(collected over the last week or two) ...
First of all, congratulations to everyone who made it to 2025!!!
(Only 500 more years to go and we'll see if Zager and Evans were right!!!)
I know I'M excited to find out!!!
Meanwhile, you can now view the COMPLETE list of Rewound Radio's Top Oldies Favorites as voted on by you, the listeners.
3585 songs made the list this year ...
That's The Top 77 (plus about 3508 extras!!!)
Click the link and it'll take you to a PDF download of the complete list ... https://musicradio77.com/2024FreeTop77.html
LA's historic Morrison Hotel went down in flames last week ...
Immortalized by The Doors (who just happened to have a guy named Morrison in the band), this was a tourist attraction for music geeks like me.
C'mon baby light my fire indeed! (kk)
Frankie Valli will receive a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in February (as will Prince.) Also on the list: The Clash, Taj Mahal and Frankie Beverly. (I’m not quite sure how you measure one against the other on a list like this … or just what the criteria is to achieve such an honor … but congratulations to all of the recipients.) kk
And not a bad way to end the year for Jeff Lynne ...
Chic female vocalist Alfa Anderson passed away on December 17th. She was 78 years old. Alfa can be heard singing on many of Chic’s early chart hits, including “Everybody Dance” (#38, 1978), “Le Freak” (#1, 1978), “I Want Your Love” (#5, 1979) and “Good Times” (#1, 1979.) kk
I just read that the iconic leather jacket that Olivia Newton John wore at the end of the film “Grease” sold for an incredible $476,250 at an auction of movie memorabilia in Los Angeles.
To all my daughters, who fell in love with this film (and Sandy’s transformation):
Sorry Girls:
Daddy got to the auction just a little too late …
Guess you’ll have to take this one off your Christmas Wish List! (kk)
My Pal Glen Fisher Took A Well Deserved Week Off For The Holidays.
I Miss Reading "DOO-WOP RAMBLINGS" On Sunday Morning.
To Make Up For It --- I Read "FORGOTTEN HITS" Twice --
& Will Listen To "REWOUND RADIO"
I Always Get A Kick Hearing --
WABC TOP 77 COUNTDOWN -- And Hear The DJ Say --
Here's Song # 3050.
FRANK B,
I've been enjoying Rewound this week as well ...
Although for some reason, I seem to be hearing much more repeats this time around ... not sure why ...
With over 3500 songs to choose from, there's no reason to play the same one twice in the same six hour time period! (kk)
An odd Christmas set of choices for kids in '64.
Clark Besch
Songs on this chart that I actually bought AT THE TIME include "I Feel Fine" / "She's A Woman," "Love Potion Number Nine," "Ringo,"
"Any Way You Want It," "Leader Of The Laundromat," "Willow Weep For Me," "Downtown," "I'm Into Something Good," "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Do Wacka Do," "You Really Got Me," "The Name Game," "Baby Love," "Give Him A Great Big Kiss," "Let's Lock The Door," "Big Man In Town," "My Buddy Seat" and "Paper Tiger."
Year-End Weekly Charts have always seemed somewhat stagnant ... and you would think the opposite with everybody out buying Christmas gifts for their teens and pre-teens ...
That's probably why the trades eventually went to the "frozen chart" to represent the last week of the year.
By the way, I was big into picture sleeves back then, too, and found them for The Beatles, DC5, Detergents and Four Seasons singles listed above when I bought them at the store. (kk)
Regarding Chuck Buell's year-end piece ...
Pepsi! Coke!Ford! Chevy!PC! Mac!
kk:
After reading my recent post in FH on the Monkees and Micky Dolenz, this wonderful link was sent to me.
HK
Paul McCartney Band The Monkees Mickey Dolenz and Paul
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1250785339356576/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6AJuK9
In 2008 I interviewed Micky Dolenz for my book "Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and and the Music of Laurel Canyon." He commented on the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival.
Micky Dolenz: Rolling Stain magazine to this day still doesn’t get it. At the time, a lot of the San Francisco groups, 1966, ’67, ’68, all came down to Hollywood and recorded in the same studios we used, with many of the same engineers. Sometimes they were on the same record labels as us. Also, before I even did the TV pilot for The Monkees in 1965, and the series started to air in 1966, I was at RCA studios every night watching the Wrecking Crew and the studio musicians play with the singers and songwriters on Mamas & Papas sessions, the Association songs, and the Beach Boys songs. And these same musicians were playing on our songs. I was a singer. I sang.
