Thursday, June 4, 2015

Thursday This And That

Kent ...
If I was a DJ, I'd be playing this song today.It was the 3rd of June --
It is the 3rd of June!
Frank B.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc
We missed it yesterday ... the 49th anniversary of Billie Joe McAllister jumping off The Tallahatchie Bridge!!!  (I did ask for a moment of silence at work ... of course everybody thought I was completely out of my mind!)  Still no contact with Bobbie Gentry ... but I'll never give up trying!  (kk)
 
Ron Smith sent us this Illinois Entertainer article on Me-TV-FM.  According to this, their playlist is now up to 2500 tracks ... with more being added all the time.  Now that's some SERIOUS variety! (So how come I keep hearing three or four of these songs every single day for a week straight?!?!?)  Still, I've got to hand it to them ... they're doing EVERYTHING that I have been preaching would be successful for the past fifteen years now ... variety spanning the '50's through the '90's ... a playlist of THOUSANDS of songs (instead of 2-300) ... and they're still running without deejays to keep their costs down.  Can't wait till they start streaming so our FH Readers all over the globe can tune in and listen, too!  (kk)
 
Speaking of radio shows, here's the latest schedule for Mike Baker's Forgotten 45's ...
Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s will air Sunday afternoons 12 - 4 pm:
June 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th
August 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd
A question about Chicago oldies stations …
WLS-FM 94.7 Classic Hits but have you heard any songs by Cher or Cat Stevens
WJMK-FM 104.3 60s-70s-80s but have you heard Jamestown Massacre or The Five Stairsteps
Me TV FM 87.7 but have you heard Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley
Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s plays the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Remember listening to Solid Gold Saturday Night with Dick Bartley and Real Oldies 1690?  That is the playlist!
or the WLTL iPhone app
MB
Mike Baker And The Forgotten 45s
 
DeeJay Stu Weiss salutes 1963 this week on his Friday Night Pop Shoppe ... 
You can listen live here:  www.oldiesyourway.com
 
Last week I presented Johnny Mathis with a special Billboard award at his concert at Milwaukee’s Riverside Theater.  The concert was fabulous!  He still hits the high notes in songs like “Misty” perfectly and had the crowd on its feet throughout the night.  It was great meeting him and he was very interested in his Billboard album ranking as the all-time #6 artist in history!  If you ever get the chance, get out and see this living legend perform – stunning!
Joel Whitburn
 
 
Hi Kent,  
Thanks for the Alan Parsons concert review. It’s always uplifting to see performances of “our music” described so positively.
Fascinating list of #1 Records, too. I’m assuming that #124, “EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL” - Ray Charles, is really Ray Stevens. Don’t see Ray Charles on the list but then “I Can’t Stop Loving You” was about 18 months before the start date.
Surprise? Zager & Evans at #6. Unlike, say Paul Mauriat, who had an extensive recording career (especially in Europe), I think that “In The Year 2525” (and the subsequent album) was pretty much all that Z&E did. Such was / is the recording business that they couldn’t parlay that big hit into a successful recording career.
Thanks again,
Mike Edwards
Yes, the Ray Charles / Ray Stevens mix-up was a typo on my end ... it has since been fixed on both sites.  Since the list only covered "The Beatles Years" of 1964 - 1970, "I Can't Stop Loving You" wasn't eligible for inclusion.  (Someday I should do a more comprehensive list of maybe The Top 500 or Top 1000 #1 Records of the Rock Era, 1955 - 1985, similarly compiled by using the data from all three accumulated charts.)
Ironically I heard "In The Year 2525" when my alarm went off this morning ... just prior to reading and pasting your email!
Alan Parsons was phenomenal ... HIGHLY recommended should you ever get the chance.  (kk) 
 
I can't believe Alan Parsons was as good as you said - I think I know one song by him and he isn't the type of artist that I would think would hold any appeal for you.  Isn't he better known as a producer than an artist?  I'm going to have to check him out now just to see if you're crazy or not!
Steve
Trust me ... you don't just know one song by him ... go to YouTube and google The Alan Parsons Project and I'll bet you find out you know at least ten.
Their biggest hits were "Eye In The Sky", "Games People Play", "Time", "Don't Answer Me", "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" and "Damned If I Do", all Top 40 Hits between 1977 and 1984.  Their "Sirius" instrumental is the track used to open every Bulls game for at least the past 25-30 years ... and album tracks like "Breakdown" (featuring Alan Clarke of The Hollies on lead vocals) are Classic Rock staples.  Again, you will not be disappointed.  (Next time he comes to town, let's go together ... it'll be worth it just to see the look on your face once the music starts!)  kk
 
