Had a rush of late answers that came in Friday night just ahead of the 10:00 deadline for our Joel Whitburn / Record Research / Forgotten Hits 1950's Trivia Challenge ... so I've been "grading papers" all day long! Meanwhile, without further adieu ...
re: WE'VE GOT A WINNER!:
Congratulations to Ron Smith (right here in Chicago ... and curator / proprietor of the OldiesMusic.com website ... so he knows of what he speaks!) He is our grand prize winner in the Joel Whitburn / Forgotten Hits 1950's Trivia Challenge Contest. As such, he wins a copy of Joel's new book "Billboard Best Sellers and Hot 100 Charts of the 1950's.
We'll run the complete set of answers next week in Forgotten Hits. Meanwhile, for those of you interested in picking up your own copy of Joel's new book, you can do so here:
Click here: Billboard Best Sellers & Hot 100 Charts: 1950s | Joel Whitburn's Record Research
And don't miss THIS one ... for the first time, Joel will be publishing The Cash Box Charts (this is the one that I'VE been waiting for!!!) Pre-Orders are being accepted right now with an expected ship date of February of next year. This book will complete The Pop Music Trilogy of Chart Research for the Rock Era ... Joel's Billboard and Record World chart books are considered the music industry bibles so you'll be sure to want to complete your collection!
Click here: Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996 | Joel Whitburn's Record Research
Congratulations again to Ron ... on a job VERY well done. (When all was said and done, we had nine neck-and-neck competitors trying to win this one ... with a MAJOR rush of entries right at the end from some folks who devoted some SERIOUS research to this project! I wish we had NINE books to give away ... but we don't ... so thank you all again very much for your concentrated effort.)
And thanks to everyone who played along ... hopefully you found it both fun AND challenging. And VERY special thanks again to Joel Whitburn for his generous donation. (kk)
Wow, Kent, that was fun, "educational" -- and verrrrry hard.Below is my best shot at the answers.Thanks to both you and Joel for such a tough but engaging "assignment."And congratulations on starting your 15th year.
Best,
Don Effenberger
Kent, my attempt is attached.
Lots of frustration with this one, but also lots of fun.
Mike Ogilvie
Mississauga, ON.
And don't miss THIS one ... for the first time, Joel will be publishing The Cash Box Charts (this is the one that I'VE been waiting for!!!) Pre-Orders are being accepted right now with an expected ship date of February of next year. This book will complete The Pop Music Trilogy of Chart Research for the Rock Era ... Joel's Billboard and Record World chart books are considered the music industry bibles so you'll be sure to want to complete your collection!
Click here: Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996 | Joel Whitburn's Record Research
Congratulations again to Ron ... on a job VERY well done. (When all was said and done, we had nine neck-and-neck competitors trying to win this one ... with a MAJOR rush of entries right at the end from some folks who devoted some SERIOUS research to this project! I wish we had NINE books to give away ... but we don't ... so thank you all again very much for your concentrated effort.)
And thanks to everyone who played along ... hopefully you found it both fun AND challenging. And VERY special thanks again to Joel Whitburn for his generous donation. (kk)
Wow, Kent, that was fun, "educational" -- and verrrrry hard.Below is my best shot at the answers.Thanks to both you and Joel for such a tough but engaging "assignment."And congratulations on starting your 15th year.
Best,
Don Effenberger
Kent, my attempt is attached.
Lots of frustration with this one, but also lots of fun.
Mike Ogilvie
Mississauga, ON.
OK Kent,
It took some doing, but I've got 50 answers. Whether or not they are all correct, is a different story.
I gotta tell you though, if I would put this much effort into other aspects of my life, as I did this quiz, I'd be in good shape.
Jack
Kent,
Here's my entry for the Whitburn '50s quiz (think I nailed them all).
Randy
You came close. In fact, ALL of the finalists came close ... SO close, in fact, that I had to break down some of the answers into partial points to separate the pack. I even did an over-the-phone consult with Joel Whitburn about a couple of answers that didn't match what he had given me as a guide ... but still may have, in fact, been valid considerations. Taking ALL of these points into consideration is how we ultimately came up with our winner. (kk)
Kent,
Wow, this was so,much fun!
I submitted a guess for every question. Admittedly a few were "educated guesses" because I don't have access to the Billboard charts from the 50s.
So, yes, for me this was a BIG challenge!
I do have access to the Cash Box charts so most of my "educated guesses" were based on those. I'm hoping the charts were close enough to enable me to make most of my guesses correct.
If I win I will provide my snail mail address. (I feel that to do so now would be presumptuous and might bring me bad luck)!
Thanks to you and Joel for this!
Okay ... here's my contest entry.
Ronnie Allen
Wow, this was so,much fun!
I submitted a guess for every question. Admittedly a few were "educated guesses" because I don't have access to the Billboard charts from the 50s.
So, yes, for me this was a BIG challenge!
I do have access to the Cash Box charts so most of my "educated guesses" were based on those. I'm hoping the charts were close enough to enable me to make most of my guesses correct.
If I win I will provide my snail mail address. (I feel that to do so now would be presumptuous and might bring me bad luck)!
Thanks to you and Joel for this!
Okay ... here's my contest entry.
Ronnie Allen
re: THE BUCKINGHAMS:
Wow! Who knew The Buckinghams were THIS popular over in The Philippines?!?!? Check out these Billboard World Charts from 1967, sent in by FH Reader Clark Besch. Chicago's Buckinghams has as many as three Top Ten Records at the same time over there in the islands! (Looks like The Monkees were pretty popular too!)
Clark sent in this note (and chart photos) after reading our comment last week about Al Kooper giving The Bucks a shout out in his weekly "New Music For Old People" column. (kk)
Clark sent in this note (and chart photos) after reading our comment last week about Al Kooper giving The Bucks a shout out in his weekly "New Music For Old People" column. (kk)
>>>And, speaking of The Buckinghams, our FH Buddy Al Kooper gave them a shout-out in this week's "New Music For Old People" column ... dedicated to great Beatles covers recorded over the years. (He singled out their version of "I'll Be Back" from their "Time And Charges" album.)
For Al and Kent and the rest,
For Al and Kent and the rest,
The Buckinghams were huge in the Philippines in 67 and 68. I thought I'd enclose just how big they were, and in particular, the Bucks' version of "I'll Be Back"!!! It debuted in their top 10 in Billboard's "Hits of the World" (Hey Joel Whitburn, how about doing a book on these?) on 11/4/67 at #10 just as "Don't You Care" rose to #1. Obviously, from these charts, Monkeemania is in full swing, yet the Bucks really hold the top better in this country. After a slow climb to #1, the Beatles cover finally reaches #1 at Christmastime, just as THREE Bucks 45s are in the top 10 now! Two weeks later, they hold 3 in the top 7! I think "I'll Be Back" held #1 for 9 weeks in a row, if I remember right. I did these jpegs years ago. Finally, after 26 weeks in the Philippines top 10, it's last week was 4/27/68, while "Susan" is moving up! That's NOT half a year in the Philippines Top 100, but 26 weeks in the TOP 10!!! How do you sell that many 45s in a country of 7100 islands totaling (in 1967) 32 million people (3.1 in Manilla)? That's what I call blanketing a country!!
Clark
I had absolutely NO idea The Buckinghams were that popular over there. (Incredibly, I remember seeing a chart many years ago where The New Colony Six had the #1 Record in Hawaii with "Long Time To Be Alone", one of my all-time favorites by them, that barely made a dent on the charts anywhere else. In fact, the record did so well, it earned the group a trip to Hawaii for live performances!) kk
re: THE ORLONS:
>>>Steve Caldwell (the "one man" mentioned in your email) has participated with Forgotten Hits a few times over the years ... maybe he can provide some additional insight into your question. Several years ago, he resurrected The Orlons and began performing again around the Philadelphia area. As far as I know they are still performing assorted gigs. (Maybe he'll see this and let us know how he's doing. Would love to hear from him again!) kk
>>>Steve Caldwell (the "one man" mentioned in your email) has participated with Forgotten Hits a few times over the years ... maybe he can provide some additional insight into your question. Several years ago, he resurrected The Orlons and began performing again around the Philadelphia area. As far as I know they are still performing assorted gigs. (Maybe he'll see this and let us know how he's doing. Would love to hear from him again!) kk
Hey Kent ...
I was reading the Newsletter today,and there was a letter about Stephen Caldwell and The Orlons. Stephen and The Orlons are doing well, playing shows pretty consistently. I've seen a lot of Steve over the past few months. He was backstage at our show in Collingswood with Dennis Tufano, Mark Lindsay, Ron Dante and Lou Christie.
I thought I would attach a poster for an upcoming show we are doing with The Orlons! Maybe some of the FH Readers will make a road trip to attend. It's gonna be a blast!!
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords
I was reading the Newsletter today,and there was a letter about Stephen Caldwell and The Orlons. Stephen and The Orlons are doing well, playing shows pretty consistently. I've seen a lot of Steve over the past few months. He was backstage at our show in Collingswood with Dennis Tufano, Mark Lindsay, Ron Dante and Lou Christie.
I thought I would attach a poster for an upcoming show we are doing with The Orlons! Maybe some of the FH Readers will make a road trip to attend. It's gonna be a blast!!
Mitch Schecter / The Rip Chords
Still hoping that we'll hear from Steve ... I told him that Forgotten Hits is a GREAT place to stay in touch with your fans as well as promote upcoming appearances and special events. Thanks, Mitch! (kk)
And, I no sooner opened Mitch's email than I received this one from FH Reader (and dee jay) Gerri Bender!
Hi Kent!
I am sure that Mitch Schecter has let you know that The Rip Chords and The Orlons (with Stephen Caldwell) will be performing a show at the Sellersville Theatre, in Sellersville, PA, on Saturday, March 22, 2014. Tickets went on sale December 10th! Had to chime in as it was your "introduction" of Mitch and I several years ago (when I won three Mitch Schecter solo Cds, that are awesome, by the way) that has led to a beautiful friendship!
Happy Holidays to you and the family! Keep up the good work!
Gerri Bender
Gerri's Place - Sunday Evenings 7-10 PM EST WRDV-FM
www.wrdv.org
Hey, if any of our readers make it out to this show, please report back to us ... we'd love to hear all about it! (kk)
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
Got this from a brand-new FH subscriber ...
Thanks for including me in the mix.
I see some of my “old” and current friend’s names and their comments here.
Your research is stellar ... if awards for the best info on the music of the 50’s are ever awarded, you’ll be in the limelight.
Regards,
George Buetow
Founding member - The Missing Links
P.S. BTW, the first 45 I purchased was “Rockin’ Robin” by Bobby Day.
We had a 20 record Seeburg Jukebox in the basement of our home and stacks of 78’s.
Wish I still had them.
George
Thanks, George ... I think you're gonna like it here.
A brand new Google stat shows me how many first-time visitors discovered our website last week ... 1792 ... wow! Pretty impressive (since I didn't do ANYTHING new in the way of advertising or promoting!!!) That just means word of mouth continues to be good (which means I guess I'll keep it going for another week or two ... or sixty!!!) Shows you yet again the HUNGER out there for "oldies" ... no matter WHAT those knuckleheads programming radio today may tell you. Thanks, folks! (kk)
