No postings till next Wednesday (the 11th) ... so here are a few odds and ends that were still in the FH pipeline:
re: SAM COOKE: Kent: Nice issue. I forwarded it to several more people. I don't know how many people have heard of this album but it's called "Sam Cooke Interprets Billie Holiday". On my Friday night show, along with many songs that you know, I always feature a few that will be new to you. Here's "Good Morning Heartache" ... it's a knock out. I'm also sending "Blue Moon" from his Billie Holiday album ... what Soul Sam adds to this song! DJ Stu Weiss
We've featured some real Sam Cooke rarities around here lately ... most of us are familiar with Cooke's "hit" material ... and he's often been referred to as "The Man Who Invented Soul" ... but I doubt that very many of us have heard his soulful interpretation before of some of the well-known (yet LESS-known) material we've featured recently. Thanks, Stu! (kk) And be sure to check out our recent Sam Cooke tributes on the web page, too! Click here: Forgotten Hits: Forgotten Hits Remembers Sam Cooke Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Sam Cooke Tribute Continues Today In Forgotten Hits
I read the part on your post about Sam Cooke and I saw the picture of the album that had the best of Sam Cooke and I can remember that my late neighbor had a copy of it. I never asked to listen to it, but can remember looking at the records he had and seeing the same exact one in the collection. Leonora Jordan He must have been a pretty die-hard Sam Cooke fan ... I don't think this was one of Sam's more popular albums! It's amazing to find out sometimes who caught on to some of the music during the "first wave" ... many of us are music collectors and connoisseurs and, as such, have added some of this rarer music to our collections over the years, whether it be a case of curiosity or a need for "completeness" ... but kudos to anyone out there who bought this music at the time. As Sam Cooke's great-nephew Erik Greene explained to our readers: When Sam first came over to RCA from Keen Records in January of 1960, they went through an "experimental phase" while trying to develop him into a successful crossover artist, resulting in what some would consider some "odd" releases. His songs were formulated and somewhat dated, and as a result they didn't sell very well. It wasn't until Keen Records released the million-selling, Sam Cooke - Herb Alpert - Lou Adler - written single "Wonderful World," a song Keen still had the rights to, despite the fact that Sam had left the label, did RCA realize it was best to let Sam Cooke do his own thing creatively. "Chain Gang" was released that June of that year and also went on to sell more than a million copies. The rest, as they say, is history. Erik Greene
re: ELVIS:
>>>We steered clear of an Elvis Auction story that was circulating a couple of weeks ago, reportedly taking place right here in Chicago. They were supposedly auctioning off some of the medical tools used during Elvis' autopsy and embalming procedure down in Memphis ... scapels, rubber gloves, etc ... even down to the toe tag!!! It was in SUCH poor taste that we didn't run it. Word since says that the artifacts CAN'T be legit, as anything used on Elvis during his autopsy and / or embalming were sterolized and reused again and again since then. The very concept that someone would do this just to make a buck flat out makes me sick! (Of course, as soon as I said this, Frannie said "Yeah ... but having the framed toe tag WOULD be kinda cool!" lol) kk
Kent ... I read an article on Ron Smith's Oldies. The autopsy items were removed from the auction. The Funeral Home contacted the Doctor who performed the autopsy and reminded the Doctor that the items were the property of the Funeral Home and they wanted them back. The Funeral Home wants to donate them to the Funeral Directors Hall of Fame. They wouldn't do anything without the okay of Elvis' Estate. Frank B.
re: RINGO, JOHN, PAUL ... AND THE BEATLES: I heard a thing on NPR last night about what a great drummer Ringo is / was. They analyzed his style on many different songs, and had biz people making commentary. I'm sure it's a rerun, but I've never heard it before. It was really interesting and worth seeking out. I never caught what program hour it was, but anyone interested could find it on the NPR website I'm sure. Kristy
EXCLUSIVE PRE-SALE OFFER FOR OCTOBER 8 AT THE CALVIN THEATER - NORTHAMPTON, MA John Lennon would have turned 70 years of age on October 9th, 2010. On the weekend of what would have been his 70th birthday, a very special concert event entitled "Remember Lennon: Imagine 70" will be staged at the Calvin Theatre and Performing Arts Center, 19 King Street in Northampton, Mass. With one of the greatest John Lennon impersonators in existence, a world-class backing band, and audio-visual accompaniment, the show is a respectful tribute recreating the concert John may have performed had he still been with us, in a great venue where the bands "1964 The Tribute" and "The Fab Faux" have had some of their greatest live performances. With this email notice, you can purchase tickets in advance and have access to the best seats in the house. Starting on Wednesday, August 4 at 10:00 am, you can purchase pre-sale tickets through this special link: special link. Tickets to the general public go on sale Friday, August 6. For further information, call the Northampton Box Office # 413-586-8686. Don't miss "Remember Lennon: Imagine 70," a unique extraordinary musical theater experience celebrating the music, the memories and the magic of John Lennon.
Hi Kent - Enjoyed your comments on the Paul Mc Cartney Washington DC Tribute. I will always honor John Lennon as the Beatle who put the whole group together and was the leader, but Paul is definitely the ultimate song writer of the group. Other than Paul, I thought the Jonas Brothers doing "Drive My Car" was a smash!!!! Carolyn After making the comment the other day about the incredible catalog of music The Beatles put together, I started thinking about the pressure they were under, especially at the beginning and at the height of Beatlemania. Take a look at their 1963 - 1965 itinerary ... UNREAL!!! Traveling the world, doing live shows, television appearances, radio appearances ... making TWO movies ... and constantly running to stay one step ahead of the fans ... yet through this whole process, STILL writing songs that would be deemed classics some 40-50 years later. Most artists run themselves ragged the first few years because nobody believes the fame and fortune is going to last ... because, for the most part, it doesn't ... it's very fleeting. Watch old interviews with The Beatles and you'll hear Ringo talking about opening up a string of women's hair-dressing salons "once the bubble bursts" ... and Paul talking about how he and John will probably just go on writing songs for other people once their moment in the spotlight has passed. Truly, TRULY amazing! (kk)
I was at Paul McCartney's show on July 28th in Charlotte, tickets courtesy of Rock 92 (and my Rock n' Roll / Beatles / Paul / Wings knowledge)! Of course we had upper level ($42 seats), still a good view nonetheless. His show played almost exactly like the Nashville show below, except "Got To Get You Into My Life" and "I'm Looking Through You" became "Drive My Car" and "I've Just Seen A Face", respectively. Highlight of the evening was when Titantron showed a fan with her "McCartny" license plate. Mac said "Gee, ya spelled my name wrong, Luv." He should've autographed it, I say. After 2 hours and 45 minutes and 2 encores and red white and blue confetti, it was the best show I've seen all year. In fact, it was the only show of the year, unless I win tickets to another show! Mark Nemeth (Computer DJ 61) Q¿Q The fact that Paul still has the energy and enthusiasm to continue to perform for audiences all over the world is truly amazing. And what a show he puts on, too! The full Nashville set list is shown below: Venus & Mars / Rockshow Jet All My Loving Letting Go Got To Get You Into My Life Highway (The Fireman cover) Let Me Roll It The Long And Winding Road Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five Let 'Em In My Love I'm Looking Through You Tequila (The Champs cover) Two Of Us Blackbird Here Today Dance Tonight Mrs. Vandebilt Eleanor Rigby Ram On Something Sing The Changes Band On The Run Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Back in the U.S.S.R. I've Got A Feeling Paperback Writer A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance Let It Be Live And Let Die Hey Jude First Encore: Day Tripper Lady Madonna Get Back Second Encore Yesterday Helter Skelter Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) The End
>>>I'm one of that proud minority (minority??) who was watching the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh on Disney instead of the moptops on Sullivan on B-Day. I was the oldest of five siblings and, as we only had one TV, what we watched tended to skew young. Not that I'm complaining ... I loved Patrick McGoohan as Dr. Syn ... "take this gold, divide it among you!" Given the choice of the two today, I'd watch the Scarecrow in a heartbeat! (stolf)
>>>I can't say that I've ever met ANYONE who would have preferred missing The Beatles' performance on Ed Sullivan to watching some Disney movie!!! In fact, if anything, quite the opposite is true. Meeting SO many younger readers who weren't around like we were when all this cool musical stuff was happening, they are genuinely jealous of having missed what just HAS to be the most innovative time in pop music history ... and they just LOVE hearing about these experiences through our eyes (and memories) or watching the old clips via youTube or DVDs or what have you. (kk)
Regarding the Beatles versus The Scarecrow ... Well, obviously, in the wake of B-Day, the Beatles were to be a much biggest part of my life than the Scarecrow ... obviously. All's I'm saying is, for the shear nostalgic entertainment of it, today, in 2010, I would rather watch Dr. Syn, Curlew, and Hellspite than the Beatles on Sullivan. You must keep in mind that just as "everybody" was at Woodstock, "everybody" watched them on Feb 9, 1964? ... well, no, not really ... some kids weren't into pop music just yet ... most were, I guess, but certainly not all. At my house, we listened to Al Hirt, whom I love with a passion to this day! And not just the hits but the album cuts, everything. Hell, he did the theme to "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"!
