re: HOW TO MAKE A HIT RECORD:
>>>How Vinyl Records Are Made – If they could only tell us how Hit Records are made, that would be something. (Frank B.)
One of your readers wanted to know or wondered how to make a "hit record" ...
I believe Brook Benton answered that question back in 1962 on Mercury records.
Larry Neal
He sure did ... with one of MY favorites, too! (Talk about your Forgotten Hits!!!) You know, when oldies radio first started back in the early '70's, one of the most-played oldies I remember was "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton ... in fact, it was how I first discovered this tune. Today, the ONLY song you're likely to hear by Brook is "Rainy Night In Georgia", a #2 Hit from 1970. That means oldies radio has chosen to ignore 26 of Brook Benton's Top 40 Hits that came before it ... and that's just WRONG!!! You've probably heard his duets with Dinah Washington in a movie or two ("Baby, You've Got What It Takes", #2, 1960, and "A Rockin' Good Way", #5, 1960) ... but what about his OTHER legitimate Top Ten Hits like "It's Just A Matter Of Time" (#2, 1959); "Thank You, Pretty Baby" (#10, 1959); "So Many Ways" (#3, 1959); "Kiddio" (#3, 1960); "Think Twice" (#7, 1961); "The Boll Weevil Song" (#2, 1961); and "Hotel Happiness" (#3, 1963)? These songs are destined to disappear FOREVER ... as though they never even happened ... because radio has ignored them for SO many years. We'll promise to feature at least ONE of these in our new "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature somewhere down the road ... and play "Hit Record" here today ... a VERY clever, upbeat song that peaked at #36 back in 1962. (kk)
Of course making a hit record just might also lead to winning a Grammy! ...
re: FROM ONE OF THIS YEAR'S GRAMMY NOMINEES:
Kent -
This was on our local CH 19 TV News the other day ... I've done so many TV, Radio and Press Interviews lately, I am totally hoarse from talking!
Merrell
Click here: YouTube - Merrell Fankhauser for Grammy
