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The Friday Flash

April 17, 2020, 4:46 am
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In the midst of all this doom and gloom surrounding us these days, where you don’t even want to put on the news to hear the latest update anymore because it just beats you up so badly, what a GREAT way to start the day the other morning when I received this email from Tommy James …  

Kent,
You are THE one who keeps the music alive and relevant!!!
Tommy

Thank you, Tommy … that means a lot.  (kk)

Hey Kent!  
What an amazing edition of FH!
Love the piece on Unchained Melody!  I always thought the title was based on the hugeness of the melody of the song. I find out it was the theme music of a B flick called Unchained!  Wow!  
And the clip of the Guess Who with the great Burton Cummings singing Laughing shows you just what an amazing this singer he is. I recall playing ping pong with him at RCA studios on Wacker back in about 1971 while the Ides were in Studio B. I think he’d win most of the time.
And thanks for posting my full Empty Arena live stream. I think you may agree Colin Peterik did a great job as host!  
Rock steady, stay safe and keep the faith!  
Jimbo 

And, speaking of the incredible Guess Who, I wonder if “American Woman” by The Guess Who will be the next rock classic / oldie to find its way back to the charts.
With all its repeated airplay thanks to the non-stop television commercials promoting “Mrs. America,” the new “FX on Hulu” television series, a whole new audience will be introduced to this classic track, even if they’re not necessarily drawn to the viewing matter.  (Actually, it looks pretty interesting … and features an all-star cast.  We’ll be checking it out.)  kk

Hi, Kent:
Still reading your stuff in Philly. I don't comment much because my head and heart are musically some place else, but it's such good reading and informative and we never get too old for information. Kinda knocked me out to read one of my own comments concerning Unchained Melody. Thank you, sir! Then there was the "Fool Such as I" by Elvis mentioned and I had to dig up the Hank Snow hit version from 1952.
Stay safe and keep the good stuff coming. We need it!
Hil


Kent,  
You and your followers might enjoy this well-done "Kokomo" parody, "My Corona Home." It's by Jon Pumper, the music director at Minneapolis' Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater, founded by famed improvisational comedian Dudley Riggs.
It just passed 1.5 million views.


Here's a background article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press: https://www.twincities.com/2020/04/09/local-musician-pokes-fun-at-pandemic-isolation-with-kokomo-parody/. . .
Keep up the great work.
Don Effenberger
This is great!  My daughter Nicki also sent me some cool Corona Little Mermaid videos … man, a LOT of work went into these!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAfqCq3JIWg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dTmmcu-hW0

Hi Kent,
"Well, who woulda thunk?" 
Just when you thought you had seen and heard everything, along comes another surprise package in life.  This time it's the Corona-catastrophe, a real grand-daddy of game-changers! 
Despite all the clouds, maybe there will be a silver-lining in this cataclysmic event that certainly has changed so much in our world as we have known it.  Maybe now with all this social-distancing, and all this time to appreciate and ponder "the meaning of life," maybe everyone will take a moment to get back into their music libraries and listen to some of the gems we've all been downloading but haven't taken the time to listen to for a while. 
You know the drill, "the hard drive holds eight million songs, but I've only listened to thirty of them recently!"  Maybe it's time to really appreciate the music and mantra that Forgotten Hits has been calling attention to in it's over twenty years of publication.
In our lifetime, from Buddy to the Beatles, Elvis to Elton, to a bevy of Neils, the music artists and their catalogues of which we have access in this age of technology, accessibility, and variety, is certainly unsurpassed at any time in our generation, let alone our history (I can only hope, my high school English teacher doesn't see that run-on sentence)! 
During this current state of affairs concerning this "virus that went viral," now is the perfect time, to listen and appreciate, the "musical fruits" (hey, wasn't that beans at one time?) that have been the result of so much of the history and events we have experienced over our lifetimes. 
Seems to me, "Flower Power, Motown, Metal, Rap, Bubble-Gum, Top-40, and Classic Rock didn't just happen, but were many times the result of historic events.  Being this is about the craziest event I've seen in my lifetime, I have high expectations of music that may just result from it, I guess we'll see. 
"Eve Of Destruction,""Ohio,""She Loves You,""Don't Be Cruel" -- during drastic eras and events, great music always seems to be the result.  And, now with social-distancing, masks, economic shutdowns and "the check is in the mail," maybe now is the perfect time to take a refresher course in Music Appreciation 101!
Just a couple of viewing suggestions …
If you haven't caught the Biography features on the A&E Channel lately, let me recommend a couple that have run recently. 
The one on Kenny Rogers' career is excellent, but one you don't want to miss is the one on Dolly Parton.  Whether you are a fan of their music or not, you will certainly get a crash course in the talent, tenacity and persistence, and what it takes to becoming an icon in the music business.  Dolly didn't accrue a half-billion dollars, and Kenny a quarter of a billion dollars from the stark beginnings of abject poverty because they were "overnight successes" or were just plain lucky.  As I'm sure with so many of artists, their road managers, and roadies can tell you -- there's endless nights of feast and famine, second hand smoke, and plenty of time to ponder and wonder if the fame game, like a car accident, is all that it is cracked up to be.  I would imagine, after an all-night bus ride and eating lukewarm ham and hash browns with a hang-over getting ready to play a County Fair on a hot, humid night in Podunk, you find out real fast whether you can subsist on the compliments from the people in the front row.  And, if your love of music can hold you long enough to attain yours and everyone else's perception of fame and fortune -- if and when it happens. 
After WWII, Korea, Civil Rights, Vietnam, Woodstock, drugs, guns, abortion, Desert Storm, 9-11, Feminism, the Me-Too Movement and political-polarization, let's see what kind of music results from this, the catastrophic Corona-virus.  Behind the all-too-realistic movies, television, and books I am sure are on the way, I am guessing there will be new music out soon with titles such as:  "Toilet Paper Tragedy - The Bootleg Tapes" by The Empty Shelves!
Peace,
Tim Kiley
GREAT stuff, Tim!!!  Thanks so much for sending!  (kk)
How in the hell you squeeze everything into your day for work, family, and still maintain Forgotten Hits is beyond comprehension, let alone attend concerts and maintain personal and professional relationships.  Like Dolly Parton's Biography Special, Forgotten Hits is a killer! 
Happiness and health to you, Frannie and the Kotal Family.
Tim

Hi, Kent –
Staying at home has its little pleasures.  It allows me to dig up all kinds of stuff to help cheer up all of us music lovers. 
For example, this shot I took at the Dick Biondi Toy Drive, 2012, Stratford Square … When you walk into the men's room, here's the first thing you see.  I guess it IS sort of music-related, as a turntable DOES have a spindle!
Take care, stay safe!
Mike
Yes, I’ve seen this display MANY times as you head into the bathroom at Stratford Square!  (lol)  Thanks, Mike!  (kk) 

So Stephen Stills had to cancel a CSNY tour because of a broken wrist. Poor baby! Almost three years earlier, I broke BOTH wrists, and I didn't cancel my tour!
Jack Levin

 
Prince fans should enjoy next Tuesday (April 21st) Night’s Grammy Salute to the artist FOREVER known as Prince.
Taped last January, Ultimate Classic Rock is showing the evening’s cast and set list as:
H.E.R. and Gary Clark, Jr., "Let's Go Crazy"
Miguel, "I Would Die 4 U"
St. Vincent, "Controversy"
John Legend, "Nothing Compares 2 U"
Juanes, "1999"
H.E.R., "The Beautiful Ones"
Usher, "Little Red Corvette,""When Doves Cry" and "Kiss"
Chris Martin and Susanna Hoffs, "Manic Monday"
The Time, "Jungle Love," Cool" and "the Bird"
Foo Fighters, "Darling Nikki"
Earth Wind and Fire, "Adore"
Common, "Sign O' the Times"
Beck, "Raspberry Beret"
Gary Clark, Jr., "The Cross"
Sheila E., "America,""Free" and "The Glamorous Life"
Princess, "Delirious"
Mavis Staples and the Revolution, "Purple Rain"
Everybody, "Baby I'm a Star"

UCR is also reporting that Christopher Cross is experiencing some paralysis after his bout with the Corona Virus … but otherwise is recovering nicely.  (This, too, is expected to pass.)


The other day we told you about a couple of new radio shows featuring our old DJ Buddy Jeff James, now back on the air at Huntley Radio. (Well, actually, OLD radio shows, if you used to enjoy Jeff on the old Y103.9, when they presented a great mix of oldies on the air here in Chicago … can you believe at one time Chicago had as many as THREE oldies stations!!!)
Well, I wanted to let you know that on Wednesday, I officially made it “Jeff James Day” at work ...
I kicked things off by listening to last week's Saturday Night Live At The ‘70’s program ... (you can do the same right here: https://huntleyradio.com/saturday-night-live-the-70s/) … 
And then followed that up with Jeff’s brand new Windy City Wednesdays program, saluting many of the great artists that hailed from our great city.  (Now airing Wednesdays from 4:30 – 6:00 pm.)
And I’ve got to say that it was just GREAT to hear him back on the air ... and he is CLEARLY having fun doing this.
I even listened to a little bit of the station in between, too ... and heard some interesting very stuff.  (Everything from the expected oldies along with some newer and even some “semi-current” stuff to a long-forgotten Amy Grant song to an entire radio episode of The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet!!! … which was QUITE entertaining, by the way.  Airing on April 15th… the usual tax deadline until our entire world was turned upside down … the whole episode was about Ozzie filing his income tax back in what I would guess to be around 1952.  The whole family was there as Ozzie struggled with the forms, how to interpret some of the answers and allow the right deductions … boy, things sure haven’t changed much in the past 70 years!!!  It was a very fun listen … and showed what The Nelsons sounded like before they came into our living rooms every week on that new-fangled contraption called the television set!  And yes, a very young, irrepressible Ricky was there, too!)  
https://huntleyradio.com/hcr/ 
Anyway, since we’ve been on the subject of interesting radio to listen to while we’re all still hunkered down, I just wanted to let you know that I was able to tune in to this one ... and enjoyed the whole day.  Welcome back, Jeff!!!  It’s great to have you back on the dial, as they say!  (kk)

Wow - Super kind of you, Kent. 
Got killer response on the show yesterday and even the big boss man that was there doing some work came into studio after I played the Trolls’ “Every Day and Every Night” and said he has not heard that in years and just loved it.
Thanks for all the announcements on your site - appreciate that like nothing else -  and of course you always have that open invite to come by anytime!
Jeff      
Maybe after the whole social distancing thing settles down … haven’t been to Huntley in DECADES … but I’m STILL going to pass on the turkey testicles delicacies they serve there … I can’t even imagine doing that to myself!!!  (lol)  kk

And, speaking of local radio, this week’s Saturday Night Sing-Along on Me-TV-FM will be The Blues Brothers’ classic “Sweet Home Chicago.”  Everyone is urged to join in and sing (while still observing the social distancing guidelines) at 7 pm tomorrow night.  (kk)

Paul McCartney did a lengthy guest spot on The Howard Stern Show the other day.  (Their spot was delayed due to technical difficulties so I missed it on the way in to work … put it on for a couple of minutes once I got there but it’s not exactly the kind of program you can listen to at work when people are popping in and out of your office all day long!!! … so it was a nice surprise when FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent me the YouTube link to be able to enjoy the whole thing in the privacy of my own home.
And now YOU can, too!  (I’ve already seen several quotes from this interview circling all over the music trades.  Read the comments below ‘tho … Stern needs to let his guests answer the questions without constantly interrupting them.  Howard talked about spending hours putting together his plans for the interview … and all the things he wanted to be sure to ask, including several things he’s ALWAYS wanted to ask.  Great … then allow your guest to answer those well thought out questions. Listen to the opening segment and you’ll see Paul’s concerns about being asked how many times he’s still getting laid and how long his penis is …. questions that Stern says he would have asked Beethoven or Mozart back in the day, too, if given the chance.  Yep, that’s Howard!!!)
https://youtu.be/ZxbcoP0-Xhs
Coincidently, that very same night “Private Parts” was showing on cable when I got home … so I just HAD to put it on for a few minutes.  I don’t care how many times I’ve seen this movie (and I’ll betcha it’s at least twenty!), this thing STILL cracks me up every time I watch it.  Howard Stern:  while I can’t consider myself a fan and I don’t listen regularly, he’ll ALWAYS entertain you for as long as you can stand to sit thru the good, the bad and the ugly of it all!  (kk)
And, speaking of Paul McCartney, they’re hosting a 50th Anniversary Listening Party on Spotify this evening, celebrating the release of Sir Paul’s first solo album, “McCartney.”   




More details below …

One of our readers (Ed Erxleben ... thanks, Ed!) caught an error on our list of The Top 3333 Most Essential Classic Rock Songs of All Time.
This is something that was fixed several drafts ago ... but then apparently reappeared when we pasted the album information we received from Dann Isbell, which must have utilized an old file.
A corrected list is now available … just drop me a line and we’ll send it along.
For the record, #1948 should be SUBDIVISIONS by RUSH from their 1982 SIGNALS album.  The current list shows STING at both #1947 and #1948 with LOVE IS THE SEVENTH WAVE.

Hey Kent,
Remember it's not an "error"… it is simply an "update!"  Ha! 
And the good news is, nobody's name, address, and Social Security Number were compromised -- which means you are miles ahead of Google and Facebook!  Ha!  Have a great evening! 
Out here in Colorado, it’s nice to get night-time signals from WGN (listen to Nick Giglio late-night sometimes) and WBBM.  Take care.
Cheers,
Tim Kiley

This Essential Classic Rock database is great!  There is a great need for a chart like this because early classic rock is poorly documented.  Many of these songs were never released as singles, and Billboard did not even chart rock tracks until 1981.  Looking at your database, I see some tracks that I've never even known about.  Needless to say, I will be checking them out.  Thanks!
Ed Erxleben

>>>Is there ANYBODY out there in the ENTIRE world that would rank “Bohemian Rhapsody” between “More More More” by The Andrea True Connection and “Misty Blue” by Dorothy Moore?!?!  Yet that’s how Billboard tabulated their year end chart that year (although I can’t imagine what point system they used to do so!)
As for the Kris Kross error, I will be the very first to admit that Kris Kross and their #1 song “Jump” were not on my radar THEN (back in 1992) or at any moment since.  (If they boogied on next to me right now and sang two minutes of it, I STILL wouldn’t know what it was!!!)  It’s often amazing to me looking back at how some of these songs were SO immensely popular at the time yet didn’t sustain that level of interest even just a few years later (much less thirty!)  It’s also the reason that I don’t think much of today’s music (or the music of the past 20 years) will have much long-term impact … so much of it just comes across as “disposable.”  But “Bohemian Rhapsody” is timeless … a one-of-a-kind track for the ages … that apparently has only grown in stature since its first release.  Who out there … at any age … doesn’t know at least some part of that song?  (Remember a few years ago when that video went around of the two year old kid sitting in her car seat singing it???)  Then again, when’s the last time you danced The Macarena???  (kk)  
Hi Kent,
I happen to find "Jump" by Kris Kross to be catchy as hell!  Yes, it hasn't aged very well at all, but we could say that for a ton of hits over the years. 
I've said it before and I'll say it again … the Billboard charts are a snapshot of any given week.  They have a system that combines sales and airplay OF THAT PARTICULAR WEEK.  There is no consideration to the quality of the songwriting or musicianship or whether or not it'll hold up 20 years from now.  For good or bad, it's all about the sales and airplay at the moment.  Period.  End of story!
As for "Bohemian Rhapsody", I loved that song from the first moment I heard it.  I rushed out to buy the 45 and I couldn't wait for each showing of the video (prior to MTV, those viewings were few and far between).  Although I've become a bit burned out by the constant radio play over the years, I still can't bring myself to turn it off when it comes on.  All of that said, I can easily understand why it never charted higher on the Hot 100 (see comments above).  As for the songs that ranked above it that particular week, I liked some of them more than others.  "Let Your Love Flow" (not "Let Your Love Go", perhaps you had Bread on the brain) still sounds pretty fresh to my ears.  "Disco Lady" is NOT a disco song (it never even charted on the dance charts in 1976), it's a classic R&B song ABOUT disco, and is probably my favorite song of 1976.  I agree that "Sweet Love" is not one of the Commodores best - it didn't get a ton of Top 40 airplay (only peaked at #16 in Radio & Records), but it was a #2 R&B hit and was the first indication that the band could do more mellow songs that would soon become their trademark.  "Right Back Where We Started From,""Welcome Back" and "Boogie Fever" are such fun songs that I can listen to them over and over again.  (Remember, I was 10 years-old in 1976, so the nostalgia factor is huge).  But, that's what great about music.  We all have our favorites and like what we like, smart-ass comments notwithstanding.
Paul Haney

For those who wasted their money to go and see the "Echo in the Canyon" documentary about Laurel Canyon in LA and the music scene there, just wait.  The REAL documentary will be here soon and it's ON TV! 
We spent $15 to go see the "Echo" piece of drivel at our University theater and were greatly disappointed.  NOW, coming in two parts, we will get the real show next month on EPIX.

TWO-PART DOC SERIES LAUREL CANYON TO PREMIERE ON EPIX ON MAY 31st, 2020  

https://press.epix.com/two-part-doc-series-laurel-canyon-to-premiere-on-epix-on-may-31st-2020/

“Echo In The Canyon” was pretty disappointing … we had SO looked forward to seeing this … but I am hearing good things about “Laurel Canyon” so we’re definitely going to give it a look.  Thanks, Clark.  (kk)

Kent,
I enjoyed the video you posted of the man doing card tricks with the narrative of DECK OF CARDS. Now in the extended version (?) of the narrative, all of the cards that make up a deck are mentioned, not just the few that he did in the video.
Even though I have a copy of the Wink Martindale version, to my memory and recollection, it was never played on our weekly top 40 radio station, WKY-AM 930. The reason why is that the morning man at the time and also PD, Danny Williams, recorded it himself, and it was his version that was played on WKY. (Rank has its privileges!)
It was recorded on the local label Sully Records with a flip of  IF JESUS CAME TO YOUR HOUSE. According to their weekly survey, it peaked at #10 for the week of October 15, 1959. Now according to the record that Danny made, the song itself was credited to someone by the name of Fitzmans, whomever that is.
Speaking of Wink Martindale, he had a follow-up called BLACK LAND FARMER, again one of those narrative type of records on the Dot label.
One final thing about DECK OF CARDS ...
I don't know this for a fact, but I believe I heard that years ago other DJ's at other radio stations in other markets recorded the song as well. Maybe one of your readers remembers another DJ making it.
Larry Neal
Now that you’re saying that, I think we covered this once before in FH.  It was a fairly common practice back in the early days of rock and roll to have the local jocks record their own version of a popular song, especially a relatively easy narrative such as this one.
Here in Chicago, it was the Wink Martindale version that charted, peaking at #13. (Nationally, it went to #4 in Cash Box … and #7 in Billboard.)
Here in Chicago, it was Frankie Miller who had the hit with “Black Land Farmer.”  (It also peaked at #13.)  Nationally, Miller’s version also bested Wink Martindale’s … but not by much.  Frank Miller’s version went to #82 in Billboard while Wink Martindale’s version stopped at #85.  (kk)

A few weeks ago we told you about the brand new tribute CD to Mr. Rogers featuring an all-star cast recreating the music of Fred Rogers.  (In fact, we even gave away a few copies to our readers!)
Well, now comes word that in honor of Cinco de Mayo, a brand new video has been released featuring Jon Secada singing Rogers’ popular opening theme “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” IN SPANISH!!!  More details below. (kk) 

MISTER ROGERS CELEBRATES CINCO DE MAYO WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A SPANISH RENDITION OF “WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR” BY GRAMMY AWARD WINNER JON SECADA 
NEW LATIN LYRICS PERFORMED BY JON SECADA
When you hear the words “¿Podemos Ser Amigo?” sung expressively by Grammy-award winning artist Jon Secada, you'll know that Mister Rogers is definitely in the neighborhood. With all that's going on in the world today it’s been said we need Fred Rogers more than ever. And what better way to celebrate Cinco De Mayo this year than a Spanish version of Fred’s most recognized song.
A video has been lovingly created for the one-of-a kind adaptation featured in the audio album THANK YOU MISTER ROGERS. - MUSIC & MEMORIES. The album showcases celebrity artists singing imaginative arrangements of Fred’s songs. Those featured include Kellie Pickler, Vanessa Williams, Rita Wilson, Lee Greenwood, Sandi Patty, Jim Brickman, Jaci Velasquez, Micky Dolenz, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., The Cowsills, Tom Bergeron, and Jon Secada.
Secada’s song is the world’s only Spanish recording of Rogers' theme song which opened every episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighbor for over fifty years. It was the brainchild of Grammy-winning producer Dennis Scott who also plays in a Beatles tribute band, The WannaBeatles. That provided a connection to Rev. Reinaldo Toledo who is father of the group’s Cuban born drummer David. With no encouragement needed, the Reverend beautifully crafted Spanish words for Fred's iconic theme song. It was then offered to multi award winning Latin artist Jon Secada who was excited to be part of the project. Jon quickly approved the lyric and was glad that it was not a word for word translation:  “What you want to do is to get the message across from the original song and still make it fit in another language. This adaptation works really well and it meant a lot to me to be able to do the song in my first language Spanish.” 
It also meant a lot to Rev. Toledo's son, David Toledo. “It brought me to tears to see my father's gift for languages so magnificently displayed before the entire world” says David whose father passed before hearing Secada’s Latin flavored rendition. Producer Scott observed, “I love how this story unfolded and how ‘Won’t You be My Neighbor’” has taken on a whole new character in Spanish. When my wife heard Jon Secada singing it, she literally swooned. I’m glad that both this song and the album will introduce Fred’s’ songs to a whole new audience of pop and Latin music lovers.” 
And when the world hears that familiar melody compliment by the words, “Es Un dia precioso en la vecindad” they will know they are listening to Mister Rogers in a very special way.
https://youtu.be/wlxtb7q8b8s

Check out this all-star cast!  



Hi Kent,
Thanks for the shout out for the “Spirit of Chicago”!  I can’t believe it’s been 28 years since that song was written.  To my ears, it sounds just as fresh and relevant today as back when it was first released on the Ides Ideology CD. And I’ve got to give the credit to Jim Peterik. When he asked me to help him finish the tune, he’d already written the title, all of the music and some of the lyrics.  Given the subject matter – Spirit of Chicago - it was easy to finish the song. It definitely is an example of the many uplifting and inspirational Jim Peterik songs and I’m proud to have had a part in writing the lyrics. During these difficult days I hope it helps to lift the spirit of Chicagoans everywhere with its timeless message of courage and resilience.  Kent, thanks for featuring the song today and all the great and tireless work you’re doing with Forgotten Hits!  May you and your family be well and stay healthy! 
Dick Eastman

Kent,
“Spirit Of Chicago” is a nice song and a well-done video, but did the maker have to include pictures of the Democrat mayor and liberal hero Dr. Fauci while leaving out the President? Seems like political bias / promotion pokes its ugly head into everything.
Bob Verbos
I can’t even pretend to speak for Paul Braun, who put together the video montage that accompanies this track … but Chicago has ALWAYS been a VERY democratic political base ... so I can’t say that I’m surprised by this.  (Our history “corrupt practices” dates back to the beginning of time.  The motto here has always been “Vote Early and Vote Often” … and we certainly have had our share of colorful mayors.  (And governors, too, for that matter!) 
I’ll leave it to Paul to speak for himself if he chooses to do so … but I think the ONLY message here is Chicago pulling together as a city to fight this thing.  (Hey, we came back after The Great Chicago Fire leveled the city … bigger and stronger … even bold enough to slap circumstance in the face by building the city’s Fire Department base on the very ground where Mrs. O’Leary’s barn used to be!)
I’d take the whole message at its face value and leave it at that.  Chicago … and the whole country … will rise up again (against our latest rival.)
Now, on the other hand, this COMPLETELY crazy idea of getting everybody back to work in two weeks before they have even gotten a handle on this thing sounds a bit absurd to me.  Sure, we as a country need to rebuild … but NOT at the risk of tens of thousands more deaths when we don’t even have a treatment plan in place.  And what then if we really do experience a second wave of this in the fall?!?!  (Jeez, a week ago all we heard about was that this was supposed to PEAK at its absolute strongest around the 16th– 20th of April (aka RIGHT NOW) … and then knock us off our feet for another ten days to two weeks.  Why on EARTH would we even CONSIDER sending everybody back to work NOW when potentially the worst is yet to come.  And that is NOT a political statement … that’s just good, old-fashioned common sense!!!  (kk)

Thanks a million, Kent, for the featured spot for ‘Spirit Of Chicago!’  Means the world to me, the Ides and Paul Braun and all of our guest artists. 
We are trying now to get it to Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot and others involved in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois. If you (or any of your readers) have any contacts, please let me know.  Thank you!
Jimbo 
Anybody???  (kk)

>>>Mark Lindsay and Terry Melcher lived together in Terry’s house for quite some time and wrote songs together there.  (This is the same house that Charles Manson and his crew came to attack, not realizing that Melcher no longer lived there … instead his disciples found Sharon Tate, et al, and the rest, as they say, is some pretty gory history.)  kk
You’re mistaken … Manson wasn't there. Fact.
George
Apologies … I misworded my statement … it’s the house where Manson dispatched his disciples to carry out helter skelter … a calculated move to “take out the enemy.” Manson did NOT go along for the ride.  (kk)
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April 17th, 1970

April 17, 2020, 4:50 am
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1970:  April 17th– Apollo 13 splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean after aborting their trip to the moon after an oxygen tank exploded on the aircraft.

Also on this date, Paul McCartney officially releases his first solo album, “McCartney.”  Press and deejay copies released the week before were accompanied by a Q&A press release officiallyannouncing the end of The Beatles.

The other Beatles had begged Paul to delay his release so as not to hamper sales of their group’s new album “Let It Be” (which is actually the #1 single in America right) now but McCartney held firm and released his album anyway.  (McCartney plays all of the instruments on this LP … and had Allen Klein’s ABKCO logo removed from the LP’s back cover as Klein at no time ever represented “the cute Beatle.”)


One of McCartney's best known, most loved tracks, "Maybe I'm Amazed" appears on this album.  Incredibly, the beautifully played and arranged track (despite the odds that it absolutely would have gone straight to #1), was not released as a single.  (Eventually a live version recorded during Paul McCartney and Wings' first tour of America, was released in 1977 and made it to #10 on the charts.)


