A 20th Anniversary commemorative concert (being billed as Never Forget) will take place on Saturday, August 21st, at the Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on New York’s Long Island. Its purpose is to pause and remember the events of 9/11 and is, surprisingly, scheduled to take place on the same evening as the Central Park Mega Concert featuring Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Santana (with special guest Rob Thomas) and Jennifer Hudson. (Odd that they would schedule two huge concerts like this on the same night!)
Headlining the Never Forget concert will be Journey, John Fogerty, Ann Wilson and The Steve Miller Band (with special guest Jesse Colin Young.) The Chainsmokers, Wyclef Jean, Gavin DeGraw, Flo Rida and a few others will also appear.
The concert will be broadcast on select iHeartRadio stations across the country, as well as on the iHeartRadio app, on September 11th, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel To Towers Foundation, who is sponsoring the event, released a statement saying “20 years ago, first responders rushed towards danger when America was attacked. For the last two decades, Tunnel to Towers has been on a mission to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice that day, and all of the brave men and women in uniform who continue to risk life and limb running towards danger when everyone else is running away. We are grateful to the artists and our partners who support our mission and have made this special tribute possible.”
Incredible to think that twenty years have already passed since this vicious attack.
America has been through a lot these past twenty years … terrorist attacks, a global pandemic killing millions, racial strife and rioting, the loss and disgrace of so many of our icons … it’s been a tough twenty years to say the least. (kk)
In other current pop news, Britney Spears has been the focus of a media frenzy of another kind these past several months, telling her story of parental abuse in the way of conservatorship. After the “Framing Britney Spears” documentary began airing in February, thus launching the “Free Britney” movement, Spears’ mental state of mind and the dominance of her parents’ “supervision” has been splashed all over the media. (Spears was a tabloid regular prior to all of this … but this has pushed things WAY over the top, with reports of RIDICULOUS amounts of money consumed by her parents, and father Jamie Spears in particular, for “taking care of her” and running her career, often, as Britney has noted, in a slave-driver fashion.)
After testifying in a Los Angeles Court last week to tell her own story, an invitation to be heard in front of Congress has been extended by Republican Matt Gaetz (Florida), backed by Marjorie Taylor Green (Georgia), Burgess Owens (Utah) and Andy Biggs (Arizona.)
They addressed a letter to Spears, explaining how closely they have been following her conservatorship “with deep concern” and want to help.
The letter goes on to say “The United States Congress should hear your story and be inspired to bipartisan action. What happened to you should never happen to any other American. Your story is so powerful, and the admiration of your achievements so great, you (and perhaps only you) can blow that door wide open, giving hope to millions. Your life, liberty and happiness have been taken from you. Please take advantage of the empowerment that public congressional testimony can unlock.”
Spears testified at The Los Angeles Supreme Court last week that she thought her father deserved to be in jail for how much he overworked her and threatened her if she didn’t comply.
“I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you,” she said. “I also would like to be able to share my story with the world. I want to be able to be heard on what they did to me by making me keep this in for so long, is not good for heart.”
This testimony inspired Gaetz, Greene, Owens and Biggs to reply “Many others have used their fame to advance social, political and criminal justice reform. We hope you will choose to accept our invitation to express your interest in speaking to Congress and to America for the sake of the justice you and many Americans deserve. Your life story and tremendous performing talent has continued to inspire people all over the world. We stand by ready for your reply. We hope tat you will express interest in sharing your story. We stand with you, Britney … whatever you decide.”
>>>Today, we will present you with two totally conflicting views of this hot new Questlove documentary spotlighting the 1969 concert event that has since been dubbed "The Black Woodstock." (kk)
Well, at least we agree on The Fifth Dimension!
Well done presentation.
Harvey
Kent:
I enjoy Harvey’s contributions to Forgotten Hits. He has such an incredible knowledge of rock and roll and is a gifted writer, but after watching the “Summer of Soul” documentary and reading his review, I’m more aligned with your critique.
It was hard for me to get through it for all the reasons you outlined. I was expecting a lot more music performance footage and I hope there’s a plan to put out a DVD with concert footage ONLY!
Speaking of “Summer of Soul,” here’s a related story you might not have seen.
- Tom Cuddy
EXCLUSIVE: The Original Discoverer of Questlove’s “Summer of Soul” Footage Says It Was Never “Lost” at All
by Roger Friedman - July 4, 2021 11:05 am
Joe Lauro, famous documentary filmmaker and archivist, says on Facebook that there’s an untold story behind the footage that has become Questlove’s “Summer of Soul.”
“Summer of Soul” was released on Friday by Searchlight to theaters and is available on Hulu. The film is revives footage from the 1969 Harlem Music Festival that took place two weeks before Woodstock. It contains amazing footage of Stevie Wonder, Sly & the Family Stone, The 5th Dimension, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and so on. I gave “Summer of Soul” a ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
When “Summer of Soul” was shown at Sundance this past winter, we were told the footage had been “lost” and “forgotten” and was recovered by Questlove, who shaped it into this film.
But Lauro, as you will read below, says that’s not exactly true. His version of the events of the history are surprising and revelatory. The footage was neither lost nor forgotten. Lauro, with a long impressive resume, knows exactly what happened to it.
I spoke to Lauro this morning and he confirmed everything he posted. He allowed me to make some small copy-edits. He refers to Hal Tulchin, the original producer/director.
Lauro concludes: “I assure you, if it were not for my efforts the Harlem Festival master tapes would likely still be molding in Mr. Tulchin’s Westchester County basement and Questlove would still be in totally ignorance of their existence.”
Here’s the Facebook post:
“For nearly 50 years, this (Harlem Festival tapes) just sat in a basement and “no one cared” was one of the key premises of the film itself, as stated in the opening montage, that the Harlem Festival footage was LOST FOR 50 YEARS.
This statement at best is hyperbole.
The reality is that in 2004 I tracked down director/producer Hal Tulchin after screening a 16mm syndication print of an episode of his first, Harlem Festival series.
Mr. Tulchin and I went to lunch to discuss the Harlem Festival footage and shortly thereafter he signed a representational agreement with my company Historic Films. The idea was to license clips to third parties from the 40+ hours of Harlem Festival footage as well as develop a feature length documentary on the event.
I pulled the video tape masters from his Westchester County basement, digitized the reels, logged their contents, archived the 1” submasters at the Historic Films offices and insisted that Mr. Tulchin copyright all of the reels. In fact I filled out the forms for him and filed the copyright registration on his behalf (and on my dime) with the Library Of Congress.
The Library Of Congress was also sent a complete set of videos of the 40+ hours of Harlem Festival footage as is their requirement for copyright filing. Through the years of our representation, we licensed excerpts of the footage to several productions including SONY RECORDS who used a sizable portion of the “lost” Nina Simone set in one of their home video releases.
Morgan Neville (Academy Award Winning director TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM) Robert Gordon (Emmy winning co-director BEST OF ENEMIES, author of IT CAME FROM MEMPHIS) and I developed a feature length documentary film on the festival framing the event within the politics and civil right unrest that existed at the time, created a trailer and shopped the production around to several possible distributors.
A deal with a major distributor was in negotiation in 2007 and we were in contract negotiations. To our surprise the negotiations broke down and the rep from that company jumped ship and teamed with Mr. Tulchin dumping Neville, Gordon and myself and taking the Harlem Festival project on as his own. Some 15 years later we have SUMMER OF SOUL.
As an archivist and filmmaker who has spent his 35 year career creating music documentaries, and unearthing and preserving rare musical content, I am delighted that this film has finally been produced. I only ask that credit for the Harlem Festival footage’s re-discovery be properly given. Producers of a doc such as this that is touting it’s righteousness and quest for truth should at least give credit where it is due.
I assure you, if it were not for my efforts the Harlem Festival master tapes would likely still be molding in Mr. Tulchin’s Westchester County basement and Questlove would still be in totally ignorance of their existence.”
Hey Mr. “Number One Over the Decades” “This and That” Guy!
Just wanted to tell you how cool it was / is to pick and choose from your list of July 4th “Number Ones” from over the decades to listen to “Now and Then,” “Yesterday and Today!”
I played every one of those songs on the air from their times when they were semi-recently “Currents,” were “Re-currents” to the days when they were “Oldies!”
I was so fortunate to be on the air when the “Freshness Dates” of all these Future “Forgotten Hits” hadn’t yet reached their “Best Buy” Dates! And the vast majority of these still haven’t yet!
Just take those old records off the shelf
I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself
Today's music ain't got the same soul
I like that old time rock and roll
Old time rock and roll
That kinda music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock and roll!
< Thanx to Bob Seger & the Silver Buellet Band! >
BTW, I loved the "Help Wanted" Sign from FH Reader Don Effenberger!
CB ( Former Long Haired Freaky Guy! )
LOL … funnily enough, we were going thru some pictures the other day at work and I stumbled across one of me with my hair at the absolute longest I can remember it ever being. (Guess I was going for that George Harrison / early Doobie Brothers look or something!!!)
It’s looked longer (and fuller) during those early ‘80’s “Perm Years” (lol!) … but in sheer length, this has got to be the topper for me. (kk)
(Hey, that’s kinda what guys in bands looked like in the early ‘70’s! lol)
And yes, that’s me all decked out in my official Kumsah T-Shirt. (The band name was my idea … this way all of the posters could read “Come See Kumsah” for all of our future gigs. For real.) kk
Best Classic Bands used the WLS Chart again to highlight the great music from mid-July, 1967. (But they forgot to print the chart!)
Here’s a link to their recap …
https://bestclassicbands.com/top-40-summer-1967-7-11-17/
And a copy of the chart they’re referring to …
Wow! Note representation from nearly ALL of our Local Heroes on this week's WLS Chart ... The Buckinghams (at #7), Michael and the Messengers (from neighboring Milwaukee at #12), The Cryan' Shames (at #14), The New Colony Six (at #15), Spanky and Our Gang (at #16), The Mauds (at #17), The American Breed (at #23) and The Flock (at #35) And ALL great tunes, too. Ahh, the glory days of Top 40 Radio ... where 20% of this week's chart belong to local Chicagoland talent! (kk)
Speaking of the charts ...
>>>Wow … there are some pretty obscure and unusual tracks on THIS particular WKY survey … especially for the heady times of 1967! The list almost skews a little soft rock / adult contemporary (until you see “Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil” by The Jefferson Airplane sitting at #31! And up 17 places no less!) kk
As a listener of WKY in the 1964 - 1966 era, I can say that I never thought of them as MOR or AC, but their charts reflect it some, as do the KOMA ones.
BOTH stations played the same music mostly and BOTH had great DJs.
WKY often beat KOMA in local ratings, but KOMA was worldwide known with their 50,000 signal (WKY was 5000, I think). KOMA's signal gave them added saturation of the midwest that most did not have. Yet, living in Dodge City, Kansas, we were close enough to get both well. The stations (alike WLS / WCFL) traded DJs on occasion, too.
That all said, as a kid into Top 40, I never felt like they played MOR. They may have played more country music than other stations tho. Also, songs like "Amy" by Bobby Darin was #1 on both as the A side of "Lovin You" 45. Dickie Lee's great "Red, Blue, Yellow and Green" drug 45 went Top 10. Of course, local hero Roger Miller always got plenty of airpla,y too. KOMA and WKY played tons of rock n roll, but leaned toward morning pop more as many markets did.
Clark Besch
More country, for sure. (I was going to point that out as well … between country and soft rock, there wasn’t room for much else … yet big acts of the era like The Association, The Buckinghams, The Rolling Stones, The Box Tops, Aretha Franklin, The Jefferson Airplane, The Young Rascals, Herman’s Hermits, Booker T and the MG’s, Lulu, Mitch Ryder, The Doors, The Happenings, Bobby Goldsboro, The Bee Gees, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Cowsills, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Glen Campbell (also country), Bobby Vinton, Peter, Paul and Mary (#1 no less!), Bill Cosby, Nancy Sinatra, Mitch Ryder, Bobby Vee, Petula Clark, Jackie Wilson, The Soul Survivors, Jimmie Rodgers, Bobbie Gentry, The Mamas and the Papas, Brenton Wood, Peaches and Herb, Martha and the Vandellas, Robert Knight, Vikki Carr and Engelbert Humperdinck all made appearances in The Top 40 that week.
Country artists like Frankie Laine, Eddy Arnold, Roger Miller, David Houston, Glenn Yarbrough, George Hamilton IV and Jim Ed Brown account for seven of those places … while other soft rockers like Al Martino, Dean Martin, The Pozo Seco Singers, Billy Strange and Anita Harris grab another five. (kk)
Kent,
I was a little bit curious as to what records were #1 here in OKC on July 4th, and this is what I found.
On July 4th, 1961, the #1 record was QUARTER TO THREE with I FALL TO PIECES at #2, falling from the #1 spot the week before. TOSSIN'& TURNIN' peaked at #2 here in OKC ... it never made it to #1
Now, for July
4th, 1962, the #1 record was I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU. The following week, it
fell to #2 with ROSES ARE RED replacing it. Incidentally, I CAN'T STOP LOVING
YOU was one of those records here in OKC that was #1 like forever, almost. THE STRIPPER peaked at #2, not able to knock
ROSES ARE RED out of the #1 spot. FYI, ROSES ARE RED was knocked out of the #1
spot by TIL DEATH DO US PART.
Larry
You got my curiosity up so I did some checking of my … only I went the full gamut to list EVERY #1 Record in Chicago on The 4th of July from 1955 thru 1985. (As you’ll see, some of these titles never made it all the way to #1 in Billboard … but were HUGE hits here in The Windy City.)
Here goes:
(* - denotes same as Billboard’s #1)
*1955 – Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley and his Comets
1956 – I’m In Love Again – Fats Domino (did not top the Billboard chart)
1957 – Bye Bye Love – The Everly Brothers (did not top the Billboard chart)
1958 – Yakety Yak – The Coasters
*1959 – Battle Of New Orleans – Johnny Horton
1960 – I’m Sorry – Brenda Lee
*1961 – Quarter To Three – U.S. Bonds
1962 – Roses Are Red – Bobby Vinton
*1963 – Easier Said Than Done - Essex
*1964 – I Get Around – The Beach Boys
1965 – Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds
1966 – Hanky Panky – Tommy James and the Shondells
*1967 – Windy – The Association
1968 – Jumping Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones (did not top the Billboard chart)
1969 – One – Three Dog Night (did not top the Billboard chart)
*1970 – The Love You Save – The Jackson Five
*1971 – It’s Too Late – Carole King
1972 – Song Sung Blue – Neil Diamond
1973 – My Love – Paul McCartney and Wings
*1974 – Rock The Boat – The Hues Corporation
*1975 – Love Will Keep Us Together – The Captain and Tennille
1976 – Got To Get You Into My Life – The Beatles (did not top the Billboard chart)
1977 – Da Doo Ron Ron – Shaun Cassidy
*1978 – Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb
1979 – Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
*1980 – Coming Up – Paul McCartney and Wings
*1981 – Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes
1982 – Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor
1983 – Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant (did not top the Billboard chart0
*1984 – When Doves Cry – Prince
1985 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fears
You can also check out The Biggest Songs Of Summer, comparing our local charts to the national ones, here: http://forgottenhits.com/home
Just scroll down the left
hand column to find the Biggest Hits Of Summer for each year, 1955 – 1980,
compared side-by-side, National Charts vs. our local Chicagoland charts.
