Actor Keith Carradine hit the pop charts as a singer back in 1976 when his song I'm Easy was released as a single from the hit Robert Altman film "Nashville".
In fact, Carradine wrote and performed three songs for the film's soundtrack ... and I'm Easy actually made The Top Ten in Cash Box Magazine that year. (It peaked at #17 in Billboard but topped their Adult Contemporary Chart. Here in Chicago, I'm Easy went all the way to #4!)
DIDJAKNOW? - Actor Gary Busey also auditioned for the role of Tom Frank, the part that ultimately went to Carradine ... although he didn't get the part, one of the songs Busey wrote for the film, "Since You're Gone", was used in the film's soundtrack!
Keith's family tree includes some pretty impressive acting roots ... and limbs!!! His father John (The Grapes Of Wrath, The Ten Commandments, Captain Kidd and literally HUNDREDS of television guest spots) and his half-brother David (the Kung Fu television series and the "Kill Bill" films) have certainly made their presence known on both the big and the small screen ... and Frannie and I really enjoyed Keith's appearances as Special Agent Frank Lundy (and Deb Morgan's May / December Romance Interest) on the hit Showtime Television Series "Dexter" a couple of years back.
As we wrap up a rather "Easy" week here in Forgotten Hits, we just couldn't ignore THIS one!!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Make It Easy On Yourself
Yesterday we told you about a song (Am I That Easy To Forget) that hit The National Top 20 twice yet never gets played ... today we're featuring a song that made The National Top 25 THREE times ... yet still falls into that oldies radio black hole.
Make It Easy On Yourself first climbed to #20 for Jerry Butler back in 1962. Three years later, The Walker Brothers reached #16 with their remake. Finally, in 1970, Dionne Warwick (who pretty much made a career out of singing Burt Bacharach songs) hit #25 with her rendition ... yet you rarely (if ever) hear ANY of these versions on the radio.
We'll fix that today by featuring all three ... hopefully some of the jocks on the list will give some airtime to THEIR favorite reading.
Jerry Butler
The Walker Brothers
Dionne Warwick
Make It Easy On Yourself first climbed to #20 for Jerry Butler back in 1962. Three years later, The Walker Brothers reached #16 with their remake. Finally, in 1970, Dionne Warwick (who pretty much made a career out of singing Burt Bacharach songs) hit #25 with her rendition ... yet you rarely (if ever) hear ANY of these versions on the radio.
We'll fix that today by featuring all three ... hopefully some of the jocks on the list will give some airtime to THEIR favorite reading.
Jerry Butler
The Walker Brothers
Dionne Warwick
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Am I That Easy To Forget?
Here's a song that made The National Top 20 TWICE ... yet STILL doesn't get played on the radio anymore!!!
Back in 1960, film actress Debbie Reynolds took her version of Am I That Easy To Forget to #19 on The Cash Box Chart. Next to her #1 smash Tammy (from the film "Tammy And The Bachelor", in which she also had a starring role), it was the second biggest pop hit of her short recording career. Her version was actually a remake of a song that topped Billboard's Country Chart the year before for an artist named Carl Belew. (Before we get a ton of letters, we should point out that Reynolds also had a #3 hit back in 1951 thanks to a duet she did with Carleton Carpenter. The track was called Aba Daba Honeymoon, and it was featured in the film "Two Weeks With Love", which also co-starred the pair. That song was a remake of a song that first hit #1 for the duo of Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan way back in 1914! Because Forgotten Hits primarily covers The Rock Era, circa 1955 - 1980, that makes Debbie's version of Am I That Easy To Forget her second biggest pop hit in OUR book!)
Reynolds was a beautiful film actress whose career, in retrospect, seems to be overshadowed by her marriage to Eddie Fisher and the ensuing battle with Elizabeth Taylor (who reportedly stole her man as part of Liz's never-ending marriage-go-round) and the fact that Star Wars actress (and latter-day author) Carrie Fisher is their daughter. In reality, Debbie starred in over thirty films,
including "Singing In The Rain", "How The West Was Won", "The Tender Trap", "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and, profiling another singer, "The Singing Nun".
Eight years later, British crooner Engelbert Humperdinck took his remake of Am I That Easy To Forget to #18 on The Billboard Chart. It was one of FIVE Top 20 Hits that Engelbert scored between 1967 and 1970 ... yet you're not likely to hear ANY of them on oldies radio anymore. Tracks like Release Me (#3, 1967); There Goes My Everything (#20, 1967); The Last Waltz (#21, 1967); Am I That Easy To Forget (#18, 1968); A Man Without Love (#18, 1968); Les Bicyclettes De Belsize (#22, 1968); The Way It Used To Be (#26, 1969); I'm A Better Man (#38, 1969); Winter World Of Love (#13, 1970); My Marie (#27, 1970); Sweetheart (#38, 1970); When There's No You (#37, 1971); Another Time, Another Place (#40, 1971) and his Top Five comeback hit, After The Lovin' (#5, 1977) were pure Middle-Of-The-Road, Adult Contemporary Fluff, but ALL scored well enough to make The Top 40 on The Pop Charts, too! (While it's true that Engelbert's music appealed more to our Moms than to us young rock and rollers, certainly at least a COUPLE of these ought to get a spin on the oldies channel every once in a while!) To this day, Engelbert is still quite a drawing attraction in Las Vegas ... a quick check of his schedule shows Humperdinck performing in casinos and show lounges all over the world!
Click here: Tour Schedule
Am I That Easy To Forget??? Apparently so!!!
Back in 1960, film actress Debbie Reynolds took her version of Am I That Easy To Forget to #19 on The Cash Box Chart. Next to her #1 smash Tammy (from the film "Tammy And The Bachelor", in which she also had a starring role), it was the second biggest pop hit of her short recording career. Her version was actually a remake of a song that topped Billboard's Country Chart the year before for an artist named Carl Belew. (Before we get a ton of letters, we should point out that Reynolds also had a #3 hit back in 1951 thanks to a duet she did with Carleton Carpenter. The track was called Aba Daba Honeymoon, and it was featured in the film "Two Weeks With Love", which also co-starred the pair. That song was a remake of a song that first hit #1 for the duo of Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan way back in 1914! Because Forgotten Hits primarily covers The Rock Era, circa 1955 - 1980, that makes Debbie's version of Am I That Easy To Forget her second biggest pop hit in OUR book!)
Reynolds was a beautiful film actress whose career, in retrospect, seems to be overshadowed by her marriage to Eddie Fisher and the ensuing battle with Elizabeth Taylor (who reportedly stole her man as part of Liz's never-ending marriage-go-round) and the fact that Star Wars actress (and latter-day author) Carrie Fisher is their daughter. In reality, Debbie starred in over thirty films,
including "Singing In The Rain", "How The West Was Won", "The Tender Trap", "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and, profiling another singer, "The Singing Nun".
Eight years later, British crooner Engelbert Humperdinck took his remake of Am I That Easy To Forget to #18 on The Billboard Chart. It was one of FIVE Top 20 Hits that Engelbert scored between 1967 and 1970 ... yet you're not likely to hear ANY of them on oldies radio anymore. Tracks like Release Me (#3, 1967); There Goes My Everything (#20, 1967); The Last Waltz (#21, 1967); Am I That Easy To Forget (#18, 1968); A Man Without Love (#18, 1968); Les Bicyclettes De Belsize (#22, 1968); The Way It Used To Be (#26, 1969); I'm A Better Man (#38, 1969); Winter World Of Love (#13, 1970); My Marie (#27, 1970); Sweetheart (#38, 1970); When There's No You (#37, 1971); Another Time, Another Place (#40, 1971) and his Top Five comeback hit, After The Lovin' (#5, 1977) were pure Middle-Of-The-Road, Adult Contemporary Fluff, but ALL scored well enough to make The Top 40 on The Pop Charts, too! (While it's true that Engelbert's music appealed more to our Moms than to us young rock and rollers, certainly at least a COUPLE of these ought to get a spin on the oldies channel every once in a while!) To this day, Engelbert is still quite a drawing attraction in Las Vegas ... a quick check of his schedule shows Humperdinck performing in casinos and show lounges all over the world!
Click here: Tour Schedule
Am I That Easy To Forget??? Apparently so!!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Easy Question
We've been taking things "easy" this week in Forgotten Hits ... no point in changing things up now!!!
There aren't a whole lot of Elvis "Forgotten Hits" anymore ... MOST of his recordings are familiar to even the most casual music fans out there. Over the course of his career, The King Of Rock And Roll hit the pop charts an incredible 146 times between 1956 and 1977 ... heck, he's even hit it five MORE times since his death in '77 with remixes like "Guitar Man" (#28, 1981); A Little Less Conversation (#50, 2002) and Rubberneckin' (#94, 2003)!
One of my favorite never-played Elvis oldies is Easy Question, a #11 Hit for The King back in 1965.
The song was released as a single in conjunction with the release of Elvis' 18th movie, "Tickle Me." This was the film that The Colonel arranged to be made to help save the Allied Artists Film Studio. Allied Artists was on the brink of financial disaster, close to filing bankruptcy, when they approached The Colonel about securing Elvis' services to make a film, knowing full well that ALL of Elvis' movies made money ... their feeling was that this might be JUST what the studio needed in order to turn things around.
The Colonel agreed ... and even cut Elvis' normal Million Dollar Salary to just $750,000 (plus 50% of the film's profits) to help out ... but then told the studio that there was not enough money left in the budget to create a new motion picture soundtrack!
Realizing that an Elvis Presley movie without any Elvis Presley songs in it wouldn't solve their financial problems (or fly with the public), they worked out an agreement with RCA Records that allowed them to take a bunch of previously released Elvis LP recordings not all that familiar to the mass public, modify a thing or two here and there and then use them in the film! It worked ... Easy Question (an early Forgotten Hits favorite) ended up being a #11 chart hit and the follow-up single, I'm Yours, also used in the film, went all the way to #9. The film made money ... in fact, at a reported gross of close to $5,000,000, it was the third highest grossing film in the studio's history. At the time, Allied Artists Studio Head Steve Brody told the press that Elvis had saved his studio: "You might say that they were ready to wheel the patient out when Dr. Presley came in." (Sadly, despite the brief reprieve, Allied Artists still ended up closing their doors a short time later.)
