 40 List up on THEIR website, too ... so an awful lot more people are going to see it. (Scott may update his list to include the entire Top 100 now that we've done that on our site ... time will tell.) Meanwhile, thanks to a VERY positive response, I imagine he'll be slipping in "summer favorites" every hour for a while now! (kk)

Hey Kent!
I had so much fun doing the show last night! I spent most of yesterday getting ready for the show - and, in doing so, I realized I had plenty of time to slip in all of the top 40 hits!! I started the show by reading from your blog about how this countdown came to be and all in all it was a GREAT show UNTIL ...
(dramatic pause) ...
(here's the email I just sent out to my listeners)
Damage control report from the Veranda: strong rains, thunder and lightning last night prematurely ended my Summer Solstice Show. :(
The good news: Thursday night at 7 pm ET we will continue with the TOP TWENTY COUNTDOWN of the ALL-TIME FAVORITE SONGS OF SUMMER!!
(courtesy of forgotten hits.com and myrevolutionradio.com)
Just as I got to number 19 - I swear - I couldn't hold the stream. After numerous attempts - my "ping" was outrageous (2000 ms at one point!) - I gave up. The good news is I am going to play the Top Twenty on my Thursday show ... so the fun continues on!
I did receive a lot of positive comments and even had listeners as far away as Australia and eastern Europe tuning in to hear the show!
I meant what I said on the air ... I love your website. You are an amazing guy for doing this. I feel a very strong connection to your site because it is the music I play, the music I grew up with, and the music that changed the world. And I agree ... the tired, worn out oldies that standard oldies radio stations play do not accurately represent the music that was, and is, ours. Thank you for keeping it alive and in our hearts.
Moochas smoochas!
DJ Scarlett Hayze
myrevolutionradio.com
I got to hear bits and pieces but I lost the station at #22 ... figured playing something as new as Bryan Adams is what got you booted off the air! (lol) Hoping some of our readers will tune in again tomorrow night to hear The Top 20 ... and that anybody who can will check out Phil Nee's Show on Saturday Night as well. (Hey, Readers ... let's start a letter-writing campaign ... to WRCO in Richland Center, WI ... tell the powers that be there that WE WANT THEM TO START STREAMING!!! Tell them that IF THEY BUILD IT, WE WILL COME!!!) Phil does a FANTASTIC job every week with his "Those Were The Days" Radio Program ... and he genuinely loves this music. Over the years, he's had a Who's Who of artists on his show and it deserves to be heard by The Oldies Nation!!! (kk)

Bravo Kent!
... for the success of the great response to the songs of summer. They will never go out of style.
What a blast to see an often unheralded Beach Boy song, All Summer Long, high on the list. Plus, California Nights by Leslie Gore, another great but seldom heard song.
Not making the list but guaranteed to send you into summer ... two Beach Boys tunes: It's OK (70's) and Keepin' the Summer Alive (80's).
Phil
PrayForSurf.net

And, speaking of The Beach Boys, we sent THIS "revised" announcement out earlier today to our Forgotten Hits subscribers:

Well, THAT didn't take long!!!

Less than 24 hours after telling The Las Vegas Sun that The Beach Boys (including original members Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and long-time member Bruce Johnston) would be reuniting for a 50th Anniversary Tour, Mike Love spent a good part of yesterday back-pedaling from that statement.

Quite honestly, I never REALLY believed it for a minute ... I just reporting what was reported ... in my mind, unless Brian said they were doing it, it didn't count ... and even then, I would fully expect them to abort ship after four or five dates when they realized that they simply could not coexist sharing the spotlight.

Let's face it, Brian Wilson has been doing just FINE without the others for several years now ... this would no longer be a case of Mike wheeling Brian on stage and propping him up behind the piano simply for appearances sake ... despite his long-standing disdain for touring, Wilson has put on some legendary and landmark shows of his own for the past decade and a half ... with an absolutely STELLAR back-up band that loves and appreciates his music. Unless Brian announced the band was reforming for this very special anniversary, this always ranked as more of a "PR" move (or perhaps some wishful thinking) on Mike Love's part.

Apparently a couple of our readers agreed ...
I'm praying the Mike Love quote is more than his wishful thinking!
Phil@prayforsurf.net

Actually, over the past two years, they have ALL ... at various times ... been talking about doing something special for their 50 year anniversary ... but always without any form of a firm commitment. (Honestly, I think was probably MORE shocked at the prospect of Mike letting Al Jardine back in the band!!! lol) Brian doesn't NEED to tour with The Beach Boys anymore ... his current band outshines anything The Beach Boys have put together in decades ... but, for the FANS' sake ... it SURE would have been a nice final chapter. Chalk this one up to "Wouldn't It Be Nice". (kk)