You might recall the book "All Together Now" the first definitive Beatles discography, published in 1975 by Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik. In the third installment, "The End", in the bio section in the back, Walter came out of the closet and admitted he was watching the Scarecrow. Harry wasn't. Anyway, that gave me the "courage" to stand up and be counted as a true believer in Scarecrowmania ... and BTW I believe this airing was actually a repeat, but it was just as good the second time around.
Stolf
As one who WAS there, tuned in to see The Beatles on Ed Sullivan ... and I will admit that this is NOT the reason we were watching ... we watched The Sullivan Show EVERY Sunday Night ... and, as you mentioned, with only three network channels ... and only one TV ... whatever the family watched, they watched together. (I hereby dub this the "Three Channel / One TV Rule" from this point forward.)
In fact, I'm not sure I was even into the whole hype of The Beatles yet at that time ... it was all still too new. But I DO remember going to the barber shop the following day (this is back in the day when barber shops were open on Mondays!!!) and The Beatles' hair being the main topic of discussion. After our barber asked us kids if we wanted "the new Beatles cut" ... yeah, like you could even DO that with what was fashionably not much more than a flat-top back then ... my Dad (who took all three of us boys for haircuts) kidded the barber about losing a big chunk of his business should this new hair style catch on!!! (Who knew!!!) Naturally, The Beatles were the talk of the school yard the next day ... and I think by their second appearance, complete pandemonium finally kicked in. By then I had already bought their first Capitol album, the singles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" and was already wearing out the grooves in all of the above. There's been no turning back for me ever since! (kk)
re: MICKY DOLENZ: And, you think you’re having a good summer: this Wednesday afternoon, in a recording studio in Sacramento, Monkee - MICKY DOLENZ will be hosting a jam session with Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere And The Raiders); Andrew Gold (“Lonely Boy”); Jerry Corbetta (Sugarloaf, “Green Eyed Lady”); and, Monkee - band mate Peter Tork. It’s all part of a three-day music camp called myRECORDFANTASY, organized by Dolenz and Gigatone Entertaimnment, who’ll be releasing the Mickster’s first solo album in 10 years, a tribute to the songs of Carole King, called KING FOR A DAY." P.S. Gigatone just signed Todd Rundgren. -- David Salidor I can't wait to hear the new CD ... and we just might be talking to Micky Dolenz right here in Forgotten Hits about it ... so stay tuned! (kk)
I'm very much looking forward to hearing this album ... it'll be interesting to hear Brian Wilson pay homage to one of his musical heroes, a great source of inspiration to Wilson's formative years as both a musician and songwriter. (But I cannot help but wonder if this means that a Four Freshman Tribute Album is next!!!) Obviously, this is something Brian feels passionate about ... which, in turn, makes ME passionate about hearing it. Can't Wait!!! (kk)
re: CONGRATULATIONS: Yet another Chicago radio veteran is joining the all-star lineup of Chicago Radio Online. Connie Szerszen, who billed herself as “The Top Rock Girly Jock” on WJMK-FM (104.3), WIND-AM (560) and the former WSDM, among other stations, will co-host the Classic Hits Channel with the legendary Fred Winston on the free online music service. It’s the latest addition of name-brand talent assembled by Kurt Hanson and John Gehron of Chicago-based AccuRadio.com. Szerszen recently published her memoirs (appropriately titled Top Rock Girly Jock), available at toprockgirlyjock.com. -- Robert Feder Congratulations, Connie ... I know a number of local fans who will be THRILLED to hear this news. Connie's been a big supporter of our efforts here at Forgotten Hits ... hey, mention us from time to time. And Fred Winston's a FH Reader, too! (kk)
re: BOBBY HEBB:
Kent,
I am deeply saddened by Bobby's passing yesterday here in Nashville. Ironically, at the request of Michael Gray at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, I had spoken to Bobby about three months ago about going back into the studio to re-record his classic, "Sunny," along with an additional song or two. I'm sure Bobby must have been aware of the seriousness of his cancer and wanted to do another recording. From our phone conversations, I had a feeling it was to be a more 'jazz' based interpretation / style. It was just going to be three or four instruments -- but when you write a classic like "Sunny," you don't need much to sell the song. It sells itself. Bobby was born to blind musician parents and raised in Nashville. Roy Acuff, "the King of Country Music," and star of the Grand Ole Opry spanning 54 years, introduced the twelve year old singer to the Opry audience in 1950. Bobby played 'spoons' and tap danced with Acuff's "Smokey Mountain Boys." He was only the third African American to perform on the Opry ... De Ford Bailey, a star from 1926 to 1941, being the first. De Ford was inducted posthumously into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Bobby also toured with The Beatles in 1966. Another inspiring entertainer gone. Growing old ain't no fun, Kent! Fred Treasure Isle Nashville, TN 8/4/10
It's funny ... when I received your email yesterday, it was President Obama's birthday ... he turned 49 ... and it dawned on me that for the first time EVER in my life I was OLDER than The President Of The United States!!! Now that's a pretty harsh reality. (The first jolt was being TWICE as old as The Playboy Centerfolds many years ago ... then having CHILDREN older than the Centerfolds ... but this latest reality was almost too much to bear! lol)
Yep, we're all getting older ... and we have seen SO many great artists leave us recently. Sadly, sometimes this is the ONLY time these artists get played on the radio anymore ... and then we all sit back and say, "Man, that was a GREAT song!"