Songs included in the "Tickle Me" film include the hit singles Easy Question / It Feels So Right (from Elvis' 1962 LP "Pot Luck" and 1960 LP "Elvis Is Back, respectively), I'm Yours / Long Lonely Highway (from "Pot Luck" and, believe it or not, the "Kissin' Cousins" Soundtrack LP), as well as the "Tickle Me" EP cuts I Feel That I've Known You Forever and Night Rider (both from "Pot Luck"), Slowly But Surely (from "Fun In Acapulco"), Put The Blame On Me (from "Something For Everybody") and Dirty Dirty Feeling (from "Elvis Is Back").
Hey Jocks, why not treat your listeners to something different by Elvis today ... and give Easy Question a spin. (Of course, the DOWN side would be that you'd only be able to play Suspicious Minds 34 times this week instead of the normal 35 times ... but your listeners just might thank you for it later!!!)
There aren't a whole lot of Elvis "Forgotten Hits" anymore ... MOST of his recordings are familiar to even the most casual music fans out there. Over the course of his career, The King Of Rock And Roll hit the pop charts an incredible 146 times between 1956 and 1977 ... heck, he's even hit it five MORE times since his death in '77 with remixes like "Guitar Man" (#28, 1981); A Little Less Conversation (#50, 2002) and Rubberneckin' (#94, 2003)!
One of my favorite never-played Elvis oldies is Easy Question, a #11 Hit for The King back in 1965.
The song was released as a single in conjunction with the release of Elvis' 18th movie, "Tickle Me." This was the film that The Colonel arranged to be made to help save the Allied Artists Film Studio. Allied Artists was on the brink of financial disaster, close to filing bankruptcy, when they approached The Colonel about securing Elvis' services to make a film, knowing full well that ALL of Elvis' movies made money ... their feeling was that this might be JUST what the studio needed in order to turn things around.
The Colonel agreed ... and even cut Elvis' normal Million Dollar Salary to just $750,000 (plus 50% of the film's profits) to help out ... but then told the studio that there was not enough money left in the budget to create a new motion picture soundtrack!
Realizing that an Elvis Presley movie without any Elvis Presley songs in it wouldn't solve their financial problems (or fly with the public), they worked out an agreement with RCA Records that allowed them to take a bunch of previously released Elvis LP recordings not all that familiar to the mass public, modify a thing or two here and there and then use them in the film! It worked ... Easy Question (an early Forgotten Hits favorite) ended up being a #11 chart hit and the follow-up single, I'm Yours, also used in the film, went all the way to #9. The film made money ... in fact, at a reported gross of close to $5,000,000, it was the third highest grossing film in the studio's history. At the time, Allied Artists Studio Head Steve Brody told the press that Elvis had saved his studio: "You might say that they were ready to wheel the patient out when Dr. Presley came in." (Sadly, despite the brief reprieve, Allied Artists still ended up closing their doors a short time later.)
Songs included in the "Tickle Me" film include the hit singles Easy Question / It Feels So Right (from Elvis' 1962 LP "Pot Luck" and 1960 LP "Elvis Is Back, respectively), I'm Yours / Long Lonely Highway (from "Pot Luck" and, believe it or not, the "Kissin' Cousins" Soundtrack LP), as well as the "Tickle Me" EP cuts I Feel That I've Known You Forever and Night Rider (both from "Pot Luck"), Slowly But Surely (from "Fun In Acapulco"), Put The Blame On Me (from "Something For Everybody") and Dirty Dirty Feeling (from "Elvis Is Back").
Hey Jocks, why not treat your listeners to something different by Elvis today ... and give Easy Question a spin. (Of course, the DOWN side would be that you'd only be able to play Suspicious Minds 34 times this week instead of the normal 35 times ... but your listeners just might thank you for it later!!!)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
From Easy Livin' ... To Easy Loving
Yesterday we featured the 1972 Uriah Heep Hit "Easy Livin'" ... so today we figured that the NATURAL follow-up would be to spotlight 1971's Freddie Hart tune "Easy Loving".
Hart topped Billboard's Country Chart for three weeks with this ballad ... but it also crossed over in a big way to the pop charts, peaking at #12 in Cash Box Magazine and rising to #17 in Billboard.
Freddie's chart career began back in 1959. (By then he was already 33 years old!) He hit Billboard's Country Top 40 nearly forty times over the next 22 years and "Easy Loving" became the first of six consecutive #1 songs on Billboard's Country Chart. (That string included Easy Loving; My Hang-Up Is You; Bless Your Heart; Got The All Overs For You; Super Kind Of Woman and Trip To Heaven.) Ironically, he never hit the pop charts again (which officially makes him a One Hit Wonder in OUR book!!!)
You'd be hard pressed to find another artist with as diverse a career outside of music as Freddie Hart. Born Frederick Segrest in Lochapoka, Alabama, in 1926, Freddie was one of fifteen children. He learned to play the guitar when he was just five years old. He quit school when he was twelve and ran away from home, taking odd jobs like picking cotton, washing dishes, laying pipeline and working in sawmills, steel mills and on oil rigs to earn a living and survive. When he was just fourteen years old, he lied about his age and enlisted into the United States Marines. Hart saw action during World War II, serving in Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Guam. After being discharged from The Marines, Freddy began working as a self-defense instructor at The Los Angeles Police Academy, where he earned a black belt in karate. (He also mastered judo and jujitzu!) In 1950, he moved to Phoenix and a year later was working as a guitar player with country legend Lefty Frizzell (who also let him take a crack at the microphone as a singer from time to time.) For a short while, he was even a TV star, appearing regularly on the "Town Hall Party" television series.
"Easy Loving" was a track buried on side two of Freddie's 1969 album "California Grapevine." Two years later, a disc jockey named Jim Clemens started playing the song on his WPLO Atlanta radio program and all of a sudden, it started to click. The attraction soon spread to other country radio stations across the country and Capitol Records quickly released it as a single (followed up by a hastily put together album of the same name, gathering tracks from some of Freddie's earlier releases.) Before long, the song crossed-over to the pop charts, too, and, when all was said and done, Freddie Hart, at the ripe old age of 45, had a major hit record on his hands. "Easy Loving" went on to sell over a million copies and won The Country Music Association's "Song Of The Year" award in both 1971 and 1972. During his long career, Hart also wrote hits for a number of other country artists, including Patsy Cline, George Jones, Buck Owens and Porter Wagoner. (He says he was first inspired to try songwriting when he met Hank Williams back in 1951, explaining his songwriting philosophy this way: “I try to put down in my songs what every man wants to say, and what every woman wants to hear." Clearly, it worked.
After his records stopped having an impact on the country charts, Freddie successfully raised fruit and cattle, owned his own trucking company, opened a chain of karate instruction studios and ran a school for handicapped children. He continued to record sporadically, even releasing a couple of Gospel albums, but rarely makes singing appearances today. It's said that Freddie is a self-made millionaire, several times over. All in all, a pretty successful life for a boy who left home at twelve to find his own way!
Hart topped Billboard's Country Chart for three weeks with this ballad ... but it also crossed over in a big way to the pop charts, peaking at #12 in Cash Box Magazine and rising to #17 in Billboard.
Freddie's chart career began back in 1959. (By then he was already 33 years old!) He hit Billboard's Country Top 40 nearly forty times over the next 22 years and "Easy Loving" became the first of six consecutive #1 songs on Billboard's Country Chart. (That string included Easy Loving; My Hang-Up Is You; Bless Your Heart; Got The All Overs For You; Super Kind Of Woman and Trip To Heaven.) Ironically, he never hit the pop charts again (which officially makes him a One Hit Wonder in OUR book!!!)
You'd be hard pressed to find another artist with as diverse a career outside of music as Freddie Hart. Born Frederick Segrest in Lochapoka, Alabama, in 1926, Freddie was one of fifteen children. He learned to play the guitar when he was just five years old. He quit school when he was twelve and ran away from home, taking odd jobs like picking cotton, washing dishes, laying pipeline and working in sawmills, steel mills and on oil rigs to earn a living and survive. When he was just fourteen years old, he lied about his age and enlisted into the United States Marines. Hart saw action during World War II, serving in Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Guam. After being discharged from The Marines, Freddy began working as a self-defense instructor at The Los Angeles Police Academy, where he earned a black belt in karate. (He also mastered judo and jujitzu!) In 1950, he moved to Phoenix and a year later was working as a guitar player with country legend Lefty Frizzell (who also let him take a crack at the microphone as a singer from time to time.) For a short while, he was even a TV star, appearing regularly on the "Town Hall Party" television series.
"Easy Loving" was a track buried on side two of Freddie's 1969 album "California Grapevine." Two years later, a disc jockey named Jim Clemens started playing the song on his WPLO Atlanta radio program and all of a sudden, it started to click. The attraction soon spread to other country radio stations across the country and Capitol Records quickly released it as a single (followed up by a hastily put together album of the same name, gathering tracks from some of Freddie's earlier releases.) Before long, the song crossed-over to the pop charts, too, and, when all was said and done, Freddie Hart, at the ripe old age of 45, had a major hit record on his hands. "Easy Loving" went on to sell over a million copies and won The Country Music Association's "Song Of The Year" award in both 1971 and 1972. During his long career, Hart also wrote hits for a number of other country artists, including Patsy Cline, George Jones, Buck Owens and Porter Wagoner. (He says he was first inspired to try songwriting when he met Hank Williams back in 1951, explaining his songwriting philosophy this way: “I try to put down in my songs what every man wants to say, and what every woman wants to hear." Clearly, it worked.
After his records stopped having an impact on the country charts, Freddie successfully raised fruit and cattle, owned his own trucking company, opened a chain of karate instruction studios and ran a school for handicapped children. He continued to record sporadically, even releasing a couple of Gospel albums, but rarely makes singing appearances today. It's said that Freddie is a self-made millionaire, several times over. All in all, a pretty successful life for a boy who left home at twelve to find his own way!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Easy Livin'
One of those early '70's bands that seemed to get ALL kinds of respect on the FM Rock Dial was Britain's Uriah Heep ... but you rarely hear anything by the band on today's tightly formatted play lists.