This is why I don't report rumor and speculation:
-- Ron Smith
Well, it felt good for about 24 hours anyway!!! (lol) In a prepared statement (my guess is under pressure from Brian's camp) Mike Love said on Tuesday:
As The Beach Boys approach the 2011 - 2012 touring season, which will mark their 50th anniversary as a band, speculation continues to grow among fans and media as to reunion possibilities among all the original surviving members. In response to recent stories Mike Love had the following comments: “The Beach Boys continue to tour approximately 150 shows a year in multiple countries. At this time there are no plans for my cousin Brian to rejoin the tour. He has new solo projects on the horizon and I wish him love and success. We have had some discussions of writing and possibly recording together, but nothing has been planned. I, as I’m sure he is, am proud and honored that The Beach Boys music has endured these 50 years, but felt the need to clarify that there are no current 'reunion' tour plans.”

Could There Be Better News On The First Day of Summer???

It's been rumored ... discussed ... denied ... pooh-pooh'ed as impossible ... and yet dreamed about for decades ... but earlier this morning, on The Official First Day Of Summer ... The Spinner Website ran THIS headline ... along with THESE comments from Mike Love of The Beach Boys:

Brian Wilson 'to Rejoin Beach Boys,' Says Mike Love

After decades of bad blood, recriminations and law suits, Brian Wilson is set to reunite with the other surviving members of the Beach Boys -- Mike Love and Al Jardine -- to mark the 50th anniversary of the band's inception, according to comments by Love in the Las Vegas Sun. Love still performs under the Beach Boys name alongside another veteran member, Bruce Johnston. Wilson made a triumphant return to the spotlight in 2002 when he performed the 'Pet Sounds' album in full at London's Royal Festival Hall, and in 2004 performed his incomplete masterpiece 'Smile' at the same venue. He has sporadically toured since then. Love said, "We're gearing up for the 50th anniversary and Brian Wilson, who has been working on some unfinished Gershwin music project, will rejoin us. "I'm sad that Carl Wilson passed away 11, 12 years ago from the same lung cancer problem that claimed the life of George Harrison. That was not a fun time for us." The surviving Beach Boys last appeared publicly in 2006 for a press conference marking 40 years since 'Pet Sounds'. Of the original members, Carl Wilson died of cancer in 1998 and Dennis Wilson drowned in 1983. Love, who once described 'Smile' as a "whole album of Brian's madness," also spoke about the current incarnation of the Beach Boys, saying, "We're still out there doing 150 shows a year, and the sound has reached all the way around the globe. Close your eyes and not only do we today replicate exactly how the original songs sounded, but the technology has gotten better so we even sound better. Yes, the line-up has changed over the years, but it's been pretty consistent the past several years."

Your All-Time Favorite Summer Hits

The Forgotten Hits Top 40
All-Time Summer Favorites List
(as voted on by The Forgotten Hits Readers)

We've polled our readers three times now in order to determine your All-Time Summer Favorites ... and, if there's one thing we've learned during this process, it's that these songs could be pertain to just about anything ...

We found songs ABOUT Summer ... songs that were big hits DURING the Summer ... songs with Summer in the title ... and feel-good songs that just evoke the feeling of a carefree, fun-loving summer day.

And, as we told our readers all along, that is EXACTLY what we were looking for!

My original inspiration for this feature came after reading a similar poll held in "Entertainment Weekly" back in 1999, when their writers got together in order to determine THEIR list of Summer Favorites.

The only problem with a list like that (when put together by a bunch of writers who are trying to look just a little bit more sophisticated than their average reader) is that they tend to be a little "artsy" simply for artsy's sake ... it seems that quite often these writers will go out of their way to name something SO far off the beaten path that most people reading the article won't ever have even heard the song!!!

Now sometimes there's a hidden benefit to this ... SOME readers will actually seek out some of this music that they weren't familiar with and see if it really stacks up against the best Summer Songs that ran across their own minds ... but what I've found over the years of doing these Forgotten Hits Polls is that, for the most part anyway, we all pretty much like and identify with the same music. Really GOOD music moves us ... leaves a mark that stays with us forever ... as you'll see, the biggest portion of these songs are somewhere in the neighborhood of forty years old ... yet these STILL elicit a special feeling of summer excitement, no matter HOW many times we've heard them.

The other problem I had with the 1999 Entertainment Weekly Poll was the fear that the best summers these young writers would be able to remember most likely would have happened in the '80's or beyond ... and, as such, SO many great summer classics would be left off the list. (In all fairness, these folks came up with the same #1 Favorite as YOU guys did ... and, in fact, NINE of their Top Ten Finalists were from the '60's and '70's ... and 13 of their Top 20 choices also made our Top 40! Overall, I'd have to say that they did a pretty commendable job ... but, by the same token, it's also safe to say that you WON'T find anything by Madonna, Grand Master Flash, Bananarama, TLC, The Red Hot Chili Peppers or Arrested Development anywhere in OUR countdown!!!)