Also on this date, Johnny Cash performs at The White House at the invitation of President Richard Nixon.  (During this performance, Cash is asked to sing “Okie From Muskogee” but declined to do so ... as this was Merle Haggard’s song, not his!)  Instead, he played his #1 Hit “A Boy Named Sue.”  And I just LOVE this quote from “On This Day In Rock History”:  “It is not known if Nixon recorded the concert.”


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THE SUNDAY COMMENTS ( 04 - 19 - 20 )

April 19, 2020, 5:00 am
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Billboard Magazine ran a recent article about The Mike And Micky Show … obviously sidelined (just like virtually EVERYTHING else in the world today) due to the pandemic.

A live album performed by Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith IS available from the previous tour … but folks have been anxiously awaiting for the newest leg to kick off.
https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Micky-Show-Live/dp/B0849Y7Y2J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=337JLGYROHRZ6&dchild=1&keywords=mike+and+micky+show+live+cd&qid=1587254289&sprefix=mike+and+micky+%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1    

Hopefully, the world will soon be safe again (God, I hope so!) and things can return to normal … or, as everyone keeps saying, the NEW normal.  Not sure of exactly what all of that will mean to all of us … but as much as I’m itching to get out and see some more shows, I want to feel that I’m not putting my life at risk in doing so!
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9358153/the-monkees-tour-interview?utm_campaign=Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=daily_digest

More Of The Monkees … here:  https://riffmagazine.com/mp3/riff-rewind-20200418/

Steve Perry has recorded a completely a cappella version of The Beach Boys classic “In My Room” … in his own room, confined by COVID-19 isolation.  (The song takes on a whole new context in today’s environment.)
Perry says “When I was a teenager in my room, this song gave me comfort.  ‘In My Room’ was an anthem to my teenage isolation. I just wanted to be left alone in my room, where I could find peace of mind and play music.  One late night, I was sitting in my room thinking about so many things. This song came into my mind, and it brought me some comfort. I hope it does the same for you. Stay safe." 
At the end of his performance, as he turns off the recording device, you can hear him whisper “Hang in there.”  (kk)


I have to give credit to all the people creating music parodies on this virus. So far I have heard from: Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Kokomo, Bohemian Rhapsody (2), Theme song from Friends, and more …
While I can appreciate them now and laugh, and even use them to connect music in history at school, when I am looking in my rear-view mirror at this, I truly will NOT want to hear them. And then I walk into my office where the radio is on and this is playing:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCuiN2JnjpE
I know it’s Mad Magazine Music, but maybe a good Covid19 song isn’t so bad after all.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

As always, seems to be the case after one of our music heroes passes away, sales of John Prine’s catalog albums have put him back on the Billboard Charts again.
Prine’s self-title debut album premiered on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart at #55 … that’s 100 spots higher than it  peaked when it was first released in 1971.
Prine’s final album, “The Tree Of Forgiveness,” is also back on the chart, debuting at #55 this week.
Bill Withers ALSO experienced a HUGE increase in sales and downloads as “Lean On Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” debuted at the #1 and #2 spots on Billboard’s Digital Sales Chart.  (It has always amazed me how this music attracts both old and new fans once these artists are thrown back in the spotlight again.)  Sadly, these songs don’t typically stay on the chart for more than a few weeks … but at least folks are making new discoveries by paying long overdue respect to these artists by downloading them now. (kk)

The Big 8 CKLW

It is with great sadness that I announce our dear friend Johnny Williams (Thomas DeAngelo) has passed away from the effects of the covid19 virus. His family has now made the news public this evening. Johnny will be cremated and a memorial will be announced in upcoming days. We lost Johnny Thursday late afternoon to this dangerous and fast moving virus.
Johnny was from Allen Park and came to the Big 8 at the height of the station's popularity in 1968 and stayed for close to 15 years.  He was the man who replaced Alan Almond on the Pillow Talk Show on WNIC then took the show to other markets like Chicago with early forms to tape syndication. Johnny also was one of the first wave of DJs at the new Sirius Satellite Radio in the 90's.
Johnny also was involved with managing local band Tim Tam and The Turn-Ons in the 60's and was a huge supporter of his son's band The Phoenix Theory!
J.W. was one of my early inspirations to get into radio.  He had a set of pipes that you did not forget and was heard on many of the CKLW promos and commercials over the years.  I'm sure that many readers on your Forgotten 60's page have heard of him (** not **  to be confused with the Johnny Williams Boss Jock from Los Angeles radio) or have met him -- especially some of your musical artists. 
And another blow to the Big 8 / Detroit radio family this week,  Robin Seymour also passed away.  Seymour also hosted the local Detroit TV bandstand show "Teen Time".
Uncle T. Jay

Bob Sirott (now on WGN Radio in the morning) is bringing back one of the great radio voices of our time beginning Monday, April 27th, when he starts airing vintage episodes of Paul Harvey’s “The Rest Of The Story.”
Harvey came into our homes for decades.  Thanks to syndication, his distinctive delivery style … and sense of humor … endeared him to millions from coast to coast.
I finally listened to Bob at his new digs the other day on the way to work.  While I have been a fan of Bob Sirott since the first time he hit the airwaves here in Chicago (his time on both WBBM-FM and WLS were MUST listens for me every day back in the ‘70’s), I have never been a real fan of WGN … but I wanted to hear what Bob sounded like on the radio all these years later … and what type of style he had adapted to on the all talk station.
Honestly, I was shocked!
I don’t know what kind of filter they’re broadcasting his voice thru but honest to God, he sounds younger NOW than he did when he first took to the air in the early ‘70’s!!!  It's like it has completely altered the pitch and sound of his voice ... and it doesn’t sound at all natural.
Now I’ve watched Bob thru the years … watched him grow up right before our very eyes … mature and change his style numerous times to fit the needs of wherever he was broadcasting from … hell, I’ve even met the guy in person a few times and talked to him “live” … but WGN is doing SOMETHING in filtering his voice as it comes across the radio … and I don’t like it.  He sounds like an 18 year old kid!!!
As such, I am sad to report that WGN has youth-enized one of our radio heroes!!!  (kk)

Hey there!
I just discovered your awesome website today. You guys do a great job. 
Please send me a copy of your list of top 3333 songs.
Thanks … and keep up the good work.
David Bolkin
Will do.  Thanks, David … and please help to spread the word!  (kk)

Lots of buzz about The Wonders this week as they reunited for a special television broadcast (which I, of course, missed due to having to work late that night).  But the entire broadcast IS available on YouTube if you’d like your chance to view it.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChHzyHOQFRqzd-NE9HLJTxg
“That Thing You Do” a GREAT film about a fictional band making it in the ‘60’s, put together by Tom Hanks, who also directed and played their manager.  The title track was also a BRILLIANT piece of pop music, written by Adam Schlesinger, who we lost recently to the CoronaVirus.  The actors performing as The Wonders in the movie didn’t actually perform the song … this was all done under Schlesinger’s direction with a studio band that featured Mike Viola on lead vocals … so I wasn’t quite sure what the appeal was of seeing these guys reunite to sing this tune.
From what I understand, it was much more of just a conversation, reminiscing about the making of the movie.  (I’ve seen much older anniversary look backs, one of which even featured Charlize Theron, who had a relatively minor role in the film, wondering on camera “I can’t remember … did I show my boobs in this one?”  Love it!  But no, Charlize, you didn’t … damn it!)
Reading up a bit more on it, it sounds like the four Wonders watched (from home in quarantine!) the film together again, making comments along the way.  (They’ve even set up their own YouTube Channel!  You can check it out via the link above.)

Naturally a reunion such as this has caused quite a bit of press …


From Billboard:
https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9359661/wonders-that-thing-you-do-interview-adam-schlesinger
And Rolling Stone (a great interview with the cast in this one):
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/that-thing-you-do-the-wonders-interview-984178/amp/

I was able to get the original flier that came with the movie premier back in early 2000's.  I loved this recreation of the Hot 100 with the Wonders FLYING up the chart.  First the movie pic and then the original.  Dang Me if it wasn't cool to see this!


What happened to 3 weeks ago position above????


Clark Besch

And here’s some news about another ‘60’s band who are making a bit of a “comeback” these days … 

Quintessential American Garage Band THE LIMITS Continue To Find New Fans Under The Leadership Of Musician RICK LEVY!
Memphis rock icon Alex Chilton of Big Star & The Box Tops called The Limits “the quintessential American Garage band…both preposterous and sublime,” and said their version of “Suzie Q” was “the best I ever heard.”
Formed in Allentown, PA, in late 1964, The Limits were by 1965 playing all over the Lehigh Valley at frat parties, teen clubs, school dances and more. Chris, Rook, Beau Jones, Rick Levy, Irwing Goldberg and Jack Shaffer honed their skills with constant gigs and rehearsals. The collection Garage Nuggets ’65-’68 is a compilation of the early Limits recordings - live, in the studio, in rehearsal - capturing the band’s first attempts at songwriting while the collection Songs About Girls captures their later incarnation from 1979-1988. Both collections have been reissued on all digital music platforms courtesy of a licensing arrangement with Garage Masters, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.



Rick Levy, who spearheaded the band’s ‘80s revival, continues to keep The Limits torch burning bright with gigs and special engagements all over the US delighting fans with their authenticity and love of early pop and rock. Levy has also gone on to perform with and manage such artists as Jay & The Techniques, Herman’s Hermits, Tommy Roe, Freddy Cannon and currently performs with The Box Tops. Levy’s memoir High In The Mid ‘60s - How To Have A Fabulous Life In Music Without Being Famous is available on Amazon or at www.ricklevy.com.


 


Send this off to Bob Lind ... He might get a kick out of it.
Jack

I did … pretty cool to see Bob as the “pick hit artist of the week” … in CANADA no less!  (kk)

And here’s another one of Frank’s Funnies …

After our Horse With No Name video last week, I’m thinking we should do a Horse With No Name funny EVERY weekend!!! (kk)
https://twitter.com/americaband/status/1241782311269457920
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April 20th, 1970

April 20, 2020, 4:00 am
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The Guess Who finally move into the #1 spot this week with their two-sided hit "American Woman" / "No Sugar Tonight."  It is the second straight chart-topper for the Canadian group ... earlier this year they hit #1 with "No Time."

"Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel and "Hitchin' A Ride" by Vanity Fare continue to make leaps toward the top of the chart ... "Cecilia" climbs from #26 to #16 this week and "Hitchin' A Ride jumps twelve places from #29 to #17.

CCR, The Who and Rare Earth all experience healthy moves this week as well ... "Up Around The Bend" climbs from #35 to #23, "The Seeker" moves up ten places from #34 to #24 and "Get Ready" moves up to #25 from #33 the week before.

"Puppet Man" by The Fifth Dimension and Joe Cocker's version of "The Letter" premier at #'s 35 and 36 respectively ... and Neil Diamond's got a whole new sound with his latest release, "Soolaimon," which premiers at #38 this week.  (Turns out Neil had been recording in Africa ... and his "Tap Root Manuscript" remains today my all-time favorite piece of work he has ever done.)


Our very own Chicago premiers at #40 ... and this week's Hit Bound Track, "My Baby Loves Lovin'" by The White Plains, just has "pop hit" written all over it!





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Tuesday This And That

April 21, 2020, 4:00 am
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Hey Guys, 
Did you happen to catch the Jimmys at the end of last night’s “One World, Together At Home” television concert special, referencing "Eye of the Tiger" in the massive telecast last night at the end?
If you watched Lady Gaga's mammoth show last night, a fund-raiser for the virus (great show with Macca, Stevie Wonder, Elton and many others – THE STONES were absolutely AWESOME), at the very end (last five minutes or so), the three  hosts Fallon, Kimmel and Colbert are standing there cracking jokes and I believe Fallon says a joke that incorporates an "Eye of the Tiger" mention (the entire title) into a sentence of a joke between them all.  I only saw the show once, so I cannot remember what the comment was, but I thought "WOW!  A comment to the greatness of Jim's song!"
I'm SURE they will rebroadcast on youtube or something soon.  I'll watch for it.  AFTER the 3 networks aired it last night, almost EVERY BIG cable network aired it (USA, TBS, etc).
Clark Besch
I was in and out throughout the program (and missed the end “Eye Of The Tiger” moment you are talking about) … but the general consensus is that The Rolling Stones (and Drummer Charlie Watts in particular) absolutely stole the show.  (Funny thing is, I didn’t even know they were supposed to be on!!!  They were not part of the original line-up shown in the press release that we received … but were apparently a last minute addition.  Charlie’s “air drumming” to The Stones' classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” complimented Mick Jagger’s SUPERB vocal … and this was clearly one of the show’s highlights.  (Honestly, I thought the Stevie Wonder segment … and the Paul McCartney segment in particular … were pretty disappointing performances.)  Others … like J-Lo singing “People” was outstanding.  Jimmy Fallon with The Roots doing “The Safety Dance” (appropriate enough considering the circumstances) was also very good.  I missed the Adam Lambert segment but caught the clip on Yahoo News afterwards.  I’m sure the whole concert (well, the two hour event anyway … the show REALLY kicked off about one in the afternoon Chicago time but the big guns were held for the major network simulcast that started here at 7 PM) is available for On Demand viewing … they want to raise as much money as possible.  (kk)

Highlight clips can be found here: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/charlie-wattss-awesome-airdrumming-and-other-one-world-together-at-home-highlights-045825522.html?.tsrc=daily_mail&uh_test=2_04  
(Read some of the Charlie Watts comments … they’re hysterical!)  kk

THE ROLLING STONES … absolutely killing it!


JIMMY FALLON, THE ROOTS and some FIRST RESPONDERS … giving whole new meaning to “The Safety Dance”



J-LO:  Beautiful  (I never liked this song but Jennifer Lopez turned my head around with her perfect performance!)



I also like the Camila Cabello / Shawn Mendes version of “What A Wonderful World” … and even Billie Eilish doing “Sunny” (although I wished she would have used a microphone … even still, her whispered vocals were beautiful.)

Here’s the complete “MAIN Show” … 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0_4DuglJkQ

At about 1 hour, 55 minutes – 1 hour, 56 minutes you’ll find the comment that Clark Besch mentioned above … it wasn’t so much a nod to “Eye Of The Tiger” but rather to the Netflix phenomenon “Tiger King” (although Jimmy Kimmel DID guess that the finale might be something like Joe Exotic singing “Eye Of The Tiger ... King” … not something I’d think ANYBODY connected with the Survivor hit song would want to be associated with or very proud of!  Lol)  kk

You can also watch the six hour pre-show here:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSOYLyJ7KYw  

And there’s lots more to come …

Until we’re all able to get back out to the theaters and concert halls again (safely!) and these artists are able to travel and tour, we’re likely to see more and more “living room concerts” from artists wanting to stay in touch with their fans and do their part to both raise money for the cause as well as lift the spirits of all of us stuck at home.

kk –
Check out the AllTogetherNow livesteam Los Angeles concert on May 25 ...
What a roster!
Clive
Actually, it’s all happening THIS Saturday … APRIL 25th… and while I initially had a tough time finding more information on this one, it looks like it’s all coming together very quickly now … and, in addition to many of the same players taking part once again, there are also going to be a fair amount of first-timers …
The list as we understand it so far includes Chris Martin from Coldplay, John Legend, Keith Urban, Pink, Patti Smith, Katharine McPhee Foster, Rob Thomas, The Goo Goo Dolls, One Republic, Rufus Wainwright, Smokey Robinson, Alan Parsons, Micky Dolenz, Melissa Manchester, Carole King, Rick Springfield, Mindi Abair, Mickey Thomas, Mary Wilson, Mike Love, Lisa Loeb, Paul Rodgers, Steve Lukather, Jesse Colin Young and more  (kk)

You’ll find more on the AllTogetherNow concert event … along with another great interview with Micky Dolenz … here:
https://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/micky-dolenz-interview-monkees-covid-19-quarantine-live-album-adam-schlesinger/

And here’s one WE’D like to see …

Dear Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, David, Blondie,
Your fans and friends respectfully request you unite for a night.
A Beach Boys Party: #CoronavirusUSA !!!
In Your Rooms. Add Some Music To Our Day. Wake the World. Give us a Good Time. God Only Knows how many people will be blessed ...
Take us on a Surfin' Safari; Surf's Up!
Phil 
Pray For Surf Interviews & Podcasts >>>   
Rare Beach Boys Video Archive >>> 
Our Prayers for The Beach Boys on Facebook >>> 
Surf's Up: A Beach Boys Podcast Safari on Facebook >>> 
The only thing I can say to that is … Wouldn’t It Be Nice???  (kk)

If you liked the song Billie Joe Armstrong sang on Lady Gaga's TV show, here's a tribute to "That Thing You Do,"  too, from him!
https://variety.com/2020/music/news/billie-joe-armstrong-covers-that-thing-you-do-adam-schlesinger-tribute-1234585178/
Clark Besch
Billie Joe’s been quite the presence of late with his solo performances … I didn’t realize that these clips were a new, regular thing on Monday’s for him.  (Maybe they should start an Ode To Billie Joe Channel!!!)  
We ran the clip of him performing “I Think We’re Alone Now” last week … and I see that he also did one with Susannah Hoffs of The Bangles for “Manic Monday” … will have to check that one out as well!  Very cool!  (kk)

Another Tommy James tune has proven to be quite soothing during these stressful times …

Here’sa new commercial using Tommy's CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION - this song is being touted as an inspirational song during this pandemic and is now being used in a Bluescape Ad …
Carol Ross
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/ndk7/bluescape-a-new-day-is-dawning

A new video for Styx’s “Show Me The Way” … sent in by Tom Cuddy … sounds a bit more “timely” these days.


Honestly, it DOES feel like we’re at war sometimes, doesn’t it? … but with an unseen enemy that we can’t stop from advancing. 
Again, all these protests to “reopen America” make sense in terms of helping to rebound our economy … and, if the same logic and restrictions are put in place in the small businesses as are being carried out in the large box stores, maybe there is some hope.  But when 1200 more people contract the virus in a single day in Chicago … and hundreds more die … how does one justify putting the rest of us at greater risk?  
There is no easy answer here … and no safe solution.  But until things are under control, much as I miss it, I can’t see myself going out to a restaurant or a movie theater or a rock club until I know FOR CERTAIN that we are out of danger and there is a successful vaccine that they can give us should we contract something anyway.   
Do we let hundreds of thousands more die in the meantime?  Because right now … even with social distancing … that seems to be the trend … and the forecast … until we really get a handle on this thing.  (kk)  

I just want to continue to thank you for providing music and information.  I'm enjoying all of my Ides of March items that Jack (thank you) got for me and wanted to let Jim Peterik know that the new album is wonderful.  The longevity of the Ides of March and the other bands is a true inspiration to us all who love music.
I also look forward to reading the Elton John book that I won.
This has been especially important during this crisis because I have been going through artists that were represented on the big countdown and now have enough for several playlists I can shuffle depending on what I feel like listening to.
Keep up the good work and thank you again!
With deep respect,
Nikki
I finished Mark Bego’s Elton John book a little over a week ago … it’s a very enjoyable read, jam-packed with facts, much of which were documented at the time.  Next up … reading Elton’s OWN biography (to see how some of these stories twist and turn!)  kk

Speaking of The Ides Of March, Jim Peterik’s “Spirit Of Chicago” clip that we ran here last week is getting some mainstream press.

Jim and Paul Braun sent us this update …

Hi Ides and friends!  
I wanted to make sure you saw this clip on ABC News on Saturday.  
Thanks to our dear friend Tracy Butler. 
There may be more excerpts through the week. 
Kent, feel free to post. Paul – you, too, of course.
Stay safe!  
Jim
https://abc7chicago.com/society/spirit-of-chicago-song-pays-tribute-to-medical-workers-fighting-covid-19/6112938/


kk …
4/19/1947 = Happy Birthday Mark Volman
Check out this funny clip.

FB
We have run this clip several times before in Forgotten Hits … but it’s such a classic that I just had to run it again for the benefit on anyone out there who may not have seen it.  (kk)

Here’s a nice 9-minute clip of Burton Cummings on Howard Stern's show, November 1994.


Mike Wolstein
Wow, very cool … had not seen this before.  Thanks for sending.  (kk)

Mike also sent us this clip after he read our Bob Sirott mention in The Sunday Comments … 

Hi, Kent –
I don't remember if I sent this to you yet.  If I did, it had to have been a while back, 'cause my memory's shot.   http://www.chicagoradioandmedia.com/multimedia/audio/5672-bob-sirott-s-1st-show-on-wls-am-6-8-73
Mike
Actually, yes, we ran this not too long ago in FH. 
I was a Bob Sirott fan from his early days at WBBM-FM … he was the life of the station during their very brief Top 40 days in the early ‘70’s. 
When it was first announced that he was moving to WLS, I was concerned that he would have to give up all of the things that made his WBBM show so unique and enjoyable in order to conform with the corporate logic of the AM giant.
To a certain degree, there WAS some of that … but as he grew into his role there, more and more of the things that made Bob Bob came back … and new bits were developed.  That early ‘70’s hey-day period of Sirott and Landecker … Buell and Stevens … it was like the newer, younger, hipper generation of jocks moving into place.  (Let’s face it, by now they were competing with the FM stations … but back then most of us still only had AM radios in our cars … so if we were out at night, we were likely flipping back and forth between WLS and WCFL!)
Still good to hear this again.  (I remember when he was there at 6 am to launch WLS-FM a few years later, too.)  Bob Sirott has been a Chicagoland fixture for DECADES now … and has also developed quite a national audience thru his television endeavors.  We love ya, Bob!  (kk)

As to Bob Sirott sounding like a kid, I cannot really talk.  During his ’76 - early 80's (?) period, I seldom listened to WLS.  I dropped out of college, worked full time, drank beer, partied and had fun during that period before settling down in my early 20's and starting my own shows.  That said, I LIKE Bob's shows and the fact that he is bringing Paul Harvey back is great, IMO. 
I love WGN when it comes to talk radio.  I listen lots to Nick Digilio over nights.  It's funny, but when I retired almost a month ago, I was happy because I could hear Nick's late night show without worry.  23 years ago, when I first went to 2nd shift, I was happy because I could hear Joe Donovan's late night WHAS Louisville show and one month later he moved to afternoons!
Anyway, I want to tout a WGN fill-in host for the next month or more during the pandemic.  With Rick Cogan on the shelf during this time to allow WGN to "cleanse" the entire WGN studios, a guest DJ, Rollye James, sent her show in from the western desert.  I had no idea who she was, but heard her last week and it was great and this Sunday was, too. 
SO, IF you want to call and talk local AM radio top 40 days or hear the best bumper music from the old days, check her out these coming Sunday nights at 9 - 11 PM before Nick's show.  She knows the jocks of the day, speaking of Lujack, Big Jack Armstrong and Joey Reynolds and all and likes having callers about such.  Pretty darned cool to listen to for two hours on a Sunday.  Check her out!
(I also wanted to mention how great Johnny Williams was at the Big 8, CKLW!)
Clark Besch
I was first introduced to Rollye James thru John Rook.  She is a well-respected, highly thought of radio talent who has been around for awhile but somehow escaped our radar here in Chicago over the years.  (She was also one of Rook’s first appointed deputies for his Hit Parade Hall Of Fame.)
As such, we received FH comments from her a time or two way back when … and I was able to listen to what (as I recall was) a syndicated show she was doing … she’s got a GREAT radio voice and a very soothing personality … but I haven’t heard her in YEARS … so I may just have to check out her fill-in stint on WGN.  Thanks for letting us know.  (kk)

Hey Kent, I liked "Soolaimon," too!!!
Clark
The entire album is quite a listening experience.  (Although released as a single, I think “Soolaimon” is one of the LP’s weakest tracks.)  
Side Two is best listened to and appreciated as a continuous piece, much like “Abbey Road,” I guess, or "Dark Side Of The Moon."  
Neil picked up on the very essence of African Music while he was there. (Of course, HE was accused of exploiting and ripping off their local artists and sounds, too, when this LP first came out … but it predated the far more popular “Band On The Run” and “Graceland” albums released years later by the two Pauls ... McCartney and Simon.)  I’ve always wanted to interview him about this incredible LP (and tried to set that up several years ago without success.)
If you’re not familiar with it, download or order the whole LP … HIGHLY recommended ... but then listen to Side Two in its entirety as an African Suite.  You’ll be blown away … especially when one considers that Neil recorded this in 1970!!!  (Side One is more of a “contemporary hits” side and includes his other hit singles from this LP ... “Cracklin’ Rosie” and Neil’s version of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”)  kk

>>>After our Horse With No Name video last week, I’m thinking we should do a Horse With No Name funny EVERY weekend!!! (kk)
For what it's worth, a number of us, years ago, "named" the 'horse with no name' in our music chat room game room.
We named him Nebuchadnezzar.
Brad

kk:
Here’s a photo of Billy Joel with his first band.
FB

Shelley Sweet-Tufano gets top honors for this week’s funnies …

TWO BLASTS FROM THE PAST …
OR ARE THEY????
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano


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This Week in 1970

April 22, 2020, 4:00 am
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April 21st– Elton John makes his first solo appearance in London, England, when he opens the show for T.Rex.

April 23rd– Norman Greenbaum receives a Gold Record Award for his #1 Single “Spirit In The Sky,” a record that has probably played several times a day every day since.


1970:  April 24th– Grace Slick is invited to a party at The White House by Tricia Nixon.  When she arrives with Abbie Hoffman as her escort, both are asked to leave.




