Saturday, November 12, 2016

Saturday Triple Play

TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT:
 


Bobby Rydell returns to Chicago for an appearance at The Arcada Theatre on Saturday Night, November 26th.

We had the pleasure to visit with Bobby earlier this year when we talked about the release of his new book "Teen Idol On The Rocks".  (In fact, we turned those conversations into a week-long series!  If you missed any of that, please scroll back to June 20th and follow along!)

There are still a few great seats left for this show ... just visit The Arcada Online Box Office at www.oshows.com!


WE JUST LOST ONE OF OUR FAVORITE UNCLES:

Remember when the two coolest guys on the face of the planet were Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin?  


We lost actor Robert Vaughn yesterday, one of Men From U.N.C.L.E..  He just epitomized "cool" ... James Bond for the TV crowd.  (Sure he did a million other things ... but he will ALWAYS be Napoleon Solo to me!)




HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ...

Neil Young  (71)
Booker T. Jones (72)
Brian Hyland (73)
 

Friday, November 11, 2016

11 - 11

What better way to celebrate 11 - 11 than with 11 songs that peaked at #11 on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart!

Here are 11 random selections ... Forgotten Hits and otherwise!
 

1974 - Chicago - Wishing You Were Here 



1967 - The Bee Gees - Massachusetts



1983 - Little River Band - The Other Guy



1972 - The Doobie Brothers - Listen To The Music



1964 - Nancy Wilson - How Glad I Am



1959 - Andy Williams - The Hawaiian Wedding Song



1979 - Orleans - Love Takes Time



1968 - The Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today



1956 - Mickey and Sylvia - Love Is Strange



1976 - Neil Diamond - If You Know What I Mean



1980 - Benny Mardones - Into The Night

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Thursday This And That

Dionne Warwick 
>>>I believe Lou Johnson had the first version of "Always Something There To Remind Me" out in 1964  (Brad)  
>>>Just checked my Whitburn book and you are correct, sir ... Lou Johnson had a #49 hit with this one back in 1964.  In fact, he covered THREE Hal David - Burt Bacharach tunes that year ... "Reach Out For Me" hit #52, "Always Something There To Remind Me" reached #49 and "Message To Michael" (then titled "Kentucky Bluebird" bubbled-under at #104.  Looks like Dionne Warwick went on to make all of these hits of her own shortly thereafter.  (kk) 
Hi Kent, 
I worked with Lou Johnson a few times. In the 80s - 90s he was filling in with various oldies groups around L.A. (Little Caesar & the Romans, Del Vikings, Ink Spots, etc). He was a good guy, good to work with, and did a good job. He said that, at that point, he hardly ever played up his own chart records. I think he may have had more success from that standpoint in Europe.Gary E. Myers / MusicGem

I've seen Dionne twice before, including a sweltering hot night at Ravinia in 1988.  She was there with Burt Bacharach that night and it was pure magic.  She's going to be 76 in December, and I was amazed by how fit and trim she looked when she dropped by the You & Me This Morning show here a few months back.
Hope you had a great time at the show!
Rick O'Dell
Me-TV-FM 

Wow, I found myself agreeing with Chet on the vocal talents of Dionne Warwick.  (I’m worried!)
I’m totally glad you didn’t forget to mention “Don’t Make Me Over”, one of those memorable and rare songs where the woman is basically saying, “Chill! This domination crap doesn’t work for me.” Or did I miss the point? Well, you know, I refer to that same general theme as “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore. Also, there’s a totally fascinating documentary about Dionne that I saw on an ATA flight years ago. (Remember them?) It was great ... I’d love to get my hands on a copy.
Bill Fortune