I can’t express how important it was then, and now, to have songwriters. Before The Monkees, I had recorded a couple of singles with the Wrecking Crew as a solo artist a year before I went on The Monkees audition. I had no idea what the music was about. I was doing Monday night jams at the Red Velvet.
HK: You gave Jimi Hendrix a big career boost having him open some 1967 tour dates of the Monkees.
MD: We were looking for a great opening act at the time as we had a tour planned. I had seen Jimi Hendrix earlier as a backup guitarist for John Hammond, Jr., in New York. He was a sideman in 1966. Someone told me I had to go to this club to see this guitarist who played with his teeth. I didn’t know his name. John Hammond was pretty incredible. Then, at Monterey, I’m sitting and Jimi, Noel (Redding) and Mitch (Mitchell) come on stage. Jimi had gone to England, and Chas Chandler put a band together for him. The Jimi Hendrix Experience. By the way, does that mean they were manufactured? Half of Jimi Hendrix’s set at Monterey were cover versions, too.
Here's another rave Micky concert review ...
Harvey also tells us about a new Chess Records podcast ...
And shares a discussion with Marshall Chess, during which they discuss Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, and much, much more!
https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-chess-records-tribute-channel/
Acclaimed Record Producer Richard Perry passed away on Christmas Eve ... some VERY sad news.
Richard was involved with some of my favorite records of all time ... and worked with everyone from Barbra Streisand to Tiny Tim! Ringo Starr and Nilsson ... Carly Simon ... The Pointer Sisters ... Leo Sayer ... Rod Stewart and Willie Nelson ... Burton Cummings ... he was there for all of their very best efforts.
His book is a must-read. (I remember at the time commenting that there was no shortage of patting one's self on the back between those book covers ... but when you step back and take a look at all that he accomplished, there is no denying that those kudos were well deserved ... even if they were a bit self-serving from time to time. I think even Richard was amazed sometimes by all that he had accomplished.)
More here via this link provided by Tom Cuddy ...
And a couple of Billboard Magazine tributes ...
https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/richard-perry-top-record-producer-dead-at-82-1235865301/
Kent,
Years ago at a club on Sunset Blvd., it was closing time and I am sitting with some people. In walks Richard Perry along with Harry Nilsson, Joni Mitchell, Micky Dolenz and Jim Capaldi from Traffic. For about an hour, Harry led us in singing songs like "A hundred bottles of beer on the wall" and other simple songs. What a vocal blend. Got to play Ash Trays with Jim.
Jim Roup
>>>Sam Goody will close its last two remaining store locations in February of next year. At one time, the chain boasted over 800 stores, located across America (and in shopping malls everywhere!) It marks the end of an era. (kk)
I worked at the one in the Green Acres Mall, Valley Stream, NY during college ... first in the record department, then in the audio department, where I learned on day one the phrase SONY ... NO BALONEY! Good times for sure ... GOODY GOT IT!
David Salidor
REO Speedwagon performed their last show together last Saturday Night (12/21) at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Starting next year, lead vocalist Kevin Cronin will be going out as a solo artist (backed by several members of the current band), and touring with Styx and Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles. (kk)
Paul McCartney says one of his New Year's resolutions is to finish a new album. Sounds like he's had a collection of tracks sitting around for awhile now and, now that his tour is over, it just may be time to finish these up. (kk)
I’ve been working on a lot of songs, and have had to put it to the side because of the tour. So, I’m hoping to get back into that and finish up a lot of these songs. So, how’s about that? ‘My New Year’s resolution is to finish a new album!
-- Paul McCartney
Look for the new Doobie Brothers album (now titled "Walk This Road") to be released during the first quarter of 2025 as well. (We may even get the first track in January!)
Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons, John McFee and Michael McDonald are all onboard for this new release ... the first Doobies album of NEW material to feature McDonald since 1980's "One Step Closer." It's on my preorder list! (kk)
Jim Roup sent us a couple more cool shots of a couple of '60's icons ...
Here's Phil Spector at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Century City in L.A. and Darlene Love at a Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel gig. 🎄🎁 🎄!!!!!
Jim
And Happy 78th Birthday 🥳🎂!! to Marianne Faithfull, seen here at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood.
And how cool is this?!?!?