This past weekend in Springfield and Peoria, IL, I had the good fortune to meet and greet with two of the most nicest and professional gentlemen in the music business, Jimy Sohns (Shadows Of Knight) and Ronnie Rice (New Colony Six). This was easily one of the highlights of 2015 for me.  Sadly, I do not have a fancy schmancy cell phone that takes photos, so there are none to share.
Saturday, in Springfield, it was just a meet and greet with Jimy where I got to meet Jimy Sohns of the Shadows of Knight for the very first time.  (This was Day One of a two day event.)  Had the event been held in Chicago, the room would have been wall to wall people, but this was very poorly attended. If 100 people walked thru the door that day, I would have been surprised. If Jimy was disappointed, he didn't show it. There was no music, just a meet and greet as part of a record convention.
As you can see he autographed a few things for me, including the first pressings of Gloria and Oh Yeah, with the picture sleeve. He also signed a bunch of WLS and WCFL charts for me. You can see the three in which Gloria appears at #1. Plus a reissue Dunwich various artists compilation CD, and and a reissue SOK vinyl LP. He would later joke that I had surveys dating back from when George Washington was president. He may be right. Too bad I can never find the stuff you need Kent.
Day Two, in Peoria, was slightly different. There was a record convention and, sometime after noon, Jimy Sohns showed up and I greeted him again with another couple surveys I had with me. However, I was waiting for Ronnie Rice, whom I had met just once before at a restaurant 30 years earlier. He showed up about 2 pm.
At the time I told him I know you hear the line "I have ALL your records" often, but I truly do. This was before the advent of CDs. Now that I have various CD compilations, I really don't need the 45s and have parted with many. Still, I bought a few with me, as well as the Colonization LP, the first New Colony 6 album that Ronnie plays on. I also handed him some surveys and his first solo record, Over The Mountain, which first appeared on a WLS survey at the end of 1961. He was a bit surprised to see that someone still has the record over 50 years later. The meet and greet at the record convention was actually only part one of the day's festivities. Later in the afternoon were performances by various local bands, and then climaxed by performances by Ronnie Rice and Jimy Sohns. I have no idea if they did any duets. Sad to say I didn't stick around to find out, as the show was scheduled to go on until 11 pm. Since it was a four hour drive home, there was no way I was gonna hit the road close to midnight and get home at 4 am. Those days are gone, especially after being up at 6:30 am, to get ready for the record show. My apologies for having no photos to share, as I don't own a camera, and I don't own a cell phone.
Jack Levin
But he DID send some photos of the autographed memorabilia ... check 'em out below.  Thanks, Jack!  (kk)
 


 
Speaking of Jimy Sohns, check this out ...
 
Kent -
I just got back from the Whisky A Go-Go where Jimy Sohns and the Shadows of Knight performed ... for the first time since 1968.  
In the middle of the set, Jimmy invited Dennis Tufano to join in ... that’s Dennis playing blues harp on the right. Jimy said “While I was doing ‘Gloria’, Dennis was doing ‘Susan.’”  Also in this photo are Joan Gand (keyboards) and Gary Gand (guitar) ... big night for Chicagoans on the Sunset Strip.
Bob Merlis
 
 
VERY cool!  (And Dennis plays a pretty mean harp, too, doesn't he!)
Love the comment about "Gloria" and "Susan" ... here's what Jimy told us just before the Marty Grebb Benefit Concert last month (kk) ...
Back 1966 / 1967, the name of every girl you met depended on whether The Buckinghams came to town first or The Shadows.  If we got there first, they were all named Gloria ... if Dennis Tufano got there first, they were all named Susan.
Early on in our formative years, all of us were competitive as we carved our way into Rock and Roll history ... I now feel that we have come full circle! The amount of energy and LOVE coming off the stage last Thursday was truly amazing. On behalf of the Shadows, Hawk, Billy Sullivan and that crazy good harp player, Dennis Tufano, we want say how proud we are to have been in yet another moment of CHICAGO rock and roll history. 
Rock on Chicago, Rock on Marty!
Jimy Sohns / The Shadows Of Knight
They referred to "Gloria" as "Rock And Roll's National Anthem" that night ... and they just may be right!  (kk)
 
