re: RECENT AND UP-COMING SHOWS:
Hi Kent,
Fleetwood Mac is in the first few weeks of a tour which takes them twice across America this spring and summer. In the fall, they continue on, touring the U.K and Europe. Here are a few photos I took at their stop Saturday night here in Connecticut. They played to a full house of 10,000 at the Arena at Mohegan Sun. It was a fantastic show, with the crowd on their feet for nearly every minute of the 2 1/2 hour show. Though long time fans would have been in heaven if somehow Christine McVie rejoined the band, it was nevertheless a strong show with Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Lindsey introduced an extraordinary new song called "Sad Angel" from their forthcoming EP which had the crowd singing along as if they had known the song since 1976. Be ready radio guys!
Notables in the crowd included John McFee of The Doobie Brothers.
Brad Joblin
Ridgefield, CT
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Fleetwood Mac is in the first few weeks of a tour which takes them twice across America this spring and summer. In the fall, they continue on, touring the U.K and Europe. Here are a few photos I took at their stop Saturday night here in Connecticut. They played to a full house of 10,000 at the Arena at Mohegan Sun. It was a fantastic show, with the crowd on their feet for nearly every minute of the 2 1/2 hour show. Though long time fans would have been in heaven if somehow Christine McVie rejoined the band, it was nevertheless a strong show with Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Lindsey introduced an extraordinary new song called "Sad Angel" from their forthcoming EP which had the crowd singing along as if they had known the song since 1976. Be ready radio guys!
Notables in the crowd included John McFee of The Doobie Brothers.
Brad Joblin
Ridgefield, CT
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Photos exclusive to Forgotten Hits.
Photos (c) 2013 by Brad Joblin.
No re-use permitted without permission.
These are GREAT photos, Brad! Thank you so much for sharing them with our readers. (kk)
HI KENT ...
Here's an upcoming plug for EPCOT ... this will run on Sunday, April 28th ... nice to live in small town where people appreciate your work..:)
Here’s the online link. This will run Sunday in the Lifestyles section of the Record with photo!
http://staugustine.com/entertainment/arts/2013-04-22/local-musician-rick-levy-perform-epcot-tommy-roe#.UXV-Ue1ms9w
Rick Levy / Tommy Roe Band
The reunited Monkees (featuring Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith) have just added another date to their 2013 tour:
A Las Vegas date has now been scheduled totalling two confirmed tour dates so far:
An Evening With The Monkees
Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork
Aug 10, 2013 - 8 pm
The Monkees at Grand Events Center
Green Valley Ranch
2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy.
Henderson, NV 89052, US
Pre-order ticket sales May 1
On sale 03 May 2013
US $42.50 – US $91.00 Ticketmaster
Kent,
I was in new Brunswick, NJ, last Saturday to see the same 60's line-up I saw in Schenectady last month: The Happenings, Jay and the Americans, Mary Wilson, and Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. Dave the Rave was announced as being in the audience and came up to shake Bob Miranda's hand. I understand he talked about the show on the radio Sunday morning. Any word from Dave on FH? I would be interested to hear from him.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
I've known Dave The Rave for several years now ... and have done his show a number of times over the years ... great guy and a REAL fan of this music. He comments in Forgotten Hits from time to time ... and is quite the expert on some of the more obscure tracks out there. Dave plays a lot of songs that SHOULD have been hits, had they only received the same amount of exposure as the tracks we all grew up hearing and falling in love with.
You can catch a couple of photos of me and Dave in his No Static Attic here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides
I was in new Brunswick, NJ, last Saturday to see the same 60's line-up I saw in Schenectady last month: The Happenings, Jay and the Americans, Mary Wilson, and Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone. Dave the Rave was announced as being in the audience and came up to shake Bob Miranda's hand. I understand he talked about the show on the radio Sunday morning. Any word from Dave on FH? I would be interested to hear from him.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano
I've known Dave The Rave for several years now ... and have done his show a number of times over the years ... great guy and a REAL fan of this music. He comments in Forgotten Hits from time to time ... and is quite the expert on some of the more obscure tracks out there. Dave plays a lot of songs that SHOULD have been hits, had they only received the same amount of exposure as the tracks we all grew up hearing and falling in love with.
You can catch a couple of photos of me and Dave in his No Static Attic here:
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Your Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides
And listen to his radio program "Relics And Rarities" every Saturday Night (into the wee hours of Sunday Morning) here: Click here: TopShelfOldies
Call in and request your favorites! (In fact if you're reading this late Saturday Night / early Sunday Morning, you can catch him on the air right now!!! Tell him Forgotten Hits sent ya!!!) kk
Kent ...
WCBS-FM is reporting that Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones are rehearsing in the same LA Studio preparing for world tours that start in May.
Frank B.
How awesome would it be to spend the day THERE!!! Unreal! (kk)
Kent ...
WCBS-FM is reporting that Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones are rehearsing in the same LA Studio preparing for world tours that start in May.
Frank B.
How awesome would it be to spend the day THERE!!! Unreal! (kk)
And, speaking of great oldies shows, we just got word about another one coming to the Chicagoland area ... Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits with The Ides Of March, performing Saturday, May 18th, at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora. More information here: ParamountAurora.com
And FH Reader Tom Cuddy is telling us that The Eagles may be calling their upcoming reunion tour their last. (Or at least until Hell Freezes Over ... Again!!!) Hot on the heels of their GREAT Showtime Documentary "The History Of The Eagles", the show promises all kinds of new surprises, including vintage videos, the return of Bernie Leadon, songs they've never performed together on stage before (meaning more "deep album tracks") and more of each member's solo hits. Sounds like a completely different kind of show experience ... and if tickets weren't so ridiculously expensive (I think it may be cheaper to go to Hawaii!!!), I would LOVE to be there!!! (kk)
Glenn Frey of the Eagles says that their upcoming History of the Eagles Tour may be the last for the band.
Group members spoke with the press in London on Thursday after the premier of their History of the Eagles documentary. Frey broached the subject of their touring future, saying "We’re about to begin rehearsals next month for our world tour. I don’t want to say it’s our last world tour, but it very well could be. That’s the only immediate plan. We’ve been working on this documentary. That’s all I know."
He went on to say he was amazed at the group's ongoing popularity. "It’s somewhat confounding, but people still want to see us play. It doesn’t seem to end for us. You’d think people would get tired of us. But you know, people haven’t."
The upcoming tour will be different from those in the past, utilizing video from the documentary into a show that covers the band's career along with a bit from the solo catalogs of each of the members.
Glenn Frey of the Eagles says that their upcoming History of the Eagles Tour may be the last for the band.
Group members spoke with the press in London on Thursday after the premier of their History of the Eagles documentary. Frey broached the subject of their touring future, saying "We’re about to begin rehearsals next month for our world tour. I don’t want to say it’s our last world tour, but it very well could be. That’s the only immediate plan. We’ve been working on this documentary. That’s all I know."
He went on to say he was amazed at the group's ongoing popularity. "It’s somewhat confounding, but people still want to see us play. It doesn’t seem to end for us. You’d think people would get tired of us. But you know, people haven’t."
The upcoming tour will be different from those in the past, utilizing video from the documentary into a show that covers the band's career along with a bit from the solo catalogs of each of the members.
HI KENT ...