April 25th– The interracial group Pacific Gas And Electric are shot at after a concert held in Raleigh, North Carolina.  While four bullets hit their van, fortunately no one is injured.
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Thursday This And That

April 23, 2020, 4:28 am
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It was the email I had been dreading …

The Bachman-Cummings concert here in Chicago has been “postponed” with no reschedule date as of yet.
Honestly, it’s for the best … we want America (and Canada, too, for that matter!) to get healthy again first … and the LAST thing we want is for one of these music legends to catch any strain of this thing … but it’s still a tough pill to swallow when you’ve been anticipating this for as long as I have.  (Appropriately, at the suggestion of FH Reader Gary Strobl, we listened to The Guess Who's "Share The Land" yesterday for Earth Day!)
Still … we get it … and we’ll be patient … ‘cause we can’t wait to be there to see this show!!! (kk)

Meanwhile, more names have been added to Saturday’s All Together Now concert event … including several “oldies” artists … Tommy Roe, Carole King, The Honeys (for real?!?!), Peter Asher, David Pack, Bill Champlain, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, Bob Cowsill, Rick Springfield, Denny Laine, Jeff Baxter, Robbie Dupree, Chris Montez, Elliot Lurie (of Looking Glass!), Matthew Wilder, Walter Egan … and there’s even a rumor of a mini Beach Boys reunion, now that David Marks and John Stamos are on the list. (Previously, only Mike Love had been announced … but FH Reader Phil Miglioratti just might get his wish.  There have even been whispers of some Brian Wilson involvement!)
This is going to be one heck of a concert event.
The concert will be live-streamed here on Saturday, April 25th at 5 pm EST  / 2 pm PDT – http://www.alerttheglobe.com/  

Legendary Chicagoland Disc Jockey Tommy Edwards (aka Li’l Snot-Nosed Tommy!) has FINALLY published his long-awaited memoirs.
Titled “I Grew Up Listening To You: Stories From Behind The Mic,” it is available now for immediate shipment thru Amazon.com …
https://www.amazon.com/Grew-Up-Listening-You-Stories/dp/1658810392/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=I+grew+up+listening+to+you&qid=1587250292&sr=8-2
In addition to being one of the premier, long-standing jocks at WLS, Tommy was also the public address announcer for all of the Chicago Bulls home games for fifteen seasons.  (He’s also one of the nicest, all-around good guys to ever come out of broadcasting.)  kk 

And speaking of legendary disc jockeys, we just got this from FH Reader Clark Besch …   

Ronan O'Rahilly, Radio Caroline founder who inspired UK pop and pirate radio, dies aged 79
Ronan – a legend in our UK times.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/21/ronan-orahilly-radio-caroline-founder-uk-pop-pirate-radio-dies-aged-79-james-bond-george-lazenby
Clark

Kent, 
I have been listening to Channel 177 on my satellite radio for the last couple of days, featuring the Top 1000 Classic Pop Hits -- covering hits from 1957 - 1972. 
It might be something you and your readers may want to give a listen.
Enjoying this mix of music --
Joe Cantello
Roswell, Ga
I actually tuned in and listened for a little bit the other day, too.  (Can’t pick this one up in my car but I am able to stream it at work.)  Sirius XM also has The Top 600 Favorite Songs of the ‘60’s available as an on-demand station, so I’ve been listening to that one, too.  And, one of their Classic Rock stations is running THEIR version of The Top 1000 Classic Rock songs … which I found SO ridiculous that it inspired me to poll OUR audience to come up with a more accurate representation!  LOTS of choices now that so many of us have all this extra time on our hands!!!  (lol)
[Actually, it’s still business as usual for me … our company qualified for an exception … and we’ve been working every single day throughout this whole ordeal.  Luckily, there are lots of listening options at work.]  kk

Here are the first two of six emails I got this afternoon about the new AT&T television commercial running featuring Chuck Berry’s “School Days” classic ... it must have just started airing widely throughout the US, as I’ve probably seen it half a dozen times already myself!  (kk)

I see AT&T is the latest in a looonnng list of companies turning to classic hits, using Chuck Berry's "School Days" in its new commercial about online school services! Fun to hear again!
Don Effenberger

Kent,
Hope you are staying safe up where you are.
I was just now in my living room when I suddenly heard Chuck Berry singing SCHOOL DAYS on my television, which was on in another room. I immediately went in and there was a commercial on (new to me) from AT & T. It showed in different panels on the commercial young school kids doing work which looked like computers they were using. The kids in the commercial looked like they couldn't spell Chuck Berry much less knew who he was.
Stay safe.
Larry Neal
With SO many kids doing “home-schooling” these days thanks to the pandemic, watch some of these youngsters develop an affection for good old rock and roll from the grandfather of it all.  (Maybe SOME good can come out of this mania after all!!!)
We were talking about this at work the other day.  It’s great that kids, parents and teachers alike are adapting to the “new normal” when it comes to their ongoing education … but what about the parents who have THREE kids in school???  How many of those families have THREE computers so that each can get their equal share keeping up with their lessons?
None of us knows for sure what things will look like on the other side of this … but more home schooling wouldn’t be a surprise for me.  Does that mean more teachers will find themselves out of work once the “stay at home” ban has been lifted?  Our lives will have changed in SO many ways one can only wonder what this “new normal” will be once all is said and done.  (kk)

One Hit Wonder Ian Whitcomb passed away on Tuesday (April 21st).  I always liked his tune “You Turn Me On” … pretty risqué in hindsight for 1965!!!  (It went to #6 on the US Charts … incredibly, it didn’t chart at all back home in Jolly Ol’ England!)
I remember seeing him perform the song on several tv shows back in the day … and Ian went on to become a respected rock journalist, also penning the liner notes for many LPs once his own singing career had run its course.
Harvey Kubernik sent us an extensive piece (at 20-something pages, too long to run here) but if you’d like a copy, drop me a note and I’ll be happy to forward a copy on to you.  (It also includes a nice piece by Jeff Tamarkin.)  kk

I knew musician, author, deejay and broadcaster Ian Whitcomb since 1973. Reviewed him for "Melody Maker" in the seventies at a Ash Grove show. 
Over the decades I conducted a handful of interviews with him. 
He had a hit record, "You Turn Me On," and authored several wonderful books, including "After The Ball." 
He was always a delightful and informative interview subject.  Ian always provided his Pasadena-based archive and library for research.  I passed his Tin Pan Alley and vaudeville test. That was a tough one. 
I last saw Ian in 2019 at a memorial service for another beloved musicologist, Gary Schneider. They had deejay shifts back to back at www.luxuriamusic.com  
Ian's last words to me were, "Thanks for putting me in your books. But young lad, don't call me or email me about psychedelic music, Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles. Besides, I've got a casual booked this week." 
Harvey

kk –
It is being reported that Ian Whitcomb has died.  R.I.P.
This song always reminded me of a dirty phone call.


FB
Well, being older, you’ve always had much more experience with this than I have … but I always thought that to be the greatest part of its charm!  (lol)  kk

Kent,
I received an email from a friend of mine who said that singer Carl Dobkins Jr. passed away some two weeks ago. I did not know this and can't remember reading it in FH. Always did like his MY HEART IS AN OPEN BOOK on Decca.
Larry Neal
I never received any kind of notice about Carl Dobkins, Jr., so I did some checking … and see that Carl did, in fact, pass back on April 8th… apparently with very little fanfare.  (Several other sources that talked about his career had not been updated with this information … so you’ve got the inside scoop on this one, Larry!)
You can see the obituary here:  https://amgardens.org/obituary/carl-dobkins-jr-1941-2020/
In addition to his #3 Billboard Pop Hit “My Heart Is An Open Book” … it hit #1 in Music Vendor … Dobkins also hit The Top 40 with a track called “Lucky Devil,” which also performed better in Music Vendor (#20) than Billboard (#25).  Anybody remember that one???  (kk)
<iframe width="671" height="377" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qtR08RhlcUg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I always liked his hit MY HEART IS AN OPEN BOOK as well as the follow-up record he had called LUCKY DEVIL.
Larry
DIDJAKNOW?  The lyrics to “My Heart Is An Open Book” were written by Hal David.  This would have been shortly after the time he first teamed up with Burt Bacharach at The Brill Building in New York.  (kk)

Howdy Kent ...
Talk about your This and That’s!!!
I got a big "kick" out of America's Horse With No Name.  LMAO ... I needed a good laugh.
Thanks, too, for the Burton Cummings video. He sounded good back in ‘94.  Unfortunately, he forgot to sing "These Eyes,"… but I still enjoyed the mini impromptu concert.
And I subscribe to Steve Perry's fan page as well, so I got his somber version of "In My Room."  His voice has gotten better in recent times.
I didnt see the One World concert, but appreciate seeing the Stones singing "You Can’t Always Get What You Want." They sounded great.  I can’t believe that they live such "normal" looking lives, as evidenced by their homes. I thought Jagger was good as always, Ron Wood stole the show, Charlie Watts made me laugh and Keith Richards looks like a regular guy. 
I was sorry to hear about the loss of celebrities from Covid-19 in the Chicago area. Terrible illness. I hope it’s over soon.
Please stay well and be careful out there. 
Sandy

On the plus side of coronavirus news, I am happy to report that Marianne Faithfull has been released from the hospital after 22 days of treatment.  (While the number of deaths related to this thing is astounding … and scary as hell … there is also a VERY high percentage of recoveries that just don’t seem to get as much news coverage as the bad news / doom and gloom updates we get throughout the day.)

Robert Feder is reporting that this week’s Chicagoland Sing-Along tunes will be “Sweet Home Chicago” by The Blues Brothers on WDRV, Friday Night at 8 pm.
(Me-TV-FM just did that one last week … and had to offer downloadable, printable lyric sheets for their listeners so that they could sing along, since this isn’t a tune that typically finds its way into their softer rock playlist!)
The week Me is offering up Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Saturday Night at 7 pm.
The Drive has also been giving away their own relief checks (at $1000 per pop) throughout the week … as well as jigsaw puzzles to help you fill your time while you’re stuck at home during the pandemic!!!  (Clever stuff)
Meanwhile, Me is launching a new “Get Moving With Me” 7 am weekday series, featuring up-tempo songs to jump-start your day, perhaps even with a bit of exercise.  (My morning regime consists of sitting up in bed, turning sideways and then planting both feet on the floor.  While this may provoke a little bit of groaning, the REAL noise kicks in when I actually try to straighten up and stand!!!)  kk

For all you psychedelic music fans out there, here’s some good news … 

Legendary 1960's Psychedelic Garage-Band The Chocolate Watchband Release New Video HOPE  
The Chocolate Watchband, the 60's legendary psychedelic garage-band from the San Francisco Bay Area, has released a new video today free to the world. As all of us face new challenges that may force us to reckon with future waves of the Covid-19 virus, to survive this experience we need HOPE so that we will prevail.
Watch the video:https://youtu.be/WElvGZmum_Y
To all you fans of the Watchband out there quarantined from friends and loved ones, for all of you out there still working and supporting our country, for all you doctors, nurses, health care providers, governors and mayors working together to protect their people, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical aid providers and volunteers, mental health providers, teachers teaching from home and leaders of faith, all you delivery truck drivers and store workers keeping food and necessities on the shelves, for all you Fed-X, UPS and postal workers delivering necessities to those confined to their homes and journalists who tell us the TRUTH, this song is dedicated to YOU!
And thank all of you for your continuing support of our latest release “This is My Voice” available now in vinyl, CD and down load at www.thechocolatewatchband.com
David – Timmy – Derek – Alec - Gary
For more information:www.thechocolatewatchband.com

Hi, Kent -
Just heard this tune on the radio and had to share it.
I've seen the Nylons live about half dozen times in the late 80s - early 90s, and they were smooth.  The second song played on August 3, 1987, when WMET became WNUA, was one of their big hits ... I was hooked.  I think this tune, from about 1987, is relevant to the situation we're going through now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9FwolBqHbg
Mike
I wasn’t familiar with this one, nor did it chart.  The Nylons’ big hit was their remake of Steam’s “Na Na, Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye,” reworked as simply “Kiss Him Goodbye.”  It went to #12 in 1987 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart. (kk)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFgMnnyx-AU

Today,, April 23rd, would have been Roy Orbison’s 84th birthday. 
To celebrate, Wesley, Roy and Alex Orbison, a/k/a Roy’s Boys, are inviting you to attend The Roy Orbison Black & White Night Watch Party on Facebook. Click here at (or after) 4 PM EST and you’ll be treated to a showing of Black &White Night 30 in its entirely.  You’ll see and hear Roy Orbison at the very height of his powers, joined by admirers Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jennifer Warnes.  They’re all backed by veterans of Elvis Presley’s phenomenal TCB Band including James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Jason Schef and Ronnie Tut. 

Hi Kent and all,
Speaking of Grace Slick, I heard an interview with her back in her Starship years, during which she talked about her invite to the White House.
It seems that she and Trisha Nixon went to the same college, and the party she had been invited to was for alumni from the school.  She didn't know Ms. Nixon, but decided to go to the party anyway.
She had Abbey Hoffman with her and when they got to the White House, they wouldn't let them in. She also said that if they had gotten in, they were going to spike the punch with LSD. 
She couldn't figure out why she had gotten invited. Obviously, they didn't do their homework on Grace.
I wish I had the audio from that interview. It was on one of those radio specials that were syndicated back in the 70's.
Bill Scherer
I couldn’t put my hands on my copy of Grace Slick’s biography this morning … was going to run a quote or two from that about this event.  (This is a REAL good book, by the way … we have recommended it several times over the years.)  Seems like the secret dream of all of ‘60’s rock stars was to do some type of drugs inside The White House!  (lol)  kk

Hey Kent,
You've witnessed the scene in downtown Nashville. It's like the Las Vegas Strip or New York's Times Square; but for the last five weeks it's been empty. A ghost town! It's crazy and scary with so many jobs tied to music and entertainment. We're hoping it will begin to open up soon.
It was interesting to read the bit about Pacific Gas & Electric being shot at in Raleigh this week in 1970, since the death of guitarist Ken Utterback has been in the news this month.
Forgotten Hits remains the go-to source for any and all information about the music and the artists who brought it - and are still bringing it - to us. Thank you for keeping FH fresh and informative! 
David Lewis
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The Rolling Stones Are Back!

April 23, 2020, 4:06 pm
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After stealing the show Saturday Night with their surprise rendition of "You Can't Always Get What You Want' on TV's "One World Together At Home," The Rolling Stones dropped a brand new single today.  

The title couldn't be more timely in light of all that's going on in the world today ... "Living In A Ghost Town"... and some of the lyrics really resonate. 



According to Keith Richards, the song was recorded “well over a year ago in L.A. for part of a new album ... and then shit hit the fan.  Mick and I decided this one really needed to go to work right now and so here you have it.”  

Mick Jagger says they worked on the song "in isolation" and, as such, it should work well through the times that we’re  all going through together right now.

Ronnie Wood likes the song's “haunting melody” and Charlie Watts chimed in with “I think it captures a mood and I hope people who listen to it will agree.”  (No official word on whether he was twirling imaginary drum sticks during this statement or not.)

Enjoy ... brand new Stones music at a time when we ALL can use a boost in spirit!  (kk)
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Muddy Feet On The Mississippi

April 24, 2020, 4:00 am
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Helping Out Our Readers:
 
Seems like every time somebody discovers this great, lost New Colony Six track, we get an email asking about it!!!

But that's ok ... we just LOVE introducing new people to music they may have missed along the way ... and this is a good one!

This particular track eluded ALL of us ... as it wasn't officially released until 2007, when it first appeared on the "Sides" CD, spotlighting rare tracks by The New Colony Six and The Raymond John Michael Band.  (Prior to that, it had been locked in the vaults, unreleased, for DECADES!!!)

One cannot help but wonder how a track this good was never allowed the chance to see the light of day ...

But we're sharing it with you again today ... along with some commentary from some of the key players involved in the recording.



It all started with this email ...

From Cape Town …
An inflamed interest in the New Colony Six's “Muddy Feet (On the Mississippi)” ...
The guitar solo's compelling, riveting and soaring a mite above their other repertoire. 
Who was the guitarist?  The song is astounding … and I assume Billy Herman wrote it???  Greg Nashan???
Shiloh Noone
Rolling Stone Writer & Radio Presenter 
(And a good friend of The Flock's Fred Glickstein, who has disappeared off the map???) 

The New Colony Six track is an IMMEDIATE attention grabber … how on earth did THIS one end up in the vault for all these years?!?!  It’s really unlike anything else the guys ever recorded … and it smokes from start to finish.  This is one of those woulda / coulda / shoulda been a hit tracks, had it only been given the chance to do so.  (Of course, by then, the band had already been typecast as a ballads band … and, quite honestly, also by then, even those were running a bit thin … but SOMEBODY should have noticed the potential of this one!)

The song first turned up on the “Sides” CD,, released on Rev -Ola in 2007 … and it's well worth picking up if you can find a copy.  (I just saw one advertised on Amazon for $900.  Seriously?!?!?  Heck, I'd sell you MINE for only $850!!!)

As you suspected, it was written by Drummer Billy Herman … and that’s Ronnie Rice on the lead vocal (which surprised the heck out of me when we talked about it several years ago after I first discovered the track.)  

My first guess for the guitar work was Skip Griparis, simply because it sounds so completely different than anything else the band ever recorded … but he wouldn’t join The New Colony Six until a couple of years later … so that would mean that Gerry Van Kollenburg, the ONLY member of The New Colony Six to be with them for their entire duration, must have spiced things up for this recording.  (And since the usually reclusive Gerry helped contribute to the liner notes for this CD, I’m thinking he likely knew about the track, remembered it and was quite proud of his guitar work!)  However, a bit of investigative work shines some new light on this amazing track ... keep reading to see how it was Gerry's decision to have Skip Griparis handle the lead on this one.

As for Fred Glickstein, I shot him an email and let him know that I had heard from you … who knows, you may hear from him again sooner than you think!  (kk) 

UPDATE: 

The story doesn't stop here ...

Because this time around, I decided to do a bit of research and see how much more we could learn about the track. 

I read elsewhere that Skip Griparis played ALL of the guitars on this track, making me think that it must have been recorded later than originally thought.  (Of course, the same source for that information also credits The Bee Gees as being the songwriters of this track … which is TOTALLY false … They wrote the song “Let There Be Love,” which also appears on the "Signs" CD and was the first single released by The Raymond John Michael Band, an off-shoot of The New Colony Six, founded by Ray Graffia, Jr., Chic James and Craig Kemp.)

As you can imagine, everyone’s memory regarding a track that was all but forgotten at the time, is a bit sketchy at best some fifty years later … but we reached out to Ray Graffia, Jr. (who was no longer in the band by this point), Ronnie Rice … who definitely sang the lead vocal on this cut, Gerry Van Kollenburg, again the only “constant” throughout The New Colony Six’s original run, Bruce Gordon, the acknowledged bass player on the track, Chuck Jobes, The NC6’s keyboard player at the time and Skip Griparis to see if, between all these sources, we could piece together the puzzle any further.  Surely SOMEBODY must remember SOMETHING!!!

Hey Kent,
I did sing lead on Muddy Feet … 
Always liked the tune, but what can you say?
Stay well.
Ronnie Rice

Kent,
As you know, by the time it came out, I was off doing the RJM Band and teaching English at St. Genevieve Middle School … or it might have even been when I first began dabbling in pollution prevention and wastewater treatment, so I never heard or even knew of its existence until Sides came out and I got a copy. 
Be blessed, be safe, be healthy,     
Ray 

Hello Kent!
Here's what I remember …
I believe the tune was written by Billy Herman (RIP - no details)
Lead vocal was Ronnie Rice. I sang the harmony on the hook.
Chuck Jobes on keys, Skip Griparis on guitar, Billy on drums, and me playing bass.  It was recorded at CBS on McClurg Court. I don't know if the recording studio is still there.
Like the tune People And Me, which was also a great rocker,  it just didn't score. The Colony was known for our love ballads.
Thanks for asking.
Yours truly,
Bruce Gordon 

When I saw Skip Griparis performing here in Nashville, the main thing I remember him telling me is that he still owns and plays the Gibson ES-335 that he played on the Muddy Feet on the Mississippi track. We also discussed the "Southern" imagery in the lyrics since none of the guys were from that part of the USA, or had any connection to the area. The last time I talked with Bob Wilson, he told me he and Skip talked or emailed quite often. 
David Lewis
Two latter day New Colony Six members for sure!!!  By then, the band was no longer in the spotlight here in Chicago … completely off the radar … but there’s plenty of proof showing that these guys were still churning out great music during this era, even if it was to a more limited audience.  While Skip took over for Ronnie Rice as lead vocalist, those two have remained friends for all these years, too, and will often pop up at each other’s shows.  Ironically, both had shows coming up at The Metropolis Theater here in Arlington Heights that were cancelled / postponed due to the pandemic.  (I reached out to Skip for some additional commentary on this track but didn’t hear back in time for today's post.)  kk

Perhaps the most definitive answer (and this is the one that I'M going with!!!) comes from Gerry Van Kollenburg, who tells us ... 

Hi Kent:
As far as I remember:
This was recorded in 1972 or 1973 at Universal Studios
It was written by Billy Herman and Skip Griparis
The lineup was as follows:
Ronnie Rice - lead vocal
Billy Herman and Skip Griparis - background vocals
Gerry Van Kollenburg - rhythm guitar
Skip Griparis - lead guitar  (It was his song and I liked the way he played lead on it, so I asked him to play on the session, though he wasn’t a member of the band at that time.)
Bruce Gordon - bass
Chuck Jobes - keyboards
Thanks … and thank you for all of your support.
Gerry Van Kollenburg 

That’s awesome - thanks Gerry!   
Stay safe during all this on-going craziness. 
Music has been a GREAT escape for all of us - 
Thank you for giving us so much to enjoy and share.
kk 

THAT’S A WRAP (a-tap)!
So there you have it ... more insight into a GREAT, forgotten track that is winning over brand new fans every time somebody hears it!  (And, speaking of "wraps," I still say they oughta make a deal to license "Roll On" out to advertisers able to fill orders for the dwindling supply and swirling demand for toilet paper!!!)  

Hey, don't laugh ... as we recently learned in FH, a similar promotional idea scored the band a #4 Hit Record in Hawaii in 1971 ... and earned them a trip to the islands to perform a series of concerts there!  (kk)



Some previous New Colony Six pieces you may wish to check out: 
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-colony-six-reunion-and-we-were.html



The Reunited New Colony Six, April 24, 2008
BACK ROW (L-R): Ronnie Rice, Gerry VanKollenburg and Craig Kemp
FRONT ROW (L-R): Chic James, Ray Graffia, Jr. and Wally Kemp 

You'll also find much more information on the latter-day members of the band … who played and sang on what (whether they were members of the group or not!) … and how some of these songs got into their hands.  (There's some good stuff here!)  kk 
https://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2010/01/helping-out-our-readers-new-colony-six.html
 
The New Colony Six, circa 1969, appearing on The Mike Douglas Show where they performed their latest hit singles, "Things I'd Like To Say" and "Can't You See Me Cry."


Backstage after a show with The Beach Boys (also 1969) ...



And Ronnie and Ray today, performing as part of the IMMENSELY popular Cornerstones Of Rock shows ...
 
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The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 26 - 20 )

April 26, 2020, 5:00 am
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As expected, Friday’s New Colony Six feature sparked a few responses … including a few more from some of the former band members themselves …

Great story today!
Ken Voss

Hi Kent,
Thank you - Thank you – Thank you for your fabulous stories and photos of the One and Only NEW COLONY SIX!!!  THE GREATEST GROUP TO COME OUT OF CHICAGO.
They had the Best Album Covers ... Their Variety of Music is truly entertaining and they will always be SPECIAL to me.
Keep Rockin' Kent,
Carolyn

Kent,
I agree with you on this awesome song I had no idea about.  It has Grass Roots sound written all over it.  More cowbell please!! 
It sure doesn't sound like Ronnie Rice singing, but gives an idea of his future country vocals on Capitol shortly afterwards.  Just one more clue of the move by 60's Chicago artists towards country for a short time in the early 70's.  If this were out today, we would call it country, not a rocker, like we would call it in 1972/3.
Clark Besch

Kent –
Love chatting with you in any fashion and always smile whenever the band gets a mention in FH ... such as today’s much, much, much appreciated edition of Forgotten Hits.
First up a few corrections and clarifications: 
Greg Nashan was RJM Band's guitar player but never part of NC6 
Nobody has been with New Colony Six its "entire duration" but Gerry Van Kollenburg was the last founder present at the time of initial demise
The re-formed NC6 which is now 32 years old, with the band name in existence from summer of 1964 through Coronavirus 2020 and still going, albeit not recently due to the pandemic ... has had a quartet of us active over that entire 32-year time span = Rick Barr (drums), Bruce Mattey (guitar and vocals), Gary Greenman  (keyboards), and me (whatever it is I do and did first go around) 
Typo re: "Let There Be Love" --- "Signs" CD should read "SIDES" CD
Bruce Gordon also spanned both "editions" of NC6 as he was among the bass players first go around as well as the re-formed band's original bass player until he decided to dedicate full-time to his business ventures - Bill Szostek has been NC6 bass and vocals ever since
The photo above the Beach Boys pic was not from the Mike Douglas Show, rather from our appearance on "Showcase '68," an ABC TV network offering hosted by Lloyd Thaxton - You Tube video (with some stupid added graphics for some reason)

Besides performing “Things I’d Like To Say,” our second tune on the Mike Douglas Show was "Groovin' Is Easy", a cover song, which we did for goodness knows what reason, but it was our second selection for that TV appearance!  


Did I tell you that RJM’s recording of “Let There Be Love” is going to be included in a soon to be released CD compilation out of Australia? 
http://playbackrecords.net/ is in the midst of finishing up and releasing a collection of other artists covering Bee Gees music.  They currently have it listed as COMING SOON on their website, but they have not shared any official release date information with me as of yet ... but love being included.
(Thought you might get a kick out of the quartet of RJM pics I have on this computer… please pardon if redundant from years past when I may have sent these to you!)


Also, a wee bit more on the RJM Band! 
We had more founding NC6ers than did the Colony and RJM actually opened for NC6 once, but only Gerry and Pat (and Ronnie who was not a founder) remained in the band by that time, while Chic, Craig and I were three of the five RJM Band crew.  

Here's a clip of RJM's cover of The Bee Gees' tune "Let There Be Love" 


For the sake of the Playback Records' folks, please grab a copy of the entire tribute CD whenever SOON arrives, okay?  Love ya, man!!!!!!     
Ray     
P.S.  Finally ... I just loved your clever use of (W)Rap-A-Tap = thank you!  Found two You Tube Rap-A-Tap version videos - one from my younger brother using blurry but pretty cool family scrapbook photos methinks, but you can only get there by searching under User Name Channel "dickeyboyz" and search Ron's, errr dickeyboyz's channel by typing Rap-A-Tap in the search space on that channel.  For some unknown reason, his multi-picture posting has the same YouTube address as this one below, which featured horns and a different drum track.  Frankly, I do not recall which version was released.  Maybe one of the FH readers, or you, will know the answer to that question?!?!  Regardless, here is the version with horns and the different drum track - as there is no easy link to the much more garage band-like version me bro' posted!


