Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Tuesday This And That


By now, the whole world knows that "Bohemian Rhapsody," the little movie that could, scored big at the Academy Awards this year, scoring Oscars in four of the five categories it was nominated, including a Best Actor Nod to Rami Malek for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in the Queen biopic.  (It did not win for Best Picture ... that award went to "Green Book," another movie we talked about the other day in Forgotten Hits.)

The Best Actor Award came as a bit of a shock ... (most were calling it an upset) ... this was a VERY strong category this year.  I personally never expected him to win it but was thrilled with the idea that he was even nominated due to the largely negative press the film received when it first opened.  (My best guess was Christian Bale for "Vice" while Frannie thought Viggo Mortensen was a shoe-in for "Green Book," which also took home a Best Supporting Oscar for Mahershala Ali.)

Queen (with Adam Lambert) opened the ceremonies in rousing fashion with their "We Will Rock You" / "We Are The Champions" medley ... and Lady Ga Ga and Bradley Cooper also performed a beautiful rendition of "Shallow," which won the Oscar for Best Original Song this year.

All-in-all, the show dragged in every other area other than the acceptance speech of Olivia Colman for "The Favorite," which was the highlight of the evening for me. Sadly, it took three hours to get to that happy point!  (All of these awards shows go on too long, spending WAY too much time spotlighting categories the majority of the world doesn't really care about.  I say you can easily bring this program in at two hours if you just concentrate on the heavy hitters, because those are the awards everybody wants to see anyway!)  

Still, it was a GREAT honor to see the music of Queen in this way and we congratulation all parties involved in the making of this film.  (And wasn't it cool to see Wayne and Garth reunite to help honor this film???)  kk

Will we see Rami Malek in a high-profile lead role again?

The truth is, he was perfectly cast in the role of Freddie Mercury ... 

But history has proven that an Oscar win doesn't necessarily catapult an actor to the top of the A-List.

Check out these recent winners from the past twenty years and see if you agree ...

Roberto Benigni, Helen Hunt, Adrien Brody, Jean Dujardin, Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, Brie Larson all took home Best Actor / Best Actress awards.  How many other movie leads by each of these folks can you name?  (kk)



Does it strike anyone else as odd that Rolling Stone Magazine would devote so many feature stories to the passing of Peter Tork?

The Monkees NEVER would have made their pages during their hey-day … they were deemed FAR too trivial to be taken seriously (despite the fact that, at the time, The Monkees were outselling absolutely EVERYBODY else on the charts.)

Yet now several pages have been dedicated to Peter’s passing … and his role in the group and how they left their mark in pop music evolution.  (Could a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination be in the offing???)

We have campaigned long and hard that The Monkees deserve a spot in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  The premise on which it was founded dictates that those being honored in some way advanced the state and art of rock music.  The Monkees’ TV show bridged the gap between those two mediums … it proved just how influential television could be in promoting rock and roll music … and making it more “mainstream” and “acceptable” in the homes, to be shared by families.

Recent honorees further prove that The Rock Hall continues to move further and further away from this point ... which was the very foundation of what started their organization in the first place.

Taking nothing away from the group as artists, Bon Jovi is just essentially a bar band that made it big.  What revolutionary new thing did THEY add to the mix?   They were just better at it than most and, as such, crossed over to a larger audience and sold a whole lot of records (two things the Rock Hall has said would never influence their selections.)

And Steve Miller?  Yes, he was an early blues influence that bridged the gap between blues and rock and roll … but among his most famous pop tunes we find guitar riffs that he “borrowed” (most would say stole) from the likes of Joe Walsh and the rock group Free.  What’s innovative about that?  The idea is to bring something NEW to the table … not something you’ve taken, revamped and then put your own name on it.  (I know, I know … don’t even get me started on Led Zeppelin and all the five-finger-discounting THEY did over the years!!!)

Sure, The Monkees were light-weight … fabricated to cash in on their young teenage girl audience and occupy the covers of every teenage magazine known to man around the globe … but at least they proved the concept of cross-marketing (much as Ricky Nelson had a decade before them.)  And I ask again ... for at least the 50th time ... What's Wrong With Feel-Good Music??? 

TV as a tool to fuel rock and roll … what a concept … which is why omitting Ed Sullivan from the hallowed halls is also a complete injustice.  Ed brought rock and roll acts into our living rooms every week … MAJOR stars and artists for the whole family to see and enjoy.  How on earth can HE be denied a spot as an “early influence” or "non performer"???

