Thanks again to everybody for making this another great year.
Lots more to come in 2015!
re: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame:
Happy New Year Kent,
Wishing you a super 2015 keep the conversation going.
Perhaps all that is wrong with the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame is simply the fact that it resides in Cleveland, I have friends there but even they admit that they are somehow cursed. (I cleaned that up!)
Hey do you think that is a generational thing that I and probably many of your readers cannot recall ten songs from 2015 ?
I surely miss the DJ's and their spirited banter, but I am never without "My Tunes" thanks to all the marvelous new technology that allows us have it wherever we go.
Happy Trails,
CharlieOFD
Perhaps all that is wrong with the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame is simply the fact that it resides in Cleveland, I have friends there but even they admit that they are somehow cursed. (I cleaned that up!)
Hey do you think that is a generational thing that I and probably many of your readers cannot recall ten songs from 2015 ?
I surely miss the DJ's and their spirited banter, but I am never without "My Tunes" thanks to all the marvelous new technology that allows us have it wherever we go.
Happy Trails,
CharlieOFD
P.S. Great news on Freddie Cannon's rapid recovery thanks.
One thing that we have stressed to make clear for the past several years is that The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland has absolutely NOTHING to do with The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in New York, which consists of the nominating committee that continues to make these outrageous choices year after year after year. The Hall of Fame in Cleveland is simply a physical building that houses the memorabilia and exhibits that pertains to our favorite artists. They themselves have admitted to us on numerous occasions that they find themselves scratching their collective heads at the decisions made by the counterparts (and have even implied ... as far as they're legally able to do so ... wishes to disassociate itself with the powers that be, meaning the nominating committee itself.) Unfortunately, they're both lumped together and as such, because the nominating committee is an anonymous bunch of pompous assholes who can't be touched, the museum often falls victim to all of the criticism the OTHER organization generates. The Museum then has to listen to the fall out when visitors come by to visit the shrines established. (Some have suggested ... and I can honestly say that it wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that this is true ... that the nominating committee is really just a committee of ONE ... the dreaded, all-knowing Jann Wenner ... and that after he makes his 8-10 choices, those names (and ONLY those names) are circulated amongst the voting committee which, depending on what propaganda you choose to believe, consists of another 200 - 500 "musical experts" who have to make their selections from this provided list ... with absolutely NO input into the selection process whatsoever. Hardly a democracy by ANY stretch of the imagination ... and, as such, we're stuck with each new year's list of disappointing candidates.
Don't get me wrong ... I've always liked and admired Bill Withers and think he's a FINE artist ... but HE gets into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ahead of artists like Chicago, The Guess Who and The Moody Blues? What rock and roll advancements is HE responsible for exactly? Once again, I can only imagine the voting committee looking over this year's list and saying "Bill Withers? REALLY?!?!" only to be told "Yeah, well Jann wanted him in there" to which their ONLY response could possibly have been "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know." (kk)
From Claude Hall's Newsletter:
From Claude Hall's Newsletter:
I’ve been outraged for several days but, not wanting to appear to be The Grinch, I’ve been tamping it all down. Now that we’re past Christmas … here goes. It was when I learned of the passing of Joe Cocker that I discovered that he’s not been elected into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame! The Voice of Woodstock … the Voice of a Generation ... a performer who put more gut-wrenching, flesh-tearing, soul-searing emotion into a song than more than 95% of the artists who ever set foot in front of a mike. He took total ownership of a Beatle’s song, fer hevuns sake! And he’s not in the R ‘n R Hall of Fame? OK. Let’s see who’s in there and who’s more Rock ‘n Roll. Bobby Womack, DJ Fontana, Spooner Oldham, Percy Sledge, Buddy Guy, Randy Newman. Worthy fellows all. But more R ‘n R than Joe Cocker? I don’t think so! And then there’s Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys. I have no further comment so I’ll just wish you and yours a Happy New Years.”
Bob Sherwood
Claude responds ...
Long ago, I felt that the Hall of Fame was too Atlantic Records oriented. Maybe I’m wrong. But I became turned off on the Hall at some point. It’s there. Big deal! But it’s not my rock museum. It’s not my Rock Hall of Fame. It’s just there. Something else. Merely a part of the whole. An apt view, Bob. Thank you.
Claude Hall
Claude responds ...
Long ago, I felt that the Hall of Fame was too Atlantic Records oriented. Maybe I’m wrong. But I became turned off on the Hall at some point. It’s there. Big deal! But it’s not my rock museum. It’s not my Rock Hall of Fame. It’s just there. Something else. Merely a part of the whole. An apt view, Bob. Thank you.
