re: MORE ON THE PHILLY SOUND:
Hi Kent ...
I hope things are good with you.
It seems that the fire was confined to one floor.
I worked at Cameo many times with Bunny Sigler, The Formations, Len Barry and others. When I worked there, Joe Tarsia was in charge of the recording studio.
The Cameo studios were across the street from our offices.
I will try and get some comments from Chubby.
Meanwhile, I am attaching some photos of the studio.
Lots of love,
John Madara
Thanks, John! I invited Joe Tarsia to share a few words with our readers (as he has in the past) but haven't heard anything back yet. Would LOVE to hear from Chubby. Based on the official statement released by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, it sounds like they will be in the rebuilding process very soon. What a shame that some of this priceless memorabilia is now gone forever. I still can't believe that someone would deliberately set fire to this incredible building. (kk)
I found some interesting articles in the local Doylestown, PA (suburban Philly) papers on the origin of dance tv shows in Philly.
mje
'Bandstand,' Dick Clark offered best of two worlds
07 Feb 2010 — The Intelligencer --
Watching Dick Clark on his annual New Year's Eve TV broadcast a few weeks ago, it hardly seemed possible that more than 53 years had flown by since my first meeting with him in 1956.
Then, Clark was simply a young disc jockey hosting both a morning radio show at WFIL in West Philadelphia - in a studio that I recall being only slightly larger than a telephone booth - and an increasingly popular afternoon show called "Bandstand" in a much larger area.
The idea behind the latter had come from a radio show that had been produced on WPEN in Philly for more than a decade.
Hosted by Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, the show was called "950 Club." Grady and Hurst would spin records in front of a live teenage audience, conduct what amounted to a dance party and interview celebrity recording artists.
Between 1945 and 1955, "950 Club" had been the top-rated radio program in Philadelphia and was the first teen dance show aired in the United States. Its dance-party format had slowly evolved from one or two curious teens who simply wandered into the studio and began to dance to a time when more than 3,000 had shown up to welcome a popular guest recording star.
In 1955, and inspired by the success of "950 Club," programmers at WFIL-TV decided it was time to try the identical format on television.
They asked Grady and Hurst to host it.
Afraid of losing their top stars to television, WPEN's management refused to let them go, and Bob Horn, another local radio DJ, was given the assignment.
The new show was named "Bandstand."
Despite its immediate success, Horn - beset with personal problems - lasted barely a year. It was then that the 26-year-old Clark was offered the job.
It would change his life forever.
Like Grady and Hurst, and Horn before him, Clark would spin records and interview popular recording artists before a live teenage audience.
Unlike the earlier radio show, "Bandstand" would quickly develop a cast of regulars - kids who would show up every day and become well known to others watching at home. A few of them would soon achieve a brief celebrity status of their own.
By the end of its first year, "Bandstand" was on its way to spectacular success, and by the summer of 1957, it was renamed "American Bandstand" and televised coast to coast. It would soon become one of the country's best-known TV shows.
My association with Clark began shortly after he had taken over the "Bandstand" reins from Horn.
Following a prolonged labor strike, the daily newspaper the Levittown Evening Press had just folded, and three of the Press' former employees - Bill Smith (who later founded the Piggy Back Shopper and Ad World), Mickey Courtenay (a former ad salesman) and myself - decided to try our own hand at publishing.
Our venture would be a weekly newspaper for Philadelphia area high school students called Teen Times.
Opening a small office in downtown Philly, we went to work. For our first issue, I decided to write a feature story on the new "Bandstand."
Asked to help arrange some interviews at the station, Joe Zimmerman, WFIL-TV's young promotions director, offered me an even better idea: If I would allow our story to be written and bylined by Clark, he would ask him to promote Teen Times during several upcoming broadcasts.
For three aspiring young publishers, it was the perfect marriage.
Having a feature article bylined by the city's most popular disc jockey appear in our first issue would help give credibility to our new publication in the minds of our young readers.
And there was certainly no better means of getting word of our new publication to the area's teens than by Dick Clark personally promoting it live on "Bandstand."
Zimmerman then suggested that we extend our arrangement and have Clark's bylined column appear in every issue. In turn, we would receive live promotions on the "Bandstand" show several days each week.
It was an offer we couldn't refuse - and we began to seek ways for our publication to tie in with "Bandstand" and its many celebrity guests.
In those years, a number of America's top recording artists had grown up in South Philly. When a particular song became a hit, I would visit the singer's home, interview the parents and the neighbors and occasionally borrow photos from the family album. This usually made for a good feature story.
While the new hit song was being played, Clark would distribute our newspapers to his young audience while briefly describing what was in them.
The cameras would then zoom in for close-ups of individual teens reading copies of Teen Times over their shoulders as they danced, and the next few days would bring us a deluge of new subscriptions.
In each weekly column, Clark would write about his show and the teens who were his guests. He would reveal information about his favorite recording artists, recommend a new movie and occasionally even offer advice to his young readers.
Because of his increasingly busier schedule, many of our meetings to discuss column ideas or promotions would take place in his tiny radio studio, often squeezed between record promoters and agents.
Unfortunately, for financial reasons, we were eventually forced to close the doors at Teen Times.
Yet, in retrospect, it was a memorable experience, especially our work with Dick Clark and "Bandstand" - even if most of our meetings with him took place in such cramped quarters.
Jerry Jonas' column appears in the Life section every Sunday.
"'Bandstand,' Dick Clark offered best of two worlds" -- The Intelligencer --
07 Feb 2010 — The Intelligencer --
Watching Dick Clark on his annual New Year's Eve TV broadcast a few weeks ago, it hardly seemed possible that more than 53 years had flown by since my first meeting with him in 1956.
Then, Clark was simply a young disc jockey hosting both a morning radio show at WFIL in West Philadelphia - in a studio that I recall being only slightly larger than a telephone booth - and an increasingly popular afternoon show called "Bandstand" in a much larger area.
The idea behind the latter had come from a radio show that had been produced on WPEN in Philly for more than a decade.
Hosted by Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, the show was called "950 Club." Grady and Hurst would spin records in front of a live teenage audience, conduct what amounted to a dance party and interview celebrity recording artists.
Between 1945 and 1955, "950 Club" had been the top-rated radio program in Philadelphia and was the first teen dance show aired in the United States. Its dance-party format had slowly evolved from one or two curious teens who simply wandered into the studio and began to dance to a time when more than 3,000 had shown up to welcome a popular guest recording star.
In 1955, and inspired by the success of "950 Club," programmers at WFIL-TV decided it was time to try the identical format on television.
They asked Grady and Hurst to host it.
Afraid of losing their top stars to television, WPEN's management refused to let them go, and Bob Horn, another local radio DJ, was given the assignment.
The new show was named "Bandstand."
Despite its immediate success, Horn - beset with personal problems - lasted barely a year. It was then that the 26-year-old Clark was offered the job.
It would change his life forever.
Like Grady and Hurst, and Horn before him, Clark would spin records and interview popular recording artists before a live teenage audience.
Unlike the earlier radio show, "Bandstand" would quickly develop a cast of regulars - kids who would show up every day and become well known to others watching at home. A few of them would soon achieve a brief celebrity status of their own.
By the end of its first year, "Bandstand" was on its way to spectacular success, and by the summer of 1957, it was renamed "American Bandstand" and televised coast to coast. It would soon become one of the country's best-known TV shows.
My association with Clark began shortly after he had taken over the "Bandstand" reins from Horn.
Following a prolonged labor strike, the daily newspaper the Levittown Evening Press had just folded, and three of the Press' former employees - Bill Smith (who later founded the Piggy Back Shopper and Ad World), Mickey Courtenay (a former ad salesman) and myself - decided to try our own hand at publishing.
Our venture would be a weekly newspaper for Philadelphia area high school students called Teen Times.
Opening a small office in downtown Philly, we went to work. For our first issue, I decided to write a feature story on the new "Bandstand."
Asked to help arrange some interviews at the station, Joe Zimmerman, WFIL-TV's young promotions director, offered me an even better idea: If I would allow our story to be written and bylined by Clark, he would ask him to promote Teen Times during several upcoming broadcasts.
For three aspiring young publishers, it was the perfect marriage.
Having a feature article bylined by the city's most popular disc jockey appear in our first issue would help give credibility to our new publication in the minds of our young readers.
And there was certainly no better means of getting word of our new publication to the area's teens than by Dick Clark personally promoting it live on "Bandstand."
Zimmerman then suggested that we extend our arrangement and have Clark's bylined column appear in every issue. In turn, we would receive live promotions on the "Bandstand" show several days each week.
It was an offer we couldn't refuse - and we began to seek ways for our publication to tie in with "Bandstand" and its many celebrity guests.
In those years, a number of America's top recording artists had grown up in South Philly. When a particular song became a hit, I would visit the singer's home, interview the parents and the neighbors and occasionally borrow photos from the family album. This usually made for a good feature story.
While the new hit song was being played, Clark would distribute our newspapers to his young audience while briefly describing what was in them.
The cameras would then zoom in for close-ups of individual teens reading copies of Teen Times over their shoulders as they danced, and the next few days would bring us a deluge of new subscriptions.
In each weekly column, Clark would write about his show and the teens who were his guests. He would reveal information about his favorite recording artists, recommend a new movie and occasionally even offer advice to his young readers.
Because of his increasingly busier schedule, many of our meetings to discuss column ideas or promotions would take place in his tiny radio studio, often squeezed between record promoters and agents.
Unfortunately, for financial reasons, we were eventually forced to close the doors at Teen Times.
Yet, in retrospect, it was a memorable experience, especially our work with Dick Clark and "Bandstand" - even if most of our meetings with him took place in such cramped quarters.
Jerry Jonas' column appears in the Life section every Sunday.
"'Bandstand,' Dick Clark offered best of two worlds" -- The Intelligencer --
07 Feb 2010
Grady and Hurst's ultimate success formula
14 Feb 2010 — The Intelligencer:
A week ago, I described how Dick Clark's "Bandstand" TV show had its roots in the "950 Club," an extremely popular Philadelphia radio show in the 1940s and '50s.
A number of readers called and e-mailed, requesting more information on the subject.
As a high school student in the late '40s, I had shared one afternoon activity with just about every other kid in the greater Philadelphia area. Whenever we had access to a radio, the dial was generally tuned to WPEN-AM and the "950 Club."
The show's hosts, Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, played all the latest hit records, conducted a teen dance party and interviewed most of the recording artists of that era.
On any given day, Nat "King" Cole, Jo Stafford, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Patti Page, Doris Day, Frankie Laine, Pearl Bailey, Perry Como or any of their contemporaries might be in the studio, along with an audience of dancing teenagers.
It was the first teen dance show in the United States, and it was as popular with adult listeners as it was with youngsters.
Years later, when "Bandstand," Dick Clark's nationally televised show, was at its peak, Clark openly acknowledged that the idea behind his show had been taken from Grady and Hurst's "950 Club" format.
Late in their careers, Grady and Hurst reminisced with me about their early days together and the joy the "950 Club" had brought to each of them.
Considering its ultimate success, the "950 Club" had a very quiet beginning.
In 1944, Grady had been paired on the show with several different staff announcers.
"For the first few broadcasts, between records, we just kibitzed," he recalled. "Then one day, we started talking about different high schools.
The next thing we knew, kids were picking up on it, and a few of them started coming down to our studio. They just stood outside that window and watched us play records. Eventually, we invited them in, and some of them began to dance. That was the beginning."
In 1948, 19-year-old Ed Hurst joined the station's staff and was teamed with Grady. They couldn't possibly have imagined it then, but they would be together for the next 50 years.
Soon, the kids coming to the show began bringing friends with them. Often, there would be 30 to 35 teenagers in the tiny studio - a lot of them dancing. When the crowds of kids became too much, the station owners were forced to build a new studio a few blocks down the street.
And still the crowds continued to swell.
"The biggest crowd we ever had," Hurst remembered, "was when we introduced Johnny Ray's big hit of the early 1950s, 'Cry.' We had over 3,000 kids who came to see Ray - and there was only room for about 150."
Between 1946 and 1955, Grady and Hurst's "950 Club" was consistently the No. 1 afternoon radio program in the Philadelphia area.
Aware of its popularity and its potential on TV, in 1952, the management at WFIL (Channel 6) decided it would like to televise the show.
However, afraid of losing their two top performers to television, the radio station's management refused Grady and Hurst permission to do it. The TV show was launched without them - and called "Bandstand."
Initially hosted by another local radio DJ, Bob Horn (with a sidekick, Lee Stewart), it soon became a mirror image of the "950 Club."
By 1956, Stewart had been dropped, and Horn, due to numerous personal problems, was replaced by Clark, then a young DJ at WFIL radio.
Soon, "Bandstand" would make Clark a national celebrity.
Convinced that TV was a key to the future, in 1955, Hurst finally persuaded Grady that they should buy out their radio contracts.
"It was a dramatic move, to give up a No. 1 show on radio to make a move into television, when we didn't know what was going to happen," Hurst said.
Leaving WPEN and the "950 Club," the two moved to Channel 12 in Wilmington, where they hosted their own teen dance show until the station became part of the Public Broadcasting Service in 1958.
During their time at Channel 12, Grady and Hurst began to host teen dance parties throughout the tri-state area, including weekly record hops at the Edgely Fire House in Bristol Township and at Hugh Carcella Hall in Fairless Hills.
"During those years, parents weren't afraid to send their kids to either of our record hops or into our studios," Hurst remembered. "They knew that there wouldn't be any bad vibes. We had a dress code: The boys had to wear ties and jackets and the girls had to wear dresses. We didn't permit anything else."
Later, Hurst would host weekly TV teenage dance parties from the old South Philadelphia "Aquarama" until it closed in 1969, and then for 20 years from Atlantic City's Steel Pier until it closed in 1976.
In 1970 and '71, dressed in a cowboy outfit (that included a hat previously worn by Tom Mix), and using the pseudonym "Cowboy Ed," Hurst hosted an anthology of classic Western movies called "The Cowboys," a show I wrote and produced, on Channel 29.
In 1981, after an absence of 26 years, Grady and Hurst were asked to re-create the "950 Club" for two weeks as part of WPEN's then-new nostalgia format.
To their surprise and their audience's delight, the show was such an overwhelming success, the initial two weeks extended into a seven-year run, ending only when Grady decided to retire. Hurst continued the show on weekends for several more years.
In addition to his on-air duties, Grady also taught homiletics and communications at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood and was chairman of the school's communications department. He died in October 2000 at the age of 82.
Today, Hurst, 83, lives in quiet retirement in Margate, N.J.
Jerry Jonas' column appears in the Life section every Sunday.
Grady and Hurst's ultimate success formula
14 Feb 2010 — The Intelligencer:
A week ago, I described how Dick Clark's "Bandstand" TV show had its roots in the "950 Club," an extremely popular Philadelphia radio show in the 1940s and '50s.
A number of readers called and e-mailed, requesting more information on the subject.
As a high school student in the late '40s, I had shared one afternoon activity with just about every other kid in the greater Philadelphia area. Whenever we had access to a radio, the dial was generally tuned to WPEN-AM and the "950 Club."
The show's hosts, Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, played all the latest hit records, conducted a teen dance party and interviewed most of the recording artists of that era.
On any given day, Nat "King" Cole, Jo Stafford, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, Patti Page, Doris Day, Frankie Laine, Pearl Bailey, Perry Como or any of their contemporaries might be in the studio, along with an audience of dancing teenagers.
It was the first teen dance show in the United States, and it was as popular with adult listeners as it was with youngsters.
Years later, when "Bandstand," Dick Clark's nationally televised show, was at its peak, Clark openly acknowledged that the idea behind his show had been taken from Grady and Hurst's "950 Club" format.
Late in their careers, Grady and Hurst reminisced with me about their early days together and the joy the "950 Club" had brought to each of them.
Considering its ultimate success, the "950 Club" had a very quiet beginning.
In 1944, Grady had been paired on the show with several different staff announcers.
"For the first few broadcasts, between records, we just kibitzed," he recalled. "Then one day, we started talking about different high schools.
The next thing we knew, kids were picking up on it, and a few of them started coming down to our studio. They just stood outside that window and watched us play records. Eventually, we invited them in, and some of them began to dance. That was the beginning."
In 1948, 19-year-old Ed Hurst joined the station's staff and was teamed with Grady. They couldn't possibly have imagined it then, but they would be together for the next 50 years.
Soon, the kids coming to the show began bringing friends with them. Often, there would be 30 to 35 teenagers in the tiny studio - a lot of them dancing. When the crowds of kids became too much, the station owners were forced to build a new studio a few blocks down the street.
And still the crowds continued to swell.
"The biggest crowd we ever had," Hurst remembered, "was when we introduced Johnny Ray's big hit of the early 1950s, 'Cry.' We had over 3,000 kids who came to see Ray - and there was only room for about 150."
Between 1946 and 1955, Grady and Hurst's "950 Club" was consistently the No. 1 afternoon radio program in the Philadelphia area.
Aware of its popularity and its potential on TV, in 1952, the management at WFIL (Channel 6) decided it would like to televise the show.
However, afraid of losing their two top performers to television, the radio station's management refused Grady and Hurst permission to do it. The TV show was launched without them - and called "Bandstand."
Initially hosted by another local radio DJ, Bob Horn (with a sidekick, Lee Stewart), it soon became a mirror image of the "950 Club."
By 1956, Stewart had been dropped, and Horn, due to numerous personal problems, was replaced by Clark, then a young DJ at WFIL radio.
Soon, "Bandstand" would make Clark a national celebrity.
Convinced that TV was a key to the future, in 1955, Hurst finally persuaded Grady that they should buy out their radio contracts.
"It was a dramatic move, to give up a No. 1 show on radio to make a move into television, when we didn't know what was going to happen," Hurst said.
Leaving WPEN and the "950 Club," the two moved to Channel 12 in Wilmington, where they hosted their own teen dance show until the station became part of the Public Broadcasting Service in 1958.
During their time at Channel 12, Grady and Hurst began to host teen dance parties throughout the tri-state area, including weekly record hops at the Edgely Fire House in Bristol Township and at Hugh Carcella Hall in Fairless Hills.
"During those years, parents weren't afraid to send their kids to either of our record hops or into our studios," Hurst remembered. "They knew that there wouldn't be any bad vibes. We had a dress code: The boys had to wear ties and jackets and the girls had to wear dresses. We didn't permit anything else."
Later, Hurst would host weekly TV teenage dance parties from the old South Philadelphia "Aquarama" until it closed in 1969, and then for 20 years from Atlantic City's Steel Pier until it closed in 1976.
In 1970 and '71, dressed in a cowboy outfit (that included a hat previously worn by Tom Mix), and using the pseudonym "Cowboy Ed," Hurst hosted an anthology of classic Western movies called "The Cowboys," a show I wrote and produced, on Channel 29.
In 1981, after an absence of 26 years, Grady and Hurst were asked to re-create the "950 Club" for two weeks as part of WPEN's then-new nostalgia format.
To their surprise and their audience's delight, the show was such an overwhelming success, the initial two weeks extended into a seven-year run, ending only when Grady decided to retire. Hurst continued the show on weekends for several more years.
In addition to his on-air duties, Grady also taught homiletics and communications at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood and was chairman of the school's communications department. He died in October 2000 at the age of 82.
Today, Hurst, 83, lives in quiet retirement in Margate, N.J.
Jerry Jonas' column appears in the Life section every Sunday.
Thanks to American Bandstand and the local talent recording in Philadelphia, Philly became the center of the musical universe there for a few years in the late '50's and early '60's ... SO much talent coming out of that fine city ... making it all the more amazing when "The Philly Sound" re-invented itself in the early '70's thanks to Philadelphia International Records and the team of Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell. A truly exciting time in music. (kk)
Some time ago, we ran a list of the most popular Cameo / Parkway and Gamble and Huff Productions.
According to Fred Bronson's Book "Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits", The Top 20 Cameo / Parkway Hits of All-Time are:
1. The Twist - Chubby Checker
2. Pony Time - Chubby Checker
3. 96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians
4. Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp
5. Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker
6. The Bristol Stomp - The Dovells
7. Wild One - Bobby Rydell
8. The Wah-Watusi - The Orlons
9. Silhouettes - The Rays
10. So Much In Love - The Tymes
11. Butterfly - Charlie Gracie
12. Slow Twistin' - Chubby Checker
13. South Street - The Orlons
14. You Can't Sit Down - The Dovells
15. Forget Him - Bobby Rydell
16. We Got Love - Bobby Rydell
17. Volare - Bobby Rydell
18. Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker
19. Don't Hang Up - The Orlons
20. The Fly - Chubby Checker
The Top 20 Songs written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff are:
1. Me And Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
2. Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
3. TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) - MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother) with
The Three Degrees
4. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Diana Ross and the Supremes and
The Temptations
5. You'll Never Find (Another Love Like Mine) - Lou Rawls
6. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red
7. Love Train - The O'Jays
8. When Will I See You Again - The Three Degrees
9. Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
10. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
(How on earth does the Simply Red remake come ahead of THIS classic?!?!?)
11. Use Ta Be My Girl - The O'Jays
12. Expressway To Your Heart - The Soul Survivors
13. I Love Music - The O'Jays
14. Now That We Found Love - Heavy D and the Boyz
15. Enjoy Yourself - The Jackson
16. Only The Strong Survive - Jerry Butler
17. Cowboys To Girls - The Intruders
18. Together - Tierra
19. The Love I Lost - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
20. Break Up To Make Up - The Stylistics
Some AMAZING tracks!!!
re: COMING SOON TO A TOWN NEAR YOU:
What follows is part of an actual phone conversation I had recently with Ronnie Rice, former lead singer of The New Colony Six:
What follows is part of an actual phone conversation I had recently with Ronnie Rice, former lead singer of The New Colony Six:
KENT KOTAL: Well, you've got that big fund-raising show coming up in Naperville later this month (with The Cryan' Shames and Dennis Tufano, former lead singer of The Buckinghams).
RONNIE RICE: Yeah, well that's an expensive ticket ... I don't know if I'd even pay $75 to see me!!! Maybe for somebody like Paul McCartney.
KENT KOTAL: lol ... a $75 ticket to a McCartney concert pretty much gets you a seat in the parking lot!
RONNIE RICE: Yeah, well that's an expensive ticket ... I don't know if I'd even pay $75 to see me!!! Maybe for somebody like Paul McCartney.
KENT KOTAL: lol ... a $75 ticket to a McCartney concert pretty much gets you a seat in the parking lot!
Well, you'll soon have a chance to BUY that ticket ... Macca has announced the first of his upcoming tour dates. McCartney will perform on Sunday, March 28th at The Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix, Arizona and again on Tuesday, March 30th, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. Advance tickets (through Paul's website) went on sale this past week with general public tickets becoming available on Sunday. More tour dates are expected to be announced shortly.
MORE DATES JUST ADDED:
Due to overwhelming response a second show has been added for The Hollywood Bowl. McCartney will now perform on both Tuesday, March 30th AND Wednesday, March 31st. In addition, his website has added dates for April 3rd (Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL) and April 5th (Coliseo De Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico). Meanwhile, the latest Chicagoland rumor has McCartney performing at Wrigley Field this summer! Stay tuned for more details.
MORE DATES JUST ADDED:
Due to overwhelming response a second show has been added for The Hollywood Bowl. McCartney will now perform on both Tuesday, March 30th AND Wednesday, March 31st. In addition, his website has added dates for April 3rd (Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL) and April 5th (Coliseo De Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico). Meanwhile, the latest Chicagoland rumor has McCartney performing at Wrigley Field this summer! Stay tuned for more details.
And, of course, a short while back we gave you Ringo's tour dates, too, for this year's edition of his All-Starr Band:
June: 24-25 Niagara Falls, ONT Fallsview Casino
June: 24-25 Niagara Falls, ONT Fallsview Casino
26 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center
27 Uncasville, CN Mohegan Sun Arena
29 Boston, MA Bank Of America Pavilion
30 Westbury, NY Westbury Theatre
July: 2 Easton, PA State Theatre
3 Atlantic City, NY Caesar's Circus Maximus
5 New Brunswick, NJ State Theater
6 Lancaster, PA American Theater
7 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
10 Atlanta, Ga Chastain Park
11 Durham, NC Durham Performing Arts Center
13 Clearwater, Fl Ruth Eckerd Hall
15 Hollywood, Fl Hard Rock Arena
17 Saint Augustine, FL St Augustine Amphitheatre
20 Cleveland, OH City Lights Pavilion
21 Canandaigua, NY Sands PAC
23 Windsor, ONT Caesars
24 Hammond, IN Horseshoe Casino
25 Prior Lake, MN Mystic Lake Casino
28 Calgary, ALB Jubilee Theater
30 Spokane, WA Northern Quest Casino
31 Woodinville, Wa Chateau St Michelle
August: 5 Rancho Mirage, CA Agua Caliente Casino
6 San Diego, CA Humphrey's
7 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre
With Paul having appeared on Ringo's latest CD, one cannot help but wonder if these two might "cross paths" somewhere on the road this summer. Man, what a show THAT would be!!! Stay tuned!
Hi Kent!
I just wanted to let you and your readers know that I have two concerts coming up next month. If you happen to be in these cities on these dates, come hear me.
The first one features a return to the scene of the crime -- Denver -- where it all started for me.
The other one is in South Carolina where my friend, veteran rocker Jamie Hoover of The Spongetones, will be appearing on the bill with me.
Saturday, March 13 = Denver, Colorado (Swallow Hill, Tuft Theater 877-214-7013) Friday, March 26 = York, South Carolina (Sylvia Theater 803-684-5590)
Call the venues for show times, ticket prices and directions.
For web sites and addresses check out my Gigs Page (http://www.boblind.com/tour.html)
In fact, even if you don't live near either of these cities, we're still working on the possibility of adding more shows and they tend to come up quick. So keep checking the Gigs page. We'll post them as they're confirmed.
For you Denverites who plan to attend the Swallow Hill concert, let me suggest reserving your tickets early. It's a small theatre and I understand tickets are selling fast
Yers,
With Paul having appeared on Ringo's latest CD, one cannot help but wonder if these two might "cross paths" somewhere on the road this summer. Man, what a show THAT would be!!! Stay tuned!
Hi Kent!
I just wanted to let you and your readers know that I have two concerts coming up next month. If you happen to be in these cities on these dates, come hear me.
The first one features a return to the scene of the crime -- Denver -- where it all started for me.
The other one is in South Carolina where my friend, veteran rocker Jamie Hoover of The Spongetones, will be appearing on the bill with me.
Saturday, March 13 = Denver, Colorado (Swallow Hill, Tuft Theater 877-214-7013) Friday, March 26 = York, South Carolina (Sylvia Theater 803-684-5590)
Call the venues for show times, ticket prices and directions.
For web sites and addresses check out my Gigs Page (http://www.boblind.com/tour.html)
In fact, even if you don't live near either of these cities, we're still working on the possibility of adding more shows and they tend to come up quick. So keep checking the Gigs page. We'll post them as they're confirmed.
For you Denverites who plan to attend the Swallow Hill concert, let me suggest reserving your tickets early. It's a small theatre and I understand tickets are selling fast
Yers,
Bob Lind
UPDATE:
We've just added Knoxville, Tennessee, to the list of shows for March.
Here are the particulars:
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - The Pilot Light
(show time is 7 p.m.)
106 E. Jackson
Knoxville, TN 37915
www.thepilotlight.com
With me on the bill is Kim Koehler, a talented local favorite.
Important to note that I'm doing the early show (seven o'clock). The club may also feature another act later that night.
If you're nowhere near Colorado, South Carolina, Oklahoma or Tennessee, keep checking my Gigs Page: http://www.boblind.com/tour.html
New shows may still come up and I don't want you to miss knowing about them.
Hope to see you at one of these venues.
Yers,
Here are the particulars:
Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - The Pilot Light
(show time is 7 p.m.)
106 E. Jackson
Knoxville, TN 37915
www.thepilotlight.com
With me on the bill is Kim Koehler, a talented local favorite.
Important to note that I'm doing the early show (seven o'clock). The club may also feature another act later that night.
If you're nowhere near Colorado, South Carolina, Oklahoma or Tennessee, keep checking my Gigs Page: http://www.boblind.com/tour.html
New shows may still come up and I don't want you to miss knowing about them.
Hope to see you at one of these venues.
Yers,
Bob Lind
If any of our readers make it out to some of Bob's shows, please tell him that you heard about it in Forgotten Hits (and say hello for us!!!) And then be sure to report back to us with a full review!!! (kk)
re: AUSTIN ROBERTS:
>>>Austin Roberts ("Rocky," "Something's Wrong With Me") suffered the beginnings of a heart attack two weeks ago and underwent a triple bypass surgery. He is resting in Baptist Hospital in Nashville. (Ron Smith / Tom Diehl)>>>SO sorry to hear this about our music buddy Austin Roberts ... Austin has been SO helpful in spreading the word about Forgotten Hits and what we're trying to do here ... and personally set up my interview with Bobby Hart for the piece posted on the OTHER Forgotten Hits website, www.forgottenhits.com. We wish you a healthy and speedy recovery, Austin ... from ALL your music friends out here who appreciate all that you've given us and all you have yet to give. Our prayers are with you. (kk)
>>>Austin Roberts ("Rocky," "Something's Wrong With Me") suffered the beginnings of a heart attack two weeks ago and underwent a triple bypass surgery. He is resting in Baptist Hospital in Nashville. (Ron Smith / Tom Diehl)>>>SO sorry to hear this about our music buddy Austin Roberts ... Austin has been SO helpful in spreading the word about Forgotten Hits and what we're trying to do here ... and personally set up my interview with Bobby Hart for the piece posted on the OTHER Forgotten Hits website, www.forgottenhits.com. We wish you a healthy and speedy recovery, Austin ... from ALL your music friends out here who appreciate all that you've given us and all you have yet to give. Our prayers are with you. (kk)
Kent,
I was very sorry to hear of Austin Roberts health problems. He has been a great person to know these past few years and his music has spoken for itself for decades. From "One Night Ann" in the 60's thru the Arkade and solo recordings, his music has been great to my ears. I still think of "One Word" as my fave by him. May he continue to recover and be well again soon.
Clark Besch
I haven't seen or heard any updates on his condition ... but I know that his mailbox is full as a couple of attempts to contact him over the past few weeks have bounced back for this very reason.
Austin and I started a Forgotten Hits Interview a few years back ... we're probably about 70% of the way through it ... unfortunately, a TON of stuff was lost during recent computer crashes and viruses (always the FUN part of doing what I do.) It would be great to hear some of his perspective on things NOW if he's feeling up to it. I'd be happy to run a week-long series featuring a lot of Austin's great music from over the years. Hopefully he is well on the road to recovery and will be participating with us again real soon. (kk)
Kent,
Maybe an appropriate song to play on FH this week is Austin Roberts' early 70's 45, "Life is For Living"? Austin, we all hope you do better every day because your song says it all! Very Grass Roots like, don't you think?
WLSClark
I was very sorry to hear of Austin Roberts health problems. He has been a great person to know these past few years and his music has spoken for itself for decades. From "One Night Ann" in the 60's thru the Arkade and solo recordings, his music has been great to my ears. I still think of "One Word" as my fave by him. May he continue to recover and be well again soon.
Clark Besch
I haven't seen or heard any updates on his condition ... but I know that his mailbox is full as a couple of attempts to contact him over the past few weeks have bounced back for this very reason.
Austin and I started a Forgotten Hits Interview a few years back ... we're probably about 70% of the way through it ... unfortunately, a TON of stuff was lost during recent computer crashes and viruses (always the FUN part of doing what I do.) It would be great to hear some of his perspective on things NOW if he's feeling up to it. I'd be happy to run a week-long series featuring a lot of Austin's great music from over the years. Hopefully he is well on the road to recovery and will be participating with us again real soon. (kk)
Kent,
Maybe an appropriate song to play on FH this week is Austin Roberts' early 70's 45, "Life is For Living"? Austin, we all hope you do better every day because your song says it all! Very Grass Roots like, don't you think?
WLSClark
UPDATE: I am very happy to report that I heard from Austin Roberts this week ... he is finally home and on the road to recovery, having completed some necessary rehab before leaving the hospital. My hope is that when he's feeling strong enough to do so, he will grant me the honor of presenting his thoughts to his fans. (Who knows ... this whole experience just might lead to one more great piece of music!!!) Anyway, Austin, the offer still stands ... and it's a sincere one. I would LOVE to present your story to your fans. (kk)
re: MORE FROM SICK BAY:
Etta James Hospitalized:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/01/singer-etta-james-hospitalized-with-a-serious-infection.html
Singer Etta James is in a hospital in Riverside, battling sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection. Donto James, one of the 72-year-old's two sons, also told KTLA that his mother had entered a treatment program about a month ago to shake a dependence on painkillers.
[Updated at 2:20 p.m.: Donto James tells CNN that Etta is also suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and "right now she is very confused." She was diagnosed last year, he says.]
The music legend's tunes turn up frequently as audition pieces among the "American Idol" generation -- including earlier this week when leukemia survivor Christian Spear pleased the judges with her rendition of"All I Could Do Was Cry."
James popped up on the gossip scene early last year when, during a concert in Seattle, she threw out a few choice comments about Beyonce's performance of Etta's song "At Last" for Barack and Michelle Obama during his inauguration.
She later said that she was going for a laugh while introducing "At Last" and was "feeling left out of something that was basically mine, that I had done every time you look around."
"Dancing With the Stars" invited her in April to perform her signature tune for its audience.
James has struggled in the past with drugs, including an addition to heroin that led to a stint in rehab in 1974. She also had gastric bypass surgery in 2003 and lost 200 pounds.
Best wishes for a quick and complete recovery. -- Christie D'Zurilla
UPDATE: Etta James' son said his mother was transferred Tuesday (February 9) to a medical facility in a Los Angeles suburb. The 72 year-old is said to be improving in her fight against serious infections which hospitalized her last month. Donto James says Etta wants to return to performing, but it's unknown how much longer she'll be in the hospital.
-- Ron Smith
Some sad news for all the Johnny Maestro fans out there ... and believe me, there are PLENTY!!!
I received this email today. Remember him in your thoughts and prayers.
-- Bob Hughes
Friends:
Here is a Johnny Maestro Update --
Friends-
I received the following message today from several different people confirming what has been a rumor for a while, along with a recent photo which I prefer not to forward on at this time out of respect for Johnny and his privacy. Suffice to say that Johnny Maestro is ill with cancer and is taking a three-month break from performing at this time. He has apparently lost a considerable amount of weight and needs to rest. Read on ...
"JOHNNY WANTS TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PATIENCE OF THIS SITUATION OF HOLDING INFORMATION. YES, JOHNNY IS BEING TREATED FOR CANCER. HE NEEDS TO REST AND HOPE FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY. JOHNNY NEEDS TO TAKE TIME OFF BUT REQUESTS THE BAND TO GO ON TO DO SHOWS. HE HAS PICKED A FRIEND OF HIS, JOEL KATZ, TO SING THE SONGS AT THE SHOWS.
WE ALL KNOW JOHNNY CANNOT BE REPLACED. IT IS TOUGH ON EVERYONE, BUT JOHNNY WANTS THE SHOWS TO GO ON FOR THE FANS TO ENJOY THE SONGS OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE & JOHNNY MAESTRO. THIS IS A REAL DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE FAMILY AND THE FANS. WE ALL NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND KEEP SAYING THOSE PRAYERS!"
-- from Ed "Smitty" Smith, production manager for Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge. Messages of encouragement and support can be sent to Johnny and the group through their website at: http://www.j-maestro-bklyn-bridge.com/comments.html
Through his gifts and the way he shared them with others, Johnny has brought much happiness to others. We pray for peace, acceptance, and health for Johnny, his wife, Grace, and the entire JM & BB family.
re: MORE FROM SICK BAY:
Etta James Hospitalized:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/01/singer-etta-james-hospitalized-with-a-serious-infection.html
Singer Etta James is in a hospital in Riverside, battling sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection. Donto James, one of the 72-year-old's two sons, also told KTLA that his mother had entered a treatment program about a month ago to shake a dependence on painkillers.
[Updated at 2:20 p.m.: Donto James tells CNN that Etta is also suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and "right now she is very confused." She was diagnosed last year, he says.]
The music legend's tunes turn up frequently as audition pieces among the "American Idol" generation -- including earlier this week when leukemia survivor Christian Spear pleased the judges with her rendition of"All I Could Do Was Cry."
James popped up on the gossip scene early last year when, during a concert in Seattle, she threw out a few choice comments about Beyonce's performance of Etta's song "At Last" for Barack and Michelle Obama during his inauguration.
She later said that she was going for a laugh while introducing "At Last" and was "feeling left out of something that was basically mine, that I had done every time you look around."
"Dancing With the Stars" invited her in April to perform her signature tune for its audience.
James has struggled in the past with drugs, including an addition to heroin that led to a stint in rehab in 1974. She also had gastric bypass surgery in 2003 and lost 200 pounds.
Best wishes for a quick and complete recovery. -- Christie D'Zurilla
UPDATE: Etta James' son said his mother was transferred Tuesday (February 9) to a medical facility in a Los Angeles suburb. The 72 year-old is said to be improving in her fight against serious infections which hospitalized her last month. Donto James says Etta wants to return to performing, but it's unknown how much longer she'll be in the hospital.
-- Ron Smith
Some sad news for all the Johnny Maestro fans out there ... and believe me, there are PLENTY!!!
I received this email today. Remember him in your thoughts and prayers.
-- Bob Hughes
Friends:
Here is a Johnny Maestro Update --
Friends-
I received the following message today from several different people confirming what has been a rumor for a while, along with a recent photo which I prefer not to forward on at this time out of respect for Johnny and his privacy. Suffice to say that Johnny Maestro is ill with cancer and is taking a three-month break from performing at this time. He has apparently lost a considerable amount of weight and needs to rest. Read on ...
"JOHNNY WANTS TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PATIENCE OF THIS SITUATION OF HOLDING INFORMATION. YES, JOHNNY IS BEING TREATED FOR CANCER. HE NEEDS TO REST AND HOPE FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY. JOHNNY NEEDS TO TAKE TIME OFF BUT REQUESTS THE BAND TO GO ON TO DO SHOWS. HE HAS PICKED A FRIEND OF HIS, JOEL KATZ, TO SING THE SONGS AT THE SHOWS.
WE ALL KNOW JOHNNY CANNOT BE REPLACED. IT IS TOUGH ON EVERYONE, BUT JOHNNY WANTS THE SHOWS TO GO ON FOR THE FANS TO ENJOY THE SONGS OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE & JOHNNY MAESTRO. THIS IS A REAL DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE FAMILY AND THE FANS. WE ALL NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND KEEP SAYING THOSE PRAYERS!"
-- from Ed "Smitty" Smith, production manager for Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge. Messages of encouragement and support can be sent to Johnny and the group through their website at: http://www.j-maestro-bklyn-bridge.com/comments.html
Through his gifts and the way he shared them with others, Johnny has brought much happiness to others. We pray for peace, acceptance, and health for Johnny, his wife, Grace, and the entire JM & BB family.
re: HIT PARADE HALL OF FAME 2010 NOMINESS:
Because we haven't been around much lately, we're a little late with this announcement ... but I wanted to be sure to pass the info along and encourage our readers to head over to The Hit Parade Hall Of Fame Website and cast your votes for your favorites amongst this year's batch of new nominees:
The 2010 Nominees at the Hit Parade Hall of Fame have just been announced:
The nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame has announced the 2010 nominees. They are Gordon Lightfoot, Tommy Roe, The Steve Miller Band, Martha & The Vandellas, The Chipmunks, Santana, Bill Withers, The Shirelles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and James Brown.
Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite nominees that have had two or more top ten hits in the 1950’s, 1960’s and/or 1970’s at the website of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
www.hitparadehalloffame.org
That's quite a list this year ... I'm not sure that there's anyone on the list that I WOULDN'T vote for, in fact! After inducting their biggest class ever this year, it'll be interesting to see who makes the cut on this pared down list. (kk)
re: THE BUCKINGHAMS:
Writer Bill Dahl has posted an absolutely stellar interview on Dennis Tufano which is this month's feature on his website at: http://www.billdahl.com/
The 2010 Nominees at the Hit Parade Hall of Fame have just been announced:
The nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame has announced the 2010 nominees. They are Gordon Lightfoot, Tommy Roe, The Steve Miller Band, Martha & The Vandellas, The Chipmunks, Santana, Bill Withers, The Shirelles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and James Brown.
Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite nominees that have had two or more top ten hits in the 1950’s, 1960’s and/or 1970’s at the website of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
www.hitparadehalloffame.org
That's quite a list this year ... I'm not sure that there's anyone on the list that I WOULDN'T vote for, in fact! After inducting their biggest class ever this year, it'll be interesting to see who makes the cut on this pared down list. (kk)
re: THE BUCKINGHAMS:
Writer Bill Dahl has posted an absolutely stellar interview on Dennis Tufano which is this month's feature on his website at: http://www.billdahl.com/
For a direct link to the interview:
Keep up the great work on this website!
Best,
Linda Matlow,
Photographer & Publicist for Dennis Tufano ... and friend of Bill Dahl :-)
re: YOU OK???:
Whew - finally I can get off my knees - I was praying you weren't taken hostage!!! Welcome back!
Lea Mea
Kent,
Whew - finally I can get off my knees - I was praying you weren't taken hostage!!! Welcome back!
Lea Mea
Kent,
Hey Buddy ... take it easy. The amount of work you put into the Forgotten Hits Newsletter is amazing, ALL THE TIME ... WEEK AFTER WEEK ... YEAR AFTER YEAR ... to tell you the truth, I was WONDERING when you were going to need a vacation, because it's obvious to EVERYONE I'm sure, that you NEED one now and then.
I have thanked you before for your great work Kent, and I know that EVERY ONE of your readers who knows this newsletter knows how much effort you put into it to make it as accurate as possible and to try to answer EVERY comment and question to the Max. So I'm going to THANK YOU again, and let you know that if you want ME to take over and write nothing but MOONRAKER STORIES for a couple of Issues, just let me know ... lol.
( BIG lol on THAT one ... lol )
Your Fan,
Veeder Van Dorn
Thanks, man ... I've received a number of emails from FH Readers (and fans) wondering if I was physically sick or just sick of blogging!!! (lol) Truth is, maybe a little bit of both ... with so much time away from the computer (and free time to think), it's helped to set the wheels to turning as to just where we may take this next ... perhaps there is another level that might make for a more logical, interesting and challenging set. Who knows ... we'll see ... even reading through three weeks of now mostly out-of-date emails did little to inspire me to get back in the saddle again ... it just feels like it's already been done ... so stay tuned ... ya just never know what may happen next! (kk)
Thanks, man ... I've received a number of emails from FH Readers (and fans) wondering if I was physically sick or just sick of blogging!!! (lol) Truth is, maybe a little bit of both ... with so much time away from the computer (and free time to think), it's helped to set the wheels to turning as to just where we may take this next ... perhaps there is another level that might make for a more logical, interesting and challenging set. Who knows ... we'll see ... even reading through three weeks of now mostly out-of-date emails did little to inspire me to get back in the saddle again ... it just feels like it's already been done ... so stay tuned ... ya just never know what may happen next! (kk)
So what's next? What's coming up? You must be cooking up SOMETHING!!!
Ed
I'M THINKING!!! I'M THINKING!!!!! (kk)
Hiya Kent ... feel better, man!
Keep up the INCREDIBLE job you do! Maybe a magazine or at least a RADIO version of your show is in your future ... syndicated ... just sayin' ...
BE BIG!
Big Jay Sorensen
I'm getting there ... VAST improvement these past couple of days. (Why didn't they just give me THIS stuff three weeks ago?!?!?) Good news is it sounds like many of you spent some time perusing the websites, catching up on some missed articles and / or re-reading some old favorites. Let's face it, there's a TON of stuff on there to be found and digested (and with all of our memories starting to go, you probably don't remember most of it in the first place!!! lol)
Anyway, I'll continue to post what I can, when I can ... as I said, some MAJOR catching up to do (and I'm concentrating on those emails and topics that still feel the most relevant ... who knows, if there's enough of the OTHER stuff, it just might prompt a couple more of our "Leftovers" pages!) Meanwhile, I'm working on a couple of other ideas and oldies-related side projects, so hopefully I'll be able to share some of this with you in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks again for your concerns and well-wishes ... I appreciate it and it means a lot. Still have a number of "real life" issues to sort out, too ... but I'll be back whenever I can be ... let's just leave it at that for right now, ok??? (kk)
Hi Kent,
I meant to ask earlier, and please forgive me if I missed it, but what's been going on with you? Whatever your troubles, I hope they are small ... I certainly enjoy what you do.
I meant to ask earlier, and please forgive me if I missed it, but what's been going on with you? Whatever your troubles, I hope they are small ... I certainly enjoy what you do.
Jim Shea / Y103.9
Thanks, Jim, that means a lot. If last year's motto was "Survive '09" then I guess this year we've got to "Do It Again In 2010" ... had some health issues for about three weeks but seem to be doing better now ... just wasn't inclined or inspired to sit at the computer (or really able to for more than five or ten minutes without needing to go lay down for a while!!!) ... but I think things are on the upswing again right now ... as I said earlier, with so much time to think lately, I've given a lot of consideration to where we may want to go with this next ... and who knows, some type of radio tie-in just might be the answer! (kk)
Dear Kent,
I just found your cool website about the Voodoo Child section. I'm known as a Jimi Hendrix fanatic in France. For someone like you who's not a fan, you really did quite a great job. Congratulations!
Best regards
I just found your cool website about the Voodoo Child section. I'm known as a Jimi Hendrix fanatic in France. For someone like you who's not a fan, you really did quite a great job. Congratulations!
Best regards
Yazidmanou
>>> I put in my JIMI HENDRIX album and my son said
"Daddy, who's that ?"
And I said "Well son, that's God".
-- Robert Plant
Thanks for the kind words ... clearly, Jimi still has quite a loyal following, as evidenced by his name still coming up here regularly ... and the advance anticipation for some hot new releases! In fact, we've stock-piled so much recent Jimi Hendrix material that we just may put out a "Special Edition" Jimi Hendrix email. If anyone out there would like a copy of this, drop me a note as this will be a special mailing going ONLY to those who request a copy. (kk)
And I said "Well son, that's God".
-- Robert Plant
Thanks for the kind words ... clearly, Jimi still has quite a loyal following, as evidenced by his name still coming up here regularly ... and the advance anticipation for some hot new releases! In fact, we've stock-piled so much recent Jimi Hendrix material that we just may put out a "Special Edition" Jimi Hendrix email. If anyone out there would like a copy of this, drop me a note as this will be a special mailing going ONLY to those who request a copy. (kk)
Hey,
What a great site! And it just keeps getting better and better! Way to go, my brother!
All the best,
Dr. Robert (Bob Rush, D.C.)
The U.S. Beat
The Beat Magazine
What a great site! And it just keeps getting better and better! Way to go, my brother!
All the best,
Dr. Robert (Bob Rush, D.C.)
The U.S. Beat
The Beat Magazine
Thanks, Dr. Bob! (kk)
re: COMING UP:
I know I said I was going to be REAL careful about what I promised was coming up in Forgotten Hits (because lately it seems like half the time we aren't always able to deliver) ... but we've got a couple of cool things already in the works that we wanted to tell you about.
This week it's a VERY Special Forgotten Hits Tribute to Sam Cooke -- a nice little tie-in to Black History Month, too (which we nearly missed this year due to our limited postings)
And NEXT weekend, we're doing a FH tie-in with The True Oldies Channel's "Remakes Weekend". (We've actually done some "behind-the-scenes" work on a couple of Scott Shannon's upcoming "Specialty Weekend Features" and we'll be sure to keep you posted as they come up.) This weekend The True Oldies Channel is doing a Twin Spins Weekend -- back-to-back hits by all of your favorite oldies artists. Next weekend, it'll be one of their most popular series, The Remakes Weekend, featuring the original, often "non-hit" versions of songs followed by the big hit versions that we all know and love ... and we've added some great titles to the list this time around. (More in-depth features will be featured on our website next weekend, too!) You can always "Listen Live" here:
