77 WABC AM goes back to music July 4th weekend. Vinnie Medugno is the next generation of Doo - Wop Singers.
FB
Lots of VERY cool guests checking in, too …
Felix Cavaliere, Tommy James, Peter Noone, Bobby Rydell, Gary Lewis, Jay Siegel, Bob Cowsill and many others. Plus, it repeats throughout the weekend … so definitely worth checking out! (kk)
77 WABC & Tunnel to Towers Foundation Presents:
THE ALL AMERICAN WEEKEND
Featuring the music and the stories behind the hits with interviews from Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, Tommy James, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, Gary Lewis, Bobby Rydell, Larry Chance of the Earls, Jay Siegel of Jay Siegel’s Tokens, Bobby Miranda of the Happenings, Bob Cowsill of the Cowsills and Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension PLUS many more special guests to be announced.
THE ALL AMERICAN WEEKEND
Featuring the music and the stories behind the hits with interviews from Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, Tommy James, Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, Gary Lewis, Bobby Rydell, Larry Chance of the Earls, Jay Siegel of Jay Siegel’s Tokens, Bobby Miranda of the Happenings, Bob Cowsill of the Cowsills and Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension PLUS many more special guests to be announced.
All to honor our Frontline Heroes ...
Hosted by Vinnie Medugno!
Tune into 77 WABC as we bring music back on Fourth of July weekend.
Saturday, July 4th from 6 – 9 PM.
Special re-play: Sunday, July 5th from 12 – 3 PM.
Be sure to listen on the 77 WABC app on Saturday, July 4th for your chance to win a 65″ Smart TV!
You can listen live to the radio at 77AM or online at WABCradio.com - listen on your smart phone by downloading the app, or tell Alexa to play WABC radio!
It’s the All American Weekend, bringing it back to where it all started on WABC!
Hosted by Vinnie Medugno!
Tune into 77 WABC as we bring music back on Fourth of July weekend.
Saturday, July 4th from 6 – 9 PM.
Special re-play: Sunday, July 5th from 12 – 3 PM.
Be sure to listen on the 77 WABC app on Saturday, July 4th for your chance to win a 65″ Smart TV!
You can listen live to the radio at 77AM or online at WABCradio.com - listen on your smart phone by downloading the app, or tell Alexa to play WABC radio!
It’s the All American Weekend, bringing it back to where it all started on WABC!
With Tommy Petillo and 21 others
And remember, too, that Me-TV-FM is doing a “Songs Across America / Virtual Road Trip” weekend, spotlighting songs that mention varies cities across America.
As Program Director Rick O’Dell told us last week,
The list is really quite impressive, from the obvious ones (“I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “Tallahassee Lassie”) to some surprising ones, with songs embedded in the lyrics and not the title (“Couldn’t Get It Right” by the Climax Blues Band — L.A. and New York City; and “Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck — Baltimore).
You can listen live here: https://www.radio.com/metvfmmke/listen#.W6oi2vZRfcs
Richard Marx is the latest artist to do a “live in your living room” concert, giving you a “front row seat” … for $16.50, you can beam a Marx solo concert into the comfort (and safety) of your own home.
It launches on Sunday, June 28th, but is also available for seven days afterwards, allowing you to watch it on your own timetable.
More information can be found here:
Kent,
I would like to comment on Sam Ward's top 20 summer songs.
He had listed at #1 SUMMER'S COMING by Kirby St. Romain and #19 BEACH PARTY by Dave York ... definitely two records I have not heard in years and two records which I do have. I always did like Kirby St. Romain's record played in the summer of 1963.
SUMMERTIME SUMMERTIME by the Jamies was popular twice (at least here in OKC) during the summers of 1958 and 1962. Don't really know offhand the reason it was re-released during the summer of 1962.
Larry Neal
“Summer’s Coming” just missed making The Top 40 in Music Vendor … it peaked at #42. The Dave York record didn’t do nearly as well, only climbing to #95 in Billboard.
As for The Jamies’ record, it made The Top 40 both times it was released, peaking at #26 in 1958 … and then at #38 in 1962, both in Billboard. Today I find it to be a very annoying record … and I remember when we did our last poll several readers wrote it questioning how it could possibly have placed so high on our list. (It came in at #10 in our 2010 Poll.)
But the fact of the matter is, it has already earned 193 votes THIS year, too … so there is definitely a fan base out there for this song. (If the polls closed today, it would rank at #17.) Several people have listed this one as their #1 Summer Favorite … just not one of mine. (kk)
Here’s a possible new topic for Forgotten Hits …
"What is the most CLEVER song in (your known) history of music?"
My nomination for that is "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" by the Ames Brothers.
Very good chance you'll have to listen TWICE - once before the very surprising punch line, and the second time with the punch line in mind! Once you know the song's punch line, the entire perception of the song shifts to another universe.
This is PURE POP music ... who knew somebody was this clever in 1954?
True to the actual name of your website, Kent, this is most DEFINITELY a forgotten hit!
Frank Merrill, Chicago
Actually, I have ALWAYS enjoyed this song … and it was a pretty big hit, too, hitting #3 on all three national charts. (Of course, I didn’t discover it until many years later … the late ‘70’s or early ‘80’s most likely because, like you said, this has been a “Forgotten Hit” for nearly as long as it has existed.)
Wow … I’d have to give this some thought … there are a LOT of pretty clever songs out there … maybe we should start taking nominees … (as long as it doesn’t take away from our Summer Songs votes.) Perhaps best to start this after the 4th of July as I have a hunch I’ll be spending most of what might constitute as “free time” just keeping up with the number of votes that are already coming in! (lol)
Thanks, Frank … great idea. (kk)
OK, that works …
I'll nominate something for the "summer songs" poll, a song that has MOST CERTAINLY never been mentioned before! It's a local surf record from 1963 (?) from Toledo, Ohio. Definitely a cool song, but it was only very barely a hit, even there, and I don't think it ever saw the light-of-day outside that market.
Audio isn't great, but this is the closest that I can find on YouTube ... that's how little-known this is. Beachtime by the Three Reasons!! Very cool summer song! I DON'T remember hearing it when it was out, though a Toledo radio station was in my listening repertoire at the time. No, I "discovered" this Ohio wonder sometime in the Seventies.
Frank
When we put together a poll like this, what I find is that either people don't remember some of these until somebody else mentions them ... or, after they see something listed that they may not otherwise be familiar with, they'll go check out the track on YouTube to see why it ranked so high on somebody else's list.
The votes are coming in fast and furious ... another 3500 came in on Saturday after we ran a reminder!!! Plus several radio stations and music blogs are letting people know about our latest quest to update of Summer Favorites List ... so yeah, I’ve been a little bit busy lately … but that's what keeps it fun and exciting, right?
My biggest fear this year was that people would go out of their way NOT to vote for "Summer In The City" just so it wouldn't repeat at #1 for the fourth straight time ... but fortunately, this is not the case. My feeling is, after tabulating now tens of thousands of votes that this really IS the #1 Summer Song ... or it wouldn't keep topping the list. Even now, it already has better than TWICE as many votes as its nearest competitor. If it deserves to be #1, it SHOULD be #1.
One of the things we didn't do this time was to specify a time period for eligibility. This, too, was by design ... if we're truly going to update the list, we have to allow some songs on here that haven't made the list before but have become summer favorites. As such, we're now receiving votes for Katy Perry, Maroon Five, Kid Rock and others ... which is fine by me if it helps to better reflect the opinions of the masses (rather than six column writers like most other polls.) And, because this has also been circulated in Doo Wop circles this year, we're getting some tracks in this genre, too.
Summer Songs are kind of becoming like Christmas Songs ... you just don't get that many new ones to add to the list ... so why not open up the list to get the maximum yield and variety.
Let's face it ... with this many votes (over 17,000 so far) and this many nominees (about to pass 400), none of the really obscure songs are going to make The Top 100 ... but at least they're being represented and introduced to a new audience. (Who knows ... maybe some of these will make the list twenty years from now!)
Had we done this list in the ‘70’s or ‘80’s, songs like “So Much In Love” by The Tymes and "Let's Twist Again" would have been right up there at the top … and it is a bit difficult not to turn this into a Top 40 Beach Boys List … but I think we’ve opened this up to ALL possibilities this year … so I’m expecting to see a few surprises … and a few new faces. (kk)
Remember: you can vote for YOUR Summer Favorites
thru the 4th of July Weekend!!!
Remember: you can vote for YOUR Summer Favorites
thru the 4th of July Weekend!!!
KENT,
THANKS FOR POSTING THE PICTURE … SHIRLEY IS A WONDERFUL WOMAN AND A GREAT TALENT … LOVE SHIRLEY!
FREDDY BOOM BOOM CANNON
THANKS FOR POSTING THE PICTURE … SHIRLEY IS A WONDERFUL WOMAN AND A GREAT TALENT … LOVE SHIRLEY!
FREDDY BOOM BOOM CANNON
The Strange Case Of Buddy Holly Vs Bobby Darin | uDiscover
The Ding Dongs and Rinky Dinks
FB
We covered this story this way in our Bobby Darin series way back when …
‘60’s FLASHBACK:
After a couple of ATLANTIC singles failed, BOBBY was in jeopardy of losing his recording contract again. He knew that time was running out and the pressure was on, so he went out to try to sell himself to another record label. This time it was BRUNSWICK RECORDS (ironically, a subsidiary of DECCA!) who responded but, due to BOBBY still being under contract with ATLANTIC, they decided to release a single under the name of THE DING DONGS. It looked like BOBBY's next release would be his own tune, EARLY IN THE MORNING. However, before this single hit the streets, fate was about to step in.
While that single was being readied for release, BOBBY was down to his last shot at ATLANTIC. One day, at MURRAY KAUFMAN's apartment, MURRAY THE K received a call from his mother JEAN MURRAY, who also just happened to be a songwriter. Over the phone, she suggested the song title of SPLISH SPLASH, TAKE A BATH. KAUFMAN groaned and then laughed ... nobody could write a song with THAT title ... and went off to take a shower. The ever-determined BOBBY DARIN said that HE could write a song with that title and, less than an hour later, had composed his first hit record!
DARIN knew that he had captured the teen sound and excitedly took the song to ATLANTIC. Virtually EVERYBODY there hated it ... co-founder HERB ABRAMSON, who had produced all of BOBBY's ATLANTIC releases to date, said he'd take a pass. JERRY WEXLER, one of the greatest ears in music history, called it garbage. But AHMET ERTEGUN decided to produce the record himself and when they were done, BOBBY felt that, while it may not be a great song ... or even a great recording ... it WAS what the kids wanted to hear in 1958. He was right ... SPLISH SPLASH shot up the charts, eventually hitting #2 in Cash Box Magazine. (It peaked at #3 in Billboard). BOBBY was on his way. (ERTEGUN wasn't taking any chances on DARIN's last chance, however ... at a recording session already booked for MORGANNA KING, AHMET brought the musicians in a little early and had her rhythm section back BOBBY on three tracks, trying to capture more of the excitement BOBBY had shown him while banging on the piano outside ERTEGUN's office ... something he felt HERB had been unable to capture on record at this point. In 90 minutes, DARIN cut three tracks, including both SPLISH SPLASH and QUEEN OF THE HOP, his first two Top Ten Hits! Time well-spent indeed!)
As soon as SPLISH SPLASH hit the charts, BRUNSWICK rushed out EARLY IN THE MORNING, trying to cash in on DARIN's hot sound. However, due to contract stipulations (and the common sense that ATLANTIC would most certainly sue them if they tried to release a record with BOBBY DARIN's name on it), they chose to release the single as THE DING DONGS. Nobody at ATLANTIC RECORDS was fooled ... they KNEW it was BOBBY on the recording, and quickly put a halt to the release and purchased the master for their own label. So as not to conflict with the momentum of SPLISH SPLASH's chart performance, ATLANTIC released the tune as being by THE RINKY DINKS!!! EARLY IN THE MORNING finally peaked at #24 on the Billboard Chart. Still believing the song was a hit, DECCA released a nearly identical arrangement and had their OWN teen sensation BUDDY HOLLY record a version, which was quickly released on the CORAL label, striking while the iron was still hot. BUDDY's version peaked at #25 in Cash Box! (Incredibly, HOLLY, known for composing some of the greatest music ever to come out of rock's early years, would have hit singles with songs written by fellow teen idols BOBBY DARIN ... EARLY IN THE MORNING ... and PAUL ANKA ... IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE ... early in his career!) Amazingly, the B-Side of BOTH the DARIN single and the HOLLY single was NOW WE'RE ONE ... another BOBBY DARIN original composition! (By the way, an original BRUNSWICK pressing showing THE DING DONGS as the recording artist is worth well over $100 today!) Once it became common knowledge that EARLY IN THE MORNING was really a BOBBY DARIN record, later pressings showed the artist as BOBBY DARIN AND THE RINKY DINKS.
While that single was being readied for release, BOBBY was down to his last shot at ATLANTIC. One day, at MURRAY KAUFMAN's apartment, MURRAY THE K received a call from his mother JEAN MURRAY, who also just happened to be a songwriter. Over the phone, she suggested the song title of SPLISH SPLASH, TAKE A BATH. KAUFMAN groaned and then laughed ... nobody could write a song with THAT title ... and went off to take a shower. The ever-determined BOBBY DARIN said that HE could write a song with that title and, less than an hour later, had composed his first hit record!
DARIN knew that he had captured the teen sound and excitedly took the song to ATLANTIC. Virtually EVERYBODY there hated it ... co-founder HERB ABRAMSON, who had produced all of BOBBY's ATLANTIC releases to date, said he'd take a pass. JERRY WEXLER, one of the greatest ears in music history, called it garbage. But AHMET ERTEGUN decided to produce the record himself and when they were done, BOBBY felt that, while it may not be a great song ... or even a great recording ... it WAS what the kids wanted to hear in 1958. He was right ... SPLISH SPLASH shot up the charts, eventually hitting #2 in Cash Box Magazine. (It peaked at #3 in Billboard). BOBBY was on his way. (ERTEGUN wasn't taking any chances on DARIN's last chance, however ... at a recording session already booked for MORGANNA KING, AHMET brought the musicians in a little early and had her rhythm section back BOBBY on three tracks, trying to capture more of the excitement BOBBY had shown him while banging on the piano outside ERTEGUN's office ... something he felt HERB had been unable to capture on record at this point. In 90 minutes, DARIN cut three tracks, including both SPLISH SPLASH and QUEEN OF THE HOP, his first two Top Ten Hits! Time well-spent indeed!)
As soon as SPLISH SPLASH hit the charts, BRUNSWICK rushed out EARLY IN THE MORNING, trying to cash in on DARIN's hot sound. However, due to contract stipulations (and the common sense that ATLANTIC would most certainly sue them if they tried to release a record with BOBBY DARIN's name on it), they chose to release the single as THE DING DONGS. Nobody at ATLANTIC RECORDS was fooled ... they KNEW it was BOBBY on the recording, and quickly put a halt to the release and purchased the master for their own label. So as not to conflict with the momentum of SPLISH SPLASH's chart performance, ATLANTIC released the tune as being by THE RINKY DINKS!!! EARLY IN THE MORNING finally peaked at #24 on the Billboard Chart. Still believing the song was a hit, DECCA released a nearly identical arrangement and had their OWN teen sensation BUDDY HOLLY record a version, which was quickly released on the CORAL label, striking while the iron was still hot. BUDDY's version peaked at #25 in Cash Box! (Incredibly, HOLLY, known for composing some of the greatest music ever to come out of rock's early years, would have hit singles with songs written by fellow teen idols BOBBY DARIN ... EARLY IN THE MORNING ... and PAUL ANKA ... IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE ... early in his career!) Amazingly, the B-Side of BOTH the DARIN single and the HOLLY single was NOW WE'RE ONE ... another BOBBY DARIN original composition! (By the way, an original BRUNSWICK pressing showing THE DING DONGS as the recording artist is worth well over $100 today!) Once it became common knowledge that EARLY IN THE MORNING was really a BOBBY DARIN record, later pressings showed the artist as BOBBY DARIN AND THE RINKY DINKS.
FH Reader Geoff Lambert tells us that
On June 20th, 1958, Decca Records rushed Buddy Holly into the Pythian Temple in New York City to cover both sides of the Bobby Darin number “Early in the Morning” and “Now “We’re One” after Bobby's Brunswick single, which had been credited to the Ding Dongs (the Rinky Dinks in the UK) had to be withdrawn, as he was legally contracted to Atco.
On June 20th, 1958, Decca Records rushed Buddy Holly into the Pythian Temple in New York City to cover both sides of the Bobby Darin number “Early in the Morning” and “Now “We’re One” after Bobby's Brunswick single, which had been credited to the Ding Dongs (the Rinky Dinks in the UK) had to be withdrawn, as he was legally contracted to Atco.
Buddy used exactly the same musicians as on Bobby's version including top session men: Sam (the man) Taylor on sax; George Barnes on lead guitar, Al Chernet, guitar, Sanford Bloch on bass, Panama Francis on drums and the Helen Hay singers (Helen Hay, Harriet Young and Theresa Merritt) for background vocals. Buddy's version will be rush-released on July 5th on US Coral 62006; the producer of both versions was Dick Jacobs.
Kent:
Do you recall when I first mentioned the Eurovision Song Contest during your 1967 series? I told you how I found out it was a really big deal over there while I was living in London on Uncle Sam's dime. Participating countries have representatives (usually professional singers) perform songs written specifically for the ESC. It is simulcast all over Europe and is one of the most watched television events.
Started in 1956, it wasn't until 1967 when Sandie Shaw's "Puppet On A String" took top honors for the UK. Two years later, Lulu's "Boom Bang-A-Bang" won in a four way tie. Dana prevailed in 1970 for Ireland with "All Kinds Of Everything". That one topped the UK charts in April. In 1974, Sweden's Abba would triumph with "Waterloo" and go on to be the most successful winners ever. In 1976, the UK was the winning country again with Brotherhood Of Man's "Save Your Kisses For Me." This wasn't the Tony Burrows' group. It had been reformed with new members and was modeled after Abba. The song topped the UK charts for six weeks and, according to The Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles, it broke the voting record for the ESC. Which is all leading up to this:
On June 26, Netflix will premiere EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA. It stars Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. Knowing Ferrell, it's probably going to be silly. But, regardless, it will make many Americans aware of the world's biggest song competition for the first time.
Mike Gentry
Mike Gentry
Funnily enough, I had just heard about this film about two days before receiving your email. Now I’m curious to learn more about it. (HOLD ON … Just saw the preview … it looks AWFUL!!!)
As for the Brotherhood Of Man song, it did chart here as well, peaking at #27 in Billboard … in yet ANOTHER example of a HUGE discrepancy of popularity. (It peaked 20+ points lower in both Cash Box - #48 and Record World - #49) … which kinda begs the question what kind of under the counter deals were going on with THIS tune??? I know we never heard it played here in Chicago.
I don’t know that this one necessarily screams “hit record” … if anything, it sounds more like a Tony Orlando and Dawn album cut … not even good enough for one of THEIR singles (despite the fact that they probably could have done it better.) kk
Was going thru a box of old music-related clippings and found this ...
Was going thru a box of old music-related clippings and found this ...
Lots of great
names on the WVON roster back then ...
Bill
"Butterball" Crane (back in the 70s, he'd stop by the ham radio shop
in Oak Park); Herb "Kool Gent" Kent; Lucky Cordell, and Larry
Langford, who became
spokesman for the Chicago Fire Dept. and owns a couple of radio stations, one of which you can pick up (it's very noisy) from Cassopolis, Mich., WGTO "Good Time Oldies" on 910 KHz.
Mike Wolstein
spokesman for the Chicago Fire Dept. and owns a couple of radio stations, one of which you can pick up (it's very noisy) from Cassopolis, Mich., WGTO "Good Time Oldies" on 910 KHz.
Mike Wolstein
Man, Chet Coppock would have loved this old chart … Ron
Smith, too, for that matter. SO sad when I stop to think
about some of the readers who’ve left us in the past year (through no choice of
their own.)
Speaking of which, Mike also reminded me that it’s been ten years since
Mark Eskin, aka “Beatle Mark” and guitarist for The New Colony Six for a good
number of years, has been gone for just over ten years now. (kk)
I can't believe I
forgot - two months ago I was going to write to remind you of the tenth
anniversary of the passing of a great musician and a good friend, Mark Eskin
("Beatle Mark.") I suppose due
to the pandemics, no special events took place to honor his memory.
Hard to believe
it's been ten years - it went by in a flash.
I met him in 1980,
when Deon Jackson was playing piano at Billy & Company in
Wheeling (a spin-off of Myron and Phil's, where De played until 1979). He was just a kid ... he sat down and played piano during a break and blew us all away. Then he started bringing his guitar with him and he'd sing with Deon. The rest is history.
Incredible talent, and the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.
Rest in peace, Mark.
Mike
Wheeling (a spin-off of Myron and Phil's, where De played until 1979). He was just a kid ... he sat down and played piano during a break and blew us all away. Then he started bringing his guitar with him and he'd sing with Deon. The rest is history.
Incredible talent, and the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.
Rest in peace, Mark.
Mike
I ran a short tribute to Mark at the time ...
Yes, it’s hard to believe it's been
ten years.
Were you at the wake? I've
never experienced anything like this before ...
Talk about a celebration of life ...
SO many musician friends sang and
got the crowd to remember Mark's love of music rather than the fact that he was
gone. I've never been to any service anything like this before. (kk)
Much to my dismay, I didn't find out
about his passing or the huge memorial until a few weeks later, as I hadn't
been keeping up with the music scene as much as I used to. I was living next
door to the Elk Grove Public Library, where they'd have
"mini-concerts" in front of the door during the summer months. One
afternoon, a small group made up of some fairly well-known jobbers;
"Jay" who plays drums in a number of small bands (can't recall his
name, but everyone knows him) was there, and so was my old buddy "Danzman,"
who gave me the sad news. I was demolished, to say the least.
Aside: In 1980, Mark and Deon Jackson went into the studio and recorded a tune with Deon on electric piano and Mark on guitar and doing the backing vocal. I am proud to be the owner of one of the three or four copies of that tune, which, I was told, was written on the spot in about 15 minutes.
Mike
Aside: In 1980, Mark and Deon Jackson went into the studio and recorded a tune with Deon on electric piano and Mark on guitar and doing the backing vocal. I am proud to be the owner of one of the three or four copies of that tune, which, I was told, was written on the spot in about 15 minutes.
Mike
kk …
I just found this duo. They’re called The MonaLisa Twins and they
cover the Beatles, the Beach Boys and others.
Here they are
performing You Can't Do That (The Beatles Cover) Live
at the Cavern Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20O_qYRw0F8
They also write new
music in a 1960's style.
I'm putting my money
where my mouth is.
I bought a couple of
their CD's.
Do you know the last time
I bought new music?
I can't tell you, ‘cause
I don't remember.
And here’s an offer you can’t refuse …
One album of new songs plus one album of
cover songs … both for a specially discounted price!
FB
We featured
The Mona Lisa Twins a couple of years ago in FH … thought they were amazing
(although I’m not convinced “You Can’t Do That” is one of their BEST
performances.)
Still, definitely
worth checking out. (kk)
The Wrecking Crew remember "Fernwood
Tonight" that included Martin Mull, Frank Devol, and Fred Willard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co55F-243q8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enU7EeFV-Qc&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co55F-243q8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enU7EeFV-Qc&feature=youtu.be
The third short clip that I'm preparing
has a back story.
For those who remember, "Fernwood
Tonight," Fred Willard came out of nowhere, he was a complete unknown, but
he and Martin Mull were a killer comedy combination!
Around 2005, I was a segment producer for a company that produced a series on TV LAND called "Top 10". It was basically a clip show. I would interview stars and comedians about TV shows that they had some kind of connection with. Some of the segments included, "Top Ten TV Cars," "Top Ten TV Moms," "Top Ten TV Dads" and so on. Many times the Executive Producer would have me ask various questions that could cross over onto other segments (which isn't cool - but I always had to ask them anyway).
Most of the time, it was just fun to meet the TV icons that I grew up with. But then I met Fred Willard, and I was thrilled to talk off camera about "Fernwood Tonight" and hear stories about those days. I don't even remember what show Fred was brought in to comment about, but I know it wasn't connected to the last question of the interview that the EP made me ask. I asked it quickly, hoping that he wouldn't be upset for asking this stupid question which was obviously going to be used on another show. "Fred, What is your favorite Brady Bunch Character?" He had no idea what I was talking about and that was it.
UNTIL ...
I'm sitting in a movie theater watching the Christopher Guest movie, "For Your Consideration." Fred Willard is playing an "Entertainment Tonight" type host who is interviewing actors on a set of a show. Fred starts off with his first question to Harry Shearer, "The Brady Bunch, what was your favorite character?" OMG, Fred Willard stole my line! I was so honored to know Fred made something so bad, into something so good and funny! Such a nice man and very influential to so many comedians and artists.
Denny Tedesco / The Wrecking Crew
Around 2005, I was a segment producer for a company that produced a series on TV LAND called "Top 10". It was basically a clip show. I would interview stars and comedians about TV shows that they had some kind of connection with. Some of the segments included, "Top Ten TV Cars," "Top Ten TV Moms," "Top Ten TV Dads" and so on. Many times the Executive Producer would have me ask various questions that could cross over onto other segments (which isn't cool - but I always had to ask them anyway).
Most of the time, it was just fun to meet the TV icons that I grew up with. But then I met Fred Willard, and I was thrilled to talk off camera about "Fernwood Tonight" and hear stories about those days. I don't even remember what show Fred was brought in to comment about, but I know it wasn't connected to the last question of the interview that the EP made me ask. I asked it quickly, hoping that he wouldn't be upset for asking this stupid question which was obviously going to be used on another show. "Fred, What is your favorite Brady Bunch Character?" He had no idea what I was talking about and that was it.
UNTIL ...
I'm sitting in a movie theater watching the Christopher Guest movie, "For Your Consideration." Fred Willard is playing an "Entertainment Tonight" type host who is interviewing actors on a set of a show. Fred starts off with his first question to Harry Shearer, "The Brady Bunch, what was your favorite character?" OMG, Fred Willard stole my line! I was so honored to know Fred made something so bad, into something so good and funny! Such a nice man and very influential to so many comedians and artists.
Denny Tedesco / The Wrecking Crew
I used to LOVE this show ... never missed an episode (and spent HOURS the other night reliving some of these classic television moments ... now THIS is a show that deserves the "Complete Series" home dvd treatment. Mull had the PERFECT, smug, arrogant host thing down ... and Willard, then a relatively unknown who spent a fair amount of time right here in Chicago doing Second City, was the PERFECT clueless sidekick. Fun stuff. (And great to see Denny's dad, Tomm Tedesco, playing with Frank DeVol / Happy Kyne's late night show band. This is some great stuff. (kk)
>>>The Flippers’ recorded their song HARLEM
SHUFFLE twice, both on different record labels. One version had
"canned" live crowd noise and one didn't. (Larry Neal)
Larry is right … AND it first came out on Chicago's QUILL record label!!!!
Larry is right … AND it first came out on Chicago's QUILL record label!!!!
Clark Besch
Hello Kent,
How are you?
Would you be so kind to
spread the word about this wonderful John Stewart concert at Tales From The
Tavern that premiered on Wednesday, June 10, at 5:30 PM (7:30 PM your time)
on YouTube.
Here are some photos that
you can include if you are able to post it.
Thank you!
Enjoy!
Stay healthy and keep away from the danger
zones!
Hope In My Heart,
Gary Strobl
We couldn’t get this posted in time for last week’s
premier … but the YouTube link is still active so you can check out what you
missed. (More info below) kk
TFT-TV presents JOHN STEWART!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 10th
at 5:30 Pacific Time / 8:30 Eastern Time
TFT-TV is thrilled to present JOHN STEWART AT
TALES FROM THE TAVERN, Wednesday, June 10, at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time (8:30 Eastern
Time) – see it here:
https://youtu.be/O497LwN8Tpg
The concert and interview seen in this HISTORIC episode were recorded March 8, 2006, in Buellton, California. It includes song performances, stories from the stage and backstage interviews with late-great AMERICAN TREASURE, JOHN STEWART, and touches on such topics as: his time with THE KINGSTON TRIO (1961-67), writing songs with JOHN PHILLIPS (of the Mamas & Papas,) his time on the campaign trail with ROBERT F. KENNEDY, his partnership with (wife and poet) BUFFY FORD, hilarious yarns about his good friend (and ours) HENRY DILTZ (who was one of the videographers and interviewers on this program), experiences with the astronauts at NASA and with his friend LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM (of Fleetwood Mac), his views about politics, philosophy and the music business, and stories about songwriting including his writing of DAYDREAM BELIEVER, which became a huge hit for THE MONKEES, Anne Murray, and others.
https://youtu.be/O497LwN8Tpg
The concert and interview seen in this HISTORIC episode were recorded March 8, 2006, in Buellton, California. It includes song performances, stories from the stage and backstage interviews with late-great AMERICAN TREASURE, JOHN STEWART, and touches on such topics as: his time with THE KINGSTON TRIO (1961-67), writing songs with JOHN PHILLIPS (of the Mamas & Papas,) his time on the campaign trail with ROBERT F. KENNEDY, his partnership with (wife and poet) BUFFY FORD, hilarious yarns about his good friend (and ours) HENRY DILTZ (who was one of the videographers and interviewers on this program), experiences with the astronauts at NASA and with his friend LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM (of Fleetwood Mac), his views about politics, philosophy and the music business, and stories about songwriting including his writing of DAYDREAM BELIEVER, which became a huge hit for THE MONKEES, Anne Murray, and others.
The Artist Advocacy Foundation
This program, and other TFT-TV archives were
made possible through contributions from the nonprofit ARTIST ADVOCACY
FOUNDATION. Donations to this program will go to Buffy Ford Stewart to be
directed to artists in need, and to the Artist Advocacy Foundation, which helps
many artists in many ways. While we are delighted to bring you this program for
free, donations are appreciated and will help support, produce and promote
artists, events and programs that aspire to inspire; specifically, ones that
may not have the funds to carry out their work without financial assistance.
You can DONATE HERE TO HELP support inspirational artists and the ongoing productions and
creation of these episodes, here:
Join us Wednesday for JOHN
STEWART on TFT-TV!
