Tuesday This And That

Right after posting Sam Tallerico’s mini-review of the Lindsay Buckingham concert he saw recently, we read that it sounds like Lindsay and the rest of Fleetwood Mac have settled their lawsuit … and Buckingham is even talking about teaming up and recording with them again.  (If you recall, when all this craziness started, Buckingham said he had no interest in going back out on the road to rehash the old hits … so they replaced him.  Sounds pretty cut and dry to me!  Not too long ago prior to this, Lindsay hit the road with only Christine McVie, as she was the only member of Fleetwood Mac interested in touring at the time … in fact, they even recorded an album together … and nobody batted an eyelash … so I never clearly understood why THIS particular instance was so upsetting to Buckingham after the fact, once the tour was announced.)  None of the details of the settlement have been released ... but who knows … there just may be one more great Fleetwood Mac album in all of our futures … and wouldn’t that make for a considerably bigger high note to go out under.  (kk)    

kk ... 
That's a clever Elvis commercial. The song was also re-done with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 
FB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmgP769pNH8 

Kent,
Your posting about the obscure Elvis song on TV was interesting.  There is another one running now for Lincoln cars.  It’s Brook Benton’s I Wanna Be With You.  I’ve been seeing this commercial a lot.  As someone who thinks they know something about oldies, I was surprised to not know what this was.  Finally, after shazaming the commercial, I got the answer.
After looking it up, it seems it’s from a Brook Benton album from when he was on RCA.  I can’t find any indication that this was anything more than an album cut from what seems to be a pretty obscure release.  It doesn’t appear to be available on any CD.  I’d like to know how these ad agencies come up with these tunes, but I’m glad they do.  Music discovery is a cool thing.

Here’s the commercial (first cut only):

Tony Waitekus    

Brook Benton is not an artist that gets much airplay today … other than his 1970 Hit “Rainy Night In Georgia,” you’re not likely to hear him on the radio at all anymore.  His other thirty Top 40 National Hits continue to be ignored … although I DID hear a commercial that featured his first big #2 Hit “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” not too long ago.  (I tried to find it on YouTube but had not luck.)  There weren’t a lot of voices smoother than Brook’s!)
Whoever came up with the idea to use “I Wanna Be With You” must have been a TRUE fan … or maybe someone who grew up listening to this music because his parents played it around the house.  Honestly, who cares … as long as we keep “payin’ it forward” and introducing this music to a new generation of fans who can add it to THEIR “favorites” collection, too, it has a chance of living on beyond all of us!  (kk) 

Hey Kent,
I remember when Vanessa Williams and Bobby Caldwell sang this on "The Tonight Show. Very cool.
- John LaPuzza  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTnO85VhiJ0  
Hmm … not my favorite version … but still well worth watching.
Thanks, John.  (kk)

From FH Reader Frank B ...

Congratulations to Neal Sabin, who spear-headed the evolution of Me-TV-FM Radio three years ago, bringing back SO many Forgotten Hits in the process, and our FH Buddy Rick O'Dell, Program Director for the station.

Robert Feder is reporting ...   

The creative team behind Me-TV FM — Weigel Broadcasting’s soft-rock oldies WRME 87.7-FM — rates national attention this week. Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting, and Rick O’Dell, program director of Me-TV FM, share the secrets of their phenomenal success on “Brandwidth on Demand,” the free monthly podcast for radio professionals hosted by David Martin and Kipper McGee. Sabin, who created the format in 2015, recalls how he felt his iPod better represented Chicagoland classic hits than options presented by other broadcasters. (Here is the link.)

And congratulations to us, too! 

Hi Kent,
Congratulations on your Forgotten Hits Anniversary as you go into your 20th year!
Forgotten Hits is the BEST!  It's like a Backstage Pass with the artists and their fans conversing after the show!  So nice to hear the "Behind The Scenes" stories!
Continued success Kent, and Happy Holidays to you, Frannie, and your Family!
Merry Christmas,
Tim Kiley  

A VERY SPECIAL FORGOTTEN HITS CHRISTMAS GIVE-AWAY 

FH Readers PR Guru David Salidor and Rock Author Mark Bego have given us a few copies of Mark’s newly updated Aretha Franklin Biography to give away!

Interested in obtaining a copy?  (What a GREAT Christmas Gift that would be ... for you OR a loved one!!!) 

Drop me an email with “ARETHA BOOK” in the subject line … be sure to include your complete name and address … and then right before the mailing rush gets COMPLETELY out of hand, we’ll get these books off to our special contest winners.

Do it now … because this deadline could come up at any time!!!  (kk)

A BEGO SIGNING 

Author Mark Bego held a black Friday book-signing at the Tucson Barnes & Noble where he sold out copies of both his Eat Like A Rock Star (written with Supreme Mary Wilson) and his tribute-book on Aretha Franklin (both titles on Skyhorse Publishing) 
Photo – B&N Manager Brett Christopherson and Mark Bego.

The Sunday Comments ( 12 - 09 - 18 )

Have you guys seen the new Verizon / Group FaceTime commercial featuring the different Elvis Impersonators from around the world who all come together to sing the truly obscure Elvis hit “There’s Always Me” from 1967?  (Here again, you’ve just got to wonder who on earth came up with the idea of using THIS song!!!)

Although it was released as a single in ’67 (peaking at #45 in Cash Box and #56 in Billboard), the track was actually recorded several years earlier and first released on Elvis’ “Something For Everybody” album in 1961!  Released as a Gold Standard single to fill the gaps between Elvis’ next planned single (“Big Boss Man” / “You Don’t Know Me,” both from the soundtrack album for the film “Clambake”) it didn’t do much to spark new interest in the material The King was recording these days.  (Tracks like “Guitar Man” and “Big Boss Man” SHOULD have sparked some renewed interest in Elvis’ career ... but that wouldn’t happen for another year until his 1968 NBC Singer Comeback Television Special.  It’s no coincidence that Elvis performed both of the songs on the special.)  kk

Reading your recent “Coming Soon To A Venue Near You” feature prompts me to write about the excellent show I saw in Peekskill, NY last night -- Lindsey Buckingham.
Whereas certain performers need occasional help reaching some notes, Lindsay Buckingham needed NONE.  He sounded just as raw as his "Rumours" days with ... oh, what's the name of that band? ...
And Lindsey's guitar playing ... absolutely on fire.
The four-member backing band / vocalists must be given props as well. I know it's often impossible for a band to tour without ALL its original members who made the hit records, so we've no choice but to let that slide. In Fleetwood Mac's case, all five of those members are still around, however.  For my money, let Stevie sing "Rhiannon", let Christie rock "Little Lies" -- I prefer to hear "Go Your Own Way" sung by the man who helped make the Mac, and not a Split End.
Also keep an ear out for opening act J.S Ondara ... this native Kenyan reminded me vocally of ... David Gray!? One to watch.
Sam Tallerico 
 
Just by chance, I tuned across KFOR locally and the "Ground Zero" show, which is syndicated late night here.  It's always a hodgepodge of crazy, silly stuff and I seldom listen, but last night they had Dr Demento on talking about Christmas songs and such.  If you wish, you can download the podcast and listen to that show here: 
https://www.groundzeromedia.org/podcasts/ 
It is the top show listed, "Carol of the Chills."  They talk about how Christmas songs are getting ridiculed for being politically incorrect these days such as "Rudolph" being a bullying song and "Baby It’s Cold Outside" being terrible as far as solicitating women.  They play a funny altered version where the GUY wants her to leave and she keeps singing about leaving but doesn't.  Also a funny mash up of "Paranoid" with one of Dean Martin's Christmas songs that works pretty fair.  Funny stuff, mostly.  Good to hear the old Dr. still going!
Clark Besch

On a related note ...    

Is “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” really too offensive to play in 2018?
Broadway Bill of WCBS-FM was interviewed for this story.
FB 
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/12/04/is-baby-its-cold-outside-really-too-offensive-to-play-in-2018/?fbclid=IwAR0sed9Tf4oMWZTJfn8zWWm4ig2kEqlh5c7j6aiGPHtuoVw2R3ap93wgk3E 
(For whatever it's worth, Frannie and I heard "Baby, It's Cold Outside" played Saturday Night at the Olive Garden ... I don't think this song is going anywhere!)  kk  

Without question, one of the key scenes in the hot new Queen / Freddie Mercury biopic is Queen’s show-stopping performance at Live Aid.  (Yes, it’s our weekly Queen Buzzfeed!  Lol  Or so it seems!) 
As linked here before … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A22oy8dFjqc … they did an incredible job of recreating this once-in-a-lifetime event … but DIDJAKNOW that they also created that entire 22 minute sequence in one take?!?!? 
Perhaps even more incredibly, the Live Aid performance was the first thing they filmed for the movie!  They originally tried to film the event one song at a time … almost as separate videos … which they then planned to edit together into a smooth transition  (Day One was “Bohemian Rhapsody” … Day Two was “Radio Ga-Ga”) … but after capturing a couple of songs on film, Rami Malek, the actor portraying Freddie Mercury (and already generating all kinds of Oscar buzz) approached Producer Graham King and expressed his concern that his performance of the individual songs lacked the required energy of such a major, emotional event.  He asked for an additional day of shooting where they could film the actors running through the entire 22-minute set and then edit from there as necessary … at least this would capture the continuity of the real concert event.

In a recent interview, discussing the film before a live audience in New York, Malek said “I was somewhat prepared, but no one can ever prepare you for what that feeling was like.  What some consider the greatest performance in rock history was a challenge. I said, ‘What the hell, they built the stage, let’s do this.'” 
He went on to say  that although "It was supposed to be a rehearsal day, everyone was in costume, so I was very suspicious. … I had a certain confidence from working on long shots on ‘Mr. Robot’ (Malek’s earlier television series) that gave me the ability to calm down. It was sink or swim, a baptism by fire.  We brought in three cranes with cameras and ran the entire 22-minute set.  It was the best take we ever did. You’re running on pure adrenaline. My heart is pounding just thinking about it. You realize how much adrenaline was coursing through [Mercury’s] veins before 75,000 people. Really, I love acting. To add into this rock star feeling, it was like being on drugs.”
Incredible!  (kk)

Speaking of the new Queen flick, Brian May spoke out publicly last week about the “uncasting” of Sasha Baron Cohen in the Freddie Mercury role.
I have mentioned before that upon first hearing the news, I was THRILLED and excited to see what he would do with the role.  But within the first ten minutes of “Bohemian Rhapsody” it was clear that Rami Malek was born to play this part.  NOBODY else could have possibly pulled it off to the extent that he did.
Here’s a recap of May’s comments regarding the dumping of Borat in favor of I Robot …
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/brian-may-sacha-baron-cohen-freddie-mercury/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter_4572276

Monkee Micky Dolenz was in New York City last week tub-thumping The Monkees Christmas Party (Rhino) album, and stopped by to visit with Gilbert Gottfried for his Amazing Colossal Podcast on Earwolf. It was a repeat performance, as Dolenz had done it three years ago to much success. Micky is seen here with Gottfried (left) and co-host Frank Santopadre (right).  
 

He also was up at SiriusXM where he did the Volume Show with Lori Majewski. (Lori Majewski and Dolenz).

Forgotten Hits Regular Frank B. tells us about the passing of two other early ‘60’s stars … 

12/7/2018 = R.I.P. Charles Weldon
Charles was lead singer of the 1960 One Hit Wonder group The Paradons, from Bakersfield, California, who had the hit "Diamonds And Pearls."  He went on to become an actor.

Also gone but not forgotten is saxophonist Ace Cannon … 
https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2018/12/06/ace-cannon-memphis-music-hi-records/2232726002/?fbclid=IwAR2j5Ey0xq0iLCB8-wHpXqCqwc6xElGbhftRpUAEDHq_OUtxsS6P7TTR9zY  
kk … I always liked his "Tuff" hit.
Frank B. 
Ace Cannon’s hit “Tuff” went to #13 on the national charts in early 1962. (It peaked at #17 in Billboard.)  He charted fifteen more times but only one of those (“Blues (Stay Away From Me)” reached The Top 40.  (His last chart hit sounds like a bit of a desperate attempt for a comeback … “Tuffer Than Tuff,” bubbled under at #127 in Cash Box only in 1972.)  The Paradons hit #15 in 1960 with “Diamonds And Pearls” (#18 in Billboard).  (kk) 

For anyone from the Philadelphia area who may remember a one-off single (minor local hit)  c. 1959 - 60 by the Identicals, "Jamie" / "Dreaming of You" (they were my first cousins, identical twins), I'm sad to report that Evie Wartell just passed away last night. Her twin sister, Shelly, passed away a couple of years ago.  They were only about 12 or 13 years old when they recorded it. They were on the Firebird label and produced by the famous Jimmy Wisner.  
-"Bruce Scott" Wartell    
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQMdr1JbSGQ