I remember being at Poplar Creek for a summertime Beach Boys concert ... the opening act starts playing ... some group called the Tremblers ... the lead singer looked and sounded immediately familiar ... It took me a couple songs into their set list to realize it was none other than Peter Noone!
He was terrific!
Phil
Peter enjoyed some success with "Life After Herman" with The Tremblers.  Good as they were, they just never seemed to catch on here in The States.  He later told me that he had to "leave Herman behind" in order to appreciate him again ... and he's been doing the Herman / Peter thing ever since.  Honestly, we're all the richer for it.  (kk) 
 
>>>I heard the big news that Sirius / XM now has an ALL JAMES TAYLOR channel. I know how much you’ve wanted an “All JT, All The Time” station since MeTV-FM cut back on Mr. Taylor.  (Ron Smith)
An all James Taylor station ... perhaps they will aim it at ISIS and thus cause those maniacs to 'mellow out' and stop burning and beheading people.
Brad
 
To all my Oldies Community friends,
Click the link below to see my brand new video tribute to Independence Day.
Thanks, 
Paul Evans
 
We featured this one a few weeks ago ... and now Grace has the #1 Single in Australia with her remake of the John Madara - David White - penned hit "You Don't Own Me", one of my all-time '60's favorites. 
Here's a link to the video, now with over four million hits!  (WTG, John!)  kk
 
Dear Rolling Friends,
Gary Pig Gold here again, with the latest appearance of my piece on "The Rolling Stones: The Mick Taylor Years."
Here is its virtual address, for one and all to read, reprint, re-post, quote from and / or link to
as always ...

FH Reader Wild Bill Cody used to tell us all kinds of tales about The Moon Rakers ... and how popular they were in the Denver area back in the day, opening up virtually every major act that passed through town.
Since his passing we have kept in touch with original members Veeder Van Dorn and Denny Flannigan.  Van Dorn tells us that the group has reunited for a series of concerts in and around the Denver area ... as well as some road shows, too.  (Wonder if we can get them to stop by Chicago for a quick set, too!  These guys were quite popular at the time as Denver's version of our "local heroes" that we write so much about here in Chicago!)
Anyway, here's the latest ... fans can find more information on The Moon Rakers official website, too, about upcoming appearances ... as well as how to download MP3's of their local hits. 

Read on ...
 
Kent, 
I hope you're having a great day.  I enjoy FH a lot but I just haven't written anything for awhile.  I often find myself thinking "How does Kent keep up with everything he is covering??"  Kent, you are, seriously, one of the hardest working guys I know. 
Our first hit, "You'll Come Back" was released on Tower Records and was written by our own Denny Flannigan.  It went to #1 on KIMN Radio in Denver, which was THE top Denver Metro station for many years.  We opened for all the major Concerts that came to Denver ... The Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Sonny and Cher, The Byrds, Chad and  Jeremy,  and many, many others.
Roger Christian was our manager and got us on Tower Records.  Roger was a major Los Angeles DJ and had written Little Deuce Coupe, Don't Worry Baby and many other Beach Boy hits with Brian Wilson, and several others for Jan and Dean.
(NOTE:  We'll be featuring "You'll Come Back" in one of our upcoming "50 Year Flashback" pieces coming up in late August / early September ... it's a regular Monday Morning Feature here in Forgotten Hits that takes a look back at the charts fifty years ago that week in various cities from all over the United States and Canada.  Be sure to check it out!  kk)
In fact, we'll be playing around Denver in August for several 60s Reunion Concerts, and The Moon Rakers will have all five original members (this was years before Sugarloaf).  I'll keep you posted as it gets closer.
In the 60s we played as far east as the University of Iowa at Ames, flying and connecting through Chicago,  and we charted in Indianapolis.  The Moon Rakers actually bubbled under in Billboard, but we just didn't have the promotion we needed to get up the national charts.  
I heard from Rock Historian Les Peterson in Fort Collins that BADFINGER is back up on the Billboard Charts and touring mightily ever since their hit "Baby Blue" was included in the final episode of Breaking Bad.  Cool stuff.  Maybe The Moon Rakers will make a comeback too with "You'll Come Back". (pretty ironic wordplay if THAT happened!)  Hey, then you  can say, "You heard it here first".  
I definitely WILL let you know when I come thru Chi Town.  I'll even buy you lunch ... how about pizza?  Chicago Style!
Thanks for thinking of us Kent.  I'm looking forward to seeing you in Chicago.
You're doing great work with Forgotten Hits Kent.  Keep on Truckin'. 
Veeder Van Dorn
It's a date.  Bring Denny, too, as he's been a long time FH Member and is always inviting me to come by his club in Baja!  (Wish I could!!!) 
Hey check out this vintage newspaper clipping of a show The Moon Rakers opened for The Dave Clark Five!!!  Looks like pandemonium ensued!  (lol)  kk
 