I interviewed Dionne Warwick at her home in Beverly Hills in 1977 and she could not have been more gracious.  The first thing you'd see after walking in her front door was a two-story long tapestry with the titles of all her hits embroidered in gold, dangling down from the second story balcony near her opulent curving staircase.   Dionne explained that a fan has made the tapestry for her and it was one of her most prized possessions.   She then asked me if I had had lunch. When I explained no, she replied, 'Well, let me make you a sandwich ... I make the best sandwiches!"   We then entered Dionne's highly upscale kitchen and she in fact did prepare, just for me, an excellent lunch.   All the time she chatted as if I was a favorite nephew whom she hadn't seen in years and who had just dropped by   It was quite an extraordinary experience!  I came away highly impressed by what a warm, friendly and down-to-earth person Dionne is.   Oh -- and she also told great stories about her many hits.  We never saw each other again but the memory still lingers of her welcoming smile.
Gary Theroux 
"The History of Rock 'n' Roll"
It's really too bad that the idiots that run The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame aren't smart enough to recognize the fact that ALL of those songwriters who pitched their tunes on Broadway back in the day (The Brill Building crew and others) ... and the artists who had MASSIVE hits with those songs (including Dionne Warwick, Neil Sedaka, and so many others ... think for a minute about all the Gerry Goffin - Carole King songs that were placed back in the day, nearly all climbing their way near the top of the charts.)  This is ALL music that helped DEFINE Rock And Roll.  Yet they continually ignore this talent and its by-product in favor of some Rap or Hip-Hop Artist who barely made a blip on the musical landscape.  I just don't get it.  If somebody like Jann Wenner doesn't understand this ... and HE is in charge of this decision making process ... we're ALL doomed ... which has certainly been the case the past twenty years or so when it comes to recognizing the TRUE talent that advanced the "art form" of rock and roll music.  (kk)

Here are a couple more Dionne pics that Frannie snapped at last Friday Night's concert ...




The Box Tops  
In the category of forgotten releases by the Box Tops that got little or no airplay in Chicago, please don’t neglect “I Met Her in Church”. I remember driving along the Ohio Turnpike when that song came out. By tuning around, I discovered it was getting pretty substantial airplay in Cleveland and Toledo. The background singers for the Box Tops were just on fire for that tune. Not a huge national hit, but it’s one of my favorites. 
Bill Fortune  
It's one of my favorites as well.  In fact, their biggest national break-through hit ("The Letter") is probably my LEAST favorite by them!  I always preferred "Neon Rainbow", "I Met Her In Church", "Cry Like A Baby" and "Soul Deep" ... but my ALL-TIME favorite (next to "Church") has GOT to be their version of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" ... for me, it tops any other I've ever heard. (kk)




This And That  
Sad to pass along the news (if you haven't heard it already) about the passing of Kay Starr, the first artist to ever score a National #1 Hit with the words "Rock And Roll" in the title. Although it had absolutely nothing at all to do with the sound of rock and roll, her "Rock And Roll Waltz" (I always liked this one, even as a kid growing up listening to my parents' old 78!) topped Billboard's Best Sellers Chart for six weeks just as the calendar flipped to 1956.  (Ironically, her label-mate Elvis Presley would burst on the scene a few months later and forever define the spirit of Rock And Roll ... but Kay was the first!)  kk

Hi Kent -
One of the cool things about living in the birthplace of Rock N Roll is having some great events at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.
They often bring in artists to tell stories, answer questions, and sometimes play a few songs, too.
This past Saturday, we were lucky enough to see John Hall, founding member of the group Orleans, and now a New York politician (and still performing too).
Was fun to hear John tell stories of how he got into music, the forming of Orleans, the No Nukes Concert, and eventually becoming a Congressman.
After chatting, he picked up his guitar and played a few acoustic songs, including Give One Heart (which was on Linda Ronstadt's Hasten Down the Wind album) and his hit Dance With Me.
A very fun afternoon!
Tom









Sounds awesome, Tom.  
We still haven't made it to The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame yet ... ALMOST made it this year but had some last minute schedule changes again.
A friend at work told me of the time he was there and he ducked down the stairs to catch another exhibit ... and when he did, there was some guy sitting in the stairwell just strumming an acoustic guitar.
He later made his way upstairs to another music hall only to find out that the guy he stumbled upon was none other than Paul Rodgers of Bad Company fame!  (I guess you just never know who you may run in to there!  lol)  
I've been fortunate enough to catch John Hall a couple of times now performing with Orleans when they've hit the Chicago area ... if you ever get a chance, check them out ... GREAT in concert ... and ALL these guys are extremely talented vocalists and musicians.
Ironically, FH Reader Carl Wiser, who runs the Songfacts website, did a recent interview with John Hall, too ... you can read it here:
 