While Stealin' may be considered their best-known track (jeez, what early '70's rock band didn't do THIS one?!?!?), their ONLY trip to The National Top 40 came a year earlier when Easy Livin' hit #32 in Cash Box Magazine and #39 in Billboard in 1972.
Through the years, the band went through close to thirty personnel changes ... but the most revered line-up seems to be David Byron (vocals), Mick Box (guitar), Ken Hensley (keyboards), Gary Thain (bass) and Lee Kerslake (drums). Uriah Heep made their greatest impact on the Album Charts with million selling LPs like Demons And Wizards, The Magician's Birthday, Sweet Freedom and their Live LP ... but the band (led by Mick Box) continues to perform today.
Click here: The Official Website of Uriah Heep
DIDJAKNOW?-1: The band took their name from the Charles Dickens novel "David Copperfield".
DIDJAKNOW?-2: Amongst all the personnel changes, one of the drummers passing through was Nigel Olsson, best known for his work with Elton John's band ... and his OWN Forgotten Hit, Dancing Shoes.
While Stealin' may be considered their best-known track (jeez, what early '70's rock band didn't do THIS one?!?!?), their ONLY trip to The National Top 40 came a year earlier when Easy Livin' hit #32 in Cash Box Magazine and #39 in Billboard in 1972.
Through the years, the band went through close to thirty personnel changes ... but the most revered line-up seems to be David Byron (vocals), Mick Box (guitar), Ken Hensley (keyboards), Gary Thain (bass) and Lee Kerslake (drums). Uriah Heep made their greatest impact on the Album Charts with million selling LPs like Demons And Wizards, The Magician's Birthday, Sweet Freedom and their Live LP ... but the band (led by Mick Box) continues to perform today.
Click here: The Official Website of Uriah Heep
DIDJAKNOW?-1: The band took their name from the Charles Dickens novel "David Copperfield".
DIDJAKNOW?-2: Amongst all the personnel changes, one of the drummers passing through was Nigel Olsson, best known for his work with Elton John's band ... and his OWN Forgotten Hit, Dancing Shoes.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Blue Ridge Rangers
We'll do a little bit of unashamed cross-promoting today here in Forgotten Hits.
Without question, one of our highest regarded series was the profile we did on Creedence Clearwater Revival several years back. (It has since been posted on The Official Forgotten Hits Web Page here):
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Creedence Clearwater Revival
That series sprang from a number of questions we received after featuring Jambalaya, the classic Hank Williams country song, as done by John Fogerty, leader of CCR, under the guise of The Blue Ridge Rangers.
Fogerty was a one-man band on this album, first released back in 1972 (and virtually ignored ever since.)
Today, we'll not only feature this great version (a Top Ten Hit in its OWN right on The Cash Box Chart ... and Top Five here in Chicago on Super 'CFL!) ... but ALSO an excerpt from our CCR Series regarding the recording of this tune and The Blue Ridge Rangers album. (For more details on this revolutionary band, be sure to check out the COMPLETE Creedence Clearwater Revival Series at the link above.)
Without question, one of our highest regarded series was the profile we did on Creedence Clearwater Revival several years back. (It has since been posted on The Official Forgotten Hits Web Page here):
Click here: Forgotten Hits - Creedence Clearwater Revival
That series sprang from a number of questions we received after featuring Jambalaya, the classic Hank Williams country song, as done by John Fogerty, leader of CCR, under the guise of The Blue Ridge Rangers.
Fogerty was a one-man band on this album, first released back in 1972 (and virtually ignored ever since.)
Today, we'll not only feature this great version (a Top Ten Hit in its OWN right on The Cash Box Chart ... and Top Five here in Chicago on Super 'CFL!) ... but ALSO an excerpt from our CCR Series regarding the recording of this tune and The Blue Ridge Rangers album. (For more details on this revolutionary band, be sure to check out the COMPLETE Creedence Clearwater Revival Series at the link above.)
***
Creedence Clearwater Revival turned in their last album together as a band in 1972. Entitled "Mardi Gras" (and featuring, for the very first time, songs written and sung by all three members of the band), it was their first critically panned album ... and ultimately spelled the end of the group. (They've barely spoken to each other in the 37 years since. Leader John Fogerty even snubbed his former bandmates when the group was inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, electing to perform instead with OTHER artists on stage that night like Bruce Springsteen and Robbie Robertson of The Band. Stu Cook and Doug Clifford have been performing as Creedence Clearwater REVISITED for well over a decade now while Fogerty goes out under his own name, performing the songs he wrote and sang that put CCR on the map in the first place.)
At the time of its release, Rolling Stone Magazine called Mardi Gras "the worst album ever made by a major group." Reviewer Jon Landau wrote that "In the future, Mardi Gras may be known as Fogerty's revenge. After all the carping about his egotism, and after the published complaints from his co-workers about his hogging the show, he has done what I never thought he would: allowed his cohorts to expose themselves in public. Ceding six of the new album's ten selections to drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook may have been an invitation to artistic suicide for them, but it sure proves that John was right all along. The result is ... the worst album I have ever heard from a major rock band."
During the recording of the Mardi Gras album, John was already at work on his first solo release. Since he only contributed three new songs to the CCR LP (and, some say, refused to play on the songs contributed by Stu and Doug), John had free time on his hands and devoted that time to recording what would become The Blue Ridge Rangers album. By the time of that album's release in early 1973, CCR was pretty well represented on the record shelves: solo albums by John Fogerty, the second solo disk from his brother Tom and Doug Clifford's first solo LP were all now available. Only John's album sold well enough to make the charts ... The Blue Ridge Rangers peaked at #47 early that summer.
Released with virtually no reference to John Fogerty's involvement (other than the producer's credit on the back cover), it simply featured five silhouettes of Fogerty against a sunset on the front cover, each pictured playing a different instrument. It was, for all purposes, an anonymous release. The first single release, Blue Ridge Mountain Blues, failed to make the charts at all. The follow-up, a great re-working of the Hank Williams classic Jambalaya, made Cash Box Magazine's Top Ten. (It stopped at #16 in Billboard but was a #5 smash here in Chicago.) The next release, Hearts Of Stone, went to #33. Even John wasn't guaranteed chart success by virtue of his previous resume ... his next two releases Back In The Hills / You Don't Owe Me and Comin' Down The Road / Ricochet, both failed to chart. (Both were non-LP singles and are now quite collectible.) They would also be his last releases for Fantasy Records.
Because of the stipulations in the contract the band signed with Fantasy Records, they owed the label a specific number of new masters each year. When the band split up, the contract stated that all former members of CCR owed the label 24 tracks per year ... EACH!!! In addition, John still owed masters from the previous year's contract! In all, he was supposed to turn in 36 new tracks in 1973. If he didn't, the missing tracks would be added to NEXT year's commitment ... by 1974, John would owe Fantasy over 50 tracks!!! Between the pressure of having to come up with this much new material and the resentment he began to feel toward his label, John developed writer's block. (Along with a little case of "blue flu" too, I imagine.)
Fantasy Records had done very well by way of Creedence Clearwater Revival ...
without question, they were the label's cash cow. It is said that in 1969 and 1970 alone, Fantasy earned more money on CCR sales than in their previous 20 years in business combined! With that money, Saul Zaentz was able to build and upgrade two new buildings to house his label. He also bought several other small jazz labels, expanding the company's jazz portfolio ten-fold. By the early '70's, he began a foray into films and, in 1973, produced the year's biggest hit, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. John felt (perhaps rightfully so) that since it was HIS music that allowed Zaentz the ability to afford these new ventures, a new deal could be worked out regarding royalty rates and masters commitments. Zaentz wouldn't budge and soon Fogerty put the word out that he would be available to any label who could get him out of his Fantasy contract.
A bidding war of sorts began ... the primary players were Atlantic Records, Warner Brothers Records and music giant David Geffen, who owned Asylum Records. Geffen's solution was simply to BUY Fantasy!!! When all was said and done, they simply bought out Fogerty's contract but one of Fogerty's concessions was to forfeit all future royalties from his back catalog. (This move would go on to cost him MILLIONS over the next 25 years. With Stu's, Doug's and Tom's majority votes to allow Creedence music to be used in films and commercials ... not to mention the fact that this music has NEVER been off the radio for the past 40 years ... these three guys went on to make a FORTUNE off the music written by their leader. The resentment felt by John over this fact ... despite it being HIS concession ... has never gone away and sadly, those wounds have yet to heal.)
NOTE: Last year John Fogerty released a very highly regarded new album called (of all things) "Revival" ... the LP included a track called "Creedence Song" and was released on Fantasy Records!!! To quote the lyrics of yet another Fogerty tune, it truly was "Deja Vu All Over Again"!!!!!
THIS JUST IN!!!: It sounds like John Fogerty is ready to put the band back together again!!! Now before anybody out there contracts CCR-Fever, we're not talking about THAT band ... instead, Fogerty is preparing a new release by The Blue Ridge Rangers!!! A sequel of sorts to his 1973 release, Fogerty stated in a news release last month: "This seems like the right time for the Blue Ridge Rangers to come back. The last time around, it represented something of a clean slate for me and that country rock sound is still something I hold dear. We're really excited about revisiting the whole sensibility that Blue Ridge Rangers represent." John made no secret of his love for country music while performing with Creedence Clearwater Revival and on numerous occasions expressed his excitement as a kid growing up every time a brand new record was released on Sun Records. It was an important part of developing his own musical skills.
