Helping Out Our Readers

re: GENE PITNEY:
Kent,
What happened with Gene Pitney and Marianne Faithfull? Some love affair that ended on a sour note, so he penned his experience with her in a "Marianne" song?
Also, I see "Pretty Annabelle" was never released as a single, but you need to tell me why it sounds so familiar to me!!! (LOL).
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/annabelle.mp3
Not sure why it sounds familiar. Should have been released as a single, in my opinion.
Thanks!
Jersey John
It's a new one on me and honestly, I don't recognize anything about it ... but maybe some other readers can shed some light (???) kk

re: YELLOW RIVER:
>>>The Tremeloes recorded the very first version of "Yellow River". It was the backing track of this recording that served for Christie's hit. (John)
I had never heard this before ... nor did I see "Yellow River" listed on any of The Tremeloes' original commercial releases ... so I asked Tom Diehl if HE knew anything about the song. (kk)

Absolutely. It's a favorite of mine ... I'm attaching it.

As you listen, notice that the music sounds exactly the same as the Christie version. I'm not sure on the full details but I believe a relative of one of the Christie band members was in the Tremeloes so they got the first shot at the song -- they decided against releasing it as they wanted to go a different direction with their career, so Jeff Christie decided to add his own vocals to the Tremeloes backing track and released it himself. One thing about the Tremeloes version is that it was only made available years later, in mono only.

Tom

The backing track is, in fact, identical ... and yes, there IS a brotherly Tremeloes connection but it isn't Jeff Chrisite who is related. Christie Drummer Mike Blakely is the brother of Alan Blakely, guitarist for The Tremeloes. I like BOTH versions of this song. (Hey, a good song is a good song ... and THIS is a good song!!!) Hopefully some of our recent coverage has inspired a few of the jocks on the list to give it a spin on their programs. (kk)

re: SWEET MARY:

Kent,
Digging thru some old tapes on a cloudy Sunday afternoon, I ran across this version of Wadsworth Mansion's "Sweet Mary" - but is it a different Wadsworth Mansion mix, or a different group altogether? Wadsworth Mansion had a couple of 45 versions - one with a fade ending and the other with a cold ending - but neither sound at all like this alternate take - and those two are also mono. This was recorded off a 45 with a skip in it at :58, and I'm curious if you can shed any light on it.
Thanks,
David

This almost sounds like one of those latter-day "re-dos" for some type of compilation album ... the kind where they advertise "original artists" but all the recordings have been redone. Not that it's bad ... actually, I have been planning on featuring "Sweet Mary" for a while now in our new "Today's Forgotten Hits" feature ... but this should tide folks over till then. Thanks, David! (kk)

re: PEOPLE:

>>>Now I've got to get a good, clean copy of "I Love You" by People with the deejay edit ... it's a shorter and completely different mix than the version commercially available ever since. This is yet another case of where the song just hasn't sounded right to me for over 40 years now because this ISN'T the way we heard it on the radio. We featured it once before awhile back (FH Reader Clark Besch sent us a copy) but it wasn't a very clean version. (kk)

Here's a dub right off of my promo 45 (which is far from mint, but it plays good enough).

Tom Diehl

EXCELLENT! Thanks, Tom! I've been looking for a copy of the promo 45 for quite a while now and haven't come across one. But there is a DISTINCT difference in the vocal mix on this radio version than the commercial 45's available in the stores. (Another case where I couldn't wait to get this record home, plopped it on the turntable and then did one of those "What the heck is THIS?!?!?" spit-takes. By the way, I've probably gone through half a dozen copies of the commercial single since 1968 and every single one of them was recorded SO softly and had SO much surface noise that you literally couldn't listen to it ... add to that the remixed vocals and I pretty much put this one away for good. Thanks so much for sending! (kk)

re: TRINI LOPEZ:

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with an idea that suddenly comes to your mind right out of nowhere? That happened to me last night.

I don't know if you have recently posted anything about this artist but last night I woke up and was reminded about Trini Lopez. He did acting as well as singing. What is that Reprise singer doing today? I have no idea.
Larry

Actually, Trini is still performing ... and recording! A couple of years ago, our FH Buddy Ron Dante produced a brand new album of Trini Lopez material ... in fact, we featured Trini's version of "Feliz Navidad" at Christmas time this year, too! Here's ANOTHER artist who gets absolutely ZERO airplay these days, despite scoring SIX Top 50 Pop Hits back in the '60's. (kk)

re: HELPING OUT A READER ... ON THE RADIO!:

I guess one could say I'm technologically challenged. Since I'm no longer employed in radio, I no longer have access to a control board in which a mike, turntable, tapedeck, CD player and computer are hooked up to. Therefore, I have to go thru probably a lot of unnecessary steps just to record my internet show on to a cassette ... forget about transferring it to a CD. (A third party does the actual transferring, but he was of no help when I emailed him).

What I need to know, from someone who has remarkable patience, is how to integrate my computer with my audio equipment ... what do I need to download ... or is there any software I need to purchase. (I believe I've already purchased unnecessary stuff as it is).

My email address is rockandrollneverforgets@yahoo.com. Kent has my phone number, as eventually we will have to talk on the phone, or you can send me yours. I'm sure it's ridiculously simple, but I have no clue.

Thanks in advance.
Jack

With as many FH Readers as we have doing Internet Radio Shows, I'm sure a few of you can give Jack some pointers on how he can "tighten up" his system. (Drop me a note with a few suggestions ... or contact Jack direct via the email address shown above.) Let's face it ... the faster we can get this guy back on the air, the faster he can start telling everybody about Forgotten Hits! (lol) Thanks, gang! (kk)

Lou Christie ... And More "Risque'" Rock

Oldies fans really seemed to like our recent Lou Christie / "Rhapsody In The Rain" coverage ... we're STILL getting mail on this topic ... and even have ANOTHER "Risque' Rock" song to share with you today.

re: LOU CHRISTIE:
Another good article. I love controversy.
BritInvLvr

Excuse me for living, but for my money, the first verse of the uncensored version of Lou Christie's "Rhapsody in the Rain," given the teenage context and all, is the sexiest moment on record in the Sixties ... especially when the windshield wipers say "together, together ... " I still to this day don't understand how they thought they could get away with it, but I'm glad they did.
If I had to throw one pile away, my Four Seasons records or my Lou Christie records, I'd keep Lou ... some of the coolest sounds EVER.
BTW, deepfriedhoodsiecups.wordpress.com has recently examined in detail the Whipped Cream Cover with Dolores Erickson, as well as the Beatles Butcher Cover ... other music stuff too.
Thanx --
stolf

My band, Bobby & the Galaxies, had the pleasure of backing up Lou Christie three times in the mid 60's, at a Southeastern New England amusement park, Lincoln Park. We worked the "Million Dollar Ballroom" every Saturday night to well over 1,000 kids. Each week there was a featured guest or group, that was popular on the charts, at that time. These included the likes of The 4 Seasons, Chubby Checker, Dion, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many more. Of all the acts we ever appeared with, Lou Christie, was the most popular with the crowd. Girls would literally pull him off the stage, during his performances. His good looks and great showmanship drove them wild. A few things Lou told me back then, have stayed in my memory. His real name is Luigi Saco and he comes from Pittsburgh. The back up singers on his records were his sisters. Lou's amazing falsetto was what brought him national attention. I believe his first major hit was "The Gypsy Cried" in 1962. The first time we worked with him was 1963. He had "Two Faces Have I". I was embarrassed to admit to him that I had never heard "The Gypsy Cried". We managed to learn it on the spot for the performance. The last time we worked with him was around 1965. At that time, I got the distinct impression that he came to have mixed feelings about his success being due, in large part, to his amazing falsetto, and felt frustration that his natural voice was not appreciated enough. He had a great voice, in any range. He was the best performer we ever worked with. The ultimate showman. I treasure those memories.
Bob Hughes
Ocean Pines, MD.

Here are two interesting facts related to Rhapsody In The Rain.

Apparently when MGM pulled the multi-tack master to re-edit the song and insert the re-sung G rated portion of the lyrics by Christie over the existing music track, they apparently did not re-file the multi where it should have been, because to this day the song was never remixed to stereo. All versions of the song known to exist are the two issued mono singles versions.

In the early days of WCBS-FM in New York playing oldies (late 60s and early 70s), New York area fans claim to have heard a stereo version of "Rhapsody" on the station. It is believed to have been provided by a NJ area collector and was supposedly from a stereo MGM sampler album. However this has not been confirmed, and no known old WCBS FM airchecks exist containing the song.

The second item concerns the Hit Records label of Nashville, Tennessee, which sold sound-a-likes of the current hits on singles out of their own rack for 39 cents. In order to have the latest hits in their rack, it was necessary for them to pick songs early in their chart life and create the sound-a-like so it could be in the racks while the song was at it's peak. So when Hit re-recorded the song with Nashville songwriter Bobby Russell (writer of Honey, Little Green Apples, etc) singing the Lou Christie lead, Russell sang the existing release which included the X rated lyric. So while the revised Lou Christie version was in record stores, SS Kresge, WT Grant, Ben Franklin, and assorted Drug Stores were selling the X rated version on a stereo 45 in the Hit Records rack for 39 cents.
I've attached the Hit sound-a-like so you can hear it.

Paul Urbahns
Radcliff, Ky


We've featured some of these "Hit Records" remakes in the past ... in fact, our radio buddy Mr. C. will sometimes play these on his Flip Sides Radio Show down in Tennessee. This guy's got a nice enough voice (the record label shows Fred York, though, not Bobby Russell) and, had Lou Christie's powerful and soaring falsetto not been such a prominent part of this record, who knows, this remake / cover just might have caught on! Cool to see how the game was played back in the '60's, trying to trick unsuspecting record buyers into saving 60-cents and buying your remake instead of the real hit ... especially on a label calling itself "Hit Records"!!! (kk)

And my own favorite - The Gypsy Cried, a classic 1962 falsetto-popper (eat your heart out, Frankie Valli!!!).
How did the censored version of Brown-Eyed Girl go? Was it "laughing and-a running (hey hey) skipping and a jumping
in the misty-morning fog behind the stadium, with you ..."
(substituted lyrics underlined)?
Bobster
"The misty morning fog" comes much earlier in the song. The "clean edit" occurs in the third verse (after the brief instrumental break) ... where, instead of "makin' love in the green grass", the "clean" version had Van "laughin' and a-runnin'" behind the stadium.
Incredibly, even after all this time, it's the CLEAN version that appears on Van Morrison's official Greatest Hits CD! Much like the "clean version" of "Rhapsody In The Rain", it's virtually impossible to find on CD these days! (kk)
Too hot for radio back in 1967 ... here are both versions of Van Morrison's biggest hit, "Brown Eyed Girl", #8, 1967.