Kent ...
You recently reviewed a Stylistics (minus Russell Tompkins, Jr.) show you went to at the Arcada Theatre. If I remember correctly, you gave them a positive review.
I just heard an ad on Scott Shannon's show for November 25th at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Included on the list of performers was "Russell Tompkins, Jr. and te New Stylistics."
I guess there's two different Stylistics groups. Legally speaking, is that why he uses "New Stylistics" instead of "Stylistics?"
Frank B.
Yep - Russell split off to go his own way several years ago  (2000, believe it or not) and formed The New Stylistics.
A key part of their sound, I just couldn't imagine them sounding as good without him ... but "newcomer" (really?!?!  the guy's been with them for SIXTEEN YEARS now!!!) Eban Brown killed it the night we saw The Stylistics at The Arcada.
They explain it all in their own words on their website ... and check out the tour schedule to see if they're headed out your way.  You won't be disappointed.
As for the Russell Tompkins, Jr. version of the group, I'd love to see them, too, just for comparison's sake ... but as stated in my review (link below) I think the version of the group that we saw just may have "out-Russell'd" the original lead singer the night we saw them.

And, speaking of The Arcada Theatre, I just got word that Burton Cummings returns on April 21st.  Ron Onesti has also booked a double bill of Mark Farner (of Grand Funk Railroad fame) and Foghat for February 10th ... and Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) will be appearing there on April 29th ... so I'm already filling in "can't miss" dates on my 2017 calendar!!!  (kk)
 
There was a song played on the radio sometime during the summer of 1971 that consisted of these lyrics ... this is the refrain and I'm at a loss to remember the rest of the song lyrics to be able to put it together:
"I've seen the liars, I've seen the devil, I've seen my friends in disguise as my friends ... 
I've got my fears, I've cried my tears, I'm a lonely man and I'm still waiting for the day" ...
I have searched endlessly for many years for this ballad type song ... no one seems to know what I am referring to ... yet it was impressed in my mind.  It had to have had some type of radio play as I heard it more than once ... could be a B side I suppose ...
If it sounded like anyone, I would have to say along the lines of "the Marmalade" and it was played on a top 40 station in Fitchburg, MA that summer before I went in the service.
This is the only song missing from my life's collection ... please help.
Thank you,
Ted Smith
Well, I'm pretty good on 1971 but I don't recognize this one ... so let's turn it over to the readers to see if they can help you track down a copy.  (kk)

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Not Sure Who To Vote For?

Not sure who to vote for Tuesday? 

Here's a national ballot that will be music to your ears.  

ABBA, Michael Jackson and Billy Joel are among the 12 first-time nominees announced for 2017 induction into America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame.  John Denver, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire are also first-time candidates ... and online voting is already under way!  

These new candidates join eight returning acts to comprise the twenty artists on the ballot. Nominees, representing pop music through 1979, are selected by a national panel of musicians, disc jockeys and journalists based on the artists’ breadth and depth of pop hits, as well as influence.  

Through on-line voting, the public will choose ten inductees; the national selection committee will add up to five other “Heritage” inductees.  

New nominees, in addition to ABBA, Michael Jackson and Billy Joel are John Denver, Earth, Wind & Fire, the Fifth Dimension, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Herman’s Hermits, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Johnny Rivers and Diana Ross.  

The eight returning nominees are Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Lou Christie, the Dave Clark Five, Petula Clark, the Four Tops, the Jackson Five, Tommy James and the Shondells and Rod Stewart. Artists must have placed a hit on the Billboard charts between 1945 and 1979 to qualify.  

Voting began on November 2nd at http://www.americaspopmusichalloffame.org and will continue through December 2nd. Inductees will be announced January 1st, 2017.  

America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame was formed in 2011 to honor artists and other contributors to pop music. It is based in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, home of Perry Como, Bobby Vinton and the Four Coins, who together placed nearly 200 songs on America’s pop charts.  

Plans are continuing for construction of a four-story, hall of fame structure that includes a large performance center, as well as wings for both permanent and rotating collections and memorabilia.   

Prior Inductees:  In a ceremony held on March 15th, 2013, with Johnny Tillotson as master of ceremonies, the original inductees into America’s Pop Music Hall of Fame were announced. They were the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Vinton and Stevie Wonder.   