I hate to keep tying it back to this ... but it just further drives home the point (and importance) of recognizing these artists while they're still around to appreciate it. (Hint, hint, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!!! It seems like every year lately the induction ceremony is just weeks or months AFTER the passing of one of the inductees ... and that's just wrong. Let some of these NEW kids wait 30-40 years to get in ... and see if THEIR music is still deemed "relevant" after that amount of time!) kk
re: MITCH MILLER:
Sadly we lost someone that has added much to the music of the 50's and 60's. When you hear the name Mitch Miller, most people automatically think about the famous TV show "Sing Along With Mitch". My job will be to remember Mitch (who just passed away at age 99). There is a side to him that I want to explore besides his Sing Alongs. He was an A & R man for Columbia Records after being with Mercury Records. His dislike for rock and roll music will be remembered as I will play many songs that became hits because of him. You'll hear it all this Friday night on my show, The Pop Shoppe, airing from 7 PM till 3:01 AM only on www.topshelfoldies.org. Note: All times are eastern!!!!! (Remember my show is on for 8 hours, so order up a Pizza Pie, get some soda pop, potato chips, etc. After you consume all this, you can start a diet on Saturday.) You can just enjoy the music or even go further by joining the chatroom during the program and meet other listeners. Don't forget, you must be here Friday night because I don't want to be alone. I am Sincerely, Stu Weiss / DJ STU
Sadly, I can't think of Mitch Miller without remembering a song that, in a clever way, picked on him. It was done by The Halifax Three, one-third of which was eventual Mamas & Papas member Denny Doherty. I was first introduced to this record by Bob Shannon during his exile from CBS-FM. Can you post "The Man Who Wouldn't Sing Along With Mitch", please?
Jeff Tramiel
A GREAT ending to today's festivities ... thanks, Jeff! (I passed this one along to Scott Shannon ... maybe he'll play it, too!)
See you back on the web on Wednesday, August 11th ... and, time permitting, subscribers will also receive a special "Leftovers" Page next week via email. Thanks, Everybody! (kk)
MITCH MILLER If, like me, you were of that generation, you probably grew up watching Mitch Miller on television ... whether you wanted to or not.
Now MY family wasn't one of those who actually Sang Along With Mitch ... but there were a number of families who did! Every week they would "follow the bouncing ball" and form their own choruses in living rooms across the country in what could be described as the invention of karaoke!
Miller's program ran for four years on NBC and, while he made no secret regarding his complete disdain for rock and roll music, he was quite successful in selecting popular middle-of-the-road music for the likes of Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Rosemary Clooney, Doris Day and several others during his reign at Columbia Records. (One could say that he was quite instrumental ... pun intended ... in the success of these artists! In fact, one of the obituaries I read went so far as to credit Miller with involvement with approximately one third of ALL the hit music released in the early '50's ... an overstatement to be sure ... but probably not by much!)
Many of you were probably shocked to hear that he was still alive ... but a short while back we ran a piece in Forgotten Hits regarding the oldest living Top 40 Artists ... and Mitch was right at the top of the list. Miller passed away this past Saturday, July 31st, at the ripe old age of 99!
While he certainly helped propel other artists in their careers, he was pretty successful on his own as a recording artist, too. His "Sing Along" albums always performed well on the charts ... in fact, nearly twenty of them made Billboard's Top 20, with three of these LPs going all the way to #1 and another fourteen LPs reaching The Top Ten!
Creative titles like "Sing Along With Mitch", "More Sing Along With Mitch" and "Still More Sing Along With Mitch" went gold, as did "Christmas Sing-Along With Mitch", "Party Sing Along With Mitch", "Saturday Night Sing Along With Mitch", "Sentimental Sing Along With Mitch" and "Holiday Sing Along With Mitch"!
On the Singles Chart, he went all the way to #1 with his chorale arrangement of "The Yellow Rose Of Texas" back in 1955 ... in fact, it was Mitch Miller's record that knocked "Rock Around The Clock" out of the top spot on Billboard's Best Sellers Chart! "Theme Song from 'Song For A Summer Night'", "March From The River Kwai and Colonel Bogey" and "The Children's Marching Song" (Nick Nack Paddy Whack) were all National Top 20 Singles.
We'll feature "March From The River Kwai and Coloney Bogey" today ('cause that's one that I actually like ... see if it doesn't stick in YOUR head all day long!!!) ... and say our goodbyes to Mitch Miller. (kk)
Mitch Miller was sometimes an inspired A&R man and record producer and sometimes a schoolmarm – depending on how you feel about pop music from the 1950s and 1960s. Mitch’s influence was pervasive, because of his powerful perch at Columbia Records where he selected material for the likes of Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mathis, Patti Page and many more. But Miller and Frank Sinatra clashed - Sinatra was on his own journey toward becoming one of the first superstar artists to gain creative control (and to eventually start his own label, Reprise). Mitch didn’t much care for the noisy new rock & roll and hoped it would fade away. The New York Times suggests that his famous “sing along with Mitch” albums were a kind of antidote to rock & roll for fans of “good music.” His 1961-1964 NBC TV "Sing Along with Mitch" made his goateed and mustachioed face famous nationwide. Mitch eventually left Columbia, but he kept working as a guest conductor with orchestras well into his 80s. His early skill as an oboeist got him many plum jobs. (Here’s a radio connection – Mitch played in the CBS orchestra for Orson Welles’ 1938 live “War of the Worlds” broadcast.) Mitch died July 31 at age 99 – outlasting most of his critics. In 2000, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. -- Tom Taylor / Taylor On Radio
Producer, conductor and TV host Mitch Miller died after a short illness Monday (August 2) in a New York hospital at the age of 99. His "Sing Along With Mitch" television program on NBC cemented him as a household name from 1961-1964. But the former oboe player with the CBS Symphony had established his reputation years earlier, as an "artist and repertoire" man for Mercury -- and later Columbia -- Records, where he guided the careers of Frankie Laine, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Patti Page. His own recording (with an orchestra and chorus) of "Tzena Tzena Tzena" in 1950 reached #3 -- the first of seven top 40 hits, including "The Yellow Rose Of Texas" (#1 - 1955), "Song For A Summer Night" (#8 - 1956), "March From The River Kwai and Colonel Bogey" (#20 - 1958) and "The Children's Marching Song (Nick Nack Paddy Wack)" (#16 - 1959).
As an A&R man, his fondness for novelty tunes earned him scorn from Sinatra and a compromise with Bennett (who claims he got to record a song he liked for every tune Mitch liked). Mitch's dislike for rock 'n' roll (he once said, "Rock 'n' roll is musical baby food. It is the worship of mediocrity, brought about by a passion for conformity,") caused Columbia to fall behind many other labels when the rock era began and the bearded conductor left the label in 1965. He went on to limited success as a broadway producer but occasionally re-appeared in the spotlight as a guest conductor with various orchestras. Mitch was given a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award in 2000.
-- Ron Smith (oldiesmusic.com)
BOBBY HEBB NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bobby Hebb, whose 1966 hit "Sunny" about a smiling girl became a pop music classic, has died. He was 72. Family members and a funeral home spokesman said Hebb died Tuesday morning at Centennial Medical Center. The cause of death was not announced. At the height of "Sunny" popularity, Hebb toured with the Beatles. "Sunny" also was recorded by many other singers, including Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett and Jose Feliciano. Hebb said in several interviews that he wrote "Sunny" in response to the slaying of his brother outside a Nashville nightclub and to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a few days before. As recently as 2007, he was still writing songs and had his own publishing company and record label, Hebb Cats.