And, since we kicked this whole thing off talking about Lou Christie, here's "The Gypsy Cried", too!

It's Good News Week

We've covered this tunes a few times before and it always seems to get a good reaction and a bit of dialog going ... so last weekend's mention of it (and the reaction to that mention) really came as no surprise.

Here are a few of your most recent comments ... along with a few more that I found in the archives:

Kent,
You are the man and you are number one in my book.
I just got home from work and played your FH for today, EVERYONE'S GONE TO THE MOON by Jonathan King. The first thing that came to my mind was the 1966 recording of IT'S GOOD NEWS WEEK by the group Hedgehoppers Anonymous aka Jonathan King, also on Parrot Records. A lot of times your FH reminds me or triggers my mind about another song which I haven't heard in ages.
Would you believe I just now played that record three times in a row. Always did like that record. I have a strange feeling (hey, that would be a great title for a song by someone like Billy Stewart) that IT'S GOOD NEWS WEEK was a bigger hit in Chicago than it was here in OKC.
Larry
Thanks again for the kind words ... this just means that we're doing our job, gettin' those wheels turnin'! "It's Good News Week" WAS a HUGE hit here in Chicago (#3, 1966). We have featured this tune a few times over the past several years ... and ALWAYS get a good reaction. (kk)

Loved Monday's Forgotten Hit choice ... Everyone's Gone to the Moon has always been a favorite of mine. I did not know whose song it was though. I went on youtube to see what else Jonathan King had done. I was amazed to see what an accomplished man he is. Singer, songwriter, author etc. While I was checking him out another song came up ... It's Good News Week. I listened to it and it did not have a verse in it that I remember well ... the one about the sacred cows. I read some of the comments from the people and one person said that the version with Asia and the sacred cows was banned in the U.S. I live in the U.S. and that is where I heard it ... can you explain?
Stacee
It may have been banned in some areas (which hampered the record's national success) but it was played here in Chicago, too, and was a BIG hit ... #3 in fact! (kk)


Well, imagine that ... It's Good News Week is a record I recently purchased a promo 45 for ... in fact, just two weeks ago ... so I was playing it while I was on the road.

I could've SWORN that Forgotten Hits had covered the two versions before, with comments from myself, but a quick search didn't turn up anything.

Anyway, depending who you ask determines what answer you'll get in regards to which version was the hit version in the US ... because several other websites I went to said the version mentioning the sacred cow was the US version, which was released here because the censors didn't want "birth control" being mentioned on the radio, thus making the other version the one banned in the US ... I'd love to get a true definite answer on this one ... and Forgotten Hits would certainly be the place to find it.

The version that is on my promo 45 is, in fact, the "sacred cow" version and that was the one I kept finding lyrics for online because I was trying to find which lyrics had been changed between the two (since I was not at my computer I couldn't conveniently pull up my two mp3s of the song).

So, the previous version you posted was the stereo mix with the "sacred cow" lyrics ... I'm sending you the mono "birth control" version (which does not exist in stereo).

Tom Diehl

Well, I can personally vouch for the fact that it was the "sacred cow" version that was a hit here in Chicago ... and I'd have to say the REST of the country, too ... because I had never even HEARD the "birth control" version in my entire life until you sent it in the last time this topic came up in Forgotten Hits. I LOVED this song when it was out and bought the 45 at our old Korvette's Record Department (along with a couple of OTHER favorites at the time ... "Just A Little Bit Better" by Herman's Hermits, "As Tears Go By" by The Rolling Stones and "We Can Work It Out" / "Day Tripper" by The Beatles. (How the hell do I remember this stuff?!?!?) Anyway, I can state with 100% certainty that it was the "sacred cow" version that was being played at the time ... and, being a #3 record locally, it was played here A LOT!!! (kk)

As for why you couldn't find any discussion about this on the website, it's because the most recent coverage devoted to this tune predates the website by a couple of years ... but I DID find some of that in the archives and am sharing it here now:

I just had Hedgehoppers in my player in the car last night listening and thought about how I received "It's Good News Week" in the strangest of ways.

Our local Guys potato chip company used to put a 45 in with bag in 66 for awhile in Kansas and you could see what the 45 was if you scrunched the bag around just right! Can you see a 10 year old doing that? Anyway, thought I'd gone to heaven when I found one with the Hedgehoppers Anonymous 45 in it!

"MOM! You gotta buy this bag!"

WLSClark

Here's a question for the oldies experts:

Besides Hedgehoppers Anynymous, who redid the song "It's Good News Week" in the early 1980's? There was a male and female singing this song and it was great! I really wish someone can answer this!!! Please help ... a FunTrivia member is looking for this. Only cover I could find was by a group called Affinity, also done in 1965.

Any ideas guys???

GRIFFN655

cdcesario

I am looking for the newer version of this song that has a girl and a guy singing these lyrics ... any clues as to who might have been the one to redo this song? Please help. Thanks!
DedicatedFool

I'm not so sure that this version was a "re-recorded" version. They had at least 2 versions released for the world market. Obviously, this version wasn't released in the USA because - SHOCK! - it mentions "birth control". The USA got the "lots of blood in Asia now ..." version, which wasn't released worldwide because of religious sensibilities about the "sacred cow". Still, some USA radio stations banned the song because of the feeling that the " ... blood in Asia ..." line was a subtle reminder of the Vietnam War. In spite of the controversy, it's a happy little song!
8ntnomo

This song has been re-recorded and rewritten since it first came out in the 60's. The second verse originally said, " It's good news week. Lots of blood in Asia now, they've butchered off the sacred cow. They've got a lot to eat." Additional note: Jonathan King of "Everyone's Gone to the Moon" fame, produced this song. Leo's Lyrics Database - Hedghoppers Anonymous - It's Good NewsWeek lyrics

and also this from AMG not noting anyone else has done the song allmusic

Aquara1997

Interestingly enough, this next batch of comments came out right after Bob Stroud released "Rock And Roll Roots, Volume 10", which included the Hedgehoppers Anonymous tune! It also was my first introduction to the "birth control" lyrics. (kk)

>>>It was great to hear "It's Good News Week" again -- I'll bet I haven't heard that song on the radio in close to 40 years! (Bob)

>>>since BOB STROUD included it on his latest ROCK AND ROLL ROOTS CD (Volume 10), it seems to have stirred up some new interest! (kk)

This leads me to ask ... WHICH version made the cd? The original uncensored version or the censored version? Like many songs of the time, there was one lyric changed, and both versions are readily available on 45.

Tom Diehl

What IS the specific difference? Would like to hear them both! Thanks, TOM! (kk)

"Lots of blood in Asia now, they've butchered up the sacred cow, they've got a lot to eat" was a lyric that caused radio stations to refuse playing the record as it was in reference to the Vietnam War. The lyric ended up being changed to something along the lines of "Families shake the need for gold by stimulating birth control". Some websites list the lyric as "coal" rather than "gold", but depending on how much attention I'm paying to the song, I can hear either word there ... the re-recorded lyric version only exists in mono, however the original version exists in stereo.

Tom

WOW!!! I can HONESTLY say that I have NEVER ... EVER ... heard the "birth control" lyrics on this record!!! (Obviously, the BOB STROUD CD version is the original HIT version!!!) News to me ... but, thanks to TOM, we've got the RARE version included with today's email!!! (See ... you really DO learn new stuff in FORGOTTEN HITS all the time!!!)

>>>WOW!!! I can HONESTLY say that I have NEVER ... EVER ... heard the "birth control" lyrics on this record!!! (kk)

Hi Kent,

The version I bought all those years ago, i.e. the version that was on sale in England, was the "birth control" version. And I can honestly say that I have never heard the "bloody cow" version ... makes me most curious now!

I was unaware that there was a different version from the one I've been listening to for all these years :)

Thanks Kent

Dave

And I'm EXACTLY the opposite ... for the past 42 years the ONLY version I have known is the "sacred cow" version!!! It's ALWAYS cool to learn something new here in FORGOTTEN HITS. (Thanks again to TOM DIEHL for sharing this with us!) That being said, it would appear that here in America we got the "sacred cow" version while Great Britain got the "birth control" version. For the record, "It's Good News Week" officially peaked at #44 here in The States (and went to #3 in Chicago) ... but peaked at #5 in Great Britain. (kk)

I've got to give you props for featuring that Hedgehoppers Anonymous song ... I haven't heard this one in YEARS!!! (And this was a pretty big hit, too, wasn't it??? I wonder why nobody plays it!) Anyway, it was GREAT to hear it again ... probably played it about twelve times already!!! Pretty controversial lyrics for that time ... and I remember there being an outrage about it then, too.

Steve

A MUCH bigger hit here in Chicago than it was nationally ... and you're right, these are pretty "edgy" lyrics for 1965!!! Got a REAL good response to this one ... glad we could feature it again! (And it IS on the new ROCK AND ROLL ROOTS CD, too!) kk

Tying Up A Few More Loose Ends

We still couldn't fit everything into our Jumbo Sunday Comments Page ... and that was despite doing a Double Dose of Weekend Comments Pages this week!!! ... so we've saved some of the best for last.

re: EVERY #1 HIT RECORD ...
1000 #1's ... WITH VIDEOS!!!
IT CAN ALL BE FOUND ON THE BILLBOARD WEBSITE!:
Got a couple hundred hours to kill? FH Reader Tom Cuddy just sent me this incredible link ... which plays EVERY #1 Billboard Pop hit since The Hot 100 kicked off back in 1958: http://www.billboard.com/html/1000s/1000s.html
And, it's as current as this week's #1 Record, "Born This Way" by Lady GaGa. That's because The Hot 100 has now had 1000 different #1 Records since the name of the chart was changed back in 1958. (The very first #1 Record? "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson!) Unfortunately, this system eliminates ALL of Elvis' early #1 Hits ... but, without a doubt, this link will provide hours and hours and HOURS of musical enjoyment, especially in that there is a video attached to each one. Check it out and bookmark this site ... I have no idea how long it'll be available ... but, with the amount of work that had to go into putting this whole thing together, I'm hoping they leave it up permanently as a tribute to their chart history. (kk)

re: MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS / WHY SHOULD I CRY?:
I wanted to mention another person brought up "Trust" and "Why Should I Cry", the latter is a great tune and when it came out I reveled in the similarity to "Midnight Confessions", probably because I was so crazy about it. "Trust" is by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and is a beautiful song. WCFL gave it a few spins in, I believe, late August of 1968, but it never caught on. With Picardy's Montage from How Sweet It Is, those two were in my own personal Top 10 that month!!!! But it would seem, what with Steppenwolf, Cream, the Doors, the Vanilla Fudge, et al dominating the top 5 that summer, that only the catchiest soft-pop records went all the way to the top 5 -- Herb Alpert, Jose Feliciano, Fifth Dimension. A lot of the others didn't have a chance (or didn't have the financial backing to hype the records). For vintage Peppermint Trolley Company (later the Faragher Brothers) check out their 45s on Valiant including Sloan / Barri's brilliant folk-rocker, Lollipop Train.
Bobster