 
ZZ TOP TO HIT THE ROAD ON GROOVES & GRAVY TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST BLACKBERRY SMOKE 
Hot on the heels of their tour with Jeff Beck and a sizeable concert run on their own, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top are teaming up with special guests Blackberry Smoke for the Grooves & Gravy Tour.  The tour will take the two simpatico bands through much of North America from mid-August to early October.  
The Grooves & Gravy Tour stops in Memphis (Live At The Garden Summer Concert Series), Festival Trois-Rivieres en Blues in Quebec, Nashville, New Orleans, The Blues & Brews Festival in Telluride, CO, Pomona and San Diego, CA, and -- to quote the  ZZ Top’s classic “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” – “all points in between.”  
Mutual admiration between the bands is strong, who both share Southern roots. “We’re looking forward to getting out there with the Blackberry Smoke guys,” declared ZZ Top singer/guitarist Billy F Gibbons. “Grooves & Gravy promises to be one of the rowdiest outings of the year so come on out and get crazy with us.”  
Likewise, Blackberry Smoke lead singer/guitarist Charlie Starr proclaimed, “We can’t wait to go out and make music with the legendary ZZ Top!”  
ZZ Top is an anomaly in the world of rock - singer / guitarist Billy F Gibbons, bassist / singer Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard, aka “the man with no beard,” have been the most consistently stable lineup ever in the entire genre. For more than 45 years, “that little ol’ band from Texas” has been putting out albums (25 million U.S. sales to date) and touring relentlessly, showing no signs of slowing down.
Blackberry Smoke, who formed in Atlanta, GA in 2000, have been making waves in the music world in recent years, playing a blend of Southern rock and country rock to enthusiastic audiences. No strangers to rigorous touring, they headlined multiple U.S. tours and have also been the supporting act for Zac Brown Band, Eric Church and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Blackberry Smoke have recently signed with Rounder Records, who released the group’s fourth album Holding All the Roses this past February.
ZZ TOP GROOVES & GRAVY TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST BLACKBERRY SMOKE:  
Aug 12* - Bethlehem, PA - Musikfest 
Aug 13 - Glen Allen, VA - Innsbrook After Hours 
Aug 15 - Memphis, TN - Live At The Garden  
Aug 16 - Asheville, NC - Biltmore Estate 
Aug 18 - Vienna, VA - Filene Center at Wolf Trap 
Aug 20* - Niagra, ON - Fallsview Casino Resort 
Aug 21 - Trois-Rivieres, QC - Amphitheatre Cogeco (Festival Trois-Rivieres en Blues) 
Aug 22 - Pownal, VT - Green Mountain Live 
Aug 25 - Northfield, OH - Hard Rock Live 
Aug 27 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival 
Aug 28 - Mt. Pleasant, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort 
Aug 30 - Windsor, ON - The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor 
Sept 1 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater 
Sept 3 - New Orleans, LA - Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square 
Sept 4 - Dallas, TX - Music Hall @ Fair Park 
Sept 5* - La Grange, TX -  The Fayette County Fair 
Sept 10 - Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Resort Amphitheater 
Sept 11 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery 
Sept 12 - Pomona, CA - Los Angeles County Fair 
Sept 13 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s 
Sept 15* - Park City, UT - The Canyons Resort 
Sept 18 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Town Park (Blues & Brews Festival) 
Sept 19* - Loveland, CO - Thunder Mountain Amphitheater 
Sept 20 - Gillette, WY - CAM-PLEX 
Sept 22 - Bismark, ND - Bismark Civic Center 
Sept 23 - Brookings, SD - Swiftel Center 
Sept 25 - Lancaster, ND - Pinewood Bowl Amphitheater  
Sept 27* - Fort Wayne, IN - Foellinger Theatre 
Sept 29* - Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre 
Oct 1*- Bloomsburg, PA - Bloomsburg Fair 
Oct 2*- Atlantic City, NJ - Caesar’s Circus Maximus 
Oct 4*- Louisville, KY-  Champions Park
*ZZ Top without Blackberry Smoke
 
Kent,  
I'm thrilled at getting the chance to share a "Rockword" crossword puzzle with your list.  I hope that the attachments are okay, both in terms of format and content.  
My reasons for continuing working on these Rockwords is twofold.  It's firstly to provide enjoyment to those who tackle the puzzles and in this regard, for some of your hard-core followers, the puzzle may be as "easy as pie".  But secondly I like to think that, for those who take a look at the puzzle, they are being reminded of some great titles, artists and music that they have not thought about in a long, long time.  Just my way of trying to keep the "Oldies" music alive.
As always, keep up the great work.
Mike Ogilvie
Mississauga ON.

Thanks, Mike ... have at it, gang!  (kk)
 
Kent -
I still mourn the loss of the annual Bob Stroud discs (which I bought from you in the later years of the series).  Any chance these will ever make a return?
-- Stephen Elders
I think the big thing here is sponsorship ... licensing all these tracks, even for a limited release such as this one, can be quite costly.
I asked Bob Stroud for HIS feelings on whether or not we may ever see another one.  I haven't heard anything back yet ... but if and when I do, I'll be sure to pass it along.  (Forgotten Hits would love to cosponsor something like this ... maybe even have a hand in picking some of the tracks ... but we don't have any money either!!!  lol)  I sure would love to see this series continue, however.  (kk) 
 
New 3 CD Box Offers A Heavy Dose Of Rare & Unreleased Iggy Pop Recordings!
Los Angeles, CA - When Michigan based proto-punk band The Stooges called it a day in 1974, the music world mourned the loss of one of the most groundbreaking rock bands ever. Fortunately, the mourning didn’t last long as head Stooge Iggy Pop quickly launched a stunning solo career that arguably eclipsed his auspicious early years. Psychophonic Medicine is an incredible 3 CD collection of rare and unreleased gems that focuses on Pop’s crucial late ’70s, early ‘80s post-Stooges output. The collection, available everywhere June 23 courtesy of Cleopatra Records, features studio outtakes from the landmark albums The Idiot and Party including never before released alternate mixes and two tracks not previously released in any form! Each of these recordings provides important insight into how Pop evolved from punk pioneer to one of the most diverse and adventurous artists in music.
But the party doesn’t stop there - the set also contains some of Iggy’s most electrifying live performances. Disc 2 is the first ever CD release of the legendary show at Paris Palace 1979. This incredible full-length recording showcases Iggy at his most explosive and audacious, ripping through such favorites as “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Cock In My Pocket,” “Kill City” and more! A newly discovered audio source from Pop’s San Francisco performance in 1981 wraps up the collection in fine form with scalding versions of “I Need More,” “Lust For Life,” “TV Eye,” “1969,” “The Winter Of My Discontent” and others. Each of the three discs is packaged in its own wallet and comes with a gorgeous 36-page full color booklet featuring rare photos from the archives of longtime Stooges photographer and co-author of the only authorized Stooges biography, Robert Matheu, who also wrote the liner notes. And if that isn’t enough, the box includes a special bonus track of Iggy’s duet with Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino that was featured on HBO’s True Blood! Both collectors and the curious will find Psychophonic Medicine an irresistible aural trip.
DISC 1: RARITIES
The Idiot Outtakes (1977)
1. Dum Dum Boys (Alternate Mix) / 2. Baby (Alternate Mix) / 3. China Girl (Alternate Mix) / 4. Tiny Girls (Outtake) / Party Outtakes (1981) / 5. It's My Life (Unreleased) / 6. Bang Bang (Alternate Mix) / 7. Sea of Love (Alternate Mix) / 8. Time Won't Let Me (Alternate Mix) / Ric Ocasek Sessions (1983) / 9. Fire Engine / 10. Warrior Tribe / 11. Old Mule Skinner Steve Jones Demos (1985) / 12. Beside You / 13. Cry For Love / 14. Purple Haze / 15. Warm Feeling (Unreleased) / BONUS TRACK
16. Let’s Boot And Rally with Bethany Cosentino
DISC 2: PARIS PALACE 1979
1. Cock In My Pocket / 2. Kill City / 3. Fortune Teller / 4. New Values / 5. Billy Is A Runaway / 6. I Wanna Be Your Dog / 7. Five Foot One / 8. Dirt / 9. Batman / 10. Louie Louie / 11. Shake Appeal / 12. I’m Bored
DISC 3: SAN FRANCISCO 1981
1. I Need More / 2. Some Weird Sin / 3. Houston Is Hot Tonight / 4. TV Eye / 5. 1969 / 6. Rock and Roll Party / 7. Bang, Bang / 8. Dum Dum Boys / 9. Eggs On Plate / 10. I'm a Conservative / 11. I Need More (Again) / 12. Lust for Life / 13. The Winter of My Discontent
 