-- Celebrity Death Beeper
Bobby's biggest hit topped the Cash Box Chart back in 1966 (and was a #2 Hit in Billboard.) It recently earned quite a few of your votes as an All-Time Summer Favorite in our Forgotten Hits online poll. Bobby (like so many other artists) has been reduced to One Hit Wonder status over the years ... despite the fact that his follow-up hit ALSO made The National Top 40. Personally, I preferred "A Satisfied Mind" to "Sunny" ... but you rarely (if EVER) get to hear this one. So, while everybody ELSE is playing "Sunny" today, we'll feature "A Satisfied Mind" in Forgotten Hits ... 'cause that's what we're all about! (Now HERE's a great candidate for our "One You Know ... One You Didn't Even Know You Forgot" Feature!!!) kk
Bobby Hebb, who propelled "Sunny" to #2 Pop, #3 R&B and a gold record in 1966, died of lung cancer Tuesday (August 3) in a Nashville hospital. He was 72. Born in Nashville in 1938 to musician parents who were both blind, Bobby joined with two of his seven brothers in a vaudeville act that got them on a local TV show. This was the beginning of a remarkable career that included playing trumpet in the U.S. Navy Jazz Band (performing for Madame Chiang Kai-shek in Hong Kong), singing backup for Bo Diddley at Chess Records in Chicago, a spot on country singer Roy Acuff's show (only the third African-American to perform on the Grand Ol' Opry) and singing with Sylvia Vanderpool in a later incarnation of Micky & Sylvia. The death of Bobby's brother Harold (who had a #12 R&B hit of his own with "Rollin' Stone" as part of the Marigolds in 1955) in an attempted robbery just a day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led Bobby to write the poignantly optimistic "Sunny." It was two years before Bobby's demo of the song would earn him a recording contract and a tour with the Beatles. Bobby followed up the song with "A Satisfied Mind" (#39 Pop, #40 R&B) and "Love Me" (#84 Pop). He also wrote the Lou Rawls hit, "A Natural Man"-originally intended for a Broadway musical. He later reprised his first hit as "Sunny '76," which only reached #94 on the R&B charts tha year. -- Ron Smith / oldiesmusic.com
I knew Bobby wrote the song for his brother, but I had no idea his brother was knifed to death right here in Nashville on 11/23/63.
Robert "Tommy Dark" Tharp, one-half of the duo of Tom and Jerrio with Jerry "Jerrio" Murray, died of colon cancer July 20 at the age of 72. Tommy had been the baritone singer with Chicago's Ideals from 1952-1965. The group was best known for the local Chicago hit, "The Gorilla," which bubbled-under at #127 nationally but topped out at #19 on the WLS Chicago chart in 1964. The following year, Robert hooked up with Windy City producer and promoter Jerrio Murray in a Detroit-based duo, recording "Boo-Ga-Loo" for ABC-Paramount Records. He named himself "Tommy Dark" on the advice of American Bandstand's Dick Clark. "Boo-Ga-Loo" reached #47 on the Pop charts and #11 R&B that spring and spawned the similar sounding "Great Goo-Ga-Moo-Ga" (#123 Pop) later that summer. Though they helped create the Boogaloo dance craze they were sued by Motown's Barry Gordy over authorship of that first song and saw other tunes surpass theirs on the charts, most notably "Boogaloo Down Broadway." Jerrio went on to record solo as Jerry-O, while Tom retired from performing, becoming Gene Chandler's valet, chauffeur and later road manager before working in a pet products business.
Al (Albert Willie) Goodman, who sang bass in the Moments and later as part of its successor -- Ray, Goodman & Brown -- died of a heart attack Monday (July 26) in a Hackensack, New Jersey, hospital where he had gone for undisclosed tests. It's reported the 63 year-old Jackson, Mississippi, native had also been battling liver disease. Al, Harry Ray and Billy Brown were brought in by Sylvia Robinson's Stang Records to replace the original Moments group in 1969 (though early records featured a variety of old and new members). That group had already charted with "Not On The Outside." The new group's re-recording of "Love On A Two-Way Street" establish them as the definitive Moments, reaching #3 Pop and #1 R&B in 1970. It was followed by such R&B hits as "If I Didn't Care" (#44 Pop, #7 R&B -1970) and "All I Have" (#56 Pop, #9 R&B -1971) and "Sexy Mama," which topped at #17 Pop and #3 R&B in 1974. All in all, the different incarnations of the Moments scored 15 charted Pop and 28 R&B songs from 1969 to 1981. Creative differences with Sylvia however, led to their own departure in 1979, when they were forced to rename themselves Ray, Goodman & Brown. Signing with Polydor Records, they struck gold with their first recording -- "Special Lady" (#5 Pop, #1 - R&B -1980), following it up with two more Pop chart records and nine more R&B hits, including "Take It To The Limit" (#8, R&B -1987). Harry left the group briefly for a solo career in the '80s and died in 1992, but Al and Billy continued performing, even backing Alicia Keyes on her songs in the last decade.
And one from sick bay ...
Lead singer Rob Grill was hospitalized recovering from a collapsed lung and pneumonia and did not appear with the Grass Roots at Friday night's (July 30) Hippiefest in Daytona, Florida. No announcement of his replacement was apparently made, however.
re: SAM COOKE / HITS OF THE '50's: Hello Kent, Maybe you could help me. I am searching for a version of 'Unchained Melody' that was recorded by Sam Cooke. I forget where I read about it, but once I learned of it, I wished I had it. Ha Ha Gee! What a tease, telling us about the long lost, never heard songs of Sam Cooke ... please share. At least the Unchained Melody tune. I have a fondness for that song and have about seven different versions, including the great, uptempo Vito & the Salutations version mentioned earlier on your site. I would love to hear his interpretation. Sweet Dreams Charlie Fraser I can take a hint!!! Well, thanks to our new FH Buddy Martijn over at Click here: Welcome To The Songs of Sam Cooke, we now have a copy to share with our readers ... so now we can ALL enjoy it! (kk)
Funny to read the July 28th edition of Forgotten Hits and find somebody looking for "You You You" by Sam Cooke. I often thought I was the only one that found that long play album several years ago. I have played several cuts from the lp on my show. Although it's not Sam Cooke's usual style, it is a nice album. For Sam Cooke fans (if you can find it) there is an album that I have where The Supremes remember Sam Cooke. I've never heard it played on an oldies station, but it sure is a nice tribute to Sam. I really love that album. DJ Stu Weiss "The Supremes Remember Sam Cooke" is ANOTHER long out-of-print release. (You can pick up a used copy of the CD on Amazon.com if you've got an extra $85 you don't know what to do with!!! lol) I've never heard this CD ... pick one of your favorites and we'll feature it on the website!!! Meanwhile, I DID find a copy of The Supremes doing Sam's biggest hit "You Send Me" (kk)
Over the years, many artists sang a song or two that were originally hits by Sam Cooke. I treasure this long play album that I have called "We Remember Sam Cooke" by The Supremes. Here is one of my favorite cuts "Only Sixteen". It is a really fantastic album by the girls. We lost such a great talent when we lost Sam. Who knows what other greatness the man could have given us over the years.