And The Guess Who … our “just north of the border” friends who proved Canada could rock with the best of them, crafting timeless songs like “American Woman,” “These Eyes,” “No Time,” “Undun” and so many others.  (Even “Clap For The Wolfman” paid tribute to the great Wolfman Jack, another revolutionary deejay snubbed for induction by the know-it-alls that run things at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.)

Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling Stone Magazine, has long been the guy directing traffic at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  It seems a bit two-faced to tout The Monkees on one hand and deny them on the other.  It’s time that The Rock Hall makes things right.  Induct some of these long-overlooked, deserving artists who helped shape the sound of rock and roll along the way.  Brian Epstein gets in but Ed Sullivan doesn’t even get nominated?  What about Wolfman Jack?  Dick Biondi?  Alan Freed and Dick Clark are in … shouldn’t some of these others be recognized, too?  (Can ANYBODY out there make a case for Dick Clark doing more to advance rock and roll music than Ed Sullivan???  I’d sure love to hear it!)

For all the press may have blown it up to be, The Monkees were NOT considered to be a bunch of “fakes” by their contemporaries on the rock scene at the time.  Quite the opposite was true, in fact.

They regularly hung out (and often times hosted) parties that included Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, their earlier incarnations The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, all of The Mamas and the Papas, Jimi Henrix and even The Beatles … NONE of whom treated them in any way as light-weight pretenders to the throne.

Check out this recent Rolling Stone post: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/peter-tork-monkees-lost-interview-1960s-797309/ 

The Monkees had numerous comebacks after their TV show was cancelled … most notably the mid-‘80’s when MTV started airing their television show again, sparking a series of reunion tours that ran for the next thirty years … and, most recently, a couple of years ago when a brand new album called “Good Times” debuted in The Top 20 of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart.  It featured both brand new recordings by the band as well as a couple of resurrected tracks to enable them to include Davy Jones in the project.  Their loyal fan base has never left them … and that base has continued to grow over the next three generations of new fans who have discovered the group along the way.

It is time to properly honor them the way they deserve to be remembered.  As is so often the case with The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, this honor comes too late ... after half the members of the band have already left us.  (They really need to get better at this sort of thing … the honor means nothing if no one is there to enjoy it!) 

Still … it is time to give them their due … so please do right next year make things right once and for all.  (kk) 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/monkees-peter-tork-tribute-rob-sheffield-797659/ 

After processing the sad news regarding the passing of their band mate, Peter Tork, The Mike and Micky Show resumes live performances on March 1st with a dozen more US shows before departing for New Zealand and Australia for seven more … 

Remaining US Dates: 
3/1/19--Medford, MA-- Chevalier Theatre
3/2/19-- Atlantic City, NJ-- Ocean Resort Casino
3/3/19--Lancaster, PA-- American Music Theatre
3/5/19-- Red Bank, NJ-- Count Basie Center for the Arts
3/6/19--Glenside, PA-- The Keswick Theatre
3/8/19--Huntington, NY-- The Paramount
3/9/19--New York, NY-- The Beacon Theatre
3/10/19--Albany, NY-- Palace Theatre
3/12/19--Royal Oak, MI-- Royal Oak Music Theatre
3/14/19--Prior Lake. MN-- Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
3/15/19--New Buffalo, MI-- Four Winds Casino
3/16/19--St Charles, MO-- Family Arena 


The Monkees' Micky Dolenz & Mike Nesmith in New Zealand & Australia: 
6/8/19-- Christchurch, New Zealand-- Isaac Theatre
6/9/19-- Auckland, New Zealand-- Great Hall
6/10/19-- Wellington, New Zealand-- Michael Fowler Centre
6/12/19-- Brisbane, Australia-- QPAC
6/15/19-- Melbourne, Australia-- Palais Theatre
6/16/19-- Perth, Australia-- Astor Theatre
6/18/19-- Sydney, Australia-- Sydney Opera House


In other Monkees news, a brand new box set collecting all of Michael Nesmith’s RCA and Pacific Artists tracks will be released on March 29th. 
https://theseconddisc.com/2019/02/different-drummer-edsel-collects-michael-nesmiths-rca-and-pacific-arts-years-on-new-box-set/ 
Of course a truly DELUXE box would also include his legendary “Wichita Train Whistle” album … and a dvd of all of his incredible videos made over the years … and maybe even Elephant Parts and Television Parts …

But if you’re just into the music, this may be the collection for you.
Nesmith’s biggest hit after The Monkees was, of course, “Joann,” which reached The Top 20 in 1970, shortly after the band had split.  (It would prove to be the biggest solo hit that any of The Monkees would have on their own.)  But he also has a number of “cult,” fan-favorites … and you’ll find them all here in this massive 12-disc collection.  (kk)


Bad week for music news ...
We lost Peter Tork on Thursday ;-(
And also, writer and producer Artie Wayne died Tuesday.
Mike

Peter Tork, of course, the whole world knew about … but I wonder how many people (other than those on our list, of course!) even recognize the name Artie Wayne.

