This And That: Beatles Style

After featuring some of The Beatles' solo Forgotten Hits this week, we figured we'd wrap things up with some of the cool stuff you guys sent us ... along with a few other goodies.

re:  DON'T MISS THE LABOR DAY 500:

The list officially hits the web this morning ... check it out to see where your favorites came in!  (Ron Smith has been tabulating this list for ages now ... and it's an honest and accurate portrait of oldies music fans' favorite tunes.  Votes come in from literally around the world!)

I think it's pretty safe to say that there aren't very many surprises in most of The Top 11 ... "Hey Jude" by The Beatles, "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones, "American Pie" by Don McLean, "Like A Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan, "In The Still Of The Night" by The Five Satins, "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets", "My Girl" by The Temptations and "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison all seem to do well on these types of list year after year after year ... and, as such, are also regular oldies radio mainstays ... but check out #12!!! 

"Ame Caline" ("Soul Coaxing") by Raymond LeFevre?!?!?

Actually, Ron tells us that this song has ALWAYS done well on his chart, probably due to so many foreign readers ... but when this song was first released back in 1968, it never climbed higher than #36 on the national charts.  The Beatles placing THREE songs in The Top Ten were a bit of a surprise ... (besides "Hey Jude", you'll also find "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Get Back" there) ... and "I Feel Fine", "Yesterday" and "She Loves You" join these three in The Top 20, giving The Fab Four an incredible 30% of The Top 20 Favorite Tunes!  By comparison, you won't find a single Elvis Presley tune posted there.  (Elvis makes his first Labor Day Chart Appearance at #26 with "Can't Help Falling In Love".)

Sadly, nobody's counting down the list this weekend ... this would be a fun bit of radio to listen to ... but you can check it out in its entirety right here:

Click here: Oldies Music - Labor Day 500

 

 

re:  THE BEATLES:

>>>Geez, it was 47 years ago tomorrow that the Beatles played Red Rocks just west of Denver.  My Big Sis Sharon saw their limos outside the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver! She was a Senior at Cathedral High School and was walking to the buses in downtown Denver when she saw the Beatles.  Where were you on this date 47 years ago in Denver? I was a Freshman at Regis H.S. and unhappy as hell that I was in a school with NO WOMEN! But I had bought a Beates Wig that I wore to school daily and finally gave to a Speech Teacher there!  Denver is celebrating the fact ... please turn to KRWZ Cruisin Oldies 950 in Denver to hear all the BEST of the Beatles from 47 years ago this weekend!  (Wild Bill Cody)

Kent,

I saw your message about the Beatles special next week.  Anything you are looking for?  Surveys, etc?  Here are a few items I already had as scans on my computer, many from my collection.  FH star Hy Lit with Beatles, "Something New" ad, WCFL 1966 concert flyer for Beatles' visit, some Beatles memorabilia (I used to collect ALL of those Beatles pins from those little knob turning vendor things that we still see in stores today), A Dusty Rhodes DJ Beatles club card (Dusty began 50 years ago on Cincy radio and has been a good friend for decades), Triangle Productions' ad for the Beatles 1966 Chicago concert, get your Beatles towels!!, the wrapper to those Beatles bubble gum cards.  Those cards were VERY important to me back in 64/5.  I used to spend nickels galore on these card packs.  I still have a shoe box full of 'em.  Suddenly, I had to decide in those days, when I would visit Woolworth's in Dodge City, between buying baseball cards or getting Beatles cards with five cards and a flat piece of bubble gum inside.  Funny, I no longer have the baseball cards!  More coming ...