2014 added The Bee Gees, Tony Bennett, the Carpenters, Chicago, Buddy Holly, Elton John, Carole King, Dean Martin, the Monkees, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, the Platters, Simon and Garfunkel and the Supremes. The Monkees were formally inducted during a standing-room only presentation at the Monkees Convention in East Rutherford, N.J., on March 17, 2014.   

2015 saw the inductions of Paul Anka, Glen Campbell, Chubby Checker, the Eagles, the Everly Brothers, the Four Seasons, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, Rick Nelson, the Righteous Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Tillotson, and Andy Williams. The “Heritage” inductees were Les Paul and Mary Ford.   

And then last year, in 2016, The Association, Dion and the Belmonts, the Grass Roots, the Lettermen, Barry Manilow, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Neil Sedaka, Barbra Streisand, the Temptations and Three Dog Night were all recognized.  The “Heritage” inductees were Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers

In Brief:   The 2017 Nominees are: ABBA, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Lou Christie, the Dave Clark Five, Petula Clark, John Denver, Earth, Wind and Fire, the Fifth Dimension, the Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Herman’s Hermits, Michael Jackson, the Jackson Five, Tommy James and the Shondells, Billy Joel, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Johnny Rivers, Diana Ross and Rod Stewart.    

Public Voting is going on now at:  http://www.americaspopmusichalloffame.org and continuesthrough December 2nd ... and yes, YOUR vote makes a difference!

The Brand New American Pop Music Hall Of Fame Inductees will be Announced on January 1, 2017.  Help vote YOUR favorites in for this impressive honor ... visit the website and vote today.

Monday, November 7, 2016

A Monday Morning Quickie

re:  Dionne Warwick:  
Kent,
Rarity time ... I plan  to cover my latest point in under 85 words.
I hated like hell to miss Dionne Warwick Friday night at Ronnie's joint.
Why? Her B.B catalogue is brilliant, but there is one song, so heartfelt, that I believe it may be the greatest love song of all time.
"Anyone Who Had a Heart" has been a fave of mine for 50 years. Dionne's vocal cry of emptiness is tearful.  The baritone sax bridge is at one touching, loving, and hurting.
Okay, a little longer. I put the song on the same level with the Frank Sinatra classic, "You Will Be My Music", Frank's song off his comeback album in 1974.
Dionne Warwick? Celine Dione? No contest. Ms. Warwick wins by knockout.
Chet Coppock:
Author: Buffone - Monster of the Midway
I think my first introduction to Dionne Warwick was "Walk On By", her follow-up hit to "Anyone Who Had A Heart", a GREAT track that I didn't discover until slightly later on.  She opened her show up with these two back-to-back, kicking things off with "Walk On By".  Both were Top Ten Hits in early 1964, with "Walk" peaking at #6 and "Heart" one spot below it at #7.
It seemed like back then you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing Miss Dionne on one program or the other ... even then the epitome of class.  You missed a good show.  (kk)   

>>>Dionne also cut the original hit version of "Always Something There To Remind Me", a bigger hit here in Chicago than its national showing of #65  (kk)   
Actually, I believe Lou Johnson had the first version of this song out in 1964.  
Brad  
Just checked my Whitburn book and you are correct, sir ... Lou Johnson had a #49 hit with this one back in 1964.  In fact, he covered THREE Hal David - Burt Bacharach tunes that year ... "Reach Out For Me" hit #52, "Always Something There To Remind Me" reached #49 and "Message To Michael" (then titled "Kentucky Bluebird" bubbled-under at #104.  Looks like Dionne Warwick went on to make all of these hits of her own shortly thereafter.  (And after Hal and Burt wrote "Don't Make Me Over", too ... betcha in hindsight they're glad she did!)  kk  

Hi Kent, 
Your review of the Dionne Warwick concert was spot on.  
I took my 87 year old mother to see her and we sat in the balcony, those great seats on the side.  We also had a difficult time hearing Dionne when she spoke to the crowd. Luckily when she sang, we heard her loud and clear. Unfortunately, we had two women sitting a few rows behind us, who NEVER stopped talking during the entire show. 
They were obviously drinking a lot and even started heckling and making rude comments about the show.  
It seems to me that the Arcada has to put security upstairs to stop things like this happening.  It can really ruin the experience.    
Besides that, we loved Dionne and wished, as you did, that she sang a little longer.   
Thanks for the great review!   
Janet 