Only THIS time around, John has NO interest in trying to play all of the instruments himself again! Instead, he's surrounded himself with "an array of stellar outsider players" including Buddy Miller, Dennis Crouch, Jay Bellerose, Greg Leisz, Jason Mowery, Jodie Kennedy, Kenny Aronoff and Hunter Perrin. In fact, Fogerty is co-producing the album with T-Bone Burnett and Lenny Waronker and "John Fogerty: The Return Of The Blue Ridge Rangers" should be ready for release by mid-2009. Last time around, Fogerty didn't use ANY of his own compositions on his Blue Ridge Rangers LP, preferring instead to pay tribute and homage to some of the great country music he grew up loving as a child. Song titles are being kept under wraps on this new release until we get closer to the LP's official release date. Stay tuned to Forgotten Hits for more details as they become available.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Grand Funk Railroad
One of the first MEGA-successful Hard Rock Bands of the Rock Era was Flint, Michigan's Grand Funk Railroad. In 1969, 1970 and 1971 they were selling HUGE quantities of albums and receiving ALL kinds of airplay on the relatively new FM Radio Band ... yet today it is EXTREMELY rare to hear ANYTHING by them that pre-dates their 1973 #1 Hit We're An American Band. The entire early phase of their career has been virtually ERASED from the radio airwaves.
Now, in all fairness, until Todd Rundgren took over the production reigns for GFR's "We're An American Band" album, they were not what you'd consider Top 40 staples ... in fact, just three singles managed to crack The National Top 40 prior to their chart-topping hit. Closer To Home (#22, 1970) is something that you MIGHT hear on a really good Classic Rock FM Station ... but is rarely (if ever) heard on the oldies stations, where it TRULY deserves some recognition ... it's an excellent tune that your audience will respond to. An occasional spin of Footstompin' Music (#29, 1972) and Rock 'n' Roll Soul (#24, 1972) just might earn you a positive reaction, too. (Personally, I've always enjoyed their version of Dave Mason's Feelin' Alright, too ... as well as some of their earlier FM Hits like Heartbreaker, Inside Looking Out and Mean Mistreater.)
Once they redefined themselves as "An American Band", the hits came in quick succession: We're An American Band (#1, 1973); Walk Like A Man (#17, 1974); The Loco-Motion (#1, 1974); Shinin' On (#11, 1974); Some Kind Of Wonderful (#3, 1975) and Bad Time (#4, 1975) all raced up the charts and right into The Top 20 ... although it's rare that you hear Walk Like A Man, Shinin' On or Bad Time these days either. (We featured Bad Time as the second half of our recent True Oldies Channel / Forgotten Hits / Twin Spin Weekend ... and Scott Shannon told me that he got a very good, positive response to that one.)
Prior to forming Grand Funk Railroad (named after Michigan's Grand Trunk Railroad), Guitarist and frontman Mark Farner and Drummer Don Brewer had both been members of Terry Knight and the Pack, who charted back in 1967 with their version of I, Who Have Nothing. (In fact, Terry Knight went on to manage and produce Grand Funk Railroad in the early years! We featured the Terry Knight and the Pack hit during one of our Local Hits / Show Me Your Hits series a few years back.) Bassist Mel Schacher was a former member of ? and the Mysterians,, who topped the charts with the classic 96 Tears back in 1966.
Their first eleven albums all went multi-gold and / or platinum and eight of those landed in The Top Ten on Billboard's Album Charts. Nearly every early '70's aspiring garage band member had copies of classic GFR albums like On Time, Grand Funk, Closer To Home, Survival, E Pluribus Funk, Mark, Don and Mel, Phoenix, We're An American Band, Shinin' On, All The Girls In The World Beware!!! and their Live Album in their personal record collections. (Of course those SAME hard-rockin' guitarists would have called you "insane" had you told them that their favorite rock band would eventually be topping the charts with a remake of a Little Eva tune!!!)
Today we're featuring three of these earlier, long-forgotten tracks, in the hopes that a deejay or two on the list will be inspired to give them a spin, if only to gauge their listeners' reaction.
Probably MOST radio-friendly (and recognizable) would be Footstompin' Music ... this one'll get your head bobbin'!!! We've also got Rock And Roll Soul for you today ... as well as Grand Funk Railroad's version of Feelin' Alright. (If nothing else, ALL of these ought to jar a memory or two!!!)
Enjoy!
Footstompin' Music
Rock And Roll Soul
Feelin' Alright
Aww, what the heck!!! The VERY best of their Forgotten Hits has GOT to be Closer To Home ... so we'll give you THAT one, too!!!
Closer To Home
Now, in all fairness, until Todd Rundgren took over the production reigns for GFR's "We're An American Band" album, they were not what you'd consider Top 40 staples ... in fact, just three singles managed to crack The National Top 40 prior to their chart-topping hit. Closer To Home (#22, 1970) is something that you MIGHT hear on a really good Classic Rock FM Station ... but is rarely (if ever) heard on the oldies stations, where it TRULY deserves some recognition ... it's an excellent tune that your audience will respond to. An occasional spin of Footstompin' Music (#29, 1972) and Rock 'n' Roll Soul (#24, 1972) just might earn you a positive reaction, too. (Personally, I've always enjoyed their version of Dave Mason's Feelin' Alright, too ... as well as some of their earlier FM Hits like Heartbreaker, Inside Looking Out and Mean Mistreater.)
Once they redefined themselves as "An American Band", the hits came in quick succession: We're An American Band (#1, 1973); Walk Like A Man (#17, 1974); The Loco-Motion (#1, 1974); Shinin' On (#11, 1974); Some Kind Of Wonderful (#3, 1975) and Bad Time (#4, 1975) all raced up the charts and right into The Top 20 ... although it's rare that you hear Walk Like A Man, Shinin' On or Bad Time these days either. (We featured Bad Time as the second half of our recent True Oldies Channel / Forgotten Hits / Twin Spin Weekend ... and Scott Shannon told me that he got a very good, positive response to that one.)
Prior to forming Grand Funk Railroad (named after Michigan's Grand Trunk Railroad), Guitarist and frontman Mark Farner and Drummer Don Brewer had both been members of Terry Knight and the Pack, who charted back in 1967 with their version of I, Who Have Nothing. (In fact, Terry Knight went on to manage and produce Grand Funk Railroad in the early years! We featured the Terry Knight and the Pack hit during one of our Local Hits / Show Me Your Hits series a few years back.) Bassist Mel Schacher was a former member of ? and the Mysterians,, who topped the charts with the classic 96 Tears back in 1966.
Their first eleven albums all went multi-gold and / or platinum and eight of those landed in The Top Ten on Billboard's Album Charts. Nearly every early '70's aspiring garage band member had copies of classic GFR albums like On Time, Grand Funk, Closer To Home, Survival, E Pluribus Funk, Mark, Don and Mel, Phoenix, We're An American Band, Shinin' On, All The Girls In The World Beware!!! and their Live Album in their personal record collections. (Of course those SAME hard-rockin' guitarists would have called you "insane" had you told them that their favorite rock band would eventually be topping the charts with a remake of a Little Eva tune!!!)
Today we're featuring three of these earlier, long-forgotten tracks, in the hopes that a deejay or two on the list will be inspired to give them a spin, if only to gauge their listeners' reaction.
Probably MOST radio-friendly (and recognizable) would be Footstompin' Music ... this one'll get your head bobbin'!!! We've also got Rock And Roll Soul for you today ... as well as Grand Funk Railroad's version of Feelin' Alright. (If nothing else, ALL of these ought to jar a memory or two!!!)
Enjoy!
Footstompin' Music
Rock And Roll Soul
Feelin' Alright
Aww, what the heck!!! The VERY best of their Forgotten Hits has GOT to be Closer To Home ... so we'll give you THAT one, too!!!
Closer To Home
Thursday, January 22, 2009
We're On Our Way
In the gallows of Beatles / Apple Records folklore, we often hear the stories about how artists like Badfinger, Mary Hopkin, Jackie Lomax and James Taylor came to be signed to the label. Other well known artists like Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar, Ronnie Spector, Doris Troy and Yoko Ono came to Apple by way of previous (or growing) relationships with The Beatles themselves. For the most part, John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney all had a hand in helping to develop these artists ... and often performed on their records as well. Even lesser-known acts like The Elastic Oz Band, The Black Dyke Mills Band, Trash, David Peel and Elephant's Memory reaped the benefit of having a Beatle write and / or produce some of their tracks.
But in 1972, a young rocker named Chris Hodge came on board by way of Beatles Drummer Ringo Starr. (It's said that Ringo caught Chris performing in a London club and liked what he saw ... they also reportedly shared a common love of science fiction movies.)
Chris' only U.S. Hit, We're On Our Way, snuck into The American Top 40 when it peaked at #36 on The Cash Box Chart during The Summer of '72. (Once again, this one fared a little better here in Chicago, peaking at #17 on The WLS Chart.) It probably hasn't been heard on the radio since ... which is too bad because it's actually not a bad track.
Although he went on to record for a couple of other record labels, Hodge never hit The U.S. (or The British) Charts again.
Give a listen to We're On Our Way ... and see if this one rings a bell at all.
DIDJAKNOW?: Chris' hit We're On Our Way was produced by Tony Cox ... Yoko Ono's ex-husband!!! How weird that Ringo and Yoko may have been the ones most responsible for its release!!!
Click here: Chris Hodge - Apple Records
But in 1972, a young rocker named Chris Hodge came on board by way of Beatles Drummer Ringo Starr. (It's said that Ringo caught Chris performing in a London club and liked what he saw ... they also reportedly shared a common love of science fiction movies.)
Chris' only U.S. Hit, We're On Our Way, snuck into The American Top 40 when it peaked at #36 on The Cash Box Chart during The Summer of '72. (Once again, this one fared a little better here in Chicago, peaking at #17 on The WLS Chart.) It probably hasn't been heard on the radio since ... which is too bad because it's actually not a bad track.
Although he went on to record for a couple of other record labels, Hodge never hit The U.S. (or The British) Charts again.
Give a listen to We're On Our Way ... and see if this one rings a bell at all.
DIDJAKNOW?: Chris' hit We're On Our Way was produced by Tony Cox ... Yoko Ono's ex-husband!!! How weird that Ringo and Yoko may have been the ones most responsible for its release!!!
Click here: Chris Hodge - Apple Records
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Sir Monti Rock III
I saw THIS question raised on another list I belong to a couple of weeks ago ...