WLSClark

 

  

 

 

 

At one time I had a complete set of those Beatles cards, too ... the black and white ones AND the color ones that came out a year later.  Had the pins and buttons ... and I think I still have MY copy of that "Help" paperback book around here somewhere, too!  The little plastic dolls and the blow-up dolls ... all kinds of stuff that today you'd have to pay a small fortune for to pick up again.  All the old 16 Magazines (and Beatles Spectaculars) ... yep, they certainly were a money-making machine for an awful lot of people (if not always themselves!)  Thanks, Clark!  (kk)

 

More ... Beatles 1966 Cleveland WIXY concert ticket (HEY, I just realized I worked on CD reissues by two of the Beatles' opening acts from the '66 tour, the Remains and Cyrkle!),  Denver "Help!" movie ticket, (Wild Bill comments about the Beatles concert in Denver.  Would you like to see KIMN chart from then?),   Dan Donovan of WMEX Boston (station Lujack came from when heading to 'CFL and a decades long stint on Chicago radio) stating that the Beatles run might be thru -- IN APRIL, 1964!!.  Freddie Lennon photo.  KC 1964 Beatles ticket.  Charlie O'Finley, owner of the KC Athletics baseball team (later Oakland A's), wanted the Beatles to perform onstage in A's uniforms!!  Did NOT happen!  I have WHB KC concert contest audio for the event.  KILT Houston concert ticket.  This entire concert has been recorded and bootlegged.  A 1963 Tommy Roe / Beatles poster.  Butcher cover Capitol document. 

Clark Besch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kent,

I am glad you are featuring a few solo Beatle songs this week.  Although I try to do my part and play them, I can't believe how radio has ignored many of the solo hits by the Fab 4.  George Harrison's Crackerbox Palace, This Song,  Blow Away,  All Those Years Ago.  Ringo's Oh My My, Photograph, or A Dose of Rock and Roll,  John Lennon's #9 Dream,  Mind Games, and Nobody Told Me. There are way too many Paul McCartney songs to mention.  One of my faves came out on the London Town album and only charted at #25 in Billboard.  I've Had Enough is one of his better rockers of the late 70s, along with Getting Closer (from Back To the Egg) which made it to number 20.  Sir Paul doesn't seem to play many solo songs from that era.  I did read that he played Coming Up on the recent tour.

Phil - Wrco

As you can see, we featured a few of your favorites this week.  (I've always loved "I've Had Enough", too ... and it's a pretty obscure one ... but I think I came up with a couple of good Paul tunes!)  When I saw McCartney in 1989, he still had Hamish Stuart in his back-up band ... and when they did "Coming Up" (another personal favorite, by the way!), the instrumental break morphed into "Pick Up The Pieces" by Hamish's old band, The Average White Band.  Made for kind of a cool concert highlight.  Paul now insists that it was John Lennon's hearing of "Coming Up" that inspired him to "get up off his arse and start making music again" ... the results of which became the "Double Fantasy" album.  I'd never heard that story before ... but have heard Paul tell it two or three times now recently.  (kk)

By the way, you'll find more on Paul below in the 9-11 section below.

 

Kent:

I don't think you should have "chickened out" on featuring the John Lennon song WOMAN IS THE "NIGGER" OF THE WORLD ... it could have been even "worse" -- Lennon could have titled the song WOMAN IS A "JEW" IN A "NAZI" WORLD ... an even racier metaphor to convey the same message with ...

Metaphors are what metaphors do, I guess -- but it's up to us to "lose the dogma".

Tal Hartsfeld

It really wasn't a case of "chickening out" ... actually, I've featured "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World" before ... and I guess simply printing the title serves as much purpose as the song ever did.  Honestly, I like the music on this track ... while John Lennon is best known and remembered for creating his own distinctive melodies, I love tracks like "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World", "The Ballad Of John And Yoko" and "Starting Over" where John puts all of that to the side and just returns to his true rock and roll roots.  While I don't know that ANY of those three songs would qualify as his best work, there's a certain "feel" to the sound of all three that harken back to what first hooked John in the first place ... the very raw essence of "Rock and Roll Music" ... another song he sang extremely well!  Not great songs perhaps ... but great records.