Hi Kent,  
In fairness to Dionne Warwick, she is a diva and close to 80 years old!  
We are losing too many of our rock legends.
She may have an attitude problem but don't we all at one time or another?
I am not a fan of Dionne now or when she first came out, but she is part of the history of rock and roll.
Keep Rockin'  with the GREAT  'Forgotten Oldies" ...
Carolyn
Actually, Dionne turns 76 this year.  
And don't get me wrong ... I thoroughly enjoyed the show ... and HAVE been a LONG time fan of her work.  (I've been trying to get a venue to book her here in Chicago for the past two years and was THRILLED when I heard that The Arcada was finally bringing her to the stage.)  I just wish it had been a longer show ... it ended very abruptly at exactly the one hour mark ... and while the pianist was kind of egging the audience on to continue with more applause (to my thinking this was a means of bringing her out for an encore) Dionne just wasn't having any of it.  The house lights came up almost immediately and the show was clearly over.  (Maybe she was upset with the fact that she had to take the audience to task and felt they should have been more respectful of her and her band ... I don't know.)
As stated in the review, MOST of her disciplining of the audience came with a great sense of humor ... and I also believe she was justified in doing so.  (We're just not accustomed, as audience members, to be spoken to so sternly I guess, especially after having paid good money to see her show.  But the performers have rights, too, and, in my opinion, her points were well taken and warranted.)
Several years ago when I was doing my tribute to The Ed Sullivan Show I got an email completely out of the blue from Dionne Warwick, asking if she could please say a few words about this incredibly gracious and generous man.  (Proof again that you just never know WHO is reading Forgotten Hits!!!)
Of course I welcomed her input as she was a frequent guest on Ed's show.
Her comments run below ... along with a link to our now permanently posted segment on The Ed Sullivan Show ... as seen from BOTH sides of the television screen ...
My first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show was without a doubt one of the most exciting times in my career, as being asked to do his show meant you had either already made it or you were about to become a major star. 
He was a wonderful man and he treated me with an abundance of kindness ... and each time I appeared on his show, he would bring me over to him and give information about me to the audience. The one thing I remember vividly was he never said my name correctly until one of the cue card writers made it easy for him by spelling my name phonetically ... DE-ON ... and from that moment on, he said my name right.  His show was by far the father of variety shows and these are sorely missed. 
Thank you for including my memory of Ed Sullivan and his show.
Dionne Warwick  
http://forgottenhits.com/forgotten_hits_remembers_the_ed_sullivan_show__from_both_sides_of_the_screen


Hi Kent,
Your review of Dionne Warwick brought back many memories of the time in the late 60s that I saw her in concert at Ravinia.  She was at her peak and her, along with Bacharach and David, presented the music of my youth.  
We had great seats in the pavilion and a record crowd of over 20,000 packed the place, most sitting outside on the lawn.  At show time, the MC came out and announced Miss Warwick's plane was delayed in New York and she would be two hours late. As you can imagine the crowd was slightly aggravated.
Two hours later, about 930 PM, the MC comes out and says she has landed and is being rushed in a limo to Ravinia.  Big applause.  Within a half hour, we get the announcement that she has arrived and will be on-stage in ten minutes.  Big cheer!   
She comes out, apologizes and starts performing her hits.  Unknown to her, it has started to rain and, as the stage is raised and she cannot see the lawn, she has no clue.  Midway through one of her hits she stops singing and says to the crowd, "I am a professionally trained singer and cannot continue if those in the audience cannot keep quiet."  She has no idea the noise is because the record crowd outdoors is getting soaked.  She continues on and the crowd on the lawn starts screaming because of a cloudburst.    
She immediately puts the mic down and walks off the stage.  
The crowd in the seats starts booing and the MC comes out and apologizes, saying that Dionne had no clue of the rain and will be back to finish in five minutes.  She comes back, utters an apology and continues.
Finally, at 1230 AM on a work night, she is done.  
To say that she is an artist, a great artist indeed who has always had an attitude, is how I remember her.   
Looks like the years have not mellowed her one bit. 
Mark / GoHawksGo
One of the things MOST performers don't forget or take for granted is that, in order to sustain a successful career for fifty-something years, it takes a combination of both great talent AND a loving and loyal fan base.  In fact I think it's somewhat safe to say that one cannot exist without the other.  So I say, keep things in perspective, people! FAR too many artists had fly-by-night careers and disappeared of the face of the earth with barely a blip or faded memory ... those who have been fortunate enough to experience otherwise should NEVER lose sight of the fact that it was a combination of YOUR talent ... and the devotion of your fans ... that got ... and KEPT you here.  (kk)


