Saturday, January 15, 2011

Today's Forgotten Hit

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

Overall, the response has been GREAT for our brand new feature
"TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT", which can be found Monday - Friday
in the upper right hand corner of the Forgotten Hits Web Page.

Here's a case where you TRULY "never know what we're going to play next" ...

Now all we need to do is get a few of the deejays on the list to add this feature to their daily programming ... but I think it's coming ...

It's FORGOTTEN HITS RADIO at its very best!


Here's what some of you have been saying so far:

I'm lovin' the new feature! I noticed it last week when you posted Star by Stealers Wheel and have been checking it every day since.
Keep up the good work!
Ed
It's a nice way to keep us focused on our original vision here ... we kicked off this brand new feature on January 3rd with "No Fair At All" by The Association, followed by "No Love At All" by B.J. Thomas, the aforementioned "Star" by Stealers Wheel (in conjunction with our Gerry Rafferty tribute), "Woman" by Peter and Gordon and, on Paul Revere's 73rd Birthday (last Friday, the 7th), "The Great Airplane Strike" ... seriously, when's the last time you heard ANY of these tunes played on conventional oldies radio???
We followed THOSE Forgotten Hits up with "We've Got To Get It On Again" by The Addrisi Brothers, "White Lies, Blue Eyes" by Bullet, "Birthday" by Underground Sunshine, "Third Rate Romance" by The Amazing Rhythm Aces and "Ressurrection Shuffle" by Ashton, Gardner and Dyke this past week ... and have five more surprises planned for you next week, too!
Hopefully, for some of the jocks on the list, this provides an excuse to step off the well-beaten path once a day and feature something that will make your audience perk up and listen. We'll see how it goes (because it's also one more weekday commitment on my plate to keep this up) ... but so far the reaction has been very good. Jocks, let us know if you've incorporated this feature into YOUR program ... and we'll tell the folks when and where to listen!!! (kk)

We've Got To Get It On Again should have been a much bigger hit!
Clete
I agree ... but, since we can't change history, perhaps at the very least, maybe this will spark a deejay or two to give it a spin on their program today! (kk)

Birthday by Underground Sunshine ... I own this 45. Truthfully, I always liked this one better than the Beatles. I think it's a little rawer sound and I like that. I did not know Underground Sunshine was from Wisconsin. Go Wisconsin ... my home state.
Stacee

>>>I like the new "Forgotten Hit Of The Day Feature" and I hope some of the jocks on the list pick up on this and schedule it as part of their Monday thru Friday programming. This week's candidates featured a few surprises -- but also reminded me that SOME songs are forgotten for a reason! (Dennis)

>>>Yeah, they're not all personal favorites of mine, either ... but I've found that just HEARING one of these "Wow! Factor" songs brightens up my day ... ANYTHING to break from the same old / same old being driven home on a constant basis. (I heard "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey the other day ... again, not one of my favorites ... but when's the last time you heard THAT one?!?!? And, once again, it's a legitimate Top Five Hit!) kk

When was the last time? After I bought a CD that featured it. Personally thought it was a great song / instrumental. Interesting that you can hear someone yelling "Grab it, Babbitt!" to bass player, Bobby Babbitt, during the recording ... http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/scorpio.mp3

Best,

John

Proof again that if you want to hear some of these obscurities, you're probably going to have to play them yourself ... despite the fact that these were all legitimate hit records. Well, we're aiming to change all of that. Call your oldies radio station and tell them that you want to hear our brand new "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature ... maybe we really CAN fight city hall!!! (kk)

By the way, I found this regarding Dennis Coffey (and others) and Sussex Records ...

"The company folded in July of 1975 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) padlocking the offices and auctioning off all the assets due to unpaid federal and state taxes amounting to $62,000. Sussex Records was the home of Bill Withers, Rodriguez, Gallery, The Presidents, Wadsworth Mansion, and others. Bill Withers' Sussex recordings were later purchased by Columbia Records, who he signed with in 1975."
Explains, to some degree, why a lot of Sussex Records material is ripped from vinyl, for CD editions. Makes me wonder where the session tapes actually went and who confiscated them and where they were possibly auctioned. Most CDs with The Presidents' hit record are mastered from vinyl and sound hideous. Other Sussex artists don't sound quite as bad, but could be better.

John

Kent,
I’ve taken the liberty of forwarding your mail “Calling all Dee Jays” to several of our DJ contacts. I hope you get some good feedback. That’s a novel idea.
Take care and stay healthy.
All the best to you and yours,
Nick A. Pociask (bass / baritone vocal)
The Skyliners
(Jimmy, Donna, Rick, Nick)
Thanks, Nick! In fact, we've already heard back from one of them! (kk)
Just wanted to let you know that I've already thanked Nick from The Skyliners for forwarding me this information. There is a lot of interesting stuff included in your column. Will have to check it out regularly.
Bill Howard

