As of Thursday (9/3), Lionel Richie is back home in Los Angeles and is “doing great.”
He has a few weeks off before his next scheduled concert … hopefully he can STAY that way (great) and finish out the tour with Earth, Wind And Fire. (kk)
Feminine activist Gloria Steinem passed away on Wednesday (9/2). She was 92 years old.
Frannie and I actually met her (and her husband, David Bale … father of Chrisian) once … they shared a boat ride with us out to Catalina Island. I remember very little of the conversation (it was mostly her and Frannie that talked), but I DO remember her being fascinated with the fact that we were from Chicago … and The Chicago Tribune in particular! She also wanted to know all about the airlines, as Frannie worked for United at the time. I guess I more remember them being a very attractive older couple.
Steinem was a major leader and spokesperson for the women's liberation movement. Along the way, she also co-founded Ms. magazine, and helped launch a wide variety of groups and publications dedicated to advancing civil rights.
Gloria was born in 1934 in Toledo, Ohio. She did not attend school full time until the age of 12, due to the fact that her father was a traveling antique dealer, requiring them to move a lot.
Her mother was a former journalist who suffered from severe mental illness. After her parents divorced, Gloria was left at home to care for her mother, while her older sister left to attend college. Steinem later remarked that she never wanted children because she had already raised her mother.
After her sister returned from her studies, Gloria attended Smith College, where she majored in government, spent time in Geneva and Oxford and graduated magna cum laude. After graduating, Steinem worked as a freelance journalist, who initially faced pushback when she proposed writing about politics. In 1963, she famously went undercover as a Playboy Bunny and wrote an article about Hugh Hefner's Playboy Club … it made her a star.
In 1968, she became one of the founding editors of New York Magazine, where she wrote about social issues and women's rights and, in the process, became prominent in the women's liberation movement. Her 1969 essay, "After Black Power, Women's Liberation," made her a feminist icon. Later that same year, she attended a meeting in which women spoke in support of abortion rights in New York. (Steinem had an abortion herself at the age of 22.) After joining the women's liberation movement, she cofounded Ms. magazine in 1971. (kk)
Dolly Parton Has Scored Her First #1 On The Official Album Downloads Chart In The UK, With Her "THE VERY BEST OF" LP.
It Seems Odd To Me That When A Singer Dies, Everybody Wants To Buy Their Recordings … But The Day Before They Died, These Same People Had No Intention Of Buying The Recordings.
I Guess Its True … Death Is A Great Career Move.
FRANK B.
We see it again and again and again. These artists should have been honored to see this type of activity while they were still around. But then again, as Ral Donner told some 65 years ago, You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Until You Lose It. (kk)
After taking the year off, The Fest For Beatles Fans have announced their first convention of 2027. It’ll be held at a brand new venue, The World Of Blue Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey, April 9th, 10th and 11th. Fans can order a three-day pass now (thru September 10th only) for $199. The celebrity line-up has not yet been announced.
I Just Saw A Post From Darlene Love.
She's Not Ready To Retire Yet.
She's Looking For A Place For A Residency …
A Place Where She Can Do Two or Three Shows A Week.
She Mentioned New York And Las Vegas.
(I Think She's Open To All Ideas.)
Any Suggestions For Her?
Once Again It’s The Traveling And Not The Singing That Is The Issue.
FRANK B.
That seems to be a better plan for some of our aging singers who can still sing. (Why put yourself thru the grueling pace of airplanes and hotels on a near daily basis?!?!)
Keith Richards recently made a comment that this is what The Rolling Stones would like to do for 2027 … pick a spot and let the fans come to them! (Imagine the permanent stage they could build for THESE guys!!!) Mick Jagger seems in favor of the idea as well … “as long as it’s not Las Vegas.” (Too cheesy, Mick? I remember when putting together my Bobby Darin article some 25 years ago Darin making the comment that Jagger would KILL in Vegas … because back then, that’s where ALL the biggest entertainers in show business ended up.) kk
From Timmy …
Here's a YouTube link to a new Jimi Hendrix video just posted in anticipation of the new, upcoming “Magic Boy: Live At Berkeley” album …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni-9WDKoV4s
Timmy also sent us this "Do It Yourself" Home Vasectomy Kit
(personally, I think you'd have to be NUTS to try it!!!) kk
Kent,
According to today's FH, Frank B. and yourself have all 28 versions of HIGH SCHOOL U.S.A., plus the national version. The same goes with me.
Now I read years ago that the OKC version was the last one he recorded but I can't remember what publication I read it in.
Years ago a friend of mine brought to my attention a discrepancy in the OKC version. He said that two of the schools mentioned were a Jr. College and a Jr. High School. I'll have to get my version out again to re-verify.
Larry
I don’t know if it was the last one he recorded or not … but it WAS the last catalog number. In order, the singles were released as Virginia (45–51), New York City (45–52), North & South Carolina 45–53), Washington D.C. / Baltimore (45–54), Philadelphia (45–55), Detroit (45–56), Pittsburgh (45–57), Minneapolis/St. Paul (45–58), Florida (45–59), Newark, New Jersey (45–60), Boston (45–61), Cleveland (45–62), Buffalo (45–63), Hartford, Connecticut (45–64), Nashville (45–65), Indianapolis (45–66), Chicago (45–67), New Orleans (45–68), St. Louis & Kansas City (45–69), Georgia & Alabama (45–70), Cincinnati (45–71), Memphis (45–72), Los Angeles (45–73), San Francisco (45–74), Texas (45–75), Seattle, WA & Portland, OR (45–76), Denver (45–77) and Oklahoma (45–78). (kk)
And then ...
Kent,
In regards to today's Brief Buell Bacon Bit, I could only come up with about two records that might be listed. First, from 1957, Andre Williams' BACON FAT … and then perhaps Norman Greenbaum's follow-up to SPIRIT IN THE SKY, that being CANNED HAM.
Larry
I’m not sure you’ll find another one … even if you went hog wild! (kk)
HERE'S A NOTE ABOUT MY FAVORITE BRITISH INVASION GROUP ... THE ANIMALS ... (FB)
On This Date ... September 5th, 1964: The British group The Animals hit #1 in America with "The House Of The Rising Sun," a folk song set in New Orleans about either a brothel or a prison.
Read the full story
Here's a really nice Billboard piece on Micky Dolenz ...
Dolenz was also interviewed Thursday on LA’s KTLA about his show at The United Theater Downtown in LA next Saturday (September 12th) and his new EP "Timeless," featuring the singles “Terri” and “Any Way You Want Me To.”
September 12th marks the official date of the Emmy-award winning TV-show "The Monkees" debuting on NBC.
Another Monkees anniversary tribute ...
And, speaking of The Monkees …
On Friday, September 11th, at 2:30 (PST), author and music historian Harvey Kubernik will be the guest interview subject on KPFK-FM 90.7 FM on the Pacifica Performance Showcase with host Donna Walker. Harvey and Donna will discuss his 60-year relationship with the Monkees, their television series and his 21st book, "Screen Gems: Pop Music Documentaries & Rock and Roll TV Scenes," published in 2026.
Listen live globally on KPFK: https://www.kpfk.org › player
When Andrew Sandoval first announced his new, upcoming book “The Monkees On TV: Season One,” I suggested that it might be beneficial (and stir up a little bit more interest) if he could show examples of some of the pages so that interested parties could get a better idea as to what they would be buying.
Now, I can’t say that he listened to me or took my advice … but that video now exists! It’s a long one … 26 minutes … but you can definitely skip around on the video to get a better idea … especially since these book are not cheap! (kk)
https://beatlandbooks.com/beatland-books-news-september-3-2026/?mc_cid=9ee00ce621&mc_eid=cc980e7aff
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Now that their updated Country Chart book is out, Record Research has three more brand new books waiting in the wings.
They're expanding their "Across The Charts" series to now explore the '70's, '80's and '90's decades ... offering even more information as these books will not only include Billboard's R&B and Country chart stats, but will also incorporate the peak positions of these hits in Cash Box, Record World, Radio and Records and The Gavin Report.
Focusing on The Top 40 Hits in ALL of these publications, they've now zeroed in on the very biggest hits of each decade to give you a complete and fully comprehensive look at how these records performed at the time. (Plus, they're really cool looking!!!)
You can get more information (and view sample pages) for each of these new titles here:
https://www.recordresearch.com/now-available/across-the-charts-the-70s
https://www.recordresearch.com/now-available/across-the-charts-the-80s
https://www.recordresearch.com/now-available/across-the-charts-the-90s
Books are expected to start shipping in November of this year. (kk)
From Paul Haney of Record Research:
This new series of books covers not only the chart data from all of the “pop” charts (Billboard, Cash Box, Record World, Gavin Report & Radio & Records), but also the Billboard and Record World Top 40 Country charts as well as Billboard’s Top 40 Charts for R&B, Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock. (Basically, if we've done a singles book on a specific chart, it's covered here!)
In order to keep the book cost at around $50 to our customers, we limited them to Top 40 hits only.
Paul
And, if we're going to talk about the charts, then I've just got to share THIS with you!
A new Billboard Hot 100 record was set this week as Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” logs its 20th week at the top of the chart.
The song’s already been around for nearly a year (this week is its 45th on the chart overall), which is pretty amazing in and of itself … but it still seems impossible to think that in half a year NO other song has had sales and streams big enough to overtake it. (Aren’t people tired of it by now??? How many more times can you play it for yourself?!?)
I’m not knockin’ the song … it’s a good one … and there’s no doubt in my mind that the cool video hasn’t helped it along … and maybe I’d understand it a little bit better if it was topping the COUNTRY Singles Chart for a 20th week … but it’s actually already ruled the roost for 38 WEEKS!!!
The only song that has spent more weeks at #1 is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” which has now notched 22 weeks at the top of the chart … but that’s been spread out over 28 years … Ella reached her total over 20 consecutive weeks. Pretty Amazing!
Tied for third place are “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey (2024) and “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019) Is anybody noticing how it’s bona fide country hits that are taking over the pop charts to set these new milestones? (kk)