re:  Speaking Of Great Music On TV:  
We mentioned this one a short time back ... but FH Reader Tom Cuddy reminds us that this brand new PBS Series (taking a look behind the scenes of the music industry) kicks off a week from Monday (November 14th).  Be sure to check your local listings for this one!  (kk)  

This new PBS Series is a history of how hit songs are recorded ...   
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7564731/pbs-series-soundbreaking-exclusive-clip   

re:  Happy Together Tour Sneak Preview:  
Hi Kent - 
My new Anthology is coming out this month.  It features many of my Ghost Groups singles and songs from my solo albums.  It's a two-disk set and it has tons of background on how these songs and records came about. (Attached is some info on it.)  
Thanks for keeping all our music happenings in the public view.  
Rock on! 
Ron Dante


RON DANTE ANTHOLOGY TRACK LISTING
Disc 1:
1. He's Raining In My Sunshine
2. How Am I To Know
3. That's What Life Is All About
4. Sugar Sugar (Disco Version)
5. Midnight Show
6. In The Rain
7. Gypsy Be Mine
8. Charmer
9. Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep - The California Gold Rush
10. Free - The Pearly Gate
11. Yellow Van - Ronnie & The Dirt Riders
12. Hold Back The Sun - Noah's Ark
13. Don't Call It Love - Bo Cooper
14. Early In The Morning - The Cuff Links
15. Number One Son - The Chan Clan
16. Sugar Sugar - The Archies
Track Listing — Disc 2:
1. Go Where The Music Takes You
2. A Million Voices
3. C'mon Girl
4. Joanna
5. Let Me Bring You Up
6. Mr. Sun
7. Show And Tell
8. Makin' Up
9. Letter From Zowie
10. God Bless Rock 'n Roll
11. Sea Cruise
12. Street Angel
13. Ain't Misbehavin'  Dante's Inferno
14. They're Playing Our Song - Dante's Inferno
15. Fire Island - Dante's Inferno
16. Skate Key Boogie - Dante's Inferno
Ron Dante joins The Happy Together Tour in 2017 and will be performing several of these hits live in concert.  (Save us a couple of seats in Chicago, Ronnie!!!)  kk
 
I meant to send you a review earlier this week, but with the Cubs winning the pennant and all ...   Last Saturday night I went to see The Box Tops, The Crystals and The Brooklyn Bridge ... not as good as the true originals, but so nostalgic ... and I loved singing along!
The Brooklyn Bridge had one original guy ... his voice wasn't the greatest, but the new lead singer could carry a tune and hit all those Johnny Maestro notes! The only Brooklyn Bridge song I recognized was Worst That Could Happen, but they sang a few more they said were hits. The guy with the hat was new, the middle guy the true member. He said he was in the Del Satins, also. They used to back Dion and some other singers.



Then came The Crystals. The lead singer, DeeDee's voice was shot,  but the two new members sure made up for it. The sang all the great hits and then sang a bunch of hits from other girl groups. I loved their portion!



Lastly, came the Box Tops. They also had two original singers. They sang most of their songs, and proceded to do a lot of songs from singers from their home town of Memphis. They finished with The Letter, and I was disappointed they never sang my favorite, Sweet Cream Ladies. When they came back for an encore, they sang Whiter Shade of Pale, which didn't seem to be related to Nashville! I then found out they had recorded it on one of their albums. The guy with the glasses was an original who left the band as Soul Deep was climbing the charts, he said. I think there was one other original.


 

All three groups greeted the public, sold CDs and signed autographs. We really had a lot of fun, as did the audience, who sang along with everything!  (Please feel free to use or not use the photos ... they aren't the greatest. )
Eileen
Alex Chilton, original lead singer of The Box Tops, passed away a few years ago.  When they decided to reform the band (you're right ... two are original members ... Gary Talley on guitar and Bill Cunningham on bass) with Rick Levy as their musical director (Rick has fronted many of the '60's reunion bands, and was most recently in Chicago with Tommy Roe), they knew they couldn't duplicate the unique, soulful sound of Chilton on lead vocals ... so they decided not to even try.  Instead, they're trying to keep The Box Tops' catalog of pop hits in the public eye.  (They had seven Billboard Top 40 Hits between 1967 and 1969).
I'm surprised they didn't do "Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March" as that has long been a fan favorite.  (A girl I dated in the early '70's told me that that was her favorite song of all-time ... which is really surprising since this record never even charted here in Chicago!)  
Memo to Rick Levy:  You may want to rethink the exclusion of this one.



The Box Tops ALSO join The Happy Together Tour next year (so I'm counting on you guys to set aside a couple of seats for me, too!!!  Then we can do another Forgotten Hits ticket giveaway!) 
We saw The Brooklyn Bridge a few years ago and they blew us away ... spot-on vocals, something you wouldn't have expected without their leader Johnny Maestro.  But I've got to say that they brought down the house that night.  (See review below)
http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-brooklyn-bridge.html  
As for The Crystals, I've never had the pleasure ... but know that they tour regularly as part of these oldies shows and cruises.  I think you may have just caught them on a bad night as I've heard nothing but good things about these shows over the years.  (kk) 

re:  This And That:
Kent ...
New York Post readers add to the " Worst Songs List."
http://nypost.com/2016/11/04/these-are-the-20-worst-songs-of-all-time-according-to-our-readers/
In a 2012 Vanity Fair interview Grace Slick, co-singer of "We Built This City", calls it " the worst song ever.
Here in New York, every time they played "We Built This City" they would insert Harry Harrison with a WCBS-FM station plug.  I guess that would give a radio station another reason to play the song.
Frank B.
I dunno ... I can STILL come up with LOTS worse songs than some of these listed ... and I'll bet you guys can, too.  (For all his awards and accolades, I still don't think the world will ever forgive Scott Shannon for giving us "I've Never Been To Me" by Charlene!!!  lol)  kk 

And, according to Ron Smith's book "Eight Days A Week", 11/5/1971 was the first time Announcer Al Dvorin said "Elvis has left the building."
Frank B.
And it's probably been uttered 50 million times since by each and every one of us!  (lol)  kk 


Thanx for featuring the loss of RVB, God rest his soul.  He truly was across the board one of the nicest and most popular Music Oldies AOL Chat Roomies from the innocent early days of the internet.  Please add my condolences to Mamie and his other loved ones.  
Patti


Hi Kent,
I wanted to congratulate you and everyone in Chicago-land on a long-awaited and well-deserved victory in becoming World Champions!  I can almost hear Harry Caray slurring now!  ha!  Way to go!
Tim Kiley

There's some kind of strange irony in the fact that in 1908 -- which was the last time the Cubs won the pennant -- the largest-selling and highest charting (accord to Whitburn) single of the year was this one -- a tune written by two guys who had heard about but never actually seen a baseball game!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPc4t7aJYQ8  
Many moons ago my interviews with both Bobby "Boris" Pickett and John Zacherle were heavily featured in the four-hour "Halloween Spooktacular" radio special I co-hosted with the ever-popular Kerin McCue (who is now a Fox Radio News anchor).  I remember Zach giving me a homemade cassette copy of a new song he's just recorded called "Overdrawn at the Blood Bank."  He was hoping some label or the other would release it but as far as I know, none ever did.  We played it every year anyway and I see it is now up on You Tube -- except credited not to Zacherle but its two writers!
Gary Theroux
"The History of Rock 'n' Roll"  

Speaking of Joel Whitburn and his chart books, he has a VERY special sale running right now, offering $10 off on a dozen selected titles ... NOW is the time to grab these classics and add them to your own personal collection!  Just click the links below and build YOUR Record Research Library.  (kk)