Artie was a good friend and a HUGE supporter of Forgotten Hits in our early years.  I never got to meet the man in person but we exchanged hundreds of emails over the course of time and cross-promoted several different projects together over the years. 

Artie was an early blogger and had a huge following.  A big promoter with the record companies … a songwriter (“Midnight Mary” immediately comes to mind) and just an all-around good guy.  

He published his memoirs and it made for a fun and interesting read.

I know he’s had health problems of one sort or another for as long as I’ve known him … often escalating from bad to worse.  We lost touch over the last seven or eight years and, honestly, I checked up on him more than a few times to see if he was still around and doing ok … but never got a response so wondered if he had fallen upon hard times or perhaps already passed.  (His last web post is from 2014 so he’d been out of action for a while.  Still, you’ll find some very interesting reading here if you browse around a bit.)

Always hate to see the good ones go … and Artie was one of the good ones … QUITE the character, I’m told, in his hey-day (and continued to “embellish” for as long as I knew him … which was all part of his charm.)

Condolences to all of those who knew him.  (kk)



From Scott Shannon on Artie Wayne …  

ARTIE WAYNE WAS A ONE OF A KIND MUSIC MAN.
I MET HIM BACK THE LATE 70’S WHEN I WORKED FOR THE GREAT NEIL BOGART AT CASABLANCA RECORDS IN HOLLYWOOD. ARTIE HAD WRITTEN A GREAT FORGOTTEN HIT FROM THE 60'S CALLED MIDNIGHT MARY, BY JOEY POWERS. ARTIE WAS A BLAST TO BE AROUND, JUST A BALL OF ENERGY, ALWAYS READY TO WRITE A NEW SONG, OR TO JUST SIT AROUND AND PLAY AND SING SOME OLD SONGS. IT SEEMED LIKE HE KNEW ALL THE BIG NAMES FROM THE MUSIC BIZ, AND ALWAYS SOME NEW DEAL GOING ON TO TALK ABOUT.
LIKE I SAID, HE WAS ONE OF A KIND, AND SO MUCH FUN TO HANG WITH.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
SCOTT SHANNON
DEEJAY 

And, speaking of famous deejays … 

Hi Kent,
I always enjoy reading Forgotten Hits and catching up on all the news!  I am excited to hear the great Tony Orlando is the subject of a new Broadway show about his life!  It’s got to be an incredible story of a guy who sang on the rooftops of New York and dreamed of the big time.  I get goose bumps remembering this story told to me backstage at the Arcada Theatre during our interview about Dick Biondi.  Tony is a great interview. This man has a beautiful heart and a personality to match.  And he ADORES Dick Biondi!  He had a lot to say about Biondi’s influence on music and what he’d meant to his career.  Great stuff!  Tony's story will be part of our tribute to the Wild I-Tralian, which, by the way, will be a national PBS documentary when complete! 
“The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story” is currently in post-production.  When finished, the program will air on WTTW in Chicago (Chicago is where Dick introduced the Beatles to the U.S.), WNEO/WEAO in Youngstown/Akron/Cleveland, Ohio (Youngstown is where Dick introduced rock and roll), WNED Buffalo ( Buffalo is where Dick owned the Eastern Seaboard), South Carolina ETV (Myrtle Beach is where Bob Sirott found him after a ten year hiatus and Chicago got Biondi back!).  With Dick’s national exposure, we expect wide distribution on PBS stations so if anyone is interested in becoming a sponsor, please get in touch! Our sponsors are so awesome!  A big shoutout to IAET (Italian American Executives of Transportation), Paul Shaffer, Onesti Entertainment, VC Plumbers, and Haggerty Insurance!  
So when Tony heard we are having a big fundraiser on April 28th he donated a custom made tuxedo to our Director of Communications and Marketing, Joe Farina.  Joe has been reaching out to artists and entertainers for tax-deductible donations to help us finish the documentary.  Joe is a super nice guy and we are lucky to have him on board helping to make this dream a reality.  So many good people have come forward to enable this dream that sometimes I have to pinch myself that it’s really happening.  It’s been almost five years since I began the project with nothing but a hope and a prayer.  Now, it’s REALLY HAPPENING!
Kent, you are invited to come to the fundraiser and so is everybody reading this. You’re in for a real treat with performances by some of Chicago’s greatest rock bands led by the incredibly talented New Colony Six!!!!  That alone is worth the price of the ticket.  But there’s more!  Scott MacKay from 95.9 The River will emcee, with performances by The Hundred Dollar Quartet with Dean Milano and friends and Scott May from the Ides of March on keyboards, The Cave Dwellers, the Meteors, Bagshot Row, Southside Exiles, Pete Weldon who is Dick Biondi’s exclusive sock hop DJ, and Actor Joe Farina.  And this all takes place on a Sunday afternoon from 2:00 PM -6:00 pm at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park on Chicago's South Side.  This place is awesome, wait until you see the stage!  We’re keeping ticket prices low—only $37 plus service fees which includes a buffet dinner, beer and wine, Silent Auction/ 50/50 Raffle, and a screening of the Dick Biondi Trailer!  I’m attaching a poster and hope everybody comes out.  We are expecting several surprise guests.
Tickets are on sale now -- https://www.dickbiondifilm.com/goodtimesfundraiser 
Please help us spread the word and bring your kids and grandkids.  All ages are welcome.
Let's rock and roll for the Dick Biondi documentary!  Thanks everybody.
Pamela Enzweiler Pulice
Director 