Anyway, all of this got me to thinking ... what if you asked the REAL oldies fans out there ... the ones who have seen their share of summers over the years ... they've seen the various trends come and go ... I just couldn't help but wonder what songs best evoke the Spirit of Summer in the eyes and ears of The REAL Oldies Fans? (Of course, I suppose I could have simply listed MY All-Time Summer Favorites ... but to me, that approach always seems to take on a "I Know Music And You Don't" connotation ... or, as I like to call it, the "Jann Wenner Philosophy of Music"!)

So, instead ... in 2001, we polled our readers ... and received about 400 responses ... hardly an overwhelming or decisive amount (but you have to remember that we did have a much smaller circulation then ... and we were also polling a pretty selective audience.)

In 2006, we decided to ask our readers again to vote for their All-Time Summer Favorites. This time about 2100 people responded ... yet the majority of The Top Ten remained the same. Hmmm ... maybe a trend was beginning to develop here ... maybe these really ARE the All-Time Summer Favorites.

Just to be sure, we asked our readers AGAIN in 2010 ... and this time we received about 9200 votes!!! And guess what ... the SAME song that came in at #1 in 2001 ... and ALSO came in at #1 in 2006 ... came in at #1 AGAIN in 2010!!! And by an increasingly larger margin each time. (Enough so to officially proclaim this year's victory a LANDSLIDE!)

That's good enough for me!!! I believe that we can unequivocally state FOR THE RECORD that the list you are about to review is, WITHOUT QUESTION, representative of The All-Time Favorite Songs Of Summer as determined by The Oldies Nation. (See if you agree!)

YOUR TOP 40
ALL-TIME SUMMER FAVORITES

1. SUMMER IN THE CITY - The Lovin' Spoonful
(#1 each and every time we've run this poll ... and by a LANDSLIDE this year,

too!)
2. A SUMMER SONG - Chad and Jeremy
3. HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME - Sly and the Family Stone
(These two tracks have ALWAYS finished near the top of the list ... but this is

the first time they've flip-flopped their ranking!)
4. ALL SUMMER LONG - The Beach Boys
(The Beach Boys have placed in The Top Ten every time we've done the

poll ... yet it's been a different song each time that earned this honor.

In 2010, TWO of The Beach Boys' Hits made The Top Ten ... and this is the

highest "All Summer Long" has ever placed on our countdown!)
5. IN THE SUMMERTIME - Mungo Jerry
(Just try not to sing along with THIS one ... I dare ya!)
6. THEME FROM "A SUMMER PLACE" - Percy Faith
(A Summer Favorite ... and an Instrumental Favorite ... the vocal version by

The Lettermen also earned quite a few of your votes ... but not enough to

make the list.)
7. SUMMERTIME - Billy Stewart
(A popular song, "Summertime" was nominated by everybody from Billy

Stewart to Janis Joplin to Billie Holiday to American Idol Winner

Fantasia Barrino!)
8. SUMMERTIME BLUES - Eddie Cochran
(Likewise, this one earned votes for Eddie Cochran, The Who and Blue Cheer,

all of whom recorded successful versions of this summertime classic!)
9. CALIFORNIA GIRLS - The Beach Boys
10. SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME - The Jamies

11. I GET AROUND - The Beach Boys
(3 of the Top 11 spots belong to "The Boys Of Summer" ... and you'll also find

the song "The Boys Of Summer" by Don Henley a little bit further on down the

list!!!)
12. HERE COMES SUMMER - Jerry Keller
13. CALIFORNIA SUN - The Rivieras
14. SURFIN' USA - The Beach Boys
15. DANCING IN THE STREET - Martha and the Vandellas
(A Top Ten Favorite every other year)
16. SEALED WITH A KISS - Brian Hyland
17. FUN FUN FUN - The Beach Boys
(Is there a better summer song that this one??? And it was released in

FEBRUARY!!! By the way, for those of you keeping score, that makes FIVE of

The Top 20 Summer Favorites by The Beach Boys ... one reader suggested

that we just make the list a Beach Boys Greatest Hits List instead and call it

a day!)
18. SCHOOL'S OUT - Alice Cooper
19. SATISFACTION - The Rolling Stones
(The Biggest Song of Summer, 1965. The Stones also scored HUGE Summer

Hits with "Honky Tonk Women" in 1969 and Jumpin' Jack Flash in 1968.)
20. WONDERFUL SUMMER - Robin Ward

(A #1 Record here in Chicago!)
21. SURF CITY - Jan and Dean
(Those OTHER Surfin' Dudes!)
22. SUMMER OF '69 - Bryan Adams