Claude Hall
Those out there who don't follow it as closely as we do are constantly amazed by who's NOT in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... and they're beside themselves when they find out. Joe Cocker? Todd Rundgren? Chubby Checker? Freddy Cannon? Connie Francis? Pat Boone? The Monkees? The Turtles? Paul Revere and the Raiders? Tommy James and the Shondells? How about The Moody Blues? Electric Light Orchestra? The Guess Who? CHICAGO!!! Nope ... NONE of these artists have been deemed worthy enough to entice enshrinement. But Bill Withers got in this year. Percy Slege is in there. So is Bonnie Raitt and Leonard Cohen. Ed Sullivan? Nope. Look how long it took (and what an uproar there was) when The Dave Clark Five and Neil Diamond FINALLY got in!!! Hall and Oates, the most successful recording duo of all time? Finally inducted last year. You've REALLY gotta wonder what the hell they're thinking about ... or listening to! (kk)
re: This And That:
Vintage Vinyl News is reporting the death of Jo Jo Benson who, along with his singing partner Peggy Scott, had three straight Billboard Top 40 Hits in 1968-69: "Lover's Holiday" (#31), "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries" (#27) and "Soulshake" (#37).
Click here: Passings: Jo Jo Benson (1938 - 2014) ~ VVN Music
re: This And That:
Vintage Vinyl News is reporting the death of Jo Jo Benson who, along with his singing partner Peggy Scott, had three straight Billboard Top 40 Hits in 1968-69: "Lover's Holiday" (#31), "Pickin' Wild Mountain Berries" (#27) and "Soulshake" (#37).
Click here: Passings: Jo Jo Benson (1938 - 2014) ~ VVN Music
Here's one that oldies radio won't touch ... Little Girl by The Syndicate Of Sound ... A live performance by the original guys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyvyqwqhskM&feature=share
David Lewis
Ironically, this was one of the "extras" featured on Rewound Radio's Top 77 Countdown ... SO good to hear this song again. We used to do this one ... and have heard a few local oldies bands do it as well. And there WAS a time when oldies radio used to play it. Of course that's before the same 300 Classic Hits took over the airwaves. (kk)
Vintage Vinyl News has announced the latest touring dates for Chicago, 2015 ... For years, Chicago has been a touring machine, so much so that they designed their own recording equipment so they could record their new album in hotel rooms and other non-traditional places while trekking across the country. Although they will probably do their yearly major summer tour with another band from the 70s (they've gone out in the past with the Beach Boys, the Doobie Brothers, America, Huey Lewis & News, Hall & Oates, Earth Wind and Fire, REO Speedwagon and others), the band has released a number of solo dates in the U.S. and Mexico from February through May with the promise of more dates to come.
Announced so far:
02/26 - Bakersfield, CA - Bakersfield Fox Theater
02/27 - Temecula, CA - Pechanga Theater
03/03 - Mexico City, Mexico - Arena Ciudad de Mexico
03/07 - Monterrey, Mexico - Arena Monterrey
03/12 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Auditorio Telmex
04/23 - West Palm Beach, FL - Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
04/26 - Huntsville, AL - Von Braun Center
04/28 - Chattanooga, TN - Memorial Auditorium
04/30 - Montgomery, AL - Montgomery Performing Arts Center
05/11 - Park City, KS - Hartman Arena
05/20 - Peoria, IL - Peoria Civic Center
-- submitted by Tom Cuddy
Kent,
Enjoyed today's FH with again songs you don't hear on the radio today. What you said about the Ben E. King song led me to think of the narrative record that came out in 1966 HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF with versions by Cab Calloway and Buddy Starcher with Calloway's version being the bigger hit here in OKC.
Have a Happy New Year.
Larry
re: Larry Henley:
Very sad about Larry Henley. He was a Classic. One of my most vivid memories of 60’s Rock n Roll TV was seeing the Newbeats do “Bread & Butter” on Shindig. He was wild, and it was wild watching him sing that song with that crazy voice. Fun! An excellent lost Newbeats 45 is “Patent On Love”, give it a listen.
Very sad about Larry Henley. He was a Classic. One of my most vivid memories of 60’s Rock n Roll TV was seeing the Newbeats do “Bread & Butter” on Shindig. He was wild, and it was wild watching him sing that song with that crazy voice. Fun! An excellent lost Newbeats 45 is “Patent On Love”, give it a listen.
Ken
RIP to Larry Henley of Newbeats. We all knew and sang along to 'Bread & Butter.' They also sang 'Run Baby Run,' which is the real reason for my e-mail. There was a take-off on 'Run Baby Run' named 'Run Bambi Run' in honor of Laura 'Bambi' Bambenek's quest for justice while she was on the run after a prison escape. (RIP Bambi ... guess whose side I was on!) I believe someone else may've recorded that song, or it could have been the Newbeats, but I've looked for it off and on over the years with no success, so it may've been only the theme for a TV show about Bambi and never released. Seems they were playing the original a lot on the radio again during the time she was on the run. Can you help? (I found a song named 'Run Baby Run' by New Cities, a sort of electronica song, but it has a totally different melody & lyrics.)
Pttibg
RIP to Larry Henley of Newbeats. We all knew and sang along to 'Bread & Butter.' They also sang 'Run Baby Run,' which is the real reason for my e-mail. There was a take-off on 'Run Baby Run' named 'Run Bambi Run' in honor of Laura 'Bambi' Bambenek's quest for justice while she was on the run after a prison escape. (RIP Bambi ... guess whose side I was on!) I believe someone else may've recorded that song, or it could have been the Newbeats, but I've looked for it off and on over the years with no success, so it may've been only the theme for a TV show about Bambi and never released. Seems they were playing the original a lot on the radio again during the time she was on the run. Can you help? (I found a song named 'Run Baby Run' by New Cities, a sort of electronica song, but it has a totally different melody & lyrics.)
Pttibg
That's a new one on me ... maybe somebody else on the list can help (???) kk
Sorry to hear of the passing of Larry Henley of the Newbeats. My favorite song by them was "Groovin' (Out On Life)" - a last gasp on the charts in late 1969, I believe. I cannot find a trace of this on the charts for WLS or WABC at that time, so maybe WOKY from Milwaukee was my source for hearing the song on the airwaves. Ay any rate, it's a song true to their hits a few years earlier.
Riley
"Run Baby Run" was co-written by Don Gant, the vocalist for The Neon Philharmonic. Don worked with The Newbeats for years, and was often called "The Fourth Newbeat". The Newbeats' final single "Groovin' Out On Life" was released at about the same time The Neon Philharmonic's first LP and single were released. These tracks were all recorded at the same place - the old Acuff - Rose building on Franklin Road here in Nashville - and when I listen to the Philharmonic and "Groovin'" I hear what sounds like the same musicians and some very similar arrangements. I had a meeting in that neighborhood on the 18th and every time I drive by that place, all of these artists and songs pop into my head. On the 19th, I woke to the news that Larry had passed the previous evening.
David Lewis
Funny as these are about as two distinctly different sounding artists as one could conjure up! Goes to show just how musically versatile they really were! (kk)
Sorry to hear of the passing of Larry Henley of the Newbeats. My favorite song by them was "Groovin' (Out On Life)" - a last gasp on the charts in late 1969, I believe. I cannot find a trace of this on the charts for WLS or WABC at that time, so maybe WOKY from Milwaukee was my source for hearing the song on the airwaves. Ay any rate, it's a song true to their hits a few years earlier.
Riley
"Run Baby Run" was co-written by Don Gant, the vocalist for The Neon Philharmonic. Don worked with The Newbeats for years, and was often called "The Fourth Newbeat". The Newbeats' final single "Groovin' Out On Life" was released at about the same time The Neon Philharmonic's first LP and single were released. These tracks were all recorded at the same place - the old Acuff - Rose building on Franklin Road here in Nashville - and when I listen to the Philharmonic and "Groovin'" I hear what sounds like the same musicians and some very similar arrangements. I had a meeting in that neighborhood on the 18th and every time I drive by that place, all of these artists and songs pop into my head. On the 19th, I woke to the news that Larry had passed the previous evening.
David Lewis
Funny as these are about as two distinctly different sounding artists as one could conjure up! Goes to show just how musically versatile they really were! (kk)
re: Diggin' Forgotten Hits:
Hi Kent -
GREAT FINAL COMMENTS for 2014!!!
Have a GREAT 2015 ...
Carolyn
P.S. Any info on when Brian Wilson's "Love and Mercy" will be available on DVD or when it will be on TV??
I figured if anyone would know for sure, it'd be David Beard of Endless Summer Quarterly and Beach Boys Examiner, who tells us:
GREAT FINAL COMMENTS for 2014!!!
Have a GREAT 2015 ...
Carolyn
P.S. Any info on when Brian Wilson's "Love and Mercy" will be available on DVD or when it will be on TV??
I figured if anyone would know for sure, it'd be David Beard of Endless Summer Quarterly and Beach Boys Examiner, who tells us:
The Brian Wilson biopic, "Love & Mercy", is being scheduled for a 2015 nationwide release. Wilson's album, "No Pier Pressure," is being readied for early 2015.
Beard also told us:
There is a high probability that Brian might be releasing a 'Best Of' sometime in the near future as well.