In hindsight, I don't care for very much of John's political stuff.  In effect all he really accomplished with these records was dating himself.  I don't see any radio stations rushing to add tracks like "Power To The People" or "Woman Is The Nigger Of The World" to their playlists ... likewise his "primal scream" tracks like "Cold Turkey" and "Mother".  (Honestly, save it's message and catchy chorus, even "Give Peace A Chance" is pretty much a throw-away.)  Let's face it, for all his efforts, John did a whole lot more to change the world as part of The Beatles than he ever did as a political activist.  In the process, really GOOD songs that could have potentially been hits were left as album tracks ... the "Imagine" album gave us "Crippled Inside", "Give Me Some Truth" and "How Do You Sleep", all big radio hits, but "Jealous Guy" could stand today as one of John's great classics had it been promoted and released as a single.  (He probably didn't want to follow a ballad with another ballad, hot on the heels of his #2 record "Imagine".)  Meanwhile, "Mind Games" gave us "One Day At A Time" and "Only People", songs that proved listener-friendly years later.  Honestly, Lennon's single output from 1969 - 1973 yielded only three singles that can still be considered radio hits:  "Instant Karma" (#3, 1970); "Imagine" (#2, 1971) and "Mind Games" (#10, 1973).  Everything else ... the aforementioned "Give Peace A Chance", "Cold Turkey", "Mother", "Power To The People" and "Woman Is The Nigger of the World" ... will most likely remain "missing in action" for the rest of time.  I just don't see any new generations discovering this music and saying, "Wow ... that was REALLY something!"  (kk)

 

re:  9-11:

As we draw near the tenth anniversary of 9-11, I'm sure many of us will be reflecting on just how much the world has changed since that traumatic event.  Here's a note from our old DJ Buddy Jim Shea ... along with a clip that clearly moved him.  (kk):

Since I no longer have a radio show, I was hoping you could share with your vast readership a really amazing song that I would certainly play if I did. "The Reading of the Names", by Jon Morrell and Tony Leventhal, two brothers, NYC born and raised. It is currently posted on You Tube and getting wonderful reviews.

Not really sure what you had planned for 9/11 ... but, as I said, this is something I'd be sharing with everyone, so I'm hoping you will.

Jim Shea

Click here: Reading of the Names - The Aldente Brothers - YouTube

Happy to pass this along, Jim ... I think our readers will appreciate it.  Apparently collectively known as The Aldente Brothers, it's a powerful piece ... and well worth watching.  (kk)

 

According to the new issue of TV Guide, there are already 20 television specials planned to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of 9-11 ... including a brand new, two hour documentary on Paul McCartney planning the benefit concert that took place shortly thereafter.  Some updated specials about the rebuilding process ... and the permanent scars left on the hearts and souls of those closest to the victims.  (kk)

 

THIS JUST IN!:  In fact, if you feel like shelling out $15 per ticket, you can see a screening of the new Paul McCartney / 911 Showtime Television Special before it airs!

SPECIAL SCREENINGS - 8TH SEPTEMBER 2011

The Love We Make chronicles Paul's experiences in New York City following the September 11, 2001 attacks and how his experiences lead to the all-star Concert for New York City held at Madison Square Garden. Joining with legendary filmmaker and old acquaintance, Albert Maysles, this inspiring film is a unique study of how a person  -- famous since he was twenty-one years old  -- navigates a world with which he is determined to remain engaged.

The 8th September screenings will provide the first opportunity to view this incredible and intimate cinematic document, prior to its broadcast premiere September 10 on SHOWTIME. All proceeds from the screenings will benefit MyGoodDeed – the respected nonprofit organization which leads the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance

BUY TICKETS NOW:  CLICK HERE

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Atlanta, GA - Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16 & IMAX Use any American Express® Card to purchase tickets for an exclusive screening for Paul McCartney’s The Love We Make! *Price $15.00 per ticket, limit 4 tickets per Cardmember
The Love We Make will be broadcast on Showtime 10th September at 9:00pm ET/PT
www.paulmccartney.com

 

 

re:  ON THE RADIO:

>>>Here in Chicago, one of the most popular radio features is when The Drive (WDRV - 97.1 FM) plays their A-Z collection ... it, too runs for about eight or nine days ... but their catalog is so deep that there are new additions and surprises every time they run this special.  (kk)

Let's face some facts ... if their idea of a great radio feature was so great, it would spread like wildfire to other competing stations. Besides, you glorify these Chicago radio stations only because you reside there.
Jersey John

This from the guy who signs his emails "Jersey John" ... and uses ANY excuse to tell me which artists hail from the great state of New Jersey?!?!  Come on ... play fair!!! 