Kent;
Loved the Gentrys' Keep on Dancing ... who knew the singer was Wrestling's manager Jimmy "Mouth of The South" Hart? LOL
He made more money off that shtick than ever with the Gentrys.
... bdpoe (Orlando)

Biography
by Bradley Torreano
The Gentrys got their start in Memphis, TN, in 1963. The original group was made up of seven members: vocalist Bruce Bowles, saxophonist Bobby Fisher, vocalist Jimmy Hart, trumpet player Jimmy Johnson, bassist Pat Neal, vocalist Larry Raspberry, and drummer Larry Wall. Their debut album, Keep on Dancing, climbed into the Top 100 due to the success of the title track. The group enjoyed minor success until 1966, when the band broke up. Originally, member Jimmy Hart decided to resurrect the band in 1969, now featuring himself on lead vocals. The band still had some minor success, but did not last long. Raspberry would go on to start several more garage and soul groups, while Hart became a popular wrestling character, the "Mouth of the South," and would write music for both the WWF and WCW wrestling organizations.



I think that "Midnight Confessions" and the Gentrys song, "Why Should I Cry" sound very similar. I switched back and forth, very quickly, and that way the similarities really were heard.

John Harrold

I have to differ with you on Why Should I Cry by the Gentrys. I find the chorus to be very similar to Midnight Confessions. Both have parts where much of the music drops out and they are close to being identical.

Mark

Perhaps I misunderstood the question ... obviously, I agree that these two "hooks" sound strikingly similar ... even a direct lift perhaps ... but I thought the question was whether or not the same recording was used on both records by two different bands ... and the answer to that question is "no". "Midnight Confessions" was first done by a group called The Evergreen Blues Band (who failed to chart with their rendition.) The Gentrys' hit "Why Should I Cry" DOES seem to borrow heavily from the ending of The Grass Roots hit version ... but likewise, The Grass Roots' first Top Ten Record, "Let's Live For Today" borrows heavily from the hook of the 1961 Drifters' Hit "I Count The Tears" ... so this is really nothing new in the music biz. Regardless, they're still not the same recording ... just another use of the same hook.

>>>If you play the ending of the Grass Roots big hit Midnight Confessions, please notice when the last chorus of sha la las come in. Now play the introduction to Why Should I Cry and notice their sha la las. You would swear they are IDENTICAL! It seems to me that someone got away with this. Maybe you can post both songs and let you and your readers listen themselves to see if I really am nuts! What do you think? (Steve Homner)

re: CHERRY PEOPLE:

>>>Another California group who was a one hit wonder was The Cherry People with And Suddenly. After a slow intro it turns into a good little catchy tune! Again, it did much better on the West Coast. (Steve Homner)

Just a quick correction to set the record straight for your reader ... the Cherry People were an extremely popular DC area band, not a California group. I guess if he looks up our previous DC info at your site he'll see that. :)

I just checked quickly and happily there is finally an entry on them at Wikipedia now which also has a lot of info about them.

Roxie

Hello Kent!

I don't recall ever hearing And Suddenly by The Cherry People until I bought the CD collection of The Left Banke. The Cherry People's version was mentioned, so I sought it out. The song was written by Michael Brown (keyboardist and main songwriter of the Left Banke) and Bert Sommer. According to the liner notes of the CD, the song only reached #119 for the Left Banke, where as The Cherry People's got up to #50.

Suzanne

And I wasn't familiar with The Left Banke version ... so thanks for sending us a copy to share with our readers! (kk)

re: MOONSHINE:

Kent,

I'm glad the "Moonshine" mystery was solved. Let's see if Robert Black confirms it, but I was way way off. But now I have another great 5-Man Electrical Band song!!! I love it. It's a very feel-good kind of uptempo piece (1972 perhaps?) Another favorite of mine they did was "I'm A Stranger Here" - the spaceman bemoans the state of Earth, focusing particularly on the United States of course: "Well, I'm a stranger here / In this place called Earth / I was sent down here / To discover the worth / Of your little blue planet, third from the sun / Think I'll go back home where I come from ..."

And this was in 1973!!!!

Bobster

"I'm A Stranger Here" reached the lower region of our domestic charts in 1973, peaking at #65 in Cash Box Magazine and #76 in Billboard. It was a #5 Canadian Hit. Maybe somebody's got a copy to share??? (kk)

Unfortunately, no - just a 45, DJ copy. May be difficult to find on a CD unless there's a CD of their "Greatest Hits" which might include it. Terrific tune, though! Even the connecting riff throughout, complete with brass instruments, signals the irony and satire of the lyrics. "Oh, you crazy fools / Don't you know you had it made? / You were living in paradise!"

Best,

Bob R.

When in need, go to the ever-reliable Tom Diehl ... who sent us a copy. Not a bad tune. We've featured The Five Man Electrical Band's follow-up hit to "Signs" before, "Absolutely Right", both in Forgotten Hits and as part of our True Oldies Channel / Forgotten Hits Weekend ... that one's always been a favorite of mine, too. Obviously, these guys did a little bit better on the Canadian Charts, where they managed five Top Ten Hits (including one as The Staccatos). And, by the way, they DO have a Greatest Hits CD available:

Click here: Amazon.com: Best of the Five Man Electrical Band: Five Man lectrical: Music (kk)

Sir;

>>>Robert Black of Willowdale asked about the song, MOONSHINE TENN WINE, I've lived in Willowdale since 69. Born (47) and raised, Kincardine Ont, over of Lake Huron. Kincardines. Musical ID? Ev'ry Sat at 8 P Dominion Day (JULY ONETH) till Labourday, the Kincardine Pipers march the main drag. Been doing such since about 60+years ago.

Likely most homes had one, so we had a JUNK room. Had an old windup record player that stood 4ish ft tall and many old????? records. Things spun at 80 rpm, and all were of the EDISON label.

We had no ID what damage we were doing by rolling paper up in to make a funnel, stick a two inch pin through it and run the player.

One song we played and played was Barnickle Bill. Just looked up the lyrics to that song and it would seem to be a tons of 'em. Thing is, off all the lyrics on the computer, one is not there:

Someone does the fair maiden asking ?? and ol' Bill's answer:

"AUHHHH SHUT UP, you crazy woman, you drive me mad!"

Couldn't find this lyric and that was the reason we listened to it soooo often!

TERRIBLE language back in early 50s.

Yep, all the platters we had in this player were EDISON, his picture on em and all Some forgotten oldies are now on uTube: Some Kinda Fun by Chris Montez / Daisy Petal Pickin' by Jimmy Gilmore / Kentucky Means Paradise by Glen Campbell / Little Golden Band by Sonny James / The Fool by Jamie Coe / I Got Burnt by Ral Donner / Tennessee Wine by Johnny Day ...

SOUND TERRIF!

Robert Black

Hi Kent,
I heard the John Kay version when I was a kid in North Dakota. I can't remember if the local stations were playing it or if our Canadian Friends at CKY and CKRC were playing it.
I just remember all of us wondering why the heck he was recording that kind of tune after all those R&R classics.
Bill

>>>To truly qualify as a "forgotten hit", the song has to be something that you'll remember hearing on the radio way back when ... but has been absent from the airwaves for SO long now that you've all but forgotten it ... yet, upon hearing it again, you can IMMEDIATELY sing along with it, despite all the years that may have passed in between. (kk)
This one certainly meets today's definition of a true Forgotten Hit. Although it didn't chart, I knew every word and sang along when I played it - though I know I haven't heard it since '73.

David

And, once again, from Moonshine to Hot Chocolate ...

re: HOT CHOCOLATE:

You Sexy Thing (1975) - Hot Chocolate. Stereo.

First known as The Hot Chocolate Band, in 1969.

After charting records in the UK, but while their chart success was fading, this song was released in the UK on RAK Records, #199, B Side, with "Blue Night" as the A (Plug) Side. Maybe also released in the US on Big Tree Records. It is written it was an (unknown) American DJ who flipped the record over and spotted its potential. How he was able to persuade Producer, Mickie Most (known for his diehard mono Herman's Hermits mixes, now deceased), abroad, to modify it and reissue it is also unknown. It is certainly a different "mix" with a noticeable rhythm guitar, in long form, clocking in at 4:00, with double tracking on lead vocals in spots. Some verses (heard here) were later edited out in the US Hit version ...

http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/sexy.mp3
Best,

John

And then from Hot Chocolate to Coca Cola!!!

re: COCA COLA COMMERCIALS:

Kent,

I have NO information about the U.S. / British artists Coke commercials, however many Canadian artists recorded these jingles as well, including David Clayton-Thomas & The Shays (many years before Blood, Sweat & Tears), The Guess Who, The Mandala, J.B. & The Playboys, The Collectors (Later Chilliwack), Bobby Curtola, etc.

Duff Roman, who at the time was a DJ on CHUM, produced David Clayton-Thomas' Canadian hits ("Boom Boom!", "Walk That Walk", "Out of The Sunshine" and "Brainwashed"). Duff produced DCT's Coke jingle. Duff had his own label called, naturally enough, Roman Records. Duff is a legendary man in Canadian radio. He's in several Halls of Fame and, before his semi-retirement, was head of CHUM Radio.

Jack Richardson, who later went on to produce The Guess Who, The Rovers, Bob Seger and many more, was at Coke's ad agency, McCann-Erickson, in Toronto in the 1960's. He was in the studio when many of these jingles were produced, but he gave the production assignment to a Canadian entrepreneur named Stan Klees. Stan co-founded RPM Magazine (a Canadian weekly radio / record industry publication that was published from 1964 until December of 2000). Stan also co-created The JUNO Awards (Canada's Grammys) with Walt Grealis. Stan was a record producer and had his own labels, Tamarack and Red Leaf (with partners Duff Roman and Art Snider, who early on, recorded Gordon Lightfoot for Arts' Chateau label).

Since Basil and Dyer Hurdon were Bobby Curtola's managers / record company owners / songwriters / producers, I can only assume that they also produced his Coke commercials. Bobby was the main spokesperson for Coke for several years.

Brad in Ottawa has probably the largest collection of these Coke commercials that I've ever seen.

Doug Thompson in Toronto

Between all the resources currently available to us, I believe we could put together the most complete, incredible collection of "celebrity" Coke commercials on the planet. Let's see what other kinds of responses we get! (kk)

I have a 2 CD set of Coke commercials. I wish I could get a hold of some Come Alive-Pepsi jingles.

MARK

re: JON AND ROBIN:

>>>In addition to Jon and Robin's "Do it Again (Just a Little Bit Slower)", which was big here in OKC, they also had two other records big here in OKC, "I Want Some More" and "You Got Style" from 1967 and 1968 respectively. Jon Abnor had a record in 1963 which made our survey with a song called "You're Losing That Old Feeling", all records being of course on the record label Abnak. In fact, Jon Abnor's record from 1963 was record label number 101. (Larry)

"That Old Feeling" was also Top 20 on KBOX in Dallas, Texas, in September of 1963. Currently on my turntable is another Jon Abnor single, "Mama's Boy" b/w "Maybe Tomorrow", which was actually the very first release on Abnak (#100). I bought it last year on ebay along with a copy of Abnak #103 - "D.J. Record Hop" b/w "Popping Bubble Gum". I have one other Jon Abnor single on Atco, a cover version of Kirby St. Romain's top 60 record "Summer's Comin'", as well.
Interestingly enough, "Mama's Boy" must've gotten enough action somewhere because the record was actually picked up by Mercury records (Mercury #72115), which I only found out about a couple weeks ago while I was on vacation and saw it in a record store in Akron, Ohio. The Globaldogproductions website erroneously lists the artist on that number as Jon Arnor, but the label does say Abnor. I don't care too much for "Mama's Boy", but I really dig the flip side.

As for the other records I have by him, "D.J. Record Hop" is OK (it's flipside is also decent) while "Summer's Comin'" is nowhere near as good as the Kirby St. Romain original.

Now for what could be some potential sad news ...

I decided to do some digging on the internet to try to find some current info on Jon Abnor, as I knew he had been imprisoned in the 80's for manslaughter (I had read online years ago that it was involuntary vehicular manslaughter; however, it appears that it was preplanned, as the victim was Janis Ballew, a nurse he had become involved with while he was reportedly in the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, and was apparently living with at the time of her death, and that he killed her inside his home).

I saw mentions on some websites (without any proof, btw) that he had been paroled in the 90's and living with his father in Dallas (however according to http://tx.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19860611_0041075.TX.htm/qx,

he was serving a life sentence in Texas, and I have not been able to see any documentation of parole, etc, unless I'm just not reading this right -- and I couldn't locate any other court documents without paying a huge fee for them). His father died in 1999 and his mother died in 2004 (she worked for the insurance company that her husband founded up until 2000 -- it was with the money he made through this company that he founded Abnak records -- he sold all of the masters from that label to Sundazed in the late 90's).

In his mother's obituary (which I had to spend $3 to purchase so I could read the whole thing) John Howard Abdnor, Jr. is listed as living in Duncan, Oklahoma, (which obviously means he was no longer serving a life sentence in Texas). Fast forward to 2010 when his sister Gail Aleman passed away, and there's a mention that she was preceded in death by her brother John.

I saw that and shouted "WHAT?!?" at my computer screen. After about two hours of internet searching, I found NO obituary listings for John Abdnor in either Texas or Oklahoma, an Intelius search shows that there is a 70 year old John H Abdnor in Duncan, OK, (yeah, but it still thinks John Sr. is still living in Dallas, too, so I can't trust it). A search of the Social Security Death Index showed one John H Abdnor born on May 1, 1940 as passing away on July 2nd 2008 in Dallas (yet I could find no obituaries for him in Dallas around this time either). For what it's worth, John Abdnor Jr's parents married March 26, 1939, so that could very well be him.

Since Forgotten Hits is all about finding out the truth, it's time to get all of the facts straight once and for all on this guy and his past ... maybe one of your readers would know the full scoop on Jon Abnor AKA John Howard Abdnor, Jr., as I'd really love to know what the heck happened to him in regards to his murder conviction, incarceration, and anything that happened to him after that. Some people who have posted on youtube have alleged to be relatives of Jon (including one who makes comments that seem as if Jon really is deceased) ... however attempts to contact them have not gotten me any replies. Either way, he made some good and some bad music back in the 60's. Perhaps Larry could find out, being that Oklahoma City is only about 90 miles away from Duncan.

Tom Diehl

Wow! That's a LOT of information there ... but there are some "investigators" on our list who might rise up to this challenge ... so let's give it a spin and see what comes back! Thanks, Tom! (kk)

re: THE MONKEES:

HERE THEY COME ...

Kent,

This ad for Westbury Music Fair on Long Island (NY) should erase any doubt that the Monkees Reunion Tour will be coming to the U.S.

-- Tom Cuddy, NYC

Well, I, for one, never had any doubts ... this is just TOO great an opportunity NOT to take advantage of. Stay tuned ... they may be comin' to your town!!! (kk)

re: SPEAKING OF REUNIONS:

We told you last week about The Cars' reunion ... and all of a sudden I'm hearin' ALL kinds of Cars music on the radio. SOME of the members of The Rascals have also been talking up some reunion plans ... but so far Felix Cavaliere has been pretty "mum" on the subject. (Naturally, I asked him to break the story here in Forgotten Hits!!!) But it sounds like this, too, may be something that we can all soon look forward to! (kk)

re: THE JOY OF RECORD COLLECTING:

Vinyl records spin back into vogue - USATODAY.com

Kent ...

Vinyl makes a comeback.

"I take those old records off the shelf,

I sit and listen to them by myself."

Frank B.

Some interesting facts I discovered:

Q: Who is the most common artist found in Goodwill stores LP bins?
A: Mitch Miller!
Q; Can you still find cheesecake (risqué') LP covers in the Goodwill LP bins?
A: Yes!
Q: What is the most common 78 RPM record label found in Goodwill store record bins?
A: RCA Records!
Later,

JJ

re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:

GREAT STUFF, KENT ... THANKS SO MUCH ... YOU ARE THE KING!

SCOTT SHANNON

The Sunday Comments ( 02 - 27 - 11) The Weekend Comments, Part 2 )

Still playing some big-time catch-up ... but we've assembled another HUGE batch of comments for you today. (Clearly we're still having MAJOR website issues with fonts and spacing ... but I just can't spend another 2 1/2 hours each week cleaning this stuff up ... 'cause as soon as I fix something, something ELSE goes out of whack! So please forgive the haphazard look ... and just enjoy the content!) kk

re: BE MY BABY:
The Ronettes - "My One And Only Baby" ... in E-Flat, 1963 ... AKA "Be My Baby" - work in progress. Were the lyrics even written yet?
Not really sure how great a producer Phil Spector actually was; it seems Sonny Bono was in control of this production! Takes #26 & #27, only to find, who is it, The Wrecking Crew?, are playing too fast! Drummer, Hal Blaine, gets scolded for not paying attention! :)
And, yes, I donated to the Wrecking Crew film, if it ever gets released!
And, why is it, wherever the Wrecking Crew played, bootleg CDs surface? :)
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/bemy.mp3
Best,
John
I have included this ONLY because of its historical value (and the recent mention in our pages of the passing of Estelle Bennett). Drummer Hal Blaine wasn't being "scolded" ... it was a joke ... how does a DRUMMER play in E-Flat??? (Being a drummer, I'd have figured you would have gotten this one!!!) Yes, it's WAY too fast ... but these backing tracks were often recorded before the artists were brought into the studio to add their vocals ... this doesn't mean that the vocals "hadn't been written yet" ... they just weren't there in the studio to sing them! Still a cool glimpse behind the scenes into what can only be called a landmark recording session. (And thank you for donating to the making and release of the film ... others can do the same here) kk :
Click here: The Wrecking Crew Movie Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, Glen Campbell, Earl Palmer
Scroll back to yesterday's Weekend Comments Posting to see if there are any upcoming screenings in your area! (kk)

So sad to hear about Estelle Bennett passing and to find out she was homeless at one time. It seems like quite a few of our past rock and roll stars followed this pattern. So many were taken advantage of. They did their work for the love of singing and entertaining and not the money.
Carolyn
As explained below, Estelle passed away back in 2009. Far too many of these stars ended up penniless at some point in their lives. (kk)

It was nice to see the obit and be reminded again about the passing of Estelle Bennett -- but she passed on almost two years ago -- that is not quite "current" news.
Regards,

Rich
I think the reason Fred Vail sent that in was because it was tied into the two year anniversary of her death ... no, not "current news" but, hey, we're still talking about the death of Buddy Holly (see below) some 50+ years later!!! (Besides, I think this was just another way for Fred to tell one of his awesome concert / Brian Wilson stories!!! And that's just FINE with me!) kk

re: BUDDY HOLLY:
We've been telling you about the new Buddy Holly book "Hey Buddy", written by Gary W. Moore. FH Reader Frank B. has been reading it and sends us this report / excerpt:
Kent ...
You might know this guy from WLS radio in Chicago, Bob Hale.
Back in 1959, he was working at KRIB-AM, in Mason City, Iowa.
On 2/2/59, he was host & MC for The Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in neighboring Clear Lake.
Next day, his show started at 10 AM. At 10:10 AM he got a call from Carroll Anderson. (He ran the Surf Ballroom). Here's how the conversation between Bob and Carroll unfolded:
"Bob, they're dead," Carroll said.
"What?", Bob asked. He didn't understand who Carroll was talking about. "Who's dead?"
"Their plane went down just north of town," Carroll continued with deep emotion in his voice." They're all lying out in that corn field now. They're all dead, Bob."
My God! Carroll was talking about Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.
"Are you sure it's their plane? Are you sure they're all dead?" asked Bob, hoping for a different answer.
"Yes. They're all dead. All of them."
"I made the sorrowful announcement on the air," continued Bob.
Stay tuned. More to come.
From the book " Hey Buddy," written by Gary W. Moore.
Frank B.
Those of us who were around at the time certainly remember the shock of rock and roll music's first great tragedy ... even this early on in their careers, their music had already touched our lives ... but imagine being two of the people who were with these young stars the night before on stage at The Surf Ballroom. While I haven't read it yet, "Hey Buddy" appears to be a fascinating and insightful book, highly recommended by quite a few of our readers. It apparently goes into quite a bit of detail about the crash and the crash site, the pilot and more, covering areas not really explored before surrounding this sad tragedy. We can only recommend that you pick up a copy if this is a topic of interest to you ... sounds like it is very well done. (kk)

re: ROBIN LUKE:
I came across your blog when looking on the net for the release and chart dates of Robin Luke's Susie Darlin', which I bought when I was 7 years old back in the fall of 1958. I've always loved that song and time has not diminished it in any way. I am a blind computer user and have a program that reads to me what is written on the screen. I found the blogs about the interview with Robin Luke but can't find the actual interview. Can you tell me where on your site I can find it? Also, I have an alternate take of Susie Darlin' which I obtained when purchasing the song again some times during the 80s or 90s. I would have thought that version would have been on the Bear Family CD containing Robin Luke's songs, but it isn't. Anyway, if you could send me the link for that interview and conversation, I certainly would be grateful.
Mike Horan
Robin Luke became a pretty popular topic of discussion with our readers recently ... in fact, after our initial interview piece ran, we featured several follow-up pieces as well.
You might start looking here ... and then continue to scroll forward to insure that you don't miss any of the discussion. While reading, you'll find out all about the "alternate version" of "Susie Darlin'" that Robin recorded ... and also learn that he's hoping to take his act out on the road again now that he's officially retired from his Professors Job at The University of Missouri. Enjoy! (kk)

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Robin Luke

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Susie Darlin'

Click here: Forgotten Hits: Still MORE on Susie Darlin'!!!

Thanks very much, Kent. Great article on Robin Luke. As I told you, I've always liked that song. If you can, could you send me the link where I sign up for your emails?

Thanks,

Mike Horan

Consider yourself subscribed ... and welcome aboard. Virtually everything we do these days is posted right to the website ... so faithful Forgotten Hits Readers know to check it every day. From time to time we send out email "reminders" ... but if you don't want to miss a thing, you'll check the site often ... you'll find hours and hours and hours of reading to catch up on ... plus our Monday thru Friday daily feature "Today's Forgotten Hit". Plus, we've got a whole 'nother website going, too, over at www.forgottenhits.com! (kk)

re: THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL:

I finally got a chance to catch up on my FH reading. The article of The History of Rock and Roll really got my attention. Since I'm from L.A., I got to hear this program. My brother and I tried to record as much as we could. I wish I could still find those tapes. Anyway, I did a google search to see of there were any links out there. I found Reelradio.com. I used to go on that site all the time before they started charging. But they had snippets, so I thought hey ... I'll shell out the $15. Very cool. I hope I can hear more.

~ Suzanne

I think our series of articles have sparked a brand new interest in this landmark radio series ... here's hoping that SOMEBODY out there finds their way clear to air this again on the radio so that we can all enjoy it one more time. (kk)

re: I.R.S.:

If you've ever heard a song and said "Now THAT really shoulda been a top 10 hit," have we got a list for you. Or we will, once you help create it.

Since 2008, Hz So Good's I.R.S. (as in, "It Really Shoulda"been a top 10 hit) has ranked those "shoulda beens," based on your filed returns.

Now comes the part where you say, "I was wondering when that was going to happen again. How do I file?" (Everyone should be so excited about that other I.R.S.) Here's how to file the 2011 I.R.S. return that really matters:

*Prepare an email addressed to jjrappel@verizon.net

* In rank order, best first, list as many (ok, less than 100) - or as few - songs, title AND artist, please) as you like, that you feel shoulda been top 10 in the U.S. (you don't have to know if they were or not, our crack staff of chart-watchers can do that). Any song that never made top 10 is fair game; songs don't have to have ever charted or been released as singles. If you've done this before, you can list the same songs or different ones, it's up to you.

* Hit "Send."

Need another reason to file? How about, random returns will receive "refunds" in the form of either merch from www.radiologoland.com, CDs, and for a few very lucky ones, a CD set of this year's I.R.S. Top 104.

The 4th annual I.R.S. Top 104 will appear in the Hz So Good out just before tax deadline time, and counted down on Bob Radil's Friday Night show on www.rewoundradio.com, and on my Saturday show, "The Rest of the Week with Rich Appel," on www.wrnj.com (details forthcoming). So you've got a few more weeks left to file. Our preparers are standing by.

H&Z ROCK

(a division of Hz So Good)

Oh, and if you missed the latest Hz, you can read it here.

http://www.60s70s.org/HZ-SO-GOOD-February-2011.htm

re: AND ANOTHER COOL LITTLE SURVEY:

Our FH Buddy Gary Renfield has come up with an interesting idea for a "favorite tunes" survey ... he's the guy who does the R.I.P. Renfield Newsletter and Website. (You can check it out here: Click here: RIP Renfield The Newsletter). Meanwhile, here's HIS latest idea! (kk)

WANT TO PLAY WITH YOUR MUSIC?
I use my mp3 player more for replays of recorded RON & FEZ Satellite radio shows. BUT ... I also keep about 50 songs on it.

Seems that even though I'm the 'dj', pick the songs, and they are favorites ...

I GET SICK OF MOST OF THEM PRETTY QUICKLY!

(I think it's mostly a mood thing)

Although there are a few that stay forever.
Here's an experiment ... Make a 50 song playlist of favorites on your own mp3 player ...MAKE THE PLAYLIST THE ONE YOU LISTEN TO DAILY.
Then as you get sick of a song ... (no matter how much you think you love it) ...

and in two weeks, see what you have left.
I'd be curious to see what makes YOUR final 10 or 5 Songs that you just can't get enough of!
MAYBE THE RESULTS COULD BE COMBINED TO MAKE A 'MASTER' MUST HEAR LIST (or start eliminating from that 'master' for the ultimate)
ANY TAKERS?

renfield

re: TOMMY JAMES:

Kent,
First I said to myself that I definitely was not going to e-mail you with a comment on Sunday's Comments ... but I always look forward to your website's comments and they inspire me to send something along.
A reader mentioned Tommy James' book, ME, THE MOB AND MY MUSIC. I sent off for that two weeks ago and read it in its entirety last weekend. I am not much into
reading books, especially one like this, but I enjoyed it and it was a great read if any of your readers want to know.

Larry

It IS a great book ... and soon to be a major motion picture ... and maybe even a stage musical. We've given it quite a bit of press these past couple of years and HIGHLY recommend it to all oldies music fans. (kk)

re: BEATLES-RELATED STUFF:

This is just kind of a cool laid back tune from Paul and George (on the Uke) with Ringo looking on in Sfran's Candlestick Park(?) ... enjoy!

Wild Bill

McCartney & Harrison on ukulele singing “Ain’t She Sweet.”

From The Beatles' "Anthology" Series ... I always LOVED the way John Lennon tore up this song ... it was his "Twist And Shout" vocal from two years before he actually recorded "Twist And Shout"!!! (kk)

See ... we're not the only ones!!!

>>>It's another Birthday Salute today in Forgotten Hits ... well, sort of! All during the Beatlemania Years we grew up believing that GEORGE HARRISON's birthday was February 25th. Then, years later, it was determined that his ACTUAL birthday was February 24th ... and it's been reported that way ever since. Except here!!! (lol)

I know, I know ... we're all about "The Most Accurate Truth" ... but, much like I grew up LOVING all the extra echo that Capitol Records added to The Beatles' American record releases, I ALSO grew up believing that GEORGE HARRISON's birthday was February 25th!!! So I'm celebrating today. (kk)

In honor of George Harrison's birth date, GeorgeHarrison.com will be streaming the entire Concert For George performance all day long on February 25th.

Filmed in high-definition at London's Royal Albert Hall on the first anniversary of Harrison's passing, the film celebrates the artist's life and music with performances by Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, members of Monty Python, Anoushka Shankar, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr and more.

And this comes from George's own website!!! (kk)

Paul McCartney Composes Music For The NYC Ballet

Kent ...

First Billy Joel wrote Classical Music. Now Paul McCartney writes for the Ballet.

We're losing our Rock-n-Rollers.

Frank B.

Actually, first Paul McCartney wrote Classical Music ... and he's had a few classic works released now. (Way back in 1967 he also did the film soundtrack for the Hayley Mills film "The Family Way", the first time he dabbled in something outside the pop music arena. Ironically, you'll find a little something about Hayley Mills in the R.I.P. Renfield link we referenced above, too ... so take a "little peek"!!!)

One thing Paul has mastered (no matter HOW silly the love songs may be) is the memorable "hook" that keeps the song spinning in your head. I'm curious to hear this just to see what he's done!

Meanwhile, between the Glee Kids doing an OUTSTANDING version of "Silly Love Songs" for their Valentine's Day episode ... and planning on devoting an entire episode to Macca's music in the season to come ... and all the American Idol contestants performing Beatles Music live from the "Love" stage in Las Vegas, it's pretty safe to say the Paul McCartney's music is here to stay for a long, long time. (The Drive even gave Sir Paul the "Thursday Artist Portrait" a week ago!) kk

And, speaking of Beatles-related stuff, I just heard from Scott Childers last week ... he's the guy who runs the incredible "History of WLS Radio" website (and is a former 'LS jock himself) ... and he tells me that he's going to run links to our "Who Played The First Beatles Record In America" story as part of his new Dick Biondi tribute on the web page. (Naturally, we'll let you know as soon as it's up there ... but check out Scott's site in the meantime ... some truly amazing stuff here if you, like most of us, are BIG Big 89 / WLS fans!) kk

Click here: THE HISTORY OF WLS RADIO!

re: MARMALADE:

I'm wondering if any of the DJs have played "Reflections of My Life" after hearing it again on FH. It's one of those "gotta haves" that, despite my very limited budget, I just had to own soon as I first heard it. I nearly wore it out, but it still plays.

David

Yep, there's the 4:18 commercial single version that surprised the heck out of me when I bought it. Evidently, I had grown accustomed to hearing the "deejay edit" ... and THAT'S the one I fell in love with. Seriously, there isn't a person I've ever met who didn't love this song ... I can't begin to tell you how many times over the years I've had to tell people who and what it is ... so I certainly hope some of the deejays on the list gave it another spin! Meanwhile, here's a fairly clean version of the deejay edit:


I remember hearing a DJ on an oldies station sometime in the late 1990's intro this song by saying "if you're thinking about commiting suicide, please change the station now". I found that to be in poor taste ... I remember the station was WBIG in Washington DC but don't remember what DJ said it.
I've actually got the short version of the song on a promotional 45 (I also have the long version on a promotional 45), and to me, the short version has never sounded right -- it's pretty obvious that something's been edited out at the point that the edit happens. (If you need a dub of the edit version, I can dig the 45 out and supply one).
Tom Diehl
Thanks, Tom, but I actually had the short version on an old British Hits compilation album that I bought back in the '70's. (Consider this one of the EXTREMELY rare instances when I DON'T need to get a copy from you!!! lol)
Because this is the way I grew up hearing this song, it still sounds right to me ... and is my preference ... but they've played the long version with the solo for over 40 years now so it really has become the "accepted" version. (Now I've got to get a good, clean copy of "I Love You" by People with the deejay edit ... it's a shorter and completely different mix than the version commercially available ever since. This is yet another case of where the song just hasn't sounded right to me for over 40 years now because this ISN'T the way we heard it on the radio. We featured it once before awhile back (FH Reader Clark Besch sent us a copy) but it wasn't a very clean version. (kk)

re: NOW HERE'S AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY:
I was very surprised to receive this from Billy Hinsche the other day ... what a clever idea ... and what a GREAT opportunity to work with a music legend!
Check it out:
Let’s Play Guitar!
Guitar lessons taught via the Internet by Billy Hinsche
For the very first time in his long and illustrious career, veteran musician Billy Hinsche is offering personalized, one to one guitar lessons from his home in Las Vegas via SKYPE video. All you need is a computer with a camera, a SKYPE account, and a desire to learn. Billy says, “It’s never too late to learn how to play the guitar.”
Chose a SKYPE name and password - it's easy and FREE.
Here's the link for MAC users:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/macosx/
Here's the link for Windows users:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/windows/premium
For any questions regarding guitar lessons, you can send a private message to Billy on Facebook or you can write Billy at mfmproductions@aol.com - serious inquiries only, please.
Learn how to:
Set up and tune your guitar
Maintain and care for your instrument
Play chords, progressions and patterns
Read a chord chart (standard and Nashville system)
Understand the basic fundamentals of music theory
Play different “feels” like straight ahead rock, shuffles, ballads, and more
Play in different time signatures like 4/4 (standard) and 3/4 (waltz time)
Play your favorite song
Write a song using the chords you have learned, and much more …
Billy says, “You are invited into my home - and I look forward to working with you in the familiar and comfortable setting of your own living room, den, office or wherever. I have a casual, unstructured approach to my lessons and I think we can have some fun while learning how to play the guitar. My stories and anecdotes about the incredible people I have met and worked with over the last 45 years, the advice on your career and how to be a better professional musician, and my rock ‘n’ roll travel tips are all free - but here’s what my personalized guitar lessons will cost.”
Prices: (Please visit Billy's website for all the details ...
we are unable to publish pricing here.)
http://www.billyhinsche.com/guitar.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1r61GsIoWo
mfmproductions@aol.com
By the way, when we say "music legend" we're speaking with the highest regard and respect ... just check out this guy's resume!!! (kk)
Credits:
Billy is a founding member of the ‘60s pop group Dino, Desi & Billy and longtime touring and recording member of the Beach Boys, the Carl Wilson Band, the Brian Wilson Band and is currently the Musical Director for the Al Jardine Band.
He has also worked with, recorded with, or shared the stage with Elton John, Eric Clapton, Ray Charles, Ringo Starr, Jimmy Page, Nigel Olsson, Joe Walsh, Paul Simon, Ronnie Spector, Steve Miller, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Joan Jett, Willie Nelson, Darlene Love, Billy Joel, Julio Iglesias, Chicago, LaToya Jackson, America, The Doobie Brothers, David Cassidy, Three Dog Night, Van Dyke Parks, Lowell George, Keith Moon, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Mick Taylor, Denny Laine, The Moody Blues, Gordon Waller, Roger McGuinn, Jan & Dean, Burton Cummings, Belinda Carlisle, Paul Shaffer, Max Weinberg, Eric Carmen, Christopher Cross, The Everly Brothers, Charles Lloyd, Glen Campbell, Sugar Ray, Ambrosia, Matthew Sweet, The Captain & Tennille, Sonny & Cher, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Righteous Brothers, John Sebastian, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty, Carnie & Wendy Wilson and many, many others.
As a songwriter, Billy has written songs with Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson and his songs have been recorded by Dean Martin, Nelson Riddle, Carl Wilson and Dino, Desi & Billy. He has written a network television theme song “Automan” and one of his compositions “Patria” appeared in the I Love Lucy 50^th Anniversary Television Special. His solo CDs include Bay of Plenty, Mixed Messages, and Billy Hinsche Live At The Cannery.
He has appeared on every major television show of the ‘60s including Shindig, Shivaree, Hullabaloo, Mike Douglas, Joey Bishop, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr.’s Thanksgiving Day Special, Where The Action Is and the Ed Sullivan Show. Other televised appearances include Solid Gold, The Midnight Special, Dick Clarks’ Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, The Beach Boys 25^th Anniversary from Hawaii, Live Aid and Farm Aid.
Billy has performed at every major prestigious venue in the world including the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theatre, the LA Forum, the LA Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, the Hula Bowl, Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Boston Garden, the Spectrum, the Georgia Dome, Soldier Field, Oakland Stadium, Foxboro Stadium, Giant Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, JFK Stadium, Riverfront Stadium, RFK Stadium, Wembley Stadium (UK), Canadian National Exhibit, Maple Leaf Gardens, Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Pine Knob Theater, Merriweather Post Pavilion and many more; including performances for Presidents Carter, Ford and Bush (Sr.) and a special show at the White House for President and Mrs. Reagan and the Kennedy family’s Special Olympics organization.
As an archivist, he has licensed rare historical footage and has appeared as a spokesperson in television documentaries and DVDs about the Beach Boys including The Beach Boys: An American Band (1985), Endless Harmony for VH-1 (1998), Brian Wilson for A&E Biography (1999), Andere Tijden on the making of Holland (Netherlands 2009), Brian Wilson Songwriter (UK 2010) and is a noted documentary filmmaker himself having produced and directed Dennis Wilson Forever – Interviews With The People Who Knew Him Best, 1974 - On The Road With The Beach Boys, The Road Well Traveled, Know the Road, One in a Million, and is currently working on a new film about the late Carl Wilson. He made a well received video called “Play Songs of the Beach Boys for Homespun Tapes and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Motion Pictures / Television from UCLA.
Billy sits on the Board of Directors for the Carl Wilson Foundation.
Testimonials from students:
Billy has been teaching both guitar and piano to students ranging from 6 to 60 for over 15 years and here’s what some of them have to say about working with him:
“The Internet is a blessing, for sure, but having access to Billy Hinsche to teach me guitar via the Internet was a godsend! His patience and technique is so far superior to anything I have ever encountered and his stories alone are worth the price of admission!” - Scott Sandler (Scottsdale, AZ)

"It is a great honor to say that I have rock ‘n’ roll legend Billy Hinsche as a music teacher. As a founding member of Dino, Desi & Billy and his many years working with the legendary Beach Boys, his knowledge and musical talent is second to none. You will never find a better teacher." - Michael Roberts (Henderson, NV)

"I love taking lessons from Mr. Hinsche and have been a student of his for over two years. He makes learning fun because he sings and he sometimes plays the piano. Playing guitar has helped me to learn the violin in orchestra at school. I have moved up a level and am way ahead of my class!" - Brooke Harrison (age 11 / Boulder City, NV)

"Working with Billy has taught me more about music theory, various techniques, improvisation and hints on showmanship than I could ever have learned anywhere else." - Louis Gorts (Summerlin, NV)

“Billy is the type of teacher who can take from hearing the music, to feeling the music.” - Fred Messina (Anthem, NV)

"I cannot say enough about Mr. Billy Hinsche. Aside from being incredibly gifted, I'd be willing to bet he has more experience in the actual music industry than almost anyone else in his field. What I've found most impressive about him though is his unique ability to reach children. In a situation where mistakes are unavoidable and the student finds it difficult to sit in one place for longer than five minutes, this rare quality is of immeasurable importance.” - Tahnee Harrison (Boulder City, NV)

re: PLAYTAPE:

Kent ...

You really surprised me. I never thought you'd be able to find one.

The picture you printed is the exact model I have. When they first came out, I only had a few different tapes. Every month they'd come out with some new ones. I bought them all, whether I liked them or not, just to have a variety to listen to.

Thanks!

Frank B.

P.S. I meant to ask you, is Bob Hale still working at WLS?

I was surprised by just how links there were on line for these vintage tape players ... kinda cool actually. (I remember the "Hip Pocket" dealio, too ... but never signed on for that addiction! lol)

Bob Hale was one of the ORIGINAL jocks when WLS switched over to Top 40 / Rock in 1960 ... he was gone for good by the early '60's ... but may still live in the area. (I'm not positive about that ... but I believe that he has participated with Forgotten Hits a time or two in the past.) His greatest claim to fame seems to be hosting The Winter Dance Party at The Surf Ballroom the night Buddy Holly's plane went down ... as such, Hale is always in demand for speaking engagements and interviews. (kk)

re: NOT YOUR AVERAGE, RUN OF THE MILL CRUISE SHIP!!!:

ROCK LEGENDS CRUISE TO SET SAIL LATER THIS YEAR WITH ALL-STAR BAND
LINE-UP
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION TAPS ZZ TOP, GEORGE THOROGOOD AND OTHERS TO ROCK THE WAVES ABOARD LIBERTY OF THE SEAS
The first-ever Rock Legends Cruise in support of the work of the Native American Heritage Association is slated to depart Fort Lauderdale on December 1 of this year aboard The Royal Caribbean Line’s Liberty of the Seas. Headlining the five day cruise is "That little ol' band from Texas," Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top and George Thorogood and The Destroyers who bring their “Bad To The Bone” approach to the high seas. The unprecedented cruise will benefit NAHA’s mission to provide emergency assistance and self-help programs to the Sioux Native Americans living on reservations in South Dakota. Along with ZZ Top and Thorogood, the Rock Legends Cruise includes
multiple performances from John Kay and Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, Foghat, Johnny Winter, Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, Blackfoot, Pat Travers, and SwampDaWamp.
It is expected that upwards of 3,200 music fans will be aboard the ship, one of the most biggest, fastest and luxurious passenger vessels in service today, served by a crew of 1,300 on 18 decks. With a gross tonnage of 160,000, it can truly be said that the rock-themed benefit voyage will be a "heavy" experience for both bands and fans. The ship,
almost as long as four football fields, cruises at 21.6 knots, is scheduled for port stops in the Bahamas that include Coco Cay and Nassau. The main attraction of the cruise is, of course, multiple performances by the Rock Legends bands aboard in four different on-
board venues, The Deck, The Platinum Theater, Studio B and The Sphinx. The ship also features on-board surfing thanks to its FlowRider wave generator, an ice skating rink, a boxing ring, a full-sized volleyball / basketball court, cantilevered whirlpools and range of gourmet restaurants.

NAHA President David G. Myers commented, “We are very excited to be offering music fans and friends a unique opportunity to experience five days of brilliant musical performances from these true Rock Legends in a setting that is without equal. Our hope is that this innovative approach to fundraising will increase our ability to serve Native American communities in need tenfold.”
Rock Legends Cruise info / ticket purchase: www.rocklegendscruise.com
Rock Legends Cruise toll free number (888) 666-1499
About the artists:
ZZ Top – Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard came together as ZZ Top in Houston, TX, 41 years ago and have the distinction of being the longest running unchanged personnel line-up of any major band in history. Their numerous hits include “LaGrange,” “Tush,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and others. The band has been named Official Heroes of the State of Texas and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.
George Thorogood and The Destroyers – George Thorogood has released twenty-six albums over the course of a career that began thirty-five years ago in his native Delaware. Among the hits associated with Thorogood are “Bad to the Bone, “ “Move It On Over,” “House Rent Boogie,” “Who Do You Love,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.” Band members include Jim Suhler, Buddy Leach, Jeff Simon and Billy Blough. The last named members have been with The Destroyers since the mid-1970s.
John Kay and Steppenwolf – The origins of the band date back to 1968 when East German - born John Kay (nee Joachim Fritz Krauledat) formed the original Steppenwolf in Los Angeles. Their initial hits included the biker anthem “Born To Be Wild,” (featured in the film Easy Rider) as well as “Magic Carpet Ride, “Rock Me” and “Monster.” The band’s
current line-up includes Michael Wilk, Ron Hurst, Danny Johnson and, of course, “the alpha wolf” John Kay.
The Marshall Tucker Band – The band, since its formation in Spartanburg, SC in 1971, has been one of the standard-bearers of ‘Southern Rock.” Their eclectic approach which fused jazz and country with rock has earned them legions of fans as did their touring with the Allman Brothers Band. Their albums have sold in the millions and their big hits “Can’t You See” and “Heard It In A Love Song” are staples of the classic rock radio format. The current MTB line-up is Doug Gray, Pat Elwood, B.B. Borden, Marcus James Henderson, Stuart Swanlund and Rick Willis.
Dickey Betts & Great Southern - A founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, Dickey Betts is the writer and voice of the group’s breakthrough hit “Ramblin Man.” He also wrote the band’s Grammy-winning “Jessica” and, among other compositions, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Blue Sky.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and is listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Foghat - Founded in the UK as a spin-off from Savoy Brown in the 1970s, Foghat’s blues - rock / boogie approach earned the band five gold albums. Their hits include “I Just Wanna Make Love To You” and “Fool For The City” and their current Anglo-American line-up, including founding member Roger Earl, has been in place for the past six years.
Johnny Winter – Beaumont, TX was where Winter began a musical career that is totally rooted in the blues. Widely known along his native Gulf Coast, his big break came in 1968 when Mike Bloomfield invited him to join with him at the Fillmore East for a “Super Session” concert that included Al Kooper. He was soon signed directly to Columbia Records and given what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry. He was a featured performer at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in 1988
Molly Hatchet – The band was founded in Jacksonville, FL in 1975 and would, after signing with Epic Records, chalked up a string of three consecutive Platinum-certified album: their self-titled debut, Flirtin’ with Disaster, the follow up that went Double Platinum, and Beatin’ The Odds. Today, Molly Hatchet is Bobby Ingram, Phil McCormack, John Galvin, Dave Hlubek, Tim Lindsey and Shawn Beamer.
The Outlaws – Formed in Tampa, FL in the earlier 1970’s, The Outlaws broke through nationally with “Green Grass and High Tides” and earned a reputation as one of the greatest touring live bands of all time fuels by guitar-driven country-rock and stellar three-part harmonies. Today’s Outlaws are original singer / guitarist Hendry Paul and original drummer Monte Yoho with Chris Anderson, Billy Crain, Randy Threet and Jon Coleman.
Blackfoot – Jacksonville was also the site of Blackfoot’s founding. The band transcended the Southern Rock genre with its hard-edged approach. The group’s name is a reflection of the Native American heritage of three of its founding members including Greg T. Walker who is of Creek ancestry and remains with the band today. Other current members include Mike Estes, Charlie Hargrett and Kurt Pietro.
Pat Travers – As a child, the Toronto-born guitar great saw Jimi Hendrix live in Ottawa in 1968, an event that changed the course of his life. He was a proficient guitarist by the age of 14 and moved to London to pursue his rock ‘n’ roll dreams in the 1970s and has released more than 30 albums during the course of his career. His music is metal-infused so it’s no surprise that Metallica’s Kirk Hamment called Travers one of his favorite guitarists.
SwampDaWamp – Though their history does not extend as far back as the other Rock Legends Cruise bands, this six-piece group from Charlotte, NC band reflects the blues / rock / country heritage that all of the bands have in common. Their blue-collar ethos and fun-loving sound make the party band, nonpareil. Their self-assigned mission is to “ROCK THIS COUNTRY!”
About the Native American Heritage Association:
Since 1993, Native American Heritage Association worked with Lakota (Sioux) Reservations strengthening the Native American communities and families one member at a time. The challenges are difficult as unemployment rates on the Reservations are at 80%, 70% have no transportation, the average life expectancy is 58 years of age, infant mortality is 10 times the national average and 31% of Native American children under the age of 4 are obese because of lack of proper nutrition. NAHA, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, in partnership with Feeding America and Gifts In Kind International, has provided food, clothing, heating assistance, personal care items and home care items to the many Native Americans in need. NAHA has a 17-year history of executing its mission in a fiscally responsible way, outperforming most other charities. Thanks to its financially sound business practices, NAHA has earned 6 consecutive 4 star rating with www.charitynavigator.org

92.4% of all NAHA revenue goes toward its program services.

More at http://www.naha-inc.org/=

Sounds like some "Southern Hospitality" for sure on THIS adventure! Hope some of you are able to check it out! (kk)

re: NEW RELEASES:

Santana / Journey Legend Gregg Rolie Releases New Solo EP

A personal and intimate reworking of Santana and Journey classics as well as Gregg's own compositions through solo voice and piano

Austin, TX – 2/21/2011 – Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Rolie, co-founder of two multi-platinum super groups, Santana and Journey, and the voice of such timeless classics as “Black Magic Woman” and 'Evil Ways', has released new solo EP, 'Five Days'. A personal and intimate reworking of Santana and Journey classics as well as Gregg's own compositions through solo voice and piano, 'Five Days' was recorded in the living room of his Central Texas home on the piano given to him by his father in the early days of Santana. “It's from my house to yours,” says Gregg, whose new EP includes the songs “Black Magic Woman”, “Anytime”, “Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore”, “If I Went Home”, “Trouble In Mind” and “Cool Little Mama”.

Gregg Rolie makes his first-ever solo appearance, Saturday, March 5th at 9:00 pm, on the grand piano in the lobby bar of The Four Seasons Hotel in Austin. This special performance is in celebration of his new solo EP, “Five Days”. Gregg, along with his special guest, blues guitarist Alan Haynes, will be playing selections from the new EP along with many old favorites. He’ll share stores from his 40-plus year career and answer questions from the audience during the show. Afterwards, Gregg will be on hand for pictures and autographs. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.

Gregg Rolie is responsible for co-founding two phenomenally popular, multi-platinum super groups - Santana and Journey. In 1998, the world class keyboardist / vocalist / producer was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as part of the original Santana band. Formed in San Francisco in 1969, the multi-cultural ensemble produced three groundbreaking hit albums which yielded several FM staples. You've heard Gregg's voice and keyboards on such classic Santana hits as "Black Magic Woman", "Evil Ways", "No One To Depend On", "Everybody's Everything" and "Oye Como Va".

"There's one unique ability of the band," Gregg told music critic Ben Fong-Torres, "and that was that it created music that there is no name for ... Santana's music is such a jell of different material that there just is no name for it."

Departing after the pioneering jazz fusion offering 'Caravansarai' in 1972, both band members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon went on to form quintessential 1980s hit-makers Journey. After co-writing and producing the band's first 7 albums, along with constant touring, Gregg decided to leave Journey once the hugely successful 1981 live double LP 'Captured' was issued. During the '80s, Rolie wrote, produced and played on the Santana albums 'Shango' and 'Freedom', and released his debut, self-titled 1985 solo album and its 1987 follow-up 'Gringo', before co-founding the all-new Journey-esque rock group The Storm at the tail end of the decade. The Storm released two albums: ‘92’s eponymous disc that yielded the #13 Billboard Hot 100 hit “I’ve Got A Lot To Learn About Love” and ‘96’s 'Eye Of the Storm'. That same year, Rolie, along with five other original Santana members, formed Abraxas Pool, a spirited collaboration that resulted in the 1997 critically acclaimed album of the same name.

Thirty-five years after Gregg and Carlos met in San Francisco, 2001 marked the release of Rolie's third solo album 'Roots'. The first-ever release on Bay-Area based Tower Records' new proprietary label 33rd Street, 'Roots' finds Gregg revisiting the incredible brew of sounds he helped conjure up in the late 60's. Rolie calls Roots' twelve original selections "Latin rock plus"; the instrumentation is Latin percussion, with organ, guitar, horns, and lots of great solo work and songwriting", adding that "I really wanted to go all the way back to my Santana roots".

Formed in 2006, the Gregg Rolie Band consists of Adrian Areas (son of original Santana percussionist Jose Chepito Areas) on Timbales, drummer Ron Wikso (who was also in The Storm), Rocket Ritchotte on guitars, internationally acclaimed bassist Gary Brown, percussionist Elliot “Toby” Borrero and former Jean Luc Ponty keyboardist Wally Minko. Last year, Gregg caused a flurry of excitement amongst the music press with the release of his latest CD 'Rain Dance". This live CD captures Gregg and his all-star band performing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in 2007. The music press and fans alike have been raving about the new CD and have even compared Rolie's band to that of the original Santana group, in which Rolie was a founding member.

Gregg Rolie's 'Five Days' EP can be purchased at http://www.bitvibe.com/products/gregg-rolie-five-days-cd

For more information visit the official website at www.greggrolie.com

We featured a track from Gregg's recent live CD a few months back in Forgotten Hits ... he is still in GREAT voice and exploring new avenues in music all the time. This new EP should be an interesting release ... and his upcoming concert appearance promises to be an up close and personal encounter with a true rock and roll legend. We're hoping a few of our readers are able to attend and can report back to us about the show. (kk)

re: WE ALWAYS TELL YOU ABOUT UP-COMING RELEASES ...

NOW COMES WORD OF A CANCELLED RELEASE!:

http://theseconddisc.com/2010/10/07/update-petula-clarks-complete-singles-cancelled/

Best,

JJ

re: RECENT AND UPCOMING SHOWS:

"One Night of Elvis," a musical salute to Elvis Presley, comes to Aldario's Restaurant, 240 Naugatuck Avenue in Milford, Connecticut on Friday, March 4, 2011. The show features New York's Brian Enoch. Brian has been an Elvis fan since he was 8 years old and has been performing his tribute show since 1998. Brian was a finalist in the 2005 CSRA Elvis Impersonator Contest, and he brings not only the voice, the look but also the personality to every show. This is his first area appearance.

In tribute to the music and memory of Elvis, Brian Enoch will perform two sets, one at 8:30 pm and one at 9:45 pm, but doors open at 7 pm for dinner. Along with the full night of entertainment, the price of admission also includes the restaurant's complete buffet dinner and also a full open bar. The event is open to all ages, but guests must be over 21 to drink.

The event commemorates the 50th anniversary of Elvis' historic concert in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. As legend has it, Elvis Presley was one of the main reasons that a Pearl Harbor monument exists. Nobody would fund it, so he did a fund-raising concert in March of 1961 to raise the cash.

It was also 35 years ago that Elvis played Connecticut. His concert at the New Haven Veteran's Memorial Coliseum was a landmark concert for the venue in 1976. He was booked to play the Hartford Civic Center one year later, on August 21, 1977, but he died five days before the scheduled show.

Before and after the live sets at "One Night of Elvis," there will be dancing to music provided by Boppers DJ Charles F. Rosenay!!! of Liverpool Productions, playing a mix of golden oldies from the 50s and 60s mixed in with some interactive dances, contests and prize giveaways.

After five sold-out Beatle nights, Aldario's Restaurant in Milford decided it was time to honor Elvis Presley with a dinner dance party similar in format to the highly-successful past events catering to Beatles fans. "One Night of Elvis" dinner dance party is actually the second in Aldario's three-part Winter Concert Series, which concludes on April 1st with "One Sweet Dream: The Paul McCartney Experience," a tribute to Sir Paul McCartney with music from his Beatles era, Wings years and also his solo career. It features McCartney impersonator / look-alike Mike Miller on bass and lead vocals and Milford's Jeffrey DiCera on drums.

For reservations to "One Night of Elvis" or menu information, call Aldario's Restaurant at (203) 874-6096. For any other information on the Winter Concert Series, call (203) 795-4737. Space is limited, and past Dinner Dance Parties have been sell-outs.

re: SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME:

Kent ...

Check out who's going into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame on June 16th.

Frank B.

News from The Associated Press

re: ROCK, POP AND DOO WOP / AIRPLAY:

Kent -
From my understanding, it will be on Channel 11 in Chicago on Saturday, March 12, at 7:00 and 9:05 PM.
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO
Mike De Martino
President of the Lovejoy Music Club

Dear Kent
I'll never win one of your contests. There are too many people who know way more than me. Most of the people at TOP SHELF OLDIES run rings around me (and they aren't gold rings that I can reach out, grab, and sell).
But I still want a copy of AIRPLAY, when you get them. PLEASEEEEEEEEEE.
the great and wonderful Malcolm

Well, once we get the go-ahead, we'll let you know about it ... if you can't win a copy, you'll certainly have the opportunity to BUY a copy!!! (lol) kk

re: ARTIST UPDATE:

Walter Egan is a substitute school teacher who works at a school where a friend of mine teaches here in Tennessee.

David

I wonder if during science class he demonstrates the relationship between a magnet and steel??? (kk)

re: SAN BERNARDINO:

A totally different song than the Christie track that you featured, but this is what we in the mid-south think of when someone says San Bernardino. It was done by Lemonade Chrade and didn't break into the charts at all, as far as I know - but was really big in Tennessee, and maybe even parts of Alabama and Georgia. These guys are a local Nashville band who often played the same gigs as The Allman Joys (yeah, their earlier name) in the late sixties. They also played on the same bill as Herman's Hermits, The Buckinghams, The Beau Brummels, Sam the Sham, The Swinging Medallions, The Gentrys, and The Kingsmen ... so they were more than your average neighborhood garage combo.

David Lewis

Nope ... this one didn't go anywhere ... sounds like one of those early '70's soft rock hits that would have gotten played for a week or two and then disappeared forever ... but it looks like it didn't make Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart either! (kk)

re: YELLOW RIVER:

>>>When I was 13, my parents sent me to "church camp" for a week. We weren't allowed to bring radios, but I couldn't imagine not listening to music for a whole week, so I brought mine anyway. One day when we had free time I snuck into the woods with the radio. I was afraid of getting caught, so I only stayed for a few minutes. The only song I heard was "Yellow River", so I'll always remember it fondly. (Clete6)
The Tremeloes recorded the very first version of "Yellow River". It was the backing track of this recording that served for Christie's hit.".
http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/images/yellow-2.mp3
Almost as interesting as reading The Wrecking Crew helped / was part of The Beach Boys :-) Great song; either way!!
Jersey John

re: ON THE RADIO:

Kent,

I am pleased to announce my latest radio interview show that I just posted. It's with a truly extraordinary man of music.

Among other things (and there are so many) Billy Mure is a record-breaker when it comes to my interviewing career. He is the oldest person whom I have ever interviewed and also the person with most experience in the music business.

I first heard of him back in 1958 when I became familiar with the Daddy-O's record of "Got A Match?." He produced that and was the guitar-playing Daddy-O on that national top 40 hit. (That's been a popular one on my Record Page for some time). For years I had no idea that his career consisted of so much more besides that recording and the legendary "A String Of Trumpets" which featured, among others, Doc Severinson.

When Billy agreed to do a show with me, I did an exhaustive amount of research. Among other things, I learned that he is a guitar virtuoso (and also an expert banjo player) who has released approximately 20 guitar albums and that he arranged and/or played on dozens and dozens of hit recordings. I did know, of course, that he produced the Delicates recording of "Black and White Thunderbird" backed with "Ronnie Is My Lover."

It was Billy who came up with the hooks on many of those hit records and he discusses many of his secrets during this interview. He worked with Arthur Godfrey at one time and he has his own opinion about Godfrey's firing of Julius LaRosa: we play that momentous moment in broadcasting history during this show.

There so much more I could say here but I would prefer that you be surprised. As a bonus, Billy's close friend and fiancee, Debbie Brown Murphy, participates toward the end of the show: she was the girl singer with big bands including Johnny Long, Billy May, and Pee Wee Hunt. She also revealed (and Billy didn't deny it) what Billy's secret to his long life is: he eats a certain food every day, namely ***** **********.

No you can't buy vowels, you have to listen to the show to find out what it is!

Billy is 95 but he sounds like he could be in his 30s! He is truly amazing and has such wonderful musical memories to share. This was truly one of the most enjoyable interviews that I've ever done.

Below is a partial track list for this show. I prefer to keep the hit records on which he played a surprise. And please keep in mind, what we play during this show is really a small representative sample of this man's amazing career.

Unless specified, the tracks listed below are either excerpts or edits:

1 Maria Elena -- Billy Mure (played underneath my introduction)
2 Eh Cumpari -- Julius LaRosa
3 Arthur Godfrey fires Julius LaRosa on the air
4 Tiger Guitars -- Billy Mure
5 Got A Match? -- The Daddy-O's
6 Got A Match? -- Frank Gallup
7 Trumpet Cha Cha Cha -- Danny Davis
8 String Of Trumpets (complete version) -- The Trumpeteers

NOTE: some copies say "Billy Mure's Trumpeteers")
9 Murray The K Theme (written by Billy Mure)
10 Ronnie Is My Lover -- The Delicates
11 Black And White Thunderbird -- The Delicates
12-21 (hit records that Billy played on; he also arranged some of them)
22 Peanut Vendor -- Billy Mure
23 I Found Me A Girl (complete version) -- Billy Mure
24 Ma, What Time Is It? -- Billy Mure
25 (another hit record that Billy played on)
26 We'll Build A Bungalow -- 17-year-old Debbie Brown with the Johnny Long Orchestra and the Long Shots vocal group
27 Here's That Rainy Day (complete) -- Debbie Murphy (same artist as #26 but much more mature!) with Billy Mure on guitar
28 Toy Balloons -- Russ Conway
29 Toy Balloons -- The Mure Sisters
30 When Will It End? When Will It End? When Will It End? (complete) -- Billy Mure (this is on YouTube and the artist is listed as "Johnny Upstairs", which is a pseudonym)

Special points of interest:

The Godfrey firing of Julius LaRosa: I included the tail end of Julie's "swan song" followed by the dreaded event

#24 is a really strange song. That's all I say. Right up my alley of course!

My Billy Mure radio interview show -- recorded exclusively for the Jersey Girls Sing website -- is on the following page, along with more than 100 others that I've done for that website: Ronnie's Radio Page

In the unlikely event that you don't see Billy's picture, please press the F5 key to bring up the latest version of the page.

Ronnie

Baltimore Net Radio Announces DORIS DAY BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE
April 3rd 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (New York Time)
Baltimore Net Radio is happy to announce it will once again celebrate the birthday of America's Sweetheart, Miss Doris Day on her birthday Sunday, April 3rd. The Tribute will be commercial free, streaming LIVE from www.baltimorenetradio.com
from 3L00 PM to 5:00 PM (New York Time).
See our YouTube announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watchtv=nUv2chEbjes

We invite you to call in your birthday greeting to Miss Day as soon as possible to make sure your call will be included in this special tribute. Miss Day will be receiving a copy of the entire show.

In the USA - call 877-577-2630 (Option # 6) or, if outside the USA, please call 540-288-4001, (Option # 6)

Last year was the first year BaltimoreNetRadio hosted Doris's Birthday Tribute. Fans from all over the world called in, plus many of her celebrity friends including: Jackie Joseph, Betty White, Debbie Reynolds, Tony Bennett, Janis Paige, Les Brown, Jr., Vickie Lawrence, Billy Gray, Wayne Newton, Bruce "Beach Boys" Johnston and Dr Robert Schuller.
If you think last year's Tribute was special, just wait for this year's show ... Join Keith, Diane and Mary Anne for a very special Birthday Tribute for a very special lady, Miss Doris Day. There will be some surprises so please mark your calendars for Sunday, April 3, 2011!

re: RE-WHIPPED:

Just stumbled across this one. The cover is nowhere near as good as the original but the music and arrangements are pretty darn cool.

... Ed44

Yeah, we've featured this one before ... in fact, the whole gatefold is pretty cool (and fun to look at) ...

but NOTHING beats the original!!! (kk)
(Have you guys seen one this before???)