Kent ...
I don't know whose memory is at fault here ... but it ain't mine!! 
I never recorded the above tune. I was out of the group by ‘71... early ‘72 at the latest.  I never heard of the Muddy Feet song until this letter. It's a good song, but not the Colony's thing ... we tried a couple of rockers that flopped. The ballads were getting stale.
I only recorded at Ter-Mar studios on S. Michigan Ave. Skip Griparis was in a band that Pat McBride was producing.
We had a great shot at the big time ... but Chicago seemed to be the most loyal. After 4 years, I had had enough of rock and roll and moved on. I'm still going, right up to this plague and even thru it.  What the future will be is anyone's guess.
I believe I last wrote to you concerning the authorship of the hit 'I Will Always Think About You' ...
It was written by Les Kummel and Ronnie Rice. I was there when they were tossing it around. Ronnie and I were next-door neighbors at 6228 Winthrop. Bruce Mattey was nowhere around.
While Billy Herman was trying to kick everyone out of the band, I recommended Bruce Mattey because I worked with him and Bruce Gordon in the Revelles prior to being asked to join the NC6 and considered him a great musician and friend. Ultimately, he got in.
I wish you the best and thanks for keeping a great era alive.     
Sincerely,   
Chuck Jobes
There has always been a fair amount of debate regarding Bruce Mattey’s involvement (if any) with The New Colony Six’s Chicagoland #1 Hit “I Will Always Think About You.”  He has always indicated to me that it was a song that he and Les Kummel had started while still in The Revelles and that Les took it with him when he joined The Colony, ultimately finishing it off with Ronnie Rice.  I don’t know that we’ll ever really know for sure since Les is no longer with us and Ronnie likely wouldn’t have known the song’s true origins.  What annoys me is when Bruce performs the song in concert and introduces it as his own (as a song he has written), as this just isn’t portraying history accurately.  Knowing now that The New Colony Six often used friends and side musicians on some of their latter day recordings, it does seem more likely that guys like Bruce and Rick Barr, who are currently still with the band today, some 35 years later (!) contributed to some of these sessions.  Groups like The Revelles and a few others have often been regarded as The New Colony Six Farm Club … I know The Cryan’ Shames similarly brought on new members from some of the other bands who were performing around town locally at the time.  Good players always seemed to know other good players.  Honestly, I think you’d need a score card FROM THE TIME to accurately paint the complete picture.
But now we have to figure out WHO played the keyboards on the “Muddy Mississippi” track.  (I’ve got to tip my hat to you there … as we’ve seen countless times over the years of producing Forgotten Hits, FAR more musicians take credit for what they DIDN’T do … it sure is refreshing to see someone deny involvement with a great track like this, simply on the basis of honesty!  Lol)  Just so weird to see that both Bruce Gordon and Gerry Van Kollenburg BOTH remember you being on the session!  Guess we’ll throw it back to both of those guys to see if they can offer a moment of fresher clarity!  Thanks, Chuck!  (kk)

Muddy Feet was recorded before our last date in May of 1972 - our last show together was at The Brat Stop in Kenosha, WI. 
I believe Chuck was there - Ronnie and/or Skip. could verify.  We also had recorded LONG TIME TO BE ALONE and NEVER BE LONELY not at Ter-Mar. 
At the MUDDY FEET session, we also recorded another tune written and sung by Billy Herman named RAINDROPS. There were only demo acetates cut per my recollection. I lost mine in apartment building gas explosion. 
Perhaps Ronnie or Skip can add to the history. 
Bruce Gordon
We know the band continued past 1972 due to new recordings made and released thru 1974.  (“I Don’t Really Wanna Go” and “Run” immediately come to mind, by which point The New Colony Six were signed to MCA Records, who also re-released “Long Time To Be Alone” and “Never Be Lonely,” this time with “Never Be Lonely” as the designated A-Side.)  I have always loved BOTH sides of that single and, since PERFECTLY cast in the NC6 ballad mode, these should have been HUGE chart hits … but it just never happened (although, like “Roll On” before it, “Long Time To Be Alone” DID go to #4 in Hawaii … which is better than it did here in Chicago, where it peaked at #13!!!)  Nationally, it crapped out at #93 … and deserved a FAR better fate than that!  Even listening to it today, this still has “hit record” written all over it.  (kk)


Hey Kent!
Regarding the later-day member line-up of The New Colony Six, after my many, many years of being the group's historian, I still cannot come up with exact timelines of which members were involved at what point in time and for how long, because after The NC6 were dropped from Mercury Records in 1970, the group line-up rapidly became a proverbial revolving door in terms of  how many membership changes took place.
Ray Graffia, Jr. and Chic James departed in 1969 and, after that point, Gerry Van Kollenburg remained as the only continual original member.
It's still not clear to what extent original NC6 member Pat McBride continued to contribute as an active member ... I do know that Pat produced some of the songs that the Colony recorded as single sides during their stint with Pete Wright's Sunlight record label in the 1971-72 timespan.
But, getting back to the ever-changing group membership around that time, many names come to mind that you haven't previously mentioned ...
Steve Eddington, John Camelot, Ron Wilson (who actually wrote the 1970 NC6 single "People And Me"), Rick Barr (who is now, and has been, the drummer for the current incarnation of the NC6 since 1988), and a black female Jamaican singer named Yvonne Brown.
Somewhere in my massive NC6 archives, I have a photo of the group from 1974 which shows both John Camelot and Yvonne Brown included in the group line-up. 
I'm certain that there are a few more later-day replacement members who also briefly went through the ranks of the New Colony until Gerry Van Kollenburg finally pulled the plug on the group in late-1974. 
One last thing ...
When I was commissioned to co-produce, compile the songs and write the liner notes for the 2007 New Colony Six / Raymond John Michael "Sides" CD, "Muddy Feet" was the very first track on my choice list for the CD ...
That song completely blew me away the very first time I heard it many years ago, and it still stands as one of my  ALL-TIME favorite NC6 recordings.
Unfortunately, it was recorded at the wrong time frame of the group and, because the New Colony Six had been type-casted as a ballad band, only added to the fact that the incredible tune would remain a complete secret until decades later, when I made sure to include it on the "Sides" CD. 
Jerry Schollenberger
Thanks for chiming in, Jerry!  As the band’s official historian, I know your frustration of not being able to pin down all of the details of the final incarnation of the band (prior to its current revival, of course!)
I’m thinking of revisiting my month-long series from 2005 to see if there any other minute details that might crop up after all this time.  How cool would it be the revamp and rerun that series with input from ALL of the guys who performed under that banner over all this time?!?!  Hoping that I can get some input from all known members … who may in turn be able to connect me with a few of those more obscure artists who passed thru the night!  (kk) 

This group's album was something left in my brother's things once upon a time.  I was very young, but I wondered what in the world happened to them?  Do you know?

Your blogs have been a great education for me during this shelter-in-place situation.
This Texan by way of Mississippi appreciates you!
Nikki Sloane
The Mob was one of the earlier pioneers of horn rock here in Chicago … and they deserved a better fate than only a couple of low-charting hits in the early ‘70’s.  (Some would argue that they helped paved the way for several of the other horn bands to enjoy greater chart success ... including The Buckinghams, The Ides Of March, Chase and even Chicago themselves!) 
“I Dig Everything About You” was their biggest (aka ONLY) Chicagoland hit, peaking at #20 on the WCFL Chart.  (WLS passed on this one)  But it was “Give It To Me” that charted the highest nationally, peaking at #71 in Billboard in the Spring of 1971.  (“I Dig Everything About You” only managed a #83 Billboard showing.  We featured it again recently in Forgotten Hits.)
Mob member Jim Holvay wrote FOUR Top Ten Hits for The Buckinghams … “Kind Of A Drag” (#1, 1967), “Don’t You Care” (#5, 1967), “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song” (#5, 1967) and “Susan” (#6, 1968) … and has chimed in any number of times over the years.  Might The Mob have enjoyed similar national success had they kept those songs for themselves?  We’ll never know … but the feeling at the time was that they didn’t really fit the mode of what they were doing, going for a bigger, harder-edged sound.

Burton Cummings is just another of the AMAZING artists who are coming together to raise funds and awareness for Covid 19 through our Canadian partners.
More details below.  (The event airs TODAY!) 

Exciting news! It has just been announced that Burton Cummings is joining an impressive list of almost 50 Canadian performers for “Stronger Together / Tous Ensemble,” a national salute to frontline workers combatting COVID-19, which will be airing on television and streaming on a number of platforms this Sunday.   
Click on this link for all the details:
https://www.bellmedia.ca/…/stronger-together-tous-ensemble…/

Also on the bill …  Amy Poehler, Andre De Grasse, Avril Lavigne, Cirque du Soleil, David Foster, Geddy Lee, Justin Bieber, Kiefer Sutherland, Mike Myers, Robbie Robertson, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O’Hara, Chris Elliott, Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Céline Dion, Eric McCormack, Howie Mandel, Jason Priestley, Michael Bublé,  Sarah McLachlan, Shania Twain, Will Arnettand many, many more.

OK, now THIS one sounds pretty cool!!!

DION RECORDS WITH PAUL SIMON, VAN MORRISON, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND 14 OTHER SUPER STARS ON HIS NEW STUDIO ALBUM, BLUES WITH FRIENDS, TO RELEASE JUNE 5th - THE 14 ORIGINAL SONGS ALSO INCLUDE MUSICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM JEFF BECK, RORY BLOCK, JOE BONAMASSA, SAMANTHA FISH, BILLY GIBBONS, JOHN HAMMOND JR., SONNY LANDRETH, JOE MENZA, PATTI SCIALFA, BRIAN SETZER, STEVIE VAN ZANDT, JERRY AND JIMMY VIVINO and JOE LOUIS WALKER 
FIRST SINGLE “BLUES COMIN’ ON” FEATURING JOE BONAMASSA IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM AND DOWNLOAD NOW 
“Dion knows how to sing, and he knows just the right way to craft these songs, these blues songs. He’s got some friends here to help him out, some true luminaries. But in the end, it’s Dion by himself alone, and that masterful voice of his that will keep you returning to share these Blues songs with him.: 
-  Excerpt from Bob Dylan’s liner notes for Blues With Friends 
Blues With Friends is available for Pre-Order worldwide at: KTBArecords.com
Stream “Blues Comin’ On” Now HERE
More information at www.diondimucci.com  
Dion’s Blues With Friends CD, out June 5th, represents the fulfillment of a lifelong vision.
Dion explains the album’s impetus, “I wanted an album of songs that were strong and memorable and told stories that were worth telling.” His songwriting efforts were supported by a cadre of great players, each of whom jumped at the chance to collaborate with a music legend they think of in heroic terms. He’s quick to point out just how enduring this creative relationship has been, “The blues have been at the heart of my music since the early 1960s. ‘The Wanderer’ is a twelve-bar blues and I was covering Willie Dixon and Jimmy Reed in my early years at Columbia — much to the dismay of my corporate masters.”  That’s the way it’s long been for the man Lou Reed inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame more than thirty years ago. That night the normally taciturn Reed exalted, “And then there was Dion — whose voice was unlike any other I had heard before — a voice that stood on its own, remarkable and unmistakably from New York. Bronx soul.”
As one of the very few first-generation rock ‘n’ rollers still seriously pursing new avenues of expression, Dion’s Bronx soul is very much in evidence on this new album, a full-tilt blues offering. The blues songs therein are not “covers” nor Dion’s versions of blues standards. These compositions are, in fact, blues originals, destined to become classics in their own right.  He came up with the music and words for twelve of them and finished those with co-writer Mike Aquilina. The two exceptions are “Hymn To Him” which Dion wrote with Bill Tuohy and “Kickin’ Child,” written with Buddy Lucas.
To tell those stories, Dion recruited help from a few notable friends and admirers.  He thought, “I needed to round up the best guitarists and musicians alive and pick them from every generation, every variation of blues.” And that’s just what he did, surrounding himself with those who feel the blues spirit as he does.
The album’s guests include the cream of the contemporary scene’s blues-rooted slingers including Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Brian Setzer, Sonny Landreth, Samantha Fish, John Hammond Jr., Joe Louis Walker, Rory Block , Jimmy and Jerry Vivino, vintage guitar guru Joe Menza as well as icons Stevie Van Zandt, Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison and Paul Simon.  Yes, that’s a whole lot of star power but each participated not because of his or her marquee appeal but because of what each could add musically. The result is one reflective of nuanced devotion to the blues rather than a gratuitous display of individual virtuosity. It’s very much Dion’s album and those bold face names participating are most convincingly there for him.
For this outing, Dion worked with producer Wayne Hood in whose Florida studio the basic tracks were recorded. “From the first day, I was at home. We hit it off like brothers on a mission. We caught the same vision and sound and off we went.” Over the course of the last part of 2019 and the first part of 2020, the album began to take shape.  Dion had the songs and the collaborators began to reveal themselves. As Dion tells it, he ran the album’s first track, “Blues Comin’ On,” past Joe Bonamassa. He noted, “It’s funny how a song evolves. For me it usually starts with a few words. In this case it was “If I didn’t know better" I wanted to sing those words, so I wrote a song around them. Joe Bonamassa is a monster and took the song to a whole new level.” Joe would be the first of many of Dion’s Blues With Friends co-conspirators.
Ever the no-nonsense sage, Dion bottom lined just what makes Blues With Friends a project for the ages: “Great songs, great guitarists. What more do you need?” he asks.   
Dion’s Blues With Friends will be released on June 5th through Keeping The Blues Alive Records, a new label started by Joe Bonamassa and his manager Roy Weisman and is an offshoot of Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Bonamassa’s non-profit that aims to conserve the art of music and the rich culture and history of the blues.  The label’s objective is to provide a platform for musical talent in blues and blues-rock based music and to help encourage the careers of extraordinary musical talent. 10% of all profits from the label will be donated back to the Non-Profit for promoting music education to students and schools in need. 

The album will be preceded by a staggered release of album singles as follows: 

April 24 – “Blues Comin’ On” with Joe Bonamassa
May 1 – “Hymn To Him” with Patti Scialfa & Bruce Springsteen
May 8 – “Bam Bang Boom” with Billy Gibbons
May 15 – “I Got Nothin’” with Van Morrison & Joe Louis Walker
May 22 – “Can’t Start Over Again” with Jeff Beck
May 29 – “Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America)” with Paul Simon

In addition to the aforementioned “Blues Comin’ On,” Dion provided some analytical introspection for the album’s other thirteen tracks, all guests on guitar unless otherwise indicated.
“Kickin’ Child” (with Joe Menza) “I was the first rock-and-roll artist signed to Columbia Records, but they thought rock was a passing fad and wanted me to be the next crooner of standards from the Great American Songbook, but I wasn’t going there.  I recorded what I wanted, and it mostly stayed in the vault. I first wrote and recorded this song in 1965; Tom Wilson produced a version of it. In 2017 I released an album with “Kickin'’ Child” as the title track but it wasn’t where I wanted it, so I re-recorded in here.  Joe Menza knew where I wanted it to go.”

“Uptown Number 7” (with Brian Setzer) “I wanted to write an old-fashioned gospel number in the style of the Golden Gate Quartet. I wanted this one to be about moving forward in the spiritual life… having a goal... facing temptations along the way. So, I put it all on a train, because that’s what New Yorkers do if they want to get anywhere: they take the train. I can never leave well enough alone, so one day I tried the melody in a minor key.  I loved the way it turned out and that’s what you’re hearing.”

“Can’t Start Over Again” (with Jeff Beck) “My earliest influences were country blues, especially Hank Williams. Any money I earned I took to the neighborhood record store, where the owner used to razz me about my “hillbilly” tastes. I guess I still have that hillbilly inside. For my last album I wrote a song called ‘I Can’t Go Back to Memphis,’ but I go back there with this number. It’s about love and loss and heartache, the classic themes. I believe it's a true blues song. I asked Jeff Beck to play something on it, he said yes! What can I say, it's Jeff Beck.”

“My Baby Loves to Boogie” (with John Hammond Jr., harmonica) “John Hammond and I go back to the ’60s at the Gaslight coffee house in Greenwich Village. I’ve always admired John. He’s a dear friend. I played him this song and he said he heard harp on it. Well, friends, now you could hear exactly what he was talking’ about. It sounds like “Boogie Beyond.”

“I Got Nothin’” (with Van Morrison, vocals, and Joe Louis Walker, guitar) “You know when you sit down and you want to write a song, but nothing comes to mind? I was having one of those days. So, I went with the feeling and this is what I got. I got nothin’, and nothing is enough! It’s more than enough, actually, when you’re singing it with Van Morrison and Joe Louis Walker complemented us perfectly.”

“Stumbling Blues” (with Jimmy Vivino and Jerry Vivino, sax) “This is one of those melodies that came out of nowhere and it feels like it’s been drifting on the wind since the beginning of time. It’s built on a classic blues progression. I didn’t really hear it till I was sitting in Van Morrison’s dressing room and he asked me to play something new. For whatever reason, I knew while I was singing it that it was something extraordinary.”

“Bam Bang Boom” (with Billy Gibbons) “This is another song that started as phrases I wanted to sing. ‘I stepped into love.’ The lyric does a good job of describing what happened when I first met Susan. We were both teenagers. She was new to my very Italian neighborhood in the Bronx and she was a redheaded transplant from Vermont. Bam bang boom! Billy Gibbons was a joy to work with on this.  There’s nobody like him.”

“I Got the Cure” (with Sonny Landreth) “The blues aren’t always about being down and out. When you aren’t crying, you’re bragging about what you can do. It’s what I did in songs from ‘The Wanderer’ to ‘King of the New York Streets’ to “Gangster of Love.’ Here I go again.”

“Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)” (with Paul Simon, vocals) “I wrote this tune back many years ago. At first I just had the melody and the refrain ‘Here in America.’ A friend suggested I use an episode from my memoir about walking southern streets with Sam Cooke in 1962.  I finished the song, but it felt too personal, so I put it aside. Then in 2019 I saw the movie Green Book and after that I couldn’t shake the song.  My friend Paul Simon wanted to record it what he was hearing on the tune; it’s a story we both share. Thank you Paul. Rest in peace, Sam.

“What If I Told You” (with Samantha Fish) “Same old story: suspicion. The challenge is to make it new and fresh and I think I did. If I put out the same amount of energy and emotion that Samantha Fish put into this song, I wouldn’t be able to walk for three weeks. EPIC!!!”

“Told You Once in August” (with John Hammond, slide guitar on right, Rory Block, slide guitar on left and vocals) “One of my favorite guitars is a little Cordova travel model that I bought for practically nothing. One day I was fooling around on it and I got this sound that reminded me of those old backwoods Appalachian blues recordings. I tried to capture the slow anger of a man who gradually realizes he’s been done wrong by his woman.”

“Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)” (with Stevie Van Zandt) “It started with a rhythm. It got me and wouldn’t let go. My dear friend Stevie Van Zandt just rocked it with his grit and nasty grunge guitar. We had a lot of fun in the studio and then we went out to eat to celebrate.”

“Hymn to Him” (with Patti Scialfa, vocals, and Bruce Springsteen, guitar) “I first recorded this song for my 1987 gospel album Velvet & Steel. But songs are never finished... I kept hearing this with Patti’s voice, so I asked her to help me remake the song. When she started singing and layering her vocals down, I got a big surprise. Bruce walked into the studio with his guitar and asked to play a solo. They made it something sublime.” 

Follow Dion on Social Media: 
Facebook @officialdion / Instagram @diondimucciofficial / Twitter @thewandererdion 
Spotify  /  YouTube

About Keeping The Blues Alive Records:  Joe Bonamassa along with his long-time manager, Roy Weisman, have taken the next step by creating a new record label, Keeping The Blues Alive (KTBA) Records.  The label is an offshoot of Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Joe Bonamassa’s non-profit that aims to conserve the art of music and the rich culture and history of the blues, recognized as a true American art form. KTBA Records’ objective is to provide a platform for musical talent in blues and blues-rock based music and to help promote the careers of extra ordinary musical talent. The label works synergistically with the non-profit’s mission of supporting musicians to continue the legacy of the blues. 10% of all profits from KTBA Records will be donated to the non-profit. The label is an important step in the co-evolution of the music and the business of making it. It represents another of Bonamassa’s continuing efforts over the last 25 years in supporting the artistic community. It reflects the philosophy of paying it forward just as so many others did for Joe in the hope of paving the way for blues-rock stars in the future. www.KTBArecords.com

I have really enjoyed Dion’s recent albums … he is still in fine voice and really seems to be enjoying himself, making all of this new music.
This one sounds like no exception.
I was given an early listen (Thanks, Bob Merlis!) and this is a spirited outing with some pretty high-profile celebs along for the ride.  My early favorite is “Can’t Start Over Again,” featuring Jeff Beck … but even after just one listen I get the feeling that most, if not all of these songs will “grow on you” after repeated listens, just like his last couple of albums did.  Definitely worth a listen!  (kk)
More on this new release here:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dion-new-album-bruce-springsteen-paul-simon-jeff-beck-989411/amp/

The other day we told you about what would have been Roy Orbison’s 84th birthday (April 23rd) and let you know about the new re-release of Roy’s landmark television concert special “A Black And White Night,” now available for permanent streaming here …

Well, here’s a picture of Roy celebrating his 27th birthday with a few of his famous friends …

(By the way,, that’s Roy’s young son Roy DeWayne, one third of “Roy’s Boys,” beaming out from the lower right.)

And some more information about the new site devoted to preserving this historic event …

April 23rd is Roy Orbison’s birthday; the legend was born in Vernon, TX, on that day in 1936, meaning this year marks The Big O’s 84th birthday.
To celebrate, Wesley, Roy and Alex Orbison, a/k/a Roy’s Boys, invite you to attend The Roy Orbison Black & White Night Watch Party on Facebook. Click here and you’ll be treated to a showing of Black &White Night 30 in its entirely.  You’ll see and hear Roy Orbison at the very height of his powers, joined by admirers Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jennifer Warnes.  They’re all backed by veterans of Elvis Presley’s phenomenal TCB Band including James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Jerry Schef and Ronnie Tut. 
Burton has fond memories of working with Roy Orbison and especially being part of Black & White Night.  "Whether it was playing live or recording, it was always so much fun working with Roy. Black & White Night is one of my all time favorite shows with amazing musicians and a star-studded audience. Roy and I keying off of each other was always thrilling and he was such a pro and a wonderful entertainer.  What a night that was!" 
For the 30th Anniversary of this landmark concert event, Roy Orbison’s “Black And White Night 30 DVD, Blu-ray and audio CD’s were released in February of 2017, featuring never-before-seen performances, camera angles and a new mini-documentary.


To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Roy Orbison’s renowned 1987 televised comeback concert at the Cocoanut Grove night club in Los Angeles, Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings has teamed up with Roy’s Boys LLC, the Nashville-based company founded by the late icon’s sons to administer their father’s catalog and safeguard his legacy. Together, they have released Black & White Night 30, a re-imagined, re-edited, remastered and expanded version of the original television special, available both as a CD/DVD set and as a CD/Blu-ray set.
By the mid-1980s, Roy Orbison had been out of the limelight for quite some time, but his song “In Dreams” was prominently featured in David Lynch’s landmark 1986 noir film Blue Velvet and helped reignite interest in the ‘Big O.’ On September 30, 1987, Orbison, then 51, staged a remarkable comeback with the help of guest musicians whom he had influenced: Jackson Browne, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, J.D. Souther, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jennifer Warnes. The all-star concert at the Ambassador Hotel’s Cocoanut Grove night club was turned into a television special and broadcast as Roy Orbison & Friends: Black & White Night on Cinemax the following January, less than a year before the icon’s untimely passing.  
Black & White Night 30 is NOT a reissue. Because the concert had been shot using seven separate cameras, there were hundreds of hours of footage that went unused and unseen. Roy’s youngest son Alex Orbison and his co-editor Luke Chalk went back and re-edited the entire performance so that while the look will be familiar to those that have seen the original version, the vast majority of footage in Black & White Night 30 has never been seen before by the public.  Furthermore, the program has been restored to reflect the correct set order, so that viewers can see Roy, brilliantly backed by Elvis Presley’s TCB Band (James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Jerry Scheff, Ron Tutt), blast through massive Orbison hits such as “Only the Lonely,” “In Dreams” and “Crying” just as the star-studded live audience witnessed them on that very night. 
The bonus features included in Black & White Night 30 are remarkable in both size and scope.  These include a previously unseen alternate version of Orbison’s biggest hit “Oh, Pretty Woman” and a previously unseen “Blue Angel.” Then, unbeknownst to just about everyone but those that were there in 1987, Roy and friends and the full band regathered onstage after the show had ended and after the audience had left.  A ‘secret concert’ of five songs followed and is presented here for the first time.   The “secret concert” features alternate takes of “Dream You,” “Comedians,” “Candyman,” “Claudette,” and “Uptown” with shooting stopped only after film ran out in the middle of the latter song.  These ‘secret’ performances have been highly sought after by fans for decades.  All tracks, including all ‘secret concert’ alternate versions have been freshly remastered by Richard Dodd.   The audio for the concert is available on CD with buyers of Black & White Night 30 receiving a download code for access to the audio records of the ‘secret concert.’
Also included is a brand new 33-minute mini-documentary consisting of rehearsal footage and pre and post show interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne from that night.  Absolutely none of this content has ever been released commercially, and until recently, has only been rumored to exist.
Black & White Night 30’s bonus features are capped with a montage consisting of 20 still photos from the show and new photos of show memorabilia, mostly unused and unseen in any context. Liner notes written by son Roy Orbison Jr. are included in the brand new, yet thematically consistent, packaging. 
Roy Orbison: Black & White Night 30 DVD/Blu-ray tracklist
1)    Only The Lonely
2)    Leah
3)    In Dreams
4)    Crying
5)    Uptown
6)    The Comedians
7)    Blue Angel+
8)    It’s Over
9)    Running Scared
10) Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
11) Mean Woman Blues
12) Candy Man
13) Ooby Dooby
14) Blue Bayou
15) Go Go Go (Down the Line)
16) (All I Can Do Is) Dream You
17) Claudette
18) Oh, Pretty Woman (ALT Version)*
19) Oh, Pretty Woman
Secret Post Show
1)  (All I Can Do Is) Dream You (Alternate Version)* 
2)  The Comedians (Alternate Version)*
3)  Candy Man (Alternate Version)*
4)  Claudette (Alternate Version)*
5)  Uptown (Alternate Version)*
*Previously unreleased
+First time on DVD
DVD/Blu-ray bonus features:
-       Bonus Rehearsal & Interview Footage
-       Photo Gallery 
RoyOrbison.com
store.RoyOrbison.com
facebook.com/RoyOrbison
twitter.com/RoyOrbison
instagram.com/officialroyorbison
www.legacyrecordings.com
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=black+and+white+night+30&ref=nb_sb_noss_1


This one got truncated the other day … so here it is again …

Hey Kent,
You've witnessed the scene in downtown Nashville. It's like the Las Vegas Strip or New York's Times Square; but for the last five weeks it's been empty. A ghost town! It's crazy and scary with so many jobs tied to music and entertainment. We're hoping it will begin to open up soon.
David Lewis
I feel for ALL of the musicians and entertainers who have been put out of work by this thing.  The Nashville Strip, The Las Vegas Strip … silenced and deserted.  Thank God for organizations like Music Cares that are helping some of these artists survive during this crazy, crazy time.  (Add to that all the bars and restaurants workers … this disease has crippled us in SO many ways beyond health issues.  It’s like we’re all living in the worst horror movie ever made. (And yesterday the Governor declared another full month of lock-down.)  kk

CALL ON ME! CALL ON ME!
OK, thanks, Kent ...
My hand has been raised for the longest time.
I just wanted to give you a couple personal experiences of how things are being handled with schools closed and social distancing learning.
My district has an initiative to incorporate chrome books in learning on a regular basis and so 3rd-12th grade all had been issued these computers for the year 2019-2020. We have been adding an additional year at the start of each fall term. So next year, 2nd-12th grade will each have a Chromebook.  (Yes, I had many questions on “why” and “need” for this, but I have now shut my mouth during this new normal) So, since we had three days notice that schools were closing (for SOME period of time), IT Dept. gathered up as many Chromebooks as needed to issue to every 1st and 2nd grader before we closed. After closing, IT made more raids on their supply system, and parents of Pre-K and K were able to do drive-by pick ups for their children. They also found enough chromes for the staff, which were also picked up by drive-by. I have one from our administrative office.
So our plan is one child = one computer. Each school has a morning message, followed by a morning meeting with their teacher and the schedule for the day, including their special (music, art, media, PE) The rest of the day is student/parent run, with teachers available for phone calls, live online interactions and emails.
My granddaughters in a neighboring state have a one Chromebook per household distribution, with class meetings being scheduled throughout the day and lesson postings available for the week so parents can plan ahead if they desire.
I have heard several other scenarios, but these are the two I work with. We were told to send our kids home on the last day with EVERYTHING; as if they were going home for the summer. With such short notice, it took trashbags to handle the transport.
And lest you think this is vaca for anyone, I am required to take an online course; 3 modules a week / 26 total; exam after each module. We also ride in the vans to distribute Food To Kids Program and help pack breakfasts/lunches for drive-by pick up.
We will do the best we can. It is important.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
No question that this thing has turned EVERYONE’S world upside down.  This doesn’t even touch on the difficulty of homecare for so many of these kids whose parents may still be working.  I am just glad to hear that allowances have been made to give every student an equal chance to learn and succeed.  With so many proms and graduations already scheduled, this will make for some GREAT stories for these kids’ grandchildren someday.  (Back when I was in school, we had to … yada yada yada)
This is also a chance for educators to shine … show why they got into teaching in the first place which is, exactly as you said, because you CARE.  They’re instituting a new ordinance here that any person over the age of TWO must now wear a face mask when they’re out in public!!!  We have a two year old grandson (with a baby sister on the way) who may come to know this as the ONLY way of life.  That’s just sad and scary.
How on earth this thing spread as widely and as quickly as it did is beyond comprehension … and there’s a part of me that cannot help but wonder what the world will be like when Covid 23 comes around, speculating the damage that Covid 19 has already done and the potential harm that could come in between.  (kk)

>>>Dobkins also hit The Top 40 with a track called “Lucky Devil,” which also performed better in Music Vendor (#20) than Billboard (#25).  Anybody remember that one???  (kk) 
A 45 my brother had when I was small, so I really love the song.
Clark Besch

Kent,
You asked the rhetorical question if anyone remembered the Carl Dobkins, Jr. song LUCKY DEVIL. Well, you know by now that I remembered it for the main reason it was played and charted here in OKC. Also, he had a record in 1960 called TAKE TIME OUT which I liked, also on Decca.
Since I learned the passing of Ian Whitcomb in FH, I have played a few versions of his YOU TURN ME ON, primarily when he was on the television show Shindig. Each version seemed to be different in length but I also played the original 45 which came in at 2:45.
Now, Kent, when I hear of Ian Whitcomb, I think of a couple of follow-ups that he had. One was called N-E-R-V-O-U-S (any relation to N-O-R-V-U-S?) and another one in which the song title itself is almost as long as the song itself. The title was, I believe, WHAT DID ROBINSON CRUSOE AND HIS SERVANT FRIDAY DO ON A SATURDAY NIGHT? or something like that. Kind of reminds me of that song Ray Stevens made in 1961 in which the title was longer than the song itself (lol).
Larry Neal
I seem to remember “N-E-R-V-O-U-S” getting a minimum amount of airplay here in Chicago.  It actually made The Top 40 (well, #40) in Record Word … but only peaked at #59 in Billboard.  I can’t find any national chart data of “Take Time Out” charting, so that must have been a regional hit in Oklahoma.  “Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On Saturday Night?”, however, “bubbled under” in all three trades, scoring highest in Billboard at #101 in late 1966. This song actually dates back to the Al Jolson days!!!  (kk)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ8XIPogjGY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbfhZqblF4I

The British Are Coming - Paul Revere and the Raiders – YouTube
kk:
I don't think Paul Revere is singing about The Beatles.
FB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVu3JOTj9mI
I wouldn’t be so sure, looking at the images shown in this video!!!  A rare one, indeed … I never even knew it existed!  Thanks, Frank.  (kk)

UPDATE:  I sent this link to the guys in Paul Revere’s Raiders which, even all these years later, still include Doug Heath and Ron Foos, part of the band when they first recorded this song back in 1976.  (Actually, as part of The Spirit of ’76, this all makes perfect sense, right???)  kk

Doug was in Paul Revere & the Raiders with Paul and Mark Lindsayfrom 1973 on. Ron joined 8 or 9 months later I believe.  I’ve forwarded this to both of them and asked them to send you some background. 
Tommy 
We look forward to hearing about The Raiders of the early to mid '70's!  Thanks, Tommy!  (kk)


Congratulations to our FH Buddy Merrell Fankhauser, recent recipient of The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award … 

Merrell Wayne Fankhauser Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis
Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who
Mr. Fankhauser has been endorsed by Marquis Who’s Who as a leader in the music field ARROYO GRANDE, CA, April 22, 2020, Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Merrell Wayne Fankhauser with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Fankhauser celebrates many years’ experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field.
As a child growing up in Kentucky, Mr. Fankhauser was inspired by his mother’s love of song. Watching her as a singer in big bands and seeing his father sing and play the guitar as well, he found that music was in his blood and pursued a career in the field himself. After his parents bought him a ukulele, he started writing songs before they moved to California and he received an electric guitar. By 15, he was performing in local theaters and wrote songs for his band called The Impacts. Del-Fi Records found the group and invited them to Los Angeles, where they recorded an album of instrumental surf music called "Wipeout," which launched his career. Through his work with a number of bands, he has parlayed his love of music to others. Backed by his extensive expertise, Mr. Fankhauser served as a music teacher for Lancaster Music from 1963 until 1966, and as a writer for Winston Lansdowne Publications from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Today, he channels his vast experiences and lifelong love of music into his work as leader of the Merrell Fankhauser Band, president and producer of Ocean Records, president of Fankhauser Music Publishing since 1990. From 1990 to 1995 he hosted a national satellite TV show "California Music." For the past 20 years he has hosted a popular TV show that airs in California and Hawaii called "Tiki Lounge." Although his career has been filled with highlights, he is especially proud of following his dream. A number of his songs have been selected for special honors, including "Tomorrow’s Girl," which was included in the Rhino Records Grammy- nominated compilation CD set "Where the Action is 1965-1967," and "Lila," which was featured in the movie "Chappaquiddick." While starting his musical career, Mr. Fankhauser studied at Allan Hancock College and retains professional alignment with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Throughout his career, he has sung and written a plethora albums, including "Message to the Universe,""Rockin and Surfin,""Doctor Fankhauser,""A Day in aradise,""Calling From a Star,""The Maui," and the songs "I Saw Susie Crying,""When I Get Home" and "Oceans of Intelligence." He now has over 40 albums releases and countless singles, re-issues and compilations of 128 releases. Additionally, he had the honor of publishing an autobiography titled, "Calling From a Star: The Merrell Fankhauser Story." He was also featured in the 1992/1993 edition of Who's Who in entertainment. Over the years he's had the privilege to perform with  Willie Nelson, John Cipollina, John McEuen, Ed Cassidy, Peter Noone,  Nicky Hopkins, Jane Russell and many others.

With wild animals now walking thru big cities, it may be time for comebacks from Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, Stray Cats, Crazy Horse, Buffalo Springfield, Monkees, Country Joe & the Fish, Byrds, Yardbirds, Eagles, Turtles, Adam Ant, Beatles, Animals, T. Rex and more!!!
Clark Besch

The summer of the Midwest Rock Festivals kicked off exactly 50 years ago today, April, 24, 1970, with The Sound Storm Rock Festival held in Mt York, WI, near Poynette and just north of Madison, WI.
In total there were five regional rock festivals within an approximate 150 mile radius of Chicago, the first being The Midwest Rock Festival held at the WI State Fairgrounds in West Allis, WI, on July, 25 - 27, in 1969. After Woodstock, plans were in the works for four more festivals in 1970 ... Sound Storm, Incident at Kickapoo Creek / Heyworth, IL / Memorial Day Weekend, The People’s Fair / Iola, WI / July 26 - 27, and The Goose Lake Rock Festival / Goose Lake Park, MI / August 7 -  9. Sound Storm was the first one of 1970 and some of the bands scheduled to play were ... The Grateful Dead, Crow, Illinois Speed Press, Rotary Connection, Mason Profit, Fuse and Baby Huey. Also rumored to play was REO Speedwagon. With full disclosure, this was the only one of the five festivals that I did not attend. I was still in college and working full time, cold weather was predicted and, quite frankly, I did not feel like freezing my butt off. One of my best friends attending UW did attend and his only memory of the event was freezing his butt off. There is very little information available on this festival and the only reports are that it warmed up on Sunday and The Grateful Dead played.
Note: The average person who attends a rock festival can only remember seeing 3 bands.
Meanwhile, as Sound Storm is going on, David L. Lewis of Heyworth, IL, about (15) minutes south of Bloomington on old route 51, has refrained from planting crops on his mother’s farm and instead has planted a grassy ground cover. He is currently battling court orders that would bar him from folding a rock festival on the farm. The festival is The Incident at Kickapoo Creek and is scheduled for the Memorial Day Weekend.
Robert Campbell



Boy, I haven’t heard some of those band names in DECADES!!!  Thanks for sharing, Robert!  (kk)
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April 27th, 1970

April 27, 2020, 4:00 am
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There's an unusual header at the top of this week's WCFL chart, announcing the continued success of B.J. Thomas' hit "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head."  (I can't see ANY instance in which this would still be a "Top Ten Hit" ... it has long since fallen off the 'CFL chart, already replaced by B.J.'s next single "Everybody's Out Of Town," which sits at #30 this week ... and even nationally, where it charted for as many as 22 weeks in Billboard and Cash Box, based on a premier date of October 25th, 1969, it would have fallen off these charts about three weeks ago as well.) 

"Raindrops" charted for only nine weeks on the WCFL Chart, peaking at #2 on the chart dated January 12th.  Now in all fairness, that was the FIRST WCFL Chart issued in several months ... so it likely would have charted several weeks longer in order to have climbed to #2 by this date.  (Nationally, it first premiered on the October 25, 1969 chart published by Cash Box Magazine ... and showed up the following weeks in both Billboard and Record World.)  It reached #1 in all three major publications, charting for as many as 22 weeks in Billboard and Cash Box ... but even at that would have fallen off these charts about three weeks ago ... so the banner headline seems a bit out of place.

Still, it's worth at least an honorable mention here since it was singled out in this way back then.



The Guess Who hold on to the #1 spot with "American Woman" / "No Sugar Tonight" ...and seven of The Top Ten Records are all holdovers from last week's Top Ten.

The first sign of noticeable movement comes from Creedence Clearwater Revival, whose latest hit "Up Around The Bend" jumps from #23 to #14.  Right behind it is "Get Ready" by Rare Earth, which makes a move of ten places from #25 to #15.

Two records we recently featured are doing especially well this week ... "Puppet Man" by The Fifth Dimension climbs from #35 to #19 (a jump of 16 places) while Neil Diamond's "Soolaimon" moves from #38 to #20, an 18-point jump.

Springing up ten places are "Love On A Two-Way Street" by The Moments (#37 to #27) and "Come Running" by Van Morrison, which climbs from #39 to #29.   (I can honestly say that I don't recall EVER hearing this song on the radio once ... yet it was a #29 Chicagoland hit and made The Top 40 nationally, too ... peaking at #30 in Cash Box.)



Diana Ross' first solo hit premiers on the WCFL Chart this week at #39 ... it's called "Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)."
 
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Also This Week In 1970 ...

April 28, 2020, 4:00 am
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April 28th– Actor Ed Begley (Sr) died

 

April 30th– Twiggs Lyndon, road manager of The Allman Brothers Band, is arrested for murder after he stabs a club manager during an argument over a contract.  

During his trial, Lyndon’s lawyers argued that he had been temporarily insane at the time of the incident, stating that “touring with the Allman Brothers would drive anyone insane.”  Incredibly, Lyndon was acquitted of all charges!
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April 29th, 1970

April 29, 2020, 4:00 am
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1970:  April 29th– George Harrison announces plans for his first solo post-Beatles LP.  (Incredibly, the album wouldn't come out for another six months!) 
 
“All Things Must Pass” is still considered by many to be the greatest Beatles solo LP of all time.

During the same press conference, he also states that he believes The Beatles will get back together eventually.  Of course, it was never to be.  (Paul McCartney told DJ Howard Stern in a very candid interview in 2019 that once the lawsuit had been filed to dissolve The Beatles, the four of them were never together in the same room again.  How sad.)  


Also on this date, Actress Uma Thurman is born



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Thursday This And That

April 30, 2020, 4:00 am
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Kent,
Every day I check your site because it is F(H)-in' great!
The virus has taken away toilet paper, record stores, haircuts, hand-shakes, hugs,
family get togethers, church services, you name it. 
It's even taken away concerts, but as Eric Burdon (and FH) said best nearly 50 years ago:  They Can't Take Away Our Music!
They took concerts away and that slowed it down, but HECK, that's why there are 45s AND 33's!!!  Take it at your own chosen speed.
Clark Besch 

Media columnist Robert Feder and Me-TV-FM Program Director Rick O’Dell have teamed up and put together a list of songs that possibly shouldn’t be played during the on-going Covid-19 / CoronaVirus pandemic.

It’s all done in fun (as we DO have to keep our spirits up these days, don’t we???)  In fact, I dare not refer to any one of these tunes as “infectious,” I suppose!  (While listening to Sam Tallerico’s “Lost And Found Oldies Show” this weekend, I heard him read an email from a stay-at-home listener that asked, “Am I the only one getting three weeks to the gallon these days?”)

I’ve seen all kinds of lists offering up the perfect playlist for these difficult times … “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” by The Police always seems to be right up there at the top … as are tracks like “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” by The Georgia Satellites and “All By Myself” by Eric Carmen … I think at one point I came up with 18 PERFECT selections to fit the theme … certainly enough to fill an hour of “just for fun” programming.

But this list takes the opposite approach of songs that probably SHOULDN’T be played right now (all with tongue planted firmly in cheek.)  Songs like “Get Closer” by Seals and Crofts, “Touch Me” by The Doors, “Come A Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans, “Close To You” by The Carpenters, and more.

O’Dell told Feder that he hasn’t taken any of the songs out of Me-TV FM’s rotation, and then also challenged his programming competitors to come up with a similar list of tunes to fit THEIR formats.

Which got me to thinking …

What songs would YOU guys add to the list?  Songs that fit the idea of this social distancing time.  Good, bad … anything that relates to the pandemic.  Who knows … if we get enough good answers, maybe Rick WILL run “The Pandemic Song Of The Day!!!”  A smile means a lot right now … so jump onboard!  (kk)

You can read the whole article here:
https://www.robertfeder.com/2020/04/27/songs-radio-avoid-pandemic/?utm_source=new%20post%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=main%20content&utm_campaign=%2F2020%2F04%2F27%2Fsongs-radio-avoid-pandemic%2F

Now here’s hoping that Rick takes it to the next level and programs an hour of these “off limit” tunes!  (Get input from your listeners ... and usher in the "Dare Me" hour!!!  lol)  kk

Hey, I hope you all are doing well, but if I hear that slogan "we're all in this together" one more time from a new source ...
Clark
I hear ya …
I don’t know if you watched any of the live concert events this weekend …
The All Together Now program ended up running for over eleven hours.
I kinda popped in and out on that one.  (Fortunately, Tommy Roe had sent me the complete air schedule so I knew in advance who was going to be on when, so I could better plan my day to see the artists I most wanted to see … which included (besides Tommy, of course!) Peter Asher, The Honeys, Denny Tedesco, Matthew Wilder (best performance I saw on the whole show … an absolutely killer live version of “Break My Stride” … Matthew sounds GREAT and this one was a REAL highlight for me), Rick Springfield, our FH buddy Elliot Lurie, Peter Beckett of Player, Walter Egan, The Beach Boys (in a pre-taped performance of “Good Vibrations,” NOT what I would have expected … and featuring John Stamos on drums), Chris Montez, Mickey Thomas (doing some old gospel tune … again, not at ALL what I was expecting) and Alan Parsons and David Pack (of Ambrosia), performing a duet together of The Beatles’ tune “Tell Me What You See,” another show highlight.
I missed the Canadian concert the following night but have seen various video clips and this, too, looks like a really good show ... but you’re right … just repeatedly hammering it into our heads about “We’re all in this together” HAS worn out its welcome.
As more and more and more people are being diagnosed each day, let’s focus instead on a CURE for this thing before hundreds of thousands of American have been wiped out by it … because right now I don’t see us any better off than we were before … and all these lunatics spouting off about “It’s time to get back to normal” all but ensures that hundreds of thousands MORE Americans will die as a result.  It’s time to be smart, America.  (Damn, I sounded like Bernie Mac there for a second!!)  But serious … we’re only all in this together if each and every one of us do our part in creating a healthy and safe environment.  (kk) 

From Tom Cuddy …



Now this is just wild!!!

Billboard Magazine has dug deep into their own archives to find coverage of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic that shut down cities and live performances … and found some eerie similarities.

Fascinating reading here:  https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9365515/billboard-1918-pandemic-coverage?utm_campaign=Coronavirus%20Watch&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=billboard_covid

Meanwhile, one new concert that was announced this week was the return of Tommy James to The Genesee Theatre on Saturday, October 17th.  (I have to admit that I’m a little surprised by this one … Tommy is playing at The Arcada Theatre the month before … on Sunday, September 20th.  Are there enough Tommy James fans out there will to shell out for TWO shows less than 30 days apart???  Time will tell.  But we were there for Tommy’s first show at The Genesee and he KILLED it!!!  (By the way, Mr. James celebrated a birthday this week, too … Tommy turned 73 on Wednesday, April 29th… and you’d swear he isn’t HALF that age if you’ve seen him perform recently.)  kk

Tickets for BOTH shows are available thru the respective box offices:
http://www.arcadalive.com/event/tommy-james-the-shondells/
https://www.geneseetheatre.com/events/all  

Frank B sent us this post from Mark Lindsay’s Facebook Page, talking about the work all these agencies are having to go thru these days trying to book, then rebook, then reschedule again concert dates due to the pandemic.  (While I guess at some point, the longer this goes on, the more everybody’s schedule opens up, I can’t even imagine the logistics involved with clearly schedules to accommodate postponed and rescheduled shows at the alarming rate this is happening today.  (kk) 

I'm putting this out as a reply to another post, because it's important that you see it. (And I promise I'll never say, "Man, my agent makes all this $$$ and I go out and do all the work!")
Deb and I had a conference call yesterday, initiated by my agent and the Happy Together promoter. We all commiserated about the current state of the world, but we’re all in agreement to stay positive and take it day by day. They’re booking and re-booking and working 3x as hard as in a normal year to bring music to our fans, and all we can do is wait to see what happens.
I’m doing my hour of vocal exercises every day, in addition to my yoga, floor exercises, and weights, and as soon as this f-ing virus gets its ass kicked, I’m ready to go out and do some kick ass rock and roll!
Mark

From FH Reader Mike Wolstein ...


My favorite Beach Boys album of all time is “Sunflower.”
Coming up on the 50th Anniversary of this LP, Endless Summer Quarterly is running a special Sunflower Anniversary issue.


(Hard to believe it’s been 50 years already … seems like we just celebrated The Beach Boys’ own 50 year anniversary with their reunion tour … which was 2012 … and now we’ve already jumped ahead to 1970!!!)   

Even harder to believe is that Endless Summer Quarterly is already in its 33rd Year!!!  Kudos to David Beard for his dedication to ALL things Beach Boys related.  He has always had the full support of and input from all of the Beach Boys, as well as friends and family of America’s Band.
Available by subscription only, you can get on this list here:
https://esquarterly.com/erp-subscription/ ... which should put you in line to get this special anniversary issue publishing next month.

Always in depth … always interesting … sign up for your ESQ subscription now.  (kk)

More New Colony Six:

A hot topic indeed these past few days!!!

>>>Ron Wilson, who actually wrote the 1970 NC6 single "People And Me"  (Jerry Schollenberger)
I think Jerry means BOB Wilson, who I’ve been told was never OFFICIALLY a member of The New Colony Six … but did provide a few songs for the band to record. 
I remember for YEARS Joel Whitburn showed the writer of “People And Me” as BRIAN Wilson of The Beach Boys.  We set that record straight AGES ago yet, and it was fixed for future editions … yet for some reason, his latest edition of Top Pop Singles (through 2018) is showing Brian Wilson again.  I’ve dropped him another note to correct this information once again.  (kk)

Hi, Kent!
In light of the ongoing NC6 discussion, I'd like to get some info regarding the very early days of the group.
In the late 60s, my best friend Bob Holtz and I visited with his buddy Chris Wolski, who lived a few blocks from us, on the northwest side.  Bob said that Chris was with the NC6 for a short time (keyboards?), until his father made him quit because he didn't like the fact that the rest of the guys in the band were a year older, and that didn't sit well with dad.  What a shame ...
Bob said that he himself had tried out for the NC6 (drums) in the mid-60s, but wasn't good enough.
I got a bit of info regarding this story from Ray some years ago, but I'm still curious about the deal with Chris.
Mike Wolstein

From an interview I did with Ray Graffia, Jr., back in 2005 ... 

FH:  What were the signs that told you at such an early age that THE NEW COLONY SIX had something special in the way of musical talent and appeal?
RAY: The cumulative ability of all the players to write songs and create the hooks, musical interludes, etc., that would complete each tune - and the overwhelming camaraderie that may have been a result of our all going to school together (except Greg AKA Craig, who went to Steinmetz, I believe - home of the famous Academic Cheaters, memorialized in the flick "Cheaters" starring that comedian who was in that comedy with the Olsen (Olson?) twins and recently appeared on that MTV reality show where they put a bunch of famous and semi-famous and formerly famous folks in the same house and see what happens... - I'm not too great with names, am I?)

FH:  I want to go a little deeper into the original forming of the band.  I know the story's been repeated SO many times over the years that it's almost become an instinctive, conditioned response.  But SURELY you guys MUST have had some musical background prior to this one gig ... to even know who to hook up with!!!
RAY:  I know Chic and Wally worked together in a band - not sure if Gerry was part of it too, but neither Pat nor I ever played with any group prior to starting NC6.  Don't know about Craig (AKA Greg) ... We did not have to resource one another because of our interfacing through the concert choir and dance band at St. Pat's - those settings more or less threw us together for the Beatles' thing, and then the expansion to become a band only made sense with the same bunch of guys.  Although, we did have a different keyboard player for the single party we did as the Patsmen.  He was also from the school, but a sophomore while we were seniors.

FH:  Actually, that was my next question!  OK ... I've got to know ... WHO were the PETE BEST / STUART SUTCLIFF individuals who have since spent most of their adult lives murmuring under their breath "I coulda been a contendah .... I coulda been a contendah!"
RAY:  Chris Wolski played accordion for the party but his parents did not want him hanging around with us older guys so he was forced to quit - that's when Wally volunteered his cousin, Greg, for the band.  I wonder what ever happened to Chris and how he must have felt when we hit it big?  The other guy's name was Tony Lux ... I guess both he and Chris Wolski have probably wondered about what might have been - maybe one day our paths will cross and I can ask them.

FH:  The format of the band was MOST unusual for the time ... two lead singers that didn't play a "primary" instrument ... a precursor to THREE DOG NIGHT perhaps?!?!?
RAY:  Pat was a baritone and I was a tenor, for whatever that's worth as a stab at an explanation. 

FH:  How is it that this PARTICULAR group of guys happened to come together that night? 
RAY:  Remember, this was a regularly scheduled annual event for the St. Pat's choir and dance band.  Pat and I had been best friends pretty much all through grammar school (St. Celestine in Elmwood Park ... also in the 1960 grad class with us - Lee Loughnane, trumpet player for Chicago - quite a musically prodigious bunch of 8th graders, eh? - and Wally and I were pretty much best friends all through high school.  I met Chic and Gerry since we all were in the College Prep course path at St. Pat's and had some classes together, but we only got close at the time we began to rehearse for the Spring concert and our live version of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."

With so much focus on The New Colony Six again, I'm tempted to revamp the original month-long series I did on the group back in 2005 and include new interviews with some of the key players BEYOND Ray and Ronnie ... try to capture more of the total story.  As such, if you have a way to put me in touch with Chris Wolski, I'd love to talk to him.  (Of course in our current state of social distancing, this may not happen for a while ... if I were confined to home, this would be the PERFECT time to work on this project, even by telephone and/or email ... but I'm still putting in 50-60 hours a week at work as we're on the "exceptions" list.  Still, if I could get enough of the "formers" to participate, this would bring a whole new dimension to our series of yesteryear. And I’m feeling especially motivated to dig a little deeper in order to try and capture more of the story.)