www.Dick Biondi Film.com











More from Pamela … 

Hello Friends,  
Can you believe it's been almost five years since we began the Dick Biondi project, and we're happy to say momentum is building.  PBS stations in many parts of the country have written letters of support, like this one from WNED-TV in Buffalo: 
"I believe this film would not only be of interest to our viewers here in Western NY but also of interest to other communities across the country. Once the film is completed, we would be happy to discuss with the options for a wider distribution on PBS stations."
This is music to our ears!  Dick Biondi is one of the most influential radio deejays of the Twentieth Century.  Like his voice, Dick's story should have a national audience.  Letters like this one show that it will.
Special thanks to our generous sponsors, IAET (Italian American Executives of Transportation), Paul Shaffer, Onesti Entertainment, VC Plumbers, and Hagerty Insurance! Thank you for supporting our dream! We still have a ways to go, so if you are someone who loves Dick as much as we, do please consider becoming a sponsor. All donations are tax-deductible through our Fiscal Sponsor, Chicago Filmmakers. Learn more here.
Currently, 'The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story' is in post production. We are ready to add high quality photographs, archival footage, and music tracks to bring this story to life.  As you can imagine, all of this costs big bucks.  So we're putting on a big event, and you are invited!



HERE’S HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE PART OF MAKING HISTORY: 

Share our social media content on Facebook and Twitter — just add your personal touch! 
By spreading the word, you'll help us bring this story to PBS, film festivals, streaming, and DVD. By sharing our Facebook and Twitter posts, we'll help drive people to dickbiondifilm.com to subscribe for film updates and get them interested in the film — and our Good Times Fundraiser! 

Become a Biondi Backer 
Your contribution will help us get one step closer to funding the efforts needed to finish our script and edit a 56 minute PBS documentary.
With your help, we are going to make this movie for Dick.  He’s earned a place in rock n’ roll history and he’s the reason this story must see its audience.
Stay tuned,
Pam
Pamela Enzweiler-Pulice
Director, The Dick Biondi Film
pam@dickbiondifilm.com 