Wow!!!! I knew both of those songs by the Addrisi Brothers ... I just didn't know I knew them! Thanks for the direct deposit on Saturday and again on Monday. I check the FH site every day to see what interesting, entertaining and fun things you have for us but it is so nice to see the reminder in my email. At the risk of sounding like a pathetic loser that needs to get a life ... it's almost like getting a little present and it feels more special to get the reminder in my email than it does just to go to the FH site on my own to see what's new. Either way I am there.
Stacee
And that's EXACTLY what Forgotten Hits is all about. ALL this music is still locked away SOMEWHERE in the vault up there ... we're just here to stimulate those brain cells and make you sing along again!!! (Of course if radio was doing THEIR job, then there'd be no reason for us to do ours ... but since it doesn't look like that'll change anytime soon, I think we may still be in business here for a while!!!) Meanwhile, we'll continue to send out reminders from time to time when we can (for as long as the AOL Terms Of Service Police allow us to do so) ... but you guys REALLY have to get in the habit of checking the site on your own ... or you're bound to miss something ... hopefully, this brand new "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature will be one more incentive to do so. And your reaction is EXACTLY what we're looking for ... songs you haven't even THOUGHT about in ages that come rushing back to you as soon as you hear them again. It's what we've been preaching for going on twelve years now ... so now we're out to prove a point! (kk)

Kent,
I just checked out "Today's Forgotten Hit",and I think you have a winner!
If possible, would you repost them in the Sunday Comments,so most of us can add them to our playlists? Just an idea.
Keep printing out the blog,and I'll keep reading every word of it, and telling everyone else to sign on!
Happy days!
Don
I think part of the appeal of this feature is that they're there "for one day only" ... which forces folks to visit the website regularly during the week (our BIGGEST readership is ALWAYS The Sunday Comments Page ... and, quite often, that's where many folks catch up on whatever they may have missed earlier in the week). Of course, if we get a few jocks on board to start playing these as a regular feature on their programs, we can let listeners know where to tune in and listen ... and then it's a win / win for everybody! Honestly, our goal isn't to make these tracks available for downloading ('cause that would just be WRONG!) but rather to spark a memory bank or two ... and, if you're interested, have you search out some of these tracks and purchase them for your own collections. (Actually, it's REALLY designed to be played right from the website ... in MP3-quality sound ... so that ANY jock on the list can incorporate this feature right into their regular programming.) And, I believe it all makes for better radio ... the "Wow Factor" song we keep talking about ... and, if deejays play it smart and begin to schedule this as a new feature of their programming, "appointment radio" to get their listeners to tune in at a specific time of day to hear "Today's Forgotten Hit"!!! I really like the "immediacy" of it all ... like I said, if you miss it today, it's gone ... so you've just GOT to come to the site and check it out to see what we picked next! (kk)

OK, I'm hooked! I am LOVIN' this new "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature. I can't believe how many of these great songs I forgot about -- but the moment I hear them, it all comes back to me. Thanks again for everything you do to keep this music alive.
Dave
Hence the name ... Forgotten Hits!!! The memories are still there ... radio just hasn't CHALLENGED you for the past 25 years!!! C'mon, jocks ... what are you waiting for??? Get on The Forgotten Hits Bandwagon and start giving your listeners something they didn't even know they were missing!!!
(Side Note to Scott Shannon: Hey, maybe it's time to do The True Oldies Channel / Forgotten Hits Weekend again ... One You Know ... One You Didn't Even Know You Forgot!!!) kk

Isn't it amazing how you can not hear a song for 20 or 25 years and then the minute it comes on you can still sing along with every word? That just shows you how much a part of our lives this music truly was. Thank you for reminding us every day with your new "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature.

Ellen

Imagine that ... radio that STIMULATES your mind and challenges your memory banks ... what a concept! Let's face it, as much as we LOVE the oldies ... and you KNOW that we do ... at some point, after hearing the same songs over and over and over again, you DO start to drift off ... tune out ... or, worse yet, change the channel. It's just a simple fact of life. But if you knew that every few hours or so you were going to hear a song that you REALLY hadn't heard in a while ... or that once a day at 10 AM you could tune in to hear "Today's Forgotten Hit" ... I really do think your listeners will respond. Think I'm crazy? Then put it to the test. Try this concept for a week or two and see what kind of reaction you get. We've only been posting these now for the past two weeks and already have been swamped with positive responses. Seriously, what have you got to lose? Give it a shot and see what happens! (kk)

Kent,
I USED to be a radio DJ ... my moniker was "Your Boogie Buddie Billy Parker" ... and I was the midnite man on Ventura FM Country Station KBBQ. I kicked off every shift with Dave Dudley's 'Six Days On the Road', and I was actually 'spinning records' back then, around 1981, before digital tracks and all the electronic gadgetry the stations have these days. All I had was a board, two turntables, an eight track 'cart' player, and the old regular round knob pots to mix with. After I got fired at KBBQ for insubordination I went to work for Mike Thomas and Jim Barker at Ojai radio station KOVA, and, in fact, Roger Christian showed up one day there at the station to start work there, too, and what a great reunion we had, since he was the Moonrakers manager in the '60s. He got us a contract on Capital subsidiary Tower Records, and in those days he was a BIG TIME DJ in LA and he was also writing songs like Little Deuce Coupe and Don't Worry Baby with Brian Wilson, and Dead Man's Curve for Jan and Dean. I'm not on the air now. As you know I'm doing one-man shows for birthday parties in convalescent hospitals and senior communities, and I enjoy every day of my work.

Anyway, my reason for writing you is this ... over the years, I had to do some local ad sales as part of my DJ 'duties' and I'll tell you, if I was selling NOW, I'd grab that idea of yours for the "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature IMMEDIATELY ... TOMORROW ... and I'd find sponsors for at least one in every SHIFT and make the station and myself some extra money with those sponsorships, FOR SURE!!! That's a GREAT idea. Our mutual friend Wild Bill Cody is working as a DJ in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and I have a hunch HE'LL be running with your idea.