(The closest thing to a "Modern Day Classic" on our list!!!)
23. SUMMER BREEZE - Seals and Crofts
24. SUMMER NIGHTS - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
25. SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER - The Happenings
26. WIPE OUT - The Surfaris
27. BEACH BABY - First Class
(Pseudo-Beach Boys!)
28. WINDY - The Association
29. BORN TO BE WILD - Steppenwolf
(The above two tracks were the biggest songs of their respective summers, in

this case 1967 and 1968)
30. WOULDN'T IT BE NICE - The Beach Boys
31. SAN FRANCISCO - Scott McKenzie
32. CALIFORNIA NIGHTS - Lesley Gore
33. GROOVIN' - The Young Rascals
34. HEAT WAVE - Martha and the Vandellas
35. THE BOYS OF SUMMER - Don Henley
36. SUMMER RAIN - Johnny Rivers
37. LIGHT MY FIRE - The Doors
38. SATURDAY IN THE PARK - Chicago
39. THE SUMMER WIND - Frank Sinatra
40. THOSE LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER - Nat "King" Cole

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to vote. Be sure to check out The Forgotten Hits Website for more "Favorites" polls!

***

And now you can listen to hear Your All-Time Top 40 Summer Favorites on the radio!

All day today, Scott Shannon will be featuring selections from this list on The True Oldies Channel ... you can "Listen Live" here: Click here: True Oldies Channel

Then tonight, deejay Scarlett Hayze will countdown The Top 20 Summer Favorites on her "Summer Solstice" program. It kicks off a 7 pm Eastern (and will air from 7 - 9 pm) "LIVE" right here: http://myrevolutionradio.com

Next, be sure to tune in on Saturday Night (June 26th) when Phil Nee counts down the entire Top 40 List on his "Those Were The Days" Radio Program over a WRCO in Richland Center, Wisconsin! (And be sure to watch the website for updates as to how you can listen to an archived copy of this show!)

The Sunday Comments ( 06 - 20 - 10 )

re: YOUR SUMMER FAVORITES:
Now ... not all the songs I voted for say Summer but most imply them if not outright mentioning summer. I'm sure there are a bajillion hit songs that made it big on the airwaves during summer, but I never remember when a song was a hit (month or even year) and I did not mention all the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean songs (Catch a Wave, Surfer Girl) because I consider almost all of their songs "summery" I tried to mix it up a bit.
Shar
As you'll see, we received a little bit of everything in the way of nominations ... songs about summer, songs with summer in the title, songs that were big hits during the summer and songs that just evoke that feel-good, summer feeling ... and that is EXACTLY what we were looking for. When all was said and done, 342 different songs were nominated ... and over 9200 votes were cast ... so I think we got a pretty good representation of what the Summer Favorites really are. In fact, the #40 Song earned 76 votes ... and #1 scored nearly 350 ... based on that, I'd say The Oldies Nation has spoken!!! Be sure to check back tomorrow to see the complete list of Your Top 40 Favorites ... and please listen to Scott Shannon, Scarlett Hayze and Phil Nee as they play many of these on their radio programs! ("Listen Live" weblinks appear below.) kk

IT'S A SUMMERTIME BLAST-OFF MONDAY ON THE TOC ... FEATURING THE TOP SUMMER SONGS AS VOTED ON BY THE FANS OF FORGOTTEN HITS!!!!
SCOTT SHANNON / THE TRUE OLDIES CHANNEL
Click here: True Oldies Channel

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I'm excited to be airing your Top 20 Summer Countdown! My "Summer Solstice" show will be Monday night 7-9 pm live on http://myrevolutionradio.com

I will promo the heck out of your web site because I believe in what you are doing to keep our music alive and well ...

Did you know I grew up next door to Chuck Conlon (of the Nightcrawlers and "Little Black Egg" fame) ... also Ronnie and the Daytonas ... Ronnie (Ron Cruise) now cuts hair for a living and he is my brother-in-law's hair stylist! Oh, I am from Daytona Beach! :)

moochas smoochas!

Scarlett Hayze

Small world ... I think Ronny is also the brother-in-law (or something like that) of Mr. C who does "The Flip Side Show" over at Radio Free Nashville on Tuesday Nights! Here's a link for HIS program, too!!! (kk)

Click here: The Flip Side Radio Show - HOME PAGE

(Speaking of The Flip Side Show, you'll find a comment from Mr. C regarding our recent Bill Haley feature below!) kk

The Forgotten Hits Top 40 Summer Countdown will air on Saturday night June 26th, from 6:00 pm-?
Phil Nee - Wrco Fm 100.9

WRCO is moving into brand new facilities this week and will then air our Summer Favorites Countdown Special NEXT Weekend in the Richland Center area of Wisconsin. Since they're not streaming yet, we're working to put the COMPLETE Countdown on our Forgotten Hits on the Radio Web Page ... so stay tuned for more details as that develops. (kk)