Here's an upcoming plug for EPCOT ... this will run on Sunday, April 28th ... nice to live in small town where people appreciate your work..:)
Here’s the online link. This will run Sunday in the Lifestyles section of the Record with photo!
http://staugustine.com/entertainment/arts/2013-04-22/local-musician-rick-levy-perform-epcot-tommy-roe#.UXV-Ue1ms9w
Rick Levy / Tommy Roe Band
The reunited Monkees (featuring Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith) have just added another date to their 2013 tour:
A Las Vegas date has now been scheduled totalling two confirmed tour dates so far:
An Evening With The Monkees
Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork
Aug 10, 2013 - 8 pm
The Monkees at Grand Events Center
Green Valley Ranch
2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy.
Henderson, NV 89052, US
Pre-order ticket sales May 1
On sale 03 May 2013
US $42.50 – US $91.00 Ticketmaster
re: THIS AND THAT:
Hey Kent -
This is the 50th anniversary of when the Kingston Trio's second biggest hit, "Reverend Mr. Black", peaked on the charts. It is very interesting how it became a hit in the first place.
The trio's producer, Voyle Gilmore, heard the song at a convention, and wanted it recorded at Capital Records. The song really had Johnny Cash's name written all over it, but he was signed on a different label, so Gilmore's second choice was the Kingston Trio. The boys previewed the tune, and none of the three ... Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, or John Stewart ... wanted to sing it. Gilmore decided that Stewart's "airy" voice was best suited for the recording, because it was the "closest" sounding to Cash's. After much whining, John said ok, laid down the track, and promptly forgot about it. It was featured on one of my favorite KT albums, Kingston Trio #16.
Shortly after the album appeared on record store shelves, a Chicago Junior High School Teacher (his name escapes me, but you can find it in the book, "The Kingston Trio on Record". My copy is boxed away somewhere.), was teaching a class on how an individual or small group can manipulate the media. He asked his students to bring to class a fresh, new album, containing the worst song they ever heard. Every student did, and "Reverend Mr. Black" was voted the absolute worst! Now, I'm a fan of John Stewart and his songs, but I have to admit, his singing was not very good on that particular recording, and I'm surprised Gilmore didn't go with Bob Shane to sing it. After the song was voted "the worst" by the class, the teacher then instructed the students the barrage a popular Chicago radio station with requests to hear the song, many times a day, for a week. After the requests were honored, the station manager put in a call to Capital Records, and alerted them to the popularity of the song in that market. It was concluded by the management that the song should be released as a single. When that happened, it became a huge hit for the trio, second only to "Tom Dooley", and all because a Junior High School Class determined that it was the worst song they had ever heard! Years later, Johnny Cash did record it, to finally give the song the "flavor" Voyle Gilmore originally wanted.
- John LaPuzza
Too funny! Checking to see how the song performed here in Chicago, I see that it peaked at #9 on the Top Tunes Of Greater Chicagoland list ... and #6 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey. (Wonder which radio station they bombarded?!?!? In 1963, WLS would have been the most-likely candidate.) According to the (n)ever-reliable Wikipedia, "The Reverend Mr. Black" is a 1963 song by Billy Edd Wheeler, Mike Stoller, and Jerry Leiber. The chorus came from the 1931 folk song, "The Lonesome Valley," a version of which appears in the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Nationally, the song hit The Top Ten, too, peaking at #8 in Billboard, #7 in Cash Box and#4 in Record World! (kk)
Hey Kent -
This is the 50th anniversary of when the Kingston Trio's second biggest hit, "Reverend Mr. Black", peaked on the charts. It is very interesting how it became a hit in the first place.
The trio's producer, Voyle Gilmore, heard the song at a convention, and wanted it recorded at Capital Records. The song really had Johnny Cash's name written all over it, but he was signed on a different label, so Gilmore's second choice was the Kingston Trio. The boys previewed the tune, and none of the three ... Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, or John Stewart ... wanted to sing it. Gilmore decided that Stewart's "airy" voice was best suited for the recording, because it was the "closest" sounding to Cash's. After much whining, John said ok, laid down the track, and promptly forgot about it. It was featured on one of my favorite KT albums, Kingston Trio #16.
Shortly after the album appeared on record store shelves, a Chicago Junior High School Teacher (his name escapes me, but you can find it in the book, "The Kingston Trio on Record". My copy is boxed away somewhere.), was teaching a class on how an individual or small group can manipulate the media. He asked his students to bring to class a fresh, new album, containing the worst song they ever heard. Every student did, and "Reverend Mr. Black" was voted the absolute worst! Now, I'm a fan of John Stewart and his songs, but I have to admit, his singing was not very good on that particular recording, and I'm surprised Gilmore didn't go with Bob Shane to sing it. After the song was voted "the worst" by the class, the teacher then instructed the students the barrage a popular Chicago radio station with requests to hear the song, many times a day, for a week. After the requests were honored, the station manager put in a call to Capital Records, and alerted them to the popularity of the song in that market. It was concluded by the management that the song should be released as a single. When that happened, it became a huge hit for the trio, second only to "Tom Dooley", and all because a Junior High School Class determined that it was the worst song they had ever heard! Years later, Johnny Cash did record it, to finally give the song the "flavor" Voyle Gilmore originally wanted.
- John LaPuzza
Too funny! Checking to see how the song performed here in Chicago, I see that it peaked at #9 on the Top Tunes Of Greater Chicagoland list ... and #6 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey. (Wonder which radio station they bombarded?!?!? In 1963, WLS would have been the most-likely candidate.) According to the (n)ever-reliable Wikipedia, "The Reverend Mr. Black" is a 1963 song by Billy Edd Wheeler, Mike Stoller, and Jerry Leiber. The chorus came from the 1931 folk song, "The Lonesome Valley," a version of which appears in the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Nationally, the song hit The Top Ten, too, peaking at #8 in Billboard, #7 in Cash Box and#4 in Record World! (kk)
Here's another interesting "Story Behind The Song" from FH Reader Frank B ...
Click here: Anatomy of a Song: 'Reach Out I'll Be There,' Inspired by Bob Dylan - WSJ.com
Wow! I didn't know that Levi Stubbs was Jackie Wilson's cousin.
Frank B.
>>>The way I heard it (years ago) ... THE TONITE SHOW THEME ... Johnny Carson insisted on a co-writing credit for the song. I'm pretty sure it was in name (and money) ONLY! A pretty shrewd move by Johnny (who could call the shots) and HALF worked out okay for ANKA. (GARY)
>>>Scanning through Paul Anka's new book (in which he mentions "The Tonight Show Theme" several times), I don't see anything in there about him having to share song-writing credits on this tune. (Actually, as I recall several years ago we shared a clip showing that the melody was not, in fact, a brand new piece of music that Paul had written exclusively for Johnny Carson's program ... it was something he had been playing around with for quite some time ... in fact, it even had lyrics at one point.) Nevertheless, I'm sure he earned a pretty penny over the years for this one ... it aired five times a week for over 25 years!!! I remember talking to Bobby Hart about this and the theme he and Tommy Boyce wrote for "The Days Of Our Life" ... it proved to be quite lucrative for them over the years. (kk)
According to The New World Encyclopedia, Anka wrote the theme song ("Johnny's Theme"), a reworking of an earlier Anka song called "Toot Sweet" that had been given lyrics, renamed "It's Really Love," and recorded by Annette Funicello in 1959. Anka gave Carson co-authorship credit and they split the royalties for the next three decades. For years, the theme opened with a memorable drum riff that was later dropped.