Rock Star Peter Frampton, who topped Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart for ten weeks and sold over 20 million copies of his “Frampton Comes Alive” album, has announced his “Farewell Tour,” which will kick off in June and run through October.  Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening will open the majority of the shows … and several special guests are expected throughout the tour, which will take in over fifty cities.  (It stops in Chicago on July 28th for a show at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island)
A complete list of show dates is below (and more shows may be added along the way)
June 18 -- Tulsa, OK @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa
June 20 -- Little Rock, AR @ Robinson Performance Hall
June 22 -- Montgomery, AL @ Wind Creek Casino & Hotel
June 23 -- Chattanooga, TN @ Tivoli Theatre
June 26 -- Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theatre
June 27 -- Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
June 29 -- Salamanca, NY @ Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino
June 30 -- Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
July 2 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Benedum Center for the Performing Arts
July 3 -- Syracuse, NY @ St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
July 5 -- Montreal, QC @ Montreal Jazz Fest- Place des Arts: Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier
July 7 -- Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
July 9 -- Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion
July 10 -- Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
July 12 -- Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
July 13 -- Stayner, ON @ Roxodus Music Festival
July 23 -- Traverse City, MI @ Interlochen Center for the Arts-Kresge Auditorium
July 25 -- Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 26 -- Morgantown, WV @ MountainFest Motorcycle Rally
July 28 -- Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 29 -- Cedar Rapids, IA @ McGrath Amphitheatre
July 31 -- Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Aug. 2 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheater
Aug. 4 -- St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug. 5 -- Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
Aug. 8 -- Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
Aug. 11 -- Atlanta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre at Encore Park
Aug. 16 - 21 -- Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean
Aug. 30 -- Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
Sept. 1 -- Albany, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sept. 2 -- Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Sept. 4 -- Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place
Sept. 6 -- Miami, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds
Sept. 7 -- Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
Sept. 10 -- Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
Sept. 11 -- Washington, DC @ The Anthem
Sept. 13 -- New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Sept. 14 -- Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
Sept. 21 -- Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
Sept. 22 -- Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sept. 24 -- Albuquerque, NM @ Sandia Resort & Casino
Sept. 26 -- Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
Sept. 28 -- Las Vegas, NV @ Red Rock Resort Spa & Casino
Sept. 29 -- Temecula, CA @ Pechanga Casino-Pechanga Summit
Oct. 2 -- San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre at SDSU
Oct. 3 -- Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
Oct. 5 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
Oct. 6 -- Tuolumne, CA @ Black Oak Casino Resort-Westside Pavilion
Oct. 9 -- Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
Oct. 10 -- Portland, OR @ Ilani Resort & Casino-Cowlitz Ballroom
Oct. 12 -- San Francisco, CA @ Concord Pavilion 


Frampton has since disclosed a degenerative muscle disease, which prompted the urgency to go out on the road one more time to thank the fans for all their support over the past 45 years.  (There is a genuine concern that if he doesn’t go out and tour NOW, he may not be able to do so in a year … so he wants to get in as much work as he possibly can while he’s still able to do so.)
More on this here: 
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/peter-frampton-degenerative-muscle-disease-ibm-797556/ 

Hi Kent, 
Saw this on the internet today and thought you would enjoy it. 
Peace,
Tim Kiley  



Jim is always “on”!!!  And this was filmed for a music special in The Netherlands!  Wow!  (Doesn’t his place look amazing!!!)

Congrats … he deserves every bit of the accolades.  And what a great guy!  (We’re trying to line up a British phone interview with him right now, too.  And we’re off to see The Ides Of March again on March 6th at The City Winery. In fact, we’ve got an extra pair of tickets to give away … so if any of you “locals” are interested, drop me a line!  (But please, ONLY if you can 100% for sure attend the show.  We’ve had so many winners back out last minute lately that we’re considering instituting a ban from future promotions.  It is so difficult to go back to these venues time and time again to change the guest list.  I realize things come up … but PLEASE check your schedule BEFORE throwing your hat in the ring.  We appreciate the support and opportunities provided to us by places like City Winery, The Arcada Theatre and The Genesee Theatre for these oldies shows, as well as other special events … and we want it to continue.)
 
Speaking of which …
 
LAST CALL …
 
Last call for your chance to win tickets to see the Easter Seals Fundraiser being held on March 23rd at The Athenaeum Theater in Chicago … or John Sebastian on July 8th at The City Winery … OR The Ides Of March on March 6th at The City Winery.
We’ll continue to accept entries through Monday night … and then draw our winners next week.


We’ve been hearing Foreigner reunion rumors for months now and were concerned that with Lou Gramm’s recent “retirement” announcement, none of this might come to pass.
But now, with a brand new musical, “Juke Box Hero,” about to open … featuring sixteen Foreigner tracks … interest may be at an all-time high … and Gramm is apparently reconsidering his recent holiday announcement to record NEW Foreigner music with his old partner, Mick Jones, as well as perhaps some sort of Las Vegas residency (where rock and roll bands seem to have found a new home … in addition to the recent Aerosmith tickets we recently told you about, Def Leppard is also going to do a month there of shows.)
More information on ALL of this can be found here:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/lou-gramm-foreigner-new-music-vegas/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter_4572276


>>>”Water Boy" did pretty well here in Chicago, too, peaking at #7 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey (kk) 
FYI, the only CD with the 45 version of "Water Boy" in stereo is the Complete 60s compilation Complete Instrumental Hits of the 60s, Vol. 2 - 1961 (http://www.ericrecords.com/C60-instrumentals-2.html). 
- Randy Price


>>>I noticed that Jimmy Dean's record “Big Bad John” made its initial appearance on the survey at song position #15.  (Larry Neal)
What was interesting about this was that it did not list the original banned version with title "Big John."  That tells me that the original 45 was pulled EXTREMELY fast.  I have a copy of it and it is now on CD, I believe.  It changes "one Hell of a man" to "big, big man" due to the word "Hell" being deemed not good programming on radio.
Clark Besch









Larry Neal and I communicated occasionally when he was doing his show.  Back in 2002, I had only been on the internet for about a year, so I had no idea what was going on there.  I had LOTS of KOMA and WKY charts, but I just HAD to tune in because I always have loved countdowns and to hear a station I listened to for countdowns was even more important.  I have the Cryan’ Shames on one of his shows which was very cool to get taped.
Courtesy of ARSA, here's what the KOMA charts looked like about this time, 1969.  I'm very surprised at #35 still hangin’ on in February.  That seemed impossible to my thinking until I checked and it stayed on Billboard for 19 weeks ending in mid-January!  It started charting before the White Album release and was still on when the Yellow Sub album came out!!!
Clark



Hey Kent ...
As I was enjoying this Sundays 60’s Blog ... and seeing my early appearance on the WLS Hit Parade ...I clicked on the nearby KOMA Larry Neal 2002 Aircheck ... and the first voice heard coming out of the song “Dizzy” is ME as the Image Voice of KOMA!  
A fun coincidence.
Today (thankfully) I remain the “Image Voice” on a bunch of Radio and TV stations nationwide.  
Amazing!!! 
What a great site, Kent. 
Thanks for bringing back all the memories. 
Kris Erik Stevens

"Kentucky Rain" was not recorded on Feb. 19th, as recently noted in forgotten Hits.  
I'm not sure where that source date comes from, but my local radio station, WAVZ listed the song on the February 7, 1970, Top 60 survey as a Hitbound  / Pick Hit.
It also first charted on February 14th in all three industry trade magazines - Billboard, Record World and Cashbox.
It would have to have been released no later than February 1st, in order for copies to have been sent off to radio stations, trade mags, etc.
Keepin' it accu-rate! 
Mike Markesich
Jane, you ignorant slut ... it most certainly WAS recorded on February 19th ... 1969 ... 
What you're doing is confusing two completely different years! (You're stating that since it was listed on February 7th, it couldn't have been recorded on February 19th ... but the time frame you're referring to is a full year apart!)
Much as "Suspicious Minds" was recorded on January 22nd (which was then held until September until it was released as a single), "Kentucky Rain" was recorded on February 19th but not released until a full year later, when it made its way into The National Top Ten.  ("Accuracy" is our middle name!)  kk

FH Reader Frank B tells us that Linda Jansen, one of the original Angels, has passed away … 

kk:
Wild Wayne is reporting that Linda Jansen has died. 
Here are the Angels performing “Till,” featuring Linda Jansen on lead vocal. 

Hello Kent, 
I expect you will be able to handle this one. If you find it interesting, you might want to post it to your blog. I can provide the answer, but would imagine you can guess it yourself ...  
Name this British male singer from the late 50’s and early 60’s, whose career spans over 60 years. He has sold a quarter of a billion records worldwide, but he never became a star in the United States. In 1963, one of his singles made #25 here, with another hitting #62. Both of these were covers of other singers’ earlier hits.  
This guy is #3 in British record sales, just behind the Beatles and Elvis. It’s too bad that he never made it big here, because many of his songs are fabulous. With the right promotion and exposure, like Ed Sullivan and American Bandstand, he probably would have become a major star. Like Paul McCartney, he was made a British Knight.  
Bill Oakey 
I'm assuming you're talking about Cliff Richard ... but while "star" might not be the correct word, Cliff DID have ten Top 40 Hits here in the States, most coming in the late '70's and early '80's ... so I think he was bigger here than you're giving him credit for.  "Devil Woman," "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "Dreaming" even made The US Top Ten.  
Yes, he was HUGE in Britain ... his backup band, The Shadows, were extremely popular as well.  (A very young George Harrison and John Lennon even wrote an instrumental together called "Cry For A Shadow" in their honor.)  
I've got a six-CD British Import set that features ALL of Cliff's singles releases through 2002 ... and there are some GREAT tracks on there that we never got to hear here in America ... and that's a shame.  I agree that he should have been bigger here than he was ... but he DID have his share of hit records as well. (kk)  
Of course, you're right. 
It is amazing to me that during the British Invasion, Epic Records didn’t use their opportunity to release several of his top selling British and worldwide hits. And there should have been promotional tours and TV appearances. 
He did score the hits that you mentioned at the end of the 70's, but his mega-brand should have been established nearly 20 years before that.
Check out this article from Wikipedia. “The Minute You're Gone” was a Sonny James hit that Richards recorded as part of a package of American songs intended to launch his career here. Epic flubbed it pretty badly. Why not release the songs that the rest of Planet Earth celebrated as hits? But then, for whatever reason, ABC Paramount didn’t have much success after “Living Doll” in 1959. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Minute_You%27re_Gone
I think my first introduction to the music of Cliff Richard came by way of a British Invasion compilation album ... a 2-LP set ... that featured his version of The Rolling Stones' song "Blue Turns To Grey."  To this day I much prefer Cliff's version to the original.
And then when I heard Burton Cummings sing "Don't Talk To Him," I knew Cliff had been cheated out of at least a couple more US Hits.
I totally agree that Epic blew their opportunity to cash in on the craze.  (There was no hesitation to bring Petula Clark over here ... and look at HER hit list!!!)
A deeper exploration into the Cliff Richard Songbook is well deserved ... hopefully some of our readers will take the time to discover just what a consistent talent he really was.  (kk)   

Hey Kent –
Jesse Colin Young has a new album out called Dreamers, a return to action after he was sidelined with Lyme disease. Spoke with him recently to discuss the album and cover a few other topics, including "Get Together" and why The Youngbloods weren't at Woodstock (maybe he'll get invited this year).
Here's the interview: 
https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/jesse-colin-young-of-the-youngbloods 
Be Well, 
Carl Wiser  

Kent,
I thought you would find this interesting. 
My songs from the 1967 Fapardokly LP ('When I Get Home') and a 1965 unreleased Exiles track  ('Don't Let Go')  as well as 'The Clouds Went That Way' from the 1st MU album are now all being used in this TV series. It's airing on various movie channels.
It amazes me how songs from the 1967 Fapardokly album keep coming back into the spotlight!
Thanks for the nice piece on the "Eklectia" 2 CD set … the U.K label thought it was Fab! 
All My Best,
Merrell
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair is a novel by Swiss author Joel Dicker. It was published in the United States on 27 May, 2014, by Penguin Books. The original French version, La vérité sur l’affaire Harry Quebert, has sold more than one million copies, knocking Fifty Shades Of Grey off the top of the bestseller lists in French-speaking countries. Rights have been bought for translations into 32 languages. Including the translations, La vérité sur l’affaire Harry Quebert has sold more than three million copies. 
The novel is set in a coastal New Hampshire town (called Aurora in the original version and Somerset in the English translation). The protagonist, Marcus Goldman, is a successful young novelist who needs inspiration for his next book. Marcus heads to New Hampshire to stay with his college professor, Harry Quebert, to focus on his writing. When the body of 15-year-old Nola Kellergan is found 33 years after she went missing and Quebert is accused of her murder, Marcus works to uncover the truth. The result of his investigation becomes his next book.  

Television adaptation 
The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair miniseries
In August 2017, Epix and MGM Television announced that production for a 10-episode TV series named after the book was underway. Principal photography started in mid-August in Firestville, Canada, and moved to Montreal in September to finish production in December. On April 6, 2018, 35 minutes of scenes from the series premiered at Canne series, the television festival held in Cannes, France, each year. In the United States, the premier occurred on Epix on September 4, 2018, and the 10-episode show concluded its run on November 6, 2018, and now is in reruns on select channels.  American actor Patrick Dempsey played Harry Quebert, while Ben Schnetzer, Damon Wayans Jrand Virginia Madsen played other roles. Featured in the TV series are Merrell Fankhaauser's songs "Don't Let Go," "When I Get Home” and "The Clouds Went That Way."
Hey, I’m in favor of ANYTHING that keeps this great music alive!  Congratulations, Merrell!  (kk) 

Hello Kent - 
Mark Dillion ("Fifty Sides of The Beach Boys") and I (PrayForSurfBlog.blogspot.com) have launched a new partnership: "Surf's Up: A Beach Boys Podcast Safari" ~ and have just uploaded our first epid=sode, a conversation with David Leaf, the famous chronicler of The Beach Boys for over 45 years.
Phil Miglioratti (Pray for Surf blog) and Mark Dillon (Fifty Sides of The Beach Boys) are proud to announce the launch of Surf's Up: A Beach Boys Podcast Safari. In Episode #1, they speak with David Leaf, author of seminal bio The Beach Boys and the California Myth, coproducer of the Good Vibrations: 30 Years of The Beach Boys and Pet Sounds Sessions box sets, writer / producer of An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson and director of the SMiLE documentary Beautiful Dreamer.
Hear Today: 
@https://ia601409.us.archive.org/31/items/01SurfsUpDavidLeaf/01%20Surf%27s%20Up_%20David%20Leaf.mp3  
Phil 
Thanks, Phil … happy to spread the word!  (kk)

How about Bill Deal and the Rhondels from Virginia Beach! Those guys were legendary, doing gigs at the clubs along the Boardwalk there in the 60’s and 70’s. According to their drummer Ammon Tharp, they didn’t even realize what they played was Carolina Beach Music until years later. That’s a whole genre unto itself! 
Bill and the guys were pretty much the house band at the Peppermint Beach Club (15th St. @ the Boardwalk) until it closed in the mid 90’s. A new place using that name opened a few blocks away in the early 2000’s, I think. 
For me, 13 years old and visiting VB in 1969, it was unreal. Pics courtesy Ammon Tharp.



- Larry Cave
  50yearsagoonthehot100.blogspot.com
I wasn't familiar with the "Beach Music" term until much later in life either!  (FH List Member Danny Guilfoyle can probably best speak to its criteria .. he loves the stuff!!!)
For me, Bill Deal and the Rhondels were just feel-good music ... and they provided some of the best.
Their first three hits all won me over immediately ... and clearly I wasn't the only one.  "May I" (#33), "I've Been Hurt" (#27) and "What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am" (#20) were all HUGE favorites of mine in 1969 ... and they performed even better here in Chicago.  (#8, #9 and #16 respectively)
ALL of these tracks still sound great today ... and you'll hear them all as our Tribute to 1969 continues throughout the year.  (kk) 

Here's a track we featured a LONG time ago in Forgotten Hits ...

Bill Deal and the Rhondels doing a live medley of their hits.  Check it out!

Keep watching your local PBS Station for a couple of very special documentary career retrospective / tributes making the rounds …

The one profiling Sammy Davis, Jr. premiered last week …

And next week (beginning on March 2nd), they pay homage to the great Nat “King” Cole.

As always, check your local listings for showtimes near you.  (kk) 

https://www.pbs.org/video/sammy-davis-jr-ive-gotta-be-me-trailer-cwlblx/ 

Kent,
Here are my votes for The Best Babes of the ‘60’s:
1. Barbara Eden (with or without navel)
2. Barbara Parkins of Peyton Place
3 Group entry: The Gazzari Dancers of Hollywood A-Go-Go
(Just watch the you-tube videos - Just Like Romeo and Juliet is my favorite)
Bob Verbos 
Thank God for lip-synching!  I don’t know how any of those artists were able to concentrate on performing with all that crazy gyrating going on around them!  (kk)

Here’s a smile sent in by Gary Pike, formerly of The Lettermen …  

I'll bet you didn't know this!
Many of the newer cars have a “Back-Up Sensor " that warns the driver before the rear bumper actually comes in contact with something.
Who invented this sensor?
I'll bet you think it was Ford, maybe GM; how about Chrysler?  
No?
Then how about Mercedes Benz, or possibly the French or Italian car manufacturers?  
No, wrong again.
It was a Japanese farmer by the name of  Kawasaki. His invention was simple and effective.
It emits a high-pitch squeal before the vehicle backs into something.
Here's his first prototype ...

And finally, Frank B sent us this “Older Than Dirt” quiz …



Heck, I already knew I was older than dirt …

I went to kindergarten with God!  (kk)

THIS WEEK IN FORGOTTEN HITS:  

Sunday - The Sunday Survey - The WLS Hit Parade from exactly fifty years ago today ... February 24th, 1969

Monday - Happy Birthday, George Harrison - includes his Sweet Sixteen biggest hits

(scroll back to catch up if you missed these two posts!)

Tuesday - A Mega-Sized "This And That" Comments Page  (if you've scrolled down THIS far, you've already read it!!!)

Wednesday - Forgotten Hits interview singer / songwriter Paul Evans  
Kent,
Can’t wait to see Chet Coppock’s review of our interview.
Paul
LOL ... see, something ELSE to look forward to! 

Thursday - The 60th Anniversary Winter Dance Party - a first-hand account by FH Reader Jim Nowoc

Friday - Depending on how you react to all of the above, most likely MORE of your comments!

Saturday - Your chance to see Paul Revere's Raiders at the Easter Seals Fundraiser concert (with special guest stars Ronnie Rice and members of The New Colony Six), John Sebastian or The Ides Of March ... get your entries in NOW!!!

Sunday - And on Sunday, we start it all over again, with another WLS Chart ... and THIS one will be followed by a couple more special features on Monday and Tuesday, March 4th and 5th.

BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THIS SITE AND CHECK IT EVERY DAY FOR BRAND NEW POSTINGS ...

OR USE THE SEARCH FEATURE TO CATCH UP ON WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED.

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON HERE IN FORGOTTEN HITS!