TIME TO LET YOUR FREAK FLAGS FLY AS HIPPIEFEST TOUR RETURNS THIS SUMMER TO CELEBRATE ONE OF GREATEST ERAS IN MUSIC
DANCE TO THE MUSIC AS THE LEGENDARY GROUP, THE FAMILY STONE, HEADLINES HIPPIEFEST TOUR 2015 WITH RICK DERRINGER, MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS AND BADFINGER FEATURING JOEY MOLLAND
Hey, all you former hippies and hipsters, it's time to let your freak flags fly once again, as the popular Hippiefest tour returns this summer to celebrate an incredible era in music and American culture.
To say that it will be "hot fun in the summer time" and a "family affair" would be an understatement, as the legendary group, The Family Stone, will headline this year's ten year anniversary Hippiefest tour that will feature Rick Derringer, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels and Badfinger featuring Joey Molland.
If you've attended a Hippiefest show in the past decade, you know what to expect... an incredible evening full of good time, on your feet, rock and roll.
If you haven't, it's time to turn on, tune in and see what it's all about!
Beginning in early July, "flower power" returns for its seventh tour in ten years on a psychedelic journey that will likely encompass twenty dates spanning the United States throughout the beginning of October (see current itinerary below).
The Family Stone -- featuring original founding members Jerry Martini, Cynthia Robinson and Greg Errico -- will be performing the music of Sly & The Family Stone including such classics as "I Wanna Take You Higher," "Everyday People," "Hot Fun in the Summertime," "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," "Family Affair," "Everybody is a Star," "Stand!" and "Dance to the Music." The group recently welcomed Phunne Stone, daughter of Sly Stone and Cynthia Robinson, as their new female vocalist leading them into their 50th Anniversary in 2016. The band initially hit the scene in 1966 and was the first major American rock band to have an "integrated, multi-gender" lineup. In 1993, Sly & The Family Stone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, who would eventually cite two of their songs, "Dance to the Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)," among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2001, they were awarded the R&B Foundation Pioneer Award and, in 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them 43rd on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time. In 2006, Sly & The Family Stone would make a memorable appearance at the Grammy Awards. Joining Cynthia, Jerry, Greg and Phunne is the powerful lead vocalist, Alex Davis, Musical Director and bassist Blaise Sison and lead guitarist Nate Wingfield.
It's doubtful that anyone will be sitting down when Rick Derringer breaks into his well-known rock anthem, "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." Forty plus years after its release, the song continues to be a staple on classic rock radio and was featured in several movies including The Spirit of '76, Rush, Stag, What A Girl Wants and the cult classic, Dazed and Confused. It's a little known fact that years before his success as a solo artist, Rick had a band at the age of 17 called The McCoys that had a #1 hit in 1965 called, "Hang on Sloopy." The song would eventually be knocked out of the top spot by The Beatles' "Yesterday." A year after its release, The McCoys would find themselves as the openers for the entire Rolling Stones American tour. Although "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" was written and recorded a few years earlier with friend Johnny Winter, it would be Rick's solo version in 1973 that would propel him into the stratosphere of rock. In 1977, he would appear on the last Led Zeppelin North American Tour. In the years to follow, Rick would perform with such artists as Alice Cooper ("Under My Wheels"), Steely Dan ("Show Biz Kids" and "Chained Lightning"), Todd Rundgren, Richie Havens, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter and Weird Al Yankovic among others. In 2011, Rick toured as a part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band just prior to embarking on that year's Hippiefest tour. In recent years, Rick has performed on the popular Rock'n'Blues Fest tour that has included Edgar and Johnny Winter.    