According to The New World Encyclopedia, Anka wrote the theme song ("Johnny's Theme"), a reworking of an earlier Anka song called "Toot Sweet" that had been given lyrics, renamed "It's Really Love," and recorded by Annette Funicello in 1959. Anka gave Carson co-authorship credit and they split the royalties for the next three decades. For years, the theme opened with a memorable drum riff that was later dropped.
Gary Renfield I don't know that Johnny Carson necessarily insisted that Anka give him co-writing credit to the Tonight Show theme ... it sounds more like Paul just gave it to him ... in fact, this proved to be a pretty shrewd business move ... Anka knew that if Carson went along with the idea, Paul's song would play each and every evening over the opening credits ... just think of the royalties this generated over the next thirty years!!!
And, even MORE amazingly, it wasn't even a brand new song written for "The Tonight Show"! Paul had evidently given the original lyrical version to one-time girlfriend Annette (Funicello) to record ... but (as evidenced by this clip here), he ALSO cut a vocal version of his own (still under the title "It's Really Love"). Including Carson on the song-writing credit was an incredibly generous gesture ... the song played every single night for 30 years!!! (kk)
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2013/04/25/neil-diamond-to-donate-sweet-caroline-royalties-write-song-for-boston/
Kent ...
Neil Diamond is going to donate his royalties for "Sweet Caroline" to the city of Boston. In fact, he's going to write a song inspired by the tragic events that happened in Boston in addition to this donation.
I like him even more now than I did before. Makes me proud to be from Brooklyn.
Frank B.
According to a note on his website, "While his family greatly appreciates that Richie's many fans are also mourning this loss, they do ask for privacy during this difficult time. A public memorial will be planned for a later date.
Of course we also lost Country Superstar / Legend George "No Show" Jones a couple of days ago. According to Joel Whitburn's newly revised "Hot Country Songs" book (1944 - 2012), Jones hit the country charts an incredible 168 times!!! 13 of those songs went all the way to #1 ... and while he didn't have much of a pop chart / cross-over career, it was virtually impossible not to know who he was. ("He Stopped Loving Her Today" may be one of the best country records ever made.) Incredibly, his biggest pop hit was the semi-novelty track "White Lightning", his very first pop chart hit which peaked at #73 in 1959. The tune was written by his pal The Big Bopper, with whom he supplied Indian background songs on the 1960 #1 Pop Hit "Running Bear" by Johnny Preston. (kk)
Check out Gary's weekly R.I.P. tributes at RIPRenfield.com:
My new CD ("Retrophonic 4") is almost ready!
Davie Allan
Harvey Kubernik tells us that he's been working on a brand new commemorative project spotlighting the music of The Seeds. (The Seeds recently placed 7th in our Forgotten Hits All-Time Favorite Garage Bands Poll ... and they topped the charts here in Chicago back in 1967 with their landmark hit "Pushin' Too Hard".) Harvey has been working with Neil Norman, owner of the 55-year-old GNP Records label who just this week reissued the first two Seeds albums with bonus tracks and 40-page booklets by Alec Palao. In fact, Neil is also directing and now editing the first official Seeds documentary to be released later this year ... and has licensed all sorts of '60's film clips for use in the documentary.
Seems like I have seen the Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night" a million times in that beautiful black and white. Well, some guy in Germany has colourized the music clips.
And, speaking of The Rascals, here's a piece CBS Morning News did last week, courtesy of FH Reader David Lewis:
Click here: http://mms.tveyes.com/MediaCenterPlayer.aspx?Url=http%3a%2f%2fmediacenter.tveyes.com%2fdownloadgateway.aspx%3fUser
Kent ...
Neil Diamond is going to donate his royalties for "Sweet Caroline" to the city of Boston. In fact, he's going to write a song inspired by the tragic events that happened in Boston in addition to this donation.
I like him even more now than I did before. Makes me proud to be from Brooklyn.
Frank B.
Thank you for featuring the early demo-version of "Without You" by Pete Ham of Badfinger. In April of 1975, a despondent Pete Ham took to his garage in Surrey, England, where he summarily hanged himself, his suicide note placing the blame at the feet of manager and accused embezzler Stan Polley.
Renfield
Bandmate Tom Evans (who cowrote "Without You" with Ham, as well as several other Badfinger tunes) would experience a similar fate, stating that Pete had the right idea. Truly one of the saddest stories ever in the history of rock and roll. (kk)
Kent,
I read Phil Nee's comments about the accuracy of the information about songs performed on American Idol and had to respond.
Renfield
Bandmate Tom Evans (who cowrote "Without You" with Ham, as well as several other Badfinger tunes) would experience a similar fate, stating that Pete had the right idea. Truly one of the saddest stories ever in the history of rock and roll. (kk)
Kent,
I read Phil Nee's comments about the accuracy of the information about songs performed on American Idol and had to respond.
Last night I just happened to catch the last half hour. It was "One Hit Wonder" night. One of the contestants sang "A Whiter Shade of Pale". She told the judges that she chose the song because "Percy Sledge had always been one of her favorite artists." While I'm not disputing that Percy may have sung this song, I thought this was Procol Harum's song. And how is Percy Sledge a one hit wonder?
I'm just saying ...
Stacee
A big part of the problem is that shows like "American Idol" ask these young, teenage kids to sing songs that they have absolutely NO connection with (and then criticize them later for making "bad song choices"!!!) It's one of the reasons I stopped watching ... you just can't have it both ways.
For me personally, "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procol Harum is one of the single, greatest pieces of music EVER recorded ... honestly, it doesn't need to be redone by ANYBODY ... because NOBODY is EVER going to improve on the feel of that production. Odds are the person singing it wasn't even born until 25 years AFTER this song was a hit in 1967 ... so what feeling could they POSSIBLY have for it?
Checking a couple of sources, Percy Sledge did, in fact, record the song ... but his is hardly recognized as the definitive version. (Wikipedia says that Procol Harum was inspired by Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" when they wrote the song ... which is kinda funny ... because I always heard that the melody was based on a melody written by Johann Sebastian Bach!)
For the record, neither Percy Sledge OR Procol Harum were One Hit Wonders ... although radio seems to have reduced them to this status. After Procol Harum hit The Top Five with "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" in 1967, they returned to the US Top 40 twice more with "Homburg" (#34, 1967) and "Conquistador" (#16, 1972). Sledge meanwhile (one of the more controversial inductees into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... deejay Jim Shea once told me he was sitting next to Percy at the ceremony in Cleveland and Sledge wondered out-loud "What the hell am I doing here?!?!?") had five Top 40 Pop Hits including the timeless but ridiculously over-played "When A Man Loves A Woman" (#1, 1966); "Warm And Tender Love" (#12, 1966); "It Tears Me Up" (#12, 1966); "Love Me Tender" (#40, 1967 ... yes, a remake of the Elvis song); and "Take Time To Know Her" (my favorite ... and a #11 hit in 1968). kk
“A CHANGE IS GONNA COME” TO RECEIVE TOWERING SONG AWARD AT SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME GALA
Previously Announced Inductees Include Tony Hatch, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Holly Knight, JD Souther, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry
New York - April 22 – The 2013 Songwriters Hall of Fame Towering Song Award will be presented to “A Change Is Gonna Come” at the 44th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 13th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, SHOF Chairman Jimmy Webb announced today. The song, written and originally performed by the legendary Sam Cooke, is published by ABKCO Music. The Towering Song Award is presented to the creator(s) of an individual song that has influenced our culture in a unique way over many years. Previous Towering Songs have included “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” “Moon River,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “It Was A Very Good Year” and “Stand By Me.”
Previously Announced Inductees Include Tony Hatch, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Holly Knight, JD Souther, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry
New York - April 22 – The 2013 Songwriters Hall of Fame Towering Song Award will be presented to “A Change Is Gonna Come” at the 44th Annual Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 13th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, SHOF Chairman Jimmy Webb announced today. The song, written and originally performed by the legendary Sam Cooke, is published by ABKCO Music. The Towering Song Award is presented to the creator(s) of an individual song that has influenced our culture in a unique way over many years. Previous Towering Songs have included “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” “Moon River,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “It Was A Very Good Year” and “Stand By Me.”
“A Change Is Gonna Come” was written by Sam Cooke in 1963 and recorded in January of 1964 in Hollywood, CA. The track was released as a single in December of 1964. This evocative composition was adopted as an anthem by the Civil Rights Movement virtually upon its release and is widely considered to be Cooke's most significant and enduring composition.
“A Change Is Gonna Come” has garnered over 500 recorded versions, including covers by Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Bobby Womack, the Fugees, Jon Bon Jovi, Seal, R. Kelly, Gavin DeGraw, Terrence Trent D’Arby, the Righteous Brothers, Al Green and many others. Over the years, “A Change Is Gonna Come” has garnered great accolades and in 2005, was voted #12 by representatives of the music industry and media in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and voted #3 in Pitchfork Media's The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s. The song is also among those deemed as “the most important ever recorded” by National Public Radio (NPR) and was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Recording Registry.
After the results of the 2008 U.S. presidential election, President-elect Barack Obama specifically referred to “A Change Is Gonna Come,” stating "It's been a long time coming, but tonight, change has come to America" to the supporters gathered in Chicago's Grant Park. In the days leading up to the president’s inauguration, “A Change Is Gonna Come” could be heard repeatedly at different events throughout the Capital in Washington DC including a duet version by Bettye LaVette and Jon Bon Jovi at the Lincoln Memorial. Cooke's hopeful tome and vision for a multi-cultural society had come to fruition many years after he prophetically recorded the song, which is a cipher for righteous causes seeking change, equality and justice.
Cooke was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987. His songwriting catalog contains over 150 songs with more than 50 years after starting his songwriting career, his songs still endure to this day with recordings by major artists such as Amy Winehouse, the Rolling Stones, Jackie Wilson, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, the Neville Brothers, Leela James, Arcade Fire, Nas, Billy Bragg, the Band, Nina Simone, Cat Stevens, Shemekia Copeland, the Animals and Ray Charles among many others.
Previously announced inductees at this year’s SHOF event include Tony Hatch, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Holly Knight, JD Souther, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry. The Pioneer Award will be presented to Berry Gordy and the Johnny Mercer Award will be presented to Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Full biographies and a complete list of inductees are
Full biographies and a complete list of inductees are
available at the Songwriters Hall of Fame's Virtual Museum at http://songwritershalloffame.org/.
Join us! Our mission is to remember and honor our great songwriters while building our musical future through workshops, showcases and scholarships, along with the opportunity to vote for the next slate of inductees.
Joining online is quick and easy: http://songhall.org/join
Ticket Information: Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1000 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, (212) 573-6933. Net proceeds from the event will go toward the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs
-- submitted by Bob Merlis
kk,
Two items:
1. For my favorite TV theme, I'd like to vote for "AUTOMAN" (writer: Billy Hinsche), theme song from the 1982 sci-fi television show starring Desi Arnaz, Jr.
2. You and your readers who are on Facebook are encouraged to visit: www.facebook.com/billy.hinsche for details and photos of my recent affiliation with The Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp featuring Jeff Beck and Brian Wilson.
Two items:
1. For my favorite TV theme, I'd like to vote for "AUTOMAN" (writer: Billy Hinsche), theme song from the 1982 sci-fi television show starring Desi Arnaz, Jr.
2. You and your readers who are on Facebook are encouraged to visit: www.facebook.com/billy.hinsche for details and photos of my recent affiliation with The Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp featuring Jeff Beck and Brian Wilson.
Best,
Billy
More on the recent passing of Richie Havens ... from FH Reader Ken Voss:
More on the recent passing of Richie Havens ... from FH Reader Ken Voss:
Richie Havens R.I.P. January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013
Richie Havens, the veteran folk singer whose frenetic guitar strumming and impassioned vocals made him one of the defining voices and faces of Woodstock, and by extension, of 1960s pop music, died Monday of a heart attack at his home in New Jersey, his publicist said in a statement. He was 72.
The Brooklyn native with the powerhouse ripsaw voice was the opening act at the festival billed as “Three Days of Peace and Music” in upstate New York in August, 1969, and galvanized rock fans as they trekked in to the festival site from across the Eastern Seaboard and throughout the country.
His performance of “Freedom / Motherless Child” embodied the sense of frustration at the strictures of the social status quo and looming liberation being felt by blacks and whites, men and women during an era of tremendous sociopolitical turmoil.
Reviewing Havens' performance at the Troubadour in West Hollywood about a year before Woodstock, Times staff writer Pete Johnson wrote, "He sings in a lispy, rasping voice which by all odds should be unappealing and flails the strings of his guitar with an energy which belies sensitivity, but the performance and the man remain inarguably beautiful."
He charted more than a dozen albums over a period of nearly 20 years from 1968 to 1987, peaking with his 1971 album “Alarm Clock,” which reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200.
Havens toured and recorded for more than four decades, but had to give up touring last year because of complications following kidney surgery.
“Even when performing in a Greenwich Village coffeehouse or a small club or regional theater, he was eternally grateful that people in any number turned up each time to hear him sing,” according to a statement issued by his booking agency. “More than anything, he feels incredibly blessed to have met so many of you along the way.”
On Monday, Rage Against the Machine and the Nightwatchman singer-guitarist Tom Morello tweeted "RIP Richie Havens. A great talent, great soul."
Singer and songwriter Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, who took Jimi Hendrix on tour as their opening act before his career skyrocketed, tweeted "A HUGE loss to the music world. Devastating news."
Producer and musician Joe Henry sent out a tweet stating, "The great Richie Havens has passed. A heroic and generous spirit; a most singular artist. He changed me. He changed you too, know it or not.”
Benmont Tench, of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, tweeted: "Oh no. Richie Havens. What a voice. So unhappy about this."
He is survived by three children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. No services have been announced.
Of course we also lost Country Superstar / Legend George "No Show" Jones a couple of days ago. According to Joel Whitburn's newly revised "Hot Country Songs" book (1944 - 2012), Jones hit the country charts an incredible 168 times!!! 13 of those songs went all the way to #1 ... and while he didn't have much of a pop chart / cross-over career, it was virtually impossible not to know who he was. ("He Stopped Loving Her Today" may be one of the best country records ever made.) Incredibly, his biggest pop hit was the semi-novelty track "White Lightning", his very first pop chart hit which peaked at #73 in 1959. The tune was written by his pal The Big Bopper, with whom he supplied Indian background songs on the 1960 #1 Pop Hit "Running Bear" by Johnny Preston. (kk)
>>>MY favorite Mouseketeer was always Cheryl. I'll never forget when she turned up later as Wally's girlfriend on "Leave It To Beaver"!!! In fact, I think she may have done a Dick Van Dyke episode, too!
(Just checked out imdb.com ... actually she did a whole lot of work!!!)
Sad to hear that she passed away a few years ago. (kk)
I thought I remembered 'doin' your girl ...
February, 2009 Valentine's Day Issue of RIP Renfield ...
February, 2009 Valentine's Day Issue of RIP Renfield ...
R.I.P
Cheryl Holdridge
(former Mouseketeer)
Cheryl Holdridge
(former Mouseketeer)
Cheryl Holdridge, a popular Mouseketeer on
“The Mickey Mouse Club” TV show in the 1950'S died
after a two-year battle with lung cancer.
(was it cigarettes? they must taste great)
Born Cheryl Lynn Phelps on June 20, 1944, in New Orleans,
Holdridge moved to Los Angeles when she was 2.
She became a Mouseketeer in 1956 at the start
of the second season of “The Mickey Mouse Club,”
which featured 24 young singers and dancers.
I DIDN’T REMEMBER HER BY NAME…
BUT KNEW WHO SHE WAS
FROM THE ‘BEAVER’ APPEARANCE.
Holdridge played Wally Cleaver’s girlfriend for two seasons
in “Leave It to Beaver,” and had guest roles on shows
such as “Bewitched” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
(after ‘Beaver’, all grown-up, she was easy for me to recognize)
“The Mickey Mouse Club” TV show in the 1950'S died
after a two-year battle with lung cancer.
(was it cigarettes? they must taste great)
Born Cheryl Lynn Phelps on June 20, 1944, in New Orleans,
Holdridge moved to Los Angeles when she was 2.
She became a Mouseketeer in 1956 at the start
of the second season of “The Mickey Mouse Club,”
which featured 24 young singers and dancers.
I DIDN’T REMEMBER HER BY NAME…
BUT KNEW WHO SHE WAS
FROM THE ‘BEAVER’ APPEARANCE.
Holdridge played Wally Cleaver’s girlfriend for two seasons
in “Leave It to Beaver,” and had guest roles on shows
such as “Bewitched” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
(after ‘Beaver’, all grown-up, she was easy for me to recognize)
BY U.S. BONDS - THAT'S MY STORY - NEW BOOK -
BOOK RECOUNTS EARLY DAYS OF R&B, ROCK E-STREET BAND / SPRINGSTEEN COLLABORATION
New York, NY – If what you do is timeless, it never gets old. After 50 years onstage, Gary U.S. Bonds still performs two-hour concerts that end in standing ovations. One of the all-time great singers, there has never been any accurate account of his life, until now. The new book titled, “Buy U.S. Bonds – That’s My Story,” (written by Gary U.S. Bonds with Stephen Cooper), is more update than memoir. It follows Bond’s life through the early days of Rock and R&B and continues to 2012 where we find the legend onstage with Bruce Springsteen. The book weaves together music history while providing some fascinating insights into the singer’s music and life, putting the reader smack in the middle of the action.
BOOK RECOUNTS EARLY DAYS OF R&B, ROCK E-STREET BAND / SPRINGSTEEN COLLABORATION
New York, NY – If what you do is timeless, it never gets old. After 50 years onstage, Gary U.S. Bonds still performs two-hour concerts that end in standing ovations. One of the all-time great singers, there has never been any accurate account of his life, until now. The new book titled, “Buy U.S. Bonds – That’s My Story,” (written by Gary U.S. Bonds with Stephen Cooper), is more update than memoir. It follows Bond’s life through the early days of Rock and R&B and continues to 2012 where we find the legend onstage with Bruce Springsteen. The book weaves together music history while providing some fascinating insights into the singer’s music and life, putting the reader smack in the middle of the action.
Bonds calls his book “a small story about rock ‘n’ roll.” He chronicles how he went from singing with the “Turks” (a group he formed) to stardom highlighted by his collaborations with Bruce Springsteen and current status as legendary performer.
The foreword by his friend Steven Van Zandt (guitarist for The E-Street Band) gives readers the perfect overview. Van Zandt outlines how the “British Invasion” had stalled the careers of great talents like Bonds. For Bonds, overcoming challenges early and often throughout his career served him well going from “oldie to newbie” more times than he’d like to recall.
From the book, it’s obvious that Bonds is not just a survivor, but always and forever an acute observer of his music and the times. More than anything else, Bonds speaks of his love to perform, a true musical warrior who adores his audience and knows his place onstage. He relates a story in which a young Sam Cooke implores him to “let people know how you feel.” He talks about the urgency that is rock music and his thoughts on helping create the “Norfolk Sound.” Bonds believes that when the going gets tough, it’s best to make music. The stage acted as a refuge for him many times. Page after page of the book is filled with meaningful memories. Traveling with B.B. King. Bond’s first big break on the Dick Clark Show. How he got his unusual name. His mega-hits “New Orleans” and “Quarter to Three.” The real “Garden Party” story, and what happened with Rick Nelson. Successfully crossing into the country music arena when his hit ”Don’t Take Her” was nominated for the Country Music Association’s “Song of the Year.” His Grammy nomination (Rock Male Vocalist, 1982) for Dedication. Bond’s humorous outing with Muhammad Ali and the incredible recordings/performances with Springsteen and the E-Street Band.
Along the way, some heartfelt admissions -- Bond’s incredible love for his wife “Big Mama” and his daughter, “Little Mama.” Why he prefers performing live more than recording. How he feels about singing his hits night after night on tour.
The book teaches life lessons about perseverance and the strength derived from friends and family.
The book is a great read about a man propelled by an endless desire to please. Rock ‘n’ Roll is what Bonds does. The book proves that Bonds is and always will be a mainstay of Rock.
The foreword by his friend Steven Van Zandt (guitarist for The E-Street Band) gives readers the perfect overview. Van Zandt outlines how the “British Invasion” had stalled the careers of great talents like Bonds. For Bonds, overcoming challenges early and often throughout his career served him well going from “oldie to newbie” more times than he’d like to recall.
From the book, it’s obvious that Bonds is not just a survivor, but always and forever an acute observer of his music and the times. More than anything else, Bonds speaks of his love to perform, a true musical warrior who adores his audience and knows his place onstage. He relates a story in which a young Sam Cooke implores him to “let people know how you feel.” He talks about the urgency that is rock music and his thoughts on helping create the “Norfolk Sound.” Bonds believes that when the going gets tough, it’s best to make music. The stage acted as a refuge for him many times. Page after page of the book is filled with meaningful memories. Traveling with B.B. King. Bond’s first big break on the Dick Clark Show. How he got his unusual name. His mega-hits “New Orleans” and “Quarter to Three.” The real “Garden Party” story, and what happened with Rick Nelson. Successfully crossing into the country music arena when his hit ”Don’t Take Her” was nominated for the Country Music Association’s “Song of the Year.” His Grammy nomination (Rock Male Vocalist, 1982) for Dedication. Bond’s humorous outing with Muhammad Ali and the incredible recordings/performances with Springsteen and the E-Street Band.
Along the way, some heartfelt admissions -- Bond’s incredible love for his wife “Big Mama” and his daughter, “Little Mama.” Why he prefers performing live more than recording. How he feels about singing his hits night after night on tour.
The book teaches life lessons about perseverance and the strength derived from friends and family.