Do any of you remember Sir Monti Rock III?
But before I could even pull something together to put up on the web, I saw that answers were already coming in:
Of course I remember! -- Disco Tex and The Sex-O-Lettes. I think the "hit" was "Get Dancing." I remember playing it on the radio, although I don't remember what year it was, so I don't know if it was 'KB or not. But I do remember the song was fun, and Monte made Elton John and Liberace look conservative.
Don Berns
The single was a hit in late 74, early 75 ... I probably played it during my short stint on WYSL, then.
Take care,
Bob
Monti Rock the 3rd I believe was a hairdresser (1st), a chef? (2nd), and a singer (3rd) but I forgot he had a hit with “Get Dancing.) He was also known as Disco Tex (and the Sex-O-Lettes). "Get Dancing".
-- Dennis
Sir Monti Rock III is alive and well and living in Las Vegas. Remember his line(s) in Saturday Night Fever? "This is Monti, your delicious DJ -- turn yourselves in, baby!"
John Bisci
www.lancasterheroes.com
Sir Monti Rock III (Real Name: Joseph Montanez) had two Top 40 Hits as Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes in 1975: Get Dancin' (which actually made The National Top Ten) and I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo, which hit #23. Both are camp, over-the-top, horribly hard to listen to, God-Awful semi-disco tracks that definitely fall into the Forgotten Hits category ... by all appearances, conventional oldies radio won't touch them!!! (Quite honestly, I'm not so sure that these tracks need to be resurrected!!! lol In fact, along with Rick Dees' Disco Duck, Disco Tex's recordings are a pretty fair representation of disco music at its absolute worst!!! At the very least, nothing short of "Disco Gone Wrong"!!!) But the truth is these recordings were EXACTLY what they were intended to be ... they were SUPPOSED to be completely outrageous and out of control ... and that's what made them so unique at the time!
Prior to his chart success, Sir Monti Rock III was probably best known as a hair-dresser ... in fact, at one point, he owned a chain of hairdressing salons ... and he became an internationally known celebrity for his flamboyant behavior. (He even managed a few movie roles during his fifteen minutes of fame!) Believe it or not, his hit singles were produced by the legendary Bob Crewe ... you've just gotta wonder what he was thinking at the time!!! (Novelty hits??? Or just part of the crowd he was hangin' out with back then?!?!?)
You can check out all the latest on Monti's comings and goings at his website here:
Click here: Monti Frame
(In fact, how cool is this?!?!? If you're interested, you can even hire Sir Monti Rock III to perform your wedding ceremony!!! Yep, I think folks'll remember that event!!!)
-- Kent Kotal
Do any of you remember Sir Monti Rock III?
But before I could even pull something together to put up on the web, I saw that answers were already coming in:
Of course I remember! -- Disco Tex and The Sex-O-Lettes. I think the "hit" was "Get Dancing." I remember playing it on the radio, although I don't remember what year it was, so I don't know if it was 'KB or not. But I do remember the song was fun, and Monte made Elton John and Liberace look conservative.
Don Berns
The single was a hit in late 74, early 75 ... I probably played it during my short stint on WYSL, then.
Take care,
Bob
Monti Rock the 3rd I believe was a hairdresser (1st), a chef? (2nd), and a singer (3rd) but I forgot he had a hit with “Get Dancing.) He was also known as Disco Tex (and the Sex-O-Lettes). "Get Dancing".
-- Dennis
Sir Monti Rock III is alive and well and living in Las Vegas. Remember his line(s) in Saturday Night Fever? "This is Monti, your delicious DJ -- turn yourselves in, baby!"
John Bisci
www.lancasterheroes.com
Sir Monti Rock III (Real Name: Joseph Montanez) had two Top 40 Hits as Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes in 1975: Get Dancin' (which actually made The National Top Ten) and I Wanna Dance Wit' Choo, which hit #23. Both are camp, over-the-top, horribly hard to listen to, God-Awful semi-disco tracks that definitely fall into the Forgotten Hits category ... by all appearances, conventional oldies radio won't touch them!!! (Quite honestly, I'm not so sure that these tracks need to be resurrected!!! lol In fact, along with Rick Dees' Disco Duck, Disco Tex's recordings are a pretty fair representation of disco music at its absolute worst!!! At the very least, nothing short of "Disco Gone Wrong"!!!) But the truth is these recordings were EXACTLY what they were intended to be ... they were SUPPOSED to be completely outrageous and out of control ... and that's what made them so unique at the time!
Prior to his chart success, Sir Monti Rock III was probably best known as a hair-dresser ... in fact, at one point, he owned a chain of hairdressing salons ... and he became an internationally known celebrity for his flamboyant behavior. (He even managed a few movie roles during his fifteen minutes of fame!) Believe it or not, his hit singles were produced by the legendary Bob Crewe ... you've just gotta wonder what he was thinking at the time!!! (Novelty hits??? Or just part of the crowd he was hangin' out with back then?!?!?)
You can check out all the latest on Monti's comings and goings at his website here:
Click here: Monti Frame
(In fact, how cool is this?!?!? If you're interested, you can even hire Sir Monti Rock III to perform your wedding ceremony!!! Yep, I think folks'll remember that event!!!)
-- Kent Kotal
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Roger Cook Time Line
Yesterday we featured a couple of Roger Cook's musical ventures ... first as a recording artist ... (along with partner Roger Greenaway, Cook was one half of The British Duo David and Jonathan, who scored a Top 20 Hit with their rendition of The Beatles' classic "Michelle" in 1966) ... and then as a songwriter ... (we cast the spotlight on Roger's 1967 rare instrumental hit "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman", released by Whistling Jack Smith.)
We also gave you a list of some of the OTHER songs that Roger Cook had a hand in writing and producing ... a VERY impressive list indeed.
Today, thanks to Roger's INCREDIBLE website:
Click here: Who is Roger Cook - Songwriter ?
we've constructed a Roger Cook Time Line, spotlighting some of the highlights of his illustrious career.
8/19/1940 - Roger Frederick Cook is born
1958 - Thanks to a teenage crush, Roger composes his first song, "Judy My Darling". Later that year, he forms his first singing group, The Sapphires, who go on to win a National Talent Competition. This recognition allows them to tour U.K. Cabarets and U.S. Air Bases. Before the year is over, The Sapphires record their first (and only) LP.
The Early '60's find Roger Cook working successfully as a pantomime artist!
1965 - Cook is asked to join Roger Greenaway's group The Kestrels, which also includes singer Tony Burrows. Backstage in a dressing room one night, Cook and Greenaway write their very first song together. That song ... "You've Got Your Troubles" will go on to become a HUGE International Top Ten Hit for The Fortunes before the year is over. Later that year, The Kestrels disband after Burrows decides to pursue a solo career. The two Rogers (Cook and Greenaway) continue to earn a living by singing background on a number of recording sessions for other artists like Tom Jones and Billy Fury. Meanwhile, songs written by the songwriting team of Cook and Greenaway continue to be recorded by a variety of British artists like Petula Clark.
July, 1965 - After Beatles' Producer George Martin hears the original demo that Roger and Roger recorded for "You've Got Your Troubles", he suggests that they might want to consider a recording career of their own. His wife Judy comes up with the name "David And Jonathan" for the duo. (Why "Roger and Roger" wouldn't work is anybody's guess!!!) A couple of minor single releases follow without much chart success. The duo also continue to provide background vocals on other artists' recordings. (One of those recordings is Peter Sellers' version of The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night", also produced by George Martin.)
1966 - In January, David and Jonathan record "Michelle" ... days later, they perform the song on the popular British music television series "Ready, Steady, Go". Soon they are on their way to The United States for a series of radio and TV appearances, accompanied by George Martin. The following month, they release their first album, (also produced by Martin), which includes The Beatles' songs "Michelle" and "Yesterday". Later that year, Gary Lewis and the Playboys score a Top Ten Hit with the duo's "Green Grass". Meanwhile, David and Jonathan are on tour as one of the opening acts for Herman's Hermits. By year's end, they have written and recorded radio spots for Coca Cola along with artists like The Fortunes, The Troggs and The Tremeloes.
1967 - The duo's second LP release (as David and Jonathan) is their Greatest Hits album, released in Germany only! Their songs continue to be interpreted by a wide variety of artists, including Nancy Wilson, Gene Pitney, Cliff Richard and Brenda Lee. Here in The States, Whistling Jack Smith scores a Top 20 with "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman", a tune we featured yesterday in Forgotten Hits.
(BTW ... DIDJAKNOW?: The original title of "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" was "Too Much Bird Seed".) David and Jonathan mine the Lennon - McCartney well one more time when they release their version of "She's Leaving Home" that summer. Later that year, they recorded the original version of "Softly Whispering I Love You", which would go on to become a Top 30 U.S. Hit five years later for The English Congregation.
1968 - David and Jonathan announce the end of their recording career, stating that they will continue to work together writing songs for other artists. Meanwhile, Cook takes a stab at a solo career, releasing his version of Elton John's "Skyline Pigeon" as Roger James Cooke.
1969 - Madeline Bell is asked to add her vocals to a new recording by Blue Mink. Roger Greenaway is also approached, but declines the offer, suggesting they contact Roger Cook instead. Soon, Cook and Bell are singing together as Blue Mink on the first of seven British chart hits.
1970 - Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway are awarded The "Best Radio Jingle Of The Year" award for "In Between The Heartaches and The Crying ", performed in a Coca Cola ad campaign by Ray Charles. Later that year Roger Greenaway teams up with old pal Tony Burrows to form The Pipkins, who hit it big here in The States with their novelty song "Gimme Dat Ding" (#7, Cash Box). Around the same time, Burrows, Greenaway and Cook are climbing the charts as White Plains with their Top Ten Hit "My Baby Loves Lovin'". In fact, after a not very successful
career as a solo artist, Tony Burrows is suddenly ALL over the radio, ghost-singing lead vocals as The Pipkins (Gimme Dat Ding), Edison Lighthouse (Love Grows), The Brotherhood Of Man (United We Stand), White Plains (My Baby Loves Lovin') and later First Class (Beach Baby)!!! Meanwhile, Cook continues to score U.K. hits with Blue Mink. In their "spare time", Cook, Burrows and Madeline Bell also add their voices to Elton John's latest LP.