Kent, Do you think anyone be kind enough to provide a scan of the album cover for this ,"Hits of the 50's" Album?? Thanks Conrad Barraett Here's a scan of the import CD ... (same cover as the album but unfortunately now ALSO out of print!) I found a number of copies of the LP on eBay ... and, like I said, was fortunate enough to pick up a copy for just $7.99! (kk)
re: PAUL McCARTNEY / THE BEATLES: I watched most of the Paul McCartney tribute Wednesday nite, (switching back and forth between it and the White Sox). First of all, I have to say Macca's voice has held up relatively well over the years. You could hear some minor straining, but all in all, not bad. Next, he's got a great band ... I think I like it better than his first band ... and much more so than Wings. If anyone thought that Ebony & Ivory was a dumb song back in 1982, they should have had their suspicions confirmed watching Paul & Stevie do it live. How did Stevie get roped into it either time?!? His take on his cover of We Can Work It Out was great. I can take or leave the Jonas Brothers, but I think I now understand our parents feelings when most of us went gaga over the Beatles. The Jonas Brothers belong to another generation and I hope they serve them as well as our musical heroes have served us. I agree that their take on Drive My Car was far better than what might have been expected. Sometime back when we were talking about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Awards induction ceremony, I made mention that Faith Hill would have been a great 70s pop vocalist. Sadly this is 2010. After watching here do The Long And Winding Road, I'm convinced that she should be a pop singer, because she doesn't sing country as it is now. Emmylou Harris has always been a big Beatles fan. She covered Here There & Everywhere on one of her early LPs. Most of the other performances were fair to middlin' except for Dave Grohl's take on Band On The Run. You gotta wonder, given the success of the Foo Fighters and lack of success of the other two surviving members of Nirvana, plus the fact that Nirvana didn't take off until Dave had joined the band, who really is responsible for Nirvana's success? Perhaps Macca's band should hook up with Dave Grohl. Outside of the Jonas Brothers and Dave Grohl, no one attempted any out and out rockers. I exempt Stevie Wonder because he had already recorded We Can Work It Out, so he was familiar with it. Who decides on what performers to invite to the tribute and I wonder who declined for one reason or another? All in all, it was a good nite ... the Sox won. Jack Rock And Roll Never Forgets I think Stevie Wonder did a GREAT job on "We Can Work It Out" ... I cannot help but wonder when the last time was that he performed it ... possibly not since 1971!!! (But I ALWAYS liked his version ... he REALLY changed it up from its original drudge tempo!!!) Dave Grohl did quite a good job on "Band On The Run" ... and you're right, Faith Hill has pretty much bored me to sleep during her last few televised performances. The thing is, I really like her hits ... I said HITS!!! ... and even listened to her Greatest Hits CD in the car for a week straight ... but she just shows NO enthusiasm or emotion for the material she's been performing lately when trying to cover some of these long-standing pop hits. "Ebony And Ivory" certainly qualifies as one of the worst songs ever to make it to #1 ... speaking of which, have you voted in Rich Appel's "Least-Deserving #1's" Poll yet??? (More info below) And yes, McCartney's band ROCKS ... they've been together for a while now ... and they provided the PERFECT backdrop to all these other performers. It's a pretty amazing statistic to think that Macca has written (or cowritten) over 200 charted songs ... and that if all his hits were run back-to-back consecutively, it would put him on the charts for 31 straight years!!! Is there ANYBODY out there who couldn't sing along, word for word, with EVERY song performed that night??? Flat out amazing! And while the novelty and phenomena of The Beatles may have been the initial spark that got the band rolling, the legacy of their songwriting is what has lasted for nearly 50 years ... what other artists have EVER put together this strong a catalog, so open to interpretation. Glad to see he was finally recognized for his efforts ... he clearly deserves it! (kk)
PAUL McCARTNEY DELIGHTS IN HIS FIRST-EVER NASHVILLE SHOW
(click photo to enlarge ... this is an absolutely AWESOME shot!!!)
Paul McCartney, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee, July 26th, 2010
A Paul McCartney concert makes up for every bad show you’ve ever seen in your life. Seriously. Before it starts, a McCartney megamix with “Say, Say, Say,” and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” plays on the house speakers, as a Beatles montage scrolls down the screen — kind of weird, but then, McCartney is music. Why play anything else? The thought crosses my mind: What if Paul McCartney played only Paul McCartney and Wings songs, then said “All right, goodnight!” What a let down that would be. But that wasn’t the case. McCartney starts out the concert like it’s an encore; he comes out and soaks up the cheers for a good 30 seconds, then launches into an acoustic number, which quickly becomes electric. The song he’s playing turns out to be Wings’ “Rock Show”: They’ve got long hair at the Madison Square / You’ve got rock and roll at the Hollywood Bowl ... We’ll be there . . . Ooh yeah . . . . From where I sit, (section one, row 9) the sound is pretty, pretty good. Up close, Paul looks to be about 40 years old (he’s 68) – all those veggie burgers must be working out for him – and he’s got “playful” written all over his face. Then there’s his band: the drummer, who resembles Buddha with his big belly, bald head, and twin hoop earrings; Rusty Anderson, the long time McCartney guitarist who just put out his own solo album, Born On Earth. The keyboard player, who’s in charge of providing the horns and string sections as well (you know he must be rocking some pretty sweet gear). And then there’s the guy I dub the Silver Fox, who plays bass, rhythm and lead guitar, and can rock a smile all throughout a song like “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.” “It’s great to be back,” McCartney says, cryptically (while he lived here for six weeks on Curly Putman’s farm in the 70’s, this is his first ever Nashville show, if you can believe that). “It’s such a cool scene, I’m going to take a second here just to take it all in, for myself.” Then he slams into “All My Loving,” while vintage images of screaming girls in the throes of Beatlemania are projected behind him. He takes time during the song to nod and wink to a fan in the front row holding up a sign for that very song. “Why do I get the feeling we’re going to have some fun here tonight?” he asks afterwards. During the next song, a Wings tune I’m not familiar with, I glance behind me to see a little rocker kid in his father’s arms, who’s singing along earnestly to the chorus: “oh, I feel like letting go.” (Hopefully not in his pants.) Weird indication we’re in 2010 – images of Beatles Rock Band Paul appear behind McCartney during “Got To Get You Into My Life,” a performance which is both blistering and ecstatic. Macca flubs a lyric, which he later explains is because he was busy reading the handmade signs in the crowd. Even though he tries not to, he says, there’s a little voice in his head telling him “go on, read them.” Then there’s Paul McCartney, historical figure. At the tail end of “Let Me Roll It,” the band starts riffing on “Foxy Lady,” which prompts McCartney to tell a story about how he watched Jimi Hendrix cover “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in a club, a mere two days after the record came out. Except he took a big whammy bar solo, which caused his guitar to go out of tune. “Where’s Eric,” Hendrix asked when it was over; Eric Clapton was also there, cringing down. “Can you tune my guitar for me?” After “I’m Looking Through You,” the band launches into a goofy, almost discordant Latin jazz riff, later revealed to be not some obscure Wings song, but a cover of the Champs’ “Tequila.” “I don’t know why we’re doing this,” laughs Paul as they bring it to a merciful close. Fourteen songs in, and things are pretty amazing, and the stage hasn’t even exploded yet (that’ll come later). Standing at the front with an acoustic guitar, he starts a rap about how he wrote this next song for people in in places where they didn’t have hope, so that they’d know what freedom was about. For a second, I get nervous, thinking he’s about to bust out “Freedom,” his post- 9/11 summer camp sing-along (I’m not a fan). Maybe he’s pulling it out special just for patriotic Nashville? But it turns out he’s actually introducing “Blackbird,” and you can’t go wrong with that. Any student guitar player’s greatest challenge, “Blackbird” doesn’t look so difficult when it’s Paul McCartney playing it. “All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.” Next, he starts talking about how sometimes you want to tell somebody something, but you end up waiting, and then it’s too late. This song, he says, is for my friend John, and gives the crowd ample time to cheer for John Lennon, as the house lights go up. It’s an extremely powerful moment, and McCartney’s falsetto-laden performance of “Here Today,” another song I’ve never heard before, is easily one of the night’s highlights. Speaking of highlights, McCartney whips out a ukulele for “Something” (“let’s hear it for Georgie!”), and sings a few verses solo, before the whole band kicks in, and the song morphs into the full-on, stereophonic version. It’s thrilling. You almost forget that Paul didn’t sing it originally, it sounds so perfect. You can play all the Wings songs you want after that; concert nirvana has been reached. Instead, he busts out “Sing The Changes,” which turns out to be a thoroughly enjoyable number from his latest solo album, Electric Arguments. By this point, we’re twenty-two songs in, and McCartney is becoming more animated as the night goes on. How many 68-year-olds can do anything for three hours straight, let alone give an epic rock concert for an arena full of fans? He fires off a tasty guitar solo in “I’ve Got A Feeling,” perhaps the hardest rocking Beatles song on record when you really get down to it. Oh yeah, he’s not just the greatest songwriter of his generation and a brilliant bassist; he plays a mean guitar as well. Encore time (or at least it would be, if he ever left the stage). “If you wonder why we’re switching up these guitars all the time….it’s because we’re showing off,” he jokes, before pulling out the original guitar he used to record “Paperback Writer” on, in order to better play “Paperback Writer.” “A Day In The Life” is a sublime song choice, but the transition into Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance” is jarring. This is 2010; nobody’s giving peace a chance. But we probably should. One more time… “Let It Be,” which can come off as hokey, can still make a grown man cry. And to paraphrase Bob Dylan (“nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell”), nobody can sing “Hey Jude” like Paul motherfucking McCartney. I start to deeply wish my own Dad was here to see this. A child of the Sixties, the Beatles are one of of the few bands he still likes; I learned to enjoy rock and roll from listening to his Fab Four records. He always preferred George, but I’m pretty sure by the end of the night, he’d have a new favorite Beatle. And then it’s time for Paul McCartney and his exploding stage. “Live And Let Die,” his most bombastic tune, comes complete with fireworks and pyro shooting from the stage. That’ll get your heart going again, should it have somehow stopped. The strange thing about seeing a Paul McCartney concert is, after three hours, you actually feel lighter, your feet hurt less — buoyed on by Paul’s constant smiles and some of the greatest music ever committed to tape. “You little rockers, you,” he says coyly, before busting out an amped-up rendition of “Lady Madonna.” “You really love your music in this town.” I could go on. Like how he pulled up a young teenage boy from Mexico onstage with him to boogie during “Get Back,” and it was somehow, magically, not cheesy at all, but the most heartwarming thing ever (“Glenn Beck would have had a field day with that!” I overhear one skeptic remark as we’re leaving the arena). Or how he invited a trembling woman onstage to sign the Hofner bass she’d had tattooed on her back, before melting the arena with “Helter Skelter” (the other hardest rocking song in the Beatles catalog). I’ll just say this: in the end, Paul McCartney is now my favorite Beatle too.
--submitted by Dinman McCartney is a well-seasoned, consumate performer. Even at The White House he joked about possibly becoming the first rock star ever to be punched out by a President when he sang and dedicated "Michelle" to The First Lady (or, as Joan Rivers likes to call her, "Blackie-O"!!!) Near the end of the set, McCartney joked that they quite enjoyed performing here "and are thinking of making it a regular thing." And even Obama got in a good quip when remarking that McCartney was using the very same Hofner Bass Guitar that he played in The Beatles, noting that Paul first purchased the guitar "for about thirty francs ... but I imagine it's worth quite a bit more than that now."
And, speaking of The Beatles ... here's a new release I hadn't heard about ... read the review to see what you think ... kind of an interesting idea, I guess ... (in an Eddie and the Cruisers sort of way!!!)kk
Good Afternoon / Morning / Evening all my fellow Beatles-Freaks!
I finally took a moment and sat down to write a review of the movie 'Let Him Be'. Before you write this movie off as another ploy to cash in on our beloved Beatles, read my review: Review: Let Him Be (movie) - http://beatles-freak.com/2010/07/22/review-let-him-be-movie/
I hope you enjoy my review and if you get the chance, I hope you enjoy this movie.
Best, Jennifer Vanderslice (and the I-BFD Team)
More Beatles-related news below in our "Up-And-Coming ... And Recent Events" section as we talk about the remaining dates on this year's Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band Concerts ... and their brand new CD / DVD release! (kk)
Speaking of celebrity auctions, we steered clear of an Elvis Auction story that was circulating a couple of weeks ago, reportedly taking place right here in Chicago. They were supposedly auctioning off some of the medical tools used during Elvis' autopsy and embalming procedure down in Memphis ... scapels, rubber gloves, etc ... even down to the toe tag!!! It was in SUCH poor taste that we didn't run it. Word since says that the artifacts CAN'T be legit, as anything used on Elvis during his autopsy and/or embalming were sterolized and reused again and again since then. The very concept that someone would do this just to make a buck flat out makes me sick! (Of course, as soon as I said this, Frannie said "Yeah ... but having the framed toe tag WOULD be kinda cool!" lol) kk
re: THAT WENT TO #1?!?!?: Here's another quick plug for Rich Appel's upcoming Hz So Good Poll: THE 50 LEAST-DESERVING NUMBER ONE SONGS.
It doesn't take a chart nut to say "THAT went to #1???" Here's your chance to sound off on this. But check any genre or artist biases at the door. You've got to come up with a better reason than that to explain why any song didn't deserve its at-least-one-week atop the pops. Blame the LCD, payola, artists in 'superstar mode' ... whatever you think will make your case. You've got until Labor Day weekend. Let the games begin!
re: UP-COMING AND RECENT EVENTS: I've got a Radio Special coming up with Mark 'Hoss' Amans that will include the music of Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Robbs, Billy Hinsche, The Viceroys, The Who - The Butts Band (Robbie Krieger & John Densmore) on August 7th & 8th --- just to let you know --- Mason Ramsey / Rock And Roll Heaven We ran a few plugs for Hoss' book project a while back here in Forgotten Hits, hoping to get some support from our readers to help him secure a publishing deal ... it's certainly a book that I would like to read. (In fact, we even had some comments from Mark Lindsay and Gary Puckett, whom Hoss had worked with back in the day.) Haven't heard any more as to how that's developing, but we certainly wish him well. Here's a "Listen Live" link for Mason's Radio Station ... where he regularly features "Music Of The Ages" for your listening enjoyment (kk): Click here: RockandRollHeaven.net
Hi Kent!
You probably already know about my radio interview with Mason coming up on the 7th and 8th of Aug. I am sending you a write-up on my manuscript that was done by Lance Monthly. Give me a shout. Thanks, Hoss
Hoping things are moving forward for you with your book project ... I know an awful lot of oldies music fans out there who would LOVE reading about your adventures! (Would love to listen to the special but we're traveling again that whole weekend and will be away from the computer. Other interested readers can tune in and listen via the "Listen Live" link provided above.) kk
AND, AS PROMISED, HERE'S THE LATEST SUMMER TOUR UPDATE from RINGO STARR:
The summer tour with the 11th All Starr Band tour featuring Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page, Wally Palmar, Rick Derringer and Gregg Bissonette continues and everyone is having a great time! Remaining dates for this summer below.
VIP Ticket Package Includes:- One premium reserved ticket located within the first (10) rows of the stage- Exclusive Ringo Starr Concert Shirt- Collectible Fillmore Style Tour Poster (numbered, limited to ticket packages)- $25 store coupon to the official Ringo Starr on-line store- Commemorative Tour Laminate
AND, SPEAKING OF RINGO'S UP-COMING APPEARANCE AT THE GREEK THEATER, CHECK THIS OUT ... RINGO's NEW 'LIVE AT THE GREEK THEATRE 2008' DVD / CD IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Ringo and His 10th All Starr Band performed their last show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles California on August 2, 2008. With stars above them and all around them, they played an exuberant set that included highlights spanning Ringo's entire career, from Beatles classics to solo hits. The show at the Greek was the culmination of a fantastic summer playing music on the road.Hip-O / UMe are proud to announce the release of the Ringo Starr's All Starr Band "Live At The Greek Theatre 2008," on CD and DVD, also available in 5.1 Surround Sound. More than a memento of a wonderful show, this is a remarkable playlist of music you know and love which is enhanced by the pleasure the musicians had playing it, and the fun the audience had hearing it. Each All Starr Tour is unique, a collection of individual musicians who have never come together before and played as this particular band. So each version of their hits has a quality that is distinct to this specific group. There is a palpable exuberance and joy that comes through every one of these remarkable songs.
You can catch Sam Lit Broadcasting Live All Summer on Sunday Nights
HyLitRadio Live Broadcast Oldies Party
Every Sunday Night, 7 pm - 12 Midnight at
The South Philly Bar and Grill
9th & Passyunk,
1235 East Passyunk Avenue
in Philadelphia
Be sure to check it out! Kent, Forgot whether we had let you know that The Tygers will be opening for The Grass Roots and Three Dog Night at the Wisconsin State Fair Main Stage on August 13th at 8:00 PM. I believe Billy will be sending a formal press release in a few days but thought I would give you a heads up.
Lanny
The Tygers Actually, yes, we mentioned this show a few weeks back ... congratulations on a great gig ... wish we could be there to see this one ... what a killer line-up! Meanwhile, here is Billy's official release (kk):
Milwaukee Music Legends The Tygers To Open For The Grass Roots and Three Dog Night At Wisconsin State Fair
7/30/2010 - Milwaukee, WI - With the recent success of Milwaukee music legends The Tygers' latest CD 'Second Album', the band will be debuting their live show this August much to the anticipation of music aficionados around the world. The Tygers will be performing with fellow sixties legends The Grass Roots and Three Dog Night on August 13th on the main stage at the Wisconsin State Fair Park, starting at 8:00 PM.
After a 40 year hiatus, The Tygers have released their follow-up album aptly titled 'Second Album'. "Releasing a solid debut album is one of the tougher accomplishments in the music industry," says Drew Olson of OnMilwaukee.com. "The only thing more difficult, it seems, is making a good sophomore disc. The old saying in the recording industry holds that bands have 'a lifetime to make the first record and six weeks to make the second.' The Tygers broke that mold ... and it only took 40 years!"
The tale of The Tygers is one of the great "one that got away" rock 'n' roll stories of all time. Back in 1967 Tony’s Tygers, comprised of five Milwaukee teenagers (Tony Dancy, Craig Fairchild, Dennis Duchrow, Fred Euler and Dave Kuck) entered and won the Wisconsin State Battle of the Bands, sponsored by the Jaycees. As a result, local pop music impresario Jon Hall became their manager. The Tygers went on to Boston to compete in the National Battle of the Bands, where one of the judges was Les Paul. He immediately took an interest in the group and decided to visit them in their hotel room. He played for them on Tony’s Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar, and exclaimed to the band, “I haven’t been this excited about a band since I saw The Young Rascals when they were starting out in New Jersey.” Les Paul invited Tony and the boys to come and stay at his home in Mahwah, New Jersey, where he wanted to produce a record with them. The Tygers placed 3rd in the nation and soon after their return to Milwaukee, Les Paul came to town and met with the band at Tony’s house. He made his pitch to the band members' parents and to Jon Hall, but Jon, realizing that he had a hot property, refused to give anything up or make any sort of deal with Les. Reportedly, Les Paul confessed that he couldn’t work with the band's manager in any event. Likewise, the parents were indecisive. Sadly the whole thing eventually fell through. Why did the parents and the band allow such a golden opportunity to slip away? We’ll never know.
In early 1968 The Tygers ventured into RCA Studios in Chicago and recorded “Little By Little” and another Dancy - Duchrow composition, “Days and Nights”, in two hours. Jon Hall released the record locally on his Teen Town label and with the support of WOKY’s Bob Barry, the number one disc jockey in Wisconsin (the guy that brought The Beatles to Milwaukee), the record soared up the charts to #2. Only The Monkees “Valleri” prevented the song from hitting #1 in March of 1968. Upon the success of The Tygers new single, Herb Alpert, head of A&M Records, bought the master and released the single on A&M, making it a national record. In the March 2, 1968 issue of Billboard magazine, “Little By Little” was picked as a Spotlight Single. The write-up declared: “A hot master out of Milwaukee, purchased by A&M, features the third place winners in the nationwide Battle of the Bands contest. The easy-beat rocker is aimed right at the teen market and should spread fast nationally.” Jack Devaney of Record World magazine raved in his Coast Capers column on March 16, 1968: " 'Little By Little” A&M’s Tony’s Tygers will take the nation by storm.”
In order to “strike while the iron is hot”, The Tygers rushed to create a debut album but did so without the services of their lead arranger and singer Tony, who was ill. The album failed to gain traction and the record deal evaporated. Duchrow left for the Vietnam War, two other members left for personal reasons and the remaining four members - Tony Dancy, Craig Fairchild, Lanny Hale and Fred Euler - kept up the fight for a few years, only to find frustration. Hale was accepted into medical school and became a cutting-edge ophthalmologist. Euler left to pursue a very successful career in hotel management. Dancy and Fairchild headed for California, where they created music for "The Brady Bunch" and "The Flintstones." Dancy reformed The Tygers, with new and old members, for shows in the 1980s and '90s. About a year ago, Dancy and Fairchild gathered at Hale's home studio and began working on the long-awaited follow-up record, 'Second Album'.
"It wasn’t easy to have a hit record in Milwaukee back in the 60s, not even locally. The music charts were dominated by the East and West Coasts and the British Invaders. The Tygers were one of the few local groups to make the charts. When I appeared on stage with The Tygers back in the '60s and '70s we had a lot of fun. Now that we’re older, does that mean we can’t have that same fun again? It’s about time we bring all of those good times back with 'The Tygers Second Album'. Then is now, yesterday is today. The music we enjoyed then we can enjoy today, only it’s brand new. However I say it guys and gals, moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas …THIS IS OUR MUSIC! - “Beatle” Bob Barry on The Tygers new album
Here's what the press have been saying about The Tygers 'Second Album':
"First and foremost, this is a great album: 10 fast paced, kinda-country, faintly-folky, sorta-soft-rocky cuts that put you in mind of a host of forebears, none so much as late-period 10cc (the harmonies and bounce), with a dash of Raspberries, Steely Dan and The Beach Boys thrown in for luck." - Dave Thompson, Goldmine Magazine
"The Tygers' Second Album isn't exactly a trip down memory lane either. Rather this work is more like 'then is now' or yesterday is today.' I can't think of anyone attempting to revitalize this vintage rock (whether they are young or original artists). Most bands like The Tygers are playing that 'oldies' circuit, reliving past glory, and not attempting to do anything new. Kudos should be reserved for The Tygers simply because they're composing their music again." - Craig Hartranft, Danger Dog Music Reviews
“Outstanding, smooth, polyphonic vocal phrases that sound like in the bloom of youth, but not as of old masters. The result is more than amazing - a perfect nostalgia album!. Pop songs that could come from the original period 1967 - 1970 and so includes almost everything that was then successfully produced between the Mersey River and the West Coast for the charts.” - Rocktimes, Germany
"With a disc length of thirty-four minutes and twenty-seven seconds, if this were a prog rock album, I’d have to complain about the length of the disc. Yet, while I would love more Tygers, I still find myself satiated. This pleasant surprise trip down memory lane is the perfect thing for when you have one of those days when you are constantly reminded that it’s 2010 and your life is soooooo much more difficult." - Jeff Boule, Looney Tunes CDs
"Nearly forty years on, The Tygers have been rediscovered like some rare prehistoric creature (Sabre tooth perhaps), and many classic rock supporters are finding out that this lot aren't toothless after all! The band model their sound on the rich harmony vocals from the 60's and 70's a la Crosby Stills And Nash and Poco, some down country rockin' that Credence Clearwater Revival wouldn't be ashamed to own, plus the godfathers of 60's pop - The Beatles." - Glory Daze
"It's like they've never been gone, and if nostalgia pervades the steel-guitar-awashed country rock of the opener "How Long Does It Take", for the most part the adult experience is well hidden behind the youthful sunshine swirl so prominent in the surf-ey "Girl Like You" twist, with "Never Too Late" taking an infectious foray into the music hall territory thanks to its piano strut. Harmonies reign here, but there's also the predatory "Night Walker" with its ominously plonking bass and a creepy crunchy pace of the brass-oiled "Voo Doo" that are impossible not to love, too. Always tongue-in-cheek but never going for pastiche, it's one of the most adorable records of 2010." - Let It Rock
The Tygers today feature: Tony Dancy - vocals, guitars and keyboards, Lanny Hale - vocals and guitar, and Craig Fairchild - vocals, piano and B3 organ. The Tygers 'Second Album' showcases an array of musical styles and intelligent themes throughout, with lush vocal harmonies, catchy hooks, and exciting arrangements and performances, all wrapped in a top notch production by the band. The influence of many of The Tygers contemporaries, like CSN&Y, Poco, Buffalo Springfield and Simon &Garfunkle, can be heard throughout the band's music, whether by conscious effort or not. The pedal steel featured on “How Long Does It Take” is by Kenny Knoll, who has toured with such greats as Faron Young, Ferlin Husky, The Browns, Carl Smith, Crystal Gayle, Marty Robbins and Dottie West. The sophisticated horn arrangements were by Joe Turano, who was a Tyger in the 1960s along with Tony, Craig and Lanny. Joe went on to tour with Michael Bolton for a number of years and is currently musical director for Al Jarreau. Joe replaced some of Tony’s synthetic horn arrangements with live horns and created fresh arrangements for other songs.The Tygers Second Album CD can be obtained through iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster and soon on CD Baby, as well as the band's official website. A limited vinyl edition of the new CD is also available through the band's website.
Did you get a chance to listen to The "First And Foremost" Weekend on The True Oldies Channel this weekend? Lots of fun ... and hopefully a new semi-regular series ... great to hear some of these first efforts alongside the artists' biggest hit. (I'm sure we could come up with dozens more to help keep the feature fresh each time it runs!)
And we saw some of you out at the WLS-FM / True Oldies Channel CD Launch Party out in Oak Brook, too.
Some of the Highs and Lows:
Things got off to a very slow ... and late ... start ... although most of the crowd hadn't settled in yet at ten minutes to three, things certainly filled up later, especially when it came time to get copies of the new CD autographed by WLS-FM Personalities Dave Fogel, Danny Lake, Greg Brown (who showed up fashionably late, thanks to a flat tire on the way in!) and Dick Biondi, CLEARLY the crowd favorite ... and most animated of all the jocks there (despite that fact that he's nearly twice as old as some of them!!!) Quite honestly, a couple of the jocks looked bored to tears!!! But Biondi NEVER turned it down a notch ... he was running at Top Speed the whole afternoon ... and the crowd absolutely loved him! (This is REALLY Dick's year ... recently the City of Chicago dedicated "Dick Biondi Way" to the broadcasting legend, who also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his very first Chicagoland WLS Radio Broadcast a few months back!)
In addition to starting nearly 25 minutes late, they launched the afternoon with a bunch of boring speeches by the sponsors and the benefactor of the proceeds, Children's Home And Aid. While you certainly need to acknowledge these folks, another 30 minutes of doing so before ANYTHING interesting went on left most of the audience bored as well. Another mistake, while waiting for the band to set up, was not featuring some of the music from the CD ... in fact, at NO point during the entire proceedings was this music featured, save for an impromptu performance of Dick Biondi's "The Pizza Song" by Biondi and long-time friend Ronnie Rice. (Promote, promote, guys ... tease the audience a little bit with the music playing in the background and I'll bet a few more folks will pick up a copy just so they can go home and listen to the whole thing!)
Especially embarrassing was the check presentation ($5000??? Really ... that was the best you guys could do?!?!?) and, even more so, the fact that on the Borders Book Calendar upfront they promoted the whole event as "The Drive's CD Party" ... jeez, they didn't even have the name of the radio station right!!!
Highlights (without question) was the band "August", who performed an incredibly rousing set of soulful classics ... at 13 pieces, these guys found the PERFECT blend of material to entertain the crowd ... and there really wasn't ANYTHING they couldn't play. Definitely worth checking out if you get the chance to see them. (In fact, Biondi invited them to perform at his annual Toy Drive in December right there on the spot!)
Hopefully future CD release parties will be a little more organized ... and the song selection a little more varied from what you're likely to hear every time you turn the station on anyway. Does anybody REALLY need another copy of "My Girl", "I'm A Believer", "Vehicle", "Good Vibrations", "Saturday In The Park", "I Want You Back" or "Oh, Pretty Woman" in their collection ... especially when you're likely to hear at least one of these songs every hour on the radio anyway??? (I heard several folks say that they didn't "really need this CD" but bought a copy anyway, just to have it signed by the jocks on hand ... and the fact that the money was going to a good cause. Put a few tunes on there that folks might want a copy of for their personal collection and you'll see sales increase that way, too. That being said, it WAS nice to see a couple of WLS-centric tracks included: the "WLS rolled me" version of Reunion's "Life Is A Rock" and the Dick Biondi classic "The Pizza Song".)
Simple suggestions for the next volume: Liven things up with a tighter-paced, more deejay-driven show ... and a little more challenging CD song list ... and this could turn into a very successful series of releases for the station. (kk)
Latest station to enter the CD business -- WLS!!
Biondi is on FM so his 45 as well as the WLS version of "Life is a Rock (But WLS Rolled me) is on it!! I have asked a buddy in Chicago to pick up a copy if he can.
I have a great copy of the History of WLS 25th Anniversary Special which Scott Childers produced. It also has Life Is A Rock. I also picked up the Walgreens distributed The Lost 60s. Have Dick Biondi's last show on WLS from May 2, 1963 (which I got of EBay) Also have the WCFL Tribute from August, 1979 Bill WLSSurvey@aol.com
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
KK: You rock brother! Thank you for all you do! Wild Bill
I have been reading your site updates on a regular basis. It is a great site. Best Shawn
Hello Kent, The Forgotten Hits blog is a truly wonderful site in its mission to keep the legacy alive with respect to the music that sustains so many of us baby boomers and younger folks alike. Thanks so much for this labor of love which has attracted such a diverse group of people. One of the features that has drawn me in are the interesting facts and information that put me more in touch with the artists and music of the 50s and 60s. I have also learned a lot from the Spectropop site over the past 9 years. However, many of their posts concern artists, groups and songs / labels that were not played on rock radio. The difference in your site is that there is a lot more focus is on artists and groups that are familiar to many people: Sam Cooke, Hermans Hermits etc. There is a place for both, the obscure and the familiar and you really cover both areas very well and thoroughly. I plan to review some of the blog archives in the next week or so and look forward to a healthy dose of nostalgia and much absorption. Thanks so much for taking time to do this. Best Regards, Justin McDevitt