The book is a great read about a man propelled by an endless desire to please. Rock ‘n’ Roll is what Bonds does. The book proves that Bonds is and always will be a mainstay of Rock.
re: NEW VIDEO:
Kent,
You've covered James (Jim) Hendricks a couple of times in FH. You know, the guy who was with the Mugwumps and went on to pen the classic "Summer Rain." Well, he and his son have a new project / band called Hendricks and they've just released their first single.
You've covered James (Jim) Hendricks a couple of times in FH. You know, the guy who was with the Mugwumps and went on to pen the classic "Summer Rain." Well, he and his son have a new project / band called Hendricks and they've just released their first single.
Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbq1KGF179c
Actually, I kinda like this ... in a "Justified" / "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" kind of way!!! (kk)
Speaking of cool videos ... imagine getting off the New York City subway and seeing this going down on the platform!
Click here: Michael Buble sings at NYC Subway! | Facebook
Click here: Michael Buble sings at NYC Subway! | Facebook
Looking for an echo.
Frank B.
Frank B.
re: NEW RELEASES:
EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE QUEEN ON FIRE - LIVE AT THE BOWL ~
FROM THE HOT SPACE ’82 TOUR ~ MAY 21, 2013~
“We hadn’t seen the footage for years, but when we looked at it we couldn’t believe how good it was. We were on fire”. -- Roger Taylor
New York, NY (April 23, 2013)—June 5, 1982. Queen take the stage at England’s Milton Keynes Bowl, as part of the Hot Space Tour. Magic ensues.
On May 21, 2013, Eagle Rock Entertainment will re-issue Queen On Fire: Live at the Bowl on 2DVD and Digital Video [Pre-book Order Date April 26, MSRP $24.98]
In 1982, Queen (Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon) was, truly, on fire, playing more than 60 sell-out concerts in the world’s biggest arenas. Of course, the members of Queen were masters of arena rock, a craft they put to good use when they came to play this giant outdoor venue, as captured on Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl.
170 minutes deep, this two-disc set has been extensively restored from the original sound and footage. Disc 1 presents the performance in its entirety, filmed by Gavin Taylor. “Flash,” “Somebody To Love,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are The Champions,” and two versions of “We Will Rock You” are just part of the electrifying set list.
Disc 2 features a wealth of bonus material, including interviews, a photo gallery, and bonus performances at Tokyo’s Seibu Stadium (November 3, 1982) and Vienna’s Stadthalle (May 12, 1982). The interviews encompassed are a behind-the-scenes look at Milton Keynes as the crew preps the massive stage show, a chat with Freddie Mercury in Munich on during the European leg of the Hot Space tour, and an interview with Brian May and Roger Taylor.
With over three hours of material, On Fire: Live At The Bowl promises to set Queen fans ablaze.
EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE QUEEN ON FIRE - LIVE AT THE BOWL ~
FROM THE HOT SPACE ’82 TOUR ~ MAY 21, 2013~
“We hadn’t seen the footage for years, but when we looked at it we couldn’t believe how good it was. We were on fire”. -- Roger Taylor
New York, NY (April 23, 2013)—June 5, 1982. Queen take the stage at England’s Milton Keynes Bowl, as part of the Hot Space Tour. Magic ensues.
On May 21, 2013, Eagle Rock Entertainment will re-issue Queen On Fire: Live at the Bowl on 2DVD and Digital Video [Pre-book Order Date April 26, MSRP $24.98]
In 1982, Queen (Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon) was, truly, on fire, playing more than 60 sell-out concerts in the world’s biggest arenas. Of course, the members of Queen were masters of arena rock, a craft they put to good use when they came to play this giant outdoor venue, as captured on Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl.
170 minutes deep, this two-disc set has been extensively restored from the original sound and footage. Disc 1 presents the performance in its entirety, filmed by Gavin Taylor. “Flash,” “Somebody To Love,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are The Champions,” and two versions of “We Will Rock You” are just part of the electrifying set list.
Disc 2 features a wealth of bonus material, including interviews, a photo gallery, and bonus performances at Tokyo’s Seibu Stadium (November 3, 1982) and Vienna’s Stadthalle (May 12, 1982). The interviews encompassed are a behind-the-scenes look at Milton Keynes as the crew preps the massive stage show, a chat with Freddie Mercury in Munich on during the European leg of the Hot Space tour, and an interview with Brian May and Roger Taylor.
With over three hours of material, On Fire: Live At The Bowl promises to set Queen fans ablaze.
My new CD ("Retrophonic 4") is almost ready!
Davie Allan
Harvey Kubernik tells us that he's been working on a brand new commemorative project spotlighting the music of The Seeds. (The Seeds recently placed 7th in our Forgotten Hits All-Time Favorite Garage Bands Poll ... and they topped the charts here in Chicago back in 1967 with their landmark hit "Pushin' Too Hard".) Harvey has been working with Neil Norman, owner of the 55-year-old GNP Records label who just this week reissued the first two Seeds albums with bonus tracks and 40-page booklets by Alec Palao. In fact, Neil is also directing and now editing the first official Seeds documentary to be released later this year ... and has licensed all sorts of '60's film clips for use in the documentary.
Here's the official Sky Saxon / Seeds website: Click here: OFFICIAL Sky Sunlight Saxon and The Seeds, Legendary - Prolific - Visionary - Eternal ...
As well the GNP Records site for more information on the upcoming film.
Click here: GNP Crescendo Records
Click here: GNP Crescendo Records
More details as they become available. (In fact, Harvey has promised us a couple of EXCLUSIVE photos for use in Forgotten Hits ... so stay tuned!!!) kk
STYX - THE GRAND ILLUSION / PIECES OF EIGHT LIVE ~2CD OUT MAY 7~
New York, NY (April 25, 2013) — On November 9, 2010, Styx brought two of their most revered albums, 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s Pieces Of Eight to the stage at the historic Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. Eagle Rock Entertainment will release this concert, The Grand Illusion / Pieces Of Eight Live, as a 2-CD set on May 7, 2013. [MSRP 15.98]
STYX - THE GRAND ILLUSION / PIECES OF EIGHT LIVE ~2CD OUT MAY 7~
New York, NY (April 25, 2013) — On November 9, 2010, Styx brought two of their most revered albums, 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s Pieces Of Eight to the stage at the historic Orpheum Theater in Memphis, Tennessee. Eagle Rock Entertainment will release this concert, The Grand Illusion / Pieces Of Eight Live, as a 2-CD set on May 7, 2013. [MSRP 15.98]
The Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight were both multi-platinum masterpieces that established Styx as a globally successfully rock act. This was the first time these albums were played live in their entirety. Showcasing the scope and sheer magnitude of the Styx sound, Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars), James “J.Y.” Young (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Ricky Phillips (bass, backing vocals), and Chuck Panozzo (bass guitar) perfectly portrayed what made their music so groundbreaking.
Since their 1972 inception, Styx has sold millions of records worldwide, and defined the AOR genre for a generation of fans. Known for melding the elements of prog-rock with searing hard rock guitar and stellar songwriting, the band has produced such beloved hits as “Renegade,” and “Come Sail Away.” The Grand Illusion / Pieces Of Eight Live is a fitting representation of an incredible career.
Eagle Rock previously released this concert on DVD, Blu-ray, and DVD/CD in January 2012.
re: ON THE RADIO:
It's WCBS-FM 80's Double-Play weekend. Lately they seem to be playing more 70's & 80's and less 50's & 60's.
Billy Joel made the cut. It's Saturday morning and I already heard "Allentown" twice.
Even if you're talking only 1980's, that's 10 years of music to choose from. Why do they have to repeat the same songs?
At least tomorrow "Wild Wayne's Memory Machine" will take me back to the past, where I belong.
Frank B.
Because they're idiots, that's why. If you can't come up with two distinctly unique Billy Joel songs to play back-to-back (out of the 33 Top 40 Hits this man had) then you REALLY haven't got a clue on how to program a radio station!!! (Here in Chicago, they play FAR too much Billy Joel to my liking ... and I LOVE the guy ... I just don't need to hear "Only The Good Die Young", "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me", "You May Be Right", "Piano Man", "Big Shot" and "My Life" fifteen times a week ... each ... especially when there are SO many other great Billy Joel songs to choose from.) How about spinning "The River Of Dreams" once in a while ... or "An Innocent Man", "Honesty" or "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" ... ALL legitimate Billy Joel hits that radio ignores in favor of playing the same five or six tracks over and over and over again! (kk)
By the way, Frank, be sure to check out Rewound Radio ... this is the station I've been plugging the past couple of weekends ... GREAT selection, great variety ... tons of '60's and '70's music (with a nice sprinkling of '50's thrown into the mix, too.) After listening three straight weekends, I'm finally starting to hear some repeats ... but nowhere NEAR to the degree that you do on conventional radio. Here's that link one more time ... check it out ... I think you'll be pleased! (kk)
Click here: Rewound Radio
(Dee Jays ... listen to this station for an hour ... betcha wish you could do this on YOUR show!!!) kk
re: MORE BEATLES-RELATED NEWS:
DALLAS (AP) - A Return To Beatlemania ...
Advance bids for a copy of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album autographed by all four band members are even higher than the auction house anticipated.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said Friday that bidding for the 1967 album has reached $110,500 and could surpass $150,000 by the March 30 auction. Heritage originally estimated the album would go for around $30,000.
The Beatles signed the album on the gatefold above pictures of their heads.
The auction company's consignment director, Garry Shrum, says there's no telling when an autograph of such quality will show up again and "people are responding to that."
Shrum says the bidding seems to have "taken on a life of its own."
Bids started at $15,000 and include the buyer's premium.
See the video at http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/22/beatles-sgt-pepper-signed-auction/
re: ON THE RADIO:
It's WCBS-FM 80's Double-Play weekend. Lately they seem to be playing more 70's & 80's and less 50's & 60's.
Billy Joel made the cut. It's Saturday morning and I already heard "Allentown" twice.
Even if you're talking only 1980's, that's 10 years of music to choose from. Why do they have to repeat the same songs?
At least tomorrow "Wild Wayne's Memory Machine" will take me back to the past, where I belong.
Frank B.
Because they're idiots, that's why. If you can't come up with two distinctly unique Billy Joel songs to play back-to-back (out of the 33 Top 40 Hits this man had) then you REALLY haven't got a clue on how to program a radio station!!! (Here in Chicago, they play FAR too much Billy Joel to my liking ... and I LOVE the guy ... I just don't need to hear "Only The Good Die Young", "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me", "You May Be Right", "Piano Man", "Big Shot" and "My Life" fifteen times a week ... each ... especially when there are SO many other great Billy Joel songs to choose from.) How about spinning "The River Of Dreams" once in a while ... or "An Innocent Man", "Honesty" or "Leave A Tender Moment Alone" ... ALL legitimate Billy Joel hits that radio ignores in favor of playing the same five or six tracks over and over and over again! (kk)
By the way, Frank, be sure to check out Rewound Radio ... this is the station I've been plugging the past couple of weekends ... GREAT selection, great variety ... tons of '60's and '70's music (with a nice sprinkling of '50's thrown into the mix, too.) After listening three straight weekends, I'm finally starting to hear some repeats ... but nowhere NEAR to the degree that you do on conventional radio. Here's that link one more time ... check it out ... I think you'll be pleased! (kk)
Click here: Rewound Radio
(Dee Jays ... listen to this station for an hour ... betcha wish you could do this on YOUR show!!!) kk
re: MORE BEATLES-RELATED NEWS:
DALLAS (AP) - A Return To Beatlemania ...
Advance bids for a copy of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album autographed by all four band members are even higher than the auction house anticipated.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said Friday that bidding for the 1967 album has reached $110,500 and could surpass $150,000 by the March 30 auction. Heritage originally estimated the album would go for around $30,000.
The Beatles signed the album on the gatefold above pictures of their heads.
The auction company's consignment director, Garry Shrum, says there's no telling when an autograph of such quality will show up again and "people are responding to that."
Shrum says the bidding seems to have "taken on a life of its own."
Bids started at $15,000 and include the buyer's premium.
See the video at http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/22/beatles-sgt-pepper-signed-auction/
Here's "And I Love Her" complete in color!! If you check his videos for others, some others cut off, (probably in movie that way?), and there's some bad sound, probably due to matching up crowd noise with record(?) He has several on here, with some incomplete. It's fun to see what it SHOULD have looked like in color!! Here's "And I Love Her" clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1ua9cHDsqU
For all you WLS radio fans, here's a fantastic little clip from August 20, 1965 ... Comiskey Park, where WLS presented the Beatles! If you watch closely, you'll see the fabs come across 3rd base to the stage and John stops to say hi or whatever to someone and then is greeted by possibly a WLS jock (or more likely Mal Evans of the Beatles' crew?) at the bottom of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, I am about 100% sure it is my idol Ron Riley shaking hands with Ringo and jumping about, then shaking hands with George and Paul ... and by that time the others are leaving the stage. Behind Ron is Art Roberts who TRIES to get a hand shake in too, and Clark Weber. Maybe Clark Weber can give us insight into the others?? I have included the WLS legend in this mailing. Clark, any ideas?? If you have not read Clark's book, he has a nice still photo in it of the concert with the 'LS guys in it. Anyway here's the clip and it is WAY cool for me!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbT-x0ZTGMc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1ua9cHDsqU
For all you WLS radio fans, here's a fantastic little clip from August 20, 1965 ... Comiskey Park, where WLS presented the Beatles! If you watch closely, you'll see the fabs come across 3rd base to the stage and John stops to say hi or whatever to someone and then is greeted by possibly a WLS jock (or more likely Mal Evans of the Beatles' crew?) at the bottom of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, I am about 100% sure it is my idol Ron Riley shaking hands with Ringo and jumping about, then shaking hands with George and Paul ... and by that time the others are leaving the stage. Behind Ron is Art Roberts who TRIES to get a hand shake in too, and Clark Weber. Maybe Clark Weber can give us insight into the others?? I have included the WLS legend in this mailing. Clark, any ideas?? If you have not read Clark's book, he has a nice still photo in it of the concert with the 'LS guys in it. Anyway here's the clip and it is WAY cool for me!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbT-x0ZTGMc
Clark Besch
Having literally seen "A Hard Day's Night" HUNDREDS of times, I've got to say that this colorized clip is QUITE amazing!!! (Now they need to do this to the whole film ... and re-release it to the public!!!) As opposed to this version, they should be able to do wonders with the sound, enhancing everything to high-end quality. I'll bet they could sell out theaters across the country with this one!
Having literally seen "A Hard Day's Night" HUNDREDS of times, I've got to say that this colorized clip is QUITE amazing!!! (Now they need to do this to the whole film ... and re-release it to the public!!!) As opposed to this version, they should be able to do wonders with the sound, enhancing everything to high-end quality. I'll bet they could sell out theaters across the country with this one!
Clark Weber tells a funny story in his book about The Beatles' appearance at Comiskey Park ... it seems George Harrison was flirting / hitting on a hot blonde (who just happened to work at the station as Winky The Weather Bunny!!!)
Here is a clip from his book:
In 1965, Capitol decided on a Beatles' nationwide concert tour, including Chicago. To honor the four moptops, Capitol held a luncheon on August 20, 1965, for the WLS DJs and the Beatles at the Saddle and Cycle Club on North Lake Shore Drive. An old public relations friend of mine, Jim Feely, was dating a tall and lovely blonde model named Edwina Rast, aka "Winky the Weather Bunny," who worked on WLS. He wondered if I could get Winky into the party to meet the Beatles. I said "Sure", and arranged for her to attend. She showed up in a two-piece tennis outfit, and I seated her next to George Harrison, who took one look at this blonde arm-candy and somehow figured that she was his door prize. After about 20 minutes of conversation, Winky stood up, thanked Harrison, and announced that she had to leave for a modeling audition. Harrison said "You can't go", but Winky's reply was "Watch me!" ... and she left.
George told me that he was furious with me for allowing her to leave. "Not true," I told him. "I had nothing to do with her decision to leave."
Later that afternoon, my friend Jim Feely called again, said that Winky had a wonderful time meeting the Beatles, and wondered if I could get her into th concert scheduled that night at Comiskey Park. It was a sold-out show with over 33,000 screaming kids shelling out $4.50 to see the Beatles. I commented that Feely was pushing our friendship but, yeah, I would get her into the concert. Winky showed up in a skintight black cocktail dress and stood alongside me right next to the stage to watch the Beatles. I saw "watch" because you couldn't hear them, even up close. DJs Bernie Allen, Dex Card and I stepped onto the stage to introduce the Beatles, and we could feel the sound of those thousands of screaming kids through our fingers. When the Beatles came out on stage, we never heard a single note during their 45-minute show.
Twenty-five years later I received a call from a "Chicago Sun Times" photographer who was retiring to Las Vegas and cleaning out his photo files. He told me that he had a photograph which he wated to send me. When I opened the envelope, there was a photo of the Beatles on stage at Comiskey Park while, off stage I was standing there just looking bored with my hands on my hips because I couldn't hear anything. Standing next to me wasWinky and, when you looked at George Harrison, you could see him giving this beautiful, leggy blonde the eye.
-- Clark Weber
You can see that picture ... along with dozens more ... and read some INCREDIBLE deejay stories of what it was like to be on the radio during the most exciting period in rock and roll history in Clark's book "Clark Weber's Rock And Roll Radio: The Fun Years, 1955 - 1975", available through Amazon.com (where it's currently on sale for 60% off!)" Click here: Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio: The Fun Years, 1955-1975: Clark Weber, Neal Samors, Foreword by Neil Sedaka, Je
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
>>>Have you played Ronnie Allen's brand new, highly-addictive "Snippets On Demand" Game yet? Kind of a "name that tune" for oldies fans. (kk)
Click here: Jersey Girls Sing
Thanks so very much Kent!
Already I can see it's getting new players!
There's been a spike in my Snippets On Demand game plays and I am sure that it largely as a result of your allowing me to post the information in Forgotten Hits.
George told me that he was furious with me for allowing her to leave. "Not true," I told him. "I had nothing to do with her decision to leave."
Later that afternoon, my friend Jim Feely called again, said that Winky had a wonderful time meeting the Beatles, and wondered if I could get her into th concert scheduled that night at Comiskey Park. It was a sold-out show with over 33,000 screaming kids shelling out $4.50 to see the Beatles. I commented that Feely was pushing our friendship but, yeah, I would get her into the concert. Winky showed up in a skintight black cocktail dress and stood alongside me right next to the stage to watch the Beatles. I saw "watch" because you couldn't hear them, even up close. DJs Bernie Allen, Dex Card and I stepped onto the stage to introduce the Beatles, and we could feel the sound of those thousands of screaming kids through our fingers. When the Beatles came out on stage, we never heard a single note during their 45-minute show.
Twenty-five years later I received a call from a "Chicago Sun Times" photographer who was retiring to Las Vegas and cleaning out his photo files. He told me that he had a photograph which he wated to send me. When I opened the envelope, there was a photo of the Beatles on stage at Comiskey Park while, off stage I was standing there just looking bored with my hands on my hips because I couldn't hear anything. Standing next to me wasWinky and, when you looked at George Harrison, you could see him giving this beautiful, leggy blonde the eye.
-- Clark Weber
You can see that picture ... along with dozens more ... and read some INCREDIBLE deejay stories of what it was like to be on the radio during the most exciting period in rock and roll history in Clark's book "Clark Weber's Rock And Roll Radio: The Fun Years, 1955 - 1975", available through Amazon.com (where it's currently on sale for 60% off!)" Click here: Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio: The Fun Years, 1955-1975: Clark Weber, Neal Samors, Foreword by Neil Sedaka, Je
re: DIGGIN' FORGOTTEN HITS:
>>>Have you played Ronnie Allen's brand new, highly-addictive "Snippets On Demand" Game yet? Kind of a "name that tune" for oldies fans. (kk)
Click here: Jersey Girls Sing
Thanks so very much Kent!
Already I can see it's getting new players!
There's been a spike in my Snippets On Demand game plays and I am sure that it largely as a result of your allowing me to post the information in Forgotten Hits.
I love what you're doing with TV Themes. That gives me an idea for a future category for my game!
Thanks again!
And have a great weekend. :)
Ronnie
Glad to help, Ronnie ... the oldies fans out there will LOVE playing this brand new game. (kk)
Hi Kent -
Hi Kent -
Thanks for the very kind words about the new Bamboo Trading Company CD !!
And BIG BIG kudos to you for spotting "It's Wonderful" as an influence in "Tonga Hut".
EXACTLY CORRECT!!
(that was always one of my favorite "forgotten hits" of the era)
Till next time ...
Gary Griffin
And BIG BIG kudos to you for spotting "It's Wonderful" as an influence in "Tonga Hut".
EXACTLY CORRECT!!
(that was always one of my favorite "forgotten hits" of the era)
Till next time ...
Gary Griffin
Bamboo Trading Company
Actually, it's a GREAT homage to this long-forgotten Rascals tune. (Next time I talk to Felix Cavaliere I'll have to ask him ... "In hindsight ... what the heck were you guys thinking?!?!?" (lol) kk
And, speaking of The Rascals, here's a piece CBS Morning News did last week, courtesy of FH Reader David Lewis:
Click here: http://mms.tveyes.com/MediaCenterPlayer.aspx?Url=http%3a%2f%2fmediacenter.tveyes.com%2fdownloadgateway.aspx%3fUser
re: NEXT WEEK IN FORGOTTEN HITS:
We kick off the Final Elimination Rounds on Monday, narrowing things down to determine Your All-Time Top 50 Favorite Television Themes. You won't want to miss a thing ... as we ask you to vote once again each day for your favorites. (Yes, just like most Chicago elections, multiple voting is allowed ... and encouraged!!!)
Be sure to check out ALL of the details ... Monday in Forgotten Hits. And stay tuned for more information about Scott Shannon counting down The Top 20 Favorites on The True Oldies Channel!!! (kk)