Here are the songs I associated with summer, which to me meant getting out of school.
1961 Quarter To Three by U.S. Bonds ... I still think U.S. Bonds is the coolest recording artist name EVER. I don't understand why Gary Anderson later dissociated himself from this name and this song.
1961 Pomp And Circumstance by Adrian Kimberley ... my sentiments, exactly.
1961 Summertime by the Marcels ... The Marcels did show tunes the way they were meant to be done.
1962 Party Lights by Claudine Clark ... Summertime, all your friends are partying and you're grounded ... who can't relate to that?
1962 Sherry by the Four Seasons ... like nothing I had ever heard before
1963 Easier Said Than Done by the Essex ... Musical superheroes ... protecting our freedom by day, topping the charts by night.
1963 Rev-Up by Manuel & the Renegades ... You had to be in Chicago.
1964 Let's Have A Party by the Rivieras ... I'll go for that.
1964 The Girl From Ipanema by Stan Getz & Astrid Gilberto ... what's a summer without unrequited love?
1965 She's About A Mover by the Sir Douglas Quintet ... On my way to my high school graduation I passed by a band playing this song in their garage, so I associate it with winning my freedom from the hell that was high school.
I could add every Beach Boys song, Jan and Dean song, and surf or car instrumental recorded before 1966 but I promised myself I'd stop at ten songs.
Ed Erxleben
Great list, Ed. (Of course NONE of these titles actually made the final Top 40 but you clearly have a deep association and affection for these tunes!) BTW, Frannie kicked herself for not thinking of "The Girl From Ipanema", one of her ALL-TIME favorites. I never really thought of this one as a summer song, but after your nomination came in, I received six others for this tune, so it did ultimately end up with seven votes. And while "Summertime" received votes for Billy Stewart, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin and even Fantasia Barrino, yours was the ONLY one cast for The Marcels' version! And I want you to know that "She's About A Mover" has been playing virtually non-stop in my head since you mentioned it ... so today we're sharing the love on that one! Thanks, Ed! (kk)



I am really looking forward to seeing the results of the voting for these great summer songs. I'm sure the other list members will have some very interesting choices!!
Thank You,
Eddie,
Orange, CT
Well, you've only got to hold your breath for 24 more hours, Eddie!!! And please tune in to some of the radio programs listed above, too, to listen to some of your favorites! (kk)

Waiting with bated breath for the top Summer Songs and telling everyone about it ... love, love, love these favorites lists.
Pttibg
We HAVE kinda become known for these now, haven't we?!?!? (lol) And I've got a couple of other cool ideas coming up, too! Thanks to all the readers who vote regularly to make these efforts such a great success. (kk)

re: BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS:
KK,

I enjoyed reading the interview with Marshall Lytle in the FH Newsletter today.

Coincidentally, I bought an entire collection of 45s recently, which included two records by Bill Haley and His Comets. I played them recently on The FLip Side Radio Show. Here's a picture of "Burn That Candle" -- notice "Fox Trot" printed on the label. Honestly I don't know which side is "A" and which is "B." The first one has the songs "Burn That Candle" and "Rock A-Beatin' Boogie." The second record has "Razzle Dazzle" and "Two Hound Dogs." All four songs have that distinctive ticking sound mentioned in the interview, and you just can't play these records without tapping your foot.

Mr. C

According to Joel Whitburn's Pop Single Book, "Burn That Candle" charted as the A-Side, peaking at #16 on The Billboard Best Sellers Chart in 1956. "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie", the flip side, reached #23. Incredibly, neither record made the Cash Box Chart. "Razzle-Dazzle" / "Two Hound Dogs" preceded it on the charts, with "Razzle-Dazzle" reaching #15 on the same chart. (Looks like "Two Hound Dogs" charted as a tag-along B-Side.) These two singles followed Haley's landmark chart-topper "Rock Around The Clock". Another great Top Ten Hit that you don't hear much anymore is "See You Later, Alligator", #6 in 1956 ... it's the way Marshall Lytle signs all of his emails! (kk)

re: SAGITTARIUS:
There's no more accurate description than the one M. Marvin offered: this sounds like the Mamas and Papas dropped in at a Beach Boys session. But it's Glen Campbell on lead? Amazing!
David Lewis
It truly IS amazing ... I've heard Glen sing "pop" before ... even on Brian Wilson's "Guess I'm Dumb" which predated ALL of his country cross-over hits ... and he's NEVER sounded this good. It's an EXCEPTIONALLY great track ... a lifetime favorite! (kk)

Kent,
I loved reading about "My World Fell Down." "Another Time" is even prettier, if it could possibly be imagined. "Another time / you'll see my face when you're not looking / And turn to me / To answer all the questions in my eyes / Another time ... you'll find me in a game / And ask if you can stay and play along / But another time has come, and already gone ... " Gorgeous lyrics, breathtaking melody and harmonies. It isn't too surprising that the record never went anywhere, but this is what I consider a perfect example of the kind of music we could only get to hear --- in the Sensational 6Ts!
Bob Rashkow

Kent,
I was groovin' on the backstory to My World Fell Down until you connected the dots:
>>>DIDJAKNOW: "My World Fell Down" was written by Geoff Stephens ... who ALSO wrote the '60's #1 Classic Hit "Winchester Cathedral"!!! (kk)
Wasn't it Winchester Cathedral that took the Grammy away from Brian Wilson / Beach Boys' Good Vibrations? When that happened back in 1966, MY world fell down!
Phil
PrayForSurf.net

re: ANITA HUMES OF THE ESSEX:
Don't know if you have posted this news. What great records the Essex made. Charlie aka the Autumn King on KPOO
http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/don-rhodes/2010-06-09/goodbye-anita-humes-chappelle?v=1276080869
Yes, we covered her passing last weekend ... how sad ... we are losing SO many of our favorite artists lately! (kk)

re: JIMMY DEAN:
I want to see if I can scoop Ron Smith twice in a week. R.I.P. Jimmy Dean, king olf the breakfast sausage.
Jack (Rock And Roll Never Forgets)
Actually, we scooped quite a few people with this one ... in fact, if I had posted this the moment I first found out (rather than waiting until the following morning's special Comments Page) I think we would have beat everybody else by about 2 1/2 hours ... but since I knew I had a Comments Page going out in the morning anyway ... and figured that by then the whole world would know ... I just held it till morning. (Honestly, we don't scoop very often ... but this was a rare case where we could have!) kk
I also heard that Jimmy's widow is holding an open-to-the-public wake and viewing ... and that the casket will be inscribed "Here lies a hell of a man", a tribute to his #1 Smash "Big Bad John".

By the way, here is Ron Smith's official report:
Jimmy Dean, television host, actor, entrepreneur and country singer who was due to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, died Sunday night (June 13) of natural causes at the age of 81. Born in Olton, Texas in 1928, Jimmy dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and joined the Merchant Marines for two years before enlisting in the Air Force. Stationed at a base in Washington D.C., Jimmy played in an area band, then formed his own after he was discharged. In 1952 he recorded his first single for Four Star Records. "Bummin' Around" reached #5 on the country charts and launched his career. He was offered a local television program, which introduced viewers to artists like Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline. In 1957 he moved to New York to host a morning network program for CBS-TV and signed with Columbia Records. It was then that his spoken-word recordings crossed over to the pop charts. "Big Bad John" in 1961 topped at #1 for five weeks. It was followed by "Dear Ivan" (#24-1962), "The Cajun Queen" (sequel to "Big Bad John" which got to #22 in 1962) and it's flip-side, "To A Sleeping Beauty" (#26-1962) and "P.T. 109" (the World War II story of John F. Kennedy which made #8 in 1962). His last appearance on the pop charts was "I.O.U." (#35) in 1976, though it re-appeared two more times on the country charts. All told, he charted 26 times on the country charts and 14 times on the pop charts. Jimmy was the first guest host of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" on NBC-TV and hosted his own variety program, "The Jimmy Dean Show" on ABC from 1963-1966 (where he gave a big break to puppeteer Jim Henson who was later to create the Muppets). He also appeared on TV's "Daniel Boone" and played the villian in the 1971 James Bond film, "Diamonds Are Forever." In the late '60s, he began the Jimmy Dean Meat Company and became the spokesperson for its pork sausage. The company was sold to Sara Lee but he continued to perform in its commercials for twenty more years.
-- Ron Smith

Kent ...
I'm deeply saddened to announce the passing of another legend. I considered Jimmy Dean to be the first successful rapper with his classic “Big Bad John”. Although the song was rooted in country music, the “talking blues” approach made it more accessible to a wider audience. Here is the man, the song, and the video!
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/jimmy-dean-r-i-p-rock-in-perpetuity/
Respectfully,
Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.wordpress.com/about-artie-wayne/

... and, speaking of scoops ...