Think of the reminisces we could share if ALL of the guys participated … we’d see the group from a number of new and different angles.  (Let’s face it, since the hits stopped back in 1972, Ray and Ronnie seem to be the ONLY ones being interviewed … I say let’s get input from ALL of the guys in order to tell the bigger story!)  kk

Ray added this piece of input:

Thanks, Kent –
I thought Chris was two years behind us but, regardless, just hope he and his dad did not have disagreements after the band began making its mark … 
By the way, we lost our second of our four major roadies within the past few months as Gerry, who heard from Chuck, just shared with me that “Fat Marty” passed away recently.  Chet, of course, is gone, leaving really only Steve Thorpe, who I believe moved out of state a while ago but who had come to several of the re-formed NC6 dates, including that Christmas show at “Pheasant Run” where he sat with Chet … and Rick Saunooke (may not have spelled that correctly, a Native American who was our first driver but he has disappeared off the map – photo of him with cigarette in hand from ancient times attached.)
I did a Google search and did find an artist who was born in Chicago and not sure but could be our Rick – check site (https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/richard-saunooke/) and his photo – ya think?????? 
Anyway, many deep thank you sentiments are merited and offered by yours truly and so cool to see today that perhaps a few of the FH readers apparently had enough interest to bump up the “listens” of the Madrid, Spain version of “You’re Gonna Be Mine”!  Workday over so must pack computer to work from the house tomorrow = later, KK…     
Ray     
P.S.  That is, I believe, Marty’s voice in the middle of “Come Away With You,” where Billy Herman screwed up the bridge vocal --- loud deep laugh and then I think he says “Cracks me up…”


And check this out …
I was poking around on You Tube and stumbled on this by accident.  Pretty cool version, eh?  What do y'all think?  Messed up or revised our lyrics but I like it anyway ...     
Ray
You are gonna be mine (R. Graffia, R. Rice)
You Are Gonna Be Mine (New Colony Six cover)
First album by The Holdens for Animal Records
Recorded in 2002 at Attack Studio (Madrid)   

And this is a Forgotten Hits first!!!
Never before in the history of Forgotten Hits have we EVER been able to tie TWO references to Spain back-to-back together in one of our pieces!
But it just goes to show you the far-reaching range of our reading audience … and the far-reaching appeal of the music of The New Colony Six … a true testament to the mark they made on so many.
Check this out!!!  (kk) 

Hi there,
It's Emi from Spain.
I'm compiling a list of record cover locations and I'd like to find out where the photo was taken that appears on the cover of the album "Colonization" by The New Colony Six.
It's a stone stair.  Do you know where? If you can help, please contact me.
Thank you.
Best,
Emi  

Hi Emi - Thanks for writing in!
To get your your answer, I went to three of the original members of The New Colony Six who were there for that photo shoot ... Ray Graffia, Jr., Gerry Van Kollenburg and Walt Kemp ... and we have your definitive answer ... 
I'm reasonably positive it was in Lincoln Park.  My best guess beyond that is that it was at the ground level of the structure …not technically a staircase … of the Ulysses S Grant monument.  Go figure.
Walt Kemp  

I think that it was taken somewhere in Lincoln Park in Chicago …
Possibly near the Grant Memorial (architecture looks the same.)
Gerry 

Hoping I can find this online.  Somebody sent this to me on Facebook.  I remember seeing a piece where they took pictures of sites used as album covers and one of them was "Colonization." It was down by Lake Michigan but they had it dead-on framed and showed the site and cover side-by-side.  

Found it!  



Ray 
P.S.  I just want to reiterate how very much I appreciate the coverage! 
Thank you so much. 
It is my pleasure ... and I just LOVE sharing the love!  (kk) 


Hi Kent,
I really liked the recent post and song about NC6, Muddy Feet on the Mississippi.  Keep up the good work. Thx 
Ted Gstalder 

Love the two New Colony Six videos.  "Can't You See Me Cry" is just an awesome tribute to Ray's live vocal and "Groovin' Is Easy" was a song written by Ron Rolte.  Ron was a Chicagoan who went to San Francisco (as so many did from Chicago.)  He ended up writing the song for the Electric Flag (also a Chicago connection band of Mike Bloomfield and Barry Goldberg as members from Chicago via SF)!
Some GREAT vintage photos of the NC6 in that Rap-a-Tap video, too.  THANKS for sharing, Ray!
Cool to see the RJM song on a Bee Gees themed CD now too!!    Great input from the NC6 guys on "Muddy Feet," too.  That whole underappreciated 70's era of the band was great, IMO.
Clark Besch  

I also finally heard from Skip Griparis …

Hi Kent!
Glad to hear Muddy Muddy Feet is getting some attention! Almost 50 years too late, but why quibble? 
New Colony Skip
Skip and I will be talking more in the future about his time with the band.  (I’m telling you … a new, updated, revamped New Colony Six feature is in our future!!!) [Or maybe I should just write a book?!?!?]  kk

>>>There's an unusual header at the top of this week's WCFL chart, announcing the continued success of B.J. Thomas' hit "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head."  (I can't see ANY instance in which this would still be a "Top Ten Hit" ... it has long since fallen off the 'CFL chart, already replaced by B.J.'s next single "Everybody's Out Of Town," which sits at #30 this week ... and even nationally, where it charted for as many as 22 weeks in Billboard and Cash Box, based on a premier date of October 25th, 1969, it would have fallen off these charts about three weeks ago as well.)  kk

As to "Raindrops" getting special recognition on today's 50 year old WCFL Big 10 Countdown Survey, I think it likely that it was still praised because it was from "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" movie which had just won "Best Song" at the Academy Awards and was also featured in a Chicago Trib story a day before the survey came out.  Remember that back in 1970, there was no googling the info the newspaper provided. 
BTW, one of my fave Who songs was on the WCFL chart 50 years ago and its' lyrics a bit nice for today.  "The Seeker" sits at #22:
Look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why
I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at other
And we don't know what to do
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
Clark Besch

Kent,
The 4/27/70 WCFL survey has puzzled me for years.  However, I will try to explain what the heck WCFL is talking about.
In the thousands of surveys that have passed thru my hands over the years, I have never seen that notation pop up anywhere either, but read what it says carefully.
It says REPORTED top ten.
Now what exactly does that mean?
As most of us thought, back in the day, survey status was dependent upon sales.
Tain't so.
None other than the late Clark Weber said the last half the survey and for sure the bottom ten were “throw them up to the ceiling and see what sticks” songs. Sometimes he'd go home and tell his secretary to pick the last few.  Do you really believe that Billboard called every place that sold records asking them exactly how many units they sold? Do you really think that every outlet kept track?
So part of the tabulation does come from sales, but not in the way you think.
In various markets you have what are called "reporting" stores. The national publications, as well as local radio, call the store and ask what the top sellers are.
Now you say, “Jack, didn't you just say stores don't keep track?”
I did.
Chances are the person who answers the phone is some kid who has no clue what the ACTUAL top selling song is and for sure not even the boss would know, although they could give you a fairly accurate guess.  It's also possible they lie thru their teeth. I would. In fact, record labels continually asked stores to stretch the truth in an all out effort to break an artist, or to squeeze a few more pennies out of a song they know is crap.
Once a week, or so, the label rep stops at KK records and begins the schmooze. He flirts with the pretty counter girl, gives her a couple promos, maybe even some concert tix, before talking to the boss. He then goes to KK's office and lays it on thick. Now you've heard this rap a 1000 times … he knows it, too. It's a game. 
He goes, “KK, my man! How's it hangin'? We got the new Charlene 45 everyone (no one?) has been waiting for! When WLS calls please tell them the sales look good.” He hands you a pair of tix for the Temptations reunion show with the Four Tops. Yes, I know I'm using Motown as an example and BJ was on Scepter at the time. This also works the other way. Raindrops was a monster hit ... 22 weeks in 1970 certainly qualifies as one. Should it really come as a surprise that at some stores it was selling as well as the Guess Who or Vanity Fare? It's also possible that Scepter records wanted to keep BJ's name in lights while they try breaking his new record, Everybody's Out Of Town.
Having worked for record companies, including a couple as 45 & LP buyer, I sat in at sales meetings every Friday, and heard the same spiel by a half dozen record reps. The Arista rep would come in, telling us about Paul Davis, followed by the Chrysalis rep, pushing Huey Lewis, and then Motown pushing Charlene. I remember the Motown rep wanting me to purchase like 10,000 copies of the single. I told him to go see my boss, as I wasn't gonna put my name on the order and then have him bitch at me for it. I won't get into the spiels by the smaller labels and the no hit wonders.
That's the Cliff Notes version.
Jack 
 
From Tom Spillane of Character Driven Films …

You can watch our Charlie Gracie "Fabulous" film free online for a limited time. This film was shown on PBS affiliates nationally over 2,000 times and is in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Archives.
Featuring Graham Nash, Chubby Checker, Peter Noone, Andy Williams, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, DJ Fontana, Tommy James, Dennis Diken, The Soul Survivors, Freddy Cannon, Bob Charger, Paul Moore, Bill Haley's Comets, Stephen Caldwell, The Dovell's, Jack Scott, Len Barry and many others.
https://youtu.be/cyAAnetiPS0 =20
Synopsis:  Charlie Grace Fabulous chronicles the life and career of Rock and Roll Pioneer, Charlie Gracie. His #1 Hit "Butterfly" knocked Elvis from the top of the charts in 1957 and sold over three million copies Worldwide. He was the first artist on The Cameo-Parkway Record Label to have hits, bankrolling the company, thus enabling it to launch the careers of a dozen successful artists. He was the first solo American Rock-N-Roll Star to bring the music to The British Concert stage. Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Graham Nash and Ray Davies are among his biggest musical admirers. The late George Harrison called his guitar technique "Brilliant."  He continues to be a great ambassador for Rock-N-Roll, performing the roots of Rock-N-Roll all over the world. 
IMDB.com Cast and Credits:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1198191/fullcredits?ref_=3Dtt_cl_sm#cast

This is a great film, spotlighting one of rock and roll’s earlier (and too often overlooked) heroes.  Be sure to check it out via the link above (now that you’ve got all this extra time on your hands!!!)  kk 

FH Reader Frank B. shared this picture with us from Carol Canoe’s Facebook Page …

kk –
Picture from the 2012 "SOLID SILVER TOUR"– 


Brian Poole = Tremelos / Peter Noone = Everybody, he's Herman or Henry, if you prefer / Chris Montez = Poor Man's Ritchie Valens / Brian Hyland = My schoolmate from FRANKLIN K. LANE HIGH SCHOOL.
FB

And, speaking of Peter Noone …

Hi Kent,

Given that we all love our Peter Noone, I thought I'd pass this along.
Bill Scherer
https://bestclassicbands.com/peter-noone-interview-herman-11-21-19/
This is a good interview.  Thanks, Bill!  (kk) 

SO, here I am self-isolating in my basement with some of my good friends, including the ALMOST (July, 1970) 50 year old marble vinyl Dave Mason first solo LP, appropriately titled "ALONE TOGETHER"!!!
At the time, an LP like this colored vinyl one just wasn't normal by any means.  We occasionally got a yellow or red or blue vinyl promo 45, but never anything like this LP.  It also came in a trifold cover that made Dave almost life-like as well! 
Dave had split with Traffic and with one of the members (Jim Capaldi) and Leon Russell, created a worthy first solo LP of music that equaled the jacket and marble vinyl.  SOON, the hit "Only You Know & I Know" would be pulled from the album and he was on his way.
As to that PR&R 45 "The British are Coming," it's not bad.  I have the 45, but never heard it when it was out in 1976.  Just another song cashing in on the country's 100th birthday.  The song was produced by legendary producer Ray Ruff.
In the meantime, it's kinda fun self-isolating, y'know?
Clark Besch


>>>With wild animals now walking thru big cities, it may be time for comebacks from Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf, Stray Cats, Crazy Horse, Buffalo Springfield, Monkees, Country Joe & the Fish, Byrds, Yardbirds, Eagles, Turtles, Adam Ant, Beatles, Animals, T. Rex and more!!!  (Clark Besch)
Watch out for the beasties!
Mike Wolstein
 


↧

The Sunday Comments ( 05 - 03-20 )

May 3, 2020, 3:46 am
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kk …
Wild Wayne is reporting that Bobby Lewis has died. 
1961= Bobby was "TOSSIN'& TURNIN',” a # 1 Hit written by Ritchie Adams, a member of the Vogues. 
1962 = Bobby said "I'M TOSSIN'& TURNIN' AGAIN."
Didn't work the second time around. # 98 on Billboard Chart.
FB
“Tossin’ And Turnin’” was the biggest hit record of 1961.  It topped Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart for SEVEN WEEKS that year.  (It was #1 for four weeks in both Cash Box and Music Vendor.)
Although “I’m Tossin’ And Turnin’ Again” flopped for Bobby in 1962, he DID have another Top Ten Hit … “One Track Mind” (not a bad song) went to #9 as the follow-up hit to the original “Tossin’ And Turnin’” single (but only hit #21 in Music Vendor and #24 in Cash Box … so one of those great mystery discrepancies we find so often when examining the charts.)  “What A Walk” peaked at #77 later that same year (1961) and “Mamie In The Afternoon” only managed to “bubble under” in all three of the major trades the following year.  (kk)

So sad to learn that Carl Dobkins, Jr. passed away.  All the Besch boys loved "Lucky Devil" and "My Heart is an Open Book."
Clark Besch

Record Store Day has been pushed back AGAIN due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  More details on how things will be handled this year can be found here:
https://theseconddisc.com/2020/04/29/breaking-record-store-day-drops-replace-june-date-scheduled-for-august-september-and-october/ 

Last night (Saturday, May 2nd) SHOULD have been the night of this year's Induction Ceremony for The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  (I guess The Doobie Brothers will have to wait just a little bit longer to FINALLY get recognized for their incredible career.)  Like virtually everything else in life, the CoronaVirus has affected (infected?) this, too.  As of right now, things have been rescheduled to Saturday, November 7th.  (kk) 

And, talking about delays, The Eagles have postponed their “Hotel California” tour for sixteen more months!  The tour will not resume until September 16, 2021!  (That's a LONG time for them to be holding on to YOUR money!!!  But then again, THEY probably need it worse than YOU do, right?!?!)  Tickets for all previously announced shows will be honored.  

Here is a list of the updated show dates:

September 16, 2021 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
September 18, 2021 - Denver @ Pepsi Center
September 21, 2021 - Dallas @ American Airlines Center
September 24, 2021 - Phoenix @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
September 25, 2021 - Phoenix @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
October 1, 2021 -        St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
October 2, 2021 -        St. Paul, Minn. @ Xcel Energy Center
October 15, 2021 -      Los Angeles @ Forum
October 16, 2021 -      Los Angeles @ Forum
October 19, 2021 –     Los Angeles @ Forum
October 22, 2021 -      San Francisco @ Chase Center
October  23, 2021 -     San Francisco @ Chase Center
(As of right now, they are still only doing twelve shows … in six cities.  Guess we’ll have to wait a year and a half to see if any new dates will be added.)  kk

And, since it's virtually impossible to go more than a few minutes without the pandemic coming up again, we'll report that NBC Sports did a Covid-19 fundraiser Wednesday night that included some of Chicago’s most popular sports figures as well as some musical guests performing from home, including the rock band Chicago and Jim Peterik, who sent along this note and video …

Hi Kent!
Here is the video we did for last night for the Covid-19 fundraiser on NBC Sports Chicago called Be Chicago: Together We Can. Please post this on your Forgotten Hits site.
Much money was raised last night from this initiative. I also did Vehicle and Empty Arena. All three songs plus the Ides and Friends’ Spirit of Chicago will be featured on the NBC website soon.  
Thanks!  
Jimbo
PS The video was done by John Dykas and the sound was done by Larry Millas … conceived by Bob Bergland. 




OK, now THAT was awesome!!!  Thanks, Jim!  (kk)    

Micky Dolenz appeared on Scott Shannon's Big Show Friday Morning to talk about the new Mike And Micky Show live album (out now), the latest postponement of their resumed show and the recent passing of Adam Schlesinger from the Corona Virus ... 
https://wcbsfm.radio.com/blogs/scott-shannon/micky-dolenz-reflects-on-passing-of-adam-schlesinger?fbclid=IwAR0kUMDIR7A-XsV1BeQwV-VtefcNZaaVVZv-MRrcybjks3MlYeBfWhYaSaY



Photo: Scott Shannon; Micky Dolenz; Patty Steele ... obviously from a happier, safer time

Jim Peterik ALSO did a guest spot on Scott Shannon's top-rated morning show on WCBS-FM in New York City a couple of weeks ago ... and we just received the audio for that.  (Thanks, Alan!)  kk


Hi Kent:
Really enjoyed the blog today!  On our end, we had just been discussing how to package a feature on "songs of the pandemic," but doing it tastefully and not mocking the music, either.  We'll work on it. 
Have a good weekend and be safe.
Rick O’Dell
Yeah, that's a fine line ...
On the one hand, it's great to see people maintain a sense of humor during what truly is the greatest crisis any of us have ever challenged ...
But I think by gathering input and suggestions from your listeners, you'll be better able to determine just how sensitive a topic this really is.
Right now, it would seem that ANYTHING to help take our minds off the sad reality has to be a good thing ...
But then there are people out there who have lost friends and relatives due to this, too.
A VERY touchy topic ... during this time of no touching!  (kk)

kk:
Add these to the list of songs we shouldn't be singing.
“Fever” by Little Willie John … Peggy Lee … Elvis … others
"Doctor's Orders" is another no-no.
For those of us trapped in our houses, I'm bringing back this Vietnam era hit --
"WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE."
FB
And we really shouldn't be playing "Come A Little Bit Closer" anymore either, I guess!  Or "Touch Me" by The Doors, "Why Can't I Touch You" by Ronnie Dyson or "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King, John Lennon or Mickey Gilley.  Then again songs like "Keep Your Hand To Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites, "From A Distance" by Bette Midler, "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol, "Behind Closed Doors" by Charlie Rich and even "Too Much Time On My Hands" by Styx DO seem a bit more fitting and appropriate during this time of social distancing.  Perhaps Paul McCartney said it best 47 years ago … “Stuck inside these four walls … sent inside forever … never seeing no one …”  (kk)

Hi, Kent:
It's from another era and another genre, but it sure speaks to what folks are doing during the pandemic:  Eddy Arnold - I'll Hold You In My Heart (Till I Can Hold You In My Arms)
Hil

In this instance, it may fit perfectly!  (Certainly fits the theme!)  Thanks, Hil!  (kk)

Songs for the pandemic this year?
School's Out
Right Place, Wrong Time
Go Away (1910 Fruitgum Co)
Get Away (Georgie Fame)
If You Go Away
Gotta Get Outta Here (Randy VanWarmer)
Slippin Into Darkness
It's Cold Outside
Alive OR Stayin' Alive (BOTH Bee Gees hits!)
Why Can't We Live Together
I Don't Like to Sleep Alone (YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Don't Go Out Into The Rain
Run For Your Life
Catch Us If You Can (Governors chasing people at the beaches)
Too Late for Goodbyes (morbid I know)
Last Time I Saw Her (Glen Campbell)
Last Time I Saw Him (Diana Ross)
Isolation (Lennon)
Clark Besch

Our requests have ranged from serious, inspirational, and humorous during the pandemic. 
Songs have included:  A Little Bit Of Soap, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Stuck In the Middle With You, I'm Still Standing, I Will Survive, They're Coming To Take Me Away, From A Distance, Help,  Rockin' Pneumonia-Boogie Woogie Flu, and  High Hopes. 
Music is the best medicine!
Phil Nee – WRCO
P.S.  One more:  For some sad reason, this morning I was thinking of the lyric from Ode To Billie Joe ... "There was a virus goin' round, Papa caught it and he died last Spring."
Check out the Pandemic Soundtrack provided by FH Reader Doug Stitt below …
It’s on there!  (lol)  kk 

>>>What songs would YOU guys add to the list?  Songs that fit the idea of this social distancing time.  Good, bad … anything that relates to the pandemic.  Who knows … if we get enough good answers, maybe Rick WILL run “The Pandemic Song Of The Day!!!”  A smile means a lot right now … so jump onboard!  (kk)
Since you asked ... I put this musical montage together about a month ago, with some input on the song lists from a few friends.
These are lyrics that could apply to coronavirus or to social isolation.
Doug


From Carol Ross ...


Well, THAT explains a lot!!! 

Carol also sent us this comment regarding Tommy James getting back out on the road.  (He's now got TWO shows scheduled for the Chicagoland area in September and October.)  

>>>Tommy James will be returning to The Genesee Theatre on Saturday, October 17th.  (I have to admit that I’m a little surprised by this one … Tommy is playing at The Arcada Theatre the month before … on Sunday, September 20th.  Are there enough Tommy James fans out there willing to shell out for TWO shows less than 30 days apart???  Time will tell.  (kk) 
Hi Kent –
Tommy is trying to be hopeful about getting back to performing for the fans - as was said. We have the music to get us through these very tough times, BUT no one knows for sure if this will happen as planned.
The first concern is that people will be safe, and they may be hesitant –
Also Tommy will be concerned about his band and staff traveling again.
It’s nice to look forward to coming back to keep us going, but not till it’s truly right. 
Carol Ross-Durborow
I couldn’t agree more.  We have to safe … and smart about this whole thing.  And much as I’m chomping at the bit to get out and see a few shows again, I’m not sure in my heart of hearts that I’m really ready to take that risk just yet.  This is going to be a LONG recovery for all parties concerned.  (kk)

UPDATE:  Billboard is reporting this week that “Fans are in no rush to see live music after the coronavirus … less than half of the “fans who love going to live concerts” polled say that they will return to live venues after the social distancing restrictions have been lifted.  This is going to take awhile before people feel comfortable again interacting with strangers.  (kk)

Meanwhile, Tommy also told Billboard this week (when asked about what he thought of Billie Joe Armstrong’s remake version of his 1967 hit “I Think We’re Alone Now” … 

"I'm very honored that Billie Joe did this; I've been a fan of Green Day for a long time," James told Billboard this week while self-isolating in northern New Jersey. ("My big thrill of the week is taking out the garbage," he joked. More seriously, he mused, "You know what I hope our takeaway is from all of this? I hope we come away realizing how thankful we should be for all these simple things that we took for granted.")

Read the whole story here:
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9368712/tommy-james-tiffany-praise-billie-joe-armstrong

And, since we’re all still staying home, here’s a great way to catch some live music (and by The Rolling Stones, no less!!!) 

THE ROLLING STONES TO RELEASE “EXTRA LICKS”
A SERIES OF SPECIAL PERFORMANCES,
STREAMING WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVELY ON YOUTUBE   
Available digitally for the first time, this six-part weekly series will feature bonus footage from some of the band’s most memorable concerts around the world.
Set a tune-in reminder for the series Premiere on Sunday, May 3rd
at 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 8pm BST on The Rolling Stones YouTube Channel
Photo
As part of YouTube’s #StayHome campaign, The Rolling Stones will launch a weekly series entitled “Extra Licks” on the band’s official YouTube channel, starting this Sunday, May 3rd at 12pm PT / 3pm ET/ 8pm BST.
Each featurette — available digitally for the first time — will appear as a YouTube Premiere, streaming bonus features of six concert films from throughout their career, including performances from the 1994 Voodoo Lounge Tour and the 2016 Latin America Ole! Tour. This series is in partnership with The Rolling Stones and Eagle Rock Entertainment, and will stream exclusively on YouTube. 
What: The Rolling Stones “Extra Licks” #StayHome Special Features
When: Series kicks off Sunday, May 3, 2020 at 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm BST
Where: Streaming exclusively on YouTube HERE
Watch Teaser Trailer on May 1 at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST
Just last week The Rolling Stones released a new single entitled, “Living In A Ghost Town,” that was created and recorded in Los Angeles, London and in isolation. The track was released in tandem with a brand new music video that premiered exclusively on YouTube and has almost 4 million views to date.
YouTube Premieres is a feature that lets artists and their teams build anticipation and create a unique moment around a music video release on YouTube. The feature transforms the way fans view and engage with content by creating an event where fans and artists directly engage and enjoy the experience together in an interactive way. Premieres radically change how music video content is released, turning the watching experience into a communal moment.  

Another great video we stumbled across this week … 

It’s The Bee Gees performing “Lonely Days” (one of my all-time favorites by them ... although a bit slower here than I'd like to hear it) on The Dick Cavett Show … dig it!



And one good Bee Gees video deserves another ...

This one COMPLETELY cracked me up when I found it last night ...



And let's complete our triple play with this one ... which ALWAYS brings a tear to my eye, every time I hear it ... 

Lulu and former husband Maurice Gibb, teaming up to sing a stirring version of The Bee Gees' tune "First Of May" ...



Wow!  I can’t wait to add THIS one to my collection!
Joel Whitburn’s Record Research has just announced the publication of Cash Box Magazine’s 1980’s charts … due to arrive by late July.
(I’m still going thru Joel’s most recent release, "Top Ten Hits, 1950 – 2020," featuring EVERY record to make The Top Ten in Billboard, Record World, Cash Box, Music Vendor and Radio And Records!!!)
This is a nice, neat, compact little edition that gives the songs and artists in a very concise manner … with a beautiful full color photo spread of many of the picture sleeves that originally accompanied these releases.
Ordering information for BOTH books can be found below.  (kk)

(What an awesome looking cover!!!)
Order both books here: https://recordresearch.com/ 

Speaking of the charts, Billboard Magazine posted an interesting trivia fact this week …

What’s The Most Common Song Title To Make Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart?

Hold on for the answer … it’s right here …
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/1549901/most-common-hot-100-song-title?utm_campaign=Chart%20Beat&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=billboard_chartalert

To be clear, these had to all be DIFFERENT songs with the same song title (meaning three remakes of “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, for example, still only counts as one entry.)

In all, Billboard found nearly twenty titles that have charted ten or more times.

Below is the list of the most common, with the highest-charting version listed as well …

10, "Call Me"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (six weeks), Blondie, 1980
10, "I Want You"
Highest-charting: No. 4, Savage Garden, 1997
10, "Love Me"
Highest-charting: No. 9, Lil Wayne feat. Drake & Future, 2013
10, "One"
Highest-charting: No. 5, Three Dog Night, 1969
11, "Crazy"
Highest-charting: No. 2, Gnarls Barkley, 2006
11, "Friends"
Highest-charting: No. 9, Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim, 1989
11, "Hallelujah"
Highest-charting: No. 13, Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris feat. Charlie Sexton, 2010
11, "Home"
Highest-charting: No. 6, Phillip Phillips, 2013
11, "I Love You"
Highest-charting: No. 12, Climax Blues Band, 1981
11, "I Need You"
Highest-charting: No. 9, America, 1972
11, "Smile"
Highest-charting: No. 12, Scarface feat. 2Pac & Johnny B, 1997
11, "Without You"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (four weeks), Nilsson, 1972
14, "Angel"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (one week), Shaggy feat. Rayvon, 2001
14, "Forever"
Highest-charting: No. 2, Chris Brown, 2008
14, "Happy"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (10 weeks), Pharrell Williams, 2014
14, "Runaway"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (four weeks), Del Shannon, 1961
14, "Stay"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (one week), Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs, 1960
14, "You"
Highest-charting: No. 9, Lloyd feat. Lil Wayne, 2007
... and, the most common title of a Hot 100 hit?
16, "Hold On"
Highest-charting: No. 1 (one week), Wilson Phillips, 1990
Beyond Wilson Phillips' and En Vogue's No. 1 and 2-peaking hits, respectively, other top 40 hits titled "Hold On" include those by Santana (No. 15, 1982), Jamie Walters (former lead singer of the Heights; No. 16, 1995), Ian Gomm (No. 18, 1979), Triumph (No. 38, 1979) and Kansas (No. 40, 1980).

And think about it ...
That doesn't even include songs like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" or "Hold On Loosely" or "Hold On Tight" or "Baby Hold On" or any other number of "holdin' on songs!"  ("Holdin' On To Yesterday," for example!  "Hold The Line.")  There's your next specialty weekend, Rick O'Dell ... I'll betcha we could easily come up with 40-50 "hold on" songs to get us thru this pandemic ... Don't Give Up ... Keep Holding On ... We'll Get Thru This! ... you get the idea!  (kk)

Billboard also announced a batch of brand new dedicated music channels that launched on Friday, May 1st, including David Bowie, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Guns ‘n Roses, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Prince, Rolling Stones and George Strait. 

Kent …
Hope all is well with you and your family during this challenging time we’re all going through.
Just finished reading “The Music of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart" ...
Absolutely incredible  stories about the guys.
I still keep in touch with Bobby and every time we’re on the phone together it winds up being a 30 minute conversation and reminds me just how talented these guys were.
I was fortunate to be on tour with Tommy and Bobby during my days at KYA in San Francisco back in the 60’s. What special times those were.
Stay well -
All the best,
Johnny Holliday
Thank you, Johnny!
It’s been awhile since I talked to Bobby ... but what a great guy!
I still feel this is one of the strongest series we have ever done … and it was a whole lot of fun putting it together.
I sure would like to know what happened to the Boyce and Hart documentary that was made a few years ago. 
For some reason this thing never saw the light of day … and I’ve been dying to see it since forever.
Called “The Guys Who Wrote ‘Em,” I’ve talked to at least a dozen people who should have an “in” to provide a screener copy of this film and yet it still remains tucked away in a vault somewhere.
If ANYBODY out there knows how I might go about getting a copy … STRICTLY FOR PERSONAL VIEWING AND REVIEWING … PLEASE let me know!  (kk)

You'll find our BOYCE AND HART Series (as well as my one-on-one interview with Bobby Hart) right here:
http://forgottenhits.com/the_music_of_tommy_boyce_and_bobby_hart
http://forgottenhits.com/forgotten_hits_interviews_bobby_hart

kk:
I like that sign you posted – BUFFALO / SPRINGFIELD.
How about more of the same?
You can ask – WAIT -- You're too busy.
That’s OK … I'll do it.
I'm going to ask your readers from all over the country to send you pictures of clever signs. 
"KANSAS CITY" (Wilbert Harrison) = 12th Street & Vine
"LOVE POTION # 9" (Clovers) = 34th & Vine
Eagles & Mark Lindsay = Winslow, Arizona
The Orlons , Philadelphia = West Street + East Street + North Ave. = "SOUTH STREET"
"I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE" (Johnny Cash) = Too many places to mention. Listen to the song.
"WANTED MAN" (Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash) = Too many places to mention. Listen to the song.
I'm sure you can come up with a few more of your own.
FB
Hmmm ... a new Forgotten Hits challenge.
(Or is this more a case of “your mission, should you choose to accept it …” … Nah, I don’t have any exploding cassette tapes left … used ‘em all up in the late ‘60’s.)  
Go for it … and other clever signs / intersections, too.  We’ll run ‘em.  (I found Penny Lane a couple of months ago when I had to go somewhere to pick up a package!)  kk


Hey Kent –
I recently posted this interview with Melanie on Songfacts. She's doing well and has something new coming out … a live recording she did with the Incredible String Band in 1974.
She talked a lot about Woodstock, where she had a kind of spiritual awakening she didn't talk about at the time because she was afraid she would come off looney. Regarding "A Brand New Key," her big concern was that she "would be cute" for the rest of her life, and not taken seriously. Her husband/producer convinced her to release it.
Here's the link:  https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/melanie
Be Well,
Carl Wiser
Songfacts.com
Good to know.  I last heard from Melanie when we were putting together our Ed Sullivan series … she definitely wanted to be part of it.  I’ve talked to her son a couple of times since but have lost touch with her over the years.  

You can read the whole thing here …
http://forgottenhits.com/forgotten_hits_remembers_the_ed_sullivan_show__from_both_sides_of_the_screen

Or Melanie’s piece here …
One most telling and defining incidents setting Ed Sullivan apart from any other presenter on TV came about when during my dress rehearsal.  A large number of the people in the audience rushed up on stage and sat around me on the floor.  (This had also happened spontaneously at a Carnegie Hall concert of mine and continued throughout my early career.)  The stage manager ran out and tried to shush them away, back into their seats.  Ed Sullivan himself came up on the stage and told all these “youths” -- as he called them -- that they could stay, as they seemed to be well behaved.  The stage manager left, shaking his head.   
But of course Ed Sullivan was the ultimate showman and knew it added to the essence of what he was introducing to the world, prompting the comment about Elvis.  
And of course at that time, one segment on his show was an introduction to the world and the only step needed to go from obscurity to stardom. 
Love
Melanie<3 

Here's a link to Harvey Kubernik’s recent piece on The Association …
http://cavehollywood.com/russ-giguere-of-the-association/ 

Thanks, Kent, for letting folks know about the Charlie Gracie documentary!!!! Charlie Will be 83 the 14th and is still jammin!!!
Tom

More from Frank B …

kk:
Two of my favorites together.
Frank B.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLZ6DdprlBg&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3b95uZpkS3Ui5-WZMoVr5bqkkMyIpwgLcuD30AldIP8SQcmG63JBFrd00
This is nice … I’ve seen short clips from this but never the whole thing.  Very cool.  (kk)

From Bobby’s son Sam Tallerico …
Kent,
What a find!
I've seen shorter clips, but this was really cool. 
Thanks!
Still enjoying FH.  Was psyched to read in today's comments that you're still listening to LAFOS!
Thanks for that, too.
Sam
Exactly - seen several short clips but nothing this extensive - had to share.
Lovin’ my weekly does of LAFOS (although it’s often easier for me to listen to the podcast at my convenience so please continue to send!!!)
If anybody else would like to subscribe to the podcast version (available shortly after the live program airs), drop me a line and I’ll have Sam add your names to the list.  You’ll find a very WIDE mix of oldies featured here … some you know … some you forgot you know … and some I guarantee you, you’ve never heard before.  (I like it because Sam’s musical tastes run so similar to mine!  Lol)  kk 

Also, long-time FH Reader Geoff Lambert (from across the pond) is doing a weekly oldies newsletter which covers a lotta ground for all musical tastes.  Wanna get on the list to receive emailed copies?  Let me know and I’ll be happy to pass that information along, too.  (Damn … an oldies music newsletter?!?!  What a GREAT idea!!!)  kk

And finally, more on all of our recent New Colony Six coverage ... 

Thank you very much, Kent, and thanks to Wally Kemp and the others for sharing the location. 
Do you know if Jerry Schollenberger was the photographer? Could you get the shooting date?
Did you know that another record cover photo was taken in exactly the same place? "Sophisticated Swing" (EmArcy, 1957) by Cannonball Adderley. I could match both covers but I didn't know the location :)

Here is my list of Cover Locations (some of them from Chicago) https://www.discogs.com/lists/Cover-Locations/285237?page=1  
PS - If you can get where the Breakthrough photo session was taken, please tell me
Thanks for your time.
Best,
Emi
I don’t know that we’ll get much more information than what we already have … even this was a bit sketchy after fifty-some years … but I believe that they guys DID officially nail it down.  (Pretty cool about the Cannonball Adderley cover … betcha THEY didn’t even know that!  No such thing as a new idea, I guess!  Lol)
I don’t think Jerry Schollenberger was involved with the band yet in 1967 … but if anybody can dig up additional research, he’s probably the guy … will copy him in on this latest correspondence.  I’ll also ask the guys about the Breakthrough cover to see if we can get any more information on this.  (kk)

>>>In the late 60s, my best friend Bob Holtz and I visited with his buddy Chris Wolski, who lived a few blocks from us, on the northwest side.  Bob said that Chris was with the NC6 for a short time (keyboards?), until his father made him quit because he didn't like the fact that the rest of the guys in the band were a year older, and that didn't sit well with dad.  What a shame ... Bob said that he himself had tried out for the NC6 (drums) in the mid-60s, but wasn't good enough.
I got a bit of info regarding this story from Ray some years ago, but I'm still curious about the deal with Chris.  (Mike Wolstein)
>>>From my interview with Ray Graffia, Jr., in 2005 …
FH:  Actually, that was my next question!  OK ... I've got to know ... WHO were the PETE BEST / STUART SUTCLIFF individuals who have since spent most of their adult lives murmuring under their breath "I coulda been a contendah .... I coulda been a contendah!"
RAY: Chris Wolski played accordion for the party but his parents did not want him hanging around with us older guys so he was forced to quit – that’s when Wally volunteered his cousin, Greg, for the band.  I wonder what ever happened to Chris and how he must have felt when we hit big?  I guess he probably wondered what might have been … maybe one day our paths will cross and I can ask him.

Sadly, my friend Bob, who took me to meet Chris at his apartment, died in 1977.
I haven't been in contact with Chris since that meetup back in 1968-ish, or whenever it was ... I can see it in my mind, but the time frame is ... well, "large".
I do remember that Chris' apartment was in the 3100 block of west Sunnyside Avenue.  If you know the area, it was two streets due east of Our Lady of Mercy, the church / school with the huge gold dome that you could see for two miles in each direction.
If you or any of your readers have info, that'd be great. I'd like to chat with Chris, but to be honest, he probably wouldn't remember me. We only spent a half hour chatting, and 52 years ago ... wow.
Take care, thanks again for your help and your wonderful site!
Mike

Here’s a Chris Wolski update, courtesy of FH Reader Mike Markesich …

My friend and I talked to Chris Wolski via e-mails several years ago, as he was one of the five members of the short-lived Chicago rock & roll group called the Faded Blue.  If you've never seen the 1967 movie "Blast Off Girls," featuring the Faded Blue, directed by now-legendary film maker and director Herschell Gordon Lewis, I highly recommend it.
Chris and the guys are the storyline in the film, as they agree to be managed by a pompous, Andrew Loog Oldham inspired young agent and manager named Boojie Baker. He and his goofy honcho tough guy cohort are given the heave-ho at the start of the film by another group, so both guys go club-hopping to find another young and desperate rock group to scam. Boojie finds the Faded Blue playing to four unresponsive people in a club and proceed to sway the Faded Blue to sign a contract. Boojie assures them fame, hit records and girls galore - everything except money!  He changes the name of the group as well, to the Big Blast for release of their 45.
The Faded Blue perform several great original "garage rock" songs throughout the film, including "The Next Time". The clip below plays the finished version of the song, but there is a cool scene showing the boys cutting a better (IMO) rendition in the recording studio. That's Chris, Faded Blue keyboard player & lead singer, in the barber chair:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AweWpoF2Gfk



My friend made a video clip featuring the song used at the end of the movie, with the guys running amok in Chicagoland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uj_CHQm3h8



Trade magazines (Cashbox, Record World) circa September, 1967, note that the Faded Blue were signed to a Chicago record label, Barrington Records. News published note that a record would be forthcoming to coincide with the release of "Blast Off Girls," but apparently nothing was ever issued.
Mike Markesich
Now that’s just wild.  (I guess Chris found a younger group of guys to hang out with!  Lol)  SO cool that he stayed in music.  Wonder what he’s doing now.  Thanks, Mike!  (kk)
 
Somewhere I have a NC6 reunion from 1988 (I believe) with Bob Stroud going front and center with them to do a GREAT version of "You're Gonna Be Mine" a few years before his stint as lead singer of the Cryan Shames.
Clark Besch
I have a dvd of The New Colony Six reunion show at The Park West from 1988 … but don’t remember Stroud being part of it … guess I’ll have to watch it again.  “You’re Gonna Be Mine” has always been one of my favorites by them … just such a great “pop” tune.  (kk) 

That's a wrap for this weekend ...

Watch for a brand new (as in 50 years old) WCFL Chart tomorrow in Forgotten Hits.  Meanwhile, be smart ... and stay safe.  (kk)
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May 4th, 1970

May 4, 2020, 4:00 am
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"Cecilia" follows their last hit, "Bridge Over Trouble Water," into the #1 spot on this week's chart for Simon and Garfunkel ... not a bad one-two punch to kick off the new decade.  (With a move from #9 to #1, I'd say it's a pretty solid hit!)

The only new entries to this week's Top Ten have been two steady climbers ... "Up Around The Bend" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (which makes the move from #14 to #6) and "Get Ready" by Rare Earth, which climbs five places from #10 to #5.

Joe Cocker's version of "The Letter" is up ten places from #28 to #18, while "Make Me Smile" by Chicago makes a leap of eleven spots from #31 to #20.


Similar moves are noted for "Daughter Of Darkness" by Tom Jones (#37 to #26, a jump of 11 spots) and "Come Saturday Morning" by The Sandpipers, which climbs from #38 to #28.

The week's top new premier got played quite a lot around our house ... it's by a new band called Blues Image and their first (and only) hit is titled "Ride Captain Ride." (Vocalist / Guitarist Mike Pinera left the Garden of Eden with Iron Butterfly to start this new rock venture, which had more pop / soul leanings.)


Also new on the chart is Elvis Presley, with yet ANOTHER major comeback hit, "The Wonder Of You," a remake of the old Ray Peterson track.


TEST OF THE DAY:  Does ANYBODY out there remember EITHER of this week's Hit Bound Picks???  Boy, I sure don't!
"So Much Love" by Faith, Hope and Charity and "Friends" by Feather are both songs I have absolutely no recollection of.
According to Ron Smith's book "WCFL Chicago Top 40 Charts, 1965 - 1976," both had brief runs at the bottom of the 'CFL chart, with "Friends" faring a little bit better, peaking at #29 during its six week run.  The Faith, Hope and Charity single, "So Much Love," charted for a total of three weeks and stopped at #32.  Nationally, "So Much Love" made The Top 40 in both Record World and Cash Box, peaking at #35.  (It fell short in Billboard, where it only climbed to #51.)  Feather's "Friends" never rose any higher than #76 in Cash Box and #79 in Billboard ... and never made the cross-town WLS Chart at all.  ("So Much Love" did chart for a week on WLS, premiering ... and then disappearing ... at #38.) 
I can't say that I consider EITHER to be "Forgotten Hits" ...as this is more a case of "Never Were"'s to me ... but hey, we're all about the memories here ... so if we can even spark one or two, I'd say it's a good day.  Have a listen!  (kk)




1970:  May 4th– In yet another example of how out of control things were becoming here in America at the time, four students are shot and killed by The National Guard at Kent State University in Ohio during an anti-war demonstration.  Nine others are wounded.  

Neil Young is so outraged by these events that he writes the song “Ohio” (“four dead in O-hi-O”) the very next day, denouncing these senseless killings.  He recruits his bandmates Crosby, Stills and Nash and they record the song the very same day.

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More Sequester Songs Suggestions

May 5, 2020, 4:00 am
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Got this from long-time Forgotten Hits Reader (and former American Top 40 writer and researcher) Scott Paton... and just had to share ...

Hi Kent,

Glad to see that you appear to staying safe and sane.  Stay-at-home entertainment like FH is now more important than ever, so thanks, as always, for all the great dispatches.

Taking a nod from you and my own AT40 background, I've been posting a daily "Sequester Song" on Facebook, featuring a story behind the song or artist, linked to the best YouTube video I can source.  Some of the selected tunes are pretty loosely tied into the theme, but all have at least some small element of loneliness or other pandemic-related connection in the lyrics.  As you were indicating in Sunday's post, I've also avoided any songs or titles that might be deemed in bad taste during a time that's so dire for so many.

As of today, I've done 22 posts of a projected 60, although you and fellow readers have given me some suggestions that I hadn't considered, so I might bump it up to 75 if I don't run out of gas.  Doing one of these per day is instilling a small measure of discipline in me that may be providing a slight link to sanity.  All 12 of my Facebook followers seem to be enjoying these, so that's keeping me going.  Guess I'm currently your mini-me, Kent!

Here's the playlist if anybody's interested:

Sequester Songs
  1.  All Alone Am I – Brenda Lee
  2.  I Think We’re Alone Now – Tommy James & the Shondells
  3.  Don’t Stand So Close To Me – Police
  4.  Loneliness Made Me Realize (It’s You That I Need) – Temptations
  5.  Lonely Boy – Andrew Gold
  6.  Mr. Lonely – Bobby Vinton
  7.  Tired of Being Alone – Al Green
  8.  Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan
  9.  Only The Lonely – Roy Orbison
10.  I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams / B.J. Thomas
11.  Lonely Days – Bee Gees
12.  All By Myself – Eric Carmen
13.  When Will I See You Again – Three Degrees
14.  One (Is The Loneliest Number) – Three Dog Night
15.  In My Room – Beach Boys
16.  You’re Only Lonely – J.D. Souther
17.  Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) – Aretha Franklin
18. Lonesome Town – Ricky Nelson
19.  Flowers On The Wall – Statler Brothers
20.  The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel
21.   Ask The Lonely – Four Tops
22.  Lonely Boy – Paul Anka
23.  Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell
24.  I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
25.  Lonely People – America
26.  Solitary Man – Neil Diamond
27.  So Far Away – Carole King
28.  Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley
29.  A House Is Not A Home – Dionne Warwick
30.  It’s The End Of The World As We Know It – R.E.M.
31.  The End Of The World – Skeeter Davis
32.  Mercy, Mercy Me – Marvin Gaye
33.  Eleanor Rigby – Beatles
34.  The Grand Tour – George Jones
35.  Alone – Heart
36.  A World Without Love – Peter & Gordon
37.  Are You Lonesome Tonight? – Elvis Presley
38.  In My Lonely Room – Martha & the Vandellas
39.  Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
40.  Oh Lonesome Me – Don Gibson
41.  Owner Of A Lonely Heart – Yes
42.  Another Saturday Night – Sam Cooke
43.   Where’ve You Been – Kathy Mattea
44.   Hey There Lonely Girl – Eddie Holman
45.    Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight – James Taylor
46.    I Wish It Would Rain – Temptations / ​Double Play / In The Rain – Dramatics
47.  Blue Bayou – Linda Ronstadt
48.  I’ve Been Lonely Too Long – Rascals
49.   Lonely Weekends – Charlie Rich
50.   Solitaire – Carpenters
51.   Miss You – Rolling Stones
52.   Never Knew Lonely – Vince Gill
53.   Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely – Main Ingredient
54.  Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues – Danny O’Keefe
55.   I Am A Rock – Simon & Garfunkel
56.   We’re All Alone – Rita Coolidge / Boz Scaggs
57.   I’ve Been Lonely For So Long – Frederick Knight
58.   School’s Out – Alice Cooper
59.   Nowhere Man – Beatles
60.   Without You – Nilsson

People are more than welcome to check out the posts on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ScottEricPaton).  The content is targeted more to a general audience (the aforementioned 12!) than us musicheads, but every now and then, FH readers might find something of interest therein.

Thanks, Kent!
Regards,  
Scott Paton

P.S. - Just as an example, here are a couple of recent posts:

60 DAYS OF SEQUESTER SONGS Day #19 – 

Statler Brothers – “Flowers On The Wall”

Reached #4 Pop & #2 Country on the Billboard charts in Winter 1966.

Like so many other acts, the Statler Brothers became “overnight sensations” after more than a decade of slogging it out through low-paying one-night stands, in small clubs, church basements and school gymnasiums.  Formed in their hometown of Staunton, Virginia in 1955, they started out as the Four Star Quartet, morphed into the Kingsmen (but the name was already taken), and finally took their name one night from a box of Statler Tissues.  As they often joked, they might have ended up the “Kleenex Brothers” had the popular brand been provisioned in their motel room.

So yes, while there were no brothers named “Statler” in the group, there were two Reid brothers, Harold and Don, along with Phil Balsley and Lew Dewitt.

In 1963, a local concert promoter got the quartet an audition with Johnny Cash, and a long nine months later they got a callback from the “Man in Black” and became part of his touring show and the background singers on his recordings.  One day, while Cash was taking a lunch break during a studio session, the producer told the group, “Okay, Statlers, you wanted to cut a record?  The clock’s running.  What have you got?”

Utilizing a couple of Cash’s unused hours of recording time, they laid two songs down on tape, including a tune that Lew DeWitt had just written.  The Statlers had never sung it even once prior to the session.  This song about a lonely, isolated man, deep in denial and teetering on the brink of madness was relegated to the B-side of their first single.  But upon release, deejays began flipping the 45 over and the song became an unqualified smash.

Peaking at #4 on the Pop Chart and #2 Country, “Flowers On The Wall” made the Statler Brothers an instant sensation, compounded by a double Grammy win for Best New Country Act and Best Contemporary Vocal Performance (Rock & Roll).  Okay, the Grammys are famous for some goofy selections.  The Statlers were hardly a rock act, but “Flowers” was indeed one of the biggest pop and country records in ‘65/’66.

Despite their newfound fame, due to the chance he’d given them, the Statler Brothers stayed loyal to Johnny Cash and remained part of his touring show through 1972.  They never had another pop smash, but over the next 30 years, they racked up more than 60 hits on the country chart and were named the top vocal group by the Country Music Association, nine out of ten consecutive years. 

Due to ill health, founding member Lew DeWitt was replaced in 1982 by Jimmy Fortune, and died in 1990.  The Statlers retired in 2002; the group’s baritone singer and comedic foil, Harold Reid, died at age 80 in April 2020.


60 DAYS OF SEQUESTER SONGS Day #20– 

Simon & Garfunkel – “The Boxer”

Reached #9 on the Billboard Chart in Spring 1969

“The Boxer” was the single that preceded Simon & Garfunkel’s fifth and final studio album, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”  Certainly the most extended, labor-intensive recording of the duo’s career, the simple majesty of the song belied the effort behind its creation.

Multiple locations and a multitude of New York, L.A. and Nashville’s finest session musicians were engaged in the creation of this masterpiece—the first-person lament of a punch-worn fighter, broke and terribly alone in a strange city, far from home. 

Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee traveled to Nashville, where Music City’s A-Team of session men laid down the basic track.  Pedal steel, dobro and bass harmonica figured in the arrangement, so country music’s famed Nashville Cats merited the trek from New York City.  Guitarist Fred Carter Jr. remembers taking days just moving microphones around the room in Halee’s attempt to get the sound and ambience they were looking for.

Once satisfied with the results in Nashville, Simon, Garfunkel and producer returned to Manhattan to sweeten the track with orchestration.  Despite the fact that only one drumbeat was required in the chorus of the song, Hal Blaine, the top session drummer in Los Angeles was flown in to execute it.  “Roy Halee had me set up my snare drum next to an open elevator shaft in the hallway of Columbia Studios,” Blaine recalled.  “When the chorus came around –the ‘lie-la-lie’ bit—Roy had me hit my snare as hard as I could, and all that natural echo made it sound like a cannon shot!

A month later, Paul & Art returned to the studio to lay down their vocals which, comparatively speaking, was the easiest component of the lengthy, complex process.  Notably, though, it was decided to eliminate an additional verse that Simon had written in an effort to keep the length of the song airplay-friendly.

All the effort and travel paid off as “The Boxer” quickly scaled the charts, paving the way for 1970’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Simon & Garfunkel’s most successful and lauded album.  Nashville session man, Fred Carter, Jr., who had worked on the initial basic tracks recalled, “I never heard the finished record until it came on the radio one day.  I thought, ‘That’s the greatest record I’ve ever heard in my life.’”

Featuring that lost verse left out of the studio recording, here’s Simon & Garfunkel, performing for half-a-million people in New York City’s Central Park in 1981.

And one more from yesterday … 

60 DAYS OF SEQUESTER SONGS Day #23– 
Glen Campbell – “Wichita Lineman” 

Reached #3 Pop & #2 Country on the Billboard charts in Winter 1969

The musical partnership of Glen Campbell and songwriter Jimmy Webb was responsible for some of the most unique and memorable pop and country classics of the late-1960s.  That bond was formed over their first collaboration, “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” which prompted a request from Glen for Jimmy to write another geographical-oriented song for a follow-up. 

Webb drew from memory a drive he had taken through rural farmland in southwestern Oklahoma.  Telephone poles stretched as far as he could see and disappeared into the setting sun.  There was not another car or a human being in sight.  But finally, after miles and miles of desolate landscape, he spotted a silhouette atop a distant pole.  As he drew closer, he realized that it was a telephone lineman, maintaining the wires that stretched between those endless poles.

Jimmy Webb recalled thinking that this solitary figure, in the middle of nowhere, had to be the loneliest individual he’d ever seen.  From the road below, he saw that the man was holding a receiver to his head and he tried to imagine the conversation the man might be having.  Webb quickly worked this scenario into a song that would become “Wichita Lineman.”  It was incomplete, missing a verse and a bridge, but he needed to get it to Campbell immediately for his approval.

As a few days went by, he was a little disappointed to have received no response at all from Glen, so Jimmy gave him a call.  When he asked Campbell if he liked it, he exclaimed, “I loved it!  It made me homesick for my family back in Arkansas.  We already recorded it!”

Pleased yet concerned, Webb responded by saying, “But the song wasn’t finished!”  “It’s finished now!” countered Glen.  And indeed it was.  Campbell had filled the missing bridge with an instrumental interlude on bass guitar.  His picking, his plaintive vocal and the brilliant arrangement by producer Al DeLory had perfectly captured the poignant sense of loneliness that Jimmy Webb had imagined when he witnessed that lineman at work, high above the empty plains below.

Amidst a remarkable catalog of hits, “Wichita Lineman,” was unquestionably the one that resonated the most profoundly with his audience.  I had the good fortune to attend several of the dates and spend some time with Glen on his farewell tour as he was slipping into the advancing grip of Alzheimer’s Disease which would ultimately claim his life.  After every performance of “Lineman,” nearly everyone I witnessed wiped tears from their eyes, as did I.

 

As much as I wish I could sit here and say, "Do we really need 75 days worth of Sequester Songs?," I think we ALL know that the reality of the matter will prove that this will likely only scratch the surface of our time confined.  Soon, the novelty of this type of programming will run thin and cease to be funny.  (For some of us, it already has.)  Then again, ANYTHING to divert our attention from the sad and scary reality that is all around us ... and faces us each and every time we leave our homes ... is a welcome diversion.

For this reason, readership in Forgotten Hits is up significantly these past two months ... hopefully, the majority of folks who have discovered us will continue to stick around after things return to anything resembling semi-normal.  (Even our long-time readers are discovering ALL kinds of cool stuff in the archives, both here and on the other Forgotten Hits Archive Site.)  After twenty years of doing this, even I will find a few surprises from time to time!!!  (Let's face it ... you can't remember EVERYTHING!!!)  I am truly proud and grateful to be able to offer some small type of relief from what everyone now seems to refer to as "the new normal."

So thank you, Scott, for some GREAT ideas ... with so many disc jockeys on the list, I think you've provided some food for fodder for the weeks to come.

And to absolutely EVERYBODY else ... 

Be Smart ...  Stay Safe ... and allow the music to provide some comfort and relief from the real world outside.  (kk)

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5-6-78

May 6, 2020, 4:07 am
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These were Billboard's Top Ten Songs on this date ... 

5-6 in '78:

#10 - Count On Me - Jefferson Starship



#  9 - Dust In The Wind - Kansas



#  8 - Lay Down Sally - Eric Clapton



#  7 - You're he One That I Want - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John



#  6 - Too Much, Too Little, Too Late - Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams



#  5 - With A Little Luck- Paul McCartney and Wings



#  4 - The Closer I Get To You - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway



#  3 - Can't Smile Without You - Barry Manilow



#  2 - If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman



#  1 - Night Fever - The Bee Gees



I've always loved the way the director or choreographer counts down the dance sequence ... 5-6-7-8 ... and that idea resonated with me this morning ... making me wonder "What were the biggest hit songs ON 5-6-78?"

Well, now you know the answer.  Have a great day!  (kk)
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Thursday This And That

May 7, 2020, 4:00 am
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Phil Nee of WRCO will be running The Top 50 from our Top 3333 Most Essential Classic Rock Songs Of All-Time list this weekend … along with several “extras” (including #3333!)
Unfortunately, they’re STILL not streaming … but if you live in the Richmond Center area of Wisconsin, be sure to catch his “Those Were The Days” Oldies show this Saturday Night.
With Memorial Day Weekend coming up, I was thinking “What a great time to run The  Top 1000 … people are literally stuck at home looking for ways to spend their time - radio stations that are operating with limited staff can preprogram their whole weekend – I mean let’s face it … other than a limited amount DJ patter,  Covid-19 news updates and commercials, the show could practically run itself.
I just may try to push for this with a few of the classic rock stations on the list.  (A lot of stations used to run Memorial Day 500 Countdowns anyway … this way, instead of having to repeat the same 500 songs two or three times over your three day weekend, opt in for the full Top 1000 … fill the gaps with assorted extras … you’ll find ALL kinds of great tracks to choose from … and make this “must listening” for all the backyard cookouts going on.
By the way, if you STILL don’t have your copy of the complete Top 3333 List, drop me an email and we’ll forward it along to you.  (kk)

Did you get a chance to hear the Sirius 60s Feel Good Songs Countdown? 
It was pretty good.  Most all of the songs were well worn classics.
Phil
Yes, Sirius / XM seems to have all kinds of countdown shows going on right now … again, playing the their captive audience of folks stuck at home.  (People aren’t even out and about in their cars anymore … because there’s no place that you can go!!!  What was the comment I heard the other day on Sam Tallerico’s LAFOS show … “Lately my car’s been getting three weeks to the gallon!!!”

All the more reason to take our Top 3333 / Top 1000 / Top 500 / Top 100 / Top 50 list seriously … it’s GREAT programming … a chance to play a bunch of Classic Rock Songs that you just don’t hear much anymore … and still captivate your audience as they sit listening to find out what the #1 song is.  And again, this countdown beats any other countdown out there … because it was based on ONE MILLION VOTES!!!  (A station running its own poll might get 10,000 votes … we’ve got ONE HUNDRED TIMES that!!!)
And you’ve still got three weeks to pull it all together!  (kk)

One of my favorite shows of the past two years has been “Killing Eve.”  So much so, in fact, that I’ve already watched Seasons One And Two TWICE !
Season Three is getting off to a much slower start … and I’m not real keen on the way they’re editing things this year (as well as how much more difficult it is to understand the dialog … seriously, they should just leave the subtitles on for the whole episode) … but I was BLOWN away on Episode Four Sunday Night when, in the same hour, they featured “Dear Diary” by The Moody Blues and “Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips” by Tiny Tim!!!  (You’re not even gonna hear THAT kind of diversity on the radio these days!!!  Lol)
Again, I am ALWAYS amazed by the creative process of selecting the musical soundscape … which obviously skews a bit “older” than the show itself would imply.  Great job, Folks!  (kk)


>>>Wild Wayne is reporting that Bobby Lewis has died.  1961= Bobby was "TOSSIN'& TURNIN',” a # 1 Hit written by Ritchie Adams, a member of the Vogues.   (FB)
Hi Kent,
Good to know you're doing well during this challenging time and still crankin' out FH.
In this issue, there's an error (probably a mistype): "Tossin' and Turnin'" was written by Ritchie Adams of The Fireflies, not The Vogues.
Cheers,
Ed Osborne

Hey, Kent –
My name is Bobby Scammell … long time bass player for The Rip Chords.
I just wanted to send a fun Bobby Lewis photo from my personal music files ...
Backstage - NJ Meadowlands - Sirius/XM - circa 2013 60's on Six show - live concert and radio broadcast.
At the time of this concert Bobby was 88 years old and blind ...
But, he still stole the show. A heck of a memory.
Bobby

Kent,
I have found out that singer Millie Small has passed away. You probably already know this as I am sending you this email. I always did like her follow-up to MY BOY LOLLIPOP, SWEET WILLIAM. Stay safe.
Larry Neal

kk:
Another Death To Report.
FB
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9372493/millie-small-dead-my-boy-lollipop-singer-dies

This Billboard link also tells of the death of Florian Schneider, a founding member of Kraftwerk.  It was interesting to see an email from Ultimate Classic Rock naming Kraftwerk’s Ten Greatest Songs.  (They only song the average, most casual fan might recognize is “Kraftwerk,” which went to #25 in 1975.)  Other than that, they seemed to be more of an acquired taste, but one of the early front-runners of progressive / synthetic rock … and a rare rock success from Germany.
(One of the guys I used to work with back in 1975 was a BIG Kraftwerk fan … and turned me on to their “Autobahn” album … which he played CONSTANTLY both at home and in his car if we were out “clubbing,” as we were prone to do at that time as disco was taking over more and more in what used to be rock clubs with live music.  He was convinced that they were going to be the next big thing.)
Millie Small, on the other hand, went all the way to #2 with “My Boy Lollipop” in 1964, during the peak of Beatlemania.  (In fact, she even appeared on The Beatles’ television special “Around The Beatles” later that same year!)  Rumors abounded for YEARS that that was Rod Stewart playing harmonica on her record … but it wasn’t true.)  Her follow-up hit, “Sweet William,” was her only other charted record in Billboard.  It peaked at #40 later that same year.  (Cash Box ranked it at #33.)  kk

Here's how we addressed this issue in 2011: 

’60’s FLASHBACK:   
>>>I heard one time that Millie Small's version of "My Boy Lollipop" features a very young Rod Stewart on the harmonica. Is this true?  (Ken)
>>>While that rumor circulated for many, many years ... and was even printed as "fact" in numerous publications ... it apparently was NOT true.  Interestingly enough, I did a quick search after I received your email.  ClassicBands.com still gives Rod Stewart credit (although Rod has reportedly stated on the record that he did NOT play harmonica on this track ... and also states that he never claimed he did.)  Meanwhile, both Pete Hogman and Jimmy Powell are credited on different websites as insisting that THEY played harmonica on the track ... and both artists have taken credit for doing so ... so perhaps we'll never know once and for all definitively who did ... other than it WASN'T Rod Stewart.  (kk)
The released 45 rpm version has Pete Hogman on harmonica. A backing track was issued on a Best Of Millie cd a few years ago with Jimmy Powell's original harmonica solo on it. Producer Chris Blackwell was unsatisfied with the first solo cut by Powell, a musician with Ernest Ranglin and His Orchestra (the group that performed the music track for My Boy Lollipop) so he brought in Pete Hogman, a local Jamaican musician, to redo the solo.
Tom Diehl
So there you have it!  (kk)

Kent,
I really liked and appreciated Scott's list of Sequester Songs. Man, what I wouldn't give to hear these again on the radio. I'll probably come up with a title or two within the next few days if a song comes to my mind. 
I know of one person who would especially like to hear these again on the radio and that's the LONE ranger.
Larry

I don't recall seeing this song mentioned, or maybe it was ...
I guess it is because I'm too old (old-ness factor applies to both observations).
"Hello Walls"  Faron Young 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMSWAUAKJn0 
Mike Markesich
(currently working as an "essential employee" for the U.S. postal service)
This is one of the ones that made my initial list of 18 Tunes a few weeks ago … but I had forgotten all about it since then!  “Four Walls” would be another country cross over hit that fits … by Jim Reeves.  Thanks, Mike!  (kk)

>>>The song "Flowers On The Wall" is about a lonely, isolated man, deep in denial and teetering on the brink of madness.  It was relegated to the B-side of their first single.  But upon release, deejays began flipping the 45 over and the song became an unqualified smash.  (Scott Paton)
This info doesn't seem to comport with actual history. Columbia released two Statler Brothers singles prior to "Flowers On The Wall": "The Wreck Of The Old '97" / "Hammers And Nails" (Columbia 43069, June, 1964) and "Your Foolish Game" / "I Still Miss Someone" (Columbia 43146, October, 1964).
On the "Flowers On The Wall" 45 (b/w "Billy Christian"), "Flowers" had the lower matrix number, usually an indication of the intended A-side. Also, at the same time as the release of the stock copy, a promo copy was released with "Flowers" on both sides.
– Randy Price

Interesting to note, too, that Statler Brothers bass singer Harold Reid passed away just a couple of weeks ago (on April 25th).  According to Diane Diekman’s Country Music Newsletter, The Statler Brothers had a television show that aired for seven seasons on The Nashville Network (TNN) in the 1990s. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
After retiring in 2002, Harold Reid told the Staunton News Leader,"Some days, I sit on my beautiful front porch, here in Staunton, Virginia ... some days I literally have to pinch myself. Did that really happen to me, or did I just dream that?"

A more in-depth article … as well as a complete list of recent deaths can be found here:  https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9365927/harold-reid-dies

>>>As much as I wish I could sit here and say, "Do we really need 75 days’ worth of Sequester Songs?," I think we ALL know that the reality of the matter will prove that this will likely only scratch the surface of our time confined.  Soon, the novelty of this type of programming will run thin and cease to be funny.   (kk)
Yeah, this virus crap is really doing bad stuff to our music.  I can't even wait until June 25th to dig into this great tune, even ‘tho THAT is when we will be faced with the trouble of its title. 
I Love this song… and wish it were June 25th already just to hope we are done with the pandemic by then!  I'm sure Teddy and the Pandas want it over, too, being from Massachusetts.
"68 days till September"!!!!
Clark Besch

I don’t really know this one (but I think Dave The Rave is a big Teddy and the Pandas fan.)
As I understand it, they have a small cult following.  They had two records “bubble under” in Billboard in 1966 but never made their Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart … and this wasn’t one of them!  “Once Upon A Time” is the one I remember featuring before … it peaked at #134 in Billboard (and #130 in Cash Box).  The follow up, “We Can’t Go On This Way,” snuck in at #99 in Cash Box … but only made it to #103 on the Billboard Chart.  (BTW, for the record, there isn’t a DAY that goes by that I don’t mutter at least once or twice, “Damn, I wish this shit would be over!!!”)  kk

Methinks our own “Can’t You See Me Cry” would be a solid match for your Sequestered Songs List, Kent.  And, with the Showcase ’68 YouTube video still up there despite others having been forced down, there is this ready-made video link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2NbmFcEB90. 
Final note is to attach the acoustic version Bruce and I did back in 2007, which I may have already shared with you but do not believe anybody has posted it to YouTube.
Ray     
P.S.  Cornerstones at the Arcada is now bumped out to 9-13 and our own Morton Grove NC6 gig with the American Legion is tentatively set to occur on either 8-21 (more likely) or 8-28 (less likely last I heard) … it’s the third date for that one so far!
We’ve featured the acoustic version of “Can’t You See Me Cry” a few times now in FH … I quite enjoy it … but here it is again for those who may of missed it. (Besides, I can’t seem to go an issue lately without running at least SOMETHING New Colony Six-related!!!  Lol)  kk


Hi Kent ...
Regarding Pandemic Songs ... "What songs would YOU guys add to the list?"…
I would add "We Got To Get Out of this Place" by the Animals and "She's Gone" Hall and Oates.  Great idea for a list, by the way.
Sandy

Hi Kent,
You and Scott Paton made my day with the feature in Forgotten Hits on Sequestered Songs.  The articles on the three featured songs were superlative!  The other day my wife mentioned that Harold Reid of the Statler Brothers had passed away and I immediately thought of their left-field hit "Flowers On The Wall" that was an eclectic classic!  "Flowers On The Wall" really stood out on the air because it was so different from everything that surrounded it on Top-40 Radio.  When I think of that song, I think of comedian George Goebel's line:  "Do you ever get the feeling that all the world is a tuxedo, and you are a pair of brown shoes?"  Though "Flowers" certainly belonged with the tuxedos, it stood out on it's own -- what a GREAT song!  Coincidentally, "The Boxer" is another of my all-time favorites. 
Being a fan of Rock and Roll history, I could read Forgotten Hits non-stop and also evidently Scott Paton song stories.  The more you read, the more you find out how interconnected the people are in the world of music.  One minute you are reading about an artist in Forgotten Hits and the next minute you are firing up a video or researching an artist or a song.  Then out of nowhere you come across a fact like Linda Scott, who had a hit in 1961 with "I've Told Every Little Star," turned out to have sung back-up on Lou Christie's hit "I'm Gonna Make You Mine." 
Or you may run across the fact that Larry Henley, who sang falsetto-lead with the Newbeats and their hits such as "Bread And Butter" and "Run Baby Run," also has written some other big hits, "Wind Beneath My Wings" among them … a song that by 2004 had already received over 6,000,000 air-plays on the radio.  And, if that doesn't fatten the bottom line on your checking account nothing will. 
The Newbeats toured New Zealand with the Rolling Stones and Roy Orbison in 1965 after which Larry Henley became a lifelong friend of Mr. Orbison.  Coincidentally, the Newbeats hit-song "Bread And Butter" got to the Number Two position on the Billboard Top 100, with the Number One position at the time being held by Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman."
Rock & Roll has more connections that Ancestry.com!  
While I'm at it, another couple of gentlemen who are walking encyclopedias when it comes to Rock & Roll history are Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings. 
As you know, Randy Bachman has a show on Sirius-XM and the CBC called Vinyl Tap featuring countless, interesting R&R stories.  And, if you read Burton Cummings' Facebook Posts you can also get a crash course in R&R Fun Facts!
Again Kent, thanks for the endless entertainment in Forgotten hits.  I can certainly understand why your publication has more readers than ever and continues to grow year after year! 
On a footnote, after reading Bill Medley's note in Forgotten Hits recently, I went on to view some videos of the Righteous Brothers' appearances on Shindig.  Though the Righteous Brothers'"You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" still has retained the most airplay of any song on the radio, at the peak of their popularity, the Righteous Brothers were vastly under-rated.  And, only with time was their talent fully appreciated and recognized.  These cats could sing like no other Blue-Eyed Soul Brothers.  And, I mean these cats could SING!
Peace,
Tim Kiley

Hi Kent,
Thanks for posting my quarantine distraction … it's good to know that a few more people may be reading some of my posts.  I guess these are my own version of the online concerts that so many recording artists are doing these days.  All this is born, I guess, out of a need to connect with others.
Thanks to some of the other suggestions on FH the other day, I feel that I now have a solid 75 songs that somehow tie in to our current situation.  All are in good taste -- no "doctor" or "fever" songs -- and no humor in this decidedly grim time.  These are all just great songs and, hopefully, I am providing back stories that help make the corresponding listening/viewing on YouTube a little more compelling.
Now more than ever, I know we all appreciate your providing this forum for those of us united in our passion for music.  I wish you and everybody out there a safe and sane harbor until we emerge from this surreal time.
Regards,
Scott

My pleasure.  We got some great response to your “Sequestered Songs” List we ran the other day … and it looks like quite a few folks out there checked out some of your previous Facebook posts, too!  (kk)

I should tell all the folks out there that Scott has had some DREAM jobs over the years … check out his resume …

Hi Kent,
I was with AT40 from Fall 1976 through Spring 1979.
Fall '79 - Winter '80 - wrote radio specials for Dick Clark Productions.
Winter '80 - Fall '82 - wrote, produced and hosted shows for ABC, CBS, RKO and syndication
Spring '83 - Winter '92 - wrote & produced a country show for Mutual Broadcasting/Westwood One and wrote AC and Top 40 shows for CBS.
2009 - wrote & produced a series of documentaries for Universal Music celebrating Motown's 50th Anniversary.  Co-hosted with Smokey Robinson what was essentially an update of "The Motown Story."  Also co-hosted another special with former Supreme, Mary Wilson.
Those are the big ones, Kent.  Lots of freelance writing to this day (Goldmine, Shindig!, MOJO).
I have lots of tapes buried in boxes; many interviews were lost when I was employed by others or when I suffered a couple of catastrophic basement floods.  But hundreds survive, and I have many transcripts that were done at the time of the interviews.  You take it all for granted at the time, but now that so many artists are leaving us, I realize that I was witness to and engaged in a remarkable period of music history.  Because my interests were rooted in the '50s and '60s music scene, my years in the biz seemed so matter of fact at the time.  But boy, I was so fortunate to have had the experiences I did.
I will always be flattered and happy to contribute to FH!
Scott
We are looking forward to being able to share some of those interviews with our readers moving forward.  (To think that you might consider Forgotten Hits worthy enough to devote some time to … and even include us in the same UNIVERSE with some of these other productions you’ve been involved with … absolutely blows me away!)  Thanks so much, Scott … looking forward to it!  (kk)

See what I mean ...


Hi, Kent -
Lots of great info on Sunday.
Had a real treat on ME-TV FM yesterday - something I didn't expect to hear there  - a Break-In record, "The Flying Saucer," by Buchanan & Goodman, before they split up. I had just about every 45 by them and also by Dickie Goodman as a solo.
I especially liked the info regarding Chris Wolski.  Glad to hear he was still musically-involved after the NC6 thing in the 60s.  I hardly recognized him in the pictures, but again, I met him briefly, over 52 years ago.
In regards the picture of the group on the "Breakthrough" LP:  just a guess, but I think it looks like the winding staircase in the OLD Chicago Public Library building on Michigan Avenue at Randolph Street.
Here are a few more musically-related street names. Got more searching to do.  The Beatle streets are near Madison, WI.
Mike


LOL … I love the Stayin’ Aligned sign … very clever!  (kk)

Kent –
Just a little more trivial detail about the Chris Wolski era of the New Colony Six. 
He didn’t actually have an “accordion” – I believe it was a “Chord-o-Vox,” an early forerunner of the electric piano and electric organs that soon followed.  I seem to recall that when Gary Lewis and the Playboys started, they also had one of these.
I believe the Chord-o-Vox was a tube type “synthesizer” about the size of two Fender Dual Showman amps.  Sounded great, but IT WAS STILL AN ACCORDIAN!  Not cool!
On the other hand, my recollection is that Craig / Greg had a full-size, wooden Thomas Organ with a full size, wooden Leslie Speaker.  Try lugging that around!  But it looked cool, Greg was an amazing keyboard artist, and when he got his Farfisa, all was right with the world of the New Colony Six. 
As for the Breakthrough album cover photograph … library?  Not even close.
My recollection is that it’s the same building where the “window” shot of the NC6 was taken.  It was a building kinda/sorta in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, kinda/sorta near the Playboy Mansion.  It was being torn down, and our photographer thought it would be great for some shots.  Artsy stuff.  It was a freezing cold and windy day down by the lakefront.  Ray was cautious (scared) for the window shot – he didn’t like being up there.
That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.
Walt
Walter T Kemp
So cool!  Thanks, Walt!  (Can you believe all this recent attention to The New Colony Six???  I LOVE It!!!  (kk)

From Ray Graffia, Jr., on the same topic …

WTK is right on the money according to what comes to mind here, Kent!  I thought it was as close as across the street from The Playboy Mansion.  Also true is my fear of heights leading to me being as far away from the ledge as possible.  I seem to recall that the photographer was a guy who did stuff for Playboy, too, and famous for his photography, again if memory serves … but I cannot recall his name. 
My next target for that answer would be Pete Wright, presuming he remains among the living.  Howard Bedno, the other half of NC6’s management “in the day,” passed away years ago but I never heard that Pete had met his maker, so maybe he could shed more light --- IF he’d make the time to answer and has a better memory than Walt or me.    
Ray     
P.S.  I found one other pic from that shoot and attached it, plus a shot of Mr. Kemp and one of myself – I have the rest of the guys too – but do not remember when or where these were taken or by whom but clearly same timeframe!
 
P.P.S  I spent some time this morning watching those videos posted and Chris Wolski sounds as though he could also have held up his end had his folks NOT forbidden him joining the band. 
God, you guys look SO young in these pictures!!!
I know Pete was still around when I did the original New Colony Six series back in 2005 … and that Ronnie was still in touch with him … but that was 15 years ago already, so who really knows anymore at this point.  (I’ll always regret never getting the chance to talk to your dad about what it was like setting up the record company way back when.  What a BOLD and adventurous move!!!)  kk


kk …
Here’s a brand new release from my High School Mate, Brian Hyland
FB
https://brianhyland.hearnow.com/?fbclid=IwAR2IpgPC4rXz5b0Y5ZjQErp-aErfbPAJsARjyfXBz2PQERvQF5CCB-Ui350
Damn!  Soundin’ good, Brian!  Thanks for sharing!  (kk)

Kent,
Just got through reading the comment from one Johnny Holliday. I will assume that he is one and the same who was featured on the 1964 Cruisin' Album at radio station WHK Cleveland.
As for songs (records) that tells of one's location or intersections, I always did like Hank Snow's version of I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE better than Johnny Cash's. 
One of the first intersections in a song that came to my mind first was Ricky Nelson's 1957 WAITIN' IN SCHOOL. The drugstore in question that had the jukebox was located at the corner of Lincoln and 46th.
Larry
Yes, he is one and the same … and a Forgotten Hits Reader for many years now.
That Ricky Nelson tune is a GREAT suggestion … anybody got access to the street signs at the corner of Lincoln and 45th???  (kk)

And then (after our 50 year anniversary WCFL Chart went up on Monday) …

Kent,
You asked if anyone remembered the song FRIENDS by the group Feather at the bottom of WCFL's survey.
Here in OKC it made its initial appearance for the week of May 14, 1970, at the bottom of the survey, also in a HIT BOUND position.
For the week of June 11, 1970, it peaked at song position #23.
The other record by Faith, Hope and Charity did not chart here in OKC.
I always did like the song FRIENDS.
Speaking of the group Faith, Hope and Charity, I remember the song better than the group; that recorded by Don Cornell in 1956.
Larry Neal

>>>TEST OF THE DAY:  Does ANYBODY out there remember EITHER of this week's Hit Bound Picks???  Boy, I sure don't!  "So Much Love" by Faith, Hope and Charity and "Friends" by Feather are both songs I have absolutely no recollection of. (kk)
???? SAY WHAT ????
But since I never knew them, I will also never forget them.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

Kent,
I loved "Friends" by Feather the first time I heard it in 1970.  I felt it had a poor man's CSN style to it that even. ‘tho not in the latter's category, was a good second style.  Soon, along would come the similar thoughts for Redeye's "Games" with both doing pretty well on the charts.  Of course, they ALL (including CSN) follow in the footsteps of the Hollies, IMO.
Clark Besch

Hi Kent: 
Both of this week’s Hit Bound songs were played up here in Milwaukee and charted.
I remember “So Much Love” quite a bit … it got to #13 on WRIT. 
“Friends” got to #28, but I don’t remember it that much.
The one of that WCFL survey that I have no memory of is the version of “Easy To Be Free” by Happy Day or whatever. Can’t remember it at all. 
Stay Safe.
Ken Freck
Nor do I, Ken … and it didn’t chart at ALL nationally … so not quite sure what the story is behind that one.  And I can’t find a listing for it ANYWHERE!!!  Anybody out there know?  Fill us in!  (kk)

How Cher is combating the CoronaVirus … a Billboard Exclusive …
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9370577/cher-coronavirus-interview?utm_campaign=Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_term=daily_digest

Ultimate Classic Rock is suggesting THIS seating chart for concerts after the all-clear is given after the CornoaVirus.
I just can’t see it … I mean really, what would be the point?  NOBODY could make any money doing this … venues putting on shows with theaters 80% empty?  They’d have to triple the price of the tickets to even have a shot of breaking even … and the artists would have to book themselves there for a week in order to make it worth their while.
There just HAS to be a better solution than this!!!  (kk)
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/covid-19-concerts-fan-pods/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter_4572276

And maybe Christopher Lloyd was right ...

 

 
 



 

 


↧

May 8th, 1970

May 8, 2020, 4:00 am
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1970:  May 8th– “Let It Be,” The Beatles’ final studio album, is released.  (All of these tracks, with the exception of George Harrison’s “I Me Mine” and a new lead guitar solo on the title track were recorded prior to The Beatles recording their “Abbey Road” LP.  George was called back into the studio to put the finishing touches on these two tracks to ready the album for release.)


The tapes sat dormant for over a year as, by now, The Beatles had already broken up.  John Lennon called in Producer Phil Spector to give him a go at the mess that was left and Paul in particular was completely unhappy and dissatisfied with the results.  As was always Spector’s way, the tracks are layered with sound, lush arrangement and even (to Paul’s horror) a women's choir on a Beatles track.  ("The Long And Winding Road")


Many years later McCartney would finally get his way when Apple Records released “Let It Be … Naked” … reissuing the original tapes as The Beatles had left them, unadorned by any “enhancing” (other than Billy Preston’s keyboards.)  Paul maintained that THIS is the way these tracks were intended to be heard.


Also on this date, The Doors play a concert at Detroit’s Cobo Arena where John Sebastian and The Lovin’ Spoonful are invited to join them on stage for half a dozen songs.


Unfortunately, this causes the show to run past the enforced midnight curfew as dictated by The American Federation of Musicians … and The Doors would be banned from ever returning to The Cobo.  (A recording of this concert would later be released in 2000 as “Live In Detroit”)

And, on May 8th, 1970, The New York Knicks defeat The Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden, four games to three in the NBA Finals, winning their first NBA Championship


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