Our buddy Geoff Lambert (who puts out his own oldies music rag every Sunday) tells us that in 2018, the town of Friedberg, Germany, installed three pedestrian traffic lights that incorporate images of the King. The don't-walk light shows Elvis at a microphone, while the walk light depicts him in his trademark dance pose, heels up, hips swiveled.
Elvis was stationed in Friedberg from October, 1958, to March, 1960, while he was in the U.S. Army. It was in Friedberg, a town located about sixteen miles north of Frankfurt, that he met his future wife, Priscilla, according to the German news organization Deutsche Welle. Friedberg and the nearby town of Bad Nauheim, where he lived, are "keen" to keep their connections to the entertainer, reports Deutsche Welle. In Bad Nauheim, tourists can see the house where he stayed during his deployment (though they can't go in) and even attend the annual European Elvis Festival. Friedberg already has an Elvis Presley Square and decided to add the three traffic lights as another attraction for the many Elvis fans who visit the town, the Associated Press reports.
Geoff also posted this very touching story regarding John Lennon and Paul McCartney, by way of Carl Perkins …
In 1981, just after John Lennon passed, Paul and Linda McCartney invited legendary rockabilly musician Carl Perkins to stay with them on the Island of Montserrat, where producer George Martin had a studio. Paul wanted Carl’s help in recording a song called “Get It” for his new “Tug Of War” album.
It was literally just weeks after John’s murder, and both George and Ringo also came to spend time with their former bandmate. The night before Carl was scheduled to leave, a song came to him that summed up his warm feelings about the visit. The song was so clear in his mind that he didn’t even write it down, which was unusual for Carl. The next morning, he played the song, “My Old Friend,” for Paul and Linda, explaining that it was a gift for having him as a guest. Halfway through the song when Carl sang the words “If we never meet again this side of life, in a little while, over yonder, where there’s peace and quiet, my old friend, won’t you think about me every now and then?” Paul stood up and abruptly left the room with tears streaming down his face. Not sure what had just happened, Carl stopped playing, and Linda hugged him. She thanked him for helping Paul grieve, explaining that he hadn’t been able to fully break down since John passed. Paul later explained that the last words John spoke to him in the hallway of the Dakota building were “Think about me now and then, old friend.”
If you’d like to sign up for his weekly sheet, just drop him a line at: geoff.lambert@btinternet.com …
And tell him that Forgotten Hits sent you! (kk)
Kent,
Hoping you and your family are wonderfully well.
One reason I stopped reading FH was hearing beloved music-makers unwell or having passed away.
Anyway ...
You might've already hit this while covering Cryan’ Shames stuff. Do we have a clue who "Greenberg, Gluckstein, Charles David Smith & Jones," were (of the amazing CS tune)? I assumed Glickstein was Freddy of The Flock.
I scoured the web and couldn't get a handle on the reference. Might you know?
I swear, I'm back as reader and have missed so much.
Take the best care … and hope I hope to write in soon.
Best,
Ronnie Kolman
Glad to hear you’ve found your way back!
It’s tough reporting the losses of so many of our musical heroes these past few years …
That is what ultimately drove our good friend Ron Smith away, shutting down his oldiesmusic.com website after so many years.
He told me that it seemed like the ONLY oldies news these days was the passing of another legend.
Hopefully, we do more than that by ALSO informing you guys about upcoming events and milestones in some of these careers …
But the cold hard facts are there are less and less of us around these days. (Truth be told, we lost HUNDREDS of readers ourselves due to old age. I hate to say it … but that’s the truth. So many contributors have moved on to another place over the past five or six years that I’m not always sure who’s left out there reading all this stuff!)
But the GOOD news is that the numbers don’t lie … and more and more folks are discovering Forgotten Hits every day.
(For a list of movers and shakers we lost in 2024, click here:
https://bestclassicbands.com/musician-deaths-2024-12-2-244/ )
A few more names snuck on to the list before the end of the year ... including a biggie, President Jimmy Carter ... 100 years old. So many kind and glowing words have been spoken about not only his presidency, but also about the MAN. (You know, the same kind of things that'll be said about Trump some day, I'm sure.) They are in SUCH a different league when it comes to morals, respect and make-up ... Carter was a dignified and well-respected representative of what our country stands for (key word: dignified) ... not the bully, "above the law" leadership we're heading back into in just a few weeks. When something like this happens, it really hits home just how sad the perception of what America is today in the eyes of the rest of the world. If nothing else, we have always been taken seriously. Today, I'm not so sure.