As a matter of fact, if you actually READ Forgotten Hits, you'll find that we have found PLENTY wrong with radio here in Chicago over the past twelve years ... and have noted (and suggested) ALL kinds of things that could be improved.  (Read the posting below yours if you want to see a REAL "class act"!!!)

But the fact is, The Drive's version of A - Z and the way it's structured could play well ANYWHERE it aired ... and I made that very statement the last time I talked to Bob Stroud a month or so ago ... not because it's a Chicago Radio Feature ... but because it's an absolute FACT.  Tell you what ... next time it's running, tune in for a few days ... and THEN write me back and tell me whether or not you agree.  (kk)

 

And here's another example of a radio station doing it right.  I got birthday card greetings from several stations this year ... but this one (pardon the expression) took the cake!  (Nothing like making your listeners feel special and appreciated!!!)

 

Happy Birthday FirstName from 94.7 WLS-FM!

 

Thanks, guys ... the sincerity of your message really hits home with me!  (kk)

 

 

Dashing out the door ... but it looks like we've already received enough comments to fill the entire holiday weekend ... so be sure to check back for more all weekend long!  Have a nice, long weekend!  (kk)

 

The Happy Together Again Tour, 2011: The Last Word

After a GREAT Summer Season of non-stop hit music from the '60's, The Happy Together Tour has wrapped things up until next year.  (All of this year's participants are still doing solo shows ... and you can catch all of the details as to when and where on their individual web pages listed below.) 

Meanwhile, we wanted to share a few last words from some of these artists as a way of thanking all of the thousands and thousands and THOUSANDS of fans who came out to see the show this year.

(Special thanks to "the two Marks" who dropped us a line in this regard!)  

And, just in case you missed it, scroll back to Tuesday, August 30th, to see our official review of the show!

Well, the Happy Together circus tent has been packed away for the season. What a fun run we had this year! Playing again with all the guys I've worked with over the years is kind of like that class reunion where the faces may change a little but the personalities persevere.

I sincerely appreciate the enthusiastic responses you gave us as we rolled across the country. And from the personal comments in the emails many of you have sent, it appears we all had a great time. 

(And I'm glad you liked my psychedelic shoes, too!)

Thanks very, very much for being part of my life, and see you down the road.

Mark Lindsay 


Special thanks to you for your coverage of our summer tour "Happy Together 2011."   

It is always great when you like what we have put together this year and we do appreciate it. 

It is even better that you begin your coverage even before we play our first notes from the stage.  

Our successful summer must be in part created by you and the other writers and DJs who spend the time talking to us about the show and letting people know it is happening.  

Without you it would not have had the impact it had this summer.  

This was one of the most enjoyable summer's I have ever spent. The principle artists all joined in with the philosophy necessary to create a show that runs seamlessly and effortlessly as well. The artists all got along and the loss of Rob Grill at the beginning of the tour brought us all together.  

The way that The Grassroots handled themselves was nothing less then class personified and they deserve whatever success awaits this next incarnation as a band.  Their love of the spirit and the songs is evident in the way they played that show every night.  

The Buckinghams are the best friends any tour could have.  They know what they bring to the show as the kick-off to the first act and they set the tone for the show for the rest of the night.  

The Grassroots' songs and the performance of Mark and Dusty made you proud to be on the show with them.  Every night they received a standing ovation ... every night ... and they deserved it. 

The Association have the hit songs that reflect the best part of the 1960's and the audience loved them and they are consummate professionals in every way.  

Mark Lindsay has been with the show for over a year and we know he will always be a fan favorite.  His energy is habit forming and he is a hard act to follow.  

Howard and I loved being involved with this show.  We would be remiss to not thank Baron, Raymond, Earl, Warren, Ron, Joe, Jason and Brian.  These are the crew who made the show run so smooth.  

We all loved doing the show and we all loved the way the audience responded every night.  It made the show worth doing every night.  We hope we can do it again next summer and I know you will be there to help the fans to get a intimate and insightful overview of what it is to be a part of the great music from the 1960's.  

Thank You

Mark Volman

The Turtles   

Catch all the latest news on your favorite Happy Together Again artists here:  

Click here: The Buckinghams - Home Page

Click here: Official Site For The Grass Roots Rock And Roll Band - The Grassroots - The Grass Roots Music

Click here: The Association official website

Click here: Postcards From a Wandering Minstrel | Mark Lindsay

Click here: http://theturtles.com/  

  

Hi Kent -

Love the website ... I visit daily!

We saw the Happy Together Tour's last stop, at the Minnesota State Fair. I think your assessment  / review  for the Chicago show could be applied to the show we saw last night.

We really enjoyed it, but had the same quibbles that you did.

The Buckinghams were fantastic. The Grassroots were okay. What was missing was the spirit of the band. The Buckinghams had it in spades.

The Association did pretty well. "Everything That Touches You" was the highlight. 

Mark Lindsay was a gas. Man, what a voice! From the soft caress of  the verses of "Arizona", to the

pre-punk sneer of "Good Thing" and "Hungry", we were blown away by his voice and energy.

The Turtles were brilliant. Excellent energy and vocals. Kudos to the backing band for not being afraid to rock out! The backing bands on the PBS fundraiser "oldies act"  concerts are usually very stilted. Not these guys ... and their added harmonies really thickened the vocal blend ,making everything sound more "like the record".

Mike Lane

Minneapolis



Kent,

That is a well written review of the Happy Together Tour!

OK, I can't just stop there ...

From my viewpoint, the live concerts of these and many other performers from my "formative years" have just gotten better with age!  Proof to me that they are like fine wines.  Mark Lindsay, and his voice, over the past 10 years, has increased in dynamics and showmanship that has sent me back to digging out my Where The Action Is tapes and added that dimension to my teaching.  Carl and Nick never disappoint my audiences and The Turtles have left us breathless with laughter on several occasions, while we still try to sing along with them.
I pause with reflection on The Grass Roots.  I KNOW Rob hand picked them.  I KNOW he wants his music to go on, but Robert Frank ... as much as I love you I have to disagree that they can BE The Grass Roots without you.  As a tribute band they would be tops!  This was my first year of showing tapes of The Grass Roots with Rob singing, and then sending my young learners to see the concerts without him there.  Their response:  Where's Rob?  This is not The Grass Roots. 
Remember that I have students who fell silent on viewing The Beatles taping Let It Be.  When one of them commented on their silence, another said, "Well this IS a somber moment. The Beatles just broke up."  Wow, the power of music to have the ability to make you FEEL something you are too young to know first hand.
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano 



I caught the Happy Together show at its other Chicago area appearance in Waukegan and, for the most part, I agree with all that you've written.  (It's especially nice to hear from the artists themselves on your web page, too!)
The Buckinghams make for the PERFECT opening act -- they had just enough hits to really get the crowd going -- and they add a real touch of class to the whole proceedings, even if it does come of as just a bit "Vegas-y" from time to time.
I have mixed emotions about the Grass Roots.  Sure, we love these songs -- and you're right, they absolutely deserve to be kept alive in whatever fashion makes the most sense -- but I really don't think they should call themselves the Grass Roots anymore -- maybe the 'Tribute To' is the best idea.
I enjoyed the Association. Their harmonies were pretty good the night we saw them -- and I like their story-telling. It's tough to pull off those kind of vocal gymnastics every night -- so you're going to hear a bum note now and then -- but overall I found them to be very entertaining.
As for Mark Lindsay, this guy sounds as good as he ever did in the '60's -- he's still got all of his vocal chops and makes all the right moves on stage -- he was absolutely the highlight of the show for me and I'll go see him again at one of his solo shows to catch some of the songs we missed on this tour due to his shortened set.
The Turtles are the glue that holds the whole thing together and makes the whole thing work -- I really can't think of any other artist from this era who could pull together a line-up like this year after year after year and still draw sell-out crowds across the country wherever their show plays.  Their classic hit 'Happy Together' is the perfect theme for the good vibrations that this show induces.
A great night of entertainment -- and I don't think we even have to say '60's music -- it was simply a great night of MUSIC from start to finish.
Bob Webster
Arlington Heights, IL
I couldn't agree more.  As for The Bucks, don't dismiss them TOO easily ... these guys had FIVE National Top Ten Hits in a 14 month period ... you're not going to find too many artists around who can make THAT claim!  (I do get the "Vegas-y" comment ... but I agree that they make for the perfect opening act for a show like this ... they set the tone and the mood for the rest of the night ... and they're very good at it. And Howard Kaylan told me backstage after the show that The Buckinghams are the PERFECT opening act for The Happy Together Tour ... which echoes BOTH of our sentiments exactly!!!)
It'll be interesting to see what The Grass Roots do from here.  (If I'm not mistaken, they've still got a few shows lined up with The Buckinghams before the year is over.)  How about "The Grass Roots: The Next Generation"???  There is no denying their love and appreciation of this music and, as hand-chosen by Rob Grill himself, they deserve the right to do so ... but I don't think the conflict over the rights to the name are going to go away.  As for The Association, I have MUCH admiration for these guys ... they were certainly amongst my favorites back in the day, putting out INCREDIBLE music with each new release ... but they also have to understand that by choosing to continue to represent their legacy on stage, they need to BRING IT every single night.  (It's a bit of a self-imposed curse:  they set the bar SO high for themselves and it's those trademark harmonies that the fans want to hear ... now they've got to deliver, even if it means supplementing their sound with some top-notch background voices.)  Mark Lindsay and The Turtles ... heck, I'll go see them EVERY time they come to town ... two of the top entertainers of this era, even 40-something years on.  Both artists put on incredible shows, night after night after night.
So yes, without question, A GREAT NIGHT OF MUSIC FROM START TO FINISH!!!  (kk) 


Here are two more of MY favorites from last weekend's show:

Chicago - Live In Concert At Ravinia

Birthday #58 will be one to long remember ... as we spent it at the big homecoming concert Chicago
performed at the Ravinia Festival Saturday Night ... complete with dinner, backstage passes and excellent seats to the show ... all courtesy of our FH Buddy Tom Cuddy and Chicago's Manager Peter Schivarelli. (Thanks, guys ... it really was a GREAT show --- GREAT night --- and a GREAT time!)

I should start out by saying that the very first concert I ever attended at Ravinia was Chicago ... way back in 1971.  (Incredible to think that this was 40 years ago ... since that night, Chicago has become a mainstay on the pop charts and radio, placing a remarkable 50 hits on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart!)

Ravinia has come a long way since 1971, too ... back then we did the picnic-thing, camped out under a tree (that had a speaker mounted to it that was smaller than the speakers I had at home at the time connected to my stereo!) and listened to the very muddled sounds of a band that was just first making their way up the charts.

Today, Ravinia is a BEAUTIFUL place to see a concert ... with high-tech speakers and sound and jumbo screens ... people don't just pack a picnic basket anymore ... they cart along their entire dining room sets!!! ... and this evening was sold out to the max!  (In fact, Chicago played both Saturday and Sunday Nights to a sold-out crowd of VERY enthusiastic, loyal fans, eager to welcome our local heroes back home.)

They performed a two-hour set of nothing but the hits ... including several of our favorites that unfortunately seem to fall into the Forgotten Hits category when it comes to radio these days:  "Dialogue", "Alive Again"; "Along Comes A Woman" (which stuck in my head for the next 48 hours!) and one of my favorite LP tracks, "Wake Up Sunshine".  

These favorites were mixed amongst some of the biggest hits of the past three decades.  

The show opened with the entire suite "Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon" (featuring "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World"), and along the way concert attendees were treated to nothing short of a hit after hit after hit assault of some of the biggest music of our lifetimes ... complete performances of "Free" and "25 Or 6 To 4" (the encore finale); "Beginnings", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" and "I'm A Man" (all from the very first "Chicago Transit Authority" album); "Just You 'n' Me"; "Searchin' So Long"; "Call On Me"; "Old Days"; "If You Leave Me Now" (performed with their opening act, Isabela Nanni, a 14-year-old High School Freshman who wowed the crowd with her brief performance, on lead vocal); a GREAT (and VERY moving) rendition of "Baby What A Big Surprise"; "Hard Habit To Break"; "You're The Inspiration" and an up-on-your-feet, show-stopping barrage of "Saturday In The Park", "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" / "Getaway" and "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" to close the show.

40+ years later, Chicago still has four original members on board ... Robert Lamm, Jimmy Pankow and Lee Loughnane ... see photos below... as well as Walt Parazaider, who sat out this special homecoming performance, allowing Ray Herrmann to fill in the rest of the horn section ... but many of the "substitutes" have been with the band for upwards of 10 - 20 years now ... and I have to say that they have ALWAYS had a knack for being able to recreate the sound of their records in a live environment that may be second only to The Eagles ... and this despite ANY and ALL of the personnel changes that may have occurred along the way.

Robert Lamm

 

Jim Pankow

Lee Loughnane

With that being said, a quick personal note from me to Jason Scheff (who for 26 years now has assumed the role originated by Peter Cetera on bass guitar and lead vocals ... to the point that we can't even tell the difference anymore ... in fact, Jason brings SO much energy into each performance that we dubbed him after the show "the performing artist MOST in need of a wardrobe change during a concert" ... this poor guy was soaking wet after the third song!!!):

Jason ... way back in 1989, you guys did a show at Poplar Creek in tandem with The Beach Boys.  I took my daughter Nicki ... then four years old ... to see that show ... we had second row seats, front and center ... and during your performance of "You're The Inspiration" that night, you singled her out and sang that song directly to her, pointing to her each and every time you sang the lyric "you're the inspiration".  I'm sure that this move has been a part of your stage show all along ... and you've probably done the same thing thousands and thousands of times since ... but I just HAVE to tell you that for that one special night, you made my daughter feel like the most important person in the world ... and I thank you for that.  She's now 26 years old ... and getting married next April ... but I know that this will ALWAYS be one of her most cherished memories ... (especially since she came to see The Beach Boys that night and not Chicago!!!  lol)  


Anyway, I wanted to thank you personally backstage after the show but, as you know, it was crazy-city back there ... so I'm publicly doing it now to let you know just how much it meant to BOTH of us that night.  Thanks again!

 Jason and me ... backstage after the concert

And the band isn't simply resting on its laurels either ... Chicago has just recorded a brand new Christmas album (their THIRD release of holiday music, appropriately titled "O Christmas Three", which will be available on October 4th) ... and it looks like Forgotten Hits may be one of the first sources to "sneak peek" a track ... so please stay tuned for that!  During the concert, they rolled out a lit Christmas tree and performed their rollicking, jumping version of "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" to the complete delight of all the fans in the audience.

 Me and Lee ... talking about the new Christmas CD after the show

And here's a little promo link for the new Christmas album:

http://www.youtube.com/chicagotheband1#p/a/u/1/dSlAfo1_Blg

Chicago is also one of those rare artists who encourage their fans to take pictures and record their show.  (You'll find some of Frannie's favorites sprinkled around the website today!)  Like Robert Lamm told the crowd Saturday night:  "Hey, they're all gonna end up on YouTube tomorrow anyway, right?"  (In fact, he encourages fans to submit pictures to the Chicago website, because they're happy to run some of the best ones there!) Check 'em out here:  Click here: Chicago Home Page

Meanwhile, let me just say that Chicago is, without question, one of the BEST live acts out there performing today.  They've been on tour non-stop for close to a year now and they've still got plenty of live dates set up between now and the end of the year ... check their tour calendar at the link above to see if they're coming to a city near you.  It's a show you won't want to miss.

And, on that happy note, let me ALSO say that I think that this may FINALLY be their year ... LONG near the top of our list of Deserving but Denied Artists worthy of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, my feeling is that Chicago may FINALLY get the nod they deserve when the new ballot is announced later this year. (It's an absolute crime that these guys aren't already in ... but better late than never ... so my hope is that The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominating Committee will FINALLY take the time to recognize these guys for the INCREDIBLE contribution they have made to the music scene for the past 45 years.)  Wake Up, Sunshine ... and give these guys the honor that they so rightfully deserve!

kk

Kent Kotal

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