re: CHICAGO RADIO:
Whoa!!! Did we actually scoop Rob Feder on this one?!?!? Here's a copy of his column, which ran on his Vocalo website on Friday:
Imagine being able to access an all-star lineup of great Chicago radio personalities hosting a wide array of popular music formats — all for free and on demand.
It’s here now: Without fanfare, Kurt Hanson’s Chicago-based AccuRadio.com has launched Chicago Radio Online, a dream lineup of seven distinct formats hosted by some of the most popular local disc jockeys of the past four decades. (Here is the link.) It’s also available as an app for both the iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch platforms.
Among the legendary voices featured are those of Tommy Edwards, Clark Weber, Fred Winston, Mitch Michaels, Danae Alexander, Doug Dahlgren, Linda Marshall, Scotty Brink and Rick O’Dell. O’Dell doubles as program director and midday personality at Venture Technologies Group’s smooth jazz WLFM-FM / LP (87.7). Chicago Radio Online’s formats include:
Chicago’s Best Oldies
Chicago’s Adult Hits Mix
Chicago’s Love Songs
Chicago’s Real Oldies Channel
Chitown Smooth Jazz
Classic Hits Chicago
Classic Rock Chicago
Each format also provides a list of artists that can be customized to individual tastes. Listeners can further tailor the formats by easily skipping over any songs they don’t like.
Billed as “the world’s leading independent, multichannel, personalizable Internet radio station,” AccuRadio features more than 430 channels and subchannels of music. The site claims to reach more than 400,000 unique listeners per month (and up to 1,000,000 unique listeners per month during the Christmas season), divided about 60 / 40 male / female and almost equally divided among the 25-34, 35-44, and 45-54 age groups.
AccuRadio founder and CEO Hanson’s ambitious plans for expansion got a big boost last December when he brought on John Gehron, the veteran radio executive and revered industry statesman, as lead management consultant. Gehron, who first worked with Hanson at WLS-AM (890) in the ’70s, is leading the company’s efforts to establish online versions of AM and FM stations for terrestrial broadcasters.
Hanson, who also is founder and publisher of the daily web-based periodical “RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter,” is widely regarded as one of the industry’s leading authorities on digital radio. Veteran media consultant and futurist David Martin has called him “the pride of Chicago Internet ninjas.” Said Hanson: “My fervent belief is that after three previous ‘Golden Ages’ of radio — the entertainment programs of the ’30s and ’40s, the ‘AM Top 40’ era of the ’60s and ’70s, and the ‘AM talk / FM music’ era of the ’80s and ’90s — we’re on the cusp of entering a fourth ‘Golden Age’ of radio, driven by Internet-delivered forms that will offer consumers variety, personalization, and ubiquity of access. In this new era, there are going to be huge opportunities for radio professionals — in marketing, in sales, in programming, and in management — plus loads of exciting entrepreneurial opportunities as well.” -- Robert Feder
Of course, thanks to a tip from Ron Smith, WE told you all about this exciting new channel back on June 6th!!! Let's hope this thing takes off in a big way ... it's GREAT to hear some of these legendary voices back on the radio again! (kk)

re: FREDDY CANNON:
>>>I saw this item on eBay and thought you might be interested. It's a cool Freddy Cannon item ... maybe you can pass it on to him!! (Clark Besch)

HI KENT,
PLEASE THANK CLARK FOR THOSE PHOTOS ... ALSO FOR THOSE KIND WORDS. I LOVED MAKING THOSE SUMMER RECORDS.
WHATS GREAT ABOUT YOUR PAGE KENT, YOU ALWAYS DO YOU HOME WORK!
THANKS!
FREDDY BOOM BOOM CANNON
Thanks Kent. I am sure I have tons of Freddy photos (as well as most all of his 45s), so I will send these once in awhile when doing CD research. He's one of the classics. His songs really make you happy like many do not.
Clark

I had the pleasure of writing the liner notes for Freddy Cannon’s most recent compilation of his most well known tunes. Twenty five tunes in all -- right off the masters that Freddy owns. One of the facts I learned in my research is that Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone Magazine that “Brown Sugar” was inspired by Freddy’s “Tallahassee Lassie.”
Tom Cuddy

re: DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK:
Here's an interesting recording I stumbled across the other day ... it's Lulu with Paul McCartney doing a brand new track called "Inside Thing" built around Paul's classic "Let 'Em In" ... it's actually kind of a neat arrangement ... it's even got the obligatory / contemporary rap sequence!!! You gotta hear it to appreciate it! Wonder what ever happened to this thing? (Very strange ... a year or two ago we discovered a GREAT track that Macca recorded with George Michael that for, whatever reason, never made its way here Stateside ... which was better than ANYTHING he's done recently.) And this Lulu duet is pretty interesting, too! (kk)

... and, speaking of Paul McCartney ...

re: PAUL McCARTNEY:
Sir Paul celebrated his 68th Birthday last Friday ... (jeez, remember when he was 64!!! And the very THOUGHT of Paul at 64 seemed like a LIFETIME away?!?!?) ... ALL kinds of GREAT McCartney Music on the radio ... and this birthday greeting from Charlie Gracie, Jr ... (kk)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SIR PAUL McCARTNEY TODAY!
The former Beatle, responsible for writing 32 U.S. chart-toppers (24 in the U.K.), celebrates # 68 today, June 18th! Of the 500-plus songs in his catalogue, Sir Paul chose "Here, There and Everywhere" and "Blackbird" as his two personal favorites!
Philly's First Rocker, Charlie Gracie, was in London with Sir Paul a few years back when he covered one of Charlie's hits: "Fabulous," as part of his "Run Devil Run" cd series. McCartney often recalls seeing Gracie when the young Philly rocker headlined at theaters like the Liverpool Empire in the late 1950s. Notice "Fabulous" on the earliest known Beatles' set list dating from 1960 ... and auctioned off by Sotheby's for a healthy sum in the early 2000s. McCartney comments on Charlie's live performace of "Guitar Boogie" in his (Gracie's) upcoming enhanced Cd release this fall entitled: ROCK N ROLL PARTY!
Charlie Gracie, Jr.

re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
KK,

Larry Boyington here in OKC. Love your website and news on the oldies.

Got a rhetorical question for you.Through the years, people I know and sometimes I don't know, come up to me and ask me if I know the name of the artist or group that did a particular song or maybe they know the group or artist and want to know the name of a song that singer did. I like to think my knowledge of the music is above average and I help them the majority of the time. Do any of your readers occasionally write in wanting to know the title of a song, if the artist or group is know, or possibly if the title is known, then who sang it?

The past week, I have discovered on you tube videos two songs in which the person who had the website wanted to know if anyone knew the titles of the songs. Now they were both instrumentals and that makes it tougher. No lyrics to maybe come up with a title. Some instrumentals may be familiar with people but can't place a title. Also, through the years, there has been songs in which the title of the song is not included in the lyrics of the song.

Larry (aka Larry Neal, Wax Museum)
Actually, we get that a lot ... that's why we started our "Helping Out Our Readers" column ... and, with the wide range of readers, collectors, deejays, artists, historians and vinyl junkies on our list, we've developed a pretty good track record when it comes to solving many of these mysteries. Always a fun challenge ... but WE get to discover some new music along the way, too! Glad that you're enjoying Forgotten Hits! (kk)

(Watch for another "Helping Out Our Readers" Column next week on The Forgotten Hits Web Page!)

Thanks for what you are doing!
Bobby Crafford, a member of Sonny Burgess and Legendary Pacers since 1957. Our band started in 1955 and we recorded on Sun Records and we are still playing 100 dates each year.
Great to hear from you, Bobby ... please share some of your memories with our readers from time to time! (kk)

Hello Forgotten Hits,

Terrific website with terrific articles and content!

Sign me up!

Bill Turner / Blue Smoke Band
Welcome aboard, Bill! (kk)

BOY, YOUR LATEST ENTRIES SURE PACKED A PUNCH!
I THINK I PLAYED THE JERRY G. BISHOP SONG TEN TIMES IN A ROW! I COULD HEAR THE OUTSIDERS & GARY LEWIS (AMONG OTHERS) INFLUENCES IN THERE!
REGARDING YOUR SUMMER HITS LIST, HASN'T ANYONE OUT THERE HEARD OF "CRUISIN' MUSIC" BY THE RASPBERRIES OR "HOT ROD USA" BY THE RIP CHORDS? I'VE ALSO BEEN INVITED TO THE BEACH BOYS RAVINIA SHOW IN SEPTEMBER (MY FIRST IN MANY YEARS), AND FYI ..."YOU BABY" IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF TUNES I'D CHOOSE TO BRING ON A DESERT ISLAND!
REGARDING THE COWSILLS, SUCH SADNESS FOR AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED FAMILY! THEY ALSO HAPPEN TO BE PERSONAL FRIENDS, BUT GEEZ, I CAN'T THINK OF A WORSE ROCK N ROLL NIGHTMARE STORY. GOD BLESS THEM ALL!
I REMEMBER MEETING ANITA HUMES BACKSTAGE AT THE 2003 PBS TAPING, SHE WAS SO NERVOUS! AND IF WE KEEP LOSING THEM AT SUCH A QUICK PACE, MY PHOTO BOOKS WILL HAVE TO BE RE-NAMED "ROCK & ROLL HEAVEN"!!
KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK, AND I'LL SEE YOU JUNE 29TH @ THE BIONDI DEDICATION ...
MICHAEL G. BUSH
Yep, I am LOVIN' hearing that Jerry G. Bishop song again! "Cruisin' Music" by The Raspberries and "Hot Rod USA" both received Summer Favorites votes ... but nowhere near enough to make the list ... great summer songs nonetheless.
Frannie and I LOVE "You Baby" by The Turtles ... I recently asked Howard Kaylan if he sings along with it when he hears it on the radio the way the REST of the world does everytime it comes on. Incredibly, he doesn't!!! (I just don't know how that's possible!!! lol)
That really is a sad ending to the Barry Cowsill story ... some day they'll make a film about this musical family ... one NOT starring Shirley Jones and David Cassidy ... and then their music will become appreciated again for all the joy it brought us. (kk)

Be sure to visit The Forgotten Hits Web Page tomorrow to see

Your Top 40 All-Time Favorite Songs Of Summer!!!