And Alice doesn't live here anymore either ... actress Linda Lavin also left us right before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve.
As for “Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles David Smith And Jones,” we’ve covered this great tune many times over the years … but I don’t know that we’ve ever specifically zeroed in on any connection to the names used in the title. (Quite often songwriters just go for words that fit together well and flow off the tongue when singing them. Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles David Smith and Jones always sounded like a law firm to me, much like Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds did when THEY first came on the scene!!!)
I’m not sure the guys themselves know for sure … but I asked them anyway … and here’s what I got back:
Hey Kent –
This is a great song … one of my favorites.
The singer on this is Lenny Curley. I thought he did a great job on it, by the way.
We were having legal problems at the time and Isaac (Guillory) decided to write a song that was a scold to all law firms … and he did make up the names.
Freddie Glickstein was one of the names that we used. I think we also used Arnie Greenberg's name in it, too … and if I'm not mistaken, the Jones was a reference to one of our former base players, Bob Jones. All these were great guys so just because we used their names didn't mean that we didn't like them. I don't know if Jim Fairs had anything to do with this song or not … I really don't recall.
All I can tell you is that I really enjoyed it.
Merry Christmas, buddy.
Toad
Jim Fairs shared writing credit on some pressings of the single … I asked him about it, too, but never heard back. Charles David Smith??? I guess we’ve still gotta find this guy … if there is/was such a person in Cryan’ Shames folklore. (Not unlike Dennis Dupree of Danville.) kk
From longtime Forgotten Hits reader and contributor, Clark Besch … who wrote the liner notes to the Cryan’ Shames reissue CD’s …
Kent,
I do remember talking to the guys about the song and they DID want the title to sound like a law firm and included a few of their friends' names. Not sure who all were, but obviously Fred Glickstein of The Flock was one of them. One of them told me this at some point.
You might enjoy my attached items ...
There's the Cash Box ad for Greenburg from October of ’68 …
Also, an import 45 I have from The Netherlands …
But the cream of the crop has got to be these hand-written lyrics by Isaac Guillory.
Long-time friend, Rick Vycital, sent this to me years ago.
His explanation of how he got Isaac Guillory to write out the actual lyrics to "Greenburg" on paper follows …
At one of The Cryan' Shames gigs after "Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles David Smith and Jones" was recorded, I went backstage and mentioned to Isaac that I couldn't understand a couple of the words and he found a piece of paper and pen and wrote out the whole song for me. I still have it. I have a scan of it if you'd like to post that also. I actually don't believe there is another like it anywhere. I guess he was just being super nice and now it is a real collector's item.
Rich
You won’t find stuff like this ANYWHERE but Forgotten Hits!!! (Aren’t you glad you decided to come back, Ronnie?!?!) kk
Stephen Bishop is promising new music for the first quarter of 2025 ... and then, he says, that's it!
2025 promises to be an exciting year as I gear up to release THIMK, my very first EP! Surprise! I originally thought my 2019 album, "We’ll Talk About It Later In The Car," would be my last album. However, thanks to my wife’s encouragement, I decided to record and create this EP. THIMK will be my final musical release, a special project created for my fans as a thank you for all the support through the years. It features brand-new songs I’ve written, along with a collection of never-before-released demos, including one that was meant for my Red Cab to Manhattan album but didn’t make the cut.
The tentative release is set for late spring 2025. THIMK will be available on all streaming platforms, CD, and vinyl. I’ll share an official release date soon!
I’m thrilled to have my incredibly talented friend Marcus Eaton producing this EP. His artistry and collaboration are taking these songs to a whole new level, bringing them to life in ways I never imagined.
Here’s to another year filled with music, memories, and meaningful connections. Thank you for being such an essential part of my musical journey.
Love and Sunshine,
Stephen
And, from Charles Rosenay!
Merry Christmas Happy Hanukkah
& HAPPY NEW YEAR ! ! ! *********************************** |
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INFO: Call THE PALACE DANBURY (203) 794-9944
I doubt that you would have ANY interest in this information, but this was a Facebook post shared with a radio DJ group ...
Tim K
Oh wow ...
Now THAT's an interesting cover!!!
Have any of you guys seen this one before??? (kk)
[Yeah ... it's a new year ... but the more things change, the more they stay the same!]
kk