In March, 1970, British television history is made when Blue Mink, Brotherhood Of Man, Edison Lighthouse and The Pipkins ALL appear together on the BBC television series "Top Of The Pops". Incredibly, ALL of those groups now feature members of the now defunct, long-disbanded Kestrels!!! Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway and (especially) Tony Burrows leap from stage to stage between numbers to fill all of the necessary spots required in this incredible TV line-up. They later receive a warning from The BBC "not to try and fool them again with their many disguises"!!!!!
In May, Cook and Greenaway are awarded The Ivor Novello Award for "Song Of The Year" for Blue Mink's "Melting Pot".
Continuing along in their Coca-Cola advertising dynasty, the duo compose "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke" (which later becomes "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" ... and a Top Ten Hit for The New Seekers ... featuring [surprise, surprise!] Tony Burrows on vocals! ... as well as a Top 20 Hit for The Hillside Singers.)
The Early '70's sees the duo's songs recorded by Olivia Newton-John (with Tomorrow), Andy Williams, Cliff Richard, The Hollies, Sonny and Cher, Englebert Humperdinck, White Plains and Blue Mink (amongst others). In 1971, The Fortunes score a major comeback hit with "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again". (The following year, they will also give The Hollies the biggest hit of THEIR career when they record "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress".)
January, 1972 - Three of the Top Four songs on The British Record Charts were composed by the songwriting duo of Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The New Seekers hold down the #1 spot with "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing", "Softly Whispering I Love You" by The ("English") Congregation (featuring former Blue Mink member Alan Parker) is at #2 and Cilla Black has the #4 record on the charts with "Something Tells Me Something's Gonna Happen Tonight", the theme song from her hit British television series. A month later, The New Seekers are invited to perform "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" at The White House by President Richard Nixon.
That Spring, Cook and Greenaway are awarded The Ivor Novello "Songwriters Of The Year" award for the second consecutive year. Thanks to the success of their Coca Cola jingles, Cook and Greenaway are besieged with offers to pen OTHER advertising tunes for the likes of Mars, Milky Way, Cadburys Chocolate, Esso Petrol, Maxwell House, Levis and literally DOZENS of others. They also continue to write jingles for Coca Cola, which will be recorded by a number of "name" artists over the years.
1974 - Carol Douglas scores a Top Ten Hit with her version of the Cook - Greenaway penned tune "Doctor's Orders". Throughout the remainder of the '70's, Roger Cook's songs are recorded by Ronnie Spector, Madeline Bell, The New Seekers, Dusty Springfield and The Andrea True Connection.
In 1976, Roger records an album of original songs in Nashville, Tennessee! Two years later, this unlikely pairing of Brit Roger Cook and Nashville's Country Music Scene will yield both a #1 Single AND the "Song Of The Year" honor when Crystal Gayle records Roger's "Talking In Your Sleep". In 1980, Cook will hit #1 again on the country charts when Don Williams records his tune "I Believe In You". Country crooners Johnny Cash and Juice Newton would also go on to record Cook tunes in the '80's.
1991 - David and Jonathan reunite on stage to perform "You've Got Your Troubles" for a "Cancer and Leukemia In Childhood" Charity Benefit Concert.
1995 - Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway are presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. Ironically, just a few weeks later, Nashville, Tennessee's Mayor declares "Roger Cook Day"! Before the year is over, Roger has moved back to Nashville.
1997 - Roger Cook is inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame ... the FIRST British writer EVER to be so honored. Later that year, George Strait records his tune "One Night At A Time" which goes on to top Billboard's Country Music Chart for five weeks and win The Song Of The Year Award.
2000 - Roger Cook teams up with Henry Gross to write a couple of songs for Henry's "I'm Hearing Things" album. They later write a few more songs together for subsequent releases (and continue to work together whenever the opportunity presents itself.)
TODAY: Roger is currently working on two musicals. "Beautiful and Damned", written in collaboration with Les Reed, is based on the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Don't You Rock Me, Daddio", written with Joe Brown, is set in 1957 and captures a unique period of cultural, social and musical change in 20th century Britain. Click on the links to find out more ... Click here: Roger Cook - Current Projects
A few words from Henry Gross:
Kent,
Funny that you should write about Roger Cook today. He just left my home in Naples FL, this morning after a three day visit that included finishing a recording of one of our new songs (to be used on my next CD) and writing another Rocker with Jack "Stack-O- Tracks" Grochmal who came to visit along with Roger. The three of us, old best of friends, once did a performance at "The Bluebird Cafe" in Nashville, calling ourselves "The Fabulous Flying Chunks!" Need I say more? We've had too much fun!
What can I say about Roger that I haven't already said? He's the brother I never wanted! (Just kidding!!!!!)
Roger is a true inspiration. When my friends in New York City asked me, 23 years ago, what I was doing in Nashville I would always reply: "I'm studying songwriting with Roger Cook".
Aside from being one of my dearest friends and one of the greatest songwriters ever, he's a free spirit who loves the beauty of the planet and celebrates the positive every day! His talent is undeniable and the songs he's created are truly unique and life affirming.
As this is starting to sound a bit too much like a eulogy and I don't want to become my generation's George Jessel, I'll just say that to know him is to be blessed, to write with him sensational, to drink with him ... Divine!
Love to all,
Henry
We also gave you a list of some of the OTHER songs that Roger Cook had a hand in writing and producing ... a VERY impressive list indeed.
Today, thanks to Roger's INCREDIBLE website:
Click here: Who is Roger Cook - Songwriter ?
we've constructed a Roger Cook Time Line, spotlighting some of the highlights of his illustrious career.
8/19/1940 - Roger Frederick Cook is born
1958 - Thanks to a teenage crush, Roger composes his first song, "Judy My Darling". Later that year, he forms his first singing group, The Sapphires, who go on to win a National Talent Competition. This recognition allows them to tour U.K. Cabarets and U.S. Air Bases. Before the year is over, The Sapphires record their first (and only) LP.
The Early '60's find Roger Cook working successfully as a pantomime artist!
1965 - Cook is asked to join Roger Greenaway's group The Kestrels, which also includes singer Tony Burrows. Backstage in a dressing room one night, Cook and Greenaway write their very first song together. That song ... "You've Got Your Troubles" will go on to become a HUGE International Top Ten Hit for The Fortunes before the year is over. Later that year, The Kestrels disband after Burrows decides to pursue a solo career. The two Rogers (Cook and Greenaway) continue to earn a living by singing background on a number of recording sessions for other artists like Tom Jones and Billy Fury. Meanwhile, songs written by the songwriting team of Cook and Greenaway continue to be recorded by a variety of British artists like Petula Clark.
July, 1965 - After Beatles' Producer George Martin hears the original demo that Roger and Roger recorded for "You've Got Your Troubles", he suggests that they might want to consider a recording career of their own. His wife Judy comes up with the name "David And Jonathan" for the duo. (Why "Roger and Roger" wouldn't work is anybody's guess!!!) A couple of minor single releases follow without much chart success. The duo also continue to provide background vocals on other artists' recordings. (One of those recordings is Peter Sellers' version of The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night", also produced by George Martin.)
1966 - In January, David and Jonathan record "Michelle" ... days later, they perform the song on the popular British music television series "Ready, Steady, Go". Soon they are on their way to The United States for a series of radio and TV appearances, accompanied by George Martin. The following month, they release their first album, (also produced by Martin), which includes The Beatles' songs "Michelle" and "Yesterday". Later that year, Gary Lewis and the Playboys score a Top Ten Hit with the duo's "Green Grass". Meanwhile, David and Jonathan are on tour as one of the opening acts for Herman's Hermits. By year's end, they have written and recorded radio spots for Coca Cola along with artists like The Fortunes, The Troggs and The Tremeloes.
1967 - The duo's second LP release (as David and Jonathan) is their Greatest Hits album, released in Germany only! Their songs continue to be interpreted by a wide variety of artists, including Nancy Wilson, Gene Pitney, Cliff Richard and Brenda Lee. Here in The States, Whistling Jack Smith scores a Top 20 with "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman", a tune we featured yesterday in Forgotten Hits.
(BTW ... DIDJAKNOW?: The original title of "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" was "Too Much Bird Seed".) David and Jonathan mine the Lennon - McCartney well one more time when they release their version of "She's Leaving Home" that summer. Later that year, they recorded the original version of "Softly Whispering I Love You", which would go on to become a Top 30 U.S. Hit five years later for The English Congregation.
1968 - David and Jonathan announce the end of their recording career, stating that they will continue to work together writing songs for other artists. Meanwhile, Cook takes a stab at a solo career, releasing his version of Elton John's "Skyline Pigeon" as Roger James Cooke.
1969 - Madeline Bell is asked to add her vocals to a new recording by Blue Mink. Roger Greenaway is also approached, but declines the offer, suggesting they contact Roger Cook instead. Soon, Cook and Bell are singing together as Blue Mink on the first of seven British chart hits.
1970 - Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway are awarded The "Best Radio Jingle Of The Year" award for "In Between The Heartaches and The Crying ", performed in a Coca Cola ad campaign by Ray Charles. Later that year Roger Greenaway teams up with old pal Tony Burrows to form The Pipkins, who hit it big here in The States with their novelty song "Gimme Dat Ding" (#7, Cash Box). Around the same time, Burrows, Greenaway and Cook are climbing the charts as White Plains with their Top Ten Hit "My Baby Loves Lovin'". In fact, after a not very successful
career as a solo artist, Tony Burrows is suddenly ALL over the radio, ghost-singing lead vocals as The Pipkins (Gimme Dat Ding), Edison Lighthouse (Love Grows), The Brotherhood Of Man (United We Stand), White Plains (My Baby Loves Lovin') and later First Class (Beach Baby)!!! Meanwhile, Cook continues to score U.K. hits with Blue Mink. In their "spare time", Cook, Burrows and Madeline Bell also add their voices to Elton John's latest LP.