The hits began for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels at the tail end of '65, with the release of their first hit single, "Jenny Take a Ride!". In 1966, they recorded and began to perform a medley featuring Little Richard's "Jenny Jenny" and Chuck Willis' classic R&B song, "C.C. Rider." The song would quickly enter the Top Ten charts, setting the stage for what was to come that year. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels would follow up their initial hit with two more in '66 including a rendition of the Righteous Brothers' "Little Latin Lupe Lu" and the song that would, ultimately, be their biggest hit, "Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly." A year later, in typical Detroit fashion, Mitch and the band kept their pedal to the metal and delivered another Top Ten song called "Sock It To Me-Baby!" Shortly after his success with The Detroit Wheels, Mitch Ryder would experience a Top 40 hit as a solo artist with "What Now My Love." At the end of 1979, Bruce Springsteen would pay tribute to the band by performing the "Detroit Medley," a selection of the band's greatest hits including "Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly," "Jenny Take A Ride!" and "C.C. Rider" for the triple live No Nukes album. In 1983, Mitch released an album titled, Never Kick A Sleeping Dog, produced by John Cougar Mellencamp that thrust him back into the spotlight with the Prince-penned song, "When You Were Mine." Mitch has recorded over two dozen albums in his illustrious career and continues to tour all over the world. Known for his incredible live show, Mitch is coming at you with all his hits in a night to remember.
If you're aware of such classic rock songs as "Come and Get It," "No Matter What," "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue," then you'll thoroughly enjoy the Hippiefest performance of  Badfinger featuring Joey Molland. A veteran of Hippiefests past, Molland returns with the music he helped make famous. At the end of 1969, Joey auditioned for a band called The Iveys that would soon be renamed Badfinger. As they say, the rest is history. From 1970 to 1972, the band would experience four consecutive worldwide hits. Joey departed in 1974, quickly forming another band called Natural Gas that would go on to tour with Yes and Peter Frampton. In the years to follow, Joey would perform with various incarnations of Badfinger in addition to putting out a few solo projects. Due to its use in the finale of the hugely popular TV show, Breaking Bad, "Baby Blue" has had a recent resurgence of sorts, being introduced to a whole new audience and generation. On March 31 of this year, a song Joey wrote years ago titled, "Sweet Tuesday Morning," was released on iTunes to benefit WhyHunger (www.whyhunger.org), a grassroots support organization started by the late, great Harry Chapin. Recorded by Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) and a new songstress by the name of Savannah, the song features Joey on guitar and harmony vocals.
We've said it before and we'll say it again...   
Bring your parents, your grandparents and bring the kids!
Great music and tie-dye never go out of style... no shoes, no shirt, no problem!
Peace, Love and Happiness.
See you there!  
Hippiefest Tour 2015   
July 9 - Fox Tucson Theatre in Tucson, Arizona
July 10 - Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa in Ferndale, Washington  
July 11 - Crossroads KC at Grinders in Kansas City, Missouri (The Family Stone, Rick Derringer, Badfinger featuring Joey Molland and Peter Rivera)
July 12 - Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas
July 25 - Tioga Downs Casino & Racetrack Grandstand in Nichols, New York (Felix Cavaliere's Rascals, Lovin' Spoonful, Rick Derringer and Badfinger featuring Joey Molland)
August 8 - Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel in Morton, Minnesota (The Family Stone, Rick Derringer and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels)      
August 13 - The Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida
August 14 - Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
August 15 - Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida
August 16 - The Plaza Live Theatre in Orlando, Florida
August 20 - South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts
August 21 - Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, Massachusetts
August 22 - NYCB Theatre at Westbury in Westbury, New York
August 23 - Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey
October 2 - Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York
October 3 - Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Illinois
October 4 - Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois
October 6 - Norfolk County Fair in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada (Rick Derringer, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels and Badfinger featuring Joey Molland)            
*Additional dates likely to be announced.
Individual Artist Websites are as follows:
The tour hits the Chicagoland area on October 3rd and 4th with shows at both the Rialto Square and the Genesee Theatres.  Stay tuned for updates.  (Not on our "Locals" list?  Drop me an email at forgottenhits@aol.com and we'll add you to our special mailing list of ticket and concert information for shows happening in and around the Chicagoland area.)
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