You're doing a super job with all your stories, comments, and ideas, KK, so here's to a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR for you, your family, the Forgotten Hits Newsletter, and everything else you're involved in this year. Veeder Van Dorn / The Moonrakers

Thanks, Veeder. (Hey, maybe you SHOULD go into radio sales!!! You've got ME convinced this is a hit!) kk

What a scam! First you get us to go to the website on our own every day without the friendly email reminders ... and now you've got us going back again to see what Today's Forgotten Hits is going to be! It's like you're pumping crack cocaine right into our veins ... and I, for one, don't want to miss a thing! We may all be oldies junkies but I'm lovin' every minute of it.

Keep up the great work ... and don't ever stop spinning those Forgotten Hits ... oldies radio needs you!
Rick
So it's working?!?!? Cool!!! (kk)

HOW ABOUT A SATURDAY BONUS:

The "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature is designed to run Monday - Friday on The Forgotten Hits Website ... that way deejays can tie it into the regular weekday programming. But here's a special Saturday Bonus for you today ...

In fact, it's a Two-Fer by The Dave Clark Five!

In 1964 they scored a Top 20 Hit with "Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)", which peaked at #15 on The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It was one of SEVEN Top 20 Singles the band would enjoy that year! (Incredible!!!) They had five more Top 20 Hits in 1965 (including their first and only official #1 Record, "Over And Over") and then added three more Top 20's in 1966.

In late 1967, they placed their final record on the charts ... with another song called "Everybody Knows"!!! (A completely DIFFERENT track, this is actually one of the best ballads the band ever recorded ... yet by then they had fallen out of favor with the more progressive, psychedelic sounds of the day ... as such, the record stalled at #41 in Cash Box Magazine.)

Today we give you BOTH versions of "Everybody Knows" ... certainly at least ONE of these deserves a spin this weekend!!! (kk)


Posted by at

Friday, January 14, 2011

The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame

Yesterday The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame announced this year's list of Inductees ...

They are (in alphabetical order):

ABBA, Eric Clapton, Jackie DeShannon, The Diamonds, Bo Diddley, Dan Fogelberg,
Anne Murray, Willie Nelson, Pink Floyd, The Rascals, Paul Revere & the Raiders,
The Righteous Brothers, Dusty Springfield, James Taylor and Roger Williams

These 15 artists were selected from 53 nominees to join 124 inductees of past years.

The Hit Parade Hall of Fame will announce next year's candidates around the middle of Februrary. Fans are encouraged to visit the website and vote for their favorites.

Here Is A Complete List of Inductees to date:

Forgotten Hits congratulations ALL of the inductees of The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame ... and encourages our readers to visit the website and vote for their favorites ... this is a RARE case where your votes really do count and matter ... so please take advantage of this opportunity to vote for your favorites and see them recognized by this organization. (kk)


THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL:
All day long today The Drive (WDRV Chicago) will be taking us through
The History Of Rock And Roll.
With their stellar on-air staff, this should be some pretty interesting programming.
You can tune in here to Listen Live: Click here: 97.1fm Chicago - The Drive - WDRV