In March, 1970, British television history is made when Blue Mink, Brotherhood Of Man, Edison Lighthouse and The Pipkins ALL appear together on the BBC television series "Top Of The Pops". Incredibly, ALL of those groups now feature members of the now defunct, long-disbanded Kestrels!!! Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway and (especially) Tony Burrows leap from stage to stage between numbers to fill all of the necessary spots required in this incredible TV line-up. They later receive a warning from The BBC "not to try and fool them again with their many disguises"!!!!!
In May, Cook and Greenaway are awarded The Ivor Novello Award for "Song Of The Year" for Blue Mink's "Melting Pot".
Continuing along in their Coca-Cola advertising dynasty, the duo compose "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke" (which later becomes "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" ... and a Top Ten Hit for The New Seekers ... featuring [surprise, surprise!] Tony Burrows on vocals! ... as well as a Top 20 Hit for The Hillside Singers.)
The Early '70's sees the duo's songs recorded by Olivia Newton-John (with Tomorrow), Andy Williams, Cliff Richard, The Hollies, Sonny and Cher, Englebert Humperdinck, White Plains and Blue Mink (amongst others). In 1971, The Fortunes score a major comeback hit with "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again". (The following year, they will also give The Hollies the biggest hit of THEIR career when they record "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress".)
January, 1972 - Three of the Top Four songs on The British Record Charts were composed by the songwriting duo of Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The New Seekers hold down the #1 spot with "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing", "Softly Whispering I Love You" by The ("English") Congregation (featuring former Blue Mink member Alan Parker) is at #2 and Cilla Black has the #4 record on the charts with "Something Tells Me Something's Gonna Happen Tonight", the theme song from her hit British television series. A month later, The New Seekers are invited to perform "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" at The White House by President Richard Nixon.
That Spring, Cook and Greenaway are awarded The Ivor Novello "Songwriters Of The Year" award for the second consecutive year. Thanks to the success of their Coca Cola jingles, Cook and Greenaway are besieged with offers to pen OTHER advertising tunes for the likes of Mars, Milky Way, Cadburys Chocolate, Esso Petrol, Maxwell House, Levis and literally DOZENS of others. They also continue to write jingles for Coca Cola, which will be recorded by a number of "name" artists over the years.
1974 - Carol Douglas scores a Top Ten Hit with her version of the Cook - Greenaway penned tune "Doctor's Orders". Throughout the remainder of the '70's, Roger Cook's songs are recorded by Ronnie Spector, Madeline Bell, The New Seekers, Dusty Springfield and The Andrea True Connection.
In 1976, Roger records an album of original songs in Nashville, Tennessee! Two years later, this unlikely pairing of Brit Roger Cook and Nashville's Country Music Scene will yield both a #1 Single AND the "Song Of The Year" honor when Crystal Gayle records Roger's "Talking In Your Sleep". In 1980, Cook will hit #1 again on the country charts when Don Williams records his tune "I Believe In You". Country crooners Johnny Cash and Juice Newton would also go on to record Cook tunes in the '80's.
1991 - David and Jonathan reunite on stage to perform "You've Got Your Troubles" for a "Cancer and Leukemia In Childhood" Charity Benefit Concert.
1995 - Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway are presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. Ironically, just a few weeks later, Nashville, Tennessee's Mayor declares "Roger Cook Day"! Before the year is over, Roger has moved back to Nashville.
1997 - Roger Cook is inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame ... the FIRST British writer EVER to be so honored. Later that year, George Strait records his tune "One Night At A Time" which goes on to top Billboard's Country Music Chart for five weeks and win The Song Of The Year Award.
2000 - Roger Cook teams up with Henry Gross to write a couple of songs for Henry's "I'm Hearing Things" album. They later write a few more songs together for subsequent releases (and continue to work together whenever the opportunity presents itself.)
TODAY: Roger is currently working on two musicals. "Beautiful and Damned", written in collaboration with Les Reed, is based on the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Don't You Rock Me, Daddio", written with Joe Brown, is set in 1957 and captures a unique period of cultural, social and musical change in 20th century Britain. Click on the links to find out more ... Click here: Roger Cook - Current Projects
A few words from Henry Gross:
Kent,
Funny that you should write about Roger Cook today. He just left my home in Naples FL, this morning after a three day visit that included finishing a recording of one of our new songs (to be used on my next CD) and writing another Rocker with Jack "Stack-O- Tracks" Grochmal who came to visit along with Roger. The three of us, old best of friends, once did a performance at "The Bluebird Cafe" in Nashville, calling ourselves "The Fabulous Flying Chunks!" Need I say more? We've had too much fun!
What can I say about Roger that I haven't already said? He's the brother I never wanted! (Just kidding!!!!!)
Roger is a true inspiration. When my friends in New York City asked me, 23 years ago, what I was doing in Nashville I would always reply: "I'm studying songwriting with Roger Cook".
Aside from being one of my dearest friends and one of the greatest songwriters ever, he's a free spirit who loves the beauty of the planet and celebrates the positive every day! His talent is undeniable and the songs he's created are truly unique and life affirming.
As this is starting to sound a bit too much like a eulogy and I don't want to become my generation's George Jessel, I'll just say that to know him is to be blessed, to write with him sensational, to drink with him ... Divine!
Love to all,
Henry
Friday, January 16, 2009
Speaking of Roger Cook ...
Yesterday we mentioned British Songwriter Roger Cook in our special Madeline Bell profile. (Together, the two fronted a band called Blue Mink, who scored seven hits on The British Charts between 1969 and 1973.)
But the Roger Cook story is MUCH bigger than that!!!
Although he was in some way involved with literally DOZENS of chart hits, Roger
probably enjoyed his own biggest chart success as one half of the British duo David and Jonathan, who scored a #18 U.S. Hit with their rendition of the classic Lennon and McCartney song "Michelle." (The track was produced by Beatles' Producer George Martin ... who liked their vocals so much that he recruited Cook ... and Roger Greenaway ... the OTHER half of David and Jonathan ... to handle the background vocals on the Peter Sellers album he was producing, featuring Sellers' own version of "A Hard Day's Night", yet ANOTHER Beatles classic!)
But Roger Cook's REAL calling was as a songwriter ... over the next several years, his songs became BIG pop hits for a wide variety of artists, including:
Doctor's Orders (by Carol Douglas)
Green Grass (by Gary Lewis and the Playboys)
Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again (by The Fortunes)
I Believe In You (by Don Williams)
I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman (by Whistling Jack Smith)
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (Top 20 Hits for both The New Seekers and The Hillside Singers)
Long Cool Woman (by The Hollies)
My Baby Loves Lovin' (by White Plains)
Softly Whispering I Love You (by The English Congregation)
Talking In Your Sleep (by Crystal Gayle)
The Way It Used To Be (by Englebert Humperdinck)
You've Got Your Troubles (by The Fortunes)
... and that's just a few ... in fact, you'll find a 56-Page List of Roger's songwriting credits on his website:
Click here: Who is Roger Cook - Songwriter ?
Many of these tracks have gone on to become radio classics ... but today we're giving you two of Roger's Forgotten Hits.
First up, the David and Jonathan version of Michelle. (Since The Beatles themselves decided NOT to release Michelle as a single ... and since, incredibly, Capitol Records didn't jump the gun and release what would have been a sure-fire hit here in The States as yet another "extra" U.S. Beatles single ... David and Jonathan had a wide open path to score with their own hit version of this classic Lennon - McCartney tune.)
And secondly, how about "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman", a GREAT instrumental tune by Whistling Jack Smith from 1967 that went to #14 on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart.
I hope some of the jocks on the list will see fit to feature these great, over-looked gems as part of their special "Forgotten Hits" programming ... odds are your listeners haven't heard them in YEARS!!!
But the Roger Cook story is MUCH bigger than that!!!
Although he was in some way involved with literally DOZENS of chart hits, Roger
probably enjoyed his own biggest chart success as one half of the British duo David and Jonathan, who scored a #18 U.S. Hit with their rendition of the classic Lennon and McCartney song "Michelle." (The track was produced by Beatles' Producer George Martin ... who liked their vocals so much that he recruited Cook ... and Roger Greenaway ... the OTHER half of David and Jonathan ... to handle the background vocals on the Peter Sellers album he was producing, featuring Sellers' own version of "A Hard Day's Night", yet ANOTHER Beatles classic!)
But Roger Cook's REAL calling was as a songwriter ... over the next several years, his songs became BIG pop hits for a wide variety of artists, including:
Doctor's Orders (by Carol Douglas)
Green Grass (by Gary Lewis and the Playboys)
Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again (by The Fortunes)
I Believe In You (by Don Williams)
I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman (by Whistling Jack Smith)
I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (Top 20 Hits for both The New Seekers and The Hillside Singers)
Long Cool Woman (by The Hollies)
My Baby Loves Lovin' (by White Plains)
Softly Whispering I Love You (by The English Congregation)
Talking In Your Sleep (by Crystal Gayle)
The Way It Used To Be (by Englebert Humperdinck)
You've Got Your Troubles (by The Fortunes)
... and that's just a few ... in fact, you'll find a 56-Page List of Roger's songwriting credits on his website:
Click here: Who is Roger Cook - Songwriter ?
Many of these tracks have gone on to become radio classics ... but today we're giving you two of Roger's Forgotten Hits.
First up, the David and Jonathan version of Michelle. (Since The Beatles themselves decided NOT to release Michelle as a single ... and since, incredibly, Capitol Records didn't jump the gun and release what would have been a sure-fire hit here in The States as yet another "extra" U.S. Beatles single ... David and Jonathan had a wide open path to score with their own hit version of this classic Lennon - McCartney tune.)
And secondly, how about "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman", a GREAT instrumental tune by Whistling Jack Smith from 1967 that went to #14 on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart.
I hope some of the jocks on the list will see fit to feature these great, over-looked gems as part of their special "Forgotten Hits" programming ... odds are your listeners haven't heard them in YEARS!!!
