It’s a very special Saturday Night bonus edition of FORGOTTEN HITS!!!
(Guess that makes this our SATURDAY EVENING POST!)
Why not check it out while listening to Phil Nee’s THOSE WERE THE DAYS Program, also airing tonight from 6 pm till Midnight (Central Time) on WRCO.
Phil’s guest tonight will be TOMMY ROE, who’ll be talking about his brand new album as well as some of the highlights of his incredible career.
You can listen to it all ... SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE ... here: https://wrco.com/
***
Fact is, we've been jammin' here lately!!!
So much so that we've had to put together this special edition just to catch up a little bit!
Just in case you haven't been able to check us out of late, this week alone we've already run our Weekly 1972 Coast-To-Coast Survey on Monday (spotlighting South Dakota this time), a series of GREAT concert photos sent in by Tom Cuddy ... featuring everyone from Dionne Warwick to Frankie Valli with several others thrown in between) ... on Tuesday, a spotlight feature on The New Colony Six on Thursday, another EXCLUSIVE page from Henry Diltz's journal on Friday ... and, earlier today a couple of vintage Phil Nee interviews with Dick Clark and Steve Allen (!!!)
And we're not quite finished yet ...
Sunday will bring you our next monthly "Insights Into" feature provided by Jeff March and Marti Smiley Childs, this time spotlighting Herman's Hermits (for all you Noonatics out there!), followed on Monday by our own monthly Sweet 16 feature, coming around full circle by Tuesday with our next Coast-To-Coast survey, this time from Alabama.
(And I'm sure by then we'll have LOTS more comments to run!!!)
There is ALWAYS something going on in Forgotten Hits!!! So be sure to check us out. (If you haven't already done so, why not bookmark this page and make us part of your daily routine!!!) kk
Here we go ...
Great piece on my ALL-TIME FAVORITE group, The New Colony Six!
I actually received a surprising call last week from original NC6 drummer, Chis James. He called to offer me an extra ticket he had to the Illinois Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame Event, in which The New Colony Six were being inducted. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, I had to pass on taking Chic up on his very generous offer. Anyway, Chic and I chatted for over an hour, in which he relayed many stories about his years with the New Colony. During our conversation, I asked Chic what his favorite New Colony Six record is that he was involved with during his years with the group, and he immediately replied, "Things I'd Like to Say." I have to admit that I didn't expect that answer, since that for some reason, I figured that he would have chosen one of the group’s "Centaur / Sentar label Era" tracks. Chic did say though that two of his fave Sentar-era tracks are "Woman" and "The Power Of Love."
Just goes to show that each group member has their own favorite song, or songs.
Jerry Schollenberger
I tried to send Chic a link to today’s piece but the email I have for him must be out of date as it bounced back. Hoping that Ray was able to contact a few of the others and let them know to check it out. (kk)
Kent –
How cool was today’s edition?
Thank you immensely for the mentions ... an entire FEATURE! Note that what I shall write below may turn out to be primarily, if not entirely, reflections on what Ronnie wrote.
I am especially upset and initially sending this to reflect the error in RR’s crediting Pat with Prairie Grey. Why wounded? Well, first off, not at all with Ronnie as it surely could have been interpreted as McBride’s but because of this next paragraph ... WHICH I LITERALLY ONLY FOUND OUT THIS MORNING DUE TO YOUR POSTING AND RR’S COMMENTS!
Unbelievably, after all these years, I only just now looked up credits for the song that CHUCK and I wrote to find that Billy Herman was given writer’s credits along with Chuck. Mr. Jobes provided the music – we joked that he and I would “mult” our voices and sing the lyrics as a faux choir but that never happened. However, if you listen closely, my lyrics originally went right along with Chuck’s chords. Maybe one day, if I can find / make the time, I will sing it to you the way it was originally intended to be recorded. Anyway, I wrote those lyrics, which were some of my fave ramblings, and McBride had absolutely nothing to do with the song other than to speak my lyrics, reading them from the handwritten sheet on which I wrote them.
Why Pat?
His voice was deeper than mine, being in a squeaky tenor range, and seemingly his added a level of sincerity and drama to them according to Pete Wright and/or Howard Bedno – management at the time, so I agreed. Unsure how many bucks this cost me since it was also the “B” side to “Barbara, I Love You,” but how could I have possibly missed this a gazillion (your word, Kent) years ago?
I affirm the combo of comments about “Can’t You See Me Cry” relative to the filming, which was down in San Antonio, TX, at the Hemisfair Theater or was it Theatre, which had been built for the 1968 World’s Fair as I recall, but could have been a Texas State Fair and probably more likely that this is the case. Anyway, and hopefully not redundant, the TV Director let me play the tambourine during rehearsals before the audience was allowed in but when we went LIVE, since it messed up my lead vocal microphone pick-up, he said he loved the way it looked but I couldn’t play it and made me hold it. Hence, customarily, whenever I send the video link from YouTube, I share that fact with folks since I still find myself vey lame-looking AND it shook my confidence enough that I can hear this reflected at least a wee bit in my voice. Oh well!!!!!! BTW, I have a clean copy of that video somewhere, meaning no Revolver TV images and others added by those who originally posted it to YouTube, but had to sign a document forbidding me sharing it since it somehow belonged to ABC TV.
Finally, regarding this topic, as to the acoustic version, (copy attached hereto if I can find it, KK) I absolutely respect and understand RR’s thinking about the more current arrangement we have used at times, but this was my pre-teen love song written for having been rejected by a real girl, T.M., whose name I have shared from the stage at live concerts over the years but never found her present or at least never knew if she was there ... hence, Bruce and I thought that the plaintive nature of its lyrics can be heard and felt more strongly if done with less instrumental backing.
Mention of other postings from musical shows, as much as it is truly embarrassing, you could have shared the link to NC6’s (pre-Ronnie joining the band) embarrassment on “Kiddie-A-Go-Go”, our very first television appearance ... on local Chicago TV. It was formerly out there but maybe had to be taken down for whatever reason. Anyway, we lip-synced to “I Lie Awake” as I recall and a female portraying a clown introduced us to a sea of dancing (or trying to dance) little, meaning far short of even pre-teenage, kids.
Will end this here, but first, wanted to share this with you. While very poorly scribbled down, I took a photo of a list I made after spending much of at least one weekend long ago scouring the ARSA website, where miscellaneous contributors send radio surveys that track folks’ records’ chart positions. Presumably legible enough to at least share with you, ‘tis attached!
Can you believe I never knew I got ripped as lyricist on one of my personal all-time fave tunes, co-written with Chuck? Arrggghhhh!!!!!! I may write him about this, as we have stayed in touch, most recently over the IL R&R Hall induction; he’s not coming north for the event, but is still around though did finally retire as a piano-playing & song-singing artist for FL nightclubs and restaurants these last >45 years, performing in/around Naples if my memory is working --- retired either this or last year.
Ray
WILD about the song copyright! Glad we could get the ball rolling for you on that … I wonder if there’s some type of back royalties that you might be entitled to (???)
[Remember … Forgotten Hits always gets their 10% share! But then we’ve probably got to give something to Ronnie since HE’S the guy who called it a Pat-song in the first place.]
It’s funny because I DO remember you (quite a long while ago) sharing the original lyrics with me … and I believe we even kidded about how the opening and recurring notes sounded like the Channel 5 News was coming on TV! (lol) [Hey, why not … as you yourself pointed out, “I Lie Awake” is essentially “Rhapsody In Blue” with a garage band beat!]
Glad you liked the piece … and congratulations to ALL the 6-ers out there being inducted into The Illinois Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next month. You guys deserve it …
First local band to break thru on the charts … and then racked up 19 hits … more than all of the OTHER groups combined!!! WTG! (kk)
Looks like we’ve got another Cornerstones update to bring you …
A couple of days ago the daily schedule for Summerfest was released and they now have the Cornerstones show starting at 4:30 and not 3:30 on Saturday the 25th.
4:30 p.m. - Cornerstones of Rock, Uline Warehouse
Robert Campbell
Hi Kent -
What a great story about the New Colony Six and their song "Summertime's Another Name For Love." Too bad there isn't much information about the writing of that song.
I have ALL of the New Colony Six Albums and all of them have great songs on them! From Handy Man, Barbara, I Love You, to Marmaduke, etc. ... Beatle albums were the same way.
That was an era when they had fun … hearing their songs on the radio, doing different gigs, record hops and concerts ...
Maybe Maggie, who loved Summertime's Another Name For Love, recognized that song as the beginning of summer and what it brings.
I felt that way when a group called The Jaimes came out with the song "It's Summertime, Summertime!!" LOL
Long live the New Colony Six ... they have always been my Favorite Group!
Carolyn
The first time I ever met Ronnie Rice was at one of those Hillside Record Collectors shows. I had a table and he came by asking for a copy of “Yummy Yummy Yummy.” Naturally, I recognized him right away (this is back in the ‘80’s when he was performing regularly all over the city at places like Lawrence of Oregano and such) so I told him, “No, sorry, I don’t have that one … but I DO have a bunch of these New Colony Six albums that I can’t get rid of!!!”
He sat down next to me at the table and hung out for over an hour, signing anything and everything for anybody who came by. (I’ve still got the NC6 albums he signed for me … even the one he wasn’t on!!! Lol)
Certain songs spark certain people … and I think you’re right … Maggie probably heard this at just the right moment in time for it to have an impact on her.
Again, the people who were creating all this great music back then at the time were so wrapped up in the moment, they never DREAMED that 50-60 years later people would still be listening to their tunes … or how much of an impact it would make on some of them. (And that’s the coolest thing about music … it’s whatever YOU want it to be!) kk
Kent,
The comments you posted in regards to feelings brought out by "I Will
Always Think About You" and others touched my hot spot, too.
In the early 70s, I was seeing a young lady who I believed was going to be
"the one". However, I was battling family problems and some
severe personal issues that were eating at me quite fiercely. I ran away
from her, which, over the years, has proved to be the biggest mistake I ever
made.
So, now when I hear that tune, it gets me all misty, for obvious reasons.
And, to make matters worse, whenever I hear "Amie" (the Counting
Crows version, which I feel is MUCH better than the hit version), it tears me
apart.
Music is damned powerful stuff.
Mike
A tearful and obviously heartbroken Ashley Judd revealed to Diane Sawyer Thursday Morning on Good Morning America that her mother took her own life “with a weapon.”
"Because we don't want it to be part
of the gossip economy, I will share with you that she used a weapon; my mother
used a firearm. So that's the piece of
information we are very uncomfortable sharing, but understand that we're in a
position that if we don't say it, someone else is going to." (kk)
Last week we told you about the newly revised edition of Ronnie Spector’s biography coming out. (It is a GREAT read!!!)
And now, here comes a bit more information from Tom Cuddy …
In the weeks before her death at the age of 78, Ronnie Spector finalized the newly revised “Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Minkskirts, and Madness,” her acclaimed memoir originally released in 1990. She died of cancer in January.
Now, as the 2022 edition arrives on May 3rd, an audiobook version narrated by Rosie Perez is set to follow on June 7th.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be narrating the audiobook for ‘Be My Baby,’” Perez shared in a statement. “I have admired Ronnie throughout my life. It is a privilege to be able to bring her courageous and groundbreaking story to life in the audio format for the first itme. It was an honor to have met her and our talks will forever stay with me.”
Borrowing its title from the acclaimed 1963 Ronettes single, “Be My Baby” chronicles Spector’s impactful role as the group’s lead singer, as well as her abusive marriage to Phil Spector.
The revised edition keeps the focus on the legendary singer, though, her postscript avoiding any extensive comment on her former husband’s 2003 arrest, subsequent murder conviction and 2021 death.
(from Rolling Stone Magazine)
More great press for the Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees Tour …
Unfortunately, I missed my chance to see it when it passed thru Joliet a few weeks ago … but hopefully with rave reviews like this, Micky will be back to do this show again. (kk)
And check out this set list …
Set
1:
(Theme From) The Monkees (from The Monkees, 1966)
Last Train to Clarksville (from The Monkees, 1966)
Saturday’s Child (from The Monkees, 1966)
Different Drum (from Mike Nesmith’s And The Hits Just Keep on Comin’, 1972)
Michael Nesmith Tribute Video
Papa Gene’s Blues (from The Monkees, 1966)
She (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
Mary, Mary (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
Let’s Dance On (from The Monkees, 1966)
Davy Jones Tribute Video
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
Sometime in the Morning (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You (single, 1967)
The Girl I Knew Somewhere (b-side of A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You, 1967)
For Pete’s Sake (from Headquarters, 1967)
Randy Scouse Git (from Headquarters, 1967)
Pleasant Valley Sunday (from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd, 1967)
No Time (from Headquarters, 1967)
Set
2:
Porpoise Song (Theme From “Head”) (from Head soundtrack, 1968)
I’ll Spend My Life With You (from Headquarters, 1967)
Take a Giant Step (from The Monkees, 1966)
Me & Magdelena (from Good Times, 2016)
Peter Tork Tribute Video
Can You Dig It? (from Head soundtrack, 1968)
That Was Then, This Is Now (from The & Now, 1986)
Valleri (from The Birds, The Bees and the Monkees, 1968)
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
Goin’ Down (from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd, 1967)
Daydream Believer (from The Birds, The Bees and the Monkees, 1968)
Encore:
Listen to the Band (from The Monkees Present, 1969)
I’m a Believer (from More of the Monkees, 1967)
And you know we’re never going to pass up an opportunity to sing the praises for the great music of 1967 …
Which is why we’re running this Best Classics Band piece again, even though we’ve probably run it at least a couple of times before …
https://bestclassicbands.com/1967-music-highlights-1-3-1777/
Of course we did our own year-long salute to ’67 in 2017 …
Literally a day-by-day recap of the events of that glorious year.
You can start here: http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2016/12/forgotten-hits-salutes-1967.html to check it out …
And then jump to here: http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2016/12/blog-post_65.html ... and begin clicking the “Newer Post” button at the bottom of each page to take you thru the entire year! (kk)
And check out this cool new show coming to The Metropolis Theater here locally …
https://www.metropolisarts.com/event/summer-of-love-the-hits-from-1967-more/
Yes, it was Tiffany, not Debbie Gibson, who did those mall tours.
Funny story - as the fascination and stardom began with Debbie, I got a call from one Dick Gersh, then one of the most prestigious PR-people around, inviting me to lunch at The Friar's Club. This call was most interesting as years before, I had tried to contact him, possibly even to work for him. He never responded to my call.
We set a date, met, sat down ... and the very first thing he asked was "When did Debbie start doing those mall tours?"
Clearly, he didn't do his homework ... and, yes, lunch was terrific!
btw: Debbie and Tiffany were always friendly. The much discussed and written about feud ... was erroneous. They even did a movie together with a cameo by current client Micky Dolenz. I actually took a great photo of the two of them together, when we were all at a Michael Jackson show in LA. As we entered the private sanctum where Jackson was, Marlon Brando (in a wheelchair no less) was leaving!
Here's a shot of Tiffany, Debbie and NKOTB at Westbury Music Fair that I took.
David Salidor
The original batch of Animals albums produced by Mickie Most (which saw a special vinyl release a short while ago) are now also becoming available with bonus tracks. (And yet STILL no single mix of their first big US hit, “House Of The Rising Sun!!!” Wouldn’t you think that would have been a first priority when putting this set together? I mean, this is the track that launched the band!!!)
Still, it looks like an outstanding collection … so I just may have to pick this up regardless. (I do have a digital copy of the single … and it’s really a shame … because while it leaves out the “one foot on the platform” verse … which I never really cared for anyway … it ALSO, unfortunately, leaves out the incredible organ solo that helps to make the song as recognizable as it was.)
I have told the story before that this is one of those songs that absolutely blew me away the very first time I heard it. Despite growing up in Chicago, home of The Blues to many an aficionado, I had never heard ANYTHING like this before. And to think that it came out during The British Invasion was even more amazing. I was hooked … and have loved virtually every version of this song that has come along since … and there have been PLENTY!!!
Anyway, here’s the info on the new collection …
And here’s the elusive single mix of “House Of The Rising Sun,” a #1 Hit in 1964. (kk)
And, not to be outdone, but ABKCO is releasing a brand new, limited edition box set of Rolling Stones singles, circa 1963 – 1966.
Here’s the official press release …
THE ROLLING STONES SINGLES 1963-1966 COMING FROM ABKCO JUNE 10
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Kent,
Regarding your Sunday Bozo pic, that’s a good picture, but that is Mark And Brian from KLOS in LA, shot during one of their birthday shows that often went way overboard. The Bozo is Brian Phelps and your doppelganger is Mark Thompson. Listened every day when they went satellite up and down the west coast.
KEITH BRODKORB
Good to know … thanks, Eagle-Eye Keith!!!
(I mean, I KNEW it wasn’t me … or at least I THOUGHT it wasn’t me … as I have absolutely NO recollection of any event that would have allowed this to happen! Lol)
Me with Bozo The Clown???
Nope ... that never happened.
Me and Svenghoolie???
Now that’s a different story!
Me and Wili E. Coyote???
Yep, that happened, too! (kk)
>>>Three of my absolute favorite songs of the year 1967 were out right now, and I really loved these three songs, even though at least one of them was not a huge hit.
The three songs I am thinking about are Live by the Merry-Go-Round, Girls In Love by Gary Lewis and the Playboys and I Could Be So Good To You by Don and the Goodtimes. Come to think of it, I could add Sunshine Girl by Parade and Pay You Back With Interest by the Hollies to that list. One sub-genre of rock that I've basically just learned about which I find I really like a lot of the songs from, is Sunshine Pop. A small radio station in Laconia, New Hampshire, WEMJ, was playing a song in June of 1967 that was interesting. It was called February Sunshine and the group was called Giant Sunflower. The song didn't do that well, but they had a much bigger hit once they changed their name to Rose Garden with Next Plane To London in the fall of '67.
(Sam)
I’ve got no problem with Sunshine Pop … in fact, I have an entire series of CD’s built around this genre …
And check this out ...
FH Reader has even put together a short Sunshine Pop Spotify Playlist for you to enjoy … read on …
Hi Kent –
Please tell Sam that I've put together a public Spotify playlist -"Sunshine Pop by Clive." As it contains dozens of mostly Forgotten Hits of 1967, you may enjoy it, too!
Clive Topol
Awesome, Clive, thanks!!! I will definitely be giving this one a spin! (kk)
Checking with our friends over at The Fest For Beatles Fans, they have continued to stock-pile orders for the new Beatles "Get Back" DVD and BluRay ... but (although expected shortly) no official release date has yet to be announced.
Apparently some "unofficial" copies did get out into the marketplace ... but LEGAL copies of these discs have never been authorized ... so maybe this also marks the anniversary of the first Beatles / Get Back bootlegs as well! (kk)
Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous” is being made into a musical.
While the film used the actual classic rock tracks of the day to illustrate its timeframe, new music for the stage musical is being composed by Tom Kitt. (OK, that’s a little scary … he’s the guy that wrote the music for the stage musical “Sponge Bob Square Pants”!!! I’m not sure there’s a rocker in the line-up!)
Anyway, plans are moving forward for a Broadway debut later this year. (kk)
This just in ...
Also airing tonight on WABC (courtesy of Frank B) ...
COUSIN BRUCIE (6 - 10 PM) = Little Peggy March
TONY ORLANDO (10 PM - Midnight) = Mike Love
All times Eastern
Stage/Screen Icon ANN-MARGRET And Country Legend MICKEY GILLEY Come Clean With Their New Single SPLISH SPLASH!
As the music world continues to mourn the loss of the much-loved prince of urban country, Mickey Gilley, who passed away earlier this month, a bit of sunshine has come to Gilley’s legion of fans as they will once again hear Gilley’s voice on a wonderfully fun and vivacious duet with the legendary star of stage and screen, the great Ann-Margret!
Last year, Gilley and Ann-Margret recorded a brand-new version of the Bobby Darin classic “Splish Splash” for Ann-Margret’s much anticipated solo album. In true the-more-the-merrier fashion, the two singers were joined by another country legend and cousin to Gilley, Linda Gail Lewis, on piano as well as rockabilly revivalists The Rockats, featuring guitar hero Danny B. Harvey who produced the track. Together, this eclectic group turns back the clock to a time when country, stage musicals, and early rock n’ roll could all jump in the same tub for some good old fashioned clean fun!
“Splish Splash” has just been released as a digital single to all music platforms as well as on a on a special limited edition 7” vinyl in your choice of BLUE or PINK, set to be released on July 29.
Stream the single: https://orcd.co/annmargret_mickeygilley_splishsplash
Pre-order the 7”: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/ann-margret-mickey-gilley-with-the-rockats-linda-gail-lewis-splish-splash-limited-edition-colored-7-vinyl-pre-order/
Watch for Ann-Margret’s forthcoming album that also features guest appearances by Bobby Rydell (who co-starred with Ann-Margret in Bye Bye Birdie), Blondie’s Clem Burke, Wrecking Crew member Don Randi, and more!
And here's the latest in the recent series of animated Ella Fitzgerals videos ...
Cool ... but OOOOOOH ... that last note!!! (kk)
UNRELEASED LIVE CONCERT OF ELLA FITZGERALD PERFORMING SONGS FROM HER BELOVED IRVING BERLIN SONGBOOK WITH A FULL ORCHESTRA AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN NORMAN GRANZ’S PRIVATE COLLECTION
FULL PERFORMANCE MIXED FROM ORIGINAL ANALOG TAPES BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER GREGG FIELD FOR RELEASE AS ELLA AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL: THE IRVING BERLIN SONGBOOK
ANIMIATED VIDEO FOR “PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ” DEBUTS TODAY
AVAILABLE JUNE 24 VIA VERVE RECORDS/UMe
On August 16, 1958, just a few months after Ella Fitzgerald recorded her now-classic album, Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Songbook, The First Lady Of Song performed selections from that album live at the Hollywood Bowl to an adoring, sold-out crowd. Conducted and arranged by Paul Weston, who also arranged and conducted the studio sessions, this concert marked the only time that Ella performed these iconic arrangements live with a full orchestra.
Widely considered her greatest achievement, Ella’s Songbook records, with peerless renditions of the best songs by America’s greatest composers, are the cornerstone of the Verve catalog and the undisputed standard for jazz vocal recordings. At the inaugural Grammy Awards, her Irving Berlin album won Ella her first Grammy for “Best Vocal Performance, Female,” and was also nominated for “Album Of The Year.” Aside from the lucky audience at the Hollywood Bowl that night, it wasn’t generally known, until the discovery of these tapes, that Ella had ever performed any of the Songbook arrangements in concert, let alone that such a pristine and sonically sumptuous recording existed.
On June 24, Verve/UMe will proudly release the full, never-before-released 15-song performance, aptly titled, Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook, on CD, vinyl, limited edition yellow splatter vinyl, and digitally. This landmark record, discovered in the private collection of producer and Verve Records founder Norman Granz, marks the first time a live Songbook has been released from Ella. It is also significant in that it captures the only time Ella worked in concert with arranger-conductor Paul Weston. And, although she performed regularly at the Hollywood Bowl, this is the first full-length concert by Ella from this iconic venue to be released (notably, Ella was featured prominently on Verve’s Jazz At The Hollywood Bowl album, recorded and released in 1956, the year Granz formed the label). The live tracks were mixed from the original ¼” tapes by Grammy Award-winning producer and musician Gregg Field who played drums for Ella in her later years. The album is rounded out with insightful liner notes about the concert and Ella’s Songbook series by noted author and music critic, Will Friedwald.
Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook is available to pre-order now and is being previewed with a lively rendition of “Puttin’ On The Ritz.” The song debuts today, accompanied by an animated video, directed by Alberto Baroni, that cleverly brings the song and Giulia Pelizzaro’s dynamic album art to life.
Pre-order the album here: https://EllaFitzgerald.lnk.to/HollywoodBowlPR
Listen/watch/share “Puttin’ On The Ritz” here: https://EllaFitzgerald.lnk.to/OnTheRitzVidPR
While Ella’s live appearances had evolved over the years from her early big band years where she primarily sang in ballrooms with the Chick Webb Orchestra to supper clubs, theaters and concert halls, she mostly stuck to a nightclub format of performing a selection of songs accompanied by a trio. This performance at the Hollywood Bowl was incredibly unique for her. As Friedwald reveals in the liners, “But to come on stage – with a full orchestra – and essentially sing the contents of a studio album, well, nobody did that. Not Sinatra, not Tony Bennett, not Miles Davis, nor any of the other key innovators who contributed to the development of what came to be known as ‘the concept album.” Friedwald continues, “so exactly why did Fitzgerald and Granz choose to face this particular music and dance in this singular fashion? We may never know, but the logical answer is that the songbooks were proving to be such a major component to her burgeoning career that… Fitzgerald and Granz were determined to do something special in honor of the ongoing series.”
And special it was. Across 15 songs, Ella and the orchestra performed dazzling arrangements of some of Irving Berlin’s best-known songs including the classic ballads “How Deep Is The Ocean” and “Supper Time,” Hollywood tunes “You’re Laughing At Me” and “Get Thee Behind Me Satan,” and swinging up-tempo numbers “Cheek To Cheek,” “Top Hat,” “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” “Heat Wave,” and “Puttin’ On The Ritz.” The concert pops with an electricity not found on the studio recording as Ella feeds off the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd, whose applause and adulation bookend each song.
The Hollywood Bowl, which is celebrating its centennial this year, loomed large in Ella’s life. She made her Bowl debut alongside Louis Armstrong in 1956 at a star-studded program, which was released as the double LP, Jazz At The Hollywood Bowl. Ella holds the rare distinction of having sold out the Hollywood Bowl in each of five decades, from the 1950s through the 1990s. Aside from headlining numerous times, Ella, who lived in LA for much of her career, also performed as part of the annual Playboy Jazz Festival; her last appearance was a couple years before her passing in 1996. Read more about Ella and her history with the Hollywood Bowl here: https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/watch-and-listen/bowl-history-spotlight-ella-fitzgerald
The voice of Ella Fitzgerald, the songs of Irving Berlin, the timeless arrangements of Paul Weston with a orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, Ella At The Hollywood Bowl: The Irving Berlin Songbook is the pinnacle of American song – live and like never before.
ABOUT ELLA FITZGERALD
Dubbed "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she sold more than 40 million albums and received most every honor a performer could dream of winning, including the Kennedy Center Honor (1979), the National Medal of Arts (1987), France's Commander of Arts and Letters (1990), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1992) and 13 Grammy Awards. In 2007, the United States Postal Service honored Fitzgerald with a postage stamp.
In her six-decade long career, the Queen of Jazz recorded more than 200 albums and roughly 2,000 songs, making her the most recorded female – and the second most recorded – performer in history. Among those recordings are works with some of history's greatest musicians and legendary songwriters.
Fitzgerald's distinct style has influenced multiple generations of singers and her work transcends generations and musical genres. She had an extraordinary vocal range and flexibility and possessed a preternatural gift for pitch, rhythmic sense and flawless diction. Immensely versatile, she could sing it all from jazz and bebop to ballads, swing, pop and rock. With an unparalleled ability for mimicry and “scat” singing, Fitzgerald also produced melodic lines that put her in the category of great instrumental improvisers. Her voice was flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless.
She passed away due to complications from diabetes, dying in her Beverly Hills home on June 15, 1996.
The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation was created and funded in 1993 by Ella Fitzgerald in order to fulfill her desires to use the fruits of her success to help people of all races, cultures and beliefs. Fitzgerald hoped to make their lives more rewarding, and she wanted to foster a love of reading, as well as a love of music. In addition, she hoped to provide assistance to the at-risk and disadvantaged members of our communities - assistance that would enable them to achieve a better quality of life. The Board of Directors of the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation seeks to continue Ella Fitzgerald's goals by making charitable grants serving four major areas of interest: Creating educational and other opportunities for children; fostering a love and knowledge of music; including assistance to students of music the provision of health care; food, shelter and counseling to those in need and specific areas of medical care and research with an emphasis on Diabetes, vision problems and heart disease.
ELLA AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL: THE IRVING BERLIN SONGBOOK
TRACKLISTING
1. The Song Is Ended
2. You’re Laughing at Me
3. How Deep Is the Ocean
4. Heat Wave
5. Suppertime
6. Cheek to Cheek
7. Russian Lullaby
8. Top Hat White Tie and Tails
9. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
10. Get Thee Behind Me Satan
11. Let’s Face the Music And Dance
12. Always
13. Puttin’ on the Ritz
14. Let Yourself Go
15. Alexander’s Ragtime Band
Hi Kent -
I was looking over your Top 3333 Classic Rock Favorites list and noticed that in position 1050, you have listed "Houses Of The Holy" by Led Zeppelin as being from their album of the same name. I don't find it there, but instead on their album "Physical Graffiti", which would also change the year to 1975.
Ed #1
It appears you are correct!
(How weird is that??? Wow … I can’t believe that none of the THOUSANDS of Led Zeppelin fans who have asked for copies of this list and continue to make them one of the most listened to and requested classic rock acts on the planet have never pointed this out before!!!)
I had to do some research of my own because it just didn’t make sense. However, in reading up on it, it looks like the song was recorded for the album it was named after, but then stuck it on the shelf and released on the next LP instead. (I guess they really liked the title! lol)
The album reference list and release dates came from musicologist Dann Isbell, so I will let him know this as well so that he can update his records while I fix this immediately on our print out.
Anybody interested in a copy of the complete list (whether it be to update your own records or just to have it on hand) should drop me an email at kk@forgottenhits.com and we'll get one out to you. (Because the list is essentially an Excel Worksheet, you ARE able to update this on your own ... if you're so inclined.)
Thanks, Ed (kk)
You can view the complete countdown here:
https://classicrockessentials.blogspot.com/
And finally, speaking of Classic Rock, how about this one from Chuck Buell ...