OLDIES LETTER OF THE WEEK
Talk about your Golden Oldies ...
This letter touched my heart this week so I wanted to share it with you!
Not "too old to cut the mustard"!!!
Yep! that was a song from "who knows when."
Hi!
This is grandma; or rather, great-grandma; checking in.
I really feel ancient after reading about other's first 45's. I had to scroll almost to the bottom before someone else remembered the early 50's as I do.
How I found your website -- I was looking for release dates of my records. Sometimes, I'm lucky but would like the Top Ten (or 40) Charts for 1951-54, if anyone can guide me there.
I lost my wonderful husband in February of 2009 and music was our life. We "courted" to all those wonderful hits in 1953-54. I'm in the process of making a memory album for our children, grand-children and great-grandchildren (7, to be exact). It's hard to hear them again but something I feel compelled to do. My only only regret is that I didn't do this while he was alive. We would have had so much fun remembering those times together. Altho, they were rough times. We only saw each other on weekends that year before we married. Miserable. The song titles certainly played our emotions.
Ames Brothers: And So I Waited Around, Undecided, The Man with the Banjo, Man, Man, is for the Woman Made, A Very Precious Love
Tony Bennett: Rags to Riches, There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight
Teresa Brewer: Ricochet, A Tear Fell, Till I Waltz Again With You, Bell Bottom Blues, If I Give My Heart To You
Nat King Cole: Blue Gardenia, Can't I
Perry Como: Wanted, No Other Love, Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
Don Cornell: Heart of My Heart, Hold My Hand, I'm Blessed, I Can't Cry Anymore
Don Cornell, Alan Dale, Johnny Desmond: I Think I'll Fall in Love Today
Crewcuts: Crazy 'Bout You Baby, Sh-Boom
Don Cherry: For Now and Always, Too Long
June Christy: My Heart Belongs to Only You, You Took Advantage of Me
Rosemary Clooney: Mixed Emotions, Half as Much, Woman, Man (w/husband Jose)
Doris Day: Secret Love / Deadwood Stage, A Guy is a Guy, Sugarbush
Jimmy Dorsey: So Rare, June Night.
Tommy Dorsey: One Kiss, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Strangers, Music, Maestro Please
Rusty Draper: Free Home Demonstration, Gambler's Guitar
Eddie Fisher: The Hand of Fate, O Mein Papa, Wish You Were Here, Pretend,
Four Aces: I've Been Waiting a Lifetime, Just Squeeze Me, Wedding Bells, You Brought Me Love, Heart & Soul
Four Coins: Shangri-La, First in Line
Four Knights: I Was Meant for You, I Get So Lonely, I Couldn't Stay Away From You, They Tell Me
Four Lads: Istanbul, I Should Have Told You, I Just Don't Know, Golly
Gaylords: Tell Me You're Mine, Aye, Aye, Aye
Ronnie Gaylord: Oh, Am I Lonely, Cuddle Me
Bobby Hackett: Easy to Love, The Song is You
Hilltoppers: You Made up my Mind, Love Walked Right In, From the Vine Came the Grape, Wrapped up in a Dream, Poor Butterfly,
PeeWee Hunt: Oh
Eartha Kitt: Santa Baby
Roberta Lee: Hold Me,Thrill Me, Kiss Me,
Les Paul & Mary Ford: It's a Lonesome Old Town, My Baby's Coming Home, Take Me in Your Arms
Tony Martin: Stranger in Paradise, For the Very First Time, Kiss of Fire, Here, Philosophy
Patience & Prudence: Tonight, You Belong to Me,
Georgie Shaw: Honeycomb, Till We Two are One,
Lu Ann Simms: Be Patient, My Darling, For Now and Always
Frank Sinatra: From Here to Eternity, I Love You
Jane Turzy: I Like It, Yes, You Are, I Can't Get You Out of My Heart
Slim Whitman: Darlin' Don't Cry, North Wind
June Valli: Mystery Street, Don't Forget to Write ...
(and we did write about three times a week to each other; usually about the same thing. Miserable without you and sure could use some sleep! Weekends weren't for sleeping much!) And our co-worker's thoughts on our marrying. As a matter of fact, a circle letter he wrote me inspired me to do these albums and include some of our love letters, pictures and history about the early 50's. Ah! wonderful love.
We loved anything Billy May played - Our favorite orchestra.
Romance, Gone with the Wind, Easy Street, Unforgettable, Land of the Sky Blue Water, Diane, The Breeze & I, There is No Greater Love, My Silent Love ... and many more. We could always tell when he was the back-up orchestra for singers.
On the crazier side ...
Red Buttons: The Ho-Ho Song / Strange Things are Happening
Stan Freberg: Try, Dear John & Marsha Letter, Little Blue Riding Hood, St George & Dragonet
Andy Griffith: What It Was, Was Football, Romeo & Juliet
Homer & Jethro: Hey Schmoo, You, Ewe,You, Hound Dog in the Window, Poor Ole Koo-Liger
Johnny Standley: It's in the Book I & II
I DO have a 45 by each Elvis and by Haley. Possibly, the last ones we bought might be Nancy Sinatra "These Boots" or Tommy Sands "Sing, Boy Sing" or The Ritchie Family "Brazil" or Andy Williams "Lonely Street" and "Don't Go to Strangers".
As for earlier ones, it might be
Frank Chacksfield: Limelight / Terry's Theme
Rosemary Clooney: Botch-a-Me
Les Paul & Mary Ford: How High the Moon, Meet Mr. Callahan, I'm Confessin
Georgia Gibbs: Seven Lonely Days / If You Take My Heart Away
Frankie Laine: Your Cheatin' Heart, High Noon, That's My Desire
George Morgan: Be Sure You Know / Whistle, My Love
Patti Page: Doggie in the Window, Retreat / Come What May, All My Love, With My Eyes Wide Open
Dinah Shore: Delicado
Jo Stafford: Jambalaya / Early Autumn, Shrimp Boats / Love, Mystery & Adventure
Kay Starr: So Tired, Wheel of Fortune, Fool, Fool, Fool / Kay's Lament
Slim Whitman: Bandera Waltz / End of the World
Hugo Winterhalter: Blue Tango / Gypsy Trail
Faron Young's "Have I Waited Too Long" / "Tattle Tale Tears"
Is there going to be anyone out there that remembers any of these????
bpg42
Wow, that's QUITE a list!!! Seems like the song titles and artists are all fresh in your mind. (I'm guessing you're reading from the labels of the 45's currently in your collection ... as such, I'd like to recommend Joel Whitburn's book "Pop Hits, 1940 - 1954" ... this would certainly more than cover the era you're interested in. The book acts as a chart RECAP of the hits of the day, telling you the name of the artists and listing ALL of their hit songs, along with that song's peak position in Billboard Magazine. It also provides a great "check list" for other records you may wish to add to your collection:
Click here: Joel Whitburn's Record Research Music & Billboard Charts Data
For actual Top Ten Lists, 1951 - 1954, may I suggest: Click here: Cash Box Top Singles
Here you'll find weekly charts of The Top 40 Songs (or more) for each and every week ... you can relive the entire era exactly as it happened! It's put together by our good friend Randy Price, a regular Forgotten Hits contributor.
Here's another link that'll give you the biggest hits for each of those years:
Click here: Top 100 Songs / Top 100 Hits
Any and ALL of these links are guaranteed to provide you with hours and hours of searching through the archives (and your memory bank!!!)
Please stay in touch with us from time to time and check out the website when you can. We really don't cover much in the way of early '50's music from the pre-rock era, it's true ... but I just LOVE your love for this music ... and that's what ALL of us are here for! Your letter really touched my heart and I hope you'll stay in touch with us ... and other music fans just like yourself. (By the way, we just recently featured "Tonight You Belong To Me" by Patience and Prudence on our web page!!!) kk
Posted by at

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Some Mid-Week Comments And News

Just a few late-breaking tidbits to share today ...

We'll have more for you tomorrow and over the weekend!

re: UP-COMING SHOWS (Including A Couple This Weekend!):
Here's a reminder to all the friends and fans on my inform-list that the California tour starts this Saturday, January 15 at the VORTEX in San Francisco. It's my only Northern California date. If you're in the area, come hear me and lug a mess of friends with you.
The Young Elders and Matthew Edwards & The Unfortunates are also on the bill.
The other shows will be in the L.A. area. Chief among them is THE COFFEE GALLERY BACKSTAGE on Tuesday the 18th. It's a wonderful, intimate venue and the great John Beland will also be appearing.
Here's their web site blurb:
BOB LIND with Special Guest JOHN BELAND ...
BOB LIND ... Four decades ago, singer / songwriter Bob Lind changed the face of American music with his stunning megahit "Elusive Butterfly of Love." Since then, his songs have been recorded by more than 200 artists including Cher, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Richie Havens, Nancy Sinatra, Hoyt Axton, Glen Campbell and The Four Tops. His music continues to be covered today. But there's no experience quite like seeing this dynamic performer delivering his spellbinding songs in person. Singing alone, with just his acoustic guitar, Lind is edgy, fearless and passionate onstage. His songs hit the heart like a wrecking ball. He has the rare ability to make audiences laugh and cry – often at the same time. His obvious love of performing and rapport with his audiences create an atmosphere of rare intimacy.
JOHN BELAND ... After two decades as the musical force behind the FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS, JOHN BELAND has flown off on his own to embark on a solo career. JOHN's show is an intimate journey through 30 years of country and pop music. His experiences are unmatched and his songs are some of the most heartfelt tunes you will ever hear. This country / rock pioneer shares both his experiences and his soul in a delightful evening of acoustic music that captures his amazing songwriting talent. Over the past three decades JOHN BELAND's songs, vocals and guitar playing have graced the concert stages and recordings of such legendary names as DOLLY PARTON, GARTH BROOKS, RICKY NELSON, LINDA RONSTADT, THE BELLAMY BROTHERS, KIM CARNES, NICOLETTE LARSON, JOHNNY CASH, GLENN FREY, J.D. SOUTHER, GENE CLARK, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, WAYLON JENNINGS, R.B. GREAVES, DON EVERLY, RITA COOLIDGE, ROGER McGUINN, BUCK OWENS, ALISON KRAUSS, BOBBY BARE, DAVID ALLAN COE, PERCY SLEDGE, ODETTA, PETER YARROW, JOAN BAEZ, MEL TILLIS, THE OAKRIDGE BOYS, JOHNNY TILLOTSON, BILLY JOE ROYAL, FREDDY WELLER, CHARLIE RICH, ARLO GUTHRIE, RINGO STARR, MAC DAVIS, THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS and many more. The other details of the tour are here on my web site gigs page:
http://www.boblind.com/tour.html
In my best, "Marley" voice, let me rattle my chains and warn you that if you're friends with me on FaceBook, you will be visited by this notice again in the form of an FB message. There's a lot of overlap, but I don't want to risk missing anyone.
See you there.
Yers,
Bob Lind
www.boblind.com

Great news, Bob ... hoping some of our California readers will have a chance to stop by and check out the show. And please say hello to John Beland for us, too ... his name came up recently in Forgotten Hits and he was kind enough to drop us a note when he saw it there! (kk)

Meanwhile, it looks like Davie Allan has a gig coming up this Saturday, too!

In fact, Davie tells us he'll be opening the show with "Shape Of Things To Come"!!! (Now how cool is THAT?!?!?!)

And, speaking of "Shape Of Things To Come" ...

re: SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:
>>>We released an instrumental version of Nothing Can Change The Shape Of Things To Come with Davie Allan and The Arrows, but I think you indicated to me that Davie had said that he did not play on the Max Frost & The Troopers version. When I listen to the record it sure sounds like Davie Allan, but I will defer to Davie’s memory with respect to whether or not he played guitar on the record. I do remember that Larry Knechtel and Hal Blaine, along with other major studio musicians from California played on the record. (Mike Curb)
Curb must be mixing up my single with the vocal version. I know for a fact that we (the Hollywood Wrecking Crew and myself) played on the soundtrack of the film but we did not play on that track.
Did he tell you about the deal with Sundazed to re-release the 60's soundtracks on CD?!
By the way, we are opening our set with "Shape Of Things To Come" on Saturday.
Davie Allan
http://www.dekedickerson.com/guitargeek/index.htm
I didn't speak with Mike Curb directly ... his correspondence came through Joel Whitburn (who also related an interesting Davie Allan / Larry Knechtel story for our readers ... see below.) kk
Kent,
Here's those WILD in the Street dudes playing Chicago in Oct of 68! Mike Dugo's buddies, the Outspoken Blues, also getting some PR.
Clark Besch


Awesome!!! I didn't know these guys actually TOURED!!! (I wonder who the actual band was!!! Obviously Christopher Jones didn't go out on the road with them ... so was this actually Paul Wibier and Mom's Boys? Damn, I wish he'd answer our emails!!!)
And check out these other acts ... Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters, The Cryan' Shames, The Mauds, The Flock and The Grass Roots ... ALL appearing at The Wild Goose just days apart! Blue Cheer, Canned Heat and Iron Butterfly. And a virtual "Who's Who" of local bands that we ALWAYS heard about on the radio: Little Boy Blues, Four Days And A Night, Shady Dayz, The Nickel Bag ... unbelievable!!! (Of course I was too young to go clubbin' back then ... but MAN, what an exciting time this was on the streets of Chicago!!!) kk

Speaking of Soundtracks ... and Larry Knechtel ...

re: LARRY KNECHTEL:
Just listen to the incomparable "London Bridge" by Bread, if you want to hear some great piano and keyboard work by Larry. What a great song!!
Clark Besch

This is a great track from their first LP ... but I don't think that's Knechtel on piano on this track. (While several session musicians are credited in the liner notes, Larry isn't one of them!) He would play on some tracks down the road and then officialy joined the band a couple of albums later. (Bread founders David Gates, James Griffin and Robb Royer had all been doing studio session work at the time, too, which is how they all met each other and came to know Larry ... ultimately, they decided to put a band of their own together and the rest, as they say, is history. Each of these guys had played in a variety of non-hit-making bands, placed songs with other artists as songwriters and done some production work and background vocals so when they finally joined forces, they clicked immediately. I LOVED their stuff ... some of the best Soft Rock of the '70's!) kk

And here's that Davie Allan / Larry Knechtel story again from the other day ...

>>>Here's something I remember about Davie Allan ... when I was visiting with Duane Eddy in Franklin, Tennessee, his neighbor, Larry Knechtel, came over and joined us for dinner. Duane had a copy of my Top Pop Singles book and he asked Larry to browse through it and tell us all the hits that he played on. We only got through about the middle of the “C’s” and he amazingly knocked off about 20-25 titles. I distinctly remember in the “A’s” that he did mention playing on some Davie Allan sessions. We never got to “Max Frost”, but I would bet that he was in that session also! (Joel Whitburn)

Well, according to Davie Allan, Knechtel and The Wrecking Crew were NOT part of these sessions, leading me to believe that Paul Wibier's band handled the whole thing. (Of course if we could ever get him to confirm this, we could put this all to bed once and for all!!!) kk

re: BORN LOSERS:
Whose voice is that?
He did tons of voice work in the sixties and I can't remember his name.
David
Well, it's a pretty safe bet that it's NOT Ted Williams ... who seems to be the ONLY voice-over guy getting any attention these days!!! I asked Clark Besch (who supplied the clip) and Davie Allan (who worked on so many of these soundtracks) if THEY could help identify the man behind the curtain ... and here's what I got back (kk):
Actually, I do not know. Most of these 12" movie promos never carry much info. It could possibly be Gary Owens, but does not sound exactly like him. I would guess it to be one of the major jocks of the LA 68 scene, as they are often used in national ads at that time. I have the Real Don Steele doing a 1:30 promo for Johnny Rivers' "Realization" LP and Casey Kasem was doing ads for "Three Easy Pieces" back in 70 on American Top 40. However, it could be any LA jock, IMO.
Clark Besch

It's one of my all time favorite voice over heroes: Paul Frees.
Davie Allan

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293659/

And, speaking of Ted Williams ...

re: TED WILLIAMS:
HEY ... THAT HOMELESS GUY WITH THE 'RADIO' VOICE ?CLEANED UP, HE SURE LOOKS LIKE OBAMA!
RENFIELD
Ya think??? I was leaning more toward O.J.!!!
yeah ... like if obama and oj had a baby ... lol
renfield

>>>I don't want to sound cynical here but I'm not quite sure how a homeless guy is so up on pop culture and things like Susan Boyle ... kinda like the homeless kids we saw last year at the soup kitchen being notified via their cell phones. Hey, I know how much MY cell phone bill is each month ... and I ALSO know that it comes to my home address ... so I never quite got THAT one either!!! (kk)
You know cell phone companies can offer paperless billing. I know the one my family uses does.

(Shameless plug upon request)

-- BOB FRABLE
OK, so now the homeless guy has a computer, right??? And where exactly does he plug it in?!?!? (kk)

Here's another take on Ted Williams ... from Dan Ingram ...
David Lewis
Click here: By Ken Levine: Dan Ingram speaks out on Ted Williams

Hi Kent,
Do you see the irony in this Ted Williams saga?
Working in radio is typically the CAUSE and not the REMEDY for homelessness.
I say send the guy to barber college, right?

Jim Shea

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Hey, no disrespect to Mr. Williams ... he was creative and smart enough to get himself noticed ... and now it's all turned into a media frenzy (although Frannie told me this morning that she heard he was checking himself in for rehab.) More power to him ... like I said, not many people get a second chance and I say he should go for it with everything he's got. I just cannot help but point out the OTHER side of things with so many GREAT jocks out of work these days. I don't fault Williams for his vices ... and if he rebounds from all of this successfully, he's stronger than most ... nor do I feel ANY of this should be held against him (no matter WHAT Dan Ingram says!!! lol) I just remember the "Pants On The Ground" Guy from last year and think that Williams' fifteen minutes of fame probably won't last much longer ... we tend to get bored too easily with "today's topic" and "the flavor of the week" ... but I wish him well. (kk)

re: THE VERY BEST OF OLDIES RADIO:
A few weeks ago we told you about the poll that Ross On Radio was running trying to find the best oldies radio stations from coast to coast in all markets.
Over 5000 of you oldies radio fans out there responded with your votes ... and he's tallied them up.
Here are the (in most cases not-so-surprising) results:
The Oldies / Greatest Hits Readers’ Poll: And The Winners Are . . .
It seems appropriate that we should unveil the results of our first Ross On Radio Readers’ Poll for the Oldies / Greatest Hits format on 1-11-11. After all, these are the stations that you made Number One! One! One! One! One!
We began voting in early December, after inviting readers to nominate their favorite stations along with those featured in Ross On Radio last year. When voting closed last week, there were more than 5,000 ballots cast. Stations rallied listeners on-air and on their Websites, and those not nominated conducted write-in campaigns. It’s further proof of the vibrancy of a format that the industry was ready to walk away from not so many years ago. It also proves the durability of the format’s music, both familiar and forgotten.
Voters showed a lot of love for the Northeast, which probably benefited from not only market size, but also the musical heritage of New York and Philadelphia. Even without every-station-stream-in-the-world to choose from, it’s not hard to hear interesting, different oldies on the radio in this region. But the winners stretch from Los Angeles to London. And they range from the recently launched to the first full-time R&B station, launched 64 years ago.
Thanks to everybody who voted. Thanks to all the stations that participated. On Thursday, we’re back with our annual look at the “Intriguing Stations of the Year,” so if you’re not a Ross On Radio subscriber, click here.

And now, your winners:
Large Market FM: WCBS-FM New York
Even as the initial nominations came in, it was clear that WCBS-FM would be hard to beat. Since their return to the Oldies / Greatest Hits format in 2007, PD Brian Thomas and APD Lenny Bloch have pulled off a radio station that works both for music geeks and in a more conservative PPM environment. Even when Pat St. John isn’t throwing in unreleased collectors’ cuts on Sunday morning, you can generally count on 1-2 songs an hour that aren’t on the format’s “safe list.” That’s in keeping with the station’s history, but in 2007, CBS-FM defied the collective wisdom about the format. It also has an on-air staff with distinctive personalities — including Dan Taylor, Bob Shannon, Bill Lee, Ron Parker, Joe Causi, Sue O’Neal, and Jay Sorensen.
Here’s WCBS-FM at 1 p.m. on January 5. The station’s “Hall Of Fame” changes daily (and then segues into a special feature that lasts throughout the weekend). This was Beatles Wednesday:
Beatles, “Something”
Three Dog Night, “Shambala”
Tina Turner, “What’s Love Got To Do With It”
Rolling Stones, “Brown Sugar”
Elton John, “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”
Beatles, “I’ll Be Back”
Foreigner, “Hot Blooded”
Sister Sledge, “We Are Family”
Tears For Fears, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
Beach Boys, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
Spinners, “It’s A Shame”
Edison Lighthouse, “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”
John Mellencamp, “Hurts So Good”
Large Market Runners-Up:
2 – WLS-FM Chicago;
3 – WOGL Philadelphia

Jeez, Frank ... how many times did you vote?!?!? All kidding aside, these guys are doing an OUTSTANDING job and have really brought oldies music back in a big way to New York. They've ALWAYS got neat promotions running, have a VERY informative website and seem completely tuned in to the oldies market in term of music and artists. (And they're playing a couple of those "Wow!" songs we keep talking about throughout the day. Great job, guys! (By the way, special props to the station for bringing Big Jay Sorensen back on the air ... and to Ross On Radio for mentioning it!!!)

Personally, I'm a little surprised by WLS-FM coming in at #2 ... I voted instead for the Scott Shannon 24 / 7 broadcast of The True Oldies Channel instead ... I think we've got some pretty weak links in our local talent area here (and more and more '80's music all the time) but hey, it's GREAT to see one of our stations make the list! (kk)

Medium / Small Market FM: WVLT (Cruisin’ 92.1) Vineland, N.J.
Between Philly and the Atlantic City / Cape May market there were four nominees in various categories and the top two stations in this one. Cruisin’ 92.1 turns back the clock on the format as it has existed on FM in most markets by at least 15 years – still playing pre-Beatles and a lot of the ‘60s depth that has disappeared elsewhere. It’s also the home of market veteran Jerry Blavat, on whose early evening show things really get deep. Here’s the station at 4:00 p.m. on January 5.
Beatles, “I Should Have Known Better” (the 4 o’clock Beatles break)
Beatles, “Good Day Sunshine”
Dr. John, “Right Place, Wrong Time”
Hank Ballard & Midnighters, “Finger Poppin’ Time”
Little Anthony & Imperials, “Goin’ Out Of My Head”
Three Dog Night, “Celebrate”
Frankie Lymon, “Little Bitty Pretty One”
Johnny Nash, “Stir It Up”
Bobby Day, “Over And Over”
Chicago, “Free”
Johnny Rivers, “Swayin’ To The Music (Slow Dancin’)”
Rolling Stones, “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)”
Dr. Hook, “When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman”
Medium / Small -Market Runners-Up:
2 – WIBG-FM (Wibbage 94.3) Cape May, N.J.;
3 – WRLD (Boomer 95.3) Columbus, Ga.

AM: WMTR Morristown, N.J.
The “Real Oldies” revolution – made possible by the phasing out of pre-Beatles music on most FMs – didn’t endure for many of the AMs launched in 2003-04. And even Greater Media’s WMTR briefly traded the format for a more mainstream satellite version. Then it went live and local again. This WMTR is a little newer and more hit-driven than the first version, but it’s still reliably different from what’s on FM and there’s a Friday night doo-wop show. Here’s WMTR just before 2 p.m. on Jan. 6:
Donovan, “Mellow Yellow”
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, “Don’t Pull Your Love”
Dave Clark Five, “Catch Us If You Can”
Dusty Springfield, “I Only Want To Be With You”
Turtles, “Elenore”
Bobby Vinton, “Blue Velvet”
Johnny Rivers, “Tracks Of My Tears”
Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville”
Tymes, “So Much In Love”
Stevie Wonder, “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”
Barry Mann, “Who Put The Bomp”
AM Runners-Up:
2 – WKFB Pittsburgh;
3 – CKWW (AM580) Detroit.
”Best AM” was also the category with the highest number of write-in votes for any one station, WYNE Erie, Pa.

New Platforms: WFMU’s Rock & Soul Ichiban
In most of our categories, voters went with stations that play the hits — albeit a wider mix of them. WFMU’s Rock & Soul Ichiban, on the other hand, promises and delivers “obscuro hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s.” Think of the records that director John Waters used to invoke both the danger and kitsch of rock ‘n’ roll’s first decade or so. Then go several times deeper. It’s the radio extension of the eclectic New York-area non-comm’s annual Record Fair where, no matter how many records you have, there’s always somebody raving about a $300 record you haven’t heard of and will never own. It’s heavy on rockabilly, tough ‘60s soul, instrumentals, and jaw-dropping oddities.
Here’s WFMU around 10 p.m. on Jan. 6:
Lou Rawls, “A Natural Man”
O.V. Wright, “Drowning On Dry Land”
T-Birds, “Full House”
Rockin’ Rs, “Crazy Baby”
Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, “How Do You Catch A Girl?”
Riptides, “The Last Wave”
Wanda Jackson, “Let’s Have A Party”
Jerry & Reggie, “Shoo Shoo”
Jerms, “Bald-Headed Woman”
Lucky Carmichael, “Baby You Can Get Your Gun”
Keith Loren, “Born To Ramble”
New Platforms Runners-Up:
2 – Sirius XM ‘60s On 6;
3 – Great Big Radio
I LOVED the old "'60's On 6" Station when it was XM ... listened to it non-stop there for a while ... but after the merger it's really been watered down with more and more of the same stuff you hear EVERYWHERE else. XM was good for at least half a dozen surprises every work day. But I just heard Sirius XM just signed their 20 Millionth Subscriber ... so they must be doing SOMETHING right. (And they can't ALL be listening to Howard Stern, can they?!?!?) kk

Next Gen (‘80s/’90s): KCBS-FM (93.1 Jack FM) Los Angeles
L.A.’s Jack was of the biggest success stories of the initial Bob - and Jack - FM boom in America and one of the Adult Hits outlets that endured best in the PPM era. At a time when any radio stream aggregator offers a dozen jockless Jack FMs, the Los Angeles version has always had some built-in uniqueness because of the legacy of Alternative sister KROQ. In fact, it’s sort of easy to construct a back story for the Jack/L.A. listener — growing up on KLOS and KMET in the ‘70s, then switching when KROQ took off.
Here’s Jack FM at 2:45 p.m. on January 5:
Don Henley, “Dirty Laundry”
Creed, “Higher”
Pat Benatar, “Heartbreaker”
Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
Elton John, “Tiny Dancer”
Gin Blossoms, “Hey Jealousy”
Aerosmith, “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”
U2, “With Or Without You”
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers, “I Need To Know”
Yazoo, “Don’t Go”
Next Gen Runners-Up:
2 – WAMS Dover, Del.,
3 – WREW (Rewind 94.9) Cincinnati
Classic R&B/Jammin’ Oldies: WDIA Memphis
Okay, technically, WDIA is Urban AC with some recent titles and some current Southern Soul / blues music. There are also talk blocks. But PD Bobby O’Jay has always kept the first full-time R&B radio station feeling like a classic ‘70s R&B outlet, and there are a lot of R&B Oldies of the sort that you won’t hear on Urban AC anymore. If you listen to WDIA these days, you’ll hear a lot about the station’s recent addition to the HD-2 multicast channel of sister KJMS, and if there’s any station that might actually have the loyalty to compel an HD radio purchase, it’s this one.
Here’s WDIA at 12:30 p.m. on January 5:
Aretha Franklin, “Baby, Baby, Baby”
Earth Wind & Fire, “Shining Star”
Whitney Houston, “I Look To You”
Charlie Wilson, “Without You”
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, “Back Together Again”
Al Green, “Look What You Done For Me”
Lou Rawls, “Lady Love”
A Taste Of Honey, “Boogie Oogie Oogie”
Brian McKnight, “Still In Love”
Calvin Richardson, “You’re So Amazing”
George Benson, “This Masquerade”
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “You’re All I Need To Get By”
Classic R&B / Jammin’ Oldies Runners-Up:
2 – KISQ (98.1 Kiss FM) San Francisco,
3 – WRBO (Soul Classics 103.5) Memphis

International: Absolute ‘80s
One of the first brand extensions of British Rock AC Absolute Radio*, Absolute ‘80s is a digital radio station that has since been joined by a ‘90s and a ‘00s channel. Unlike most U.S. side channels, it’s hosted. You’ll also hear a lot about what’s going on at Absolute. Here’s the station at 3:15 p.m. on January 6:
Police, “Da Doo Doo Doo, Da Da Da Da”
Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy”
Joan Jett & Blackhearts, “I Love Rock & Roll”
Duran Duran, “A View To A Kill”
Culture Club, “Victims”
Style Council, “Speak Like A Child”
Belinda Carlisle, “Circle In The Sand”
Rolling Stones, “Start Me Up”
Hue & Cry, “Labor Of Love”
Bananarama, “Shy Boy”
Bon Jovi, “Livin’ On A Prayer”
Madness, “One Step Beyond”
International Runners-Up:
2 – CKRA (Capital 96.3) Edmonton, Alberta*;
3 – Gold, United Kingdom

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