(More on Roger Cook tomorrow in Forgotten Hits ... so please stay tuned!!!)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Madeline Bell
Since we recently posted our 2003 Dusty Springfield Series on The Forgotten Hits Web Page, (Click here: Forgotten Hits - DUSTY SPRINGFIELD) I thought that this might make a nice time to revisit One Hit Wonder Madeline Bell ... one of Dusty's back-up singers who managed her own fifteen minutes of chart fame here in The United States with a Top 40 Hit back in 1968. (I'm kidding, of course ... Bell has spent nearly 50 years carving out a very successful career in music, stage and advertising and is STILL performing and recording in Europe today. Unfortunately, here in America we quite often seem to treat our recording artists as more of the "Flavor Of The Week" variety ... and discard them for good once their records have left the charts, in favor of playing the same 200-300 "proven" oldies instead ... but hey, I'm not complaining ... that's what makes a service like Forgotten Hits such a vital contributor to keeping this great music alive!!!)
Ten months before the superstar pairing of Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations topped the charts with THEIR version of this hit, Madeline Bell scored a VERY respectable chart showing with her take on "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" back in The Spring of 1968. (It peaked at #26 on The Billboard Chart ... and we heard it on the radio all the time here in Chicago back then ... and I immediately fell in love with the song. Quite honestly, I was surprised to hear The Supremes and The Temptations interpret it as a "duet" ... I've always thought the song worked much better in the first person!!!)
Madeline Bell was born in Newark, New Jersey, and, in the early '60's, seemed to find her calling singing Gospel Music with The Glovertones and The Alex Bradford Singers. In 1962 she joined the cast of the off-Broadway musical "Black Nativity." When the touring production went to England, Madeline decided to stay and successfully forged her own musical career ... first singing back-up for Dusty ... and later fronting the British band Blue Mink, who scored their own minor U.S. Hit with a song called "Our World" (#64, 1970). (Famed British songwriter Roger Cook was the founding member of this band ... and together they also scored a #3 Hit in The U.K. with a song called "Melting Pot". In all, they would place seven singles on The British Charts between 1969 and 1973.)
Bell became a pretty successful jingles singer after that ... and did a fair amount of session work, too, working as a background singer for Kiki Dee, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Joe Cocker and Elton John, to name just a few. She returned to The U.S. Charts one last time in 1979, singing lead on a song called "Female Of The Species" for a Liverpool rock group called Space.
Since the millennium, Madeline has continued to record and perform regularly with both The SAS Band and as a solo artist. In 2003, she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Music Heritage Foundation in London for her "significant and outstanding contribution to the music industry." (So much for any perceived "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" scenario!!!)
DIDJAKNOW?-1: The first artist to record "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" was Dee Dee Warwick, Dionne's little sister. Her 1966 version peaked at #88 and has been long forgotten, but THIS was the version that first inspired Madeline Bell to take a crack at the song.
DIDJAKNOW?-2: As a favor to her former back-up singer, Dusty Springfield sang the backing vocal on Madeline's biggest hit, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.
For all the latest on Madeline Bell, be sure to visit her web page here:
Click here: Madeline Bell Homepage - the official web site for U.S. singer, resident in Europe.
TRIPLE TREAT: Madeline Bell's version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is our featured Forgotten Hit today ... but we thought that we'd ALSO share with you the Dee Dee Warwick original version ... along with the #1 Hit by Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations. Enjoy!
Madeline Bell
Dee Dee Warwick
Diana Ross and the Supremes with The Temptations
Ten months before the superstar pairing of Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations topped the charts with THEIR version of this hit, Madeline Bell scored a VERY respectable chart showing with her take on "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" back in The Spring of 1968. (It peaked at #26 on The Billboard Chart ... and we heard it on the radio all the time here in Chicago back then ... and I immediately fell in love with the song. Quite honestly, I was surprised to hear The Supremes and The Temptations interpret it as a "duet" ... I've always thought the song worked much better in the first person!!!)
Madeline Bell was born in Newark, New Jersey, and, in the early '60's, seemed to find her calling singing Gospel Music with The Glovertones and The Alex Bradford Singers. In 1962 she joined the cast of the off-Broadway musical "Black Nativity." When the touring production went to England, Madeline decided to stay and successfully forged her own musical career ... first singing back-up for Dusty ... and later fronting the British band Blue Mink, who scored their own minor U.S. Hit with a song called "Our World" (#64, 1970). (Famed British songwriter Roger Cook was the founding member of this band ... and together they also scored a #3 Hit in The U.K. with a song called "Melting Pot". In all, they would place seven singles on The British Charts between 1969 and 1973.)
Bell became a pretty successful jingles singer after that ... and did a fair amount of session work, too, working as a background singer for Kiki Dee, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Joe Cocker and Elton John, to name just a few. She returned to The U.S. Charts one last time in 1979, singing lead on a song called "Female Of The Species" for a Liverpool rock group called Space.
Since the millennium, Madeline has continued to record and perform regularly with both The SAS Band and as a solo artist. In 2003, she was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Music Heritage Foundation in London for her "significant and outstanding contribution to the music industry." (So much for any perceived "Fifteen Minutes of Fame" scenario!!!)
DIDJAKNOW?-1: The first artist to record "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" was Dee Dee Warwick, Dionne's little sister. Her 1966 version peaked at #88 and has been long forgotten, but THIS was the version that first inspired Madeline Bell to take a crack at the song.
DIDJAKNOW?-2: As a favor to her former back-up singer, Dusty Springfield sang the backing vocal on Madeline's biggest hit, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me.
For all the latest on Madeline Bell, be sure to visit her web page here:
Click here: Madeline Bell Homepage - the official web site for U.S. singer, resident in Europe.
TRIPLE TREAT: Madeline Bell's version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is our featured Forgotten Hit today ... but we thought that we'd ALSO share with you the Dee Dee Warwick original version ... along with the #1 Hit by Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations. Enjoy!
Madeline Bell
Dee Dee Warwick
Diana Ross and the Supremes with The Temptations
***
I couldn't be happier than to pass along this greeting to all of our readers from Madeline Bell herself!:
Hello Kent;
Happy New Year!
Thank you for the message. It’s good to know there are still many, many people interested in some of the best music, and the best times in the music business.
My version of “I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE” was originally recorded by Dee Dee Warwick, who recently passed away. In my opinion the best singer of her time.
I’d recorded an album in London (Mostly cover versions). Some beautiful person in the US offices of Philips / Mercury loved IGMYLM, printed 10k copies and sent them to DJ’s across America. Thankfully, the interest snowballed.
I have recorded the song again on a CD “ANOTHER TOUCH”. If you click the link below you’ll more info. This CD is of new arrangements of 60’s and 70’s favourites.
Stay warm!
Madeline
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame Announces Their 2008 Inductees
We just received word from John Rook, President of The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame, that they've announced The 2008 Inductees.
Here are the details:
The vote of fans worldwide have aided the nominating committee in inducting 33 more recording stars into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
The 2008 inductees are the Bee Gees, Chuck Berry, Bread, Freddy Cannon, the Carpenters, Chicago, Lou Christie, John Denver, Dion, Doris Day, the Eagles, the Everly Brothers, Roy Hamilton, Tommy James & the Shondells, Elton John, Tom Jones, the Kingston Trio, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Laine, Dean Martin, Guy Mitchell, the Monkees, Olivia Newton-John, Johnnie Ray, Johnny Rivers, Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Sonny & Cher, Kay Starr, BJ Thomas, Johnny Tillotson, Jackie Wilson and Stevie Wonder.
Qualifications for nomination require an artist to have had at least two top ten hits of any genre during a thirty year period beginning in 1950. It is the vote of fans, coupled with other factors such as career longevity, record sales and concert success that are then voted on by the nominating committee at the end of each year with inductees and nominees for the new year announced shortly thereafter.
An artist has three years to gain induction before their candidacy is discontinued as a current nominee. Voting for new nominees begin when they are announced.
Previous inductees include Paul Anka, the Beatles, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, the Beach Boys, Teresa Brewer, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimmy Clanton, Chubby Checker, Nat “King” Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, the Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, Elvis Presley, Neil Sedaka, Frank Sinatra and Diana Ross & the Supremes.
While voting for recording stars already nominated, fans are encouraged to suggest future nominees and visit those already inducted at the website of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
More details can be found on the Hit Parade Hall Of Fame Website:
Hit Parade Hall of Fame
Our congratulations go out to all of this year's inductees. A list of 2009 nominees will follow shortly.
Here are the details:
The vote of fans worldwide have aided the nominating committee in inducting 33 more recording stars into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
The 2008 inductees are the Bee Gees, Chuck Berry, Bread, Freddy Cannon, the Carpenters, Chicago, Lou Christie, John Denver, Dion, Doris Day, the Eagles, the Everly Brothers, Roy Hamilton, Tommy James & the Shondells, Elton John, Tom Jones, the Kingston Trio, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Laine, Dean Martin, Guy Mitchell, the Monkees, Olivia Newton-John, Johnnie Ray, Johnny Rivers, Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt, Sonny & Cher, Kay Starr, BJ Thomas, Johnny Tillotson, Jackie Wilson and Stevie Wonder.
Qualifications for nomination require an artist to have had at least two top ten hits of any genre during a thirty year period beginning in 1950. It is the vote of fans, coupled with other factors such as career longevity, record sales and concert success that are then voted on by the nominating committee at the end of each year with inductees and nominees for the new year announced shortly thereafter.
An artist has three years to gain induction before their candidacy is discontinued as a current nominee. Voting for new nominees begin when they are announced.
Previous inductees include Paul Anka, the Beatles, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, the Beach Boys, Teresa Brewer, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimmy Clanton, Chubby Checker, Nat “King” Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, the Four Seasons, Aretha Franklin, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Johnny Mathis, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Patti Page, Elvis Presley, Neil Sedaka, Frank Sinatra and Diana Ross & the Supremes.
While voting for recording stars already nominated, fans are encouraged to suggest future nominees and visit those already inducted at the website of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
More details can be found on the Hit Parade Hall Of Fame Website:
Hit Parade Hall of Fame
Our congratulations go out to all of this year's inductees. A list of 2009 nominees